A pair of Mid-Illini athletes won voting in their respective CSM Spring Athletes of the Week Polls with Canton’s Brooklyn Dennis earning CSM Girls Athlete of the Week and Morton’s Christopher Schaff winning CSM Boys Athlete of the Week for the week of March 18-24.
Dennis has helped propel the Little Giants softball team to a hot start after a week where they went 5-1, including four wins at the Southern Warrior Classic in Tennessee. On the other side, the indoor track season came to a close for Schaff and the Potters, but he capped off the season in style at the Illinois Class 2A Top Times Indoor Meet before kicking off the outdoor season.
Check out the full list of nominees here and get to know our Athletes of the Week below!
Dennis won CSM Girls Athlete of the Week with 42 percent of the vote total in the girls poll. The Canton outfielder caught fire in her team’s trip to Tennessee, where they went 4-1 against out-of-state foes. Dennis hit a solo home run in a 5-0 win over Gordonsville on March 23 and a two-run homer in a 9-6 win over Livingston Academy later that day. On March 24, she added on with a 2-run dinger and an RBI double in an 8-5 win over Eastwood. While not included in her weekly total, she added another 3-run shot and an RBI single in a 14-6 triumph over Cornersville on March 25 for good measure. Through Monday, Dennis is hitting. 389 with 10 RBIs, three home runs and a pair of doubles for Canton.
Get to know Dennis in Q and A below:
What are your goals for the season?
“My goals for this season are to stay strong in the batter’s box and in the field. Both of these aspects will help our team goal of being successful!”
What’s your favorite memory of playing your sport?
“My favorite memories are Coach Kelly bringing candy to every game and chatting in the outfield with my friend Allison [Wheeler] when the sun is going down (all talk about the game of course)! [Additionally], any memories with the team as a whole because I love them all.”
If you had a walk-up song, what would it be?
“[My current walk-up song] is ‘They Just Don’t Know’ by Gyft. This should be my walk-up song because the opening lines are “When people see me, they just don’t know” and I am rather short so people assume I’m going to bunt!”
Favorite food?
“Currently, my favorite food is the little chocolate Cadbury eggs but the rest of the time I love bagels!”
What’s on your bucket list?
“To travel out of the country to all seven continents and especially spend time in Italy! Another bucket list item is to one day be independently wealthy.”
Who’s your favorite teacher at school?
“Mrs. Isbell, my chemistry teacher. She is willing to help me get caught up in work that I have fallen behind on from leaving school early. She also is a great person and gets to know her students and what they are involved in.”
Who’s your role model and why?
“My role model would have to be my grandma, Crystal! [She] had a bad stroke almost 10 years ago and has overcome so much since then. I hope to be half as strong as she is!
Schaff won CSM Boys Athlete of the Week with 35 percent of the vote total in the boys poll after a big day at the Illinois Class 2A Top Times Indoor Meet at the Shirk Center in Bloomington. The Morton sprinter won the 200 meters in a personal-best time of 22.64 seconds and joined with Kamden Aberle, Cole Rinkenberger and Nyamedze Maison to take third in the 4x200 meter relay with a time of 1:33.40, less than a second by the winners from Mascoutah. Schaff’s other spring highlights included a strong showing at the Cogdal Relays where he took third in the 60 meters, won the 200 meters and was part of Morton’s winning 4x200 relay team. He also recently won the 60 meters and took third in the long jump at an invite hosted by Mt. Zion.
Schaff had not responded to a Q and A as of Monday afternoon, this story will be updated with responses if they are received.
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