Gazette Winter Sports Award Winners
CHILLICOTHE – You watched the nomination videos, you cast your online votes, now is the time to announce the winners of the inaugural Chillicothe Gazette Winter Sports Awards.
Across the 10 schools in the Gazette's immediate coverage area and the five sports that make up the winter sports season, there were dozens of individual performers and performances that were worthy of consideration for a nomination in one of these categories. The Gazette staff had to narrow those dozens down to five per category – certainly a difficult task – and then presented the results to online readers to weigh in with their votes.
The top online vote getter in each category received one vote toward the final total. Gazette managing editor Mike Throne, local desk editor Chris Balusik, sports reporter Derrick Webb and freelance sports reporter Brock Netter, each of whom were involved with coverage of the winter sports season in some capacity, each cast a vote toward the final total as well.
Only two categories were unamious 5-0 votes: girls basketball's Player of the Year and Queen of the Glass awards. Three categories finished with a 2-2-1 vote, giving us shared award winners.
The Gazette would like to thank those who cast a vote at chillicothegazette.com for their participation. Number of votes cast ranged from a low of 982 in one category to a high of 2,227 in another.
Here are the nominees in each category, listed as they appeared online and not in order of finish, with the Winter Sports Awards winner noted in bold. The person that took the most online votes also is listed under each set of nominees.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Player of the Year
•Elijah Shanks, Huntington, F/C
• Nick Corcoran, Unioto, G
•Tommy Bolte, Chillicothe, G
•Wyatt Brewster, Piketon, G
• Pierce Mowery, Zane Trace, G
Online voter's choice: Nick Corcoran
Prime Dimes: Area's Best Assist Man
•Dylan Miles, Southeastern, G
• Cole Cottrill, Unioto, G
•Corey Wyman, Westfall, G
•Anthony McFadden, Paint Valley, G
•Nathan Nesser, Zane Trace, G
Online voter's choice: Cole Cottrill
King of the Glass: Area's Best Rebounder
•Mason McCloy, Paint Valley, F/C
• Terrell Fairrow, Southeastern, F/C
•Hunter Miller, Adena, F/C
•Kristian Boltenhouse, Zane Trace, C
•Aaron Southworth, Piketon, C
Online voter's choice: Terrell Fairrow
Threading the Needle: Area's Best Sharpshooter
•Jordan Johnson, Chillicothe, G
•Clay Stratton, Paint Valley, G
•Chase Anderson, Westfall, F/G
•Jonathan Thomas, Adena, G
• Tyler Cartee, Southeastern, G
Online voter's choice: Tyler Cartee
Unsung Hero
Players who didn't grab headlines but had a big impact on his team.
•Casey Moore, Piketon, G
•Kyle Strange, Unioto, G
• Clay Archer, Paint Valley, F
•Justin Dye, Southeastern, G
• Quintin Davidson, Chillicothe, G
Online voter's choice: Kyle Strange
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Player of the Year
•Ella Skeens, Southeastern, F
•Kelsie Robinson, Westfall, G
•Bri Dawes, Chillicothe, G
•Ashlee Lawhorn, Piketon, G
• Alexis Overly, Unioto, G
Online voter's choice: Alexis Overly
Prime Dimes: Area's Top Passer
•Shay Lett, Chillicothe, G
•Katie Unger, Zane Trace, G
• Kali Mitten, Southeastern, G
•Jordan Prall, Waverly, G
• Avery Reuter, Piketon, G
Online voter's choice: Kali Mitten
Queen of the Glass: Area's Best Rebounder
•Laken Smith, Waverly, C
•Regan Stonerock, Westfall, F/C
•Tori Edler, Zane Trace, C
•Alexis Putnam, Adena, F/C
• Osh Brown, Chillicothe, C
Online voter's choice: Osh Brown
Threading the Needle: Area's Best Sharpshooter
•Ariel Sams, Huntington, G
•Logan Goebel, Southeastern, G
• Taylor Overly, Unioto, G
•Megan Wilburn, Adena, G
•Audrie Wheeler, Southeastern, G
Online voter's choice: Taylor Overly
Unsung Hero
Players who didn't grab headlines but had a big impact on her team.
• Carolane Cox, Huntington, G
•Kaylah Peele, Unioto, F
•Shawnee Smith, Chillicothe, F/C
•OJ Mathes, Westfall, F
•Alli Jones, Zane Trace, F
Online voter's choice: Kaylah Peele
WRESTLING
Wrestler of the Year
•Hunter Whiteside, Unioto
•Nic Peecher, Adena
•Tanner Kunz, Zane Trace
•Caleb Johnson, Paint Valley
• Caleb Price, Chillicothe
Online voter's choice: Caleb Price
Iron Man Award: Hardest to Pin
•Alex Gordy, Southeastern
•Calob Thatcher, Adena
• Cristian Collins, Chillicothe
•Tegan McFadden, Paint Valley
•Avery Brown, Zane Trace
Online voter's choice: Cristian Collins
Unsung Hero
•Austin Mathis, Chillicothe
• Lyle Watters, Huntington
•Dawson Hoselton, Zane Trace
•Andrew Davenport, Unioto
•Dillon Plum, Westfall
Online voter's choice: Austin Mathis
BOWLING
Boys Bowler of the Year
• Gray Prater, Chillicothe
•Kevin Martin, Chillicothe
Online voter's choice: Gray Prater
Girls Bowler of the Year
• Reanna Houser, Chillicothe
•Michelle Crawford, Chillicothe
Online voter's choice: Reanna Houser
SWIMMING
Boys Swimmer of the Year
•Zach Ayres, Chillicothe
•Payne Wissler, Chillicothe
• Dominic Villareal, Chillicothe
Online voter's choice: Dominic Villareal
Girls Swimmer of the Year
•Hannah Arth, Chillicothe
•Jessica Limle, Chillicothe
• Mackenzie Smitley, Chillicothe
Online voter's choice: Jessica Limle