The post-COVID sports year was an exciting one.
While winter sports continue in 2023, the 2022 year saw big things from local programs and student-athletes. Here is a look back; several big sports are included today and other programs are scheduled to be printed on Jan. 7 and next week.
FOOTBALL
In big local news, Mount Vernon City Schools voted to accept the Licking County League's (LCL) invitation to become its 12th member. Mount Vernon currently is a member of the Ohio Cardinal Conference; it will join the LCL for the 2024-25 school year.
The Yellow Jackets finished 0-6 in OCC play this year behind pennant winner West Homes (6-0). Centerburg won the KMAC at 7-0, a game ahead of Danville, 6-1. Highland (6-1) was edged out for the MOAC title by Clear Fork (7-0). Utica was 1-5 in Licking County League action, finishing in fifth place behind title winner Newark Catholic (5-0).
Danville was the biggest local on-field story. The Blue Devils came within 39 seconds of winning a Division VII regional title when they fell to Warren JFK 22-21 in the finals. Danville (11-3) led JFK (13-1) 21-14 with under six minutes to play. After a late touchdown, JFK put it all on the line and elected to try for a two-point conversion to win rather than a kick to tie. JFK dove into the end zone for the win and ended Danville's remarkable run. They got to the finals after a come-from-behind 27-20 win over Lucas, in which they were down 20-0 entering the fourth.
The Danville Blue Devils also took a 42-21 victory over East Knox in the 66th annual Devil Dog game, ending a four-year East Knox winning streak.
Making his mark statewide, Highland's Dane Nauman finished fifth among Ohio high school running backs with 2,380 yards rushing; all of those ahead of him played more games due to play-off runs. Fredericktown's Teegan Ruhl was 15th with 1814 yards, and Centerburg's Tyler Johnson was 20th with 1501.
Football All-Ohio teams selected by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association saw Danville linebacker Levi Lyons as Division VII Defensive Player of the Year. Mike Reid, Mount Gilead's football coach, was named Division VI co-coach of the year, and Nauman was selected the top offensive player in Division V.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Centerburg and Fredericktown were both undefeated in KMAC play at 5-0 at the halfway point this season. Mount Gilead's Matt Bland is the KMAC point leader at 22.1 ppg and Centerburg's Colton Martin is second at 20.7. Hudson Rohler averaged above 20 ppg for Mount Vernon in the OCC.
Last season, an undefeated boys basketball conference season was rewarded with honors as Player of the Year and Coach of the Year by KMAC selectors. Centerburg's McKinnon Mead was Player of the Year and his Trojan coach, John Marhefka, was Coach of the Year. Marhefka guided Centerburg to a 12-0 KMAC record and a 17-3 regular-season mark. Mead was KMAC's No. 2 scorer at 17.3 points per game; he led in assists at 3.8 per game and was second in steals at 2.5 per game. First-team selections saw six schools each land one player: from Centerburg, Mead; from Danville, Walker Weckesser; from East Knox, Shane Knepp; from Fredericktown, Kaid Carpenter; from Mount Gilead, Elijah Chafin; and from Northmor, Grant Bentley.
The top scorers in the KMAC in the 2021-22 season were East Knox's Knepp at 17.4 and Mead at 17.3 ppg. Northmor's Max Lower led in rebounds at 8.2, just ahead of Fredericktown's Carpenter at 8.0 rpg. Mead was top assist man at 3.8 and Carpenter was top block man at 1.7. Knepp was best in steals at 2.8.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Mount Gilead is at 5-0 in KMAC play and 9-1 overall so far this season. Perennial contender Cardington-Lincoln is right there also at 5-0 and 7-3 overall. Danville's Ella Proper and Fredericktown's Cally Carpenter are vying for top scorer at 14.9 and 14.7 ppg, respectively. Mount Gilead's Madilyn Elson is in the hunt at 14.0. Mount Vernon is in the fight at 2-2 in league competition in the OCC.
