Carman, Hood MP's scholar-athletes of the year

They'll miss it and they admit it.

Mountain Pointe graduating seniors Aubri Carman and Dan Hood have added a lot of extras to their high school careers, and it all ends Thursday night.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Ahwatukee Foothills News' Mountain Pointe female and male Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year have been too busy to notice the calendar.

Hood will be continuing their education at Arizona State University. Carman is moving on to the University of Arizona.

"I think it will hit me when I wake up Saturday morning that the past 12 years are over," Hood said. "It's kind of sad, but exciting too."

Hood, who has played football for the Pride while maintaining a 3.98 GPA over the past four years, approached learning and classroom work like he did the gridiron.

"You're always in competition with yourself to always do better," Hood said. "It was a lot of work, parent support and there was a bit of luck involved in there."

Carman has been busy over the last four years, too.

She has a perfect 4.0 GPA, is president of the National Honor Society and has been on the Pride's state 5A-Division I championship teams in cross country and soccer.

"High school has been my niche," Carman said. "I'm excited for college, but I found my place in high school."

In addition to her championship rings, she was also this year's Homecoming Queen.

"I did well in middle school and played sports," Carman said. "I played soccer all my life and took up running in eighth grade, but in high school I expanded on those opportunities. It's been a lot of fun. I'm going to miss the teams, the state championships, going to class and just hanging out."

Carman was also named the Arizona Interscholastic Association and Cox Communications Class 4A/5A female Everyday Hero Scholar Athlete of the Year.

She will be going to UA on a Flinn Scholarship that will cover her tuition, books, fees and $8,000 in travel expenses over four years.

Carman was one of 20 out of 200 applicants to earn the scholarship but, typical of her busy schedule the last four years at Mountain Pointe, she wasn't able to attend the televised event because she had a prior commitment to the Flinn Scholarship event.

"I was able to attend the VIP reception, but then I had to leave for the Flinn recognition," she said.

That kind of routine isn't likely to dwindle in college.

"I don't think college is going to be easier," Carman said. "Instead of preparing for a grueling sport my preparation is going to come in college."

Hood is hanging them up, too.

"I guess my football days are over, at least from the competitive aspect," he said. "I'll miss it. I know just watching practice I'll miss it."

But Hood has other adventures ahead. He plans to major in geology or archeology, or combined both.

"I'm really interested in science and history, so this is a little mix of both," Hood said. "That's what I'm focusing on right now."

He could be the next Indiana Jones.

"That's pretty much just in the movies," Hood said, "but I'd like to travel and see the sights so who knows where I'll be 20 years from now."

Neither will forget Mountain Pointe and the school won't forget them.

See the rest of AFN's complete graduation coverage:

Graduation Night:

DV and MP weather the rain during graduation

Wet weather won't keep Mountain Pointe grads down

Desert Vista's '08 class record-breaking

Class Lists:

Mountain Pointe

Desert Vista

Features:

Identical triplets set to walk in Mountain Pointe grad ceremony

Boatload of DV grads to become midshipmen - or women

Sports:

Carman, Hood MP's scholar-athletes of the year

Shepard, Kline DV's scholar-athletes of the year

Ellenberger, Sangston Horizon Honors' student-athletes of the year