Athletes from 16 different schools have been named the Chagrin Valley Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.
Each athlete was nominated by his or her coach. All statistics incurred from Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, through Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.
CROSS COUNTRY
Name: Jacob Williams
School: West Geauga
Grade: 11
Stats: Placed third at the McDonough Invitational with a time of 17:08
Coach’s Quote: “Jacob continues to improve every week,” said West Geauga coach John Boylan. “He ran a very smart, strategic race at McDonough. He is a hard worker, a dedicated runner, and the leader of the team. I look forward to what the future holds for Jacob.”
FOOTBALL
Name: Nick Armbrust
School: Cuyahoga Heights
Grade: 12
Stats: Caught two passes for 17 yards and a touchdown; on defense, he recorded four tackles, including two solo stops, forced a fumble, picked off a pass, and broke up another
Coach’s Quote: “Nick Made two huge plays for us in overtime,” said Cuyahoga Heights coach Al Martin. “First, he caught an 11-yard touchdown pass and then sealed the game with a diving interception.”
Name: Bryce Giel
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Carried twice for 96 yards and a touchdown and recorded six tackles on defense
Coach’s Quote: “Bryce had a great game on both sides of the ball,” said Crestwood coach Jack D’Amato. “He is a hard worker who shows up to work on every play. He moved to a different position offensively this week and had a great performance in his debut there.”
Name: Sean McKee
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 12
Stats: Recorded 16 tackles including six solo stops, and ran seven times for 30 yards
Coach’s Quote: “Sean was the catalyst to our ability to hold Cuyahoga Heights to under 200 yards of offense Friday night,” said Chagrin Falls coach John Scott. “He was all over the field from his linebacker position as he has been each game this year.”
Name: Caden Proy
School: Geneva
Grade: 11
Stats: Carried eight times for 140 yards and a touchdown with two tackles on defense
Coach’s Quote: “Caden had a big game for us this week against Lutheran West,” said Geneva coach Don Shymske. “He was able to spark our offense with a couple of long runs and did an excellent job getting us into the right coverages in our defense. He’s shown a lot of growth this year and I’m certain he’ll continue to get better and better each week.”
BOYS GOLF
Name: Joey DiAlfredi
School: Harvey
Grade: 12
Stats: Tied for second at the CVC postseason tournament and shot a 38 in a dual
Coach’s Quote: “Joey has been strong throughout the year and has recently gotten better towards the end of the season,” said Harvey coach Scott Cummings. “His second-place finish at the CVC postseason tournament at Fowlers Mill and his two-over par on the back 9 at Painesville Country Club show his hard work is paying off at the right time as we approach the state tournament. He is a pleasure to work with and is an important part of the Red Raider golf team.”
Name: Ayden Maze
School: Cardinal
Grade: 12
Stats: Shot a career-best 39 in a key conference match
Coach’s Quote: “Ayden Maze has been working as hard as anyone during his senior season,” said Cardinal coach Mike Topalian. “He shot his career-best to win his first-ever medalist award and lead the Huskies to a key win against Kirtland.”
Name: Charlie Pollock
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 12
Stats: Shot a 77, 81, and 72 in three tournaments and a 40 in a dual match
Coach’s Quote: “Charlie is a captain of our team. He leads the team with his play on-course and off-course in practice and preparation for events,” said Chagrin Falls coach Anne Caja. “Charlie is currently averaging 75 for 18 holes and 37 for 9 holes. Charlie’s consistency of scoring well and preparation for events/matches, not only for himself but also for assisting his teammates, helps to elevate the team’s performance. Chagrin Falls’ golf team is very fortunate to have Charlie as a player and leader.”
GIRLS GOLF
Name: Anuja Patel
School: Orange
Grade: 10
Stats: Shot a 36 (one over par) and a 37 (two over par)
Coach’s Quote: “Anuja is a competitor who stays mentally focused on every shot she hits,” said Orange coach Cody Kovach. “She has put in the time in the offseason and looks to improve all parts of her game. With her, the moment is never too big for her, and even though she is only a sophomore, she always keeps her poise regardless of the situation.”
Name: Elizabeth Pollock
School: Chagrin Falls
Grade: 9
Stats: Averaged 38 strokes per match with a low score of 35
Coach’s Quote: “Elizabeth is a great teammate, skilled player, and a truly special person,” said Chagrin Falls coach Kristin Reboul. “Her work ethic and leadership as a freshman has been a tremendous addition to our program. Elizabeth brings an entire golf package: driving distance, iron accuracy, short game execution plus patience and course management well beyond her years. We are lucky she is our teammate, and we are very proud of her.”
BOYS SOCCER
Name: Parker Stusek
School: Hawken
Grade: 12
Stats: Didn’t allow a goal in a game against Harvey
Coach’s Quote: “Parker has reached his full maturity as a goalkeeper and as a person, and he is a massive part of our team with his experience, level, and leadership,” said Hawken coach Vlad Muresan. “He marshaled the defense to a 5-0 win against Harvey, the reigning defending CVC champs. He hasn’t conceded a single goal in the CVC all season. We can go into every game believing we can win because we have Parker in goal.”
GIRLS SOCCER
Name: Kenzie Bennett
School: Conneaut
Grade: 11
Stats: Recorded 24 saves in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Kenzie has been an outstanding goalie for the Spartans this year,” said Conneaut coach Rebecca Thomas. “Over the course of the season, she has had 53 saves and countless clearances from the backfield. Her hard work in goal has kept us competitive in many games this season.”
