Two high school athletes in Central Illinois will gain an extra Christmas present this week as they’ll be voted as Clutch Sports Media Winter Athletes of the Week. Who they’ll be, however, is up to you.
This week’s nominees include boys and girls basketball players who consistently led their team to wins in busy weeks, wrestlers who took home titles at some of the state’s biggest events of the weekend, and a swimmer who was blazing fast in the pool.
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Check out our nominees and the information on their performances below, vote for who you think should win and spread the word to vote before polls close at 12 PM on Thursday!
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Cameron Johnson, Normal U-High boys basketball
Johnson led the Pioneers in scoring in all three of their games last week, including a 45-44 win in overtime over St. Joseph-Ogden on Dec. 20. The Normal U-High junior dropped 19 in the win over the Illini Prairie frontrunner and scored 23 in a 60-50 win over Prairie Central on Dec. 17. Johnson ended his week with a team-high 18 points in a 60-46 loss to Decatur Macarthur on Dec. 21.
Caden Correll, Normal Community boys wrestling
Correll had an impressive weekend at the Al Dvorak Invitational at Machesney Park Harlem, overcoming some of the state’s top opponents to win the 113-pound bracket and move to 19-0 on the season. Correll started off with 21-5 technical fall wins over opponents from Marshfield (WI) and Lockport. After a win by medical forfeit in the semifinals, Correll beat Lombard Montini’s Allen Woo in a 7-3 decision in the championship match.
Cole DuBois, East Peoria boys basketball
DuBois had three big games for East Peoria last week, headlined by a 25-point, eight-rebound stat line in a 50-42 win over Streator on Dec. 21. The sophomore’s 17 points were instrumental in the Raiders defeating Washington 54-46 in a Mid-Illini Conference game on Dec. 20 and he added 11 in a loss to Dunlap on Dec. 17.
Skylar Maere, Normal West boys swimming
Maere was one of Normal West’s best swimmers at the Bloomington Raider Invite, where the Wildcats took first place as a team. Maere led Normal West’s 400 yard freestyle and 200 yard medley relay teams which both took first place. Individually, he took second place in the 200 yard IM in 2:07.89 and third place in the 100 yard freestyle in 50.16.
Gavin Walder, Peoria Christian boys basketball
Walder has been an every-game scoring threat for Peoria Christian, who won three games last week to move to 10-3 on the season. He led the Chargers with 19 points in a 59-28 win over Inter-County foe Delavan on Dec. 17, following it up with 15 points in another ICAC win over North Fulton on Dec. 20. Walder saved his best game of the week for last, sinking six 3-pointers and finishing with 22 points in a 67-36 win over Seneca at the Eureka Shootout.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Cameron Johnson, Normal U-High boys basketball
Caden Correll, Normal Community boys wrestling
Cole DuBois, East Peoria boys basketball
Skylar Maere, Normal West boys swimming
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Kyra Denning, Heyworth girls basketball
Denning earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Heyworth Holiday Tournament, where the Hornets took second place, and finished the week with four outings of 20 or more points. Denning scored 22 in a 51-34 loss to Fieldcrest on Dec. 16 and tallied 28 in a 59-34 victory over Normal Calvary Christian in the first round of the tournament. Her 24 points helped Heyworth beat Brimfield in the semifinals and she dominated the scoring for the Hornets with 22 points in a loss to Eureka in the championship game.
Mazzy O’Brien, Washington girls basketball
O’Brien averaged over 16 points per game last week as Washington moved to a perfect 13-0 on the season. The junior sharpshooter finished with 11 points in the Panthers’ well-balanced scoring effort which led to a 62-31 win over Normal Community to start the week. She led the team with 15 points to go with eight rebounds in a 60-38 victory over Limestone on Dec. 17 and by scoring 23 in a 69-39 win over East Peoria on Dec. 21.
Emerson Eeten, Illini Bluffs girls basketball
The Illini Bluffs freshman played like a veteran in a busy week where the Tigers went 4-1. Eeten poured in a team-high 22 points in a win over Ridgewood on Dec. 16, then scored a combined 21 points between two victories at the Monmouth United Holiday Tournament on Dec. 17. She led the Tigers with 11 tallies in a 32-27 loss to Monmouth United on Dec. 19, then finished the week with 16 points in a 45-35 win over Princeville on Dec. 21.
Tessa Donaldson, Pekin girls wrestling
Donaldson kept her pristine record intact at Springfield’s Joe Bee Memorial Invite on Dec. 21, winning the 110-pound bracket to move to 10-0 on the year. The Dragons’ junior pinned opponents from Mahomet-Seymour and Troy Triad both in under 90 seconds to advance to the semifinals, where she pinned LaSalle-Peru’s Sarah Lowery. Donaldson finished off the title with a pin of Hazelwood West’s Vanessa McDaniel.
Rianna Foster, IVC girls basketball
Foster was a consistent presence for IVC, which has put up a strong 9-3 record so far, in the Grey Ghost’s trip to the Ottawa Holiday Tournament. The sophomore’s 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists helped them beat Joliet Catholic Academy 58-36 in pool play and matching performances of 13 points and six steals were crucial in wins over LaSalle-Peru and Pontiac as IVC finished the tournament in fifth.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Kyra Denning, Heyworth girls basketball
Mazzy O'Brien, Washington girls basketball
Emerson Eeten, Illini Bluffs girls basketball
Tessa Donaldson, Pekin girls wrestling
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