Members of North Union’s softball program are from left, front row, Leah Cox, Kale Keigley, Josie Held, Eulaela Colwell and Caralyn Hinkle; second row, Kailin McElroy, Sierra Farrington, Hazlee Hall, Emma McElroy, Rylee Fox and Kennedy Harrah; third row, assistant coach Catie Pelfrey, assistant coach Jessica Wedding, Brenna Martino, Catherine Hinkle and head coach Pat Grove. (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)

Fairbanks High School senior Lexie Cushman puts defensive pressure on an opposing player during a 2024 game. Cushman will continue her academic/athletic careers at Marietta College. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

North Union’s varsity baseball team is pictured from left, front row, Blaine Ware, Jaxon Mabery, Braylen Riffle, Peyton Davis, Hudsyn Wilson and Tyler Krebehenne; second row, Jason Cremeans, Austin McMahon, Brooks Wills, Dylan Beard and Owen Wills; back row, head coach Chris Roseburrough, Evan Berry, Alex Dexter, Miles Marlette, Ashtin Haubiel and assistant coach Aaron Krebehenne. (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)

North Union’s boys track and field team is pictured from left, front row, Sam Hancock, Wyatt Stacklin, Brady Staley, Ryan Staley, Landon Long, Peyton Wood, Caiden Carey, Collin Welch and Tim Collier; second row: Ethan Miller, Kory Ransome, Eddie Blair, Ben Bonnell, Mack Marlette, Trace Huff, Brock Smith, Kadrin Riffle, Brycen Delawder and Tristan Granlee; third row, Wyatt Davis, Landry Dible, Nick VanHoose, Wyatt Arver, Jaxon Heminger, Easton Duvall, Jackson Kemp, Luke Brown, Jacob Weigand, Braedon Scowden and Trenor Kyte; fourth row, assistant coaches Penny Cunningham and Ivan Leavitt, Mason Andrews, Ethan Gorman, Dainon Lindsey, Max Leavitt, Broden O’Reilly, Zaim Habib, Felix Plouck, Zach Meyer, Noah Lewis, Xavier Gruber, assistant coach Syd Bacon and head coach Cole Krawczyk. (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)

Jenna Dee of Fairbanks smacks a homer in this file photo. Dee homered during the Lady Panthers’ 2025 opening game in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

Marysville High School senior Allison Price goes up for a basket against defensive pressure during a 2024-2025 game. Price will continue her roundball career at Huntington University in Indiana. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

This is a photo of the 1964-65 Jonathan Alder boys basketball team that won what was then the Class A district championship. Like the 2024-2025 Pioneers, that Alder squad also fell in the regional championship game and missed going to the state tournament. Members of the 1964-65 team are pictured from left, front row, Dave Lowry, Bob Beach, Bob Jeffers, Bill Leftwich, Roger Pinney and head coach Cliff Rose; second row, Larry Cooke, Carl Troyer, Dave Raber, Pat Boyhan, John Crager, George Hostetler, assistant coach Ray Russell, manager Phil White and Tim Converse. Not pictured, Ken Greene. (Photo submitted)

These Marysville High School boys wrestlers earned special awards for the 2024-2025 season. They are from left, front row, Brian Waller, first-team OCC, 20-plus victories; Berkley Behrens, state qualifier, varsity most improved, most escapes, second-team OCC, Marine Corps academic award (highest individual GPA-4.063), 30-plus wins; Oliver Fox, state qualifier, 20-plus victories; Carter Shank, 30-plus victories, team accountability award, Marine Corps academic award, second-team OCC; Jack Williams, 20-plus victories, Marine Corps academic award, second-team OCC; Michael Bates, most reversals, team gratitude award, third-team OCC; Logan Shaw, second-team OCC, 20-plus victories, Marine Corps academic award; Kaylor Niemi, team best effort award, Marine Corps academic award; and Vinny Holt Goodman, JV most improved; back row, Carson Mize, state placer, MVP, OCC wrestler of the year, first-team OCC, Marine Corps academic award, academic All-Ohio, most victories, best winning percentage, most takedowns, most falls, 40-plus victories; Cam Taylor, second-team OCC; Keegan Andrews, most near-falls, Marine Corps academic award, 30-plus victories; Boston Burkhardt, state qualifier, academic All-Ohio, team legacy award, 40-plus victories, second-team OCC; James Lowe, third-team OCC, Marine Corps academic award; Trent Sharp, state qualifier, team best attitude award, second-team OCC, 30-plus victories; Logan Adlesberger, 20-plus victories; Griffin Beery, JV MVP, Marine Corps academic award, 20-plus victories; and Gage Counts, state qualifier, team committment award, academic All-Ohio, Marine Corps academic award; third-team OCC and 30-plus victories. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kevin Behrens)

