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LANCASTER — For some players, when they become seniors, something seems to click and they are able to take their game to another level.
That is exactly what happened for Lancaster senior Drew Whitlatch, who played with more of a sense of urgency, used his ultra-athletic ability and parlayed it into a fantastic season.
Most nights Whitlatch was the best player on the floor, even though the Golden Gales played in one of the toughest conferences — the Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division — in the state, Whitlatch more than held his own.
For his efforts, Whitlatch is the 2026 Eagle-Gazette Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Millersport’s Tyler Coward, who led the Lakers to a 16-8 overall record, including a win over the Mid-State League-Cardinal Division champion Zanesville Rosecrans, is the 2026 Eagle-Gazette Blys Basketball Coach of the Year. After starting the season with two losses, the Lakers quickly turned their season around, winning six straight and were in the thick of the league race right up to the end.
More: Whitlatch is outstanding in Lancaster's frustrating loss against Coffman
Whitlatch finished the season averaging 17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He had 38 steals, connected on 24 3-pointers, and went 90-for-116 at the free throw line (77.6%).
Going against tough competition night in and night out, Whitlatch seemed to always raise his game to an elite level against all of those teams. He proved he could score in a variety of different ways, which made him hard to guard for opposing defenses.
He scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a come-from-behind win over Horizon Science, scored 26 points against Canal Winchester and Groveport, 25 against Reynoldsburg and 24 against Dublin Coffman. He scored over 20 points eight times and 19 points twice.
Whitlatch was selected as the Player of the Game in the Shot Clock Battle in the 614 against Coffman at Ohio Dominican University after he scored a game-high 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists.
Eagle-Gazette All-Area Boys Basketball Team
Player of the Year: Drew Whitlatch, Sr., Lancaster
Coach of the Year: Tyler Coward, Millersport
First Team
Drew Whitlatch, Sr., Lancaster
Caleb Hinkel, Sr., Bloom-Carroll
Cam Eaton, Sr., Lancaster
Cooper Manson, Sr., Liberty Union
Keaton Webb, Jr., Fairfield Union
Ty Johnston, Sr., Millersport
Second Team
Davis Call, Sr., Lancaster
Asa Kline, Soph., Fairfield Union
Quinn Chaney, Fr., Liberty Union
Mason Ailes, Jr., Fairfield Union
Cayden Penha, Sr., Fairfield Christian Academy
Jason Wells, Sr., Millersport
Third Team
Jayven Griffith, Sr., Bloom-Carroll
Sam Tencza, Jr., Fisher Catholic
Nick Holland, Jr., Amand-Clearcreek
Tanner Rose, Sr., Liberty Union
TJ Blair, Sr., Fairfield Christian Academy
Brady Petty, Jr., Bloom-Carroll
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at [email protected] for comments or story tips. Follow him on X at twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Drew Whitlatch named Eagle-Gazette Boys Basketball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
That is exactly what happened for Lancaster senior Drew Whitlatch, who played with more of a sense of urgency, used his ultra-athletic ability and parlayed it into a fantastic season.
Most nights Whitlatch was the best player on the floor, even though the Golden Gales played in one of the toughest conferences — the Ohio Capital Conference-Buckeye Division — in the state, Whitlatch more than held his own.
For his efforts, Whitlatch is the 2026 Eagle-Gazette Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Millersport’s Tyler Coward, who led the Lakers to a 16-8 overall record, including a win over the Mid-State League-Cardinal Division champion Zanesville Rosecrans, is the 2026 Eagle-Gazette Blys Basketball Coach of the Year. After starting the season with two losses, the Lakers quickly turned their season around, winning six straight and were in the thick of the league race right up to the end.
More: Whitlatch is outstanding in Lancaster's frustrating loss against Coffman
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Whitlatch finished the season averaging 17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He had 38 steals, connected on 24 3-pointers, and went 90-for-116 at the free throw line (77.6%).
Going against tough competition night in and night out, Whitlatch seemed to always raise his game to an elite level against all of those teams. He proved he could score in a variety of different ways, which made him hard to guard for opposing defenses.
He scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a come-from-behind win over Horizon Science, scored 26 points against Canal Winchester and Groveport, 25 against Reynoldsburg and 24 against Dublin Coffman. He scored over 20 points eight times and 19 points twice.
Whitlatch was selected as the Player of the Game in the Shot Clock Battle in the 614 against Coffman at Ohio Dominican University after he scored a game-high 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting, grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists.
Eagle-Gazette All-Area Boys Basketball Team
Player of the Year: Drew Whitlatch, Sr., Lancaster
Coach of the Year: Tyler Coward, Millersport
First Team
Drew Whitlatch, Sr., Lancaster
Caleb Hinkel, Sr., Bloom-Carroll
Cam Eaton, Sr., Lancaster
Cooper Manson, Sr., Liberty Union
Keaton Webb, Jr., Fairfield Union
Ty Johnston, Sr., Millersport
Second Team
Davis Call, Sr., Lancaster
Asa Kline, Soph., Fairfield Union
Quinn Chaney, Fr., Liberty Union
Mason Ailes, Jr., Fairfield Union
Cayden Penha, Sr., Fairfield Christian Academy
Jason Wells, Sr., Millersport
Third Team
Jayven Griffith, Sr., Bloom-Carroll
Sam Tencza, Jr., Fisher Catholic
Nick Holland, Jr., Amand-Clearcreek
Tanner Rose, Sr., Liberty Union
TJ Blair, Sr., Fairfield Christian Academy
Brady Petty, Jr., Bloom-Carroll
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at [email protected] for comments or story tips. Follow him on X at twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Drew Whitlatch named Eagle-Gazette Boys Basketball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
