Eighteen Athletes from eleven different schools have been named the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week.
Each athlete was nominated by his or her coach. All statistics incurred from October 3rd through October 8th.
Below is a look at each Athlete of the Week by sport:
Volleyball
Name: Grace Bundy
Grade: Junior
School: McDonald High School
Stats: 7 Serving Aces, 19 Kills, 3 Blocks, 16 Digs
Coaches Quote: “Grace is one of our outstanding middle hitters. She made big plays for us in all of our matches this week,” according to coach Mike Klockner
Name: Alexa Cruz
Grade: Senior
School: Sebring McKinley High School
Stats: 20 kills, 8Digs, 3 Aces 3 blocks
Coaches Quote: “Alexa, a captain, brings a good energy to the team and is always working and learning to be a better hitter. She is an aggressive server and leads this season in aces,” according to coach Susanne Neal.
Name: Taylor Gearhart
Grade: Sophomore
School: Champion High School
Stats: Service 27-28 12 pts 31-33 Hitting with 6 Aces and 11 digs
Coaches Quote: “Taylor came up with some crucial serves during our last couple of games, along with some very good placed hits that kept the momentum with us. She is a great team player and hard worker for our team,” according to coach Kelly Henson.
Name: Cyra Cross
Grade: Junior
School: Campbell Memorial High School
Stats:21 Kills, 101 Service Receptions, Serve Receive Rating of 1.85, 38 digs
Coaches Quote: “Junior, Outside Hitter, Cyra Cross has been playing great defense on the court during the second half of the season. She has become more dedicated throughout the season and has stepped up as a leader on the court with her game play. She helped lead Campbell Memorial to a 3-0 record on the week, including two conference wins against Liberty and Newton Falls. She had 20 kills and added 54 digs. Cyra recorded 101 Service Receptions while leading the team with a 1.85 Serve Receive Rating. Cyra Cross never gives up on a play and keeps the ball alive when others think the play is over,” according to coach Tyler Allen.
Name: Emily Martin
Grade: Senior
School: Western Reserve High School
Stats: This week Emily had 11 kills,2 blocks, 7 digs, 2 assists, 1 service ace and 8 service points.
Coaches Quote: “Emily is a true team player and she brings enthusiasm to our team with her excitement and effort. She will play any position you ask and does it with 150 % effort. She is always striving to get better and she is an absolute joy to have on our team. She has proven to be a big part of this year’s team success. I love this girl and she will be deeply missed next year,” according to coach Kristine Hughes.
Name: Khloe Sanderson
Grade: Freshman
School: LaBrae High School
Stats: serve 100%, Digs 26
Coaches Quote: “As a freshman, Khloe has stepped into various roles throughout the season fulfilling the expectation of them all. She has an eye for anticipation and puts her whole effort on the court,” according to coach Courtney Kish.
Name: Alena Len
Grade: Junior
School: Jackson-Milton High School
Stats: Alena had 23 kills, 1 blocks.
Coaches Quote: “Alena has worked very hard this season to become a strong middle block and hitter. We are excited to see how she continues to grow doing tournaments and next season. She had her career best game this week with 13 kills,” according to coach Stephen Mohr.
Football
Name: Preston Holbrook
Grade: Freshman
School: Mineral Ridge High School
Stats: 15 rushing attempts – 107 Yards 1 TD – 2 solo tackles -1 assisted tackle – 1 Tackle for a loss
Coaches Quote: “Preston Holbrook was told pre-game that he was starting at LB, and he definitely made the most of it.
Earning player of the game by totaling 3 tackles 1TFL. He also took over the bulk of the carries totaling 107 yards on 15 carries,” according to coach Brian Shaner.
Name: Alex Schiavi
Grade: Senior
School: Jackson Milton High School
Stats: Alex rushed for a team high 73 yards which included a rushing touchdown, the only touchdown of the game for either team Friday night vs. Waterloo. Alex also passed for 100 yards on the night.
