by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
For many years Kennedy Younkin has heard her dad talk about winning the award as the county’s top basketball player back in his day and she can now join in the discussion on an equal footing as the Teays Valley senior has been named the winner of the 2024 Jeff Sheets Award recognizing Pickaway County’s most outstanding senior basketball player.
“It’s incredible,” Kennedy said, “especially for me it’s a different kind of thing because growing up I’ve always heard my dad talk about the boys’ award.”
Her father, and coach, Trevor Younkin, won the Bob Bowsher Award in 1996 following his senior season at Teays Valley.
“He told me there was a girls’ award that I could achieve one day. Being able to actually obtain it has been amazing,” Kennedy said. “And just knowing that my dad got it and now I got it for the girls, that’s definitely something that’s been wonderful to receive.”
Knowing how he felt when he was a senior made Kennedy winning the Sheets Award even more special for Trevor.
“It was a moment I’ll never forget,” he said of when he was presented with the Bowsher Award. “It’s a true honor and a blessing that she is able to receive it. We’re very happy as a family and, as a coach, I’m very honored.
“Yes, she’s my daughter and it’s great as a father to have a daughter follow in my footsteps. As a coach, to have Kennedy and what she’s done for our whole program has just been remarkable.”
In her senior campaign, Kennedy led the Vikings in scoring (13 ppg) and rebounding (9 rpg) and blocked 61 shots. She was named First Team All-Mid-State League for the third time, First Team All-Pickaway County, Second Team All-Central District Division I and Special Mention All-Ohio Division I.
“Senior season was a little rough at the start. We had some ups and downs as a team, just chemistry and things like that,” Kennedy said. “But as it went on, I feel like we definitely overcame those challenges. Especially getting to districts – being the first Division I Teays Valley girls basketball team to do that was such an honor.”
The Vikings’ schedule was a rough one as they took on a number of top teams in Ohio and traveled to South Carolina where they battled with teams from Alabama and Tennessee.
“One highlight was Akron Hoban,” Kennedy said. “We didn’t beat them, but going to the Classic In The Country was amazing – the environment and playing against them with their speed and the competition. We were able to hang, and it was one of the best feelings in the world to know that we can do that and bring it to the MSL and compete.”
And competing is something Kennedy knows all about as she finished her TV career with 986 points, 868 rebounds and 196 blocked shots. Her Vikings won the league title last season and they had back-to-back 17-win seasons.
“She’s made a difference both offensively and defensively in the paint throughout all four years she’s been here. We’re going to miss that presence inside,” Trevor said. “For her to set her goals high and reach those, has been fun to watch and has allowed other players to see what it takes to do that.
“Kennedy has been a great leader for us and to raise the bar like she has for us, and our program, has been remarkable.”
The next challenge is coming as she heads to Johnson City, Tenn., to continue her education and basketball career at East Tennessee State University. The Buccaneers are an NCAA Division I school competing in the Southern Conference.
Being recruited and getting scholarship offers from schools in places from Maine to Montana and others in between, coming to the conclusion that East Tennessee was the best fit really helped her focus on her senior season.
“It was like a weight just lifted off my shoulders,” Kennedy said of making the decision. “There were a lot of times when I would go home from practice and it would be calling a coach, calling another coach and calling another coach. Just being able to know where I’m going and I’m going here for a reason, I could relax and go play with my team.
“I am extremely grateful for every conversation I had with those coaches but now that I’ve made the decision, I am extremely happy with where I am.”
The traveling trophy for the Jeff Sheets Award is no stranger to the Teays Valley trophy case as Kennedy is the 19th Viking to win the award in its 43-year history.
“The history with the girls and looking at some of those names, especially since a lot of them are from Teays Valley, and just carrying on that history, I’m so glad I’m a part of it,” she said.
And she hopes she has set a good example for younger girls so that they’ll put in the work to get their name on the trophy in the future.
“I feel like it was important for me as well as them in showing them the dedication, the hard work, the competitiveness, relying on your teammates and having the confidence in yourself can prove that anything is possible,” Kennedy said. “Especially looking over here when we’re having a home game and even when we’re away, seeing those little girls watch us. Having that feeling of having their support and just knowing they want to be us one day; it was an amazing feeling. It’s wonderful to know that they want to fill our shoes one day.”
“It is remarkable how many people are there that are Teays Valley. It’s awesome to have that,” Trevor said. “By having this trophy in the trophy case and the girls in the program can see it – they can set their sights on it. This was one of Kennedy’s personal goals and to able to check it off is something I know she’s very happy about.
“For other girls to be able to come see this and say, ‘Wow, look how many Teays Valley girls are on there.’ It says a lot for the school, it says a lot for our program, it says a lot for what past coaches have done.”
Jeff Sheets Award winners
1982 — Melissa Azbell, Westfall
1983 — Teresa Musselman, Westfall
1984 — Teena Keith, Teays Valley
1985 — Holly Hastings, Teays Valley
1986 — Laura James, Teays Valley
1987 — Amy Wright, Teays Valley
1988 — Paula Everts, Teays Valley
1989 — Lesley Wilson, Logan Elm
1990 — Amy Colborn, Teays Valley
1991 — Ursula Stonerock, Circleville
1992 — Trina Muzingo, Teays Valley
1993 — Gail Adams, Logan Elm
1994 — Julie Good, Logan Elm
1995 — Mindy Fusetti,Teays Valley
1996 — Bridget Oberer, Teays Valley
1997 — Anna Musselman, Teays Valley
1998 — Laurie Barr, Teays Valley
1999 — Kristin Griebel, Circleville
2000 — Tara Wright, Westfall
2001 — Ashley Palmer, Circleville
2002 — Kelsey Schleich, Westfall
2003 — Samantha Hood, Teays Valley
2004 — Kristen Tisdale, Logan Elm
2005 — Amanda Angles, Westfall
2006 — Keri Callihan, Teays Valley
2007 — Andrea Anderson, Logan Elm
2008 — Casse Mogan, Circleville
2009 — Kellie Willis, Circleville
2010 — Alyvia Clark, Logan Elm
2011 — Emily Robinson, Logan Elm
2012 — Caitlin Cain, Teays Valley
2013 — Taylor Saxton, Logan Elm
2014 — Rebekah Branham, Circleville
2015 — Mallory Grabans, Teays Valley
2016 — Shayna Harmon, Teays Valley
2017 — Jordin Blakeman, Circleville
2018 — Jill Congrove, Logan Elm
2019 — Reagan Willingham, Teays Valley
2020 — Abby Hatter, Logan Elm
2021 — Kenzie McConnell, Circleville
2022 — Jenna Horsley, Teays Valley
2023 — Maren McCallister, New Hope
2024 — Kennedy Younkin, Teays Valley
— The award is named in honor of former Teays Valley coach Jeff Sheets, who amassed a 313-103 record in his 18 seasons leading the Vikings. Teays Valley won nine Mid-State League titles, five Central District crowns and finished as a regional runner-up twice during his leadership of the program. Sheets went on to serve as superintendent of Teays Valley and is currently serving as superintendent of Westfall.
