Sports

Jonathan Alder’s Ashton Martin delivers a pitch to the plate. Martin has been named the Union County-area baseball player of the year. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Marysville’s Hunter Sheldon (5) delivers a shot during a regular season home game against Westerville Central. The Monarch earned All-OCC Honorable Mention status following the 2025 spring season. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

North Union High School graduate Rita Hamilton Somerlot is pictured after being recognized during the 2025 Ohio High School Athletic Association state track/field meet. Somerlot, who was the girls head track coach for many years at Centerville High School, was recognized for all of her efforts in promoting girls track and field over the years. The OHSAA observed the 50th anniversary this year of the girls state track meet. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

Handoffs play a vital role in the success of a relay team. In the above photo, Fairbanks’ Alyssa Tobe (right) hands the baton to Charley Shope. In the bottom photo, Ally Gearheart (right) does the same to anchor leg Alexis Wojcehowics. The Lady Panther 4x200 team placed third during the state Division II girls meet at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. (Journal-Tribune photos by Alekesi Pavloff)

NU sophomore Gabby Lindsey displays her medal and All-Ohio certificate after placing second during the Division II girls 400 meter dash finals. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

These Marysville High School softball players earned special awards for the 2025 season. They are from left, front row, Lauren Mobley, honorable mention Ohio Capital Conference (Cardinal Division); Brie Jennings, first-team OCC and honorable Mention Division I Central District; and Ella Wood, second-team OCC; back row, Josie Bumgarner, first-team OCC and second-team Central District; Lilly McKinney, OCC scholar-athlete; Sienna Hutchins, first-team OCC, Central District and All-Ohio; and Lexi Hakola, special mention OCC. (Photo submitted)

In the photo to the left, Fairbanks’ Alexis Wojcehowics runs the anchor leg of the Division II girls 4x200 meter relay. The Lady Panthers finished third in the state race that was held Saturday at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. In the photo to the right, North Union’s Gabby Lindsey sprints toward the finish line of the girls Division II 400 meter dash finals. Lindsey finished as the state runner-up. The FHS relay team that included Alyssa Tobe, Charley Shope and Ally Gearheart and Lindsey earned All-Ohio honors. Complete details about the Lady Panthers’ and Lindsey’s performances will appear in Tuesday’s print edition of the Journal-Tribune. (Journal-Tribune photos by Aleksei Pavloff and Tim Miller)

Jonathan Alder’s Greg Nussbaum, right, competes during a leg of the Division II boys 4x800 meter relay. The Pioneers did not advance to the awards podium during Friday’s finals. JA finished 16th. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Griffin Osborne of North Union lands in the long jump pit during the boys Division II state meet Friday morning at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Osborne placed 13th out of 18 jumpers. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder’s Grant Horne, left, puts the tag on a Cincinnati Indian Hill base runner at second base. Also pictured for the Pioneers is Ashton Martin (10). JA lost to Indian Hill, 8-1, during the Division IV regional title game in Xenia on Thursday. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Marysville High School seniors Maggie Foust, left, and Audrey Spooner will respectively compete in the Division I girls 3200 meter run and the high jump today at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. (Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)

Jenna Dee (left) and Macy Kise (right) have been named to the Ohio Heritage Conference’s North Division first team in softball. They helped lead the Lady Panthers to a Division V district title and a runner-up spot in the regional. (Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller and Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder’s Calla Streit competes in the 4x800-meter relay event at North Union High School earlier this season. The junior Lady Pioneer will compete alongside three other teammates during the 4x800-meter relay race at the state meet. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder players run onto the field from the dugout as Garrett Bauer (12) slides into the plate on an RBI by Ashton Martin that gave the Pioneers the walk-off score in the bottom of the seventh inning. JA downed Cincinnati Roger Bacon during the Division IV regional semifinal in Xenia. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

North Union’s Griffiin Osborne, left, will long jump during the state track and field meet at The Ohio State University. Gabby Lindsey will compete in the state 400 and 200 meter dashes. (Photo of Osborne submitted, Lindsey photo by Aleksei Pavloff-Journal Tribune)

These Fairbanks High School girls will join together to compete in the Division II state 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays at The Ohio State University’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. They are from left, Ally Gearhart, Mia Pagan, Charlie Shope, Alexis Wojcohowics and Sydney Nicol. Not pictured, Alysha Tobe. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller.

North Union’s Glory Blevins led her club basketball team, the Midwest Pumas, to a title in a recently-held basketball tournament at Bunsold Middle School. Blevins, who will be a sophomore this fall for the Lady Cats, also was named the tournament’s most valuable player. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder’s Ella Luker competes during a relay race in this file photo. Luker is one of several Pioneer athletes who will compete in this year’s state track and field meet. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Marysville High School head baseball coach Nick Blake (left) chats with a player ahead of his batting attempt during a regular season home game in 2023. Blake stepped away from the program Tuesday to focus and spend more time with his family. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder infielder Ashton Martin (10) catches a popup as Grant Horne looks on. The Pioneers will travel to Xenia today to play Roger Bacon in the Division IV regional semifinals. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Jonathan Alder’s Mason Curtis (33) wins a face-off against Marysville during the 2025 regular season. The senior Pioneer earned first-team All-MOLL and All-Region status, while also winning 271 faceoffs this past season. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

These young track and field campers are learning how to jump in the long jump pit during the Marysville youth camp. The event began Monday evening and will conclude today. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)

Jonathan Alder’s Grant Horne lashes a base hit in this file photo. The JA senior will play baseball at Ohio Dominican University. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Marysville’s Mack Weithman (left) is pictured competing during the Division I regional. Weithman placed 10th in the 800 meter run. (Photo submitted)

The eighth grade BTY boys basketball team won the Battle Royale tournament in Mason, Ohio. The local hoopsters defeated the West Virginia Hustle 57-40 for the championship. BTY finished the spring season with a 40-1 record. The only setback was at the hands of a team from Pittsburgh. Members of the squad are from left, front row, Coach Josh Meihls, Grant Kraybill, Nate Meihls, Luke Boehm and Coach Bob Boehm; back row, Brandel Sullivan, AJ Shroyer, Sam Moeller, Kellan Carter and Ty Schroeder.  (Photo submitted)

Payton Cusack, a Marysville seventh-grade student, participates in a pole vault drill at Marysville High School. (Photo submitted)

Kyah Hendren of FHS scores after Oak Harbor’s catcher can’t get a handle on the ball for a play at the plate during the regional title contest. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff)

Pictured from left to right are Gary Davis, Eric Music and Mitch Daulton. (Photos submitted)