A quartet of basketball standouts from Peoria, a pair of girls basketball stars in Bloomington, and first-place winners in wrestling and boys swimming headline a stacked lineup for nominees for CSM Winter Athletes of the Week.
From Jan. 13 to Jan. 19, this week’s nominees helped lead their teams to quality wins, conference championships and tournament titles and were consistent throughout their performances.
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Take a look at all of the nominees with information on their big performances, vote for who you think should win and spread the word to vote before polls close at 12 PM on Thursday! There are polls for CSM Boys Athlete of the Week and CSM Girls Athlete of the Week.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Julia Mingus, Peoria Notre Dame girls basketball
Mingus could not be stopped as the Irish won two games last week by hefty margins, beating Elmwood and Richwoods. The senior guard and University of Illinois-Springfield commit finished with 16 points in a 65-25 win over the Trojans on Jan. 13 and used a plethora of 3’s to put up 25 in a 69-36 win over the rival Knights on Jan. 16.
Kinnley Smith, Canton girls wrestling
Smith has made her mark as a state title contender this season and advanced to 35-3 on the year by winning the 130-pound bracket at the Canton Girls Wrestling Invitational. She pinned opponents from Erie and Chatham Glenwood before dominating against Springfield’s Ariella Miloncus in a 17-1 technical fall in the championship match.
Mya Edwards, Eureka girls basketball
Edwards was a central piece to a trio of key conference wins for the Hornets last week, including 59-50 victory over Tri-Valley where she totaled 21 points. The star sophomore also crossed the 20-point threshold with a 22-point outing in a 61-24 win over LeRoy on Jan. 13 and gave out 17 points as Eureka beat Lexington 59-38 in the first round of the Heart of Illinois Conference Tournament on Jan. 18.
Emme Hurie, Bloomington Central Catholic girls basketball
Hurie was instrumental in multiple ways for the Saints as they picked up two conference wins last week. One was especially important, as Hurie dropped 25 points, 10 rebounds and six steals as BCC beat IVC 59-49 on Jan. 13 to hand the Grey Ghosts their first conference loss. She added 10 rebounds, eight points and five assists as the Saints demolished Champaign St. Thomas More 64-22 on Jan. 16.
Madison Embry, Bloomington girls basketball
Embry was one of multiple key players to help Bloomington go on a hot streak last week with three wins. The junior center led the way with 19 points in a 60-34 win against Springfield Lanphier on Jan. 14 and stacked on performances of 13 points and 14 points in sizable wins over Danville and Jacksonville, respectively.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Julia Mingus, Peoria Notre Dame girls basketball
Kinnley Smith, Canton girls wrestling
Mya Edwards, Eureka girls basketball
Emme Hurie, Bloomington Central Catholic girls basketball
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Gavin Walder, Peoria Christian boys basketball
Walder was arguably Peoria Christian's most valuable player during its run to winning the Inter-County Tournament title. The do-it-all guard was lights-out with 28 points and five rebounds in an 82-52 win over Elmwood in the semifinals on Jan. 16. He led the way again with 21 points and five boards as the Chargers beat Illini Bluffs 68-41 in the championship game on Jan. 18.
Landon Boerke, Washington boys swimming
Boerke and the Panthers had a strong week in the pool, winning a pair of tri-meets. The Panther’s senior won the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle while also helping Washington win the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay against Bloomington Central Catholic and Normal Community on Jan. 14. In a dual meet victory against Richwoods on Jan. 16, he later won two different events – the 100-yard breaststroke and butterfly – and swam in the Panthers’ winning 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay teams.
Jack Wilderman, Peoria Notre Dame boys basketball
Wilderman has significantly helped Peoria Notre Dame get hot, as he starred with 25 points in a clutch 44-43 victory over Normal U-High on Jan. 18. Just one day earlier, he had 22 tallies as PND picked up its first Big 12 victory, a 56-48 win over Danville. Wilderman added another game in double figures with 11 in a 50-33 loss to Manual on Jan. 14.
Gabe Martinez, Richwoods boys wrestling
Martinez was one of multiple winners for Richwoods as the Knights won the title at the Normal U-High Invitational on Jan. 18. He had a quick pin in the quarterfinals before prevailing in a 17-1 technical fall in the semifinals. After five minutes in the championship match, he pinned Springfield Lanphier’s Jaylen Crowder to take home first place.
Leshawn Stowers, Peoria High boys basketball
One of Central Illinois’ biggest Mr. Basketball candidates shone brightly for the Lions last week, leading his team with 22 points in a 55-42 win over fellow state-ranked team Metamora on Jan. 14. The Miami (Ohio) signee again led Peoria with 19 in a 64-49 win over Richwoods on Jan. 17 and poured in 22 as the Lions fell by one point to Wisconsin powerhouse Milwaukee Academy of Science on Jan. 18.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Gavin Walder, Peoria Christian boys basketball
Landon Boerke, Washington boys swimming
Jack Wilderman, Peoria Notre Dame boys basketball
Gabe Martinez, Richwoods boys wrestling