The Mount Vernon News sports department’s 17th 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.
For the second week in a row, we had outstanding performances on the mats and the hard court, but this time the roles were reversed, with a female wrestler and a male hoops star taking the spotlight.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Emma Rinehart has been a ground-breaker. As the lone female on Mount Vernon’s wrestling squad, she made history last February by becoming the first Mount Vernon wrestler to advance to the girls wrestling state tournament. A freshman, last year, she won the 111-pound weight division of the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association Central/Southeastern district tournament. This year, Rinehart has a record of 18 wins and only 1 loss and is ranked No. 5 in the state at 115 pounds.
Yellow Jackets wrestling coach Nate Cornell nominated Rinehart for Athlete of the Week for her performance Dec. 29 at the Watkins Memorial HS Girls Tournament. Cornell said, “Emma, our lone member of the high school girls wrestling team, is off to a stellar start this wrestling season. Most recently, she won the Watkins Girls Wrestling Tournament.”
Cornell said, “That 115-pound championship for Emma came after a gritty finals performance. Down 4-0 late, Emma scored seven points unanswered to defeat Gwen Matt from Greenview (ranked No. 8 in the state), 7-4 in double-overtime to be crowned the 115-pound champion. That performance by Emma is a direct reflection of who she is as a student-athlete. She is always working hard, never giving up and finding a way to come out a champion. That victory also avenges a loss from a preseason national tournament in which Matt defeated Emma just two months ago, showing Emma's hard work and progress this season.”
MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
A two-sport and second-time nominee, junior Teegan Ruhl of Fredericktown, was first nominated for ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Sept. 25 lsst year for Freddies football, carrying the ball 16 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns against Mount Gilead. This time out, Ruhl is recognized for his work on the basketball court. On Dec. 29, he helped the Freddies come back from a 10-point deficit to take down Clear Fork. Ruhl kept the Freddies in the game with nine points in the first to help Fredericktown stay within two points at 16-14. As Fredericktown worked methodically to take the lead, Ruhl helped put the game away with nine points in the fourth to finish with 20 points, two rebounds and four assists in the game.
Fredericktown coach Derek Dibling said, “Teegan had a great all-around game finishing at the rim and the free throw line. He did a great job of getting others involved and led the team with four assists. Teegan works really hard to do whatever is needed of him, at a high level, which is part of what makes him such a great teammate.”
Congratulations to Emma Rinehart and Teegan Ruhl, on being named this week’s MOUNT VERNON NEWS ATHLETES of the WEEK.
