Tag: Aubrey Cummings

Wrestlers’ successes stem from habits formed throughout the season

by Aubrey Cummings

Wrestling, the sport of the strong-bodied and strong-minded, may be wrapping up its season, but recent competitions are results of training and mentality from throughout the season. 

Both boys and girls wrestlers are competing in their final matches, as girls’ wrestling just sent junior Abi Lemon to the state finals, and the boys’ wrestlers get ready to compete in regionals this weekend at JHS.

As junior wrestler Scarlett McRae said, “Wrestling isn’t just a sport; it’s a daily choice to suffer so you can stand taller later.”

While Red Devils wrestlers are standing taller as they compete this winter, the season technically begins in the early months of the school year with conditioning.

Sophomore Jaylen Howard gets a pin for the Red Devils. Howard advances to regionals to compete this weekend. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.

In the fall is when the fun – or suffering – actually begins. The girls’ season officially starts right after fall break each year, and the boys are not far behind, starting at the end of October. 

Sophomore wrestler Jaylen Howard said, “Wresting is more than just a winter sport because it starts the day school starts in August and ends July the next year — just in time for the season to start again, creating a never-ending cycle.”

What most people don’t know is that, unlike some sports, wrestling doesn’t end with an in-season break.  As soon as the technical season ends, wrestlers jump right into the off-season, whether it be coaching local elementary students or going to meets across the country.

“It’s a year-round thing. Every single weekend is seen as a new opportunity to get more matches in. Anything less and you’re selling yourself short while your competition is getting better,” 2024 graduate and wrestler Dawson Slaughter explained.

Off-season isn’t just about training for those in high school. It’s also about teaching those who may eventually participate in high school.  The Jeff wrestling program is bigger than just the high school.

Junior Abi Lemon shows determination during a wrestling meet. Lemon is a four-sport athlete who advanced to the state finals this season. Submitted photo.

“Wrestling’s a year round thing, whether you’re helping younger kids with their wrestling careers or trying to improve yourself for the next season,” said Lemon, a four-sport athlete who advanced to the state finals this year.

Middle and elementary school wrestlers are considered a part of the Team Jeff wrestling program and family, too.  Jeff High wrestlers teach and practice with these younger athletes, so they know a friendly face in the coming years.

“Going to the middle schools allows for us to become greater leaders and know who we are leaving the program to when we are finished,” said senior Abril Andres.

Wrestling has never been described as an easy sport.  In order to compete, participants must have a strong mind.  They must be able to fight the odds and keep going. This is what makes wrestling what it is.

As junior wrestler Will Honaker said, “The definition of wrestling is to struggle.”

This shows not only the difficulty of wrestling but also the mindset the participants are in.  They know going into it that it’s not going to be easy, but still, they do it.

by jhshyphen

‘Leader by example’

Junior Abi Lemon gives her all in four different sports

by Aubrey Cummings

Four different sports each school year seems impossible. How exactly does one do it?

Junior Abi Lemon does just that and has every year since she started high school. She participates in football, soccer, wrestling, and tennis.

Junior Abi Lemon shows determination during a wrestling meet. In addition to her leadership on the wrestling mat. Lemon also plays football, soccer, and tennis. Submitted photo.

“They are all so different but also help each other in their own way,” she explained.

She doesn’t just participate in these sports, though. She leads in them.  She is the person coaches look to for an example.  She is also the person her teammates look to when they need help. 

Wrestling coach Danny Struck described Lemon as a leader on and off the mat.

“She leads by example. She’s involved in so many things. It’s what leaders do — they get involved.  But she doesn’t just participate, she gives them her all.”

Lemon is constantly doing whatever she can to get better in each sport she participates in.

“I am constantly training, whether it’s for one sport or multiple. During soccer I’m also training for football, and when those are over, wrestling begins.  And when in tennis I also train with the track team on occasion,” she said.

Her family plays a big role in why she plays the sports she plays.

“My mom is a really big soccer fan, so getting into it was for her, but I also found a love for it myself,” Lemon explained. “And my family is always playing tennis together.”

Lemon isn’t just an athlete, though — she is also a student, an employee and a friend.  She is constantly having to find a way to balance all of this, which isn’t always easy.

“I am basically always busy, which means doing school work on the way to meets or games or even the period before it’s due,” Lemon said with a laugh.

Throughout the time Lemon has participated in these sports she has made friendships that she never would have had she not been a part of the team.

“Until I joined to football team, I never would’ve never even considered being friends with the guys, but when I joined I met them and now they are some of my closest friends.”

Lemon is a role model for those who want to try something new and for those who are already in the sports they love.  She shows people how to push through challenges and she teaches people what it means to be a leader.

Junior Abi Lemon wrestles her opponent; wrestling is one of four sports Lemon participates in at JHS. Submitted photo.
by jhshyphen

Boys’ soccer prepares for sectional

by Aubrey Cummings

Pushing themselves as hard as they can for the 80 minutes that the match lasts. Heads up and hearts pounding every touch of the ball sends it moving across the field. With a shared goal, getting the ball into the net, the team moves as a unit across the field.

Ranked 36th in the state and 27th in their class, the varsity boys’ soccer team is moving along in their season. 

Currently they are 12-3-1 and are second in the Hoosier Hills Conference for varsity and are 7-5-2 for JV.  As the end of their season begins to approach for both teams they all begin to prepare for sectionals, with a normal goal of wanting to win sectionals and advance to regionals.

