LaRosa's MVP
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James Burnett Jr. - LAROSA'S MVP FEATURED ATHLETE
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NAME: James Burnett Jr.
SCHOOL: Aiken High School
SPORT(S): Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Winning state championship as a freshman
BIRTHDATE: 1/30/2007
HEIGHT: 5'11"
RESIDENCE: West End
PARENTS: James & Tamara Baker
BIGGEST INFLUENCE: “My dad.”
FUTURE GOAL: Play collegiate basketball

One of the CMAC's best basketballers is senior James Burnett Jr., a combo guard playing for the high-flyin' Aiken Falcons, who are off to a history-making 20-0 start.

He's had a good senior season. He had 29 points-10 rebounds vs. Walnut Ridge, 28 points vs. Hughes, 27 points-12 rebounds vs. Louisville Ballard and 24 points-10 rebounds vs. Beavercreek.

His junior season, James averaged 17.2 points a game, plus 4.2 rebounds and two assists per game. He had 21 double-digit scoring games, including scoring 37 points vs. West High and 23 points each vs. Walton-Verona, Taft, and McNicholas. The Falcons were the CMAC-Red champions, with an 8-2 league record, 16-7 overall.

He was named first-team all CMAC, second-team all-city (Enquirer), second-team all-district and honorable mention all-Ohio.

A good student who is active in community service, James plans to play at the next level but has not yet selected a college. A memory-maker was in his freshman year, when he played on the Falcons' team that won an Ohio state championship.

His favorite athlete is Darius Garland, favorite entertainer is Rod Wave, favorite book is No David, favorite movie is Like Mike and most-like-to-meet is LeBron James.

COACH'S QUOTE – “James is a special person that truly embodies what it means to be a student athlete. He takes the classroom seriously and that trickles over to the basketball court.” —Derrell Black, Varsity Basketball Coach



LAROSA'S 2024-2025 MVPs
sadie hartig

NAME: Sadie Hartig
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Feb. 11
SCHOOL: Notre Dame Academy
SPORT(S): Swimming
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning state in 500 freestyle junior year

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luke sanders

NAME: Luke Sanders
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Feb. 4
SCHOOL: CHCA
SPORT(S): Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: First-team all-state junior year

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mari gerton

NAME: Mari Gerton
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Jan. 28
SCHOOL: Princeton High School
SPORT(S): Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning 2023 state championship

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yamil rondon

NAME: Yamil Rondon
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Jan. 21
SCHOOL: Newport High School
SPORT(S): Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025

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Kailee Bransford

NAME: Kailee Bransford
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Jan. 14
SCHOOL: Mount Notre Dame
SPORT(S): Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: GGCL Player of the Year

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alex kazanecki

NAME: Alex Kazanecki
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Jan. 7
SCHOOL: Moeller High School
SPORT(S): Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Hopefully being a good role model for kids who may look up to me.

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julia grace

NAME: Julia Grace
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Dec. 31
SCHOOL: Notre Dame Academy
SPORT(S): Volleyball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning state sophomore year for volleyball

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garyn jackson

NAME: Garyn Jackson
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Dec. 24
SCHOOL: Campbell County High School
SPORT(S): Basketball-Football
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning regional last season

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ava tilden

NAME: Ava Tilden
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Dec. 17
SCHOOL: Notre Dame Academy
SPORT(S): Volleyball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning state in 2022

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gaven johnson

NAME: Gaven Johnson
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Dec. 10
SCHOOL: Harrison High School
SPORT(S): Soccer
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Going 16-0 last season to break school record

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sakura codling

NAME: Sakura Codling
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Dec. 3
SCHOOL: Seton High School
SPORT(S): Volleyball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Committing to UCLA

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shaun dickerson

NAME: Shaun Dickerson
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Nov. 26
SCHOOL: Lakota East High School
SPORT(S): Soccer
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Committing to play Div. I soccer

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anna cornejo

NAME: Anna Cornejo
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Nov. 19
SCHOOL: Madeira High School
SPORT(S): Soccer
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Playing on U.S. futsal national team

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austin alexander

NAME: Austin Alexander
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Nov. 12
SCHOOL: Cooper High School
SPORT(S): Football-Basketball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025

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allie barrick

NAME: Allison Barrick
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Nov. 5
SCHOOL: CHCA
SPORT(S): Volleyball
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Going to state my freshman year and hitting 1,000 kills in my career as a junior.

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paul nelson

NAME: Paul Nelson
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Oct. 29
SCHOOL: Princeton High School
SPORT(S): Football
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2023 Ohio Defensive Player of the Year

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reagan ramage

NAME: Reagan Ramage
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Oct. 22
SCHOOL: Cooper High School
SPORT(S): Golf
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Playing in 123rd U.S. Women’s Amateur

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justice burnam

NAME: Justice Burnam
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Oct. 15
SCHOOL: Anderson High School
SPORT(S): Football
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Making it to state Final Four

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lexi oshea

NAME: Lexi O'Shea
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Oct. 8
SCHOOL: Seton High School
SPORT(S): Soccer
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning state championship in 2022.

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justin hill

NAME: Justin Hill
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Oct. 1
SCHOOL: Winton Woods High School
SPORT(S): Football
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Accolades earned junior year; going undefeated sophomore year.

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presley pennekamp

NAME: Presley Pennekamp
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Sept. 24
SCHOOL: Oak Hills High School
SPORT(S): Soccer
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Helping team win the GMC title twice in a row

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clay hayden

NAME: Clay Hayden
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Sept. 17
SCHOOL: Beechwood High School
SPORT(S): Football
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning a state championship

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olivia holbrook

NAME: Olivia Holbrook
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Sept. 10
SCHOOL: Campbell County High School
SPORT(S): Cross Country-Track
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Run at a DI college

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will sheets

NAME: Will Sheets
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Sept. 3
SCHOOL: Covington Catholic High School
SPORT(S): Cross Country-Track
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Cross country state win with team

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evelyn prodoehl

NAME: Evelyn Prodoehl
WINNER ANNOUNCED: Aug. 27
SCHOOL: Lakota West High School
SPORT(S): Cross Country-Track
GRADUATING YEAR: 2025
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Winning the Garmin Runninglane XC national championship

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