Justice Thornton
MALE
Justice Thornton // Columbus North junior wrestler
Thornton went 5-0 with a forfeit win and four first-period pins at 132 pounds Saturday to remain unbeaten this season and lead the Bull Dogs to a runner-up finish in the North Duals.
His performance last week: “I felt great. I did what I went out there to do.”
Do you do anything special to prepare? “I just stay in my own head, focus on myself and do what I’m supposed to do.”
Favorite drink: “Chocolate milk”
Favorite food: “Steak”
Favorite class: “Construction”
Favorite sports team: “Ohio State”
Favorite athlete: “My sister (Greensburg basketball player) Jaylin Thornton”
Role model: “My dad (John Thornton)”
Best advice: “Work hard and play hard.”
Athletics goal: “To win state.”
If you could travel anywhere: “Russia, to wrestle.”
FEMALE
Bailey Tabeling // Trinity Lutheran senior basketball player
Bailey Tabeling
Tabeling, who recently became Jackson County’s all-time leading scorer, led the Cougars with 30 points and 14 rebounds in a 59-50 win against South Ripley, 36 points and 11 rebounds in a 68-29 win at Christian Academy of Indiana and 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 62-40 win against Orleans.
Her performance last week: “There were things I could have worked on, like my defense. I made sure I got my teammates open.”
Do you do anything special to prepare? “For home games, me and some of my teammates go to a place called ‘Healthy Corner’ in Seymour, and for away games, they make us meals.”
Favorite drink: “Sweet tea”
Favorite food: “My mom’s burritos that she makes. They’re pretty good.”
Favorite class: “Math”
Favorite sports team: “Ohio University (where she is headed to play basketball)”
Favorite athlete: “Ja Morant”
Role model: “My sister (Brittany Hill)”
Best advice: “From my dad, ‘It’s not the fact that you missed the game-winning shot. It’s that you had the courage to take it.’”
Athletics goal: “2,000 (career) points.”
If you could travel anywhere: “Probably Brazil. It’s not a place that people often travel to, so it may be cool to get out and look at that.”
