2024 Washington County high school spring sports coaches select their 'unsung heroes'

In sports, the focus of fans and media is often on the stars. They are the players who pass or run for the most yards and touchdowns, score the most points or goals, hit the most home runs or for the highest average. They receive the bulk of the attention and headlines.

With that in mind, during the winter season, I asked Washington County's winter sports varsity head coaches one question: Who is your team's unsung hero? Who usually doesn't get the attention or headlines, but is invaluable to your team in ways that don't always show up in the box score?

The response was overwhelming, so I'm doing it again with spring sports. Here are the coaches' selections:

Reed Althouse, North Hagerstown boys track and field

Coach Ethan Miller: "Althouse has incredible work ethic and time management skills. He balances all his extracurriculars well and is one of the biggest team players a coach could ask for. When he puts on the North colors, he gives 110% every time."

Anthonette Bantamoi, North Hagerstown girls track and field

Coach Ethan Miller: "Anthonette works incredibly hard and quietly leads by example. She's a great teammate and has stepped up as a senior leader for our sprints and hurdles."

Hunter Bigelow, Saint James boys lacrosse

Coach Steve Lachut: "Hunter has been a three-year starter on the back line for us and taken his game to a new level this year. Hunter often shuts down the other team's best attackman, usually resulting in a forced turnover. When not covering the ball carrier, he frequently causes a change of possession by 'backing up' the offensive team's shots to gain possession for the defense. His stick skills, lacrosse IQ and general competitive nature are all assets to the team."

Cordell Bowins and Bryce Harbaugh, South Hagerstown boys track and field

Coach Nissa Freeman: "Both are seniors on our team who go above and beyond to demonstrate leadership qualities. They have always been willing to do anything asked of them by coaches and are willing to participate in any event to help the team achieve the best results possible. Cordell and Bryce train to the fullest at every practice and are wonderful examples of the student athletes who we want for the track and field program. I am so proud of the way they have both stepped up as Rebels."

Chandler Buskirk, Hancock baseball

Coach Rocky Wills: "Chandler has played multiple positions throughout the season. He has modeled a positive attitude and has become a solid teammate."

Abby Chappell, St. Maria Goretti softball

Coach Bob Summers: "Abby always gives 100%, is a team player, always positive and absolutely never gives up. She is there every day and always willing to put in extra work. She is the epitome of a teammate and team player."

Emalee Chewning, Hancock girls track and field

Coach Ron Hare: "As a second-year participant, Emalee has tried new events and is performing well. In addition, she is a model student and performs well in the classroom."

Aiden Clark, North Hagerstown boys lacrosse

Coach Larry Winston: "Aiden is a young man who had been in goal the last two seasons, but made the switch to in-close defense his senior year to help the team. In our game against South, with our goalie set to go into the penalty box and our other goalie out sick, Aiden threw on the equipment and jumped in goal (to avoid) a possible forfeit due to our shortage of a backup goalie. He made a great save and clear, and energized his team."

David Craig, Smithsburg boys track and field

Coach Adam Rudy: "David is a sophomore and comes to practice every day willing to do whatever he can to help the team. He recently took up pole vault, and our pole vault coach described him as 'simply a fantastic teammate.' I couldn't agree more. He's such a great member of our program, and I can't wait to see him achieve greatness."

Jordyn Davidson, Smithsburg girls track and field

Coach Adam Rudy: "Jordyn is incredibly positive. She is always willing to help at a meet, practice or (try) any event she is asked to. She shows incredible leadership at the horizontal jumps during practice and is such a supportive teammate. Jordyn is the type of athlete who is the glue that holds programs together and makes us better daily."

Cayden Dixon, Smithsburg girls lacrosse

Coach Allison Cline: "Cayden is a senior (and) is the leader of our attack, even if her stats don't show it. She is constantly working hard to improve her game, and it shows day after day. She scored two goals in our game against Catoctin that gave us our momentum in the second half. She always has a positive attitude and cheers her teammates on every chance she gets. We are so lucky to have her on our team."

Peyton Donnally, Smithsburg Unified track and field

Coach Larry Eichelberger: "Peyton, a junior, has incredible work ethic and has improved greatly over the course of the year. Peyton exemplifies the values of any good athlete: Hard work, integrity, loyalty and leadership, among many others. She incorporates skills from drills into her running and jumping events, improving every meet, while encouraging her entire team during meets and practices."

