The Mount Vernon News sports department’s 37th 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, we have two record-setting track athletes who performed on a big stage – the OHSAA Track And Field Championships on June 3 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.
Female Athlete of the Week
Juliette Laracuente led a Highland track team and nearly two dozen Knox County track stars as well as hundreds of state competitors in the OHSAA Track And Field Championships, reaching the podium in three events covering both track and field. In Division-2 competition, Laracuente won the long jump and finished second in the 100m hurdles and third in the high jump.
Laracuente finished first in the long jump with a season-best 19 feet, 9.75 inches, winning by 1 foot, 6.25 inches and finishing No. 1 against ALL divisions (D1, D2 and D3). She finished third in the high jump at 5 feet, 6 inches (an inch behind the leaders). Laracuente also made the podium in the 100m hurdles after finishing second in the prelims with a season-best 14.47 seconds. She came in third in the final at 14.63, 0.07 out of second and 0.15 behind the winner.
Highland High School track coach Chip Wendt said, “She is a two-time state champion in the long jump. She has six Indoor State titles. She almost won the Team State Indoor title last year by herself, missing it by 3 points.” Wendt pointed out that Laracuente has set 10 school records – six indoor and four outdoor. She was named the MOAC Female Track Athlete of the Year. She won four events at the MOAC championships – long jump, high jump, 100m hurdles and 200, setting meet record in the long jump and high jump. Additionally, Laracuente won three events (high jump, long jump and 100m hurdles) in Central Super District and was second in the 200m in school-record time. And at the Lexington Regional, she won long jump and the 100m hurdles (in school-record time) and was third in the high jump.
Wendt said Laracuente is No. 1 in Ohio (all divisions) in triple jump and long jump, No. 4 in high jump and No. 9 in 100m hurdles. Wendt added, “She is a four-point student and hopes to major in nursing. She graduates in 2023 and is a special person as well as athlete.”
Male Athlete of the Week
East Knox middle-distance runner Nathan Streby gets his second nomination, earning a nod for breaking school and meet records in April competitions in 1600m and 800m and helping anchor the 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams to wins.
In the OHSAA Track And Field Championships, Streby put a polish on his record-breaking season with a second-place finish in the 800m with a time of 1:53.49. This season, Streby has set East Knox school records in the 800m (breaking a mark that stood for 20 years), 1600m (breaking a mark that stood for 23 years) and 400m, and turning in top-five school marks anchoring the 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams.
Bulldogs track coach Jason Ewalt said Streby works hard, trains hard, performs hard and helps hard. “Nathan is always willing to help others on the team with events and pacing athletes to achieve their individual goals,” Ewalt said.
Congratulations on a great week by our ATHLETES of the WEEK Juliette Laracuente and Nathan Streby, 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.
