The phrase “taking it easy” isn’t in the vocabulary of Christopher High’s Jacob Moen and Tiffany Roberts.
For the past four years, Moen and Roberts have worked their Cougar tails off to become elite athletes on their respective teams. They’ve gone above and beyond and it’s for this reason they are the 2015 Gilroy Dispatch Athletes of the Year from Christopher High School.
The honor is the latest on a laundry list of achievements for Moen this year. The 6-4, 240-pound linebacker earned a full scholarship to Dartmouth College, was named the Monterey Bay League’s Most Valuable Player and First Team All-League. He helped his team christen its new stadium by going undefeated in league to earn the Pacific Division title and a second straight trip to the postseason.
For Moen, his senior year was the perfect end to his high school career.
“I feel like I got extr-emely lucky to be put in the situation I’m in to go to this school,” he said. “(Head football coach Tim Pierleoni) has done so much for me and I can’t thank him enough…I couldn’t ask for a better high school or a better high school experience.”
The halls of Christopher High have been home for Roberts too and she knows them very well. The senior has spent immeasurable amounts of time on campus as a four-year member of the school’s varsity gymnastics team. She said she was thankful to attend a school with a gymnastics program as it allowed her to compete in the sport she has done since she was 5.
Roberts also played varsity tennis for three years and was team captain this year. She did swimming and diving her freshman year and marching band for three years, acting as drum major for two.
“One of the big things I’m definitely going to take with me is the skills and the teamwork I’ve learned here,” Roberts said. “The people that I’ve met and the coaches that I’ve had, they’ve all been incredible. I’ve definitely gotten lucky to have them in my life.”
Moen will continue his football career at Dartmouth and looks to earn a starting spot on the team for his freshman season. He’s accumulated a lot of memories since starting the sport at age 6, but said he values his senior year at Christopher High above everything else.
“My favorite football experience is my senior year in general and beating Gilroy all four years (in the Severance Bowl game),” Moen said. “I want to go to Dartmouth and enjoy my time and play as much as I can play. I want to stay as healthy as I can and graduate with my degree and do something with myself.”
For Roberts, however, her athletic career ends at Christopher. She will attend the University of California, San Diego this fall with her education paid in part by the Marine Corps as a member of its Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program.
While she won’t compete athletically in college, she said she hopes to continue playing tennis as a lifelong sport. Although she’s ending her 12-plus year career in gymnastics, Roberts noted that it has helped prepare her for what she’ll do next.
“Gymnastics definitely relates to the Marines because you hear a lot of people say ‘oh yeah, I did gymnastics when I was younger’ and I ask ‘when did you stop and why didn’t you keep going?’…(With gymnastics) it’s definitely a fear game, something that fear factors into,” she said. “Having to deal with the mental game everyday can take a toll on you, but it definitely makes you stronger mentally.”
Both Moen and Roberts graduate today as not only high athletic, but academic achievers. Moen has yet to decide on his major, but said he’s leaning towards a degree in business or sociology. Roberts is aiming for a degree in neurobiology.
Both will continue working out this summer in preparation for the next chapter in their lives. As they prepare to leave Christopher High behind them, they said they are greatful for having one final memory to take with them: being named the 2015 CHS Athletes of the Year.
“It was nice to be recognized one last time before I left school and left Christopher High. It felt good,” Moen said.
Roberts added: “It’s nice to be recognized one last time here…I really want to take advantage of everything as much as I can for what (the Marine Coprs are) giving me…I want to be pushed and I want (the Marine Corps) to help me grow as a person and as a leader.”