Name: Ava Gabriel
School: Wickliffe
Grade: 12
Stats: Recorded five points on two goals and an assist
Coach’s Quote: “Ava showed tremendous poise this week in our match against Hawken,” said Wickliffe coach Steve Gribovicz. “She scored both goals in a tightly contested 2-1 victory. She followed this performance up with an assist against Brooklyn, which broke the program’s career assist record. Ava continues to be a major force in our attack this year and her leadership shows regularly on and off the field.”
Name: Sophia Kereky
School: Jefferson
Grade: 9
Stats: Scored four goals in two games
Coach’s Quote: “Sophia has truly stepped up as a leader on this team, taking control in midfield, and leading us to our first win this season with a hat trick against Bedford,” said Jefferson coach Brian Kereky. “Sophia is a hard worker on and off the field as she juggles academics, soccer, and cross country with ease. Her drive and determination are amazing to watch as her coach and father.”
Name: Molly Koczur
School: Fairview
Grade: 11
Stats: Scored five goals with two assists
Coach’s Quote: “Molly is our 10 and she is truly the Energizer Bunny,” said Fairview coach Scott Underwood. “Her speed and relentlessness create havoc for our opponents and attract significant defensive attention, which reduces pressure on our nine to score goals. This past week, Molly scored one and had two assists in a victory over Vermilion, scored one in the two minutes and 36 seconds she played against Wellington, and led us with three goals in a win over Valley Forge with our nine out injured. Molly has an infectious energy that elevates the play of her teammates and exhausts opponents. Her tireless effort has helped lead us on a six-game win streak.”
Name: Taylor Larch
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Broke the school record with six assists in a single game and missed tying the state record by one
Coach’s Quote: “Taylor was simply amazing in how she was playing and feeding perfect passes to her teammates that were burying goals which gave her an extremely hard record to break and attain,” said Crestwood coach Eric Sway. “Taylor is such an all-around great player and definitely deserves to now have her name in the school record books.”
GIRLS TENNIS
Name: Audrey Austin
School: Perry
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 3-0 on the week
Coach’s Quote: “Audrey has had another week of impressive play,” said Perry coach Rob Walker. “Her hard work preparing for her senior season has paid off.”
Name: Madelyn Oster
School: West Geauga
Grade: 12
Stats: Won a match against Riverside in straight sets
Coach’s Quote: “Madelyn is our team captain. She has made incredible progress in this sport,” said West Geauga coach Mary Kay Yuhas. “She is the type of athlete that locks in and excels in sports and life.”
Name: Mickey Zheng
School: Geneva
Grade: 12
Stats: Went 4-0 and won the Ashtabula County tournament
Coach’s Quote: “Mickey came over from St. John last year and has immediately improved an already solid Geneva lineup,” said Geneva coach Scott Torok. “She is the reigning Ashtabula County Player of the Year with her sights set on the CVC Lake Division POY and a strong postseason showing.”
VOLLEYBALL
Name: Ava Chuha
School: Berkshire
Grade: 11
Stats: Recorded 48 assists, 23 service points, 17 digs, and three aces in two matches
Coach’s Quote: “Ava has been working really hard both defensively and offensively this season,” said Berkshire coach Joni Prots. “She is willing to listen to her hitters and works so hard to distribute the ball. Defensively, Ava is learning to read better and be more aggressive. All of her hard work showed in the way she played this week.”
Name: Maddie Ehrhart
School: Cardinal
Grade: 12
Stats: recorded 68 assists, 14 kills, 24 service points, and eight aces
Coach’s Quote: “Maddie is one of our captains and a team leader for us,” said Cardinal coach Michael Chaffee. “Maddie and our Cardinal team had an outstanding week going 3-0 with league wins over Crestwood and Wickliffe and a non-league win over Conneaut. The victories elevated our season record to 7-5 after a 1-4 start and our league record to 2-0. Maddie is tremendously consistent with her setting and has outstanding volleyball instincts. She does a very good job of spreading the ball around to our hitters and is an excellent decision-maker. She leads by example.”
Name: Leigha Guyton
School: Edgewood
Grade: 12
Stats: Recorded 11 kills, seven points, four digs, and three blocks
Coach’s Quote: “Leigha is someone we count on to be a presence for us in the front row,” said Edgewood coach Kyra Vencill. “She is such a dynamic force for us because she not only has a nice vertical, but she is also fast with great speed and agility. She moves really well and can set the block so quickly, getting touches on balls and putting pressure on hitters. She is also a big part of our offense and a key part of our plays. She can put the ball down and helps set the tone in offense. She also plays a little back-row, so she is just a well-rounded player for us. She’s also one of the cheerleaders for the team as she is constantly cheering her teammates on and offering support through the match. Her smile is contagious, and she loves the game.”
Name: Malory Lear
School: West Geauga
Grade: 11
Stats: Recorded 35 assists in one game
Coach’s Quote: “Malory is a natural-born leader. She has been on varsity since a freshman and has been commanding the respect of her coaches and teammates since day one,” said West Geauga coach Amber Baker. “She pushes herself to the limit every game and strives to make each ball that she is given better. Malory has excellent decision-making skills and embodies everything you would want in a setter and captain for your team.”
Name: Hannah Ward
School: Crestwood
Grade: 12
Stats: Recorded 51 kills, 15 service points, 11 blocks, and one ace
Coach’s Quote: “Hannah Ward is a force on the volleyball court,” said Crestwood coach Wanda Hoffman. “Ward can play any position. Her main position is middle hitter and blocker. When serving, Hannah can move the ball around and throw off the opponents. There are times when I pull her back to serve receive, and she doesn’t miss a beat. Hannah is one to keep your eye on during a match. I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to coach Hannah Ward.”
