The Mount Vernon News sports department’s Athlete of the Week is a weekly feature that spotlights local student-athletes and their schools. Based on their performances, we will select an Athlete of the Week and recognize other outstanding athletic accomplishments.
Our Athlete of the Week winners for this week are Ceci Grassbaugh and Dane Nauman, both from Highland.
Female Athlete of the Week
Ceci Grassbaugh
In a season filled with strong, honors-worthy volleyball performances, an athlete from another sport stood out to take this week’s crown. Highland’s girls golf team leader Ceci Grassbaugh gets the nod this week for her accomplishments on and off the links. Grassbaugh finished the MOAC tournament Sept. 21 by setting a school record with an 18-hole score of 77. Grassbaugh has been medalist (first-place / low score) in five events this season. She also finished tied for seventh overall at the Fredericktown Invitational with more than 70 golfers competing, and she just qualified the Girls Division II District Tournament set for Monday at Darby Creek
Highland played many nine-hole matches this season, and Grassbaugh had a nine-hole average of 40.8. While delivering her five first-place finishes, she broke both the nine-hole and 18-hole records for Highland, and she now holds the school record for nine holes at 37 and the 18-hole record at 77. Both of the records were broken at the MOAC Tournament held at The Golf Club of Bucyrus on Sept. 21.
“As a first year coach, I could not ask for a better golfer and leader for our team," Highland golf coach Dave Ware said. "Ceci has helped run putting and chipping drills and has always been there for her teammates’ moral support when needed. She plays with integrity. I often hear her boost her teammates and opponents during matches. I am excited to be able to be her coach for the next couple of years.”
To cap off her week, Grassbaugh was named to MOAC’s girls varsity golf first team.
Honorable Mention: Audrey Brininger (Cardington-Lincoln volleyball) is becoming a fixture in this feature. The C-L volleyball captain slammed down 23 kills in the Lady Pirates’ 3-0 sweep of Fredericktown on Sept. 20.
Male Athlete of the Week
Dane Nauman
This week, we had three student-athletes who put together monster performances, and they all deserve Athlete of the Week honors. By virtue of the fact that one of these athletes is a record-setter who gained more yards rushing than his team did in the game (the team was negative in rushing without his stats), and was responsible for 85% of his team’s total yardage while also being the team leader on defense; and that the other two stars were teammates and supported each other’s performances, we will give the nod to Highland’s Dane Nauman by a slim margin over Tyler Johnson and Caylan LeMaster of Centerburg.
Nauman earned his second Athlete of the Week honor this season and fourth overall (two last year) for a dominating display in Highland’s 42-28 win over Marion Harding. On the ground, Nauman gained 336 yards rushing on 30 carries and scored four touchdowns. He also finished with 65 kickoff return yards, giving him 401 all-purpose yards on the day. Defensively, Nauman was also the Scots’ leading force with 12 tackles, of which 4.5 were tackles for loss. He also had 1.5 sacks.
Highland Athletic Director Mike DeLaney said Nauman is much more than just a stellar athlete and that he does not stand alone. "Dane's success is a direct reflection of his and his teammates’ commitment to one another,” DeLaney said. “As good a football player as Dane is on both sides of the ball, he is an even better person. He is a great teammate who is extremely humble.”
Honorable mention goes to two Centerburg student-athletes. Tyler Johnson, a one-time Athlete of the Week so far this season, was also recommended by a community resident. Johnson is the Trojans’ quarterback, cornerback and punter, and in the Trojans’ 47-14 win over Cardington-Lincoln, he went 9-for-16 in the air for 179 yards and one touchdown and carried the ball 23 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns while totaling 379 yards of offense. Defensively, he had four tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass break-ups. To top off Johnson’s week, he was also accepted into the Ohio Scholars Association.
Johnson teammate Caylan LeMaster is a multiple nominee who was a finalist in last year’s Athlete of the Year competition. LeMaster shined against C-L with 20 carries for 182 yards and four touchdowns, one reception for 12 yards and five tackles to lead the team on defense.
Honorable Mention also goes to Fredericktown running back Teegan Ruhl, another AotW winner last season and nominee this year, who once again put up big numbers with 31 rushes for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Freddies’ 22-15 win over Northmor. He was given credit for 32 yards rushing on a gadget play in which there was a lateral, which put Ruhl over the 1,000-yard mark rushing on the season. He has 135 carries for 1,009 yards and 11 touchdowns to date.
We congratulate all of these local student-athletes on great character and performances as well as the many who did not make this week’s feature, but who will be recognized in weeks to come.
To coaches and community members, join us in our award process. Send us your choices for MVN Athlete of the Week, a recap of their prowess in competition and a photo of them and give them the community recognition they deserve. Encourage your community members and coaches to contact us each week. Send your selections to mike.blake@mountvernonnews.com.
