In a vote that ended Aug. 29, Cincinnati.com readers selected the first 2025-2026 Cincinnati Enquirer/Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Athletes of the Week from high school sports action through Aug. 24.
Here are this week’s winners.
Ohio football team: Goshen – Goshen is 1-0 for the first time since 2018 after defeating Monroe, 34-14. The Warriors completely flipped the script after being shut out by the Hornets, 35-0, in last year’s season-opener. Both Gage Croley and quarterback Caden Slusher ran for 129 yards and combined for five touchdowns.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana football team: Holy Cross – The Indians took control early against newcomer St. Henry and cruised to a 47-0 victory.
Ohio boys fall team: Loveland golf – Loveland won the Eastern Cincinnati Conference Preseason tourney, shooting a 290 and besting Anderson by one stroke.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys fall team: Dixie Heights soccer – The Colonels are undefeated at 5-0 and have only allowed a pair of goals in the beginning of the season.
Ohio girls fall team: Seton volleyball – The Division I state champs are 6-0 to start the year, beating Mentor, Magnificat, Anthony Wayne and Olentangy Orange over the weekend.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls fall team: Holy Cross volleyball – The Indians began the year 2-0, sweeping both Bishop Brossart and Lloyd Memorial.
Ohio boys cross-country runner: Nathan Sommers, Ross – The senior led the way at the HOKA Showcase Gold race, taking 15th place in a new personal best of 16:50.26.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys cross-country runner: Ryan Richards, Cooper – The senior was a crucial part of the Jaguars’ team title at the Moeller Primetime Invitational, taking second place in 16:11.3.
Ohio girls cross-country runner: Ariana Hurst, Sycamore – The freshman took sixth place in her first varsity race, running a time of 19:24.7 at the Buckeye Sunrise Invitational.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls cross-country runner: Faith Foote, Cooper – She took third place at the Moeller Primetime Invitational with a time of 20:31.3.
Boys golfer: Casey Kopecky, Loveland – Began the season with a 74 at the Sycamore Invitational to place third before shooting a 75 at the ECC preview to help the Tigers win by one stroke. He also was the medalist at the Elk Invitational, shooting a 69.
Girls golfer: Eva Becerril, Sycamore – In three days, the defending Division I state champ medaled at the Anderson Invitational with a 74, medaled against Seton with a 38 and then had a school record and personal best six-under-par 30 to medal in a tri-match.
Ohio big-school football: Will Rivers, Walnut Hills – He threw for 303 yards for three touchdowns, and rushed for 44 yards and a score, in the Eagles’ 27-24 win at Western Hills. He led a late comeback from a 24-14 deficit in the fourth quarter, rushing for a TD and throwing a 9-yard TD pass to Malakai Lewars for the winning touchdown.
Ohio small-school football: Morgan Brown, Deer Park – The Tink Sellers-Brown connection could be special for Deer Park this season. In the Wildcats’ 41-32 win over Belmont, the duo connected for five touchdowns. Brown finished with 11 receptions for 212 yards. He also posted nine tackles on defense.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana football: Jacob Rieselman, Holy Cross – He made six tackles, four of which were sacks, recovered a fumble, and ran the ball four times for 76 yards and a touchdown in a win over St. Henry.
Ohio big-school boys soccer: Jack Sweeney, St. Xavier – The junior had two goals in a 4-0 win over Toledo St. John’s.
Ohio small-school boys soccer: Rocco Fischer, Wyoming – The senior made five saves in a 0-0 draw with defending Division V state champion Summit Country Day.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys soccer: Will Schaffeld, Holy Cross – The junior had two goals in a 4-2 win over Newport Central Catholic.
Ohio big-school girls soccer: Cara Pitzer, St. Ursula – The senior had a goal and three shots on goal in a 2-1 win over Badin.
Ohio small-school girls soccer: Kinley Alexander, Ross – The senior scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Taylor.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls soccer: Annie Zuerner, Calvary Christian – She scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over district foe Scott to open the season, the team’s first win over Scott since 2011. She has 10 goals and six assists for the season during the Cougars’ 4-1 start.
Girls singles tennis: Renee Harper, Oak Hills – Harper is 5-0 for the Highlanders in No. 1 singles competition.
Girls doubles tennis: Brooke Lint-Zeina Masri, Oak Hills – The pair are 4-1 to begin the season in first doubles competition.
Ohio big-school girls volleyball: Ashlyn Cline, Fairfield – In a pair of four-set wins, she posted a total of 15 kills, 27 digs, four assists and three aces.
Ohio small-school girls volleyball: Lizzy Long, Ross – She has a team-high 11 aces to help the Rams to a 5-0 start to the season. She also has 20 kills, 10 digs and five blocks.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls volleyball: Madelyn Keipert, St. Henry – In the Crusaders’ only best-of-five win so far, she had 18 assists, eight digs, seven kills, four blocks and two aces in a sweep of Scott.
If you win, what’s next?
Families have the option, after a win, to send in a VERY short (five to 10 seconds) thank you video from the athlete within two hours of the win for a winners’ compilation video. The video’s orientation must be vertical. Send videos by email to mlaughman@enquirer.com or through Messenger on Facebook. Or, you may drop the video in a separate DropBox using this link.
The Enquirer will no longer mail certificates to schools after getting feedback that families weren’t receiving them. Alex Harrison will make digital copies of all certificates available to families by 8 a.m. the Monday after the Friday win. Families will access the PDFs through this public Dropbox link.
Once printed, families can email a photo of athletes with their certificates to Melanie Laughman at mlaughman@enquirer.com, through Messenger on Facebook, or tag her on X at @mlaughman. We’ll put those images in a photo gallery.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Enquirer names Greater Cincinnati high school athletes of the week, Aug. 29
Reporting by Melanie Laughman, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
