CINCINNATI – Six outstanding area male high school athletes have been named as finalists for the LaRosa’s High School MVP of the Year Award for the 2015-16 school year.
The male and female winners of the prestigious annual award will be announced at the Buddy LaRosa’s Sports Hall of Fame Banquet June 26, in televised ceremonies at the WCET studios on Central Parkway.
The six female finalists were announced June 7. The athletes were nominated by area high school fans, coaches and a LaRosa’s selection committee.
The six finalists for the LaRosa’s High School 2015-16 Male MVP of the Year Award are:
Deshaunte Jones, Colerain, football
Colerain senior quarterback Deshaunte Jones helped the Cardinals to a Division I state semifinalist finish with a 12-2 record. He rushed for 1,860 yards and 29 touchdowns and threw for 785 yards and nine touchdowns.
Deshaunte Jones
The Ohio Mr. Football finalist accounted for more than 5,500 yards and 74 touchdowns – including rushing, passing, receptions and kick returns. He earned numerous accolades including the Associated Press Southwest District offensive player and the year and first-team all-state. He will play football at Iowa State after being one of the most heavily recruited athletes in the 2016 class.
Jeremy Larkin, La Salle, football/basketball
The Associated Press Ohio Mr. Football runner-up led the Lancers to a second straight Division II state title in December. He rushed for 1,829 yards and 28 touchdowns. He had 639 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He accounted for 8,326 all-purpose yards with 95 touchdowns for his three-year varsity career.
Jeremy Larkin
His 5,165 career rushing yards and 76 rushing touchdowns are among the 18 school records he holds in La Salle football program history. His numerous football honors this past season included the AP Division II state co-offensive player of the year and Southwest District offensive player of the year.
Larkin was also a four-year starter in basketball for the Lancers and was the GCL South defensive player of the year for three consecutive seasons.
Larkin, a 2015 finalist for the LaRosa’s MVP of the Year Award, will play football at Northwestern.
Matthew Marquardt, Seven Hills, swimming/track
Seven Hills senior Matthew Marquardt is an eight-time swimming All-American and a 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200 backstroke. He earned 12 varsity letters in five sports during his high school career.
Matthew Marquardt
In swimming, he led the Stingers to a second straight Division II state title and was named MVP of the meet this past season. He won the state title in the 100 backstroke and was on the state-winning 200-medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay teams. He holds the Division II state record in the 100 backstroke at 48.29 seconds and the 400 freestyle relay at 3:04.51. He has five state swimming titles overall and 14 conference championships.
Marquardt also qualified for the state meet in cross country and track this past season.
A Cum Laude scholar and an academic All-American, Marquardt will continue his swimming career at Princeton University.
David Montgomery, Mount Healthy, football/track
A two-sport all-star in football and track, David Montgomery is one of the best athletes in the history of the Mount Healthy athletics program. A four-year starter in football, Montgomery helped Mount Healthy to four consecutive Southwest Ohio Conference championships. He rushed for a league-leading 2,707 yards and 41 touchdowns and threw for 726 yards and seven touchdowns.
David Montgomery
He was named the AP Division III state offensive player of the year, Southwest District offensive player of the year and he set 11 school records in football this past season.
As a track and field performer, Montgomery was a four-year letterman. He was a two-time SWOC shot put champion and won the league discus title this year too. He captured the Division I regional championship in both events and was on the regional champion 400 relay team. He will play football at Iowa State.
Brendan Meyer, Covington Catholic, swimming
A swimming All-American, Brendan Meyer led CovCath to an 18th consecutive team regional championship and a fifth consecutive Kentucky state runner-up finish this past season.
Brendan Meyer
Meyer won seven state championships, including all four events he competed in at the state swim meet this past season. The four gold medals he won were in the 200 freestyle (1:38.45), 500 freestyle (4:26.55), 200 freestyle (1:24.02) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:06.38).
Meyer holds four school swimming records, numerous regional records and a state record. Following the state meet this year, Meyer participated in the National Swim Coaches Association Junior National Championships in Orlando, winning both the 400 freestyle and the 200 butterfly events. He is also participating in the USA Summer Olympic Trials in Omaha later this month. He was selected as the Kentucky High School Coaches Association Male Swimmer of the Year this year. He will continue his college career at the University of Arizona.
Peyton Ramsey, Elder, football/basketball
A two-sport all-star, Peyton Ramsey was one of the top quarterbacks in the state this past season. A three-year varsity starter in football and basketball, Ramsey led the Panthers to a 9-4 record in football this past season. He led the GCL South with 2,689 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,232 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.
Peyton Ramsey
During his varsity football career, Ramsey set six Elder school records. He threw for 6,708 yards and 49 touchdowns and rushed for 2,692 yards and 32 touchdowns. He was twice selected as the GCL South co-player of the year, first-team all-city, first-team all-district and honorable mention all-state.
In basketball, he was named to the GCL South first team. A National Honor Society student, Ramsey will play college football at the University of Indiana.
