Who are the top freshmen and sophomores in Columbus-area high school sports this fall?
The junior and senior classes might have the most talent on central Ohio high school sports teams this fall, but the freshman and sophomore classes can't be overlooked.
Numerous ninth and 10th graders have helped their squads achieve success. With the help of area coaches, we compiled a list of freshmen and sophomores who have made a significant impact on varsity squads.
Brady Barnum, Dublin Jerome boys golf
The freshman earned first-team all-OCC-Cardinal honors with a 74 average and helped lead Jerome to an undefeated league title. He tied for sixth (74) at the Denison Golf Club sectional as the Celtics finished first (292) and shot an 80 at district to tie for 31st.
Lulu Bokker, Upper Arlington girls water polo
The sophomore has 45 goals, third on the team, and 29 assists for the four-time defending state champion Golden Bears (24-4). Bokker had 53 goals, a team-leading 79 steals, 24 assists and nine blocks as a freshman. Three of UA’s four losses have come against out-of-state teams, the exception being Cincinnati Princeton.
Sophia Borghese, Thomas Worthington field hockey
A season after scoring the winning goal in the state final, the sophomore attacker has 20 goals, 23 assists and 51 steals for the Cardinals (15-2), who are ranked first statewide and ninth nationally by MaxPreps. Borghese, who had 20 goals and 26 assists as a freshman, is one of MAX Field Hockey’s Top 100 Players to Watch nationwide.
Amiya Bowles, Bexley girls tennis
The sophomore and defending Division II state singles champion played a limited regular-season schedule because of non-scholastic tournaments but has yet to lose a high school match. Bowles is 13-0 this season entering the state tournament and went 21-0 a year ago. She is the top-ranked recruit in Ohio, according to the Tennis Recruiting Network, and 15th nationally. State is Thursday and Friday at the College of Wooster.
Austin Buescher, West Jefferson football
The sophomore quarterback, a second-year starter and son of Roughriders coach Shawn Buescher, has thrown for 2,899 yards and 30 touchdowns during a 9-0 start. Austin Buescher has completed 72.1% of his passes (222 of 308) to lead West Jefferson to the second spot in last week's Division VI state poll and No. 1 ranking in Region 23.
Mae Conroy, Thomas Worthington field hockey
Conroy recorded 12 shutouts in the Cardinals’ first 17 games, all of which she started, and her workload has been aided by a veteran defense. Coach Terri Simonetti-Frost lauded her freshman goalie's reaction time and ability to make split saves and slide tackles. Conroy attended the U.S. Field Hockey Association’s U-16 Super Regional Selection Camp over the summer and will go to the USFHA National Festival tournament in November.
Soleil Cordell, Olentangy Berlin girls tennis
The freshman stepped into the Bears’ vacant first-singles spot at the beginning of the season and hasn’t looked back, taking a 21-4 record into the Division I state tournament after finishing second at district. The district’s top seed, Dublin Coffman’s Pritika Ghosh Choudhuri, handed Cordell her only regular-season loss, but Cordell avenged that with a three-set win in a district semifinal.
Ray Crump, South football
A starting defensive end and tight end/wide receiver, Crump has made an impact on both sides of the ball as the Bulldogs aim for their first playoff win in three years. Crump had eight sacks in South’s first six games and is one of several underclassman starters for the team.
Levi Davis, Olentangy Orange football
In his second year as a starter at quarterback, Davis’ ability to run and pass has kept opposing defenses off balance. He has rushed for 553 yards and 10 touchdowns and passed for 1,503 yards and nine scores with 14 interceptions. Davis has visited Cincinnati and Notre Dame in the past month and drawn interest from dozens of Division I schools.
R.J. Day, DeSales football
A freshman quarterback and son of Ohio State football coach Ryan Day, R.J. Day earned the starting nod for coach Ryan Wiggins’ Stallions. Day has completed 107 of 147 passes for 1,240 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Nora Grennan, Watkins Memorial girls tennis
A freshman first-singles player, Grennan went 22-4, finished second in the Division I sectional tournament at Hilliard Bradley and split two matches at district. Grennan, whose older brother is Warriors boys standout and program single-season wins leader Liam Grennan, also won the Licking County League championship.
Jaidyn Gussler, Thomas Worthington field hockey
After starting all 21 games of last year’s state championship run as a freshman, the defender again has proven to be a key cog in the transition between defense and offense. Gussler had 69 defensive interceptions in this year’s first 17 games. Like Conroy, Gussler attended the U.S. Field Hockey Association’s U-16 Super Regional Selection Camp over the summer and is scheduled to participate in to the USFHA National Festival tournament.
