Enquirer names Cincinnati high school athletes of the week for May 20

In a vote that ended May 20, Cincinnati.com readers selected the Cincinnati Enquirer Athletes of the Week, presented by Mercy Health, from high school sports action through May 15.

The winter 2022 certificates have been mailed and should have arrived at athletic departments. The spring certificates are in production but won't be mailed to close to the end of the month or mid-June.

Once they reach the schools, please remember to send a picture of winning athletes with their certificates for the photo gallery to mlaughman@enquirer.com.

More: How to add athletes to Cincinnati Enquirer high school sports athletes of the week in 2022

The Athlete of the Week voting occurs each week during all high school sports seasons and recognizes athletes across all sports. Send your nominations by Monday morning for this week's high school sports action.

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The winners are:

Ohio boys spring team of the week: Reading baseball – The Blue Devils won the Cincinnati Hills League title outright for the first time since 2012 with a league record of 11-3 and an overall record of 17-7.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys spring team of the week: Simon Kenton baseball – The Pioneers started with an 18-7 win over Holy Cross then beat Beechwood 6-1 and Grant County 6-2, plus an 8-8 tie with Walton-Verona.

Ohio girls spring team of the week: Talawanda track and field – Talawanda increased its SWOC championship streak to five seasons and seven of the last nine years.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls spring team of the week: Holy Cross softball – Holy Cross went 3-0, outscoring Bellevue, NewCath and Lloyd by a combined 61-37 in three high-powered games.

Ohio big school baseball player: Mason Birkemeier, Talawanda – The senior outfielder went 6-for-9 with a double and seven RBIs in games against LaSalle, Lakota West, and Bishop Fenwick last week.

Ohio small school baseball player: Jayden Green, Clark Montessori – The senior knocked in four runs in the Cougars’ 14-4 win over Lockland May 11.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana baseball player: Zack Riley, Campbell County – He was 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs, 4 runs and a stolen base to help secure a 18-4 win May 11 over Cooper. The night before, he was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored in a 19-0 win over Nicholas County.

Boys big-school lacrosse: Daniel Bibent, Oak Hills – The middie won 30 of 38 face-offs for a win percentage of 79 percent, including a perfect 15-for-15 against La Salle. He had 25 ground balls and scored a goal as the Highlanders went 1-1 last week.

Boys small-school lacrosse: Tristan Davis, Cincinnati Country Day – The junior had 19 ground balls, 22 draw controls and netted three goals in CCD’s 11-10 overtime win over Walnut Hills May 9.

Girls big-school lacrosse: Megan Pierani, Mercy McAuley – The senior had five goals, two assists and five draw controls in a 13-7 tournament win over Oak Hills May 14.

Girls small-school lacrosse: Maggie Flannigan, Madeira – The senior netted three goals and one assist in Madeira’s 9-6 win over Oak Hills May 12.

Northern Kentucky lacrosse: Mason Sweeney, Covington Catholic – In a playoff win over Madison County, he recorded his 100th career point as a Colonel, leading the team into Tuesday night’s state quarterfinal match.

Ohio big school softball player: Halee McDade, Talawanda – The junior went 2-for-2 with a double and a homerun and 2 RBIs in Talawanda’s 14-0 tournament win over Princeton. She also had a home run and 4 RBIs in the 15-4 win over Edgewood.

Ohio small school softball player: Izabella Waddle, Fayetteville-Perry – The sophomore had 19 strikeouts of the 21 outs against Whiteoak for the 1-0 win May 9. She had 10 strikeouts for the win over Ripley 6 -5 and pitched a perfect game, going 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs at the plate May 12 in a 11-0 win over Cincinnati Christian.

Northern Kentucky/Indiana softball player: Mollie Sharp, Conner – She pitched a complete game in a 4-3 win over Cooper in a 33rd District game. She allowed three hits, three walks and six strikeouts, and all three runs were unearned. She also had a hit and two RBI.

Ohio DI singles tennis player: Yusif Rustom, Milford – The senior finished runner-up in the Division I Mason sectional, advancing to districts.

Ohio DI doubles tennis team: Drew Evans and Tucker Berry, St. Xavier – The doubles team took third place in the Division I Cincinnati sectional meet, advancing to districts.

Ohio DII singles tennis player: Alex Jones, Clinton-Massie – He finished fourth in the Division II Mason sectional, advancing to the district meet.

Ohio DII doubles tennis team: Ethan Dragoo and Jack Nicoloff, New Richmond – They finished second in the Mason Division II sectional, advancing to districts.

Northern Kentucky girls tennis player: Cassidy Derry, Dixie Heights – The Turkeyfoot Middle School seventh-grader plays first singles for Dixie Heights High School varsity tennis team.  This past week she had a record of 6 wins and 0 losses.  The last two wins of the week were in the Ninth Region singles tournament at Boone Woods.  Cassidy is the only unseeded player left in the quarterfinals and the youngest player left in the singles draw.  She currently has won 14 out of her last 15 matches and has a record of 15-4 on the season.

Northern Kentucky boys tennis players: Wyatt Wassom and Nick McIntosh, Simon Kenton – They won a three-set thriller to advance to the Eighth Region quarterfinals on Monday night, one win away from qualifying for state.

Ohio boys big-school track and field athlete: Timiko Jackson, La Salle – The junior won the 200-meter dash at the Greater Catholic League track meet Friday evening with a time of 21.64.  This time broke a 20-year GCL record of 21.70 set by Cedric Powell of Roger Bacon in 2002 and tied by Devier Posey of La Salle in 2008. Timiko also anchored the  4-X-200 meter relay that won the GCL meet with a time of 1:29.76. Timiko was also the lead leg in the 4-x-100 meter relay that finished second in the same meet with a time of 43.18.

Ohio boys small-school track and field athlete: Malik Scott, Wilmington – He won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference.

Northern Kentucky boys track and field athlete: Leo Maxwell, East Central – The senior won the discus and shot put in dominant fashion at the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference championships, throwing over 179 feet in the disc and over 59 feet in the shot.

Ohio girls big-school track and field athlete: Jasmine Haas, Mount Notre Dame – She won the 100-meter and the long jump at the Girls Greater Catholic League conference meet last week.

Ohio girls small-school track and field athlete: Taylor Noszka, Wilmington – She won the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference runner of the year after winning the 800-meter and 1,600-meter races, adding a second-place finish in the 3,200-meter race.

Northern Kentucky girls track and field athlete: Ellie Hill, East Central – The freshman won the high jump and long jump in dominant fashion at the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference championships.

Boys volleyball: Jordan Brockman, Badin – The sophomore setter matched his season-high with 48 assists against McNicholas on May 10, then added 39 against Beavercreek and 36 over Lakota West on May 14.

Readers can join the Enquirer's Preps Plus Facebook group to get into the high school sports conversation.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Enquirer names high school athletes of week for May 20