MANSFIELD — For high school athletes, senior year is a special time.
One last time to suit up and play the sport they love. One last time to play alongside teammates who, for most, are childhood friends. And one last time to prove yourself. For a majority of the athletes coming in at Nos. 21-30 in the Richland 200, their senior years are going to be ones they will never forget. And for a few, they have a junior season ahead of them to start preparing.
Let's meet them.
21. Gavin Barker, Crestview
Barker picked up third team All-Ohio honors in football last season as a linebacker for the Cougars. He recorded 111 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a pass breakup to lead the Crestview defense. He also earned first team All-Northwest District and first team All-Firelands Conference honors. In baseball, he was an honorable mention All-District 9 and first team All-FC player after hitting .432 with 35 hits, 20 RBIs and 16 runs scored. Barker is back for his senior year and has a chance to lead the Cougars to FC titles in both sports.
22. Eve Schwemley, Shelby
Schwemley is a two-time All-Ohio basketball player for the Whippets. Last season, she earned special mention All-Ohio honors along with first team accolades in the Northwest District, District 6 and Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference while also earning MOAC Player of the Year. She averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.2 assists during a standout junior year. She was also a third team All-District 6 and honorable mention All-MOAC volleyball player last season. As a two-sport star, Schwemley is in for one special senior season.
23. Kyevi Roane, Mansfield Senior
Roane has a chance to become a three-time All-Ohio basketball player by the end of his career. He was a special mention All-Ohioan and earned second team All-Northwest District, first team All-District 6 and first team All-Ohio Cardinal Conference honors last season after averaging 16.7 points and seven rebounds. Roane is an old-school style player who is sensational at finding open lanes for easy shots. He will be back for his senior year and is expected to become a 1,000-point scorer for the Tygers.
24. Jay Jackson, Clear Fork
Jackson is the lone returning All-Ohio baseball player in Richland County. He earned honorable mention all-state honors along with first team All-District 9 and first team All-MOAC after hitting .455 with 46 hits, six doubles, six triples, three home runs, 34 RBIs and 36 runs scored. He helped the Colts win the Division II district championship and finish with a 26-5 record. He was also an honorable mention All-Northwest District and second team All-MOAC football player for the Colts. With his senior year upon us, Jackson could have a massive year in both sports.
25. Will Perkins, Lexington
Perkins earned All-Ohio honors in track as a member of the Minutemen's 4x800 team that finished third overall with a 7:41.38. He joined Latrell Hughes, Ethan Slone and Chance Basilone on the record-setting team and will return with Hughes and Basilone next season. He also helped the 4x400 relay team take third-place honors in the state with a 3:17.18 joining Carter Newman, Dantrell Hughes and Latrell Hughes on the team. Perkins was also a second team All-District and second team All-OCC soccer player, so he is about to have a busy senior year in which he is expected to be a leader in both sports.
26. Hector Sanchez Vidal, Ontario
Sanchez Vidal joined his brother, Pablo, as an All-Ohio doubles tennis team last season when the duo made the trip to state winning their first round match over Hunting Valley University School's Cole Kirchick and Lucas Weidenbecher 7-5, 7-5 to clinch all-state honors. The duo dropped their second match but second team All-Ohio honors is pretty special and historic as they became the first state qualifiers in Ontario boys tennis history. Hector was also a first team All-District and first team All-MOAC soccer player when he led the team with 11 goals and eight assists. He will be back for his junior year this fall.
27. Emily Thomas, Lexington
Thomas earned All-Ohio honors during the 2024 track season in one of the hardest events, the 300-meter hurdles. She took eighth overall with a time of 46.02 and finished her junior year on the podium. She was also part of the state-qualifying 4x200 relay team that took ninth in prelims which, in any other year that the state track meet isn't hosted at Dayton's Welcome Stadium, would have sent the squad to the finals. Thomas is also a standout soccer player who scored nine goals and handed out eight assists last year and is expecting to have a huge senior year when she helps Lady Lex compete in both soccer and track.
28. Rebekah Case, Lucas
Case took seventh in the Division III state pole vault competition last season with a leap of 11-06.00. It was the second All-Ohio honor she claimed in the event and the height was a new school record. Case overcame an injury-filled sophomore season to break out in a huge way as a junior. With another year of work and the urgency of her senior year, Case is expected to yet again compete for a podium spot in 2025.
29. Latrell Hughes, Lexington
Hughes took All-Ohio honors in track as a member of the fourth-place 4x800 relay team that ran a 7:41.38 during the Division I state meet. He also qualified for state in the 400-meter dash, taking 16th in the prelims with a time of 49.14. Finally, he helped the 4x400 relay team take third in the state and post the fastest qualifying time coming into the state meet. Hughes also earned honorable mention All-OCC honors in basketball and might just compete for a starting role in hoops this season. But, he will start the year by leading the Minutemen cross country team into one of the most hyped seasons in program history. Last year, he ran a 16:27.00 at the Division I regional meet in Tiffin, but with Lex moving down to Division II, he expects to be running at state and maybe even hoisting a championship trophy.
30. Dantrell Hughes, Lexington
Hughes was a member of the super fast 4x400 relay team for Lex finishing as an All-Ohioan in the event when the crew took third with a time of 3:17.18. This year will be a big year for Huges who is going to be a key contributor in football after recording two forced fumbles and two interceptions last year. He will also compete for a starting role in basketball after lettering as a sophomore last year all before hitting the track for another run at the 4x400 state title.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Richland 200: Nos. 21-30 set to prove they are among best athletes in Richland County
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