Hackley's Houghteling Earns Special Honor

To be named to the "Golden Dozen" Scholar Athlete Team is one of the most prestigious honors a high school football player can earn.

What makes it even more special is when you can earn that honor coming from such an academically prestigious school like Hackley.

Senior Jack Houghteling was named a Golden Dozen honorable mention. The Golden Dozen is an award that goes out to the best scholar football players in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess Counties.

Houghteling played this past fall as an offensive tackle and a defensive end for a Hornets squad that went 6-3. Houghteling has been a starter the last three years on defense and the last two seasons on offense.

The Hackley senior also runs winter track and plays baseball for the Hornets. He received his honor at the Westchester Country Club Jan. 28.

"It's just such a special honor," Houghteling said. "To be the one player nominated from a school like Hackley is special enough. But then add to that how many great student-athletes there are in all the schools in the area and to be one of the 36 student-athletes named to the Golden Dozen makes it even more special."

Houghteling, a two-time all-league player in the Fairchester League, said he was able to earn the prestigious honor by knowing how to balance his time between academics and athletics.

Houghteling said that his favorite subjects are History and English because they are the two subjects that he has the most passion for.

"History is something that I always have had a love for, it's a favorite of my dad's and he passed it on to me," Houghteling said.

Houghteling also has developed a liking for science. He took an environmental science class as a junior that he thought he was going to hate but he turned out to enjoy it.

"I liked Environmental Science because you learn things taking that class that you can apply to your everyday life," Houghteling said.

On the field, Houghteling's favorite memories came this season when Hackley defeated two of the top teams in the Fairchester League, Brunswick, 22-19, and Hopkins, 17-14. Houghteling is now hoping to continue to play football at either Macalester College in Minnesota or Claremont McKenna College in California.

Houghteling wants to major in international relations public policy.

"One of my teachers traveled around the world after college and stressed the importance of world travel and meeting new people," said Houghteling said.

What will also stick with Houghteling, who would like to work in the United Nations, is the lessons he learned from Hackley coach Robert Pickert.

"I learned from Coach about dedication and to stick with something, no matter how hard it may get," Houghteling said. "I also learned the game of football from him."