By Anvil Welch

awelch@joplinglobe.com

It’s a delight to see Grove High School’s Dusty Gehrke each day whether it’s in the classroom or on the practice field.

Jusk ask Ridgerunner football coach Dennis Millican.

“Dusty always has a smile on his face. He always is having fun,” Millican said on Friday. “He’s fun to be around. He’s a competitor, though.

“He doesn’t get moody. If he does, he doesn’t show it,” Millican said. “He has a great outlook on life, and his teammates like him.”

Said wrestling coach John Henry Ward: “Obviously, he’s gifted but he works his tail off. He takes everything he does seriously. When he’s practicing, he puts everything he has into it.”

The multi-talented Gehrke, who has a year to go for the Ridgerunners, is the Globe’s Male Athlete of the Year for 2007-08.

A star for all seasons

“Why shouldn’t Dusty (Gehrke) be smiling?” Colton Gehrke, his older brother, suggested with a laugh.

Consider the achievements of Dusty Gehrke during his junior year.

Last fall? The 6-foot, 175-pound Gehrke, a receiver-defensive back, helped Grove (10-2) to a quarterfinal finish in the Oklahoma Class 4A playoffs. That made Gehrke 3-for-3 in reaching the playoffs.

Last winter? Gehrke placed fourth at 160 pounds in Class 3A to help the wrestling Ridgerunners capture their first state title.

Last spring? Gehrke won the Class 4A pole vault — his third title in a row — by clearing 15 feet.

“I’ve done a lot better,” Gehrke said of his vaulting. “I’ve cleared 17-3 in practice and 16 in meets.”