Twelve Generals Sign To Play At Next Level

BY KAREN GERHARDINGER | MIRROR REPORTER — With 12 student-athletes signing to play at the next level, the November 8 D-I and D-II NCAA signing day at Anthony Wayne High School was one of the largest athletic director John Snyder can remember.

Family members and friends crowded into the main gymnasium to listen as Snyder introduced each one of the students and their coaches.

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Zachary Bergman signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.

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Braden Curry will play baseball at The University of Toledo, where he plans to major in sports marketing. 

“My goal is to get drafted and continue my career after college,” said Curry, who said he’s been playing baseball since he was born.

The highlight of his high school baseball career: winning the regional championship in 2023 and going to the state competition.

Curry said he was encouraged by his love for competing and his dad Steve, who was a Major League Baseball pitcher and has coached pitchers at the high school level. During the signing, Curry was joined by his pitching coach, Zach Willeman, a member of the Miami Marlins organization.

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Lyndsay Borcherdt will play soccer for Oakland University in Michigan. She plans to major in health sciences on a pre-physician’s assistant track with a minor in Spanish.

“My goal is to be successful in college soccer and make an immediate positive impact on the team,” she said. “I want to continue the family culture and winning legacy of Oakland women’s soccer, as well as have fun with my teammates.”

Her father, Bryan, is an alumnus of Oakland, where he was a basketball player.

Borcherdt began playing soccer at age 7, which is much later than most, she said.

“Soccer has always been my escape. I can put down all the busy aspects of my life and just have fun and play,” she said. “I am very competitive, so I enjoy soccer due to the competitive nature. I also made many friends and memories over the years.”

Throughout her high school career, she has been part of two AW state semifinalist teams, which is unusual. She was captain of the AW girls soccer team for her final three years, averaging 0.6 goals per game and anchoring a defense that achieved 42 shutouts in 65 total games.

This year she earned All-NLL Selection, Academic All-League, Academic All-District and Academic All State. She also earned the Elite Clubs National League, Regional League and Central Region selection.

Achieving a D-I athletic scholarship tops any other achievement, she said.

“It has always been my dream to play college soccer, and that dream is coming true,” Borcherdt said.

In her freshman year, she played basketball, and for nine years she was in gymnastics, earning the title of regional champion in 2017. She retired from gymnastics to pursue soccer at Anthony Wayne and to play club soccer for the Michigan Jaguars Girls Academy Team.

In addition to sports, Borcherdt is the main editor for yearbook and a member of National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Link Crew, Interact Club, Blue Crew Spirit Club and YoungLife.

“The past year I have also tutored elementary students as volunteer work, as well as continuously participating in many volunteer projects,” she said.

Borcherdt has also been a coach of preschool gymnastics and a referee for youth soccer.

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Teagan Ferrington signed to play soccer for The University of Toledo, where she will major in nursing.

“I have been playing soccer since I was 4 years old and started in a rec soccer league,” she said. “I stuck with it because of the outlet it gives me, the friends it has brought me from the beginning, and the challenges it brings me.”

She’s most proud of winning first-team All-NLL two years in a row and to earn first and second-team all-district.

“We’ve made the state final four two years in a row,” she added.

In addition to sports, Ferrington is involved in National Honor Society, volunteering with friends out in the community. 

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Hailey Kahl has signed to run cross country and track for The Ohio State University, where she will study pre-med.

“I would love to become a pediatrician and help those in need,” she said.

When she was 3, Kahl began playing soccer and until 2022 was a dual sport athlete, playing soccer and running track. This year she decided to focus on cross country and track.

“I have participated in cross country for one year and in track all four years of high school. I was moved to run track in the spring to help with my fitness on the soccer field,” she explained. 

“I came to love running and realize what I am truly passionate about, so I decided to run my first year of cross country this year.”

In her first year, Kahl won the regional cross country meet, qualifying for the state competition, where she came in 30th in a field of 182 runners.

