Editor’s Note: This is the second installment of a series.
Up next is Bucyrus in the Crawford 100!
We’ll highlight 10 athletes — in no particular order — returning to Bucyrus, along with several honorable mentions poised for breakout seasons in their respective sports.
Let’s dive in!
Dylan Coppler, sr.
Taking over quarterbacking duties, Coppler threw for 893 yards, four TD, and 10 INT for the winless Redmen, while also rushing 80 times for 180 yards and two TD. He also recorded 67 tackles, one for loss, on defense. When winter rolled around he was the third leading scorer, averaging 8.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for a young Redmen squad that returns everyone this upcoming season. In the springtime he competed in the 300-meter hurdles and high jump at the Northern 10 championships, placing ninth and sixth, respectively.
Georgie Floyd, sr.
Bucyrus needed a scorer on the basketball court following the departure of Malachi Bayless and Floyd stepped right up. He led the team with 15.8 points per game along with 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 steals, earning second team all-league honors. And, as mentioned above, everyone returns on the court, so look for the Redmen to make some noise this winter led by Floyd’s hot hand.
Aubrie Kimmel, jr.
After carving out a role as a freshman, Kimmel stepped up in a big way on the volleyball court, leading the Lady Red with 100 kills, 14 aces, 198 digs and 150 receptions. She was a great complementary player on the basketball court, chipping in 2.1 points and 1.3 rebounds per game and featured in all 23 contests. Still two years to go for this talented athlete, the sky is the limit for Kimmel.
Wyatt Makeever, so.
One of a few sophomores featured this week, Makeever made an immediate impact on the football, wrestling and baseball teams. Featuring primarily on defense, he recorded 53 tackles, four for loss, two forced fumbles and one recovery. He placed sixth at sectionals, finishing the season with a 19-21 record on the mats. In the spring he was Bucyrus’ most reliable bat, carrying a .213 average with 10 hits, two runs and one RBI — the team only scored 34 runs all season — and struck out 34 as the No. 2 on the mound. There’s a lot to be excited about at Bucyrus with regards to Makeever.
Hayden Butcher, jr.
A standout for Bucyrus on both sides of the football, Butcher finished with 107 tackles, eight for loss, and three sacks before carrying that momentum into the winter for wrestling, where he finished the season (38-7) placing fifth at sectionals and just narrowly missing out on a district qualifying spot.
Brody Higginbotham, sr.
Carrying the 17th best nine-hole average (45.14) in the Northern 10 last year, Higginbotham was Bucyrus’ No. 1 on the links where the Redmen endured a tough season, but did manage to get the better of rival Buckeye Central in the N10 Shootout on their home court. In the winter he was the team’s top bowler making a run to state as an individual, where he finished 58th in a loaded Division II. Expect to hear his name a lot this coming fall and winter.
Savannah Clark, so.
A four-sport athlete across three seasons, Clark opened her career on the tennis courts before immediately slotting into the basketball team, averaging 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds — both the best among returners — featuring in 20 of the 23 games and only missing a trio due to injury. In the spring she balanced softball and track, appearing in 13 games on the diamond and carrying a .227 average all while doing discus and shot, where she placed eighth and sixth at the league meet. We’ve yet to see Clark even close to her full potential.
Reese Garvin, jr.
A defensive specialist in the fall, Garvin led the Lady Red with 23 aces, 339 digs and 299 receptions, and should again play a pivotal role this upcoming season. In the winter she played a key role on the basketball court, chipping in 3.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Part of a stellar junior class across the board at Bucyrus, Garvin will feature aplenty these next two years.
Maseo Hall, sr.
A one-sport athlete on here? That should tell you the potential Hall has this upcoming spring. His breakout performance his junior year came at the Crawford County Meet where he was named co-MVP on the track after sweeping the hurdles and a pair of runner-up finishes with two relays. He capped off the season as a district champion as part of the 4×200 relay, where they missed qualifying for regional finals by .44 seconds.
Ivan Pirnstill, so.
What a freshman year Pirnstill had. Primarily a depth player on the basketball court, he appeared in 17 games and scored six points on the season. The spring, though, is where he made his breakout. He cleared 12-0 at the Crawford County Meet for first place and followed it up not long after soaring over 13-0 at the Northern 10 meet for a league title. Poor conditions at districts saw him only clear 12-0 again, but place fifth due to attempts. He also high jumps and long jumps.
Honorable Mention
Grady Weber (sr.) the lone district qualifier in wrestling, he’ll have one final chance to make it to state … Kyle Pifer (sr.), AJ Griffin (jr.) distance specialists, these two are part of a cross country and track program that can compete with anyone … Christian Neal (sr.), Da’Shawn Cosey (so.) two of the quickest athletes around, they get the job done on the football field and the track … Addison Weber (jr.) will see her role increase on the basketball court and softball diamond this year … Peyton Fackler (so.) carved out a role as a freshman on the volleyball court and then balanced track with softball.
zholden@gannett.com | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Crawford 100: Multi-sport athletes galore at Bucyrus
Reporting by Zachary Holden, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum / Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum
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