Coaches Quote: No Quote.
Name: Scott Boston
Grade: Senior
School: Sebring McKinley High School
No Image
Stats: 4 Receptions, 44yds, 1 TD, 1 Conversion, 12 Tackles and 1 Assist Defensively
Coaches Quote: ““Scott is our leader on defense and offense. His effort from week to week is simply outstanding,” according to coach Anthony Agresta.
Name: Anthony Kindinis
Grade: Senior
School: Campbell Memorial High School
Stats: 6/12 Pass Completion for 111 yds, 1 TD – 86 yards Rushing, 1 TD – 3/3 Extra Points – Average Punt of 35 yds
Coaches Quote: “Anthony was thrown into the QB position for the first time this week and dominated! He showed poise with the ball in his hands and did everything that was asked of him at a high level. I couldn’t be prouder of his efforts and accomplishments this week,” according to coach Andrew King.
Cross Country
Name: Rita Domitrovich
Grade: Freshman
School: McDonald High School
Stats: Rita ran a personal best time Saturday, Oct. 8 at The Legends Meet.
Coaches Quote: “Rita stepped up and filled a gap for our team Saturday. Rita ran a PR and still has a lot more in the tank. Keep working hard,” according to coach Robin Kapalko.
Name: Jonathan Lanham
Grade: Senior
School: Jackson-Milton High School
Stats: MVAC Championship – 51st place – 23:21 Jackson-Milton Invitational – 30th place – 23:16
Coaches Quote: “Jonathan is 1 of our only 2 seniors this season. He unfortunately missed the beginning half of the season due to medical reasons but is now back and ready to make the most of his senior season. Jonathan has competed
in 5 meets since returning to practicing and has already brought his times down to where he left off last season. This past weekend he raced on his home course for the last time and he is working hard to reach his goals. He has a current personal record of 22:26 and he hopes to break it again before the season ends. Congratulations Jonathan,” according to coach Kayla Morrison.
Name: Blaine Prout
Grade: Sophomore
School: Newton Falls High School
Stats: Blaine had an amazing personal record race at the Jackson Milton Invite last Sat, with a gain of 1:05 in the 5k
Coaches Quote: “I sensed a difference in Blaine before the race. He looked like he couldn’t wait any longer. He was determined and persevered in the battle all the way to the finish line,” according to coach Jon Hill.
Soccer
Name: Lille Snyder
Grade: Senior
School: Waterloo High School
Stats: Led defense to one goal allowed this week
Coaches Quote: “After several years away from the game, Lille returned this season and has had a tremendous season. She is one of our anchors on defense and has developed chemistry with her backline mates and keepers. She is a vital part of our weekly defensive game plan and has worked extremely hard on her game. Her leadership and hard work have inspired our underclassmen, and Lille has become an excellent all-around player,” according to Bill Jackson.
Name: Brady Cole
Grade: Sophomore
School: Jackson-Milton High School
Stats: No Stats
Coaches Quote: “Brady is an impactful player at any position, we have moved him around all season, and he has been up for the challenge. The thing that sets him apart is his positive attitude and his willingness to work hard and try anything his coaches ask. We are excited for his continued growth,” according to coach Craig Fetkovich.
Name: Ahmed Ahmessi
Grade: Sophomore
School: Liberty High School
Stats: Scored 6 goals
Coaches Quote: “Ahmed led the way in the attack in both of our matches this week. His best performance this week came on senior night against Labrae, where he led the team with a 5-goal performance.,” according to coach Dan Yargo.
Name: Josh Taninecz
Grade: Senior
School: Champion High School
Stats: No Stats
Coaches Quote: “Josh is the type of player that will never fill the stat sheet up but does the little things that highly dictate the outcome of a match. Constant energy, passion and toughness makes Josh one of the most fierce defenders within the Conference,” according to coach Jaimie Futchko.