The track team was named district champion in 2021. This year, the cross country team earned her first-team all NLL. She’s also been named individual district champion and regional champion, earning individual Academic Ohio honors.

In addition to running, Kahl is involved in Link Crew, Ski Club, National Honor Society and as a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

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Abigail (Abby) Kennelly has signed to play softball for Ohio University, where she will major in exercise science.

“I would like to be a physician’s assistant or something similar,” she said.

Kennelly began playing softball at age 6 or 7 and stayed with it because of the teammates and the friendships she’s made over the years. She also played volleyball for AW and served as captain for both volleyball and softball. 

During the last two seasons with the Generals, Kennelly hit over .500. She also helped lead the Generals to the state final four her freshman year and earned a state runner-up title her junior year.

Among her other achievements: tying for ninth in the state for all-time hits in a season (67); earning a school record for most hits in her career (186) and most runs (139) in three seasons. She also set a school record for most stolen bases in a season with 24. She was named first-team all-league and all-district.

“Abby will be a great addition to the infield for us,” said Bobcats head coach Jenna Hall. “Her high-level defensive skills will bring a lock-down presence up the middle of the field that is always needed. 

“As a left-handed hitter, Abby brings speed to our lineup and a versatility that we love. She is just a player you love to watch play the game.” 

Kennelly also played volleyball for three years, as a defensive specialist, making varsity her sophomore year.

In addition to sports, she is the yearbook layout editor and a member of Spanish Club, Spirit Club and Student Council.

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Allyson Meyers has signed to play softball for Ohio University, where she will major in integrated math and become a math teacher.

A pitcher for the Generals, Meyers was a two-year letter winner and a 2023 state runner-up. She also made the state final four with the Generals in 2021. Meyers also played for Finesse Peters 18-U.

“Ally is another great addition to our battery on the mound. She brings a culture of winning and success within her playing career. Her strengths on the mound will complement the staff that we have and add another element to a deep bullpen,” Hall said. 

“She wants to win and you can see it every time she takes the field.”

Outside of softball, Meyers is an honor roll student who enjoys reading and math. 

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Katelyn (Kat) Meyers has signed to play softball for the University of Michigan.

As pitcher, she earned first-team all-state honors during the 2023 season. She also helped lead AW to the 2023 state championship game and the 2021 state semifinals. I

In her sophomore year, Meyers posted a 0.86 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched and a 1.20 ERA in her junior season with 113 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched. She plays travel ball with the Finesse 18-U organization.

“Kat is an athletic pitcher,” said head coach Bonnie Tholl. “She has tremendous ability and natural movement on her ball and could be a great power pitcher, which is what we’re expecting to build her into. She’s got a frame that’s built for that power. She’s a strong kid, who has the ability for us to utilize her stick as well.”

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Myles Murphy, a member of the Generals’ state championship golf team, has committed to play golf for the University of Findlay.

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Trinity Nowicki has signed to play softball for Kennesaw State University in Georgia, where she plans to pursue an education in architectural design.

A catcher and hitter for the Generals, Nowicki began playing softball at age 9.

“I wanted to continue playing a sport and softball was what I was good at and what I wanted to do,” she said. “I never thought I would play at the college level. It’s crazy to think what I’ve accomplished now.”

She credits her parents, Andrew and Christie, for motivating her to continue.

“I think my best achievement was sticking with the sport,” she said. “It’s a hard sport because it’s full of errors and failures. I’m glad I stuck with it and I’m happy that I’ll be able to play at another level. It’s amazing.”

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Emma Knapp has committed to play lacrosse at Limestone University in South Carolina.

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Logan Sutto has signed to play golf for Butler University. Sutto, a member of the state championship golf team, earned second place in the state individual rankings. 

Individually, he made the 2023 all-state first team, all-district first team and was the district player of the year. His round of 66 at the Ohio State finals tied the tournament record. 

Sutto, who also played basketball and tennis, was an honor roll student and DECA state qualifier. He plans to major in business.