Bexley’s John Laing, Linden-McKinley’s Christopher Towns, Columbus Academy’s Grace Luo and Olentangy’s Parker Parker lead a group of 22 scholarship winners announced Thursday by The Dispatch at the Central Ohio High School Sports Awards at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
In addition, the top athletes in 30 sports were honored during the show, which was presented by Encova Insurance and in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Former Dublin Coffman, Notre Dame and NFL quarterback Brady Quinn was the guest speaker.
Encova Insurance and the Warren B. Sneed Memorial Scholarship awarded $63,000 in scholarships based on students’ accomplishments in the classroom and on the field of play, and as leaders in their school and community.
The scholarship winners were:
Christopher Towns, Linden-McKinley
John J. Bishop Scholar Athlete ($7,000 scholarship)
Towns finished high school as valedictorian of his class, with a 4.034 GPA, and participated in six sports in four years.
Still, the third-oldest of 16 children does not necessarily emphasize finishing first.
“I want to give (my siblings) and competition, whoever that is, the push to be better than me,” Towns said. “There’s always competition to get better grades and be a better person. They look up to me with my grades and how I act. …
“If our future isn’t doing better, then we don’t have a future.”
Towns attended Patriot Prep his freshman and sophomore years before spending his final two years of high school at Fort Hayes. He participated in sports at Linden-McKinley, his home school.
Towns played basketball all four years. He played soccer as a freshman, participated in football and track and field for three years, cross country as a sophomore and baseball as a senior.
Younger siblings Philip, a senior, and Emmanuel, a sophomore, were Christopher’s teammates in football and basketball.
Former Northland basketball star Seth Towns, who went on to play at Harvard and Ohio State and recently transferred to Howard, is a first cousin.
Christopher served as a football and basketball captain, a member of the National Honor Society, a LEAD program mentor and a teacher’s assistant. He also worked with his church’s Thanksgiving drive, a Special Olympics camp, a homeless shelter and the “I Am Change” program through Ohio State.
In football, he was a three-time all-City League selection and a two-time all-district honoree.
Towns, who plans to study environmental sciences at Virginia State, lives by a saying his father imparts each morning.
“ ‘I am somebody. I’m going to make it. You can’t stop me. I’m gonna get all A’s and I’ll see you at the top,’ ” Towns said. “Somebody is always watching.”
Parker Parker, Olentangy
John J. Bishop Scholar Athlete ($7,000 scholarship)
Between excelling at field hockey, presiding over a student organization and even volunteering at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Parker rarely had a spare moment in four years of high school.
That was ideal for the recent graduate, who will play field hockey at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, and major in chemistry. But Parker does not hesitate to share what was most important.
“Probably the community I helped found and create,” Parker said of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance. “We went through COVID and coming out of that, things were hectic and no one knew what would happen. Getting the club back up and running, it was amazing not only for myself, but also seeing other people have that chance … not to mention everyone at other schools involved in their clubs, it’s pretty neat.”
Parker was vice president of the GSA as a freshman in 2019 and president the next three years.
Parker also served on the Superintendent’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion and as an LGBTQ+ advocate with the Equality Ohio Youth Coalition in addition to starting on the field hockey team for four years. Parker will play at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts and major in chemistry.
Parker scored 32 on the ACT, earned a 4.1 GPA, made the honor roll all four years, was Academic All-Ohio three times and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Parker also ran the 3,200 meters and was a thrower on the track and field team. Having hoped as a child to be a professional hockey goalie, Parker instead dreams of owning a coffee shop or concentrating on the science of food development.
“People skills are the biggest thing,” Parker said. “Even working with the zoo, I learned the skill of patience and interacting, especially with kids. I got to teach people about animals, even help people feed them, and just help people learn and direct things.”
Leah Brown, Marysville
Capt. Warren B. Sneed Memorial ($3,000 scholarship)
Brown graduated with a 4.26 GPA that ranked her 14th in her class. A future Ohio State student, she was an AP Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society and Rho Kappa. She also has donated her time through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and student council, and as a Spark Lab peer tutor.
