Athletes from 11 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 from Monday, April 3 through Sunday, April 9, 2023.
Here’s a look at each Athlete of the Week by sport:
BASEBALL
Name: Steven Alferink
School: Lutheran West
Grade: 9
Stats: Batted .455 (5-for-11) and went 1-0 on the mound with nine strikeouts and two earned runs in six innings of work
Coach’s Quote: “Steven started off his high school career making a huge impact for our team propelling us to a 3-0 week,” said Lutheran West coach Thomas Balla. “Toeing the rubber in game one of our conference slate against a tough Independence team, he went six strong innings, striking out nine batters and picking up the win, while adding three hits at the plate. In game two against Independence, he had a key hit late in the game to jumpstart our comeback victory.”
Name: Shea Arkenburg
School: Geneva
Grade: 11
Stats: Batted .545 (6-for-11) with a double, five runs scored, four runs batted in, and three stolen bases; was 1-0 on the mound with six strikeouts in three scoreless innings
Coach’s Quote: “Shea has really started the season off great,” said Geneva coach Terry Hejduk. “He put a ton of offseason work in on the mound and in the cage and it is starting to show. He capped off the great start with a 3-for-4 performance this past Thursday in the team’s win against Beachwood. This week the team went a perfect 3-0.”
Name: Logan Kray
School: Edgewood
Grade: 11
Stats: Batted .538 (7-for-13) with a .625 on-base percentage, six runs batted in, and four stolen bases; as 1-0 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts to just four walks in 5 2/3 innings
Coach’s Quote: “Logan has picked up this year where he left off last season,” said Edgewood coach Jeff Barger. “He’s locked in at the plate, and pitching as well or better than last year when he was named (CVC) Player of the Year. He’s stepped into his new position at shortstop and been a solid leader for our team.”
Name: Andrew McDonald
School: Cuyahoga Heights
Grade: 11
Stats: Went 2-0 on the mound with zero runs allowed and 16 strikeouts in 12 innings of work
Coach’s Quote: “Andrew is the leader of our pitching staff and has pitched extremely well this year,” said Cuyahoga Heights coach Brett Lowther. “Andrew is very efficient on the mound and keeps his pitches low in the strike zone. With Andrew on the mound, we know if we score some runs, we will always have a good chance to win.”
Name: Drew Mergenhagen
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .545 (6-for-11) with a double, two runs scored, three runs batted in, and two stolen bases; allowed zero earned runs with six strikeouts in six innings pitched
Coach’s Quote: “Drew has gotten off to a great start,” said Chagrin Falls coach Michael Sweeney. “He is hitting .452 on the season with 14 hits, three doubles, and six RBI on the season. Drew picked up where he left off at the end of last season, which is a good thing. Drew has provided an offensive punch for us and gives us a solid arm in the pitching rotation. He continues to gain confidence and continues to get better.”
Name: Casey Turner
School: Grand Valley
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 1-1 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched with an opponent’s batting average of .174
Coach’s Quote: “Casey’s two strong starts on the mound set the tone for a positive start to the season,” said Grand Valley coach Zach Sirrine. “His ability to hit spots allowed him to get ahead in counts and be efficient, which was a big key to his success this week.”
SOFTBALL
Name: Alexa Bailey
School: Harvey
Grade: 12
Stats: 2-0 in the circle with 30 strikeouts and four hits allowed in 14 innings, with a 2.50 earned run average and a .080 opponent’s batting average; batted .500 (5-for-10) with two doubles, two runs scored, 4-of-4 on stolen base attempts, and an .833 slugging percentage
Coach’s Quote: “Alexa has stepped into a leadership role for us this season,” said Harvey coach Betsy Hada. “She has shut down opposing hitters and kept them off balance with her spin and change in speed. She is a pitcher who can contribute to our offense with power and speed.”
Name: Claire Cafaro
School: Geneva
Grade: 9
Stats: Batted .611 with 11 hits, including three doubles, scored six runs, and knocked in five runs
Coach’s Quote: “Claire had an incredible start to her freshman season and led the team both from the plate and the field,” said Geneva coach Eleshia Pitcher. “She also made several diving catches in the outfield to take hits away from the other teams.”
Name: Maggie Grant
School: Cardinal
Grade: 9
Stats: Batted .571 with two doubles and a triple, two runs batted in, eight runs scored, and four stolen bases with an .800 fielding percentage; she also recorded 32 strikeouts and 18 hits in 17 innings pitched
Coach’s Quote: “Maggie has shown just how special of a player she can and will be in the future,” said Cardinal coach Haley Adams. “She always wants the ball in her hands and is by far the most competitive. She is the type of player that wherever we put her on the field she will succeed. In the circle, she has great command of the ball. In the batter’s box, she has shown just how threatening she can be. She can swing for power and will place it exactly where you need it. And once she’s on the bases, she is very threatening. Her IQ of the game is like none other. We are extremely excited for Maggie’s future, and all that she will accomplish. Although she is a freshman, she surely doesn’t play like one.”
Name: Maddie Kita
School: Wickliffe
Grade: 10
Stats: Batted .571 (8-for-14) with three doubles, five RBI, eight runs scored, 22 putouts, and a 1.000 fielding percentage
Coach’s Quote: “Maddie has been one of our most improved players from last year,” said Wickliffe coach Marlana Mucciarone. “She definitely has started off the season hot. She’s leading the team so far in batting average, hits, extra base hits, and RBI. She is having some really quality at-bats, making good choices at the plate, and putting the barrel on the ball. Defensively, she is splitting her time at catcher and first, and doing a great job at each position, while also being a vocal leader on the field.”
TENNIS
Name: Aswin Balikrishnan
School: Hawken
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 2-0 in doubles play
Coach’s Quote: “Aswin played with confidence as he charged the net and served and volleyed,” said Hawken coach David Paradzik. “Additionally, Aswin exemplified a positive attitude as one of the leaders on the court.”
TRACK & FIELD
Name: Abby Guyette
School: Crestwood
Grade: 10
Stats: Placed second at the Don Faix Invitational in the 1600 (5:48.48), second I the 800 (2:35.6), and ran legs in the third-place finishing 4×800 and 4×400 relays
Coach’s Quote: “Abby has been dedicated from the start of the season,” said Crestwood coach Katie Poole. “She works hard and her competitive nature has helped her succeed thus far. She is a crucial part of our team, and we are looking forward to her continued success throughout the rest of the season.”
Name: Hunter Yoder
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Won the high jump at the Don Faix Invitational with a best jump of 5-11, placed second in the discus (129-0), and sixth in the long jump (18-4 ¾); in a tri-meet, he won three events to help Crestwood win the meet
Coach’s Quote: “Hunter had a huge meet scoring 21 points for us,” said Crestwood coach Josh Jakacki. “He’s had a fantastic start to the season thus far and has been everything we’ve expected and more. He’s taken on a leadership role with our younger athletes and his performances speak for themselves. He’s already jumped 6-0 in the high jump and has PRd with a 19-3 jump in long jump. We are excited for his growth but more looking forward to his growth the rest of his senior year.”
