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Mike Ackerman was awarded the James F. O’Brien and Meghan Scharer the
Leta Wescott Award as the top male and female senior athletes at Clay this past year.
Clay has presented the O’Brien every year since 1974 and Wescott since 1976. It goes to the athlete, who in the judgment of coaches and in combination with the athlete’s participation, scholastic, and individual achievements, merit the award.
This is the most prestigious award that is presented to a Clay High School athlete, Clay athletic officials say. The winner is always a senior and is chosen by the coaches who rank their senior players in leadership, attitude, sportsmanship, commitment, grade point average, and value to the team. Number of years of participation in sports and individual accomplishments are also factored in.
Ackerman earned five letters during his athletic career, three in football and
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| Meghan Scharer & Mike Ackerman |
two in wrestling. Ackerman’s football awards include Honorable Mention League in 2008 and All Academic, First Team All City League, First Team District, and Honorable Mention All-State in 2009. The 5-10, 215 pound senior played tight end and linebacker, and was chosen Alan Miller Jewelers Press Defensive Player of the Year last fall along with first team accolades as a linebacker. He led the area with 143 tackles, including 16 for a loss,
While wrestling, Ackerman earned second team league honors in 2009 and qualified for the state wrestling tournament. This past year, he qualified for the District tournament. Ackerman will continue his athletic career at The Ohio State University as a wrestler.
Ackerman finished third at the 215 weight class at the City League championship as the Eagles defended its CL wrestling championship by scoring 289 points to outdistance runner-up Central Catholic by 78 points. The senior returning state qualifier Mike Ackerman went into the City tournament with a 31-2 record.
As a junior, Ackerman took second at the CL and sectional tournaments and third at districts.
In addition, Ackerman received $2,500 in scholarships from the Ohio Wrestling Coaches Association. The scholarships, given to just four wrestlers in Ohio, are awarded to wrestlers for academics, athletics and citizenship.
"I'm just very excited for them," Clay wrestling coach Gerry Anthony told The Press. "(Ackerman) also received $500 from the Greater Toledo Wrestling Coaches Association.”
Scharer earned 14 letters during her athletic career, four in soccer, four in basketball, four in track, and two in cross country. In cross country, Scharer qualified for Regionals twice and earned First Team All City both Years. During Meghan’s soccer career, she was named 2nd team All League one time, 1st Team All League three times, Player of the Year twice, Second Team All District once, First Team All District twice, All Ohio Academic once, and Second Team All Ohio twice.
Scharer earned Alan Miller Jewelers All-Press Honorable Mention her senior year and Honorable Mention and Special Mention All City while playing basketball. On the track, Scharer earned Second Team All City three times, First Team All City once, was a Regional qualifier three times, and made the Alan Miller Jewelers Press Track Honor Roll as a senior pole vaulter. Scharer will continue her athletic career at the University of Dayton in soccer.
In track, the pole vaulter was the runner-up at this year’s Division I district championship. Whitmer senior Christina Schultz won the event on jumps. They both cleared the same height but Scharer had an earlier miss which gave Schultz the title. Scharer did win the City League championship this year with a jump of 9-6 and was the district champion last year.
The senior midfielder Meghan Scharer signed her national letter of intent to play soccer at Dayton in February.
“I was looking for a school where I wouldn’t just be a number, yet still play for a great Division I soccer program,” Scharer said. “I fell in love with Dayton on my first visit and knew it was where I wanted to go. UD has everything I’m looking for academically and athletically and I can’t wait to be a Flyer.”
Her Clay soccer teams were a combined 51-12-11. As a freshman, she was Northwest Ohio Scholastic Soccer League Division I All-League Second team.
As a sophomore, Scharer was NWOHSSL D-I First Team All-League, and D-I Second Team All-District. Clay was NWOHSSL league and sectional champion.
As a junior, Scharer was all-league first team, the league’s Player of the Year, D-I First Team All-District Northwest Ohio, Second Team All-Ohio, and the teams’ most valuable player. Clay repeated as league and sectional championships.
As a senior, Scharer was team captain for her third consecutive year, first team all-League, Player of the Year, First Team All-NW Ohio, Second Team All-Ohio, and repeated as team MVP.
“I don’t like using clichés when talking about my athletes but when I think of Meghan Scharer one of the first things that comes to mind is grit and determination,” Clay coach Scott Wamer said. “I have been privileged to have coached many fine athletes over my 20 years of athletics at Clay High School and I can honestly say that I have never coached an athlete that works as hard as Meghan.
“You may have more skill, more speed, more size and more God-given talent but Meghan will outwork you and find a way to beat you because she won’t give up and she doesn’t like to lose.”
Scharer, who stands 5-feet-5, also played with the Swiss Baysiders (NWOYSL) from 2000-07, and with the Greater Toledo Futbol Club (OYSAN) from 2002-10.
“Another great athlete, Meghan has great quickness, speed and jumping ability,” said UD coach Mike Tucker. “She can and will play anywhere on the pitch, defends and attacks with conviction and has the technical abilities that shine. Meghan is a tremendous competitor who, despite her height, will battle effectively in the air.”
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