The 2024-25 school year has concluded, but voting for the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center high school Athlete of the Week continues through the summer — with a twist.
This week, Dispatch.com readers get to decide your choice for central Ohio boys Athlete of the Year.
Olentangy Liberty graduate Jake Struck earned the honor during the Central Ohio Sports Awards on June 18 at Upper Arlington High School, but who would you choose? Vote in our poll below.
Voting is open until 4 p.m. July 4. Please do not email your votes; they will not count.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center high school Athlete of the Week voting occurs each week and recognizes athletes across all sports.
If you can’t see the ballot when you scroll to the bottom of this story, try refreshing the link or clearing the cache in your browser. You do not have to be a subscriber to vote.
The Dispatch staff reserves the right to remove athletes from the ballot where voting irregularities have occurred.
Have any questions? Email sports editor Brian White at bwhite1@dispatch.com.
Here are the candidates:
Austin Carpenter, St. Charles swimming: The junior phenom powered the Cardinals to their first state championship since 2008, winning the 100-yard freestyle (43.21) before bringing the 400 free relay back from a 1.34-second deficit on the final leg of the final event of the Division I state meet. Carpenter, who has committed to Texas, also was on the winning 200 medley relay (1:28.04) and was state runner-up in the 100 breaststroke (53.81).
Levi Davis, Olentangy Orange football, basketball, track: The junior shined in all three seasons, but especially so during the winter. Davis passed for 2,023 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 853 yards and 12 scores as a quarterback, was point guard for the Pioneers’ first Division I state championship basketball team in the winter and won long jump district and regional championships this spring. Davis, who also was district champion and regional runner-up in the high jump, has committed to play football at Ohio University.
Andrew Leonard, Olentangy Liberty football, hockey, baseball: A Findlay signee at quarterback and Mr. Football finalist, Leonard began his senior year by passing for 3,191 yards and 35 touchdowns during the football team’s run to their first Division I state championship. He then had 29 goals and 37 assists during hockey season, when Liberty made a regional final, and was an honorable mention all-state pitcher and shortstop during the baseball team’s run to a regional semifinal.
Ashton Martin, Jonathan Alder baseball: A senior pitcher and the Division IV district and state Player of the Year, Martin powered the Pioneers’ run to a regional final. The Wright State signee batted .500 with 11 doubles, five triples, one home run, 32 RBIs, 30 runs scored and 20 stolen bases. On the mound, he was 6-0 with a 0.76 ERA, 60 strikeouts and five walks in 37 innings. Martin had five complete games and four shutouts.
C.J. Sanna, Olentangy football, track: The junior starred both on the football field and as a thrower in track and field, capping a year in which he verbally committed to Ohio State as a linebacker by winning the Division I state discus championship in his final state track meet. Sanna was district and regional champion in the district runner-up in the shot put. In football, Sanna made a team-high 97 tackles and shared the team lead in sacks with seven.
Jake Struck, Olentangy Liberty football, hockey, lacrosse: Named The Dispatch’s Boys Athlete of the Year at the Central Ohio Sports Awards, Struck was a three-time state champion with one title each in football, hockey and lacrosse. All of those championships were the first for their teams at Liberty. Struck accounted for more than 1,800 yards and 31 total touchdowns in football and is career goals, assists and points leader for both the hockey and lacrosse teams.
Andrew Walton, Fairfield Union cross country, track: The Syracuse cross country and track signee repeated as Division II state cross country champion in the fall, on the heels of winning both the Southeast District and regional, and this spring was state runner-up in the 1,600 and fifth in the 3,200 at state. He won the mile in a regional-record 4:12.9 — a time he bested by more than a second at state — and was third in the meet in the 3,200.
Mitchell Younger, Watterson wrestling: The senior wrestler finished his high school career by winning his third Division II state championship at 144 pounds, going 36-0 less than a year after battling health issues that put his season at risk. Younger, who has signed with North Carolina, also won state as a freshman and sophomore and was fourth at 150 as a junior. He finished high school with a record of 126-8.
VOTE: Who is central Ohio’s Boys Athlete of the Year?
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Vote: Choose central Ohio’s high school boys Athlete of the Year for 2024-25
Reporting by Dave Purpura and Brian White, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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