Mia Hammond, New Albany girls golf
Already a veteran of two LPGA events before the end of her sophomore season, Hammond helped lead the Eagles to their sixth consecutive Division I district championship and hopes to help them capture a fifth state title in six years. Hammond, who was district champion before tying for fourth at state a year ago, tied for second at this year’s district tournament. She made the cut and tied for 26th in the LPGA’s Dana Open in July.
Layla Hoying, Watterson girls volleyball
A sophomore outside hitter, Hoying has the Eagles in position for another Division I district title run after helping the team win a district championship a season ago. Through 19 matches, Hoying led the team in kills (238) and aces (42) and added 136 digs and 20 blocks.
Robert Lathon, Hartley football
The sophomore has helped put the Hawks (7-2) in position for a strong postseason. Lathon has rushed for 1,170 yards and 15 touchdowns on 150 carries, including a 171-yard effort on 20 touches in a 15-12 win over DeSales on Oct. 6.
Eva Lim, Columbus Academy girls golf
The freshman surged to the top of the Vikings’ lineup this fall and tied for second in the Division II state tournament, leading Academy to its second consecutive team title. Lim shot a career-best 65 during the Worthington Christian Invitational at Mill Creek on Aug. 26 and tied for medalist honors at district with a 73. Academy won its third consecutive team title at district.
Mallory Lowe, Bexley girls soccer
A forward, Lowe is one of three freshman starters for the Lions. Through 14 games, she had six goals and five assists for Bexley (9-4-1, 4-0-1 Central Buckeye League), which was 13th in last week’s Division II state poll. Other freshman starters are defender Lucy Ciminero and midfielder Julia Olsen.
Donovan Moore, Westland boys soccer
The sophomore had seven goals and six assists through 16 games, all as a center defensive midfielder, for a Cougars team (7-8-1) that plays in an OCC-Ohio that includes 2022 Division I state runner-up New Albany. Moore had six goals and seven assists as a freshman and is a team captain even as an underclassman.
Sam Peters, West Jefferson boys soccer
A sophomore midfielder, Peters scored 20 goals in 18 games a season ago and this year has 22 goals and 47 points in 15 games. He leads the Ohio Heritage Conference in both categories. Peters earned second-team all-district honors in Division III a season ago.
Charlotte Potts, Upper Arlington field hockey
A second-year starting defender, Potts is a crucial piece of a back line that helped the Golden Bears to within one win of the state tournament a season ago and a 15-2 regular season this fall. UA, the fourth seed in the regional tournament, allowed only 11 goals in the regular season.
Bebe Smith, Columbus Academy field hockey
The Vikings’ sophomore attacker has 15 goals and four assists to lead the team (11-4-1), which is ranked fifth statewide by MaxPreps. Coach Jacque DeMarco called Smith “a dynamic and aggressive attacker.” Seeded fifth in the regional tournament, Academy is seeking its first state berth since 2020.
Carter Smith, Westerville North boys soccer
A freshman striker and midfielder, Smith led the Warriors in assists (7), tied for the team lead in points (27) and was second on the team in goals (10) during a regular season that saw North (11-4-2, 5-1-1 OCC-Capital) win its first league championship since 2005. Smith started the season at forward but has gravitated to attacking midfielder and has started every game.
Calvin Spitznagle, Tree of Life boys soccer
A freshman who started the season as a defender but has since moved into the midfield, Spitznagle has 13 goals and two assists for the Trojans (14-0-1). Tree of Life was ranked ninth in last week's Division III state poll.
Sophia Tartaglia, Hilliard Davidson girls cross country
A freshman, Tartaglia is contending for a starting five spot as the Wildcats prepare for the postseason. She turned in a personal-best 19:52.8 in finishing 15th in the Centerville Saturday Night Lights Gold Division race Sept. 30. Coach Nate King expects Tartaglia to be a major contributor over the next three seasons.
Mick Temple, Pickerington North boys cross country
The sophomore is closing in on the best time in the program’s two-decade history. Temple turned in a personal-best 15:20 in finishing fourth in the Bob Reall Invitational on Sept. 23 at Lancaster, trailing just 2019 Division I state champion Matt Duvall’s 14:58. Duvall, a 2020 graduate, now runs at Kentucky. Temple won the OCC-Ohio championship Saturday in 15:36.95.
Riley Winbush, Dublin Scioto girls volleyball
The sophomore right-side hitter has been a key performer for the Irish (22-0, 14-0 OCC-Capital). Winbush is third on the team with 145 kills and has 33 digs and 25 blocks. The Irish were fifth in last week's Division I state poll.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Top freshmen, sophomores in central Ohio high school sports
