Heath’s Barry, Northridge’s Mallernee take top Central District honors

On Mar 1, 2023

COLUMBUS — Two Licking County League basketball teams ended long championship droughts, and their coaches have been honored for the accomplishment by the Central District.

Northridge boys coach Bill Mallernee was named Division III Coach of the Year and Heath girls coach Katy Barry Division II Coach of the Year on Wednesday by the local members of the Ohio Preps Sportswriters Association.

Mallernee coached Northridge to the LCL-Cardinal boys title, the program’s first league championship in history. The Vikings finished 18-6, their most wins since 1999.

Northridge's Bill Mallernee was named the Central District Division III Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

Barry coached Heath to the LCL-Cardinal girls title, the program’s first league championship since 2010. The Bulldogs also finished 18-6, winning 12 more games than last season, the first under Barry.

Northridge junior Carter Mallernee, the coach’s son, and Utica senior Trenton Collins were named to the Division III boys first team. Those two each averaged over 20 points per game and led Licking County in scoring.

Granville junior Harper Annarino was named to the Division II girls first team. Averaging 16.3 points per game, Annarino led the Blue Aces to the LCL-Buckeye title and their third consecutive district title.

Heath's Katy Barry was named the Central District Division II Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

Granville senior Ava Gossman and Heath senior Taliyah Holmes were named to the second team. Granville junior Aliyah Moore and Heath junior Caroline Robertson were named to the third team.

Johnstown junior Abigail Adkins was named to the Division III girls first team, averaging 17 points per game and leading the Johnnies on a nine-game winning streak shortly after returning from injury. Utica sophomore Abby Dickson was named to the third team.

Newark Catholic junior Kylie Gibson was named to the Division IV girls first team. NC sophomore Fini Kaiser and Granville Christian junior Brianna Hubbard were named to the second team and NC sophomore Sophie Peloquin and Liberty Christian junior Shelby Carr to the third team.

Newark senior Grant Burkholder was named to the Division I boys second team, helping the Wildcats into the district semifinals.

Johnstown senior Caleb Schneider was named to the Division II boys second team and Granville juniors Dante Varrasso and Jase Becker, who led the Blue Aces to a share of the LCL-Buckeye title, to the third team.

Liberty senior Josh Onabanjo and NC senior Eli Morris were named to the Division IV boys second team, and Liberty senior Evan Adair and GCA senior Andrew Benvie were named to the third team.

OPSWA All-Central District basketball teams

The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association 2022-2023 All-Central District high school boys and girls basketball teams, as selected by a media panel from the district, with height, year and regular-season scoring average:

BOYS

DIVISION I

First team: Dominique Aekins (Walnut Ridge) 5-9, jr., 28.1; Jesse Burris (Delaware) 6-4, jr., 17.5; Elias Lewis (Olentangy Orange) 6-3, sr., 17.2; Cade Norris (Hilliard Bradley) 6-4, jr., 20.2; Carter Reese (Westerville North) 6-2, sr., 13.0; Devin Royal (Pickerington Central) 6-6, sr., 19.2; Chase Walker (St. Charles) 6-9, sr., 19.5.

Second team: Grant Burkholder (Newark) 5-9, sr., 15.0; James Hummell (Olentangy Liberty) 6-2, sr., 11.1; Brandon Ivery (Gahanna) 6-4, sr., 12.5; Arness Lawson (Pickerington North) 6-1, so., 15.8; Kruz McClure (Westerville South) 6-4, so., 17.2; Ryan Nutter (Dublin Jerome) 6-4, sr., 12.6; Alex Okuley (Olentangy Liberty) 6-3, sr., 11.3.

Third team: Cam Gilkerson (Hilliard Darby) 6-4, sr., 15.0; Derek Goodman (Olentangy Berlin) 6-3, jr., 16.5; Jason Moore (Marysville) 6-7, jr., 17.8; Braylen Nash (New Albany) 6-4, jr., 17.1; DeSean Pollard (South) 6-1, sr., 14.0; Joey Zalewski (Thomas Worthington) 6-3, sr., 15.8; Micah Young (Westerville North) 6-2, so., 12.6.

Honorable mention: Jeff Amapps (Pickerington North); Davion Bridges (Northland); Kison Coates-Edmondson (Licking Heights); Jadi Cunningham (Westerville South); Jordan Edwards (Olentangy Orange); Daniel Fetty (Grove City); Brody Fields (Teays Valley); Lethaniel Foster (Mifflin); Peyton Frey (Hilliard Davidson); Noah Gamble (Olentangy Berlin); Kraig Gilbert (Grove City); Damon Griffin (South); Jayden Griffith (Licking Heights); Gavin Headings (Pickerington Central); King Kendrick (Northland); Kevin Kirkby (Dublin Coffman); Markell Johnson (Pickerington Central); Noah Kershaw (Westland); Luke Kuhlman (Dublin Jerome); Te’Mar Lewis (Worthington Kilbourne); Marquis Long (Marion Harding); Jake Lowman (Delaware); Mikey McCollum (Olentangy Orange); Steele Meister (Newark); Jackson Mikola (Olentangy Liberty); Sam Miller (Teays Valley); Trent Minor (Big Walnut); P.J. Noles (DeSales); Noah Nostman (Whetstone); Tai Perkins (Westerville North); K.J. Reynald (Gahanna); Hudson Rohler (Mount Vernon); Tyreke Ruffin (Groveport); Aiden Schmidt (Dublin Coffman); Noah Smith (Reynoldsburg); Sasha Stavroff (Dublin Jerome); Dallas Tucker (Westerville Central); Mike Walker (DeSales); LaJames Washington (South); Tre Williams (Lancaster).