Mar 18, 2025
Staff photo / Dan Hiner Mineral Ridge’s Ava Hulett, left, and Kennedy’s Nick Ryan pose with their Trumbull County Player of the Year awards at Monday’s ceremony in Howland.
HOWLAND — History was made on Monday night at Leo’s Ristorante in Howland.
The Trumbull County Coaches Association held its annual player of the year banquet for basketball, and Warren JFK’s Nick Ryan and Mineral Ridge’s Ava Hulett won the boys’ and girls’ honors respectively.
Ryan is the first Kennedy player to receive the honor since Cam Hollobaugh in 2021.
Hulett became the first Mineral Ridge girl to win TCCA Player of the Year.
“It means a lot for me to be that person who comes from my community and supporting them and representing (Mineral Ridge) and knowing all my hard work has paid off,” Hulett said. “It just really means a lot to me.”
Hulett averaged 18.2 points per game, 10.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals. She also made first team All-Inland District.
“It’s really weird to know that I’m done (playing high school basketball). But knowing that it’s all worth something — knowing the hard work put into the gym, spending time with my teammates, listening to my coaches, improving my overall game — it really all paid off in the end,” Hulett said.
Ryan finished his career as the all-time leading scorer at Warren JFK. He came up just shy of 2,000 career points, and this year, he averaged 26.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.7 steals.
“This is something I’ve kept up on, Trumbull County Player of the Year, since I was in fourth grade. If you’re a kid in this area, this is something you dream about getting if you’re a basketball player,” Ryan said. “Hearing my name called, I was in awe almost.”
Ryan was named the Division VII All-Inland District Player of the Year.
“It’s awesome seeing all the accolades after you’ve put so many years of work in,” Ryan said. “Since I was 10, a lot of hard work and dedication went into this, and I couldn’t have wanted more.”
Hulett and Ryan both plan to continue their athletic careers in college, but neither has made a decision on their future schools. Ryan wants to continue in basketball, while Hulett plans to participate in track and field.
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Warren G. Harding boys coach Keelyn Franklin and Maplewood girls coach Stephanie Pykare were selected as the Coaches of the Year.
Franklin led the Raiders to a 19-5 record and 7-1 mark in the All-American Conference. They won the district before falling to Massillon Perry in a Division II regional semifinal.
Pykare coached the Rockets to a 22-3 mark, going 11-0 in the Northeastern Athletic Conference. Maplewood knocked off Windham and Wellsville prior to dropping a meeting with Mogadore in a Division VII district final.
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