ST. BERNARD, Ohio — Purcell Marian High School’s Dee Alexander and Moeller’s Jordan Marshall were named Sunday morning as the LaRosa’s High School Sports most valuable players of the year.
The formal ceremony is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Roger Bacon.
The hall of fame also inducts its newest members from the program's 49th year.
Alexander, who is verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati women’s basketball program, is a two-time Ohio Ms. Basketball recipient. Alexander participated in the 2024 USA Basketball Women's U17 National Team trials in Colorado Springs in May.
Alexander led Purcell Marian (29-1) to a third consecutive Ohio High School Athletic Association state title this past March. She was also the Gatorade Ohio high school player of the year and the Ohio MaxPreps player of the year among other accolades.
Alexander became the OHSAA’s all-time girls basketball state tournament scoring leader during the first half of this year's Division II state final. She has scored 134 career points in the state tournament from 2022 to 2024 — with all those games at University of Dayton Arena.
Marshall, an incoming freshman at the University of Michigan, was named Ohio Mr. Football this past season– just the fourth time a Greater Cincinnati player earned the prestigious statewide award since the honor began in 1987.
Marshall, Moeller’s all-time career rushing yards leader, rushed for 4,787 yards. He also had 15 touchdowns as a receiver with 1,219 receiving yards. He even completed one pass in his career for 46 yards and a touchdown.
The 2022 Gatorade Ohio player of the year rushed for 1,550 yards and 17 touchdowns this past season in 13 games for the Crusaders, who were a Division I state semifinalist for a third consecutive season. He had 30 receptions for 394 yards and four touchdowns.
In addition to recognizing the MVPs of the Year, LaRosa’s will induct two legendary high school teams into its hall of fame – the 2003-2004 Mount Notre Dame High School girls’ basketball team and the 1986 Purcell Marian football team.
Mount Notre Dame basketball 2003-04
(Coach Dr. Scott Rogers. 28-0 record)
Mount Notre Dame High School, and former head coach Dr. Scott Rogers in particular, have been blessed with great talent and multiple state championships in girls basketball, but perhaps the finest team he ever coached was the first one – the 2003-04 undefeated Ohio Division I state champions.
Led by Ohio’s Ms. Basketball and LaRosa’s Hall of Famer, Mel Thomas, the Cougars returned all of the starters from the previous year’s team.
Purcell Marian football 1986
(Coach Herb Woeste, 14-0 record)
The Cavaliers overpowered just about every team it played that season. It was a remarkable accomplishment given that the team was unranked and totally off everyone’s radar. It wound up the city’s No. 1 team, the Ohio Division II state champion, the only undefeated team in Ohio and was regarded as No. 4 in the country in USA Today’s final poll.
Five former sports greats, a legendary coach and a renowned local sports broadcaster were inducted into the LaRosa’s High School Sports Hall of Fame.
The newest individual inductees are:
Andrew Benintendi, Madeira High School, Class of 2013, Baseball & Basketball
Dennis Janson, WCPO/WKRC Sports Anchor (retired)
Rose Lavelle, Mount Notre Dame, Class of 2013, Soccer
Luke Maile, Covington Catholic High School, Class of 2009, Baseball
Cindy Stern, Mother of Mercy High School, Class of 1996, Volleyball & Basketball
Adolphus Washington, Taft High School, Class of 2012, Football & Basketball
Coach Dale Mueller, Highlands-Withrow-Sycamore, 1984-2013, Football
The hall has honored 301 athletes and coaches and 14 top teams since its founding in 1975. It is the oldest and one of the only halls of fame of its kind in the country.
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