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The Southwestern Buckeye League is proud to continue the SWBL Athlete of the Week program for the 2024-25 school year. The SWBL AOW is sponsored by Gameday Grille & Patio. This is Year 2 for the AOW campaign. Each Tuesday during the school year, a male and female scholar-athlete will be selected Athletes of the Week and announced on site. Winners will receive an award patch for their varsity jacket, a $25 gift card to Gameday and an SWBL AOW T-Shirt. An athlete may win the award once per season. Nominations will come from athletic directors, coaches and data (stats, results) entered on the SWBL website. Individuals may also submit nominations to swblsid@yahoo.com.

Boys: Nick Pennington, Oakwood Diving

Junior finished fourth at the OHSAA Division II State Diving Championships. Earlier in the season he won District, Sectional and SWBL titles. Also finished fifth at the Southwest Ohio Swimming and Diving Classic.

Girls: Caroline Klawon, Eaton Wrestling

Senior finished fifth at the OHSAA girls wrestling state championship at 170 pounds. Won her final bout via decision 14-7. Won two other matches at state via major decision (9-0 and 17-6). Finished the season 21-4. Klawon finished state runner-up last year at 145 pounds and was third as a sophomore (145) and freshman (155).

Bellbrook (8-12 overall; 3-5 SWBL; 4th in SW)
The Eagles are looking for their first league title since 2012. Key returners include sophomore Kelsey Kenney (SS/OF), senior Chasidy Stewart (PIF) and senior Taitum Savey (OF/2B). All three were All-SWBL last year. Stewart is 27-34 in 61 career starts with 226 Ks and a 3.703 ERA.
 
Brookville (15-7; 7-5; 4th is SW)
The Blue Devils must replace four all-league players, but do return a workhorse in senior Grace Burton (IF/P) who was first team All-SWBL last year after leading the team in batting average (.441), hits (30), doubles (13) and RBI (20). She also went 11-3 as a pitcher with 112 Ks and a 2.606 ERA in 94 innings. Brookville’s last league title was 2021.
 
Carlisle (26-4; 12-0; SW Champion)
The Indians are riding a 42-game SWBL win streak and are 48-1 in the league with four SWBL titles and four Division III District Championships in the past four seasons. Graduation hit the roster hard (lost seven all-league players) but the talent remains in place to plug the holes. “We hope to continue our winning ways here at Carlisle,” head coach Don Ridinger (80-52 in five years) said. “With only two returning starters, our young players will need to step up into new varsity roles.  We have the talent, but varsity experience is limited after graduating eight seniors a year ago.” Key returners include senior Emma Laughlin (CF) and junior Mya Howard (P/SS). Howard (.460 batting average, 52 hits, 40 runs, 20 RBI) was first team All-SWBL last season. Pitching will be key for the Indians who graduated 187 of 192 innings pitched last season.
 
Eaton (16-7; 9-3; SW Runner-Up)
The return of seven starts from last year’s squad has expectations high in Eaton. “We look for our seniors to lead us this year and like every year our goal is to compete to win a league championship and to get back to a district,” head coach Maggie Neanen (140-81 in 11 years) said. “Our league will be tough like every year, but we hope our experience and leadership will help guide us to compete in every game.” Key returners include seniors Meredith Pieratt (P), Hannah Redick (1B), Julie Schrimper (C) and Sarah Abner (CF/P); junior Madison Copper (2B) and sophomores Ella Statzer (SS) and Kaydence Cook (3B). Pieratt (14-5, 142 Ks) was first team All-SWBL last season. Abner (.303 batting average), Schrimper (17 RBI) and Redick (23 RBI) were also earned all-league honors.
 
Edgewood (10-16; 5-3; T-SW Runner-Up)
The Cougars will be young but experienced. Edgewood and head coach Wayne Henson (19-33 in three years) return nine letterwinners with only one being a senior. “We expect to be amongst the top of the division,” Henson said. Senior Evelyn Henson (C/SS) and junior Madison Ferrell (MI) have committed to Purdue Fort Wayne and West Liberty, respectively. Both were first team All-SWBL last season. Other key returners include junior Leigha Combs (P/OF), junior Jaylee Rose (1B) and sophomore Jaycie Broshear (P/OF). Combs and Rose were all-league players a year ago as well. Said Henson: “We are excited about this group of returning athletes and seeing what they can do as they mature on the field, as well as our great group of freshmen.”
 
Franklin (18-9; 5-3; T-SW Runner-Up)
The Wildcats are ready to make a push for their first league title since 2016. Franklin and head coach Jim Miller (193-102 in 14 years at FHS) return four All-SWBL players – junior Adrian Allen (SS) and seniors Sarah Brooks (1B), Josie Whitt (C/3B) and Tatum Riddiough (P). That quartet is part of seven returning starters. Allen led the team in batting average (.441), hits (41), RBI (29), doubles (10) and HRs (seven). Whitt hit .398 last year with 39 hits and 16 RBI. Riddiough was 12-4 with 100 Ks and a 3.034 ERA in 87.2 innings.
 
