Rathbun, Macutek, Peters Named 2024 William I. Graf Award Recipients

Trio of Seniors Honored as Top Graduating Athletes at Watertown High School Spring Sports Awards Night

WATERTOWN — Three Watertown High School seniors were honored Wednesday evening as the top graduating athletes and recipients of the William I. Graf Award. Alexandra Macutek and Mallory J. Peters were selected as the women’s recipients and Jack T. Rathbun was named as the men’s honoree this year.

The Italian American Civic Association created the William I. Graf Award in 1954 to honor Mr. Graf’s leadership and civic engagement in the community. The Northern New York Community Foundation was selected to help continue the Graf family legacy by administering an associated scholarship fund in perpetuity and raising awareness of the award for students who strive to earn the prestigious honor.

Mr. Graf was a multi-sport coach and athletic director at Watertown High School. Graf Award honorees are expected to have participated in at least two or more varsity sports in their senior year and demonstrate exceptional character and sportsmanship, discipline, fair play, training, athletic ability, and academics.

The Graf Award was first presented to both a male and female athlete in 1977; from 1954 to 1976 the honor was only awarded to the top graduating male athlete. This year is only the second time in 47 years that selection ended in a tie vote for the women’s athlete at Watertown High. Last year was the first time that women’s selection ended in a tie. Only twice, first in 1961 and again in 2015, did selection of the male athlete end in a tie vote. From 1954 to 1979, the Graf Award was also presented to the top graduating athletes at Immaculate Heart Academy/Immaculate Heart Central.

About the recipients

Alexandra Macutek is an accomplished two-sport athlete, competing for four years in varsity soccer and lacrosse. She is a four-time New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete.

As a varsity lacrosse player, Alexandra was a four-year starter and a four-time NYSPHSAA Section X First Team Frontier League All-Star. She was also a three-time First Team All CNY selectee and played travel lacrosse with the Lake Effect Storm Lacrosse Club for six years and competed for four years with Different Road Patriots Club Lacrosse and four years with Unity Club Lacrosse.

As a Cyclones varsity soccer athlete, Alexandra was a four-year starter and a three-time NYSPHSAA Section X First Team Frontier League All-Star.

Off the athletic field, Alexandra is a top-ranked honor student and two-year National Honor Society member who participated in numerous extracurricular activities. She is also active in her community, volunteering for the Red Cross Blood Drive, Hospice of Jefferson County, and the Ohio Street Elementary School Ice Cream Social.

Alexandra will graduate this month with a New York State Regens Diploma with Advanced Designation. She will attend Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa., this fall where she plans to study sports broadcasting. She aspires to work as a sports broadcaster. Alexandra is the daughter of Kelly and Joe Macutek, Watertown.

Mallory J. Peters is a standout three-sport athlete, competing for six years in varsity swimming, four years in varsity basketball, and three years in varsity softball. Mallory played travel softball for six years, competing for four years with the NNY Misfits Travel Softball Team and for three years with the CNY Hazen’s Stars Travel Softball Team. She was also a six-year member of the YMCA Blue Sharks Travel Swim Team and a New York State YMCA District and State Championship Meet participant.

Mallory is a six-time New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete.

As a varsity swimmer, Mallory served as a team captain in her junior and senior years and was a six-time Frontier League All Star. She was named a WWNY-TV7 North Country Athlete of the Week for swimming in 2022 and 2023 and holds the Frontier League record for the 400 Freestyle Relay.

As a Cyclones varsity basketball player, she earned Frontier League All-Star Honorable Mention her junior year. As a varsity softball competitor, Mallory served as a team captain in her junior and senior years and was a three-time Frontier League All-Star. She set the record for the most runs scored in a single season during her senior year and tied the record for the most stolen bases, which was last set in 1990. In 2022, she was named Thousand Islands Challenge 16U Softball Tournament MVP.

In 2023, she was a Frontier League Representative for the NYSPHSAA Section III Leadership Conference in Cooperstown. She also served as a Frontier League Representative for the NYSPHSAA Student-Athlete Advisory Council during her senior year.

Off the athletic field, Mallory is a top-ranked honor student and two-year National Honor Society member who participated in numerous extracurricular clubs and activities, including the International and Travel clubs and the WHS Cyclones Booster Club. She is also active in her community and church, serving as a member of the All Saints Church Youth Group and volunteering at various YMCA, school, and community sporting events. Mallory is a six-year volunteer for the Watertown City School District Food for Families program and a two-time participant in the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization Medical Academy of Science & Health (MASH) Camp.

Additionally, Mallory is a two-year WCSD summer swim instructor and lifeguard and a three-year Watertown Family YMCA lifeguard. She maintains certifications as an American Red Cross Lifeguard, including First Aid, CPR/AED, and Waterfront Skills.

Mallory will graduate this month with a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. She will attend Jefferson Community College this fall where she plans to study allied health. She plans to continue her education at a four-year college to study diagnostic medical sonography. She aspires to work in the medical field. Mallory is the daughter of Lori and Eric Peters, Chaumont.

Jack T. Rathbun is an accomplished three-sport athlete, competing for three years in varsity soccer and lacrosse and for two years in varsity basketball. He is a three-time New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Scholar Athlete.

As a varsity soccer player, Jack was a three-time Frontier League Champion, a three-time Frontier League All-Star and was twice named to the Watertown Daily Times All North Team.

As a Cyclones varsity basketball player, Jack was a two-time Frontier League Champion. As a varsity lacrosse competitor, he earned Frontier League All-Star Honorable Mention his junior year and was named a League All-Star his senior year. He also earned Honorable Mention to the Watertown Daily Times All North Team.

Off the athletic field, Jack is a top-ranked honor student and two-year National Honor Society member who participated in numerous extracurricular clubs and activities. With his family, he is a communicant of Blessed Sacrament Parish where he is an active volunteer.

Jack will graduate this month with a New York State Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation. He will attend Jefferson Community College this fall where he plans to study business. He aspires to work in his family’s business, Rathbun’s Plumbing, Heating, and Electrical. Jack is the son of Amy and Chris Rathbun, Watertown.

More than 100 graduating high school seniors have received the Graf Award. Click here to view an all-time list of William I. Graf Award recipients at Watertown High and IHA/IHC. Watertown High School’s athletics staff selects the recipients each year, and the Italian American Civic Association presents the award.

Following the death of Mr. Graf’s son, William A. Graf, in 2013, the family decided to honor him by funding a scholarship award for recipients. William A. Graf, who also embodied the traits of the award, attended Watertown High School, and played several varsity sports coached by his father, William I.