Recent Nazareth Academy graduate Trenton Walker had one last athletic challenge this past spring. The NCAA Division I Murray (Ky.) State football recruit rejoined the boys track and field team shortly after the start of the outdoor season.
“I was on the edge and I ended up doing it at the end of the year,” Walker said. “It was just to basically keep my speed up and trying to get ready to report June 1 for football.”
Wide receiver Walker, baseball’s Landon Thome and girls basketball’s Stella Sakalas were named Male and Female Senior Athletes of the Year at the senior awards assembly.
Sakalas and Thome are among the all-time Nazareth greats in their respective sports. Shortstop Thome, a Florida State baseball recruit, is expected to be selected in next month’s Major League Baseball draft.
“Just getting that award was very amazing, being supported with everyone around me in the Nazareth family,” Walker said. “Landon’s a really cool guy. It was definitely a surprise (for me). I was very cool sharing that with Landon, knowing he’s going to be in the big leagues very soon.”
Thome enjoyed sharing the male award with Walker just as much.
“Absolutely. That was awesome. We were excited for each other,” he said. “They’re (both) some of my close friends so I was excited to be a part of that.”
Sakalas will play basketball at Brigham Young and major in data science. She played key roles in the Roadrunners’ two state championship teams in Class 4A in February and 3A as a freshman usually the first forward off the bench.
“Being named Female Senior Athlete of the Year is incredibly meaningful to me,” she said. “I feel honored and grateful to be recognized among so many talented athletes. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent my school and team.”
Walker was part of three Nazareth 3A football state championships in 2025, 2024 and 2023, moving up to varsity midway through his freshman year and playing special teams at state. As a senior, he caught 59 passes for 825 yards and six touchdowns and rarely came off the field by adding defensive back (32 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups) and special teams. In track, he was a 2023 and 2024 state qualifier in triple jump before stopping the event because of knee problems.
Walker will remember the football team building and camaraderie during their summer overnight camps at Olivet Nazarene University. It’s been a great building block as he begins pre-season camp at Murray State, where he’ll major in accounting and finance.
“(At Nazareth) I got a boost, a definite overall understanding of the game, how to learn the game, being able to get along with people, being able to connect with people and use your own mind,” Walker said. “I definitely got a lot because of how great our coaches were and how much they would rely and lean on us and make sure they were connected with us.”
Thome started for the Roadrunners’ 2023 and 2024 3A state champions. He achieved seven career and three single-season individual school records in various offensive categories.
“I’ve got to give it up to (Nazareth baseball coach Lee Milano) and all of my teammates, especially freshman and sophomore year playing on such good teams,” said Thome, who will major in sports management. “I look back at that lineup – DI, (MLB) draft picks. All of those teammates talked to me and gave me the ropes to play through high school. They took me under their wing. And they were such good friends. I able to pass that down to the (next) freshmen and sophomores.”
He played basketball and football through eighth grade but concentrated on baseball in high school.
Sakalas only played basketball for the Roadrunners. She was named first team all-state the past two seasons and leaves as the program’s leader in career rebounds (776) and second in career points (1,956) along with 332 assists, 298 steals and 93 blocks.
“Focusing on one sport allowed me to maximize my growth during my time at Naz and to pursue my goal of playing at the collegiate level,” she said. “My greatest memory of Nazareth basketball would be the entire weekend this season downstate. (I’ll remember) the feeling of confidence and trust in one each other that we had built leading up to winning the state title. Other memories would include both Florida Christmas tournament trips, having the opportunity to play amazing out-of-state schools and being in Florida with my best friends.”