3 Area Athletes Named NFF Scholar Athlete Finalists
Written by Cole Havens on January 20, 2021
On Tuesday the National Football Foundation (NFF) released it’s finalists for the Scholar-Athlete award.
Of the 96 nominations from around the state 11 student athletes have been chosen as finalists with three of them being from the area.
Area finalists include Cody’s Nic Talich, Lovell’s CJ Lindsay and Meeteetse’s Hadley Abarr.
Talich was named the 3A West Defensive Player of the Year in Class 3A this season in addition to First Team All-State. He was also named the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 DPOY, in addition to making first team.
Talich was a force on defense, finishing the season with 254 points and averaged 23.1 defensive points per game, third in the state among all classifications. He had 128 tackles, seven for a loss and two sacks. He also picked off four passes, returning one for a touchdown and recovered a fumble.
Lovell’s CJ Lindsay was named an All-State Football player in 2020 in Class 2A and was also voted to the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 Third Team.
Lindsay finished the 2020 season for the Bulldogs with 970 rushing yards, 107.8 per game, on 129 attempts and scored nine rushing touchdowns.
Meeteetse’s Hadley Abarr was an All-State Selection in the 6-man football ranks in 2020 after helping lead the Longhorns to the 1A State Championship game where they finished as runner ups.
Abarr led the team on defense with 309 points. He had 151 tackles (15.1 per game), 21 for a loss, seven sacks, recorded four fumble recoveries and scored two defensive safeties.
On offense he finished the 2020 season with 564 All Purpose yards on 77 attempts and scored six touchdowns (four rushing, 2 receiving).
According to the Foundation, two finalists, one line-man and one back, from each classification will receive a $1,200 scholarship and a chance to be named Wyoming’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year. That winner will receive an additional $1,200 scholarship and become the state’s nominee for Western Region Scholar Athlete of the year.
The award is based 40 percent on football ability, 40 percent on academic achievement and 20 percent on Extra Curricular activities and Citizenship.
