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.
Coming out of the holiday break, intensity was not a problem as several athletes showed no rust from the layoff. Two athletes who performed brilliantly in back-to-back games include our Athletes of the Week, Ella Bouton (Fredericktown basketball) and Trenton Collins (Utica basketball).
Female Athlete of the Week
Ella Bouton
Ella Bouton earned an honorable mention last week, and she takes the top spot this time, after another double-double. After her 16-point, 10-rebound, four-steal game at Delaware Christian, Jan. 2, she followed up with a 23-point performance, including 10 points in the third quarter, in Fredericktown’s 58-56 win over Centerburg, Jan. 7.
Fredericktown girls basketball coach Tim Maceyko said Bouton is a constant effort-and-result athlete.
“She had a double-double Monday at Delaware Christian and followed up even stronger against Centerburg. It’s really starting to come together for Ella. She’s seeing the floor well, getting confident in her perimeter shooting and just playing faster. I can’t say enough good things about her game or how great she is to work with,” Maceyko said.
On the other side of the game, honorable mention goes to Clara Johnson, who scored 23 points and Kayla Larimore, who added 21 for Centerburg vs. Fredericktown. Johnson hit 21 in the first half and Larimore put all 12 of her team’s points in the scorebook in the fourth quarter for the Lady Trojans.
Also earning honors, in Danville’s 72-24 avalanche over Patriot Prep Jan. 5, Kylie Hess scored 19 points and added five assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Recognition also goes to Abby Dickson, who scored all of Utica’s 11 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 27 to lead Utica to a 46-33 win over Lakewood, Jan. 3. She drained two threes and went 5-for-7 from the charity stripe. Highland’s Shelby Conley scored 17 points and sank five from beyond the arc in the Lady Scots’ 46-43 win over Centerburg, Jan. 3.
Honorable mention also goes to Highland's Elyssa Reigles, who led the Lady Scots’ bowling team to a win in their first away match of the season – 1626-1556 over Marion Pleasant. Reigles took overall high game with a 220, and overall high series with a two-game total of 386.
Male Athlete of the Week
Trenton Collins
Utica’s Trenton Collins earned his second Athlete of the Week honor this season, scoring 26 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out seven assists and defensively accounting for two blocks and two steals to lead the Redskins to a 64-50 win over Licking Valley, Jan. 4; then followed with a 20-point performance in Utica’s 55-34 win over Lakewood, Jan. 6.
Utica basketball coach Brian Radabaugh said Collins continues to lead by example, by performance and by inspiration.
“Trenton works hard, harder, hardest. He works on his game in and outside of practice and his constant improvement is seen on the court and by his teammates,” he said.
Honorable mention goes to Matt Bland, who excelled in all phases of the game in Mount Gilead’s 68-52 loss to Grandview Heights, Jan. 4. Bland finished with 21 points, six assists, five deflections and two steals; and teammate Aaron Gannon pulled down 12 rebounds and made several big-air blocks. In Mount Gilead’s 66-51 win over Cardington-Lincoln, Jan. 7, Bland and Gannon each scored 22 points for the Indians and Gannon also protected the rim with seven blocks.
Ethan Rine of East Knox earned honors for swarming defense and multiple steals, which helped propel the Bulldogs to a 60-53 OT win over Ridgedale, Jan. 3. Rine finished with eight points and 12 rebounds, and Collins’ teammate, Roman Gamble, had a big game as well for Utica vs. Licking Valley, scoring 25 points.
In Mount Vernon’s 62-56 loss to New Philadelphia, Jan. 3, Hudson Roller and Ben Bridges each scored 18 points for the Yellow Jackets; and after missing four games due to injury, Caden Rowland returned and led the Mount Vernon Jackets with 21 points in their 66-43 win over Ashland, Jan. 6
Fredericktown’s Luke Bean scored 18 points, which all came on 3-pointers, including five in the third quarter, to propel the Freddies to a 59-50 win over Centerburg, Jan. 6.
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.
