The Mount Vernon News sports department’s 14th ATHLETE OF THE WEEK nominations continues the established procedure of spotlighting student-athletes’ skills and performances on the fields and courts of action.
Based on performances, we ask ADs, coaches and the community to nominate one boy and one girl from their athletic programs to compete against other schools’ nominations. We ask for a recap of their worthy performances and a picture. Please send your nominations to me, Mike Blake, MVN Sports Editor, at mike.blake@mountvernonnews.com. Make sure YOUR school is represented.
This week, we have familiar faces as all four nominees have earned prior ATHLETE OF THE WEEK nominations. Among our returning student-athletes, we have our first back-to-back nomination, first two-sport nominees, a three-time nominee, and two former ATHLETE OF THE WEEK winners.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Fredericktown senior power forward Gabby Daniels is our first back-to-back nominee, having been mentioned here last week. Since her last nomination, Daniels has continued her strong performances. At Northmor on Dec. 8, she scored 21 points and had five rebounds and five steals. In the following game at Elgin, Dec. 11, she scored 20, with eight rebounds and six steals, and on Wednesday, Dec. 15, she scored 19 against Northmor. Daniels, the team captain, is currently averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals, and 2.0 assists per game.
Freddies coach Tim Maceyko said, “Gabby has always been willing to do whatever the team needs. This year, that happens to include her taking on a bigger role offensively. She worked hard for three years to get to this point, and so I told her to just relax and enjoy her senior season. So far, she seems to be doing exactly that.”
A former ATHLETE OF THE WEEK winner for Nov. 27, Cardington-Lincoln senior Beth Hardwick kept her team’s undefeated season alive with a 20-point performance against Danville, Dec. 11, including hitting 8-of-15 from two-point range, pulling down eight rebounds (three on the offensive boards), and getting three steals, two deflections and three assists. With the team down 30-23 at the half against Danville, Hardwick’s 11-point third quarter kept C-L in the game against a tough Blue Devils team and gave the Trojans a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Cardington-Lincoln coach Jamie Daniels said, “Beth, as always, came through in the clutch when we needed a spark the most. Her mid-range jumpers and a timely three-pointer were the spark we needed to get us firing on all cylinders. The quote ‘practice makes perfect’ is the motto she lives by. She is a firm believer in putting in work when nobody is watching. Beth is a great role model for younger players.”
Hardwick is also on the Cardington-Lincoln “ALL A’s Honor Roll.”
MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
East Knox senior Shane Knepp is a three-time nominee, a two-sport nominee (football and basketball) and a former winner, Nov. 13.
His current run of excellence includes leading his team to victories against Mount Gilead, Dec. 7, with 18 points, three assists and a steal; Northmor, Dec. 10, with 25 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals; and Fredericktown, Dec. 14, with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Keeping unbeaten East Knox perfect as it handed Northmor its first conference loss, Knepp scored seven in the first for the Bulldogs for an 11-7 lead. The EK advantage increased to 25-19 at halftime with 15 points coming from Knepp. East Knox nailed down the win with a 17-11 fourth quarter and six clutch points from Knepp.
Bulldogs coach Ryan Powell said, “Shane is the most skilled player I have ever coached, and he is a better leader than he is a player. He is also all-Ohio in multiple sports and a great student.”
Sometimes, a player does all he can do, and the team still comes up short, but that doesn’t diminish the student-athlete’s performance. Cardington-Lincoln senior Nate Hickman is now a two-sport nominee (football and basketball), and he put on a show, giving it his all for the Pirates in a losing effort while in search of their second win of the year.
Hickman scored 32 points (5-for-6 from the line) with 11 rebounds and two assists in the loss to Danville, 61-52, last Friday. No other Pirate scored more than five in the game, and Hickman was hot from the get-go, putting up eight of C-L’s nine points in the first quarter and 13 of Cardington’s 16 halftime points.
In the fourth, the Pirates put 28 points on the board with Hickman putting on a show in Cardington-Lincoln’s attempt to keep the game close, by throwing down 13 points, including three threes, to make it five threes for the game.
Pirates coach Ryan Treese said, “He kept us in the game. He was 5-for-9 from downtown (3-point range). Nate is a hard worker and a great teammate to the younger kids. He wasn't going to play this year, but he had a change of heart and decided to play, and we are so grateful for that.”
Hickman is also a member of the Cardington-Lincoln Honor Roll.
Congratulations to Beth Hardwick and Nate Hickman, a clean sweep for Cardington-Lincoln, for earning honors as this week’s MOUNT VERNON NEWS ATHLETE of the WEEK. And congratulations to all of the nominees … you all deserve top honors and recognition for your leadership, skills and student-athlete performance.
