—Submitted photo Hayden mayer (center) stands with his parents Anthony and Katherine Mayer. Mayer was named St. Edmond’s Terry Griffey Award winner, which is handed out to the top male senior athlete.

Hayden Mayer worked tirelessly to become a multi-sport athlete.

Over the course of his four-year career at St. Edmond, Mayer reached state in track and field and cross country, earned multiple all-North Central Conference honors in basketball and finally secured his biggest award yet as a senior at the blue oval.

For all his efforts, Mayer was named the 2022 Terry Griffey Award winner, which is handed out to the top male senior athlete at the school.

“Winning this award is a big deal to me,” Mayer said. “Looking at the previous winners really puts into perspective of how much of an honor it is.

“There is some spectacular athletes on the list.”

Mayer finished his Gael career with 10 varsity letters. This past spring, he was part of the eighth-place 4×800-meter relay in Des Moines at the state meet, running the opening leg in 2:08.

“That was my proudest moment,” Mayer said. “It was amazing seeing all the work pay off with my closest friends.

“Also, helping build the cross country team into a state team was something I am very proud of.”

The son of St. Edmond graduates Anthony and Katherine (Yetmar) Mayer, he understands that it has taken hard work and determination to succeed in the NCC and at the highest level. His older brother, Harrison, and sister, Riley, were also SEHS grads.

“I think one of the toughest things about competing at St. Edmond is overcoming the size difference with other schools,” he said. “With less students, that means the teams will be smaller, so when any team competes in as tough a conference as we have, it really is an achievement.

“I have been lucky to be part of some great teams that overcame that and competed with the biggest schools.”

In three seasons on the basketball court, Mayer scored 754 points with 328 rebounds and 48 steals. He had 386 points and 144 rebounds this past winter.

Mayer will attend Iowa Central in the fall before transferring to the University of Iowa to major in actuary science.

The award is named for Lt. Terrence Griffey, a 1958 graduate of St. Edmond, the award was first handed out in 1968. Griffey was killed in action over Vietnam in 1966.

Along with Mayer, Quinten McCarville, Isaac Landwehr, Tyler Rossmanith and Drew Szalat were nominated for the award.