Archbishop Hoban’s Kord Ready won the Courage Award on Friday night at the Greater Akron-Canton High School Sports Awards.
The show, which honored more than 300 of the best high school athletes in the area from nearly 30 sports, was produced with the support of Meijer, Planet Fitness, SARTA, USA Today Sports and Golfweek.
Ready lost his leg at a very early age but did not let that deter him from playing sports and eventually becoming a varsity athlete at Hoban. Ready played golf all four years at Hoban with a prosthetic leg, helping the Knights reach the state tournament all four years, including the last two as a letterman. Last season he was a senior captain for the state runner-upKnights team.
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb was the guest speaker at the sports awards event. In all, 37 awards were handed out. They included:
GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR, PRESENTED BY MEIJER — WALSH JESUIT SOCCER
Walsh Jesuit girls soccer earned the program’s 11th state championship last fall when it won the Division I title to complete an 19-2-2 season. The 11 titles are more than double the number of girls soccer championships won by any other school in OHSAA history. Walsh shut out 13 opponents and allowed more than one goal in just two games in 2023. Walsh outscored its opponents 87-15 overall. This Walsh senior class graduated with a four-year record of 63-11-11 with two trips to the state finals.
BOYS TEAM OF THE YEAR, PRESENTED BY MEIJER — MASSILLON FOOTBALL
The Massillon Tigers put together one of the most dominant high school football seasons in recent memory, going 16-0 to win the Division II state championship, the program’s first OHSAA state title. Along the way, the Tigers beat Division I state champion St. Edward for a second straight year and defeated several ranked teams from outside of Ohio. They outscored their opponents 618-116 during the season. Ten Tigers earned a spot on the all-state team. Massillon also was ranked nationally by several organizations, including No. 12 in the nation by USA Today.
GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — TESS BUCHER FROM HOOVER
Bucher dominated Northeast Ohio tennis throughout her remarkable four-year career, culminating in winning a Division I state championship last fall. She finished 2023 with a 43-0 record, giving her a career record of 151-9. She has the most wins by any player in Stark County history. She only lost three sets the entire 2023 season. She graduated having won league, sectional and district titles all four years. Also starred in softball, early in her high school career, starting as an infielder on Hoover’s 2022 state final four team before focusing exclusively on tennis. She will play college tennis at the University of Kentucky.
BOYS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — COLIN CERNANKSY FROM MARLINGTON
Cernansky wrapped up a dominant four-year running career by leading Marlington to a third straight team state championship last fall in cross country before winning two individual state titles in track earlier this month. His track wins came in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, events in which he owns all-time Stark County records. The distance sweep ended a career during which Cernansky won six outdoor state titles, three indoor state titles and a cross country state title, in addition to the team titles. His 10 state titles put him among the most decorated high school athletes in Stark County history. He will run in college at Ohio State.
GIRLS COACH OF THE YEAR — RYAN SHAFFER FROM HOOVER
Shaffer retired at the end of this school year after a record-setting run as a high school tennis coach in Stark County, spending the last 21 years at Hoover coaching the boys and girls teams. Last September, in a match at Perry, his alma mater, Shaffer became the winningest coach in Ohio high school history. His final career record is 1,061-178. His 2023 Hoover girls team was ranked No. 1 throughout the season and finished third in the state, losing one match all year. It was the eighth team he coached to a state final four. He also coached 84 players to the OHSAA state tournament, including five Hoover girls last fall when Tess Bucher joined 1990s Aquinas star Celena McCoury as state championship players coached by Shaffer. Last fall’s Hoover girls team became the 19th Federal League championship team he coached, including 14 by the girls teams. Shaffer was inducted into the Ohio Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011, one of four halls of fame in which he has been enshrined.
BOYS COACH OF THE YEAR — JIM LIPINSKI FROM TWINSBURG
Lipinski guided the Twinsburg baseball team through the tragedy of the death of its coach, Jeff Luca, last December in a car accident, helping the Tigers make an unexpected run to the state championship game in the spring. Twinsburg reached the state tournament for the first time since 2006, finishing as the Division I state runner-up and winning 24 games.
SCHOOL SPIRIT AWARD — TWINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL
This award was voted on online. Twinsburg wins $1,000 for its athletic department.
GIRLS BASKETBALL, PRESENTED BY SARTA — IZZY CALLAWAY FROM COPLEY
Callaway led Copley to the Division II state tournament, scoring a career-high 32 points in the regional final. Averaged 20 points and scored more than 1,000 points in her career. She was named first-team All-Ohio in Division II. She will play college basketball at Walsh University.
