Triton Central co-valedictorian pursuing football, wrestling and pre-med track at Wabash College

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Triton Central’s Co-Valedictorian for the Class of 2023 will spend his freshman year at Wabash College as a two-sport athlete.

Hadyn Ball has committed to continue his football and wrestling careers in Crawfordsville, Indiana, while majoring in Biology or Chemistry to start a pre-medicine track.

“I decided on Wabash because I would be able to play football and wrestling,” said Ball, the son of Mike and Mary Ball. “My dad also went to Wabash so I already had some connections. I just think it’s the place for me.”

Ball is unsure if he will graduate as a two-sport athlete, though. Time will tell if he can maintain the rigors of athletics and academics at the collegiate level.

“I think I want to do both because I am still progressing in both and I haven’t reached my full potential in both yet,” he said. “I am going to do both my freshman year and see which one I like better and maybe go with that the rest of my time there.”

Ball projects as a defensive end for Wabash football and either compete at 197 pounds or heavyweight during the wrestling season. Ball was a state finalist at 220 pounds for Triton Central this past season so cutting to 197 pounds could prove challenging.

Wabash produced the 285-pound heavyweight Division III national champion in March when Jack Heldt, a senior, scored a 6-1 win over Kaleb Reeves of Coe College.

Once Ball closes out his athletic career for good, he will focus on becoming a doctor in an as-yet-to-be-determined field.

“I’m not sure what type of physician I want to be yet but ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to be a doctor,” he said.

While co-valedictorian Hallie Schweitzer and salutatorian Kearsley Kermode came up through the Triton Central school system, Ball was a move-in from Roncalli ahead of his junior year.

“I really liked the small-school environment,” said Ball. “Coming from Roncalli, which is a little bit bigger, it’s just way different. Triton Central only has about 400 kids so you know everybody. It’s nice to know everybody and everyone was so welcoming. It is just a good environment.”

Ball’s arrival made it a three-way race for Triton Central’s top student honor. While there was competition between the trio, it never threatened their friendship that developed over time.

“I think it was pretty competitive between us but we were all friends and it was fun,” said Ball. “We would work on assignments together. I made sure I got all A’s and did what I needed to do.”

Ball was not always at the top of his class. In fact, it took awhile for him to find his way in elementary school.

“I was pretty average growing up,” he recalled. “I was really hyper and I couldn’t focus well so my parents didn’t know that I was that smart until around first or second grade.

“Once I really started focusing, I started getting all A’s. There would be competitions in class and I would double people’s scores. I knew then I was a little smarter than everybody else.”

Football made the transition to Triton Central easier. Ball will have that same option at Wabash.

“At first it was a little bit tough because I really didn’t know anybody,” he said of his arrival in Fairland. “The only person I knew was Jaxon Miller, who went off to college. It was a little rough but I really think football helped me. Going into the school year I already had friends.”

Still, Ball is prepared for a much tougher environment – both athletically and academically.

“That is the one thing I am not looking forward to,” said Ball when asked if he was prepared to be a freshman again. “Since my dad went there, he said the freshman year sucks. A bunch of people quit football their freshman year because of how tough it is. I will be ready for it.”

This is the fourth in a series of feature stories from the Shelby County Post on Shelby County’s Class of 2023 valedictorians and salutatorians.

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