It’s not every week a current Greene County high school athlete and a former one garner huge individual honors, but that was the case this week. Carter Morton of Jefferson, a third year track & field athlete at the University of Northern Iowa, and a 2020 Greene County graduate, along with current high school senior Kale Petersen, both were recognized for their accomplishments.

Morton was named the Most Valuable Athlete on Monday for his performance at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Meet at Gately Park in Chicago. During the Feb. 26-27 event, Morton won the triple jump, the long jump, and the heptathlon (seven events scored as one), and he totaled more points than anyone on the men’s side of the meet. Morton also place fifth in the high jump, his tenth event over the two days.

Petersen, a three time Iowa high school State Wrestling Tournament Champion (two for Greene County in Class 2A and one for West Fork of Sheffield in 1A) on Wednesday was named the 2A Dan Gable Mr. Wrestler of the Year at the Fareway Conference Center in Boone. The award is sponsored by IAwrestle and Fareway Stores inc. Petersen was presented the award by Gable, who was the featured speaker. Petersen ended his high school career with 74 straight victories including going 55-0 for Greene County over the last two seasons.

Neither honor had previously been awarded to any Greene County athlete, and two of this magnitude in the same week in different sports is also unprecedented.