Remember Cary Grant in his prime evading his potential captors along the granite faces of four United States presidents at Mount Rushmore in the Alfred Hitchcock classic “North by Northwest”?

Now imagine a Mount Rushmore dedicated to sports figures and honoring the top achievements of the past fall season here in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

In order to accommodate five selections (one per sport), let’s make an executive decision and add a fifth face to our display.

Two different models are available for purchase at the gift store – a Mount Rushmore devoted to student-athletes and another to coaches.

Begin with a version honoring top performances and achievements from the student-athlete.

The five individuals who made the most impact in their respective sport, in no particular order (general public can align them in the Black Hills region of South Dakota in their own desired order): Gus Morrison (Ritchie County football), Lakyn Joy (Williamstown volleyball), Samara Nunn (Parkersburg South soccer), Brandon Lawhon (St. Marys golf) and Alexis Lamb (Doddridge County).

Coaches also stepped up their game. Their elite five consisted of Rick Haught (Ritchie County football), Rachelle Cole (Williamstown volleyball), Bill Mannix (Marietta girls soccer), Catie Hamilton (St. Marys golf) and Jason Lipot (Fort Frye girls cross country).

Without further ado, the whys for each selection and others who were Mount Rushmore worthy.

Student-athletes

Football: Gus Morrison. Morrison, named Class A’s Player of the Year for the second straight year, saved his best performance of the season for the last game. The senior rushed for 178 yards an scored five touchdowns as the Rebels claimed its first state title.

Also considered: Fort Frye’s Casey Brooker became school’s second two-time, first-team all-stater after leading the Cadets to the Region 23 title game. Parkersburg South’s Cyrus Traugh and Parkersburg’s Bryson Singer both named to Class AAA’s all-state team. Traugh caught 106 passes for 1,122 yards and 10 TDs, while Singer set the PHS record with 69 career TDs. Despite missing Game No. 9 while recovering from an injury, Williamstown’s Maxwell Molessa found another gear at quarterback and led the Yellowjackets to a Class A runner-up finish.

Volleyball: Lakyn Joy. Like the Bugs Bunny episode where he played all nine positions in baseball simultaneously, Joy had that sixth sense where she was in the right place at the right time. In her senior year, the Williamstown setter was recognized as Class A’s Player of the Year on the all-state, first team and led the Yellowjackets a state championship.

Also considered: Ritchie County’s Rebekah Rupert backed up her Little Kanawha Conference Player of the Year selection after leading the Rebels to a state runner-up finish in Class A. Parkersburg’s Rylee Wise was a primary reasons why Parkersburg advanced to the state tournament in Class AAA.

Soccer: Samara Nunn. Nunn was selected by the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association as Class AAA’s Player of the Year after helping lead the Patriots to within one match of the state tournament.

Also considered: Marietta and Warren boys and girls soccer received a combined three selections to the Ohio Division II all-state team, including Tiger Katie Mannix and Warrior Alexis Frazee on the girls side. Also for the Tigers, midfielder David Sarver was a member of a Marietta boys team which advanced to the district semifinals. On the West Virginia side of the river, Williamstown’s Ella McMullen was selected as Player of the Year for Class AA-A.

Golf: Brandon Lawhon. Lawhon was St. Marys’ version of Michael Jordan, who was cut from his high school basketball team as a freshman. Lawhon struggled at the outset of his freshman year then put in the work and by the end of prep career he was a significant piece on a Blue Devil team which won three state titles. Lawhon closed out his senior year as Class A medalist.

Also considered: Roane County’s Emerson Simons won medalist honors at the Little Kanawha Conference Meet and traveled with his Raiders as a team qualifier in Class AA. In Ohio, Marietta sent AJ Graham as a state qualifier.

Cross Country: Alexis Lamb. The junior didn’t exactly lap the field among Class A individual state qualifiers, but she did win first place by a full minute.

Also considered: The West Virginia Class A meet also featured a pair of runner-up finishes – Williamstown freshman Alyssa Sauro on the girls side and Wood County Christian’s Michael Cline in the boys field.

In Class AAA, Parkersburg senior Franklin Angelos finished fourth.

Coaches

Football: Rick Haught. Since taking over a program which had only won two games the previous year, Haught has taken Ritchie County to the postseason in each of his four seasons and compiled a 7-2 record in the playoffs –including this year’s run which resulted in the school’s first state title. Ladder climbing is Haught’s specialty considering the Rebels have advanced one round further in the playoffs since his first season.

Also considered: Stability characterizes the following two entries — Fort Frye’s Eric Huck and Williamstown’s Chris Beck. While Huck guided the Cadets to the championship game of Division VI, Region 23, the Yellowjackets haven’t skipped a beat since Beck took over three years ago. Williamstown’s 22nd consecutive playoff appearance resulted in a state runner-up finish.

Volleyball: Rachelle Cole. Cole’s intensity and enthusiasm coaching along the sidelines has a direct effect with her players, who brought home the Yellowjackets’ first volleyball title since 2016.

Also considered: Ritchie County’s Matt Carpenter gave Williamstown all it could handle before falling shy for a Class A state runner-up finish. Parkersburg’s Erin Thorpe qualified for the Class AAA state tournament behind second-team, all-stater Rylee Wise.

Soccer: Bill Mannix. The Marietta soccer programs reached elite status with a pair of deep tournament runs. Mannix guided the girls to the district championship match.

Also considered: Just how good was Marietta soccer? Tigers boys coach Todd Morris nearly matched the Tiger girls after qualifying for the district semifinals. Only a late second half goal prevented Ron Buchholtz and Parkersburg South girls soccer team from possibly advancing to the Class AAA state tournament.

Golf: Catie Hamilton. Whether she marriages the right mental approach and skills on the golf course, Hamilton owns a formula which works. As a team, the Blue Devils made it a three-peat as Class A state champions.

Also considered: Roane County’s Bubba Kendall continues to churn out golfers in Spencer. This year marked the third straight year the Raiders qualified as a team in Class AA.

Cross Country: Jason Lipot. Fort Frye rekindled memories of Michigan’s Fab Five as the Cadets’ roster of seven freshmen claimed the school’s first regional championship in girls cross country.

Also considered: The Williamstown coaching staff. The Yellowjackets let their program be heard throughout Class A when the boys won the state title and their female counterparts finished runner-up.

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com