Published on June 16, 2026
Franklin County Board of Commissioners
Thirteen high schools. Four sports. Dozens of athletes who showed up at 369 South High Street on a June morning, most of them already well into summer.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners held its annual spring sports recognition at the June 16, 2026 General Session, honoring state champion teams and individuals from across Franklin County and Central Ohio in girls and boys track and field, girls lacrosse, boys baseball, and girls softball.
The recognition is part of a tradition the Board carries out three times a year, for fall, winter, and spring sports champions. Eleven schools were represented in the room: Bishop Hartley, Dublin Jerome, St. Francis DeSales, Hilliard Bradley, Hilliard Davidson, New Albany, Olentangy Liberty, Pickerington North, and Westerville Central. Four additional schools, Gahanna Lincoln, Olentangy, Olentangy Berlin, and Dublin Jerome boys, were recognized in absentia.
The range of athletic achievement was notable. Bishop Hartley's Patience Locklear, a two-time indoor state champion and two-time national champion in the high jump, claimed the outdoor state title as well. New Albany's baseball team won the state championship without playing a single home game this season, competing at six different venues in six days during tournament week. Olentangy Liberty's Elena Alldrink won the outdoor two-mile state title, her third state championship across cross country and track. Pickerington North's girls four-by-four relay won the school's first-ever girls track and field state title. Westerville Central's Simone Smith won the discus after returning from labrum surgery that had her unable to lift her arm just a year earlier.
The recognition also extended to coaches who spoke about the work behind the results. Hilliard Bradley coach Kevin Moody described how his team organized their season around four pillars, bench mob, deep end, unity, and their team song. New Albany coach Michael Sandman pointed to his team's response to adversity: no home field all season, constant travel, and opponents that included several Division I recruits in the state final.
The program is supported through partnerships with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, represented by Executive Director Linda Logan, and the Ohio High School Athletic Association, represented by Senior Director of Finance Laura Vermilyar.
Commissioner O'Grady, Commissioner Boyce, and Commissioner Crawley each offered remarks to the athletes before the formal recognitions began.