Head varsity coach Collin Bell explained, “It’s all about the game that is happening.  One game at a time, one set of 80 minutes. If we push ourselves for those 80 minutes and commit ourselves for those 80 minutes, we will be successful.”

This was shown in their game against Franklin this year. The team had many teams cut from their schedule and many new ones added. They have faced tougher teams than they normally would.  They do this to better themselves and to allow for them to be better prepared for the competition at the end.

“It’s all about the game that is happening.  One game at a time, one set of 80 minutes. If we push ourselves for those 80 minutes and commit ourselves for those 80 minutes, we will be successful.”

Head Coach Collin Bell

“I think it’s a great change because it allows for us to adjust to playing new teams that we haven’t seen before, so it is a good way for us to test ourselves against teams that are considered better teams,“ said junior Alan Solorzano Lopez.

Junior Alan Soloranzo Lopez kicks the ball during the Male High School game. Photo by Parker McCloskey.

The varsity team isn’t the only one beginning to prepare for sectionals.  Six of the JV members have the opportunity to go with the varsity boys to the sectional games.

“Knowing there’s a chance for us to go with the varsity team to sectionals encourages us on JV to push ourselves harder to show we are the best to try and claim our spots,” stated freshman JV member Dominic Cummings.

Doing this allows for younger boys to know what they may have the chance to experience in the near future.  This allows for the program to continue to grow.  The future also depends on some of the varsity boys as well as the JV.

“The pressure feels greater not just because I am a goalie, but also because I am a freshman, so I am representing more than just my varsity team but also my classmates on JV,” said varsity freshman Jafet Benitez-Rubio.

Benitez-Rubio is not just on the varsity team; he is the starter goalie as a freshman.  This is significant every, and everyone knows it.  The student section in games makes sure everyone knows by cheering “He’s a freshman” whenever he stops a ball from going in.

The team’s spirits are high as ever.  The team feels confident and are preparing to have a different outcome than last year where they lost in the final round to Seymour.

The Red Devils play Jennings County next Monday in the opening round of sectionals at Floyd Central High School at 7 p.m.

Senior Shlomo Tshimbalanga guards the ball from his defending New Albany opponent. JHS won 2-0. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.

by jhshyphen

Junior Scarlett McRae succeeds in soccer and in wrestling

by Aubrey Cummings

Coming from a family of soccer players, the sport has always been a big part of Scarlett McRae’s life. McRae, a junior at Jeff High, has been playing soccer for almost 10 years now.

“If I had to pick one person that has inspired me the most when it comes to soccer, I would have to say my dad.  Not only has he taught me about soccer my whole life, but he is also there after games to give me feedback, good and bad,” said McRae.

Junior Scarlett McRae on the field at a soccer practice. McRae is a dual sport athlete, playing soccer and wrestling for JHS. Photo by Aubrey Cummings.

In her three years on the Jeff High girls’ soccer team, McRae has had many  accomplishments.  Her freshman year she was awarded with The Rookie of the Year award. Halfway through her sophomore year she set a record for the most goals scored for the girls´ team and will continue on to add to that record this year.

Earning these accomplishments has put a lot of pressure on McRae to keep being the one of the best.  This pressure has taken a toll on her confidence in her abilities.  In order to overcome her lack of confidence before games she said, “I pray before games and then just go with the flow, remembering that it’s okay to make mistakes and that I don’t have to be perfect.”

McRae isn’t just a part of the Jeff soccer team, but also the Racing Louisville Academy team.  It’s a great opportunity to get her name out there and to be seen by colleges and professional teams.  

After high school McRae plans to go to college for sports physiology. She also wants to play for her college team and eventually for a professional team.

“She makes me want to keep getting better so I can improve and beat her but not in a super competitive way but in the way that we both want to make the team the best it can be,” stated Junior Abi Lemon, a teammate of McRae’s on the field and the mat.

Though soccer is her main sport, McRae is also a part of the girls´ wrestling team.  She started her freshman year when Sian Rogers, a senior on the soccer and wrestling team, convinced her to give it a try, telling her it would help her at soccer.

Junior Scarlett McRae wrestles her opponent at the JHS meet with Moore High School in 2024. Photo by Ethan Bronson.

After a week of wrestling she decided it wasn’t for her but she still wanted to be involved, deciding to be a manager instead.  By doing this she was allowed at the practices and meets. As time passed she realized how much fun her friends were having and decided to rejoin towards the end of that season.  That year she made it to Semi-state with her team before ending the season. She then chose to come back the following year to continue to improve. 

Wrestling coach Danny Struck described McRae as a driven and dedicated player. 

“When given the opportunity Scarlett is always open to improving; she keeps her eye on her goals and does the things that make her and her team better,” he said.

McRae said competing in both sports has helped her compete on the soccer field and on the wrestling mat. 

“Soccer allowed for me to have better and quicker foot work in wrestling that most girls didn’t have, and wrestling taught me how to not get pushed off the ball as easily and stand my ground in soccer.”

McRae has been described as a leader in everything she does.  She strives to be the best person she can be and to help whoever she can.  She looks forward to trying to beat Floyd Central and New Albany, along with helping her teammates score more this soccer season. 

Going into wrestling later this year, she wants to win as many matches as she can and make it to state.

“Coming into both seasons I am excited to win,” McRae explained. “Also to help my teammates succeed and to see how far we can go.”

by jhshyphen