Latest news with #Pleasant
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
See the photos: Pleasant High School graduates more than 90 seniors Friday ceremony
Pleasant High School graduated more than 90 seniors Friday night. In the class of 2025, about 80% plan to continue their education and three plan to serve in the military. Pleasant's graduating seniors earned a grand total of $1.4 million in scholarships. The graduation ceremony saw speeches made by Pleasant High School Principal Steven Ringer, Pleasant Local School Superintendent Tom McDonnell and class of 2025 valedictorian Kylie Klaiber. "While today might not make you feel like the finish line, it's really just a launch pad, whether you're heading to college, workforce, military, a gap year, or a path entirely your own," Ringer said. "Remember this. You carry with you more than just a transcript. You carry your values you've learned here: integrity, compassion and the belief in your ability to make a difference." McDonnell told students that their parents and educators expect great things from them. "We're proud of your accomplishments, but even more proud of who you are," McDonnell said. Klaiber told her fellow graduates that high school is just 5% of their lives, and the best is yet to come. "High school doesn't have to be the best chapter of your book," Klaiber said. "Just the beginning, and we've already started strong." This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Pleasant High School class of 2025 graduates more than 90 seniors
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who had the best week? Vote in the latest Marion Star athlete of the week polls
The postseason is upon us. Baseball holds its opening rounds starting the week of May 19, while softball teams will be going for district championships this week. In track and field, district meets will be held in Hilliard, at River Valley and in Granville this week. The boys tennis tournament is over for all Marion-area boys. Advertisement To celebrate the athletes who had big weeks last week, fans are encouraged to vote as often as allowed in the latest Marion Star Best of the Week Performer Polls, which will be open through early Sunday morning. Here are the latest nominees: MOAC track: Pleasant's Sean Murphy wrestles away a championship from the competition at the MOAC meet Latest college notes: College Notebook: Elgin grad Tiffany Hix earns NCAC top scholar-athlete honor Marion Star Boys Best of the Week Performer Poll North Union's Griffin Osborne won the 100 and 200 meters and was third in the 4x100-meter relay to earn Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division Performer of the Year in track and field. Northmor track's Cowin Becker won the 100, 200 and 400 meters plus the long jump at the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference Championships. Ridgedale track's Brogan Weston won the 1600 and 3200 meters at the Northwest Central Conference Championships. Highland baseball's Kort Sears pitched a no-hitter with 2 walks and 9 strikeouts, plus hit a double in a Mid Ohio Athletic Conference-clinching win over Ontario. Pleasant baseball's Owen Lowry hit a home run in a win over Cardington. Cardington baseball's Josh Goers threw a 3-hitter with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts in a win over Northmor. Marion Star Girls Best of the Week Performer Poll North Union's Gabby Lindsey set a meet record in the long jump, won the 400 meters, was second in the 200 meters and 4x200-meter relay and earned Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division Performer of the Year in track and field. Ridgedale track's Maddie McKenzie won the 100-meter hurdles and was third in the 300 hurdles at the Northwest Central Conference Championships. Elgin track's Kadence Gear won the high jump and was second in the 400 at the Northwest Central Conference Championships. River Valley softball's Samantha Woods put up two doubles and a single for five RBIs, including the game-winning hit over Clear Fork to clinch a piece of the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference championship. Marion Harding softball's Raina Smith went 4-for-5 including the game-winning hit in the bottom of the eighth inning over Hamilton Township in a Division III tournament game. Highland softball's Saylor Squires hit a double and 2 singles, plus pitched a 6-hitter with 6 strikeouts and 3 walks in a Division IV tournament win over Buckeye Valley. Last week's winners In last week's boys poll, Pleasant baseball's Avery Hamper, who posted a game-winning single to beat