Madison (8-13; 4-8; 5th in Buckeye)
The Mohawks lost two all-league players to graduation, but return second team All-SWBL selection Abigail Phelps. A junior, Phelps (SS/2B) led the team last year in batting average (.500), hits (29), runs (17) and doubles (seven). She’s part of a roster that numbers 20. Madison’s last league title was 2019.
 
Monroe (5-15; 0-8; 5th in SW)
According to head coach Tim Kellis (11th year), the Hornets will be young but should be better both offensively and defensively. Ten freshmen join the roster. Key returners include seniors Madi Frazier (1B) and Molly Griffin (3B); juniors Anna Marcus (OF), Mckenna Bare (OF) and Hannah Witte (P/OF); and sophomores Caroline Wehry (C/P), Ava Peoples (C/SS) and Seneca Hemminger (C/OF).  The Hornets last league title came in 2019 (won four in five years).
 
Oakwood (3-19; 1-11; T-6th in Buckeye)
The Jills beat Valley View 14-3 last year to record their second SWBL victory since 2017. The other was a 4-1 victory over Bellbrook on April 20, 2022. Non-league wins last season came over Alter and Dayton Christian.
 
Ross (15-8; 7-1; SW Champion)
The Rams are ready to defend their title and then some. Ross must replace last year’s Southwestern Division Player of the Year (Marissa Combs), but the Rams return four All-SWBL players in junior Kam Cummins (C/3B) and sophomores Julianna Combs (IF), Meadow Webb (OF/IF) and Paige Baker (P/IF). Commins (.356 batting average), Combs (.423 batting average) and Baker (9-3, 103 Ks in 85 innings) were first team.
 
Valley View (5-21; 1-11; T-6th in Buckeye)
The Spartans took some lumps last year with an inexperienced roster. This season second-year head coach Andrew Pritchett expects last year’s lessons to bear fruit. “We were very young last season and learned a lot,” Pritchett said. “This season we are looking to take that next step and establish the new winning culture at Valley View. It's our time to start making some noise.” Seven starters return including senior SS/C Reese Riley (All-SWBL). Other key returners include senior Lauren Kopf (1B/OF) and juniors Olivia Kozuszek (CF), Megan Coleman (OF), Jessica King (OF), Hayley Turner (P/U) and Madison Rowland (3B/P). Sophomore Jillian Shell (1B) and a very strong freshman class will add to the mix. Valley View’s last league title came in 2010.
 
Waynesville (15-8; 8-4; 3rd in Buckeye)
The Spartans feature two players that will continue their careers in college in seniors Kylie Bailey (Akron) and Ava Hollows (Tusculum). Bailey is a two-time SWBL Player of the Year and a three-time first team all-league selection. She has a career .531 batting average with 114 runs, 113 hits, 108 RBI, 29 doubles and 28 HRs. Hollows is a three-time All-SWBL selection (two-time first team). She has a career .423 batting average with 102 hits, 88 runs, 76 RBI, 20 doubles, 12 HRs and 11 triples. The Spartans have won two SWBL titles in the last three years.

Edgewood Girls
Senior Kamyden Buck is poised to reach 100 career goals this season for the Cougars and second-year head coach Kristin Butler. “We have a young team this year with about half returners and half new athletes that have yet to play the game,” Butler said. “We are hopeful to have a few girls that grow a love for the sport.”

Edgewood Boys
Head coach Rob Ballantyne returns for his second season with a clear finish line. “The school has never won a second-round game in the regional tournament,” Ballantyne said. “That is the goal.” And an attainable one. The Cougars return a ton of experience including their entire attack, goalie, most of the defense and FOGO. New faces will have to step up on offense where Edgewood lost nearly half its scoring to graduation. Key returners include senior Leland Beerman (A) and juniors Solomon Rothermel (G) and Corben Wiggins (MF/FOGO). Beerman had a team-high 76 goals (and 29 assists) last season.

Edgewood
There is reason for excitement in Trenton where the Cougars are coming off their best season ever (17-7) which included a postseason victory over Fairmont. Head coach Mark Blair (198-414 in 29 years) says the squad is “fielding our most well-rounded team in many years, so I'm very hopeful.” Key returners include senior Dylan Miller (S) and juniors Jordan Boyd (MH) and Kolby Duello (OH). Blair expects the program’s record for blocks to be challenged this spring. “We lost four guys to college volleyball and we don't have much depth,” the coach said. “But if these guys work together, they can create something very special.”

Behind 19 points each from Luke Rubin and Owen Hoersting, Oakwood won its first district title in boys basketball since 2007 with an impressive 65-58 win over Taft in a Division IV contest at Middletown High School. The Lumberjacks (20-5) will face defending state champion Alter in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lakota East.