BOYS BASKETBALL, PRESENTED BY SARTA — HAYDEN NIGRO FROM LOUISVILLE
Nigro was one of nine statewide finalists for the Ohio Mr. Basketball award this past season. Averaged 20.9 points in leading the Leopards to a school-record 23 wins, a state ranking throughout the season and a trip to the Division I district finals. Hayden graduated as Louisville’s all-time leading scorer. He was named the Northeast Inland District Player of the Year and the District 4 Coaches Association Division I Player of the Year, in addition to first-team All-Ohio. He will play college basketball at Walsh University.
DEFENSIVE FOOTBALL, PRESENTED BY PLANET FITNESS — DORIAN PRINGLE FROM MASSILLON
Pringle led the Tigers to their first state championship as the anchor of a defense that allowed just seven points per game, and he also scored 14 touchdowns on offense. He led Massillon in tackles for losses despite missing three games with a serious knee injury. He played through a torn MCL in the state title game and made 14 tackles, including three for loss in a 7-2 win over Hoban. Pringle shared state and district defensive player of the year awards. The two-time, first-team All-Ohio pick is headed to Bowling Green.
OFFENSIVE FOOTBALL, PRESENTED BY PLANET FITNESS — POOCHIE SNYDER FROM CANTON SOUTH
Snyder broke Stark County career passing yardage and passing touchdown records in leading the Wildcats to their first 10-0 regular season and first state semifinal appearance. He was a finalist for Ohio’s Mr. Football and was selected Ohio’s co-offensive player of the year in Division 4 after his second straight year with more than 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing. He will play college football at Sacred Heart.
BOYS BOWLING — MICHAEL KNOX FROM SPRINGFIELD
Knox put together top-15 finishes in all three postseason tournaments, including tying for 13th at state to earn honorable mention All-Ohio. He rolled a 629 series at state with a high game of 221. In tying for third at the district tournament, he rolled a 685 series, highlighted by a 267 game.
GIRLS BOWLING — MADISON PERRINE FROM GREEN
Perrine won a sectional championship on her way to finishing fourth at districts and 17th at the state tournament. She led the Stark County High School Bowling League’s Federal Division with a 204.5 average to earn its player of the year honors.
GYMNASTICS — HANNAH SALGADO FROM AURORA
Salgado won a state championship on the beam and finished third all-around. The senior won a district championship in the vault. She was a four-time state-qualifier and was selected as the Suburban League Gymnast of the Year.
HOCKEY — DOMINICK CALLERI FROM WALSH JESUIT
Calleri, a senior forward, earned first-team All-Great Lakes Hockey League honors and was selected a Great Lakes Hockey League Scholar Athlete. He scored 19 goals with seven assists in totaling 26 points last season.
BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING — LUKE VICKERS FROM JACKSON
Vickers was the GCAA Stark County Boys Swimmer of the Year. He won a silver medal at the state meet in the 200 IM, was third in the 100 breaststroke and was part of the fourth-place 200 medley relay. He won four district titles, setting a district record in the 100 breaststroke. He will swim in college at Ohio State.
GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING — LEAH GUESS FROM MARLINGTON
Guess placed fifth in both the 100-yard backstroke and 100 butterfly at the state meet to finish her career with 10 top-eight finishes at the state meet. Throughout her career, Guess scored in 13 state meet events. She is the GCAA Stark County Girls Swimmer of the Year and made the consideration time in the backstroke for All-America honors. She will swim in college at Ohio University.
GIRLS WRESTLING — JADYN KCKINNEY FROM MANCHESTER
McKinney is a three-time state champion and was the only girl in the area to win a state title this past winter. The senior went 39-1 this season. She pinned all eight of her postseason opponents in the first period. Her lone loss came in the Ironman final.
BOYS WRESTLING — JAXON JOY FROM WADSWORTH
Joy, a Cornell University recruit, became a three-time state champion this past season. He set Ohio high school records for most career wins in Division I with 189, while also setting records for takedowns in a season and career. Jaxon went 51-3 this season, winning his state title at 150 pounds. He did not lose to an Ohio wrestler the last two seasons.
BASEBALL — BEAU ALAZAUS FROM WEST BRANCH
Helped lead West Branch to the program’s first state championship, as the team rallied to win the Division II state title game. Alazaus won a school-record 11 games as a starting pitcher, including tournament complete game wins in the district, regional and state semifinals. He also hit an RBI triple in the state semis. He threw a one-hitter in the district semifinals, a 1-0 West Branch win. Alazaus earned All-Ohio honors this spring and was the Eastern Buckeye Conference Player of the Year. Alazaus finished with 83 strikeouts in 81⅓ innings this season, walking only nine.