Sydney Emerson, North Hagerstown girls lacrosse

Coach Rick Aleshire: "Sydney is a tremendous team player who works hard in practice and has a great attitude."

Trevor Firey, Clear Spring boys track and field

Coach Jaime Mason Lego: "Trevor defines an unsung hero on our team. He always does as asked, goes above and beyond and helps guide others on our team."

Carley Gentry, Boonsboro girls lacrosse

Coach Hannah Mendez: "Carley may not be leading us in any statistical categories, but she is a true leader on this team. She always finds the perfect moment to feed the ball in the mix, aiding in the assist of a goal. My favorite thing about Carley is she holds herself and her teammates accountable, making everyone around her better. She has a presence that will definitely be missed next year."

Paul Gray, Smithsburg boys tennis

Coach Christopher Dao: “Paul is a senior and has been with the tennis team since 2021. I nominated Paul as one of the team captains this year because of the positive vibes he always brings to the team. Paul has a calm personality and a kind characteristic, accompanied by a 'what can I do for the team' attitude. Case in point, this season Paul is stepping up to the plate to play boys (first) singles in the face of extreme competition.”

Varuna Guerrier, North Hagerstown girls tennis

Coach Uriel Galvan: "Varuna is the 'mom' of this team. Last year, she took on the 'managerial' responsibilities while fully participating as an athlete. This year, those responsibilities were divided among the team. However, she still makes sure everything is done the right way and is always eager to help out any way she can."

Wyatt Hegedus, Boonsboro boys track and field

Coach Randy Lohman: "Wyatt is a sophomore sprinter who is very motivated to succeed in the sport and be one of the best. He has overcome some injuries (and) has not let that keep him down."

Bethany Higgins, South Hagerstown softball

Coach Chelsea Showe: "Bethany has been a key piece of my starting lineup for four years now. She’s always doing all the little things that are crucial pieces to us winning games. She is hitting .286 with a .474 on-base percentage. She only has two RBIs, but leads the team in runs scored (18). She is 17-for-18 in stolen base attempts. She’s a senior captain who always has high energy and makes us laugh every chance she gets. Her leadership and appreciation for the game will be missed."

Macie Horton, Boonsboro girls track and field

Coach Randy Lohman: "Macie is a junior sprinter who constantly strives to compete on the track and in the classroom. She is a strong leader on the team and a role model for the younger sprinters."

Brooke Iager, Boonsboro girls tennis

Coach Titus Muniz: "Brooke has improved as a player over her three years on the team. She brings a lot of positive energy to the team and makes practice enjoyable for the team."

Olivia Kocevar, Smithsburg softball

Coach Tia Wright: "Ollie is a sophomore and she has been the starting catcher since she started her high school career. Ollie was chosen because she puts the work in, on and off the field. She is in a student leadership program (formerly referred to as SALT) and maintains a 4.0 grade point average. She often volunteers to help younger players in development and training. Ollie is the first to lead cheers from the bench and will always lend a hand to help a teammate. Catchers in general tend to go unnoticed, but they are the ones many times calling pitches for the game and framing pitches to get strikes called. Many times, they are calming pitchers down during the game and they are often referred to as the field generals, as they see the entire field and can call out where the plays should be made. Ollie does all of the above … and has thrown out several runners attempting to steal."

Konner Lauer, Williamsport boys track and field

Coach Erin Minnick: "Konner is endlessly working toward becoming a better athlete and figuring out what it is that he will excel at. As a distance runner in a county that has amazing distance programs, it's hard to see him shine. But we see it every day at practice and his hard work in every meet."

Eyan Lear, Grace Academy baseball

Coach Jon Showe: "Eyan has committed to the team in all aspects, doing whatever is required without hesitation. As a senior, he leads by being willing to assist in keeping our pitch count sheet and being a courtesy runner when called upon."

Luke Leisinger, South Hagerstown baseball

Coach Zach Frazier: "Luke has been paramount for our team this year. He's a young guy who can play anywhere in the field, but is essentially playing out of position at catcher to give our team the best opportunity to win. He works hard every day and tries to always do things the right way, and he has played great behind the plate and shows progress every time he puts the gear on."

Jonathan Lopez, Clear Spring boys tennis

Coach Jason McMillan: "Jonathan is playing tennis this year for the first time. He is so excited to be on the team and never complains. He is my only non-seeded male player, but that doesn’t bother him at all. He just wants to get better every day."