Cardington-Lincoln ended a 68-game KMAC unbeaten streak last season. The team finished with an 11-1 league mark to secure a seventh straight KMAC title. The Lady Pirates' 17-4 regular-season record earned recognition for Cardington-Lincoln's on-court leader, Abi Hardwick, as KMAC Player of the Year. She worked under Jamie Edwards, Coach of the Year, in his last season at the helm. Hardwick was the number-three KMAC scorer at 13.8 points per game; she averaged 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
KMAC first-team selections were Hardwick, Centerberg's Chloe Goulter, Danville's Brooklynn Hess, East Knox's Alexandria Magers, and Fredericktown's Gabby Daniels.
BASEBALL
The 2022 baseball season saw several late-season runs. Fredericktown (20-7) won the KMAC with an 11-1 conference mark and reached the Division III Regional semi-final; the team lost in a walk-off to Edison (23-8), 5-4.
Northmor came into the OHSAA Division III District final on May 26 averaging 7.5 runs per game. The team ran into a no-hit pitching performance by Jacob Miller and its season ended with a 10-0 loss to Liberty Union. Northmor entered the game at 18-8, having just beaten West Jefferson, 4-1, Buckeye Central, 10-0, and Pleasant, 4-2, in tournament games. Liberty Union came in with a 23-5 record and a hot pitcher.
East Knox was 8-4 in KMAC play. The team jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first inning of the OHSAA Division IV District final, but fell victim to a five-run fifth inning. They were ousted from the playoffs with a 7-5 loss to Fairfield Christian Academy..
Highland High School won the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference (MOAC) season crown with an 11-3 conference mark, en route to a 19-7 overall season mark.
Rider Minnick, Blake Jodrey, and Zach Pinkerton earned MOAC honors. They were named to the first team All-Conference squad. Brock Church made second team and Kort Sears earned honorable mention status. Pinkerton led the way among MOAC season leaders. He was second in MOAC batting at .491 and Minnick was fourth at .431. Pinkerton and Minnick ranked number three and four in slugging at .698 and .621, respectively.
Brady Lester (Fredericktown) at .508 and Bryar Householder (East Knox) at .508 were KMAC's top hitters. Grayson Reynolds (Centerburg) was third at .494. Lester also led in slugging (1.127) and home runs, with eight. Andrew Armrose (Northmor) was the RBI leader with 33 and Centerburg's Dakota Bear led in stolen bases with 26. Fredericktown's Kaid Carpenter was the top pitcher with a 1.16 ERA and 62 strikeouts.
Carpenter was selected KMAC Player of the Year and Ryan Hathaway (Fredericktown) was Coach of the Year.
Mount Vernon finished second in the Ohio Cardinal Conference with a 10-2 mark. Eight players on the team received honors in baseball. Three players were named to the first team All-League – Konner Daughreity, Logan Trace, and Caden Rowland.
SOFTBALL
Cardington-Lincoln won the KMAC in softball with a 12-0 record and went 24-4 overall. Fredericktown was second at 9-3 and 17-10. Mount Vernon went 14-9 and 7-3 in OCC play, second behind Ashland's 12-0 record. Highland went 18-5 and were 11-3 in MOAC play – one game behind Ontario.
In playoff ball, the Division III State Semifinal was a battle of Lady Pirates vs. Lady Pirates. An early home run by Cardington-Lincoln's (24-4) Riley Burchett to take a 2-1 lead was overshadowed by a relentless Wheelersburg (26-1) offense and defense. C-L fell 5-2, ending their tournament and season. C-L entered the game on a roll, having destroyed Tinora 29-4, and sunk Van Buren 14-4 to reach the semi-round.
2022 KMAC stat leaders included top batters Natalie Smith (East Knox) at .600 and Mac Linkous (Cardington-Lincoln) at .584. Top sluggers were Smith at 1.067 and Dana Bertke (Cardington-Lincoln) at .889. Smith also led in home runs with seven and RBIs with 39. Northmor's Madison Simpson led in stolen bases with 26. Top pitchers were Ari Simpson (Cardington-Lincoln) with a 0.73 ERA and Genevieve Longsdorf (Cardington-Lincoln) with a 1.21 ERA and 151 strikeouts.
Mikayla Linkous of Cardington-Lincoln was KMAC Player of the Year and Tod Brininger of Cardington-Lincoln was KMAC Coach of the Year.
We will take a look in the rearview at 2022 volleyball, track, and wrestling next time.
