The Vindicator's Fall 2015 Athletes of the Year

The Vindicator sports staff has selected 11 performers in 10 sports as our Fall Athletes of the Year. They're some of the best and brightest in Mahoning Valley sports. We hope you enjoy their stories as much as we enjoyed bringing them to you.

Click HERE for all of the video interviews.

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For football, the Vindicator chose Mitch Davidson of Columbiana for offense, and Jabbar Price of Ursuline for defense.

Davidson led the area in passing yards with 2,735, rushed for another 1,137 and accounted for 46 total touchdowns with only one interception. A three-year starter, the Clippers had two losing seasons with Davidson at the wheel, but this year the offensive resurgence pushed the team to a 9-2 record.

Price, a 6-foot-5 senior, is a big reason why Ursuline made it into the playoffs this year. He leads the Irish in tackles with 108, including 19 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss. By his coaches’ estimation, he’s missed just eight tackles all season. He also rotates with his teammates on the offensive line.

He is undecided about college, but knows football and majoring in business will be part of it. He has offers from Ohio and Toledo.

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For soccer, the Vindy chose Landon Baer of South Range and Mackenzie Cowell of Niles.

Baer, a senior co-captain and center midfielder, led his team through the playoffs and into the first ever state final for South Range.

A natural fit for the midfield, Baer can run box-to-box to battle for the ball, and was especially effective winning back the ball on defense and transitioning the team to an offensive attack.

Senior captain Mackenzie Cowell helped the Niles girls soccer team beat Howland, for the first time in school history, to capture the Division II district title this year.

Cowell also earned All-Ohio honors the past three seasons for the Red Dragons. She hopes to continue playing soccer at the collegiate level, as she’s leaning towards attending Lourdes University in Sylvania next fall and playing for the Gray Wolves (NAIA).

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For cross country, the Vindy chose Tristan Dahmen of Maplewood and Malina Mitchell of McDonald.

Dahmen, a two-time Vindicator Athlete of the Year, led the Rockets to two Division III state championships the past two seasons, and also took two individual state titles in the process.

“[Two championships] really shows that we have a lot of perseverance and go after our goals and we’re able to achieve them," Dahmen said. "I’m very proud of my team and myself.”

Dahmen hopes to have as much success at YSU, where he will be competing next year.

Sophomore Malina Mitchell helped her team win a state championship in her freshman year, and again led her team to the state finals this fall. She reached her goal of breaking 19-minutes on the state course with a final time of 18:58.

She trains year round for her sport, and usually does lifting or running before school even starts. Once school is done for the day, she's out running again.

She plans on competing in college, but she hasn't decided where yet. For now, she'll just stay focused on winning here in high school.

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Mark Standohar of Girard and Jacinta Pikunas of Boardman were chosen for golf.

Standohar was the first Girard golfer to make it to state tournament in 28 years.

Standohar shot 167 during the two-day state tournament, good for fourth place among individual qualifiers and 29th in the entire field. He credits his coach, Dave Leo, and years of playing with his dad, brother and cousin to get him in the right mindset.

Standohar is undecided about where to attend college, but wants to keep playing golf and eventually pursue a career as a sportswriter.

Junior Jacinta Pikunas has made three consecutive state tournament appearance, including her most recent trip to Columbus where she was the Division I individual runner-up, shooting 149. It’s her best performance at state thus far.

Pikunas credits her father, along with Boardman coach Brian Terlesky for her success.

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For volleyball, the Vindy chose Lynnie Ritter of South Range.

Ritter was a four-year starter and helped the Raiders win district titles as a freshman, sophomore and senior.

This fall, the Raiders won a district title and earned a third trip to the Barberton regional in four seasons. Ritter credits South Range coach Rachell Storm-Baker’s experience with helping South Range qualify for its first regional trips.

She has a scholarship to play at Alderson Broaddus University, a Division II school in Philippi, West Virginia. She plans to major in sports management and perhaps minor in business.

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For girls tennis, the Vindy chose both Ashley Kaleel and Hannah Cianciola of Canfield.

Before fall 2013, Kaleel and Cianciola had never played together. More often than not, they actually played against each other. Three seasons later, they are three-time state qualifiers.

As the No. 1 this season, Cianciola went 19-2 in singles. Kaleel was 18-1 at No. 2. Then during the state tournament, the girls won a match before bowing out.

“It was just a really good experience," Cianciola said. "When I was a freshman, all three seniors were like my best friends on the team. So them not being there, I’m gonna have to step up and be a leader. It’s just gonna be so different — I don’t want to think about it.”

Kaleel also said she’ll miss playing with Cianciola. “My last moments on the court with Hannah, I was just like, ‘I’m never gonna be able to do this again,’” she said. “So I really tried to make the best of it this season.”