GIRLS LACROSSE — MACKIE STICKLER FROM HUDSON
Stickler was selected as regional midfielder of the year in helping lead Hudson to a second straight OHSAA state semifinal. Totaled 61 goals and 33 assists in 22 games this season. Stickler is an Ohio State recruit.
BOYS LACROSSE — BRYCE ROACH FROM HOOVER
Roach led the Vikings to their first OHSAA state tournament appearance this season. He was selected the Forest City Lacrosse League Player of the Year and first-team all-region.
SOFTBALL — MCKENNAH METZGER FROM AURORA
She set 17 school records in leading Aurora to league and district titles. Metzger was selected first-team All-Ohio and Suburban League American Conference Player of the Year. Will play college softball at Coastal Carolina.
BOYS TENNIS — HENRIQUE SA FROM HUDSON
Won a Division I district championship in singles and reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament after a first-round win. Sa finished the season with a 29-3 record.
BOYS TRACK AND FIELD — COLIN CERNANSKY FROM MARLINGTON
Swept the distance races in the Division II state state championship meet, giving him 10 career state titles. Won his third straight 1,600-meter state title a little over an hour before winning his first 3,200 state championship. Set the Stark County record in the 1,600 after breaking the 3,200 county record during the regular season. Also anchored Marlington’s state runner-up 3,200 relay team.
GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD — REESE REAMAN FROM WOODRIDGE
Led Woodridge to back-to-back Division II team state championships, accounting for 35 of her team’s 40 points at this year’s state meet. She won the 1,600 and 800 meters, anchored Woodridge’s winning 3,200 relay and then anchored the 1,600 relay to a third-place finish, moving her team up three spots in her lap to clinch the team title.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL — BRENNAN CHIVERS FROM ST. VINCENT-ST. MARY
He helped lead the Fighting Irish to the Division II state tournament. Chivers earned first-team All-Ohio honors in Division II, starring as a setter for STVM. He also was selected the Region 6 Player of the Year.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY — ELI ILG FROM JACKSON
Ilg led the Polar Bears to their first Division I state championship by finishing as the individual state runner-up. He won Stark County, Federal League, district and regional championships and was selected the Stark County Runner of the Year in Division I.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY — REESE REAMAN FROM WOODRIDGE
Reaman repeats as the Greater Akron-Canton Area Runner of the Year. She won the Division II state championship, which was the third top-10 state finish of her career. She set a Woodridge school record by running a 17:38 earlier this season. She is the first Woodridge girl to win a state since 1996, as she led the Bulldogs to state runner-up finish as a team. Reaman will run in college at Bowling Green.
FIELD HOCKEY — SOFIA BOYLE FROM HUDSON
Boyle earned first-team All-Ohio as a midfielder. She totaled seven goals and seven assists in 2023 as a captain for Hudson. She is committed to play in college at Frostburg State in Maryland.
BOYS GOLF — KYLE SMITH FROM GREEN
Smith is the two-time Federal League Golfer of the Year and qualified for his third state tournament. He won a sectional title and finished second at districts before tying for 12th at state. Smith is signed to play college golf at Xavier University.
GIRLS GOLF — ISABELLA GOYETTE FROM HIGHLAND
Goyette earned first-team All-Ohio and first-team All-Northeast Ohio honors for the second straight season. She finished tied for second at the state tournament, her second straight top-four finish. She also won the district title and was tied for second at sectionals.
BOYS SOCCER — DYLAN HALM FROM REVERE
The Division II state player of the year in Ohio, Halm helped Revere finish as the state runner-up. The senior forward led the team to a final record of 20-1-2. He scored 32 goals with 10 assists in earning All-America honors.
GIRLS SOCCER — HANNAH PACHAN FROM WALSH JESUIT
The Division I state player of the year in Ohio, Pachan led Walsh to its 11th state championship in girls soccer. The junior forward is a two-time All-American. She scored 33 goals and added 11 assists in 2023. Pachan is committed to Virginia Tech.
GIRLS TENNIS — TESS BUCHER FROM HOOVER
Bucher won the Division I state championship, her fourth straight top-four finish. She is the first Stark County girl to win a Division I state title. She went 43-0 and set a Stark County record for career wins, finishing with a career record of 151-9. She is a four-time Stark County Player of the Year and Federal League Player of the Year. Bucher will play college tennis at the University of Kentucky.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL — LAYNE GRAFFICE FROM MARLINGTON
Graffice helped lead the Dukes to their first state tournament appearance. She set Marlington single-season and career records for kills. She was selected Stark County Division II Player of the Year and District IV Division II Player of the Year, in addition to being a second-team All-Ohio pick.