2023-24 Dispatch All-Metro: Who are the best high school hockey players in central Ohio?
Three players from regional champion St. Charles highlight the 2023-24 Dispatch All-Metro hockey team.
The Athlete of the Year in each sport – 30 in all – will be announced at the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards on June 20 at Mershon Auditorium. Each member of the All-Metro hockey team will receive a free ticket to that live event, where nine premier awards also will be announced, including boys and girls overall athletes of the year, boys and girls overall coaches of the year, boys and girls overall teams of the year, courage award, school spirit award and lifetime achievement award.
All-Metro Coach of the Year: Danny Greiner guides St. Charles to second state tournament
Stu Heckathorne, Gahanna Lincoln
The junior goalie was a standout for the Lions, keeping the team in several games this season. He finished 13-14-2 with six shutouts, a program-record 2.45 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. He had a program-record 72 saves in a 1-0, five-overtime win against Olentangy Orange during the Blue Jackets Cup, which is the Capital Hockey Conference tournament. Heckathorne was honorable mention all-CHC.
Grant Heerdt, Dublin Jerome
The senior defenseman helped the Celtics reach a regional semifinal, which they lost 6-3 to eventual state semifinalist St. Charles. Heerdt registered 10 goals and 13 assists. He was first-team all-CHC-White Division and second-team all-CHC.
Mason Herndon, Upper Arlington
Called the best goalie in central Ohio by coach Craig Hagkull, the sophomore went 16-11-2 with a 2.17 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. He helped lead the Golden Bears to the Blue Jackets Cup title, beating Olentangy Berlin 7-5 in the final. Herndon was first-team all-CHC-Red and second-team all-CHC.
Parker McDaniels, Olentangy Berlin
A three-sport standout at Berlin, the senior defenseman helped lead the Bears to the regional semifinals, where they lost to top-seeded Olentangy Liberty 6-2. The anchor of the defense, McDaniels was first-team all-CHC and all-CHC-Red, collecting eight goals and five assists. He also excels as a catcher in baseball and defensive end in football.
Andrew Leonard, Olentangy Liberty
The junior forward played a key role in helping the 2023 state champions win the CHC-Red title and advance to the regional final. He finished with 31 goals and 40 assists and was first-team all-CHC-Red and second-team all-CHC. Leonard also plays quarterback for the football team and is an infielder for the baseball team.
Evan Merna, Thomas Worthington
The senior was a workhorse for the Cardinals in goal this season, collecting 1,044 saves to earn first-team all-CHC and all-CHC-White recognition. Merna had a 2.84 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. He finished 11-16-2-2 with one shutout.
Sean Moore, St. Charles
The senior forward played a major role in the Cardinals’ march to a state semifinal, earning first-team all-CHC and all-CHC-Red recognition. He was second on St. Charles in scoring with 33 goals and 25 assists for 58 points.
Nicholas Scharfenberger, St. Charles
The senior forward led the Cardinals in scoring with 28 goals and 40 assists for 68 points and was honorable mention all-CHC. Scharfenberger helped lead St. Charles to its first regional title since 2014.
Tommy Scharfenberger, St. Charles
A sophomore and Nicholas’ brother, Scharfenberger was a major contributor as a defenseman for the Cardinals, who lost to Hunting Valley University School 6-0 in a state semifinal. He was third on the team in scoring with five goals and 27 assists for 32 points and was first-team all-CHC and all-CHC-Red.
Jacob Schlade, Olentangy
The junior forward collected 23 goals and 23 assists for the Braves, who finished first in the CHC-White. Schlade was first-team all-CHC and first-team all-CHC-White.
Jake Struck, Olentangy Liberty
The junior forward was the most prolific scorer in central Ohio, finishing with 47 goals and 58 assists for 105 points. He was first-team all-CHC and all-CHC-Red. Struck helped lead the Patriots to the regional final, where they lost 4-2 to St. Charles.
Sam Ziliak, Olentangy
The junior helped anchor the Braves’ defense and contributed four goals and 15 assists. He was first-team all-CHC-White and second-team all-CHC.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 2023-24 Dispatch All-Metro high school hockey team
