2015-16 JJHuddle/MaxPreps Ohio high school sports Boys Athlete of the Year: Vote Now!

Video: Keishaun Sims 2015
See some of the best plays from the nominee's senior season

The Top 10. The Best of the Best – versus each other. Who had the best season this past school year? You vote. You decide.

Support your school. Support your sport. Support your region. Support your program. Support your favorite. Support your opinion. Support Ohio high school athletics. Vote now for the third-annual JJHuddle Ohio High School Boys Athlete of the Year award. Your votes decide the winner. All nominees are worthy.

VOTE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU LIKE. It's a competition. The voting module is at the bottom of this article. The winner will receive a personalized award and voting will conclude at noon on July 31.




* Keishaun Sims, Perry (Massillon) Football
The AP Ohio Mr. Football set school and Stark County single-season records with 3,225 yards rushing and 43 touchdowns. His single-season yardage mark ranks sixth all-time in state history and he led his team to its first state final (D-II).

* Andrew Jordan, Watkins Memorial (Pataskala) Track & Field, Cross Country
The Iowa State recruit set a state record in the 3,200 meters with a time of 8 minutes, 46.72 seconds at the Eastern Relays. That was the second-fastest time in the country in the spring. He also set a D-I state meet record and Owens Stadium record in the 3,200 with a time of 8:54.36 at the state meet. Jordan also finished undefeated during the cross country season when he won the D-I state title, set a state finals course record at National Trail Raceway with a time of 14:54.0, ran the second-fastest time in state finals history and set the Ohio high school 5-kilometer cross country record (14:44.70).

* Jeremy Larkin, La Salle (Cincinnati) Football
The Northwestern recruit finished his career as the Greater Catholic League’s all-time leading rusher (over 5,000 yards). A three-time first team all-GCL and two-time GCL South Athlete of the Year was the AP Ohio Mr. Football runner-up after running for for 1,891 yards and 30 touchdowns. He led his team to a second-straight D-II state title.

* Jarron Cumberland, Wilmington Basketball
The Cincinnati-bound senior averaged 29.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 3.3 assists and 1.6 blocks en route to earning the AP Southwest D-I District Player of the Year award. He scored 2,408 career points with a career-high 52 in a win over Washington Court House. His career tally ranks 15th on the all-time Ohio high school scoring list.

* Seth Beard, Napoleon Wrestling
The senior and Kent State recruit won his program’s first state title and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the D-II state championships after winning the 120-pound title. He beat three-time state champion Tyler Warner of Claymont in the semifinals. A four-time state placer, Beard owns the school record for career wins (196-12).

* Eric Mullet, Hiland (Berlin) Baseball
The Malone recruit was named the D-IV State Player of the Year by the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association. He ended his career having not allowed an earned run in a state record 110-plus straight innings. The winning pitcher allowed three hits in a 3-0 D-III state semifinal win over Versailles, then followed that by entering the state final in the fifth inning and retiring all five batters he faced in a 7-1 win over Waynedale that secured the program’s first state championship.



* Xavier Simpson, Lima Senior Basketball
The Mr. Basketball winner and Michigan recruit was named the AP D-I State Player of the Year after averaging 27.2 points, 6.6 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.9 rebounds. He finished his career with 1,986 points. Twice this season Simpson eclipsed the Lima single-game scoring record with 59 and 65 points (both against Fremont Ross). His 65 points in a game are the sixth-most by an Ohio player in the last 52 years.

* Kyle Bloom, St. Francis de Sales (Toledo) Hockey
The senior was named Ohio’s first Mr. Hockey by the state coaches. The team captain of the No. 1-ranked Knights scored 65 goals and had 43 assists this season.

* Joey Thomas, Jackson (Massillon) Tennis
The four-time state qualifier won his second-straight D-I singles state title.

* Alex Marinelli, Graham Local (St. Paris) Wrestling
The senior and Iowa recruit became the 28th wrestler in state history to win four individual state titles when he claimed the D-II crown at 170 pounds with a 15-7 majority decision in the final.

PREVIOUS WINNERS
2013-14: Brody Hoying, Coldwater Football
2014-15: Jacey Goettemoeller, Marion Local (Maria Stein) Football