Athletes from 17 different schools have been named the Chagrin Valley Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending January 7.
Each athlete was nominated by his or her coach. All statistics incurred from Monday, January 15 through Sunday, January 7, 2024.
Here’s a look at each Athlete of the Week by sport:
BOYS BASKETBALL
Name: Noah Crites
School: Madison
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 18 points with two rebounds and one steal
Coach’s Quote: “Noah was a key factor in a win against Jefferson,” said Madison coach Nick Gustin. “Noah made seven field goals, four of which were from behind the 3-point line to go along with three 2-point field goals, for a total of 18 points. and he helped start the fourth quarter comeback.”
Name: Jacob Ernst
School: Edgewood
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 29 points with nine rebounds and five assists
Coach’s Quote: “Jacob had a 29-point game in an 18-point win against Brookfield,” said Edgewood coach Jay Bowler. “Jacob is really working hard getting in the gym and making his teammates better. We are excited to see him grow this season.”
Name: Landon Jatsek
School: Independence
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 31 points with nine rebounds, two assists, four steals, and a block
Coach’s Quote: “Landon had another strong week for us as he led the way to a tough victory on the road at Fairview Park,” said Independence coach Marc Holliday. “He is the perfect example of a student-athlete as he accomplished this while maintaining a high GPA in very demanding advanced courses and being a member of our team’s Leadership Council. Due to what he brings to the court and classroom, several colleges have begun to show interest in having Landon be a part of their programs.”
Name: Braylan McClardy
School: Cuyahoga Heights
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 26 points including 4-of-6 3-pointers, with five rebounds, and seven assists; went 6-for-6 from the free throw line and 8-of-15 from the floor
Coach’s Quote: “A coach cannot say enough great things about Braylan McClardy,” said Cuyahoga Heights coach Michael Tartara. “He is a tremendous student-athlete and a leader on and off the court. We are having success because Bray and his fellow seniors are working hard and holding themselves accountable.”
Name: Charlie Schweickert
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 22 points with four rebounds and five 3-pointers in a key conference win over Kirtland
Coach’s Quote: “Charlie is as committed to basketball and this program than anyone,” said Crestwood coach Josh Jakacki. “He dedicated himself the last four years to make himself a finished product. He continues to impress with his basketball IQ and marksmanship. He has further developed his ball-handling skills and has the ability to score off the bounce. Against Kirtland, he stepped up most when we were struggling offensively. He hits some remarkably deep threes to give us a narrow advantage heading to halftime. He continued in the second half and was one of the many contributors to us getting and early season win against Kirtland.”
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Name: Mia Contenza
School: Jefferson
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 21 points with 18 rebounds, 10 steals, and three assists in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Mia is our only senior and has done a great job leading our team on and off the floor,” said Jefferson coach T.J. Furman. “Against Harvey, Mia had all nine of her points in the fourth quarter. In the second half of the game, she led her team on the floor by playing great defense helping her team win the game after trailing at halftime.”
Name: Ashlyn Dyson
School: Brooklyn
Grade: 12
Stats: Scored 69 points with 15 rebounds, four assists, 12 steals, and four blocks in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Ashlyn is filling up the stat sheet on both sides of the ball,” said Brooklyn coach Bryce Brown. “She is consistently hitting the glass; she averages six steals and two blocks on the week. Ashlyn also has picked up her scoring and has the ability to get 30 anytime.”
Name: Bella Fix
School: Conneaut
Grade: 11
Stats: Scored 28 points with eight rebounds and three blocks
Coach’s Quote: “Bella is a superior athlete that is able to run baseline to baseline and get easy buckets,” said Conneaut coach Jayson Aponte. “She has a dominant inside presence.”
