10 spring high school athletes to know in Greater Lafayette (and 50 more to watch)

Spring sports begin competition this week and many returnees off big years in 2021 look to be a factor in continued success this season. Here are 10 of the area’s best returning spring sports athletes to know. Plus 50 more names you should keep an eye on.

Morgan Cooksey, Seeger softball

After not having a freshman season because of the coronavirus pandemic, Cooksey emerged as a sophomore, going 13-3 with a 1.46 earned run average in the circle last season for the Patriots. She struck out 155 and walked just 15 over 100 innings while also hitting .403 at the plate with 15 runs batted in.

Wyatt Curl, West Lafayette track and field

The three-sport Red Devil standout just missed a state finals appearance in pole vault last season but enters his junior outdoor season with a ton of momentum. Fresh off the basketball court, Curl won the indoor state championship in Bloomington on Saturday.

Connor Czajkowski, Harrison track and field

One of the biggest storylines last spring was Czajkowski trading in baseball cleats for track spikes, then becoming the fastest sprinter in Indiana. In his only season to date, Czajkowski broke Harrison's 100- and 200-meter records as a junior. The Purdue recruit won the state title in the 200 last season and was fourth in the 100.

Brody Fine, McCutcheon baseball

Before an injury to his pitching arm last season, Fine was nearly unhittable. Opponents hit just .143 against the big right-hander, who is committed to Purdue Fort Wayne. Fine was 6-0 with a 1.05 earned run average, striking out 55 and walking 12 in 39 2/3 innings. Offensively, Fine hit .351 with two home runs, two triples, 12 doubles and 22 runs batted in.

Emma Gu, Harrison tennis

As a freshman, Gu went 30-1 at No. 1 singles for the Raiders. Gu's lone setback came to another undefeated freshman, eventual state champion Molly Bellia of South Bend St. Joseph. Gu lost 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 to Bellia in the individual state semifinal.

Jaylie Lohmeyer, Harrison track and field

Lohmeyer's versatility will allow the Raiders to use her in a variety of events this spring as she's shown strength both as a sprinter and as a long distance runner during her career. Lohmeyer was the sectional champion in the 400 and, if not for falling while running away from the field, also would've won the sectional in the 200. Lohmeyer would go on to win the regional in the 400 and place fifth in the state while also anchoring Harrison's 1,600 relay to a fifth-place finish in the state finals.

Chase Long, Delphi baseball

As a sophomore, his first season of high school baseball after the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 season, Long led the Oracles to a semistate appearance. He topped Delphi in batting average (.467), runs batted in (38), doubles (13) to go with three homers and two triples.

Joe Peter and Sam Peter, Faith Christian golf

The twins helped make history as freshmen last spring, leading the Eagles to a sectional championship in the school's first season having a full varsity golf roster. Sam Peter shot an 80 and Joe Peter carded an 81 in the sectional and the Eagles also won the City/County meet by 22 strokes, while Joe Peter was individual medalist at the prestigious Lafayette Jeff Invite.

Tressa Senesac, Benton Central track and field

Senesac will go down as one of the most decorated athletes in Bison history, already owning the career goals record in soccer and being a four-year starting point guard for the girls basketball team, helping BC reach the state championship and win four sectional titles and two regionals in her career. She's also one of the state's best hurdlers and a Hoosier Conference record holder in the 100-meter high hurdles. Senesac also is coming off a fourth-place finish at the indoor state meet in the high jump.

Others to watch

Owen Acton, Fountain Central baseball

Corey Adams, West Lafayette baseball

Peyton Applegate, Twin Lakes softball

Sydney Argo, Faith Christian softball

Grant Bauman, West Lafayette golf

Emma Beimfohr, Harrison track and field

Connor Blankman, West Lafayette track and field

Connor Boone, Frankfort baseball

Caitlin Conn, North White softball

Carlie Cox, Lafayette Jeff softball

Hayden Davis, Harrison baseball

Jada-Marie Davis, Harrison track and field

Kiersten Delaney, Harrison softball

Jasmine Durando, Tri-County track and field

Will Eldridge, Carroll baseball

Karsyn Engle, Covington tennis

Lilly Foster, Twin Lakes softball

Austin Francis, Rensselaer baseball

Victoria Ford, Harrison track and field

Avery Gorbett, Rossville softball

Braelynn Hattendorf, Benton Central softball

Trent Jones, Southmont track and field

Asa Koeppen, Lafayette Jeff baseball

Ben Mazur, Central Catholic baseball

Ethan McCormick, Harrison baseball

Maddie Medley, Fountain Central softball

Sydney Miller, Harrison softball

Austin Motz, Crawfordsville baseball

Hunter Newman, Harrison track and field

Glenn Patterson, Lafayette Jeff track and field

Eli Patton, Faith Christian golf

Kennedy Peckinpaugh, McCutcheon softball

Jacob Pickering, Rensselaer baseball

Brayden Raeke, McCutcheon baseball

Janelle Robson, Benton Central track and field

Ava Sayre, Benton Central track and field

Colin Seymour, Twin Lakes track and field

Macie Shirk, Southmont softball

Riley Shrader, Seeger softball

Steven Stephany, Lafayette Jeff track and field

Elijah Stenberg, West Lafayette track and field

Emma Taylor, Covington tennis

Nick Turner, Seeger baseball

Thomas Urban, Harrison track and field

Grant Valiant, Faith Christian golf

Zoey Westerman, Frankfort softball

Landree Whiteman, Clinton Central softball

Caitlin Williams, Harrison track and field

Halie Williams, Benton Central softball

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 10 spring high school athletes to know in Greater Lafayette (and 50 more to watch)