The second half of the regular season is officially underway for basketball, wrestling and swim teams across Central Illinois. 10 athletes that helped their teams pick up momentum because of their big performances earned nominations for CSM Winter Athletes of the Week.
This week’s nominees include an eye-popping performer in girls basketball, one of several boys basketball players to recently hit 1,000 career points, tournament winners in wrestling and more.
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Check out all of our nominees with information on their standout 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
Jack Blunier, Eureka boys basketball
Blunier has been one of many to carry the load for the Hornets this season but he was especially consistent in a 3-game stretch last week. He led Eureka with 15 points and six rebounds in a loss to Flanagan-Cornell on Tuesday but a 20-point, seven-rebound outing in a 59-42 win against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley helped get his team back in the win column. He rounded out his week by scoring 11 and grabbing seven boards in a tough loss to Rochester on Jan. 11.
Devon White, Illini Bluffs boys basketball
White was one of two Illini Bluffs players to reach 1,000 career points last week alongside Toby Cooper. The senior guard dropped a team-high 19 in a 54-29 romp over Peoria Heights on Jan. 7 and scored 16 in a clutch performance against Athens, where the Tigers won 66-63 in double overtime on Jan. 11.
Cooper Franz, Normal West boys swimming
Franz’s efforts helped Normal West finish second at the Normal Community Iron Invite on Jan. 11, where the Wildcats were barely edged out by Galesburg 380-362 for first place. Franz tied for the most wins of any swimmer at the meet, winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1:51.85 and swimming legs on the Wildcat’s 200 medley relay and 400 free relay that both took first place. The sophomore finished second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.64.
Tucker Sennett, Princeville boys basketball
Princeville’s senior sharpshooter was on point in a pair of games last week to help the Princes move to 13-3 and extend their win streak to nine. Sennett could hardly miss in a 68-38 win over ROWVA/Williamsfield on Jan. 7, scoring 25 with four 3-pointers. He added 10 points in a 69-34 victory over Ridgewood on Jan. 10 with two more triples.
Ryden Barker, El Paso-Gridley boys wrestling
Barker showed out at the Prairie Central Hawk Classic and helped the Titans finish second and the 18-team meet by winning the 215-pound bracket. Barker won all four of his matches by way of pins and advanced to 28-3 on the season with a pin of Peoria Notre Dame’s Joe Culp in the championship match.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Jack Blunier, Eureka boys basketball
Devon White, Illini Bluffs boys basketball
Cooper Franz, Normal West boys swimming
Tucker Sennett, Princeville boys basketball
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Dalia DeJesus, Dee-Mack girls basketball
DeJesus put up a generational stat line in a pair of wins last week to help Dee-Mack move to 15-2. The junior star finished with 50 points in a 59-57 win over rival Tremont on Jan. 9, scoring 25 points in each half. Earlier in the week, she went off for 30 points in a 52-33 conference win against Heyworth.
Alivia Vaughan, Metamora girls basketball
Vaughan’s strong play has boosted Metamora right into the thick of the Mid-Illini Conference race with wins over Limestone and East Peoria last week. The Redbirds’ guard had a team-high 14 points in a 56-44 win over the Rockets on Jan. 7 and her 20 points were a big difference-maker in a 61-48 victory over the Raiders on Jan. 10
Paige Selke, Morton girls basketball
Selke helped the Potters score two key wins last week as they stayed undefeated in conference play. The sophomore led Morton in scoring in both wins, finishing with 19 in an 81-60 win over East Peoria on Jan. 7 and adding 17 in a 50-46 grind-it-out victory over Dunlap on Jan. 10.
Hailey Watson, Normal U-High girls wrestling
Watson was the 106-pound champion at Springfield’s Jeff Gardner Memorial Invite on Jan. 11, giving the Pioneers 16 of their 23 total points in their fifth-place finish. Watson pinned opponents from Hillsboro and Springfield before pinning Virden North Mac’s Constance Brand in 1:11 in the championship match.
Keniya Todd, Dunlap girls basketball
Despite a pair of losses last week, Todd continued to shine bright for the Eagles in her freshman season. She did it all with 14 points and 10 rebounds in a narrow 50-46 loss to Morton on Jan. 10 and led Dunlap with 19 tallies as the Eagles gave undefeated Washington a run for its money in a 57-52 loss on Jan. 7.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Dalia DeJesus, Dee-Mack girls basketball
Alivia Vaughan, Metamora girls basketball
Paige Selke, Morton girls basketball
Hailey Watson, Normal U-High girls wrestling