Blaise McCarty, South Hagerstown boys tennis

Coach Sarah Biddle: "Blaise is a senior who demonstrates mental grit, unselfishness and a true love for the sport. He has played at every position for us without complaint and is currently bobbing back and forth between the first singles and the first doubles spots, while putting up a fight in every match for the Rebels."

Lucas McFarland, Smithsburg baseball

Coach Patrick Moore: "Lucas is the type of player a coach wishes he had a whole team of. He is the ultimate teammate, consistently involved in the game whether he is playing or not. Lucas is always taking the proper steps to get better as an individual, but always puts the team's needs first."

Lillia Mills, South Hagerstown girls tennis

Coach Sarah Biddle: "Lillia is a senior whose personality is the epitome of what tennis players should be: Polite, mentally tough and an encouraging leader. Lillia has always done what is best for the team, including playing singles at regionals despite having a 9-1 record at second doubles and never having singles experience before that. This season, she is currently playing second doubles with a 6-0 record."

Nevaeh Morgan, Williamsport girls track and field

Coach Erin Minnick: "Nevaeh first came to us in indoor after playing soccer in the fall. She's a freshman, so it's her first year running. However, based on her attitude and effort every day at practice, you'd never guess. Not only does she have one of the best attitudes, you will never see her slacking. Her effort is unmatched."

Emma Norris, Clear Spring girls track and field

Coach Jaime Mason Lego: "Emma can be relied on to step into any event that is needed to help out her team. She puts forth 110% while she is at practice with a smile on her face."

Justin Piper, Boonsboro Unified track and field

Coach Wendy Strunk: "This is Justin's first year at Boonsboro, coming in as a senior. When he heard from his English teacher that there was a need for students to join the Unified track team, he volunteered without any previous experience with unified sports. He has been a tremendous asset to the team. He has a half day of school and he faithfully returns to school for practice, usually walking or riding his skateboard over a mile from his house. His dedication to the team, his willingness to gather equipment, carry the water cooler, anything that is needed, he is happy to do. He gives 100% effort in the sport, excelling in the 200 and running long jump, and is a valuable member of the 4x200 relay team. Above all else, his consideration, thoughtfulness and kindness to others on the team has been incredible."

Grace Shoemaker, Clear Spring softball

Coach Craig Bathgate: "Grace is a senior who is always willing to take on any role that is asked of her. She always does it well and it's always done with a smile on her face. She works hard every day and can always be counted on to do whatever she's asked to do."

Eli Sisler, Boonsboro boys tennis

Coach Titus Muniz: "Through Eli's four years in the program, he has grown from being an exhibition player to a top-four player. He consistently works hard to be the best player that he can be."

Hannah Stouffer, Hancock softball

Coach Todd Ruppenthal: "Hannah is a great teammate to everyone. She's positive, supportive and sets a good example for the younger members of our team. She never got discouraged when she didn't play much as a freshman/ sophomore and has developed into a very good outfielder. She's just a kid you look forward to seeing every day."

Brody Stratton, Hancock boys track and field

Coach Ron Hare: "Brody goes above and beyond to assist the other throwers on our team. In addition, he is a model student who excels in the classroom."

Lucas Videtti, Boonsboro boys lacrosse

Coach Bob Bergstrom: "Lucas is a senior and two-year varsity defensive player who will be attending Lehigh University and will major in mechanical engineering. Lucas is the first one at practice and is the last one to leave. He is a pleasure to coach."

Camren White, South Hagerstown Unified track and field

Coach Rebecca Wright: "Camren has not only been part of my Unified track team for two years, but also our Unified bocce team in the winter. Camren is a sophomore who absolutely loves being a part of sports at South High. He also participates in football during the fall sports season, which is his dream. He doesn’t get much playing time, but for Camren, being a part of the team is an important and special part of being a student at South. He absolutely loves cheering on our teams as well as being cheered on. He finishes every race with a smile. He is so helpful with our other students who have special needs and is always willing to lend a helping hand and go out of his way to get stuff done for our team. He is a treasure to our teams and to South High."

Valerie Zumbrun, Saint James girls lacrosse

Coach Riley Loomis: "Valerie is an essential part of our attack, as she is reliable and has a phenomenal lacrosse IQ. As a strong pillar in our offense, Valerie can help the whole team not only putting the ball in the back of the net when needed, but also has the personality to build every single teammate (coach included) up throughout games, practices and off the field. Valerie always knows the right things to say at the right time, is incredibly coachable, positive and athletic. She's the type of athlete any coach wants on their team."

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: 2024 Washington County high school spring sports 'unsung heroes'