She was a two-time captain of the Marysville girls basketball and girls soccer teams and was an all-OCC performer in both.
“It wasn’t tough to juggle my schedule because I feel confident in how my parents raised me to be a student-athlete and how the student comes first,” Brown said. “I also think that my coaches did a great job of emphasizing that.”
Brown has accomplished all these things while her father, Derric, has dealt with major health issues. He suffered a stroke nine years ago and was diagnosed with cancer in November.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say that some things happened in my household that didn’t scare me just how I was going to attend college and how I was going to be able to being able to afford it,” Brown said. “The chance to get a scholarship means a lot. It is such a relief in terms of the financial aid and being able to rank amongst some of the top scholars.”
Central Ohio High School Sports Awards:Dispatch names top performers for 2022-23
John Laing, Bexley
Top Male Scholar Athlete ($7,000)
Laing graduated with a 4.56 GPA and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT. His academic honors are numerous, including National Merit Scholar semifinalist, AP Scholarship with Distinction, National Honor Society and Cum Laude Society.
But he wasn’t only on course in academics. He qualified for the state cross country meet in 2020, 2021 and 2022, and he was Academic All-Ohio in the sport those years.
Laing leads a Boy Scout troop of fifth- through 12th-graders, coordinating meetings and community volunteering. He also started the Bexley Refugee and Immigration Service Club at the high school, coordinating projects to benefit local refugees.
He credits his success to discipline and time management.
“Organizers and to-do lists and calendars in order to keep everything straight,” he said. “When you plan everything out and you mete out your time, you’re able to accomplish a lot more than you would just going around and having an unplanned day.”
Laing plans to study mathematics and statistics at Boston College. He said the scholarship is “a sign that my hard work has paid off and I’ll be able to continue on, continue learning as a student.”
Collin LaVeck, Bloom-Carroll
First runner-up Male Scholar Athlete ($5,000)
LaVeck was much more than a star soccer and tennis player. He was a member of the Science Club for three years, the Ping Pong Club for four years and the French Club for two. He was a Bloom-Carroll Student Ambassador who also has volunteered for several organizations, including his church, while maintaining a 4.125 GPA.
In soccer, LaVeck was named Mid-State League Player of the Year, first-team all-district and second-team all-Ohio last fall. He also was last year’s league Player of the Year in tennis.
LaVeck plans to study environmental sciences at Wittenberg.
Kaden Gannon, Delaware Hayes
Second runner-up Male Scholar Athlete ($4,000)
Gannon was a model of consistency the past four years for the Pacers. He was the school’s Scholar-Athlete Award winner in each of his 12 athletic seasons and was on the honor roll every quarter for four years thanks to a 4.2 GPA. He won four varsity letters in swimming, three in football and two in baseball. He also qualified for the state swimming meet this winter. He plans to study psychology in college.
Isaac Carter, Grove City
Third runner-up Male Scholar Athlete ($2,000)
Leadership comes naturally to Carter, who was captain of the wrestling team for three years, captain of the football team for two and will be attending the U.S. Naval Academy. He finished high school with a 4.78 GPA, was ranked sixth in his graduating class and got a 33 on the ACT. He also was a member of the National Honor Society and had the highest GPA in his class three years in a row. He has volunteered for many school and community projects, including food banks, Eagle Scouts, the National Park Service and the Ohio State Fair.
Jackson Keller, St. Charles
Honorable Mention Male Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
A 4.27 GPA is especially well earned at a school like St. Charles, and Keller earned that mark with a full academic and athletic load. He was a three-time All-American swimmer and two-time state qualifier who also was president of the prom committee and an assistant editor of the student newspaper. Keller was part of the Faith Ministry Service for four years, was on the National Honor Society for two years and earned honor roll all four years of high school. He will study engineering at Notre Dame.