Fairbanks High School junior Phoebe Allison prepares for the dead lift. (Photos submitted)

Fairbanks seniors Holtz Maine (44-left) and Ryker Green (5-right) have been named to the Ohio Heritage Conference North Division first team for the 2024-2025 season. Maine was also named the division’s player of the year. (Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)

Fairbanks High School senior Claire Baker (18) blasts the ball over the net. Baker will continue her volleyball career at Otterbein University. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

Marysville’s CJ Collins, left, and Allison Price, right, go up for baskets during the 2024-2025 season. Collins and Price have been named to first teams in the Cardinal Division of the Ohio Capital Conference. (Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)

Jonathan Alder senior Noah Hess goes up for a basket during a Division IV regional game at Bowling Green State University. ThePioneers finished as the regional runner-up. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

These local girls high school basketball players have earned Central Buckeye Conference honors for the 2024-25 season. They are from left, Kennedy Harrah and Glory Blevins of North Union, both first-team honorees, and Natalie Walker of Jonathan Alder, who was named to the second team. (Journal-Tribune file photos)

North Union’s Cameron Ludwig (top) sprawls on an opponent during a junior varsity tournament at Marysville High School earlier in the regular season. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder senior Noah Hess, left, and North Union senior Miles Hall (23 to the right) both drive toward the basket during 2024-25 season games. Hess and Hall were named to the respective first teams in the Central Buckeye Conference’s Kenton Trail and Mad River divisions. Hall was named the Mad River player of the year. (Journal-Tribune file photos)

DAMRON

Marysville’s Audrey Spooner, second from left, stands on the awards podium at the Division I state indoor track and field meet. Spooner finished fourth in both the high jump and the triple jump. (Photo submitted)

Triad’s Awsom Mitchell (back) levitates Barnesville’s Hines Ford (front) during the Division III semifinals. The Triad senior advanced to the Parade of Champions following a 12-2 major decision. The Cardinal cemented his career with his second straight runner-up medal after falling short to Edison’s Luke James, 7-5. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

JA senior Noah Hess (13) holds up the Division IV regional runner-up trophy. Also pictured for the Pioneers is senior Sam Cramer (32). (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)

In the photo to the left, Marysville’s Addy Lyon (left) hooks up against Olentangy Orange’s Chloe Tompkins in the match for third place in the girls 135-pound weight division. Lyon won the bout, 4-0. In the photo to the right, Monarch Carson Mize defends a single against Colin Wooldridge of Cincinnati LaSalle. Mize lost the match by a 5-4 count and went on to finish fourth in the boys Division I 175-pound weight class at the state tournament. (Journal-Tribune photos by Aleksei Pavloff and Kevin Behrens)

Jonathan Alder’s Chase Muetzel, right, collides with a Napoleon opponent on a drive to the basket. Muetzel led JA with 12 points during a 56-45 victory during the Division IV regional semifinals at Bowling Green State University. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Marysville High School track and field athletes who will compete in the upcoming state indoor meet are from left, front row, Lyla Channell, Bailey Gross, Maggie Foust and Audrey Spooner; back row, Evan Donahue, Adam DeSutter, Paxton Herring and Mack Weithman. Nøt pictured, Caylee MacAdow. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

Jonathan Alder’s Ethan Kuhns secures a double leg takedown on an opponent during the first round of championship matches at the Division II district tournament. The senior is being accompanied by two more grapplers representing the Scarlet and Black this weekend at the OHSAA state wrestling tournament. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Triad’s Wyatt Smith (right) ties up with an opponent from North Union during a regular-season dual meet. The sophomore Cardinal will compete at 132 pounds at the Division III state tournament this weekend. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder’s Ashton Martin slides into home during a 2024 contest. A pitcher-infielder, Martin will continue his career at Wright State University. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

Marysville’s Katie Hammersmith (right) tries to secure a takedown on Gahanna-Lincoln’s Jordan Mills (left) during the championship semifinals at the district tournament. The junior 170-pounder is among five Lady Monarchs set to take the stage at this year’s state tournament. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)