The Mount Vernon News sports department’s 19th ATHLETE OF THE WEEK nominations continue 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, two hard-court winners are spotlighted, and two wrestlers gain gold for their team.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Fredericktown senior power forward Gabby Daniels becomes the first female athlete to gain three nominations, as she earns recognition for a career-high 29-point performance in the Freddies’ 53-27 win over Ontario on Jan. 17. Daniels was also the first athlete to earn back-to-back nominations as she was honored Dec. 11 for her double-doubles against Utica and Danville within 48 hours and the following week for her 21-point, five-rebound, five-steal game against Northmor and her 20-point, eight-rebound, six-steal game three days later against Elgin.
Her third nomination was earned for her MLK-Day dominance on the court. From start to finish, it was a Gabby Daniels showcase. She started lighting up the scoreboard with a 10-point first quarter to put the Freddies on top 13-5. She added seven points in the second to give her 17 of Fredericktown’s first 23 points, and she had outscored Ontario by herself, 17-13, at halftime. After putting up six more in the third, while Ontario only scored four, she added six more in the fourth to finish with 29 points to 27 for Ontario, as the Freddies won by 26. She was the only player in the game to reach double figures, and her stat line read: a career-high 29 points, eight rebounds, one block, one steal, 9-for-16 from the field, 1-for-1 from 3-point range and 8-for-10 at the foul line.
Freddies coach Tim Maceyko said, “Gabby Daniels is back up for Athlete of the Week. She is our team captain, a great student, and she works hard. She puts the team first and will do whatever the team needs her to do. When we need her to take on a bigger role offensively, she delivers.”
MALE ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
In the Jan. 14 game between Highland and Clear Fork, Jordan Bellamy led the Scots in the second half and down the stretch to help earn his school a 61-53 victory. Bellamy drained a three in the second period to give the Scots a three-point lead at halftime. He then took the game over with a 16-point second half. He rainbowed two threes and a deuce in the third to run the Highland lead to 11. In the fourth, with Clear Fork charging back, Bellamy calmly hit for eight more on a deuce, a three and three free throws to put the game on ice.
Bellamy’s stat sheet showed 19 points, 6-for-13 from the field, 4-for-8 from 3-point range, three defensive rebounds, seven assists, one deflection and only one foul.
Highland basketball coach Christian Toombs said, “Jordan is a hard worker who is constantly in the gym trying to improve his game."
At last week’s Boardman Spartan Meet, the Mount Vernon wrestling team competed against 17 teams, and two of its wrestlers won gold. Colton Spurgeon, a two-time nominee, won the gold medal at 126 pounds, going 4-0 to run his record this year to 20-3. In the first round, he won by tech fall over Soor Patel of Hickory. In the quarterfinals, Spurgeon won by tech fall over Trevor Sponseller (Brecksville). In the semifinals, he won by fall over Timmy Krivosh (Hickory), and in the first-place match, Spurgeon won by decision over Aurora’s Kaden McGohan, 7-1.
Mount Vernon wrestling coach Nate Cornell said, “Colton has been an animal on his feet this season, scoring takedowns left and right and lighting up the scoreboard.”
Spurgeon's teammate, Nate Stradley, is also a second-time nominee, winning the gold at 285 pounds to increase his season mark to 14-2. Stradley caught a break in the first round, receiving a bye to move on to the quarterfinals, which he won by decision over Justin Habig (Brecksville), 3-1. In the semifinals, he won by a 10-2 major decision over Nicholas Maule (Hickory). In the first-place match, Stradley won gold with a 5-2 decision over Daren Christine (Conneaut).
“Nate is our team leader, both in the wrestling room and the weight room, both on and off the mats,” Cornell said.
Congratulations on a great week by our ATHLETES of the WEEK, Gabby Daniels and Jordan Bellamy, and congratulations to all local athletes for solid efforts.
To all local schools: Send us your athlete nominations for next week and show them and the community how much they mean to their schools.