Andrew Pizzico, Gahanna Lincoln
Honorable Mention Male Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
A three-time state champion and three-time state runner-up in track and field, Pizzico also has been a state champion in DECA, a National Emmy Award winner and is active in National Honor Society. He has volunteered in a special needs classroom since eighth grade. He also coaches in Gahanna Special Olympics, plays basketball and runs cross country while holding a 3.7 GPA. He will major in nursing at Grand Valley State.
Kaleb Schaffer, Ready
Honorable Mention Male Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Schaffer finished off four years in which he seemed to do a little bit of everything by helping lead Ready’s boys basketball team to the state tournament. He was Student of the Month in nine classes, a Student of the Year in African-American history, a homecoming nominee and an all-state player on the basketball court. He also coached youth basketball, helped special needs students and volunteered at food banks among many other activities. Schaffer will major in chemistry in college.
Graham Shoaps, Granville
Honorable Mention Male Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Shoaps helped make the Blue Aces’ boys soccer team one of central Ohio’s best. He was all-state twice, all-district twice, Licking County Player of the Year last fall and a two-time captain. He is a volunteer teacher at his church and has been part of the Varsity G Club, Spanish National Honor Society and the Cum Laude Society. He also played baseball and basketball. Shoaps will attend college at Colorado School of Mines.
Justin Viau Jr., Fisher Catholic
Honorable Mention Male Scholar Athlete (not eligible for a scholarship)
Viau was ranked second in his graduating class with a 4.0 GPA. He also scored 31 on the ACT. His academic accomplishments include High Honor Roll, National Honor Society treasurer, Academic All-Mid-State League all four years of high school and Academic All-Ohio. Viau also received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he hopes to earn an officer’s commission. He already has served his community through Interact, Community Care Day, Bottoms Up Drive and laying wreaths on veterans graves on Christmas. Viau also was an all-league football and baseball player.
Ben Yasnowski, Westerville Central
Honorable Mention Male Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
A standout in cross country, swimming and track and field, Yasnowski has been even more impressive off the field. He has been on the honor roll all four years of high school, a Scholar Athlete all four years and a dean’s list honoree at Otterbein last fall. He has done all of this while maintaining a 4.35 GPA. He also has been active in Eagle Scouts, symphonic band, the school’s Hope Squad and at his church. He plans to study business, finance, computer science and mathematics at the University of Cincinnati.
Grace Luo, Columbus Academy
Top Female Scholar Athlete ($7,000)
Calling Luo a pioneer technically would be correct, given that she was an original member of Academy’s first girls golf team and three years later helped the Vikings to the Division II state championship, but it hardly would cover the legacy she leaves behind.
Luo, who graduated with a 4.62 GPA and earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT, is particularly gifted in math and science and plans to study computer science at Stanford. But even those achievements were not the first that came to mind.
“Because I have such a diverse range of interests, I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people who are very different from me,” Luo said. “That’s one of the most beautiful things about the past four years. In golf, I made a lot of friends not only on my team but across teams and across schools. …
“I definitely went into high school wanting to try all sorts of new things, but I didn’t expect myself to commit to so many different activities. But I’m glad I did.”
She was selected for the prestigious Ross Mathematics Program, was a three-time qualifier for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination and developed an app called “Telling Time for Kids + Math” that has more than 11,000 users.
Luo was a National Merit Finalist as a senior and an AP Scholar with Distinction as a junior. She also was co-president of the code and math clubs, was a member of the Spanish Club and served on the Teen Advisory Board, helping promote reading and literacy for children.
Luo hopes to parlay her computer science major into a career involving artificial intelligence or machine learning.
A four-time district qualifier in golf, Luo finished eighth at state individually as her team won the championship by 23 shots. She also served as an instructor when her team started a youth golf program at Academy.
“(The title) was something we didn’t entirely expect,” Luo said. “We just wanted to enjoy our season and make lasting memories. But (winning state) was recognition for all the work we and all the people around us put in.”
