The last crop of nominees for CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, presented by Dominos, laid it all out on the line for their teams as their seasons wrapped up.
This week’s group of nominees include athletes who continued to light it up in games at state and the top performers from sectional and super-sectional games in baseball, softball and boys lacrosse.
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The following athletes are our nominees for CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, presented by Dominos, with information on their standout performances below. There are polls for CSM Boys Athlete of the Week and Girls Athlete of the Week.
UPDATE: Ethan Eberle of Normal Community and Sara Finn of Illini Bluffs won CSM Athletes of the Week after earning the most votes in their respective polls. Voting closed at 8 PM on Thursday.
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Jaxson Tresenriter, Dunlap baseball
Tresenriter did his best to continue a late rally, driving in a run for Dunlap in the seventh inning of its 3-1 sectional semifinal loss to Joliet Catholic Academy on Wednesday. The Eagles’ designated hitter went 2-for-4 in the game and stole a base as well.
Ethan Eberle, Normal Community baseball
Eberle turned in a fine outing on the mound against Bradley-Bourbonnais in the Ironmen’s Class 4A sectional semifinal defeat on Wednesday. The Louisville commit struck out 12 and didn’t allow a walk in a complete game, throwing 75 of his 104 pitches for strikes.
Kainon McQueary, Washington boys lacrosse
McQueary finished off a season where he earned first team all-South Suburban Conference honors with two goals in the Panthers’ super-sectional defeat to Chicago St. Ignatius. The senior attacker led Washington with 75 goals on the season, while also tallying 11 assists as the Panthers became the first boys lacrosse team outside of the Chicagoland area to win a sectional championship.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Ava LaFollette, Peoria Notre Dame girls soccer
LaFollette ensured that PND ended its record-breaking season with another win, scoring twice in the Irish’s 3-1 win over Burlington Central in the Class 2A third-place game. Both of the sophomore’s goals were unassisted, with her first in the 23rd minute giving PND a 1-0 lead and the second coming in the 69th minute to put her team ahead 3-1. LaFollette finished her season scoring nearly one goal per game, netting a team-high 26 goals as the Irish set a team record for wins by going 25-2-1.
Sara Finn, Illini Bluffs softball
Finn never stopped hitting for Illini Bluffs as it made a fifth straight appearance in the Class 1A State Title game. The Tigers needed Finn to get to that point, as she hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning of Monday’s super-sectional game against Carrollton, which was the difference-maker in a 2-1 victory. She then helped lead Illini Bluffs in its 3-0 state semifinal win over Campbell Hill Trico, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and led off Saturday’s state title game against Ridgewood by blasting a solo home run to right for her team-leading 12th round-tripper of the season.
Ellie Schaffer, Metamora softball
Schaffer helped the Redbirds reach their third straight sectional title game in a row as they beat Washington 5-1 in the sectional semifinals on Wednesday. Schaffer drove in a team-high two runs in the win, both of which came on a home run to center field in the fifth inning. The home run was the first of Schaffer’s career at any level. While she was held hitless in Metamora’s sectional title loss to Pontiac on Friday, she made multiple impressive catches in center field to take away multiple hits from the Indians.
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