Athletes from 11 different schools have been named the Chagrin Valley Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending May 5.
Each athlete was nominated by his or her coach. All statistics incurred from Monday, April 29, 2024 through Sunday, May 5, 2024.
Here’s a look at each Athlete of the Week by sport:
BASEBALL
Name: Frankie Bucar
School: Wickliffe
Grade: 10
Stats: Batted .375 (6-for-16) with three doubles, seven runs scored, three walks, three stolen bases, and six RBI; went 1-0 on the mound striking out 11 in seven innings
Coach’s Quote: “Frankie has been a stabilizing force for our team this season,” said Wickliffe coach Phil Motta. “He had a great week at the plate, on the mound, and in the field at shortstop. He set the tone once again in our games this week.”
Name: Cade Henderson
School: Perry
Grade: 11
Stats: Batted .462 (6-for-13) with eight RBI, two runs scored, a stolen base, and two sacrifice flies
Coach’s Quote: “Cade has been the consistency any lineup needs to be successful,” said Perry coach Matt Platt. “He is second on the team in RBI and always produces a quality at-bat. He faced some adversity early in the season with arm health but has worked so hard to return and has been an instant contributor defensively. Our program continues to improve because of players like Cade.”
Name: Cy Jolliffe
School: Independence
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .600 (6-for-10) with two doubles, four RBI, and a .600 on-base percentage
Coach’s Quote: “Cy Jolliffe is concluding his high school career on a strong note, leading the offensive charge against Lutheran West, which elevated his Blue Devils into first place going into the final week of the conference season,” said Independence coach Jim Crooks.
Name: Paxon Laschinger
School: Hawken
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .667 with a double, two triples, two walks, five RBI, and six runs scored
Coach’s Quote: “As a senior captain, Paxon has been the catalyst for our offense all year but has really been locked in of late,” said Hawken coach Aaron Brandt. “His gap-to-gap power has produced multiple extra-base hits that have helped make him one of the top run producers in the area. Paxon’s consistent performance throughout the season has helped the Hawks challenge for the CVC Chagrin Division.”
Name: Charlie Reeder
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .400 (4-for-10) with a double, three runs scored, six stolen bases, and three RBI; went 1-0 on the mound with four strikeouts and one run allowed in five innings
Coach’s Quote: “Charlie is a major reason why we have been able to turn our season around,” said Chagrin Falls coach Michael Sweeney. “He comes ready to play each and every day and competes every time he is on the field. He provides leadership for our team by demonstrating what it takes to be successful. He had a solid week last week and I am sure the best has yet to come for him.”
SOFTBALL
Name: Ava Borz
School: West Geauga
Grade: 9
Stats: Batted .555 (5-for-9) with eight runs scored and 10 RBI; recorded seven putouts and six assists at shortstop
Coach’s Quote: “Ava has really come into her own this past week and it showed offensively and defensively,” said West Geauga coach Mark Percassi. “She’s made some great plays and all the routine defensively at shortstop. She has a ton of pop in her bat and not only put up big numbers but had big hits in crucial situations. You’d never know that Ava is a freshman. She’s an incredible teammate and is so crucial to our team’s success.”
Name: Jayla Holloway
School: Harvey
Grade: 10
Stats: Batted .533 (15-for-24) with a double, three home runs, 12 runs scored, nine walks, and 13 RBI
Coach’s Quote: “Jayla is the spark at the top of our lineup,” said Harvey coach Betsy Hada. “She led us to a 4-1 record on the week, capping it off with winning the 1st Annual Mike Scullin Invitational. Her speed and power make her one of the toughest outs in our conference and the area. If she is walked, she will proceed to steal second and third. You have a better chance of not letting her score if you just let her swing the bat. She has a bright future only being a sophomore.”
Name: Lexi Kaseler
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .400 with a .538 on-base percentage, four doubles, six RBI, 10 runs scored, five walks, and eight stolen bases; recorded 42 putouts with one assist
Coach’s Quote: “Lexi is a large part of the heart of our team and this week it shows,” said Chagrin Falls coach Whitney Garrett. “With a full week of games, Lexi not only helped to produce at the plate with 10 runs herself but also batted in six RBI for her team. Lexi has taken on a new role this year of first base and transitioned seamlessly. This week, she assisted her teammates in a total of 42 putouts at first. Lexi is a player that as a coaching staff we also know we can always rely on both on and off of the field. We have loved watching her thrive in her senior year and will be very sad to see her leave us after this year.”
Name: Ella Masony
School: Madison
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .500 (7-for-14) with a grand slam, six RBI, and a .567 on-base percentage
Coach’s Quote: “Ella has had a fantastic second half of the season for us at the plate and at first base for us,” said Madison coach David Negin. “She is a senior leader who is respected by all of her teammates.”
Name: Kate Miller
School: Berkshire
Grade: 10
Stats: Batted .563 (9-for-16) with two doubles, seven RBI, five walks, two stolen bases, and nine runs scored
Coach’s Quote: “Kate has been a solid contributor all season in the middle of the lineup,” said Berkshire coach Dave List. “She has a good combination of speed and power at the plate and does a good job of working counts in her favor. She reached base in 15 out of her 19 plate appearances last week.”
Name: Alyssa Palmisano
School: Geneva
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .500 (5-for-10) with a .545 on-base percentage, with two doubles, one home run, four runs scored, one stolen base, and four RBI; posted a 1.000 fielding percentage behind the plate (20-for-20)
Coach’s Quote: “Alyssa is one of a kind,” said Geneva coach Eleshia Pitcher. “She outworks, outhustles, and inspires everyone around. She has been a force behind the plate as well as at the plate with five home runs this year and only one error on the season.”
Name: Morgan Soltis
School: Cardinal
Grade: 12
Stats: Batted .500 with two doubles, four RBI, two walks, five runs scored, and one stolen base; recorded a .750 fielding percentage with three putouts in four chances
Coach’s Quote: “Along with the rest of the team, Morgan has made a lot of growth this season and has played the best softball of her career thus far,” said Cardinal coach Haley Adams. “Not only has her play on the field improved, her leadership skills have also improved greatly this year.”
BOYS TENNIS
Name: Andrew Elias
School: West Geauga
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 5-2 with notable wins over St. John, Beachwood, Hawken, and NDCL
Coach’s Quote: “Andrew has been a staple at second singles for us the past three years,” said West Geauga coach Joe DiMattia. “He is a hard worker and a great teammate. Andrew had a few tough losses in third-set tiebreakers at the beginning of the season, but continued to grind and played a great week of tennis.”
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
Name: Matt Wisniewski
School: Independence
Grade: 12
Stats: Won first place in three events at the Crestwood Quad Meet including the 100 (11:14), 200 (22:26), and the 4×400-meter relay (3:40.90)
Coach’s Quote: “Matt is a determined athlete,” said Independence coach Pete Pucella. “He is always looking to get faster. His dedication to his craft has paid off through his years on this team.”
