This week’s Mount Vernon News (MVN) ATHLETES of the WEEK are Laura Lonsinger (Mount Vernon soccer) and Jacob Hackman (Danville football).

Female Athlete of the Week

Laura Lonsinger, a senior center back for the Mount Vernon girls' soccer team, has earned a well-deserved nomination for the coveted title of Athlete of the Week.

Lonsinger, a team captain, demonstrated determination and skill in a recent match against Johnstown.

In a nail-biting moment, with Mount Vernon trailing 3-1 and only six minutes left on the clock, Laura took matters into her own hands. She not only scored a crucial penalty kick but also showcased her versatility by transitioning to the forward position, where she scored the game-tying goal with a mere two minutes remaining.

She is also tied for the team lead in total points, a combination of goals and assists, highlighting her all-around impact on the field.

Honorable mention

Emma Dean, a senior middle hitter from Mount Vernon High School, has had exceptional performances in recent games.

With 50 attempts and an impressive 40 kills, Dean's statistics are nothing short of remarkable, especially given her error-free record in the last three games.

What sets Dean apart is her incredible hitting percentage, standing at a staggering .800%, during these games.

This level of precision and consistency at the net is a testament to her skill and dedication to the sport.

Not only does she excel in attack, but Emma is also a versatile player, contributing to her team's success with 4 aces, 5 blocks, and 7 digs.

Mount Vernon High School Head Girls' Volleyball Coach Lauren Townley had nothing but praise for Dean

"Emma is a very competitive player with the drive to be the best she can be at all times. She is a great leader & teammate!" Townley said.

Honorable mention:

Mount Vernon girls' soccer nomination for athlete of the week is senior Laura Lonsinger. Laura plays center back for the soccer team.

On Monday, Mount Vernon was behind Johnstown 3-1 with six minutes to go. Laura scored on a penalty kick, and then with two minutes to go, she moved up to forward and scored the tying goal. She is tied on the team with total points, based upon a combination of goals and assists. She is also team captain for the team.

Male athlete of the week

Jacob Hackman, a junior defensive back, has become a standout player for the Danville High School football team, leaving his mark with a series of remarkable interceptions and a touchdown that ignited the crowd.

Hackman is proving himself as a formidable force on the field for the undefeated Danville football team.

In week 4 of the season versus Fredericktown, Hackman notched interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, all accomplished within the first half of a game.

Hackman’s ability to read the game and seize opportunities to intercept the ball has earned him the reputation of a "ball hawking" among his teammates and coaches.

Danville High School Head Football Coach Matt Blum gushed about Hackman's contribution to the team.

“Jacob is our ball hawking safety for our defense this year. He started as a sophomore and has only gotten better for us his junior season,” Blum told Mount Vernon News.

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The Mount Vernon News sports department is in its third year of the MVN ATHLETE of the WEEK, a school-year weekly feature that spotlights local student-athletes and their schools.

To fuel it, we encourage every area high school coach to send us nominations, but if they don’t, we’ll find our own. We also encourage community members to send us their nominations.

We take all nominations seriously and will consider all that we receive. An athlete can be nominated more than once, as a worthy student-athlete can gain recognition as often as he or she earns it.

Based on their performances, we will select an ATHLETE of the WEEK and recognize other outstanding athletic accomplishments. We will run a picture
of the winner and their weekly stats or other information pro- vided. We believe this program will help local student-athletes secure scholarships while gaining additional recognition for school athletic programs.

If we do not receive a boy and a girl in some weeks, we will spotlight only the winner from the group of nominations. These student-athletes should be commended for their accomplishments. Help us do that and please send us your nominations.

Send nominations to: kyle.barnett@mountvernonnews.com.