Athletes from nine different schools have been named the Chagrin Valley Conference Athletes of the Week.
Each athlete was nominated by his or her coach.
All statistics incurred during the week ending Sunday, October 10.
Here’s a look at each Athlete of the Week by sport:
CROSS COUNTRY
Name: Kate Halloran
School: Orange
Grade: 12
Stats: Finished in 12th place at the Legends Meet with a time of 20:14.6
Coach’s Quote: “Kate’s enthusiasm and dedication in practice have carried over as grit and determination on race day,” said Orange coach Rachel Frutkin. “Coming off a challenging race at Woodridge the week before, we were faced with intense, muddy conditions at Legends. Kate embraced the conditions, raced smart, and sailed into 12th place. We’re proud of the way she raced and look forward to her upcoming competitions.”
Name: John Mikes
School: West Geauga
Grade: 11
Stats: Placed 10th at the George Gross Invitational and ninth at the Medina Invitational
Coach’s Quote: “John has worked extremely hard this year,” said West Geauga coach John Boylan. “He is consistently in the top 5 and has been an invaluable member of the West Geauga cross country team. John is a true competitor. He is goal-driven and an absolute pleasure to coach.”
FOOTBALL
Name: Louie Blasiole
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Carried 27 times for 185 yards and three touchdowns
Coach’s Quote: “Louie had another great performance on Friday night,” said Crestwood coach Jack D’Amato. “When we needed to chew up the clock and run the ball to ensure the win, Louie answered the call. He has a rare combination of speed and strength and uses both to wear down opponents and then breaks off a long run.”
Name: Kyle Zygmunt
School: Independence
Grade: 12
Stats: Ran four times for 54 yards with two touchdowns; caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown; recorded four tackles, an interception, and forced a fumble on defense
Coach’s Quote: “Kyle was involved in all aspects of the game, from his rushing TDs and receptions on offense to his work on the defensive side,” said Independence coach Rick Adams.
BOYS GOLF
Name: A.J. Marcinko
School: Independence
Grade: 11
Stats: Shot a 78 to finish eighth at the district tournament, leading the team to the state tournament for the first time in school history
Coach’s Quote: “A.J. really came through for us,” said Independence coach Mike Marcinko. “He played loose, fearless, attacking the golf course and it paid off for the team and A.J. This is the first time Independence’s boys’ golf team is going to the state tournament.”
BOYS SOCCER
Name: Alex Cantor
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored two goals with one assist
Coach’s Quote: “Senior co-captain Alex Cantor scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over state-ranked Rocky River and earned the assist in the 1-0 win over Gilmour Academy helping Chagrin go 2-0 for the week,” said Chagrin Falls coach Brian McKenna.
Name: Julio Espinoza
School: Harvey
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored two goals with one assist
Coach’s Quote: “Julio is an outstanding midfielder who really elevates the play of our entire team,” said Harvey coach Natalie Sisler. “His ability to play box-to-box is essential to our team’s success. Julio has really bounced back from a midseason injury and is playing his best going into the playoffs. This past week, his performance pushed us to two victories allowing us to build some momentum as we prepare for a difficult close to the regular season and postseason tournament.”
Name: Drew Ferrari
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored two goals with six assists
Coach’s Quote: “Drew has been a workhorse for us this season, logging the bulk of minutes in our matches,” said Crestwood coach Bruce Fedor. “His consistency and work ethic has been an asset throughout the season. Drew’s vision is the backbone for building our attack and creating scoring opportunities.”
Name: Braden Lamb
School: Lutheran West
Grade: 11
Stats: Scored two goals with two assists
Coach’s Quote: “Braden Lamb was hitting on all cylinders as he led his Longhorns in victory over conference opponent, Brooklyn,” said Lutheran West coach Josh Hubeler. “His two goals and two assists pushed the team’s record in conference to 4-1. Braden’s play demonstrated poise and a relentless desire to get his teammates involved.”
Name: Emmanuel Loizos
School: Cuyahoga Heights
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored three goals
Coach’s Quote: “With his first-half hat trick against Trinity, Emmanuel broke the school record for goals scored in a single season with 24,” said Cuyahoga Heights coach Matt Natal.
GIRLS SOCCER
Name: Evelyn Albers
School: Lutheran West
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored four goals with four assists in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Evelyn is playing some of the best all-around soccer I’ve seen from her,” said Lutheran West coach Christy Spiegel. “She finds ways to score goals, whether its a header off of a corner kick or using her athleticism to get around defenders and placing smart shots into the back of the net. More importantly, she is setting up goals for her teammates all over the place knowing that she usually draws out extra defenders to her. She’s playing really unselfish soccer and our team is reaping the benefits of that. Out of our 11 goals in the last two games, she had four of those and set up four more. Her impact on our team cannot be overstated. She has really owned the role of senior captain this year.”
Name: Elena McGinness
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 11
Stats: Scored six goals in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Any game Elana is in, she is an impact player,” said Chagrin Falls coach Pamela Malone. “Her speed, agility, and ball control are a nightmare for any defender. She was involved in 50-percent of the goal-scoring opportunities against Orange and 80-percent against Padua. It is difficult for any defense to contain her.”
VOLLEYBALL
Name: Natalie Glowe
School: Kirtland
Grade: 11
Stats: Recorded 26 kills, 28 digs, four aces, five blocks in seven sets
Coach’s Quote: “Natalie, a three-year varsity starter, has consistently been one of the keys to our offense,” said Kirtland coach Arlayna Newcomer. “She does a really nice job of being both aggressive and smart. Whenever Natalie steps into the gym she works hard and finds ways to get better.”
