The year is coming to an end and I thought it would be fun to look back at some of my favorite photos. After going through all my files I narrowed it down to my 20 favorite photos of the year. Over the course of the year I shot a total of 143 high school games. The majority of those games were photographed for the West Life newspaper. It is always great working with my colleagues Jack Kopanski and Chris Voloschuk. They are both tremendous writers and I believe we offer the best local coverage in the area.
I also started team specific photo blogs with the Westlake Lady Demons Soccer and Basketball teams. I have met a number of great coaches, parents and players thanks to that experience. Thank you to everyone that has viewed my photos and I look forward to another great year in 2020!
In no particular order here are my favorite photos of 2019…
When we selected Kyle Cusimano for our Summer Spotlight feature we knew he was going to have a great season. What we didn’t expect was that Kyle would go on to be named the National High School Player of the Year! He finished as the top boys soccer player out of 420,000 athletes across the country!
Another outstanding local athlete is Alex Laboy from Avon volleyball. Alex finished the season as SWC MVP and Lorain County Miss Volleyball. Best of luck to her and Kyle next season as they will both be attending Bowling Green!
There is no better way to start the fall Football season than with Avon vs. Avon Lake. In this photo Nick Perusek leaves two Shoremen defenders in the dust as he heads in for a touchdown.
When it comes to volleyball in the area few teams can match the recent dominance of Avon. This photo was after the team scored a point against rival Olmsted Falls. It’s always an intense match when those two teams face off.
Sami Jablonski celebrates a goal with fellow captain Summer Salem. Sami scored 20 goals this season and was a big factor in the Lady Demons reaching the District Finals. She is one of the greatest players in school history.
This photo is from the Regional Finals game between Avon and Avon Lake. It’s always exciting when these two rivals play each other but the stakes were at an ultimate high with a trip to the Final 4 on the line. Both teams relied heavily on their defenses in this low scoring battle.
St. Ignatius soccer won the Division 1 State Championship this year. This photo is from the District Finals against Avon. This was the second straight year these two teams met in the District Finals and it’s always a physical match.
Lydia Choban, Sami Jablonski and Summer Salem pose for a portrait at Reed Stadium. The Lady Demons had a great season reaching the District Finals. I covered 14 of their games and kept a weekly photo blog following all the action.
Gina Adams celebrates after scoring her 1,000th career point as a Lady Demon. Gina is a tremendous player and one of the best in the area.
Matthew DeCapua celebrates after scoring a goal in the District Finals against Buckeye. It always helps when the athlete runs right towards your camera!
Nick Perusek poses for a photo during a Summer Spotlight shoot. Nick was great to work with and going into the season was the top running back in the SWC. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to an injury.
Westlake Lady Demon seniors pose for a portrait. I had a great time working with the Lady Demons on a pre-season photo shoot. An awesome group of coaches and players.
The Flannery family pose for a portrait over the summer in the St. Edward High School gym. Coach Flannery is one of the premier High School Basketball coaches in the country. His two sons played for him at St. Eds and now play for John Carroll. His two daughters currently play at St. Joseph Academy.
Allyssa Pirro is a state champion wrestler at Lutheran West High School. It’s rare to see girls competing in high school wrestling but Allyssa and her teammates are changing that.
Annie Spies of Bay Village races past an Olmsted Falls defender during a Lacrosse game in April. Lacrosse is a really fun sport to photograph and the Rockets had a great season reaching the Elite 8.
The winner of the “ouch that’s gotta hurt!” photo of 2019. Westlake vs. Avon is always an intense rivalry soccer match.
Emma Hall and Abby Carrington deny an opponents shot attempt. Like I have already mentioned the Lady Demons have a great team this year and I can’t wait to see how far they can take it.
Alise Emser is another great Westlake High School alum that now plays at Indiana State. Alise was a two-time SWC Defensive MVP, she is tough! Fun fact: Alise is the player in my Twitter and Instagram profile picture.
Leia Smith poses for a portrait during a Winter spotlight photo shoot. Leia is the team leader on an up and coming North Ridgeville basketball squad. They have the potential to be a really great team this year.
Tyler Hannah of Lakewood competes in the hurdles at the SWC Championships. Tyler is probably the fastest track athlete I have photographed in my time at the West Life. Here Tyler leaps the final hurdle to win the race and has a big smile while doing it!