CHS Athletics cap winter with awards ceremony

Connersville Athletics concluded the 2025-26 winter sports season with the awards ceremony at the Robert E. Wise Center for Performing Arts at CHS on Monday night.

Connersville Lady Spartan basketball earned their first regional title in 25 years en route to an appearance in the Class 3A Final Four. Senior Serenity Pennington earned Most Valuable Player for the Lady Spartans with classmate Maddie Harrison being named Best Mental Attitude.

The Lady Spartans were 21-8 on the season and 12-2 in the 2026 calendar year. They had postseason wins over Hamilton Heights, Yorktown, Delta, Maconaquah, and Fairfield. Connersville fell to the eventual 3A State Champion Belmont in the Semi-State Final. Pennington, senior Ahniyah Bennett, and sophomore Kendyl Bottomley earned All-Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference designation. Senior Addison Jones earned her 4-Year award and started at point guard since her freshman year.   

Junior Levi Marszalek earned Conference MVP for Connersville boys’ swimming. Marszalek claimed first-place finishes in the 200 and 500-Yard Freestyle at the EIAC meet in January.

Junior Lillie Bischoff qualified for State and earned MVP status for the Lady Spartan gymnasts. Senior Emily Bischoff was named BMA, and both sisters were recognized as Academic All-Conference at State. Lillie Bischoff qualified for state on the Vault, Bars, and Floor. She came away from state with an 8.05 on the Bars and Floor, with an 8.875 on the Floor.

Senior Cash Boulware was named MVP for the Connersville wrestlers following qualification for semi-state. Boulware advanced to the second day at the Spartan Classic, placing eighth for Connersville in the Heavyweight Division.

Senior Brandt Lykins was named team MVP following a record-breaking performance in sectional prelims. His time of 1:03.00 in the 100-Yard Breaststroke broke the standing mark of 1:01.76 held by Jim Hadley that had stood for forty-seven years.

Seniors Brianna Adkins and Allison Badore earned their clocks. Badore was named Varsity Best Mental Attitude for the Varsity Cheerleaders and Adkins earned her 4-Year Award for the Spartanettes. Athletes must earn 24 points with 8 varsity letters to qualify for a clock. Varsity letters earn and athlete 2 points. One point is awarded for junior varsity participation, and 0.5 pointes are earned for honor roll.

Six Spartans, Ahniyah Bennett (girls’ basketball), Zaine Bentley (boys’ basketball), Cash Boulware (wrestling), Christian LaBoyteaux (cheer), Serenity Pennington (girls’ basketball), and Maddox Rees (boys’ basketball) earned their Blankets (15 points).  

Seventeen seniors, Brianna Adkins (dance), Ahniyah Bennett (girls’ basketball), Emily Bischoff (gymnastics), Ainsley Bodwell (gymnastics), Cash Boulware (wrestling), Alania Daniels (gymnastics), Elizabeth Hise (gymnastics), Serenity Hornsby (gymnastics), Addison Jones (girls’ basketball), Emma Jennings (gymnastics), Abby Keal (swimming), Brandt Lykins (swimming), Ella Miller (dance), Jenna Mullins (dance), Hayden Steele (dance), Trinitee Steele (dance), and Alexandra Sweet (dance), earned their 4-Year Varsity Award.

Sixteen Spartans, Angelo Amora (swimming), Paolo Amora (boys’ basketball), Emily Bischoff (gymnastics), Lillie Bischoff (gymnastics), Kendyl Bottomley (girls’ basketball), Phoenix Crabtree (swimming), Frances Kelly (swimming), Alaylah Ketcham (girls’ basketball) , Christian LaBoyteaux (cheer), Levi Marszalek (swimming), Jay McMullen (boys’ basketball), Cora Nobbe (gymnastics/swimming), Kelsey Pearson (cheer), Taylynn Selby (girls’ basketball), Madison Smith (swimming), and Alexandra Sweet (dance), earned Academic All-Conference.

The Connersville Spartan Varsity Boys’ Basketball team concluded the season in the sectional semifinals at 14-10 on the season. Senior Hunter Allen was named All-Conference, team MVP, and the “Gift of the Game” scholarship from the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Paolo Amora earned BMA for the Varsity boys.  

Sophomore Owen Henderson was named MVP for the 13-9 JV Spartans. Junior Evan Miller earned BMA for the Spartan reserves. Eli Smith earned MVP Status with the Freshmen. Gavin Mullins was named BMA for the freshmen and Zane Kirschner-Ellison earned Most Improved Player.

Jace Tibbot earned MVP for the eighth-grade red boys’ basketball team with Holland Moore and Xavier Cooley sharing MVP for the eighth-grade white team. Luke Myers and Kage Mitchem earned BMA for the eighth graders with Alexander Struewing and Daxton Gregory earning MIP.  

Bryson Walker earned MVP for the Red team seventh graders with Kashton Cotton earning the White team honors. Leo Moyer and Jace Millins earned BMA were named BMA with MIP going to Koltyn Kafka and Waylon Housemyer.

The CHS Cheerleaders earned championships for Pyramid and Cheer at the UCA Summer Camp. Ten cheerleaders, Oliva Becker, Grace Kibby, Christian LaBoyteaux, Sydney Lucas, Chelsea Carpenter, Emma Isaacs, Bella Mitchell, Kelsey Pearson, Gabby Higbie, and Hailey Pearson, earn All-American nominations. Senior Ella Austin earned MVP for the Varsity Cheerleaders. Austin, Becker, and Lucas were aske to try out for UCA staff.

Aliza Risch earned MVP for the JV cheerleaders with Tatum Jefferson earning BMA. Evie Haldeman was MVP for the freshmen with Kaylee Lovins earning BMA. MVP- Emma Solomon was named MVP for the middle school cheer team with Arianna Richardson earning BMA, and Arianna Richardson being named MIP.

The Connersville gymnastics team went 6-1 on the season and advanced to regional as a team with a third-place finish at sectional.

The Connersville gymnastics team went 6-1 on the season and advanced to regional as a team with a third-place finish at sectional.

Ella Miller earned MVP for the Spartanettes Dance Team with senior Jenna Mullins earning BMA. Emma Gibson was MVP for the Middle School Energizers. Madison Welter earned BMA for the middle school dancers with Brynlee Bunch earning MIP.

Candace Graves was named MVP for the Lady Spartan swimmers with Hylee Slater earning BMA. Angelo Amora earned BMA for the varsity boys. Hank Nickel and Emerie Phelps earned MVP for the boys’ and girls’ middle school swimmers, respectively. Lily Frank earned BMA.

Braylon Housemyer advanced to regional for the Spartan wrestlers. Hunter Smith was named BMA for the varsity wrestlers with RJ Paxton earning MIP. Noah Rees won an EIAC middle school conference championship for and earned MVP for the middle schoolers. Otto Gossett earned BMA with Boyd Durstine being named MIP.

Freshman Ellah Turley earned MVP for the Lady Spartan wrestlers in their first officially sanctioned girls’ wrestling team. Allenah Miller earned BMA with Audrianna Brock earning Most Improved.

Junior Myleigh Perry earned MVP for the 14-6 JV Lady Spartans will Lillian Lee earning BMA. Caroline Roberts earned MVP and BMA for the eighth grade Lady Spartans with Gracelynn Urban. Kastin Van Meter was named MVP and BMA for the seventh graders with Ella Hammons earning Most Improved.