Name: Alexa Manos
School: Fairview
Grade: 11
Stats: Scored 25 points with 16 rebounds
Coach’s Quote: “Alexa has improved over the season and her performance isn’t completely a shock,” said Fairview coach Dave Murphy. “She works hard in practice.”|
Name: Ivy Martin
School: Berkshire
Grade: 9
Stats: Scored 25 points with five rebounds, five assists, and four steals
Coach’s Quote: “It was nice to see Ivy have a breakthrough game,” said Berkshire coach James Bosley. “She has done very well this year handling the offense. She has played with calmness when under pressure and has set her teammates up to have success. She has an old-school basketball mindset of wanting to pass the ball more from the point guard position, so when she goes and scores 17 in the fourth quarter, it’s a surprise to most people, but it speaks to the player she is. She adapts her game to what the team needs her to do.”
Name: Lilly Stukus
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 11
Stats: Scored 52 points with seven rebounds and four assists in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Lilly put together two outstanding games this week, one a league game when we were down a starter,” said Chagrin Falls coach Brittany Laseak. “She is hitting her stride at the right point in the season. Lilly is an incredibly hard worker in the classroom, on the court, running–she doesn’t rest on natural talent. Her efforts on defense this week turned into great opportunities on offense.”
SWIMMING & DIVING
Name: Tyler Lee
School: Geneva
Grade: 11
Stats: Place first in the 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay, and 400 freestyle relay at the Ashtabula County meet
Coach’s Quote: “Tyler is a natural leader on the team, always driving the rest of the team to work harder,” said Geneva coach Jamie Lee. “His work ethic both in school and in swimming will carry through and make him successful in the future.”
BOYS WRESTLING
Name: D.J. Otero
School: Lutheran West
Grade: 10
Stats: Went 8-0 with three pins and three tech falls and won the Perry Pin City Tournament
Coach’s Quote: “D.J. Otero advanced to his second tournament final in as many weeks at the Perry Pin City Invitational,” said Lutheran West coach Josh Malave. “He went 6-0 (at Perry) winning all matches via tech fall or fall. He is currently 25-2 on the season and ranked No. 11 in OHSAA Division II.”
Name: Floyd Robinson
School: Trinity
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 5-0 with four pins and an overtime win at the Springfield Tournament
Coach’s Quote: “Floyd is a senior leader who means business and is on a mission to prove he is a top Heavyweight in the CVC and Division III,” said Trinity coach Isaiah Hill. “We’re proud of the way he has battled back from some adversity.”
Name: Alvaro Serrano
School: Harvey
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 5-0 with four pins
Coach’s Quote: “Alvaro is a team captain and a great leader, setting the standard for hard work in the practice room,” said Harvey coach Jeremy Patty. “Alvaro has won eight straight matches with seven pins. He is now 17-3 on the year. He won the Maple Heights Holiday Tournament last weekend and went 5-0 this weekend.”
Name: Jacob Strailey
School: Lakeside
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 5-0 with four pins and a major decision
Coach’s Quote: “Jacob went 5-0 at the KP Classic Dual Tournament at Lakeside High School with four pins and one major decision,” said Lakeside coach Andy Horvath. “Jacob notched key pins securing the victory over Orange and Edison, as well as an impressive pin against St. Edward’s Green team.”
Name: Trent Taylor
School: Perry
Grade: 10
Stats: Went 4-0 with four first-period pins on his way to winning the 215-pound bracket at the 21st annual Perry Pin City Tournament
Coach’s Quote: “Trent is a tremendously gifted athlete and competes at the varsity level in three sports at Perry,” said Perry coach Dave Rowan. “He is a tenacious competitor. He sets his goals high and is willing to sacrifice in order to achieve those goals. People look at him and think he plays basketball because of his height, but anyone who knows Trent knows that he isn’t a finesse kid. I’m glad he is on the mat grinding it out for us in the winter.”
Name: J.P. Wrobel
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 5-0 with four pins in clinching his fourth straight Portage County Tournament title
Coach’s Quote: “J.P. wrestled a solid tournament pinning his first four opponents in the first period,” said Crestwood coach Dave Wrobel. “He then matched up with another returning Portage County champion and won by a 5-0 decision in the finals. By winning this weekend, J.P. was able to win the county championship in all four years of high school. J.P. was able to score from all three positions during his final match, which was nice to see.”
