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.
Last week, local basketball players, bowlers, wrestlers and swimmers delivered impressive performances, and two student-athletes from Mount Vernon High School stood tall in victory. Our Athletes of the Week are Emma Rinehart (Mount Vernon wrestling) and Austin Anderson (Mount Vernon swimming).
Female Athlete of the Week
Emma Rinehart
Mount Vernon wrestler Emma Rinehart won the 115-lb. weight class at the 32-team competition at the Port Clinton Lady Redskin Invitational on Feb. 12. Rinehart brought home gold for Mount Vernon with a pin over Findlay’s Olivia Gill in 3:32. Rinehart is 22-9 on the year and has been a strong contributor all season.
Mount Vernon wrestling coach Corey Firebaugh said Rinehart is really starting to wrestle her best at the most important part of the season. “Coach Tyler Bevington, a former state-placing wrestler for MV, has a done a great job getting her the competition she needs around the state to prepare for the postseason,” Firebaugh said. “She had a great weekend of wrestling and we look for her to keep improving as her Regional Tournament approaches.”
Firebaugh said Rinehart is dedicated on and off the mat. “Emma is a great teammate who works very hard, both on the mat and in the classroom,” he said. “We are all looking forward to watching her perform this postseason.”
Honorable mention goes to student-athletes across several sports.
Swimmers at the Mount Vernon-Big Walnut meet earned recognition. MV’s Olivia Wiley won the 200-IM, beating her best time by 10 seconds, and placed second in the 100-free, beating her best time by one second. Additionally, she was second in the 50-yard freestyle at the Worthington sectional. At the same event, the MV team of Wiley, Rylee Jarosz, Julie King and Bekah Lebold won the 200-yard freestyle relay.
In basketball, Cardington-Lincoln won a tough 51-49 game in overtime over Olentangy Berlin. Abigail Hardwick scored 18 points, including an offensive put-back to give C-L the lead in the final minute.
On the lanes at the KMAC bowling tournament, Northmor’s Kourtney Rinehart rolled 244 and 200 games and a 617 series.
Male Athlete of the Week
Austin Anderson
In a very close selection that came down to a single vote by the swim team itself, Mount Vernon’s Austin Anderson gets the top honor by a droplet over teammate Thomas Sant. Anderson won the 100-backstroke for the Jackets against Big Walnut and took four seconds off his best time.
Mount Vernon swimming coach Steve Sant said he was impressed at how hard Anderson worked this season, as he had the courage to join the swim team this year without knowing how to swim when he signed up.
“Austin has made tremendous progress throughout the season,” Sant said. “When he began the season, he did not know how to swim any strokes. By the time we had our first meet, he was able to swim both freestyle and backstroke. His first backstroke time in a meet was 2:03.61, which, in itself, is quite impressive progress just one month after learning how to swim. To go from that beginning to a 1:24.35 just over two months later really shows how much effort he has put in throughout the season.”
Coach Sant added that Anderson’s enthusiasm for swimming inspired the entire team. “Some of the loudest cheering I have heard from our team throughout the season has been for Austin's swims,” Sant said. “I believe everyone on the team appreciates the pure joy that shows on his face each time he finishes a race and realizes how much he has improved – this has definitely been a highlight for me.
“It has truly been a joy to watch Austin's progress throughout the season and to see him win an event in our final meet of the regular season was just icing on the cake,” Sant said.
Honorable mention goes to student-athletes from four disciplines.
Anderson’s Yellow Jacket teammate Thomas Sant won the 50-free by 3.7 seconds and the 100-free by 1.7 seconds vs. Big Walnut, beating his best time in each event. Fellow Jacket Landon Rush won the 100-yard butterfly and led the 200-free relay team to a win.
Swimming at the meet and representing Centerburg, but training with MV, Owen Merriman won both of his events, beating his best time by almost five seconds in the 200-IM and almost four seconds in the 100-breast.
In wrestling, Mount Vernon’s Brock Blankenhorn won the 113-lb. championship at the Dublin Jerome All-North Tournament on Feb. 11 with a 12-0 major decision over Mason Hart of Westerville Central. Blankenhorn improved his season record to 22-4.
In hoops, Utica saw a duo dominate in a pair of wins. Trenton Collins scored 25 in Utica’s 65-61 win over Northridge and Roman Gamble added 24, including 16-for-19 at the foul stripe. They followed with big scoring shows in a 71-61 win over Highland. Collins lit up the scoreboard for 30 points, including 12 points in the fourth quarter, and Gamble scored 19, including 12 in the fourth. Gamble went 15-for-18 at the free-throw line.
Grant Bentley scored 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field, four 3-pointers and three steals in Northmor’s 59-33 win over Crestline.
In bowling, at last week’s at KMAC tournament, Mount Gilead’s Graham Sherbourne rolled high game at 235, and Cardington-Lincoln’s Dylan Kiefer had high series at 581.
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.
