Several athletes in Central Illinois were largely responsible for their teams bringing home trophies, medals or at least big wins last week and earned nominations for CSM Fall Athletes of the Week Presented by Dominos.
This week’s nominees include state qualifiers in golf, a conference champion in tennis, a tournament champion in volleyball and players that put on star performances in key victories in cross country, football and boys soccer.
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UPDATE: Manual's Breyasia Grayson and Princeville's Jett Benningfield won voting in their respective polls for CSM Fall Athletes of the Week. Voting closed at 11:59 PM on Thursday.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Alassea Michel, Dunlap girls tennis
Michel was a big part of Dunlap winning the Mid-Illini Conference Tournament on Saturday, taking home the crown at No. 2 doubles. Michel defeated Morton’s Olivia Saylor 6-0, 6-2 in the semifinals before winning 6-4, 6-3 against Metamora’s Lauren Poole.
Savanna Siegrist, Normal Community girls golf
Siegrist came through in some late-round dramatics at the Class 2A Normal U-High Sectional on Oct. 7 to become the first Iron golfer to advance to state since 2019. The junior shot a round of 83 at Weibring Golf Course, making multiple clutch shots down the stretch to escape trouble and beat Lincoln Way-West’s Sydney Pohlmann in a one-hole playoff to decide the final individual state qualifying spot.
Caroline Wettstein, El Paso-Gridley girls cross country
Wettstein placed second at the Prairie Central/Pontiac Invite on Oct. 12 with a time of 19:28.53 for her highest finish of the season. Wettstein’s efforts helped ensure El Paso-Gridley’s team title as well.
Kampbell Niepagen, Bloomington Central Catholic volleyball
Niepagen was all over the place for BCC as the Saints won their yearly Fall Classic tournament, beating state powerhouse Normal U-High in three sets in the championship game. Niepagen averaged nine kills through five matches during the tournament and provided the Saints with 10 kills in the big win over the Pioneers. The junior added a team-high 11 kills and four blocks in a sweep over Monticello on Oct. 10 plus a double-double of 10 kills, 11 digs and four blocks in another sweep over area power El Paso-Gridley on Oct. 7.
Breyasia Grayson, Manual flag football
Grayson was a star on Manual’s flag football team that made a Cinderella run to the Kankakee Regional championship game. Grayson put up nearly identical lines of 100 receiving yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 10-8 win versus Peoria High in the regional quarterfinals and a 20-14 upset win over No. 1 seed Belleville East in the regional semifinals.
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Thatcher Hogan, Peoria Notre Dame boys soccer
Hogan was part of a big week for the 16-1-1 Irish as they continued their dominance with shutout wins over Champaign Centennial and a strong Normal U-High squad. In the 5-0 win over the Pioneers, Hogan buried two goals, including one on a penalty kick to help PND pick up the marquee win.
Connor Watson, East Peoria boys golf
Watson dazzled at the Class 2A Champaign Sectional on Oct. 7 with a lights-out round of 66 to finish six under par and win medalist honors. The performance easily secured a return trip to the IHSA Class 2A State Finals. The Raiders’ senior had three birdies to buoy a 34 on the front nine and birdied four more holes en route to a back nine 32.
Jett Benningfield, Princeville football
Benningfield helped the Princes become kings of the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Small conference in a 33-22 win over Class 1A No. 4 Stark County, which kept Princeville undefeated. The Princes receiver had three receptions from quarterback Jake Williams that all resulted in first-half touchdowns while finishing with 71 yards.
Christian Harris, Morton boys cross country
Harris helped Morton to a team title at the Metamora Runnin’ Red Invite on Saturday by leading the Potters with a fifth-place finish of 15:01.30. His time was a personal record for a 2.94 mile course an he’s now finished in the top seven in five out of his six races this year.
Jhon Espinoza, Bloomington boys soccer
Espinoza was responsible for multiple wins on the pitch for Bloomington last week, scoring all of the Purple Raiders’ goals in a 1-0 win over Danville and a 2-1 win over Lincoln. He also tallied another goal in a rematch with Danville on Friday that Bloomington won 3-0.
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