By Garth Shanklin
Sports Editor
Once again, Clermont County athletes are well-represented in the Cincinnati Enquirer’s spring all-star awards.
Several county performers were honored for their play, starting with Milford’s Calvin Hunter and West Clermont’s Cal Conley, who both earned first-team nods in Division I baseball.
Two more Eagles, Zach Byron and Mitch Mierke, were named second-team performers. Dylan Stewart earned an honorable mention for Milford.
Three West Clermont players were also named honorable mentions: Cole Ayers, Kyle Music and Gavin Pitts were honored for their play.
In Division II, New Richmond’s Lane Flamm earned player of the year honors. Flamm led Cincinnati in wins with 12, strikeouts with 131 while posting a 0.69 ERA this past season.
Teammate Zade Richardson joined him on the first-team squad. Goshen’s Brett Dietrich and New Richmond’s Brett Benzinger were second-team honorees.
Batavia’s Austin Hurt, Goshen’s Trevor Adams, Trey Armacost and Conner Holmes and New Richmond’s Derick Henderson and Layton Hicks were honorable mentions.
Several county players were named honorable mentions in Division III: Dallas Kaylor (Bethel-Tate), Griffin Reinert (Bethel-Tate), Dylan Whisman (Bethel-Tate), Blake King (CNE), Gavin Hickey (CNE), Nick Ferguson (CNE) and Nate Bogan (Williamsburg) were all honorable mentions.
Felicity’s Riley Pinger was a first-team performer, while teammates Kody Swinford and Steven Shelton were named Division IV honorable mentions.
Three county softball players picked up Division I first-team honors. West Clermont’s Payge Suggs joined MIlford’s Hillary Huffer and Katie Hall as first-team players.
Kinsey Ventura and Reece Hampton, both from West Clermont, along with Milford’s Katelyn Reynolds, were second-team honorees. Two more Lady Eagles, Lynn Varner and Emily Allphin, joined West Clermont’s Maddie Beasley and Riley Hampton as honorable mentions.
In Division II, Batavia’s Maggie Mehlman, Goshen’s Anna Bauer and New Richmond’s MicKaelah Wilson were second-team honorees. Liz McCarthy (Batavia), Sarah Slate (Goshen), Alexis Sweeney (Goshen), Maggie Pope (New Richmond) and Deanna Kirk (New Richmond) were honorable mentions.
Williamsburg’s Carly Wagers won the Division III player of the year award, earning first-team all-state honors and setting the career home run record for the state of Ohio last season. Coach Rick Healey was named the coach of the year, guiding Williamsburg back to the regional championship game.
Local players dominated the Division III squads, with Wagers, Peyton Fisher, Faith Golden, Madi Ogden and Kara Bailey all earning first-team nods. Bethel-Tate’s Isabella Manning and CNE’s Kylie Dollenmeyer were also named first-team performers.
Tayler Harness (Bethel-Tate), Jacee Rhone (Williamsburg), Skylar Shircliff (CNE), and Hailey Speeg (Williamsburg) were second-team honorees.
Three Felicity Lady Cardinals were honored in Division IV. Gracie Knipp and Reagan Lowe earned first-team honors, with Madison Milton on the second-team squad.
New Richmond’s Toby Khan earned Division II first-team honors in the discus, while Herwens Horgan was a second-team honoree in the 200 meter dash. Bethel-Tate’s quartet of Jackson Coates, Noah Rees, Matt Hall and Sam Frondorf were honorable mentions in the 4×800 meter relay. Coates was also an honorable mention in the 800 meter run.
In Division III, Williamsburg’s Wyatt Lefker was a first-team performer in the pole vault. Felicity’s Jared Boeckmann was a second-team honoree in the 1,600 meter run, and Williamsbug’s Jake Patterson earned second-team status in the shot put.
Williamsburg’s Blake Miller was an honorable mention in the 100 meter dash and the 200 meter dash. Teammate Skylar Gries was an honorable mention in the pole vault, and Brenden Madigan earned honorable mention status in the 300 meter hurdles.
Two West Clermont Lady Wolves were honored in Division I. Morgan Walsh was an honorable mention in the 800 meter run, with Mia Mulloney earning an honorable mention in the high jump.
New Richmond’s Alyssa Weitzel was a first-team performer in the pole vault in Division II, while teammate Aubree Story earned second-team honors in the 200 meter dash.
Goshen’s Haley Carrier (100 meter hurdles, long jump) and Morgan Horr (pole vault) were also second-team honorees.
New Richmond’s Lizzie Duncan (long jump) and Jocelyn Nehls (high jump) joined Bethel-Tate’s Brooke Stiles (shot put) as honorable mentions.
On the girls’ side, Williamsburg’s Emery Kellerman was a first-team pick in the high jump. Lily Williford was a second-team performer in the 100 meter hurdles and the pole vault, and Willow Kenneda picked up a second-team nod in the shot put and discus. Audrey Siekbert was an honorable mention in the shot put.
West Clermont’s Cody Payer earned honorable mention status in Division I boys’ tennis. Milford’s Holden Owens, Ben Mason and Mark Ostrander were also honorable mentions.
New Richmond’s Joel Bird was a second-team honoree in Division II, with teammate Cameron Coulter earning an honorable mention. Luke Jaehnen and Cade Helfin were doubles honorable mentions, as were Jon Lang and Joe George.
In Division I boys’ lacrosse, Milford’s Dax Creager and A.J. Teague were first-team picks.Ryan Hezlep and Cameron Kells were second-team players, with Michael Waltz earning an honorable mention.
Milford’s Sarah Cardell and Emily Stiles were first-team performers on the girls’ side, with Angel Dominguez and Sydney Hogan honorable mentions.
Finally, West Clermont’s Lucas Arnold was an honorable mention in Division I boys’ volleyball.