HUBER, BUEHRLE GARNER TOP NOTRE DAME AWARDS

She slipped on sunglasses to mask her sobs. He clutched his father in a sustained embrace.

Notre Dame High School bestowed its highest athletics honor, the Lady Bulldog and Bulldog of the Year awards, on seniors Jill Huber and Mark Buehrle Sunday evening at the school's Athletics Awards Banquet.

The award is presented each year to the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of leadership, character, teamwork, attitude and practice ethic.

"I'm just so proud. I cannot believe it," Huber said, choking back tears.

Huber, who played basketball and softball at Notre Dame for four years, was named this season to the all-region basketball first team and the all-district softball team.

A forward, Huber led the basketball team in free-throw percentage and was second in scoring. Her coach, Jerry Grim, deemed her the team's leading defender.

She also was the top pitcher the past four seasons for the softball team and was among the leaders in batting average.

Grim cited Huber's unmatched competitiveness. "She goes into everything to win," he said.

Huber plans to attend the University of Missouri but won't participate in athletics. She said her fondest sports moment came her sophomore year when the Lady Bulldogs advanced to the Class 2A basketball final four at the Hearnes Center in Columbia.

"Our team was catered to and we were like the main event," she recalled. "We fell short, we took second, but ... wow."

Buehrle, a defender on the soccer team, was named third-team all-state for eastern Missouri. He plans to play soccer at Maryville University in St. Louis.

"I really didn't think I was going to get this award," Buehrle said. "It means the world to me."

Buehrle cited as his highlight a conference championship game against Jackson and the high-flying Nathan Windeknecht. Buehrle was called on by coach Brad Wittenborn to help throttle Windeknecht, and the Bulldogs triumphed.

"We won as a team," Buehrle said, "we won with heart and pride."

Huber and Buehrle both spoke of the close relationships they enjoy with their coaches, and the unflagging encouragement of their parents.

"My dad (Danny) is my biggest fan," Huber said, "and I would not be the athlete I am today without my father. He was always there to catch my 100 pitches every day in softball and to tell me to go shoot in my front yard."

Said Buehrle, "I've had wonderful coaches the last four years and I'm very fortunate to have the parents (Tony and Donna) I do. I've got so many people to thank. I'm very, very grateful."