Staff report
Sidney High junior Austin Simon was recently named the Greater Western Ohio Conference American North Athlete of the Year in boys bowling.
The athlete of the year award is part of the All-GWOC bowling team for the 2016-17 season, and Simon is one of seven Sidney bowlers — boys and girls — to earn all-conference recognition.
Simon and teammate Josh Abbott, a senior, were both named to the American North first team, junior Sean Martin was named to the second team, and senior Matt Elliott was named to the Special Mention list.
Simon bowled 52 games this season and averaged a team-high 214.4, with a high game of 300 and a high series of 558.
Abbott wasn’t far behind, averaging 212.7 in 51 games. He also had a high game of 300, with a high series of 548.
Simon was 11th-best in the entire GWOC and Abbott 13th.
Martin averaged 192.6 in 37 games, and Elliott 195.9 in 31 games. They had high series of 458 and 467, respectively. Martin’s high game was 276 and Elliott;’s was 236.
Sidney tied with Vandalia for the North Division championship, both with 14-1 records. The Yellow Jackets were 17-1 overall.
• Sidney had two girls named to the All-American North team and both earned first team honors.
State qualifier Heather Gold, a senior, and junior Jenna Beatty were both named all-conference.
Gold led the Lady Jackets with an average of 193.4 in 54 games this season, with a high game of 298 and a high series of 512.
Beatty averaged 189.8 in 51 games, with a 266 high game and a high series of 532.
Teammate Kathryn Saunders was named to the Special Mention list. She bowled 47 games and averaged 152, with a high game of 196 and a high series of 367.
All-GWOC Bowling
American North
BOYS
First team — Josh Abbott, senior, Sidney; Evan Adkins, senior, Xenia; Hunter Baughman, junior, Stebbins; JT Cherpeski, junior Fairborn; Noah Detrick, junior, Vandalia; James Ridgeway, freshman, Tipp City; Drew Sacks, sophomore, Vandalia; Austin Simon, junior, Sidney.
Second team — Zane Eneix, freshman, Xenia; Dylan Gunter, senior, Stebbins; Andrew Kapis, senior, Vandalia; James Lewis III, freshman, Fairborn; Sean Martin, junior, Sidney; Richard Nixon III, junior, West Carrollton; Stephen Ridgeway, senior, Tipp City; Travis Smith, senior, Piqua.
Special mention — Cullen Blinn, junior, Greenville; Ryan Day, senior, Xenia; Matt Elliott, senior, Sidney; Jake Florea, senior, West Carrollton; Hayden Jackson, senior, Troy; Austin Jenkins, sophomore, Piqua; Drake Leszczuk, senior, Stebbins; Jordan Tompkins, senior, Vandalia.
Athlete of the Year — Austin Simon, Sidney.
Coach of the Year — Steve Sacks, Vandalia.
——
GIRLS
First team — Jenna Beatty, junior, Sidney; Heather Gold, senior, Sidney; Alexandria Mann, junior, Stebbins; Caity Moody, freshman, Xenia; Audrey Renner, sophomore, Fairborn; Jessica Sacks, junior, Vandalia; A’Leigha Smith, junior, Troy; Jenna Stone, junior, Troy.
Second team — Hannah Borchert, senior, Fairborn; Seirra Cowden, senior, West Carrollton; Stephanie Crider, sophomore Vandalia; Becca Helke, junior, Vandalia; Alyssa Lewis, sophomore, Fairborn; Cassidy McMullen, sophomore, Troy; Kirsten McMullen, sophomore, Troy; Kailee Palacek, sophomore, Xenia.
Special Mention — Rayna Brownlee, Piqua; Lauren Davis, Vandalia; Kelly Fullen, junior, Xenia; Jessica Funderburg, Troy; Katelyn Martinez, senior, Stebbins; Kathryn Saunders, senior, Sidney; Kaitlin Schell, sophomore, West Carrollton; Mackenzie Slate, senior, Greenville.
Athlete of the Year — Jenna Stone, Troy.
Coach of the Year — Rob Dever, Troy.
