CHESAPEAKE – For Josh Waugh, it was quite a compliment.

Saturday, March 10, 2001

CHESAPEAKE – For Josh Waugh, it was quite a compliment.

The Chesapeake Panthers senior all-around star athlete was named the Huntington Elks Lodge No. 313 High School Athlete of the Year.

Waugh was honored during the club’s annual athletic awards banquet Tuesday.

Waugh, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior, has been a standout in football, basketball, baseball, and track for the Panthers.

"It’s a tremendous honor. I’m totally honored," Waugh said. "I didn’t know anything about it until they called my mom. I didn’t even know I had been nominated.

"There are a lot of great athletes around the Tri-State area, so it was a nice surprise."

A Glenville State signee with a 3.6 grade point average, Waugh was first team All-Ohio in football as he rushed for 1,200 yards and more than 9 yards a carry. He scored 132 points, caught 14 passes for 204 yards, had 92 tackles on defense and five interceptions.

"Glenville State has a nice academic program and strong football tradition," Waugh said.

In basketball, he averages 10 points and 6.5 rebounds and is the team’s best defensive player. The Panthers qualified for the Division III regionals Friday night.

Waugh said he hasn’t had a problem juggling four sports, especially baseball and track in the spring.

"I like the four sports. It keeps me in shape," Waugh said. "I think they all help you. Track helps build speed and that helps in any sport."

Josh is the son of Joe and Melissa Waugh of Chesapeake.