The Mount Vernon News sports department’s MVN 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.
With winter sports nearing the halfway mark, local student-athletes have stepped up in big ways. This week, a student-athlete set a team record and another led her team to its first win of the season. Our Athletes of the Week are Kameron Stover (Highland basketball) and Grant Bentley (Northmor basketball).
Female Athlete of the Week
Kameron Stover
Kameron Stover, who was MVN Athlete of the Week earlier this season for leading Highland’s volleyball team to victory and who has earned several honorable mentions this year and last, led the Lady Scots basketball team to its first win of the year, a 57-17 win over Galion.
The sophomore led the Scots with 17 points, which was as many points as the entire Galion team. As the starters sat the fourth quarter, Stover got her 17 points and 13 rebounds in only three quarters of play – she had 14 and 10 at the half.
Highland girls basketball coach Matt Bradley said Stover played an outstanding game.
“Kameron’s presence was felt at both ends, as she dominated the paint on both offense and defense,” Bradley said. “She has battled an injury since the fall volleyball season, and we are excited to see her continue to learn and grow. Kameron is an outstanding player, but she is an even better leader and person. She works hard and demands the same effort from her teammates through her voice and her actions.”
Honorable mention goes to Madison Simpson with 17 points and eight rebounds in Northmor’s 47-46 overtime win over Danville. Mount Gilead’s Candace Millisor was the top scorer with 14 points to go along with seven boards, four assists and two steals in the Indians’ 44-32 win over Fredericktown.
Male Athlete of the Week
Grant Bentley
No stranger to this feature, Northmor’s Grant Bentley made history to earn his third MVN Athlete of the Week honor. Bentley was MVN Athlete of the Week twice last season, once in basketball and once on the mound in baseball, and he hits the winner’s circle again on the basketball court. Bentley put on a historic show last week, in what was a school record 45-point night, as Northmor crushed Danville, 74-40. Bentley outscored the Blue Devils all by himself. The record-setting performance for Bentley, a 6’1’’ junior, broke Jack Kegley’s record of 43, which was set in 1989.
Bentley was 17-for-24 from the field, including 5-of-11 on shots from downtown and 12-of-13 on 2-pointers -- 92% accuracy. He was 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. Bentley had an all-around night with nine defensive boards, four steals, an assist and a block. He was a constant force with 21 first-half points and 24 in the second half, scoring in double figures in three of the quarters.
Northmor Athletic Director and basketball coach Blade Tackett said Bentley played a phenomenal game individually.
“Perhaps even more impressive than the 45 points was his efficiency,” Tackett said. “To score 45 points on only 24 shots and 12/13 from 2-point range is quite impressive. I have to give a ton of credit to his teammates. We sat down on the bench at the end of the third quarter and let everyone know that he was only 11 points away. That was all it took. From that moment, all other 12 guys were completely on board with getting him to beat 43. That was neat to see. A lot of people in today's society would be jealous of such an accomplishment but our guys put Grant first and were as excited as he was for the accomplishment. We would be that way for any of our guys. If Grant's record is threatened before he graduates, he would be the first one feeding and cheering on whomever had a chance to break it.”
Tackett was quick to praise Bentley for his off-the-court behavior and personality.
“As an individual, Grant is everything you want in a teenager, a basketball player and student," Tackett said. "Kind-hearted doesn't do him justice but is a good description of him. He is a 4.0 student in the classroom and truly works at it on top of his natural gift of intelligence. He works hard at all three sports that he plays and wants to be great in all of them. He is always smiling, which is rare for kids his age. He brings a type of energy to any room he is in, that is contagious. I'm excited for Grant the basketball player for this accomplishment, but I'm more excited because I know what type of young man he is and how big of an impact he will have in any community in the future.”
Honorable mention: On the other side of Bentley’s record was Danville’s Max Payne, who scored half of Danville’s attack. Payne had 20 points, including an eight-point fourth quarter. He hit four threes in the game and was 2-for-2 from the foul line.
Another historic output puts Utica’s Trenton Collins in the honors field. In the Redskins’ 65-54 win over Johnstown, Collins topped the 1,000-point milestone with a 29-point performance. The spotlight was on Collins in the fourth quarter, when he secured the 1,000-point mark. He had 13 points in the quarter and helped put the game out of reach. Collins was perfect at the free-throw line, going 9-for-9, and he hit a pair of threes in the win.
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.
