Article courtesy of Ben Walpole, Cincinnati Enquirer:
Consider it one last curtain call.
Annie Heffernan '15 and Austin Myers have spent the last four years in the headlines and atop medal stands. Their distinguished athletic careers were recognized Sunday afternoon as Heffernan and Myers earned 2015 LaRosa's High School MVP honors at the 40th annual Buddy LaRosa's High School Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the CET Channel 48 studios downtown.
"It's a huge honor," Heffernan said. "Then when you hear all the amazing accomplishments of all the other people up there it makes it so much more special."
Heffernan, of St. Ursula Academy, has made her name as one of the best distance runners ever to come out of Cincinnati. She won five individual state titles in track and cross country, including championships in the mile and two-mile at the Division I state track meet earlier this month.
Her accomplishments extend beyond Ohio, too. Heffernan is a three-time USA Track and Field All-American and ranked as the No. 1 two-mile runner in the class of 2015 by MileSplit.com. She'll train at home this summer and then head off to the University of Notre Dame on a running scholarship in mid-August.
"Right now I just want to stay healthy this summer and train to be my best, build my base," Heffernan said. "In the coming years – we have a very talented team coming in – I know we want to focus on winning an NCAA championship."
See the LaRosa's MVP Page- Click Here
It's difficult to process the breadth of Myers' accomplishments as a wrestler at Campbell County High School. He never lost a match in his high school career – 189-0 and four state championships in the 220-pound weight class. Perfection.
"It was kind of my goal going into high school," Myers said. "I worked for it everyday and it ended up happening."
Myers will wrestle at the University of West Virginia next year. He actually was leaving for Morgantown right after Sunday's ceremony to begin summer classes and workouts.
"I'm excited for it," Myers said. "Our recruiting class is ranked third in the nation, so I know we'll be really good in a couple years."
The five female MVP finalists were:
• Malia Berkely (Badin soccer)
• Lauren Cannatelli (Lakota West basketball)
• Sydney Lofquist (Ursuline swimming)
• Tara Trainer (Lebanon softball)
• Margo Wolf (Mount Notre Dame volleyball)
The five male MVP finalists were:
• Will Grimmer (Mariemont golf)
• Justin Hilliard (St. Xavier football)
• Asher Hirsch (Cincinnati Country Day tennis)
• Jeremy Larkin (La Salle football, basketball)
• Michael Vitucci (St. Xavier cross country, track)
The banquet also featured the induction of the 2014 LaRosa's Hall of Fame class. The class included Andrew Brackman (Moeller), Michelle Cottrell Marston (Boone County), the late Dan James (Elder), Bryn Kehoe (St. Ursula), Whitney Myers Burnett (Ursuline) and Lori Rizzuto Rapp (Mount Notre Dame). Longtime cross country and track coach Barry Binkley was inducted into the Hank Zureick Memorial Coaches Hall of Fame.