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CHS senior a finalist for national award

Sports writer

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Roland Angadi was about to do what he does most days in the morning at Clovis High — read announcements over the intercom. What followed was a major surprise.

link Staff photo: Tony Bullocks

Principal Jay Brady congratulates Clovis High’s Rohan Angadi on Tuesday morning after making the anouncement over the school’s public address system that the senior is a national finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship award.

Principal Jay Brady grabbed the microphone and informed the school Angadi is a national finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship award, one of 10 — five boys and five girls — to be so honored across the nation.

It caught Angadi totally off guard, which was the plan.

“It’s a great feeling, I’m not going to lie,” he said of the award. “My mom did a pretty good job of hiding it (from me).”

Angadi, who is the CHS student body president, said he applied earlier this year. He was eventually chosen a state finalist and then the New Mexico representative before becoming a national finalist.

“You go through an extensive process,” he said.

Angadi, who plays soccer and tennis at CHS, was diagnosed with a rare form of macular degeneration several years ago. He has been able to overcome that to be able to compete in sports and do well in the classroom.

“It gradually takes away your eyesight,” he said. “But it’s never stopped me from doing what I wanted.

“My parents always instilled in me that confidence.”

For advancing this far, Angadi was awarded a $5,000 college scholarship and a $100 Wendy’s gift certificate. He and the other national finalists will be in New York in December, where the national winners — one boy, one girl — will be selected.

Joy Lopez, district manager for Wendy’s and a Clovis native, said Angadi is the first person selected in her district, which covers much of southeast New Mexico and southwest Texas.

“This is a big deal for us,” she said. “Having (someone selected) in a smaller town like Clovis is pretty amazing.”

Angadi is to be recognized during halftime of the Wildcats’ Class 6A football playoff game against Eldorado on Friday at Leon Williams Stadium.