Audrey Keplar, Teays Valley
First runner-up Female Scholar Athlete ($5,000)
A member of the National Honor Society, Keplar ranked second academically in her class with a 4.928 GPA. A standout golfer for the Vikings, she was a four-time Division I district qualifier and three-time MSL-Buckeye Player of the Year. Keplar holds program records for nine-hole average and 18-hole average. She will attend Findlay to pursue a degree in chemistry and continue her golf career. She is a member of several leadership groups and has participated in numerous community service projects.
Emma McCrady, Fisher Catholic
Second runner-up Female Scholar Athlete ($4,000)
McCrady had a 4.11 GPA, ranking her first in her class at Fisher Catholic, and she competed in volleyball and basketball. She played setter in volleyball and was named first-team all-MSL-Cardinal the past two seasons and first-team all-district last fall. McCrady was a member of the National Honor Society and earned several academic awards. She also has been a volunteer for several service groups in the community and will attend Capital.
Anh Thi Thai, Hilliard Bradley
Third runner-up Female Scholar Athlete ($2,000)
Thai ranked first in her graduating class with a 4.789 GPA and scored 35 on the ACT. She is a National Merit Scholar, a four-time scholar athlete at Bradley and past president of the National Honor Society. Thai held the highest GPA among senior girls tennis players in the OCC-Central and was named most valuable player on the tennis team all four years. Her commitment to leadership includes leading a team of 18 peers to raise more than $38,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She will attend Ohio State, where she plans to major in pharmaceutical sciences on a pre-med track.
Hannah Brady, Watterson
Honorable Mention Female Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Brady had a 3.94 GPA, was a member of the National Honor Society and a four-year All-Ohio Academic Award recipient. She competed in track and soccer at Watterson. In track, she was a Division I district and regional champion in the long jump and finished eighth at state in 2022. She also helped the 1,600 relay finish seventh at state a year ago. Her many hours of community service include serving as a leader for Kairos Retreat campus ministry. Brady will compete in track at Ashland and pursue a degree in education.
Sydney Davis, Olentangy Berlin
Honorable Mention Female Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Davis was a member of the National Honor Society and a six-time All-Ohio Academic award recipient thanks to a 4.31 GPA. She made community service a priority, volunteering her time each year of high school. Davis helped lead the Berlin girls soccer team to a Division I district title last fall. In softball, she was named first-team all-OCC-Cardinal, second-team all-district and the team’s most valuable player as a junior after hitting a program-record .549. She also was a softball team captain in 2022 and 2023, and she’ll continue her playing career at Hillsdale.
Kora Garee, Northridge
Honorable Mention Female Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Garee is heading to Ohio University after ranking first in her graduating class with a 4.43 GPA. She earned numerous academic awards, including being named to the superintendent’s list all four years. She was named to the dean’s list at Ohio State and Columbus State, and she’s a member of the National Honor Society. Garee helped start the girls bowling program at Northridge in 2021 and was a captain in volleyball. She took on other leadership roles, including starting a nonprofit organization called Knot-Alone in which she made and donated more than 60 knot blankets and 20 scarves to the Newark Street Mission.
Katherine Radwanski, Ready
Honorable Mention Female Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Radwanski was second in her graduating class with a 3.96 GPA and scored 33 on the ACT. She earned several academic awards, including eight Student of the Year awards for highest overall class grade and six Student of the Month awards. She plans to pursue a degree in business and finance at Ohio State. Her leadership roles included serving as president of Ready’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America and National Honor Society. She also volunteered at the Grove City Food Pantry. Radwanski competed in track and cross country at Ready.
Kasey Wells, Delaware Hayes
Honorable Mention Female Scholar Athlete ($1,000)
Wells ranked seventh in her graduating class with a 3.958 GPA and scored 1,390 on her SAT. She will pursue a degree in engineering at Kentucky after earning several academic awards, including the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Environmental Protection in 2020 at the Ohio State Science Fair. She competed for the Pacers’ wrestling program, earning berths to the girls state tournament the past three seasons and receiving the Delaware Hayes Wrestling Legacy Award this year. She also competed in lacrosse and was a member of student council, the principal’s advisory team and the school’s orchestra.
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