In a vote that ended April 17, Cincinnati.com readers selected the 2025-2026 Cincinnati Enquirer/Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Athletes of the Week from high school sports action through April 12.
Winners can print their certificates from this week starting Monday and other weeks now using this Drop Box link. Send a photo of the winners with their certificates for our photo gallery.
Here are this week’s winners.
Ohio big-school baseball team: Fairfield – Fairfield won a pair against Colerain, including a 4-3 walk-off win in the eighth, then beat Lakota East for a 3-0 week.
Ohio small-school baseball team: Taylor – Taylor had an undefeated 3-0 week with two wins over Mariemont and a 4-1 victory over Wyoming.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana baseball team: Cooper – The Jaguars took home three wins last week against Taylor County, Glasgow and Hart County.
Ohio big-school softball team: Milford – Milford is now on a five-game winning streak, securing a pair of wins against Walnut Hills before beating Mason, Anderson and Mount Notre Dame.
Ohio small-school softball team:Norwood – Norwood won three straight, beating Cincinnati Christian, New Miami and Roger Bacon.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana softball team: Beechwood – Beechwood locked up three wins in a row, beating Ludlow, Newport Central Catholic and Dixie Heights.
Boys spring team: Covington Catholic track – The Colonels scored 155 points to take first place at the Cincinnati Country Day Invitational.
Girls spring team: Mount Notre Dame flag football – The Cougars beat Seton 15-13 to take the lead in the Girls Greater Catholic League.
Ohio big-school baseball: Tyler Zimmerman, Lakota West – The senior drove in two runs, one with a sac fly, in a 3-2 win over Sycamore.
Ohio small-school baseball: Johnathan Danzinger, La Salle – The senior had a triple, home run and four RBIs in a 13-7 win over Miamisburg.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana big-school baseball: Ian Wallace, Scott – The junior pitched a complete game shutout in a 5-0 win over St. Henry, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out 15. He also had a single and an RBI at the plate.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana small-school baseball: Colton Eden, Williamstown – He picked up his first varsity win against Community Christian, striking out four batters while not allowing a hit in 5.1 innings.
Flag football: Kisanet Micheal, Walnut Hills – The sophomore threw for 461 yards and eight touchdowns in three wins last week against Summit Country Day, Clark Montessori, and Withrow.
Ohio boys lacrosse: David Simonson, Kings – The sophomore tallied four goals and an assist in a 14-5 win against La Salle.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys lacrosse: Eli Lawson, Dixie Heights – The senior scored seven goals in a 13-9 win against Moeller.
Ohio girls lacrosse: Kennedy Schulte, Oak Hills – The senior scored five goals in a narrow loss to Fairfield, then scored 10 goals in an 18-10 win over Miamisburg.
Ohio big-school softball: Maddie Varner, Milford – She fell a triple short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored in a win over Mason, then went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in a win over Mount Notre Dame.
Ohio small-school softball: Skye Shaw, Goshen – In a 4-1 week, she was 12-for-21 with two doubles, a grand slam, seven RBIs and seven runs scored. She also went 2-0 with a save in the circle, striking out 25 batters while allowing four hits and one run over 15 innings.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana softball: Rachel Shewmaker, Bishop Brossart – She hit for the cycle in a win over Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, driving in six runs and scoring twice.
Boys singles tennis: Colin McClure, Dixie Heights – After getting a win against Mason County, McClure had a 6-0, 6-0 win over Scott.
Boys doubles tennis team: Mason Parker/Alexander Natale, Campbell County – They helped Campbell County to a win over Bracken County by taking their first doubles match 6-0, 6-0.
Northern Kentucky girls singles tennis: Madison Offner, Dixie Heights – Against Simon Kenton, she had a 6-1, 6-1 win in third singles.
Northern Kentucky girls doubles tennis: Cassidy Derry/Isabella Norvell, Dixie Heights – They picked up Dixie’s only win against Scott, going 6-0, 6-0 in first doubles.
Ohio boys track and field: Will Sten, Miami Valley Christian Academy – He won the 1,600-meter run at Madeira with a time of 4:45.12.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys track and field: Aaron Eckler, Ryle – He dipped under 10 minutes in the 3,200-meter run for the first time, winning at Elder in 9:54.4.
Ohio girls track and field: Sasha Brandenburger, Bethel-Tate – The freshman won the 100-meter hurdles in 18.43 seconds and won the high jump with a leap of 4 feet, 8 inches at Cincinnati Country Day.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls track and field: Lilly Ratliff, Ryle – She earned new personal bests to win the 100-meter hurdles in 16.84 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 50.42 seconds at Elder.
Ohio boys volleyball: Will Lenz, Fenwick – In a sweep of Bishop Watterson, the senior hit .412 with a pair of blocks and aces while passing 2.4.
Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys volleyball: Maddox Kuryla, Boone County – The senior had 19 assists to lead Boone County to a five-set win over Scott on April 11.
If you win, what’s next?
The Enquirer will no longer mail certificates to schools after getting feedback that families weren’t receiving them. Alex Harrison will make digital copies of all certificates available to families by 8 a.m. the Monday after the Friday win. Families will access the PDFs through this public Dropbox link.
Once printed, families can email a photo to mlaughman@enquirer.com.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Enquirer names high school athletes of the week, April 17