Middletown High School’s Will Aden receives congratulations from teammates, including Noah Williams (14), after crossing home plate on one of the 11 home runs he hit during the 2021 baseball season to tie a Lake County single-season record. Aden, who graduated from Middletown earlier this month, is a candidate for the Lake County Record-Bee’s Athlete of the Year award. While Aden was limited to playing a single sport this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which wiped out his basketball season, the senior tore up opposing pitching to the tune of a .629 batting average, a 1.214 slugging percentage, 44 hits, 47 RBIs and 39 runs scored. He struck out only eight times in 70 at-bats. Despite missing out on approximately 20-25 games during his three-year varsity career because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his 19 home runs overall are a Lake County record. The Athlete of the Year male and female winners as well Coaches of the Year in boys and girls sports will be honored early next month. (File photos)
