A pair of 4-time state wrestling champions and Alaska’s fastest female today were selected as recipients of the 2020 Pride of Alaska Youth Awards.
Anchorage’s Aedyn Concepcion and Bethel’s Hayden Lieb were named co-winners for the boys and Delta Junction track star Hailey Williams was the girls winner.
In addition, the Houston High football team was named the winner of the Trajan Langdon Youth Award.
The winners were announced by Alaska Sports Hall of Fame executive director Harlow Robinson via Facebook Live.
PRIDE OF ALASKA YOUTH AWARD
BOYS CO-WINNER
Aedyn Concepcion, Anchorage – The South High wrestler captured his fourth straight individual championship to join an elite group of 14 Alaska boys who have achieved a four-peat. He became the first from South to do so with a 7-1 decision over a Wasilla wrestler in the 119-pound division. The senior also won his fourth straight Cook Inlet Conference title and lost only two matches in his four-year career. Concepcion was selected a Wrestling USA All-American and named to the Academic Team. He has signed with Gardner-Webb in North Carolina.
BOYS CO-WINNER
Hayden Lieb, Bethel – Hayden added his name to an exclusive club of 14 Alaska boys who won four state titles in high school. He also won three more team championships for Bethel High. The 3-time All-American finished his career with a 139-12 record and signed with NCAA D1 Wyoming. In his final match at the 2019 state championships, Lieb defeated a Petersburg wrestler 15-0 at 160 pounds to help Bethel take a narrow victory over Glennallen. He was twice named ASAA D2 Outstanding Wrestler and this year was the only Alaska named the Wrestling USA Senior All-American team.
PRIDE OF ALASKA YOUTH AWARD
GIRLS WINNER
Hailey Williams, Delta Junction – Williams was Gatorade Alaska Track & Field Girls Player of the Year – the first Gatorade honors for Delta High in any sport. As a junior, she swept the 100-, 200- and 400-meter races at the Alaska D2 state championships. Later that summer she placed fifth in 200 and 12th in the 100 at New Balance Nationals. Her senior year was canceled due to COVID-19. As a sophomore, she became the first Alaska girl in 37 years to break the 12-second barrier in the 100. She maintained an A average in the classroom and won seven state titles on the track. She has signed with NCAA D1 Duke.
TRAJAN LANGDON YOUTH AWARD
WINNER
Houston High School Football Team –After a year of fires and earthquakes, Houston rose above it all and won the D3 state championship. The Hawks completed a perfect 10-0 season for the first time in school history with a 41-8 victory over Barrow at Anchorage Football Stadium, avenging a semifinal loss to the Whalers the previous year. Houston finished the year averaging 42 points a game while only allowing 7.