Marion Harding, earned 1,082 of 2,312 votes (47 percent) to win the poll. Other nominees were North Union baseball's Ashtin Haubiel, Highland baseball's Jayden Collins, Ridgedale track's Breyton Richmond, Elgin baseball's Jeremy Skaggs, Mount Gilead track's Owen Hershner and Northmor track's Levi Hunter. Advertisement In last week's girls poll, North Union softball's Leah Cox, who had a double, two singles and three RBIs against Bellefontaine, earned 444 of 1,356 votes (33 percent) to win the poll. Other nominees were River Valley softball's Kylie Eastep, Pleasant track's Taydon Obenour, Highland softball's Lydia Shaffer, Ridgedale softball's Kenzie Delaney and Mount Gilead track's Danielle Pohlkotte. Marion Star athlete of the week polls rmccurdy@ 419-610-0998 X @McMotorsport Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Vote: Marion Star Best of the Week Performer Polls for boys and girls
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pleasant's Sean Murphy wrestles away a championship from the competition at the MOAC meet
MARION — In his first year of running track at Pleasant, senior Sean Murphy became a champion. Not bad for a rookie. He won the boys 400 meters during the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships during the running finals on May 15, clocking 50.26 seconds in Harding Stadium. He took third in the 200 in 23.21 and helped anchor the 4x400 relay team to a runner-up spot in 3 minutes, 29.72 seconds. Advertisement Murphy spent previous springs working on his craft in wrestling, which kept him away from the oval. With wrestling behind him now, he felt free to try running track. Track districts schedule, sites: Marion-area athletes set to compete in district track meets. When, where will they go? More MOAC track and field: River Valley's Eva Moran proves she's back in form following a broken ankle "I definitely wanted to keep wrestling for sure. Making the state (in wrestling this winter for the first time) was really awesome. I loved it. I love wrestling, but this is awesome, too," he said. "I was looking at times (last year), and I was like, 'Man, I can run that. I can do that. I've got to come out here and do it,'" he said. Advertisement He showed he belonged with the best in track this week at the MOAC meet, putting together three all-league finishes. Now his attention turns to next week's district meet where he and the rest of the Pleasant boys will compete in Division II at River Valley. "Confidence is through the roof. I've just got to tweak little things because I lack experience, but I'm putting in the work," he said. Marion Harding's Leah Price takes the lead in the girls 1600 meters at the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships on May 15, 2025 at Harding Stadium. Price sisters dominate distance races Lydia Price showed she's rounding back into shape after missing three weeks of the regular season with a back injury. The Marion Harding junior defended her girls 3200-meter MOAC title, winning it again with an 11:57.21. Advertisement Meanwhile, twin sister Leah Price won the 1600 in 5:19.63 and was a runner-up in the 800 in 2:25.02 and the 3200 in 12:19.42. On Tuesday, Leah also was second in the high jump at 5 feet. "I'm still not in my best shape. I was lucky. They were probably tired from the mile and Leah from the 800," Lydia said of her victory. "I was able to pull away. I do better at the longer distances." Marion Harding's Lydia Price won the girls 3200-meter run at the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships that wrapped up May 15, 2025 at Harding Stadium. It was the first truly hot day of the season for the competitors with temperatures in the 80s, and that affected the times, especially in the longest race. At last year's MOAC meet, Lydia won the 3200 in 11:18.46 and the 1600 in 5:17.47. Advertisement "The heat was definitely a factor that did not help. I'm really excited I got that (1600 win). I didn't think I was going to get it," Leah said. "I was hoping I would get at least one first place, but I was glad I was able to follow with three other second places. While the two ran against each other Thursday evening in the two longest events with Lydia taking fourth in the 1600 in 5:36.56, there is no hint of a sibling rivalry. "It was really nice that we were able to get the one-mile and two-mile. I'm really glad that she got it," Leah said. "I've been hoping I would get first place, and Lydia was out for a while injured, but she made a really good comeback at this race. It was definitely her race to do it in the two-mile." Added Lydia: "It's really cool. Those go together. I knew she would probably win the mile because she's better at that one than I am. I was happy to win one." Pleasant's Sean Murphy won the boys 400 meters during the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships at Harding Stadium on May 15, 2025. Other All-MOAC performers The top three finishers in every event earned all-league honors. Winners get first team; runners-up get second team; and third-place finishers get honorable mention. Advertisement Ending as a runner-up from the Marion area on Thursday were Pleasant's Taydon Obenour in the girls 100 hurdles at 16.59, Highland's Owen Winkelfoos in the boys 1600 at 4:38.83, Pleasant's Will Lichtenberger in the boys 400 at 52.12, Pleasant's Sarah Jordan in the girls 300 hurdles at 49.79, Highland's Toby Rogers in the boys 300 hurdles at 41.86, Pleasant's Elijah McGinniss in the boys 800 at 2:00.03 and Highland's Matthew Miller in the boys 3200 at 10:41.61. Taking third from the area were Rogers in the boys 110 hurdles at 16.55, the Marion Harding boys 4x200 team at 1:33.53, Harding's Jaidin Ramirez in the boys 1600 at 4:39.68 and 3200 at 11:00.91, the Harding girls 4x100 team at 50.91, Highland's Kameron Stover in the girls 400 at 1:00.05, Obernour in the 300 hurdles at 52.05, Harding's Sebastian Swihart in the boys 800 at 2:03.84, Highland in the girls 4x400 relay in 4:21.25 and Highland's boys 4x400 unit in 3:40.44. Ontario won the boys team title with 163 points as Clear Fork was second with 106 points. Highland was fourth, Pleasant fifth, Harding sixth and River Valley eighth. Shelby won the girls team crown with 162 points as Ontario was runner-up with 112 points. Harding was third with 99 followed by Highland in fifth, RV in sixth and Pleasant in seventh. rmccurdy@ 419-610-0998 X @McMotorsport Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Harding's Price sisters dominate in distances at MOAC track finals
Travel Weekly
13-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Dispatch, Xcaret Park: Nature lover's paradise in the Mexican jungle
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — As I floated on my back in the refreshing water, I watched a colony of bats congregate, hanging upside down on the ceiling of the cave I was swimming through. I was in Xcaret, a sprawling 200-acre ecological park that includes swaths of jungle, on an excursion day with Pleasant Holidays. I was invited to spend four days in Mexico for Pleasant Holidays' Elite Experience program, an annual event the company holds to celebrate the accomplishments of the top 50 producing travel advisors for Pleasant. The experience included three nights at the Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa and an excursion day for advisors and their guests. Xcaret Park includes a cemetery with examples of pre-Columbian elements and Mexican folk art to highlight how close the culture feels to its dead. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman The park, which opened in 1990 and is attached to a resort, is part of Grupo Xcaret, which also owns nearby park Xplor, which focuses on adventure tourism and requires visitors to wear a helmet during their visit. Xcaret, which has aspects of an adventure park, includes some relaxing options, too, such as a lagoon and the underground river I was swimming through when I paused to study the bats clinging to the ceiling, evoking childhood memories of watching bats swoop through the twilight sky. Your Xcaret ticket grants you access to 50 excursions, featuring natural pools, an aquarium, jungle trail and children's section. You can opt to purchase add-on experiences, including swimming with sharks, participating in the ancestral ritual of temazcal (a sweat lodge) and parasailing. Tours and river cruises editor Brinley Hineman feeds and pets a manatee at Xcaret Park. The park is home to two rescued manatees. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Brinley Hineman Manatees and cultural exploration I didn't choose any add-ons, instead opting to experience the basic access to the park, which included more than I could dream of accomplishing in a single day. The park is a nature lover's paradise, full of trails that lead you into the jungle and spit you out next to an excursion you didn't know was available. That was the case when I was wandering down such a trail and observed a sign that said "manatees" with an arrow, so off I went in pursuit of the sea cows. There were two of them, Pompom and Nohoch, who the park says were rescued. The employee monitoring them told me they were mother and baby. A vibrant scarlet macaw sits on a branch at Xcaret Park. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman To my delight, I was allowed to feed them treats, which they greedily devoured, pushing their hairy snouts into my hand and chowing down. History and culture were on full display at the park and the highlight of our tour. Led by one of the park guides, we embarked on a walking tour on the Pueblo Prehispanico Route. We visited a chapel dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, the protector of nature and animals, and a traditional Mexican cemetery, which includes pre-Columbian elements and Mexican folk art — though no one is interred there, our guide said. The park's inclusion of a cemetery is to underscore how close the culture feels to its dead. As we walked, I caught a glimpse of four men flying in the sky from a 98.5-foot pole while another man on top played a flute. They were performing a ritual called Danza de los Voladores de Papantla, an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony where men spin down in a controlled descent using ropes. The ritual is believed to summon rain. A curious coatimundi relaxes in a tree at Xcaret Park. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman Coatimundi encounter Finally, after traipsing through the aviary where we saw vibrant parrots and toucans, we concluded the tour with a dip in the river, which hovers at an average temperature of 72 degrees. It took more than half an hour to swim down the long waterway, passing through caves, a mangrove forest and a waterfall. There were moments when I had stretches of the river entirely to myself, making for a magical and serene experience. The rest of the time I spent exploring the jungle, marveling at the wildlife. Having grown up with a forest as my backyard in West Virginia, I love a good nature walk, especially those that feature animals. It was my goal to see a coatimundi up close, which was a delight the last time I was in Mexico and watched baby coatis play at the Tulum ruins. My wish was granted when I came face-to-face with one relaxing on a tree branch. Not long after, I heard jarring screeches and looked over a ravine to see flashes of color shoot past me: two scarlet macaws soaring, their vibrant colors illuminated by the sun.
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn lands ex-Tulane CB Rayshawn Pleasant. Why did he choose the Tigers?
Auburn lands ex-Tulane CB Rayshawn Pleasant. Why did he choose the Tigers? Pleasant logged 35 tackles last season while posting 449 kick return yards at Tulane. Auburn football lost a series of defensive backs to the transfer portal after spring practice, and has found a way to replenish the unit's depth by adding a talented, experienced transfer cornerback. Rayshawn Pleasant, formerly of Tulane, announced Wednesday that he is transferring to Auburn. He visited campus on Monday, according to Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover, and made his commitment two days later. Shared the three key reasons why he chose Auburn over USC in a recent interview with Auburn Undercover. "Just because of the opportunity they have, the winning," Pleasant said. "The opportunity it is to play in the SEC. Being in a great city, great college town. Being around some great coaches who just care about you more than football." Auburn's addition of Pleasant is quite impactful. Hugh Freeze lost two depth pieces at cornerback, JC Hart and Tyler Scott, to the transfer portal, and made up for the deficit by adding a two-year player in Pleasant, who started 12 games for the Green Wave last season. He notched 35 tackles last season at Tulane with one interception... that he returned for a touchdown. According to PFF, he finished the season with a 65.1 overall grade, with his strong suit being coverage, where he graded 69.9. He missed nine tackles all season, and receivers caught 19-of-37 passes when covered by Pleasant. Not only does he pair well with fellow Auburn corners Kayin Lee, Jay Crawford, and Raion Strader, but Pleasant is also a threat in the kick return game. He returned 13 kicks for a 34.5-yard return average with two touchdowns last season at Tulane. The potential of pairing him with Jeremiah Cobb, who returned 19 kicks for a 23.4-yard average last season, will be lethal to opposing kick coverage. Pleasant is the fourth player to join Auburn's roster from the spring transfer portal window, joining fellow defensive athletes James Ash (Florida A&M), Caleb Wheatland (Maryland), and Jay Hardy (Liberty). Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
