Athletes from Aurora, Hudson and North high schools won the voting as Akron-area high schools’ top athletes in girls volleyball, girls tennis and boys and girls soccer for 2025.
With football the only fall sport still competing, we are spending the next several weeks highlighting the standout performers in each fall sport before winter sports are in full swing.
Emerson Spiesz of Aurora is the girls volleyball winner and Emma Liu of Hudson is the girls tennis winner. Spiesz received 50.50% of the votes cast and Liu received 49.32% of the votes cast.
Ava Bell of Hudson is the girls soccer winner and Mmunga Almasi of North wins for the boys. Bell received 60.27% of the votes cast and Almasi received 37.44% of the votes cast.
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A total of 11,380 votes were cast overall.
Look for more on each athlete below. The Akron Area Best of the School Year voting continues on beaconjournal.com next Tuesday.
Mmunga Almasi, North, sr.
Was named All-Ohio and City Series Most Valuable Player after collecting 14 goals and 12 assists to lead the Vikings to a Division III district final and the City Series championship.
Ava Bell, Hudson, sr.
Was named the district offensive player of the year and All-Ohio after leading the Explorers to the Division II state final and a Suburban League National Conference championship with 25 goals and seven assists.
Emma Liu, Hudson, so.
Was the singles runner-up at the Division I state tournament after winning Suburban League National Conference, sectional and district titles. She finished with a 16-3 overall record at No. 1 singles, losing only seven sets all season.
Emerson Spiesz, Aurora, sr.
Was named District 3 Division III player of the year after compiling 53 aces, 386 digs, 113 assists and 345 service receptions. She led the Greenmen to the first regional semifinal appearance in program history.
A look at the 2025-26 Akron-Area High School Athlete of the Week winners
Date – girls winner | boys winner
Sept. 6 – Abby Alden, Archbishop Hoban soccer | Buddy Willig, Norton football
Sept. 12 – Ava Brooks, Norton tennis | Donevan Noah, Tallmadge cross country
Sept. 19 – Addison Hovey, Woodridge tennis | Angelo Gotto, Barberton football
Sept. 26 – Gabriela Iler, Revere tennis | Atticus Sloan, Woodridge cross country
Oct. 3 – Bree Carpenter, Ellet soccer | Marlin Engram Jr., East football
Oct. 10 – Maggie Gerschutz, Wadsworth cross country | Phil Partin, Manchester football
Oct. 17 – Makayla Martuccio, Tallmadge cross country | Anderson Seredick, Nordonia cross country
Oct. 24 – Elizabeth Coleman, Highland golf | Crew McDaniel, Hudson cross country
Oct. 31 – Brooklynn Hampton, Archbishop Hoban soccer | Nick Myers, CVCA soccer
Nov. 7 – Allison Hay, Tallmadge cross country | Sam Hopp, Twinsburg cross country
Nov. 14 – Samantha Dehrmann, Archbishop Hoban volleyball | Marty Tobin, Walsh Jesuit football