Delavan’s Green, Brimfield/Elmwood’s Legaspi win CSM Spring Athletes of the Week

Two small-school underclassmen stars ended their respective spring seasons with a bang and won the latest CSM Spring Athletes of the Week honors in the process.

Delavan’s Corie Green and Brimfield/Elmwood’s Reese Legaspi received the most votes out of crowded polls filled with strong postseason performers. Green won a state championship on Eastern Illinois’ blue track oval and broke a school drought lasting over a century. Legaspi was a key factor behind Brimfield/Elmwood softball winning its first sectional title since 2015. 

Read more about our winners and their standout performances and get to know them in Q and A’s below:

Green won CSM Boys Athlete of the Week after receiving 50 percent of the votes in the boys poll. The Delavan sophomore won the Class 1A state title in the 800 meters with a personal-best time of 1:55.46, becoming the first Panthers’ boys individual to win a state crown in 106 years. In the prelims, Green also ran the fastest time with a 1:55.86 and he was part of Delavan’s 4x400 that finished 22nd at state. Green’s busy spring also included being on the baseball team, where he hit .250 with seven RBIs and struck out 23 batters in 19 innings. 

Get to know Green in a Q and A here: 

What’s been your favorite memory of the season?

“I would say that my favorite memory this year would be winning the 800 at state.”

If you had to be stranded on an island with a teammate, who would it be and why?

“If I were to be stuck on an island, I would wanna be stuck with Lyndon Miller because he is our thrower just in case there are animals chasing us.”

Favorite music artist?

“George Strait.”

Favorite food?

“[Buffalo Wild Wings] honey barbecue wings.”

Do you have any pregame routines/rituals?

“A pregame routine for any of my sports would be to pray.”

Who’s your favorite college or professional athlete?

“As a baseball player also, my favorite professional athlete would be Anthony Rizzo.”

Do you have any hidden talents?

“My hidden talent would be my dance in my school carnival.”

Who’s your role model and why?

“My role model would be my dad because he has always been there for me for all of my sports and activities through my life and taught me most of what I know.”

Legaspi won CSM Girls Athlete of the Week after receiving 41 percent of the votes in the girls poll. The Brimfield/Elmwood freshman catcher hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the ninth inning of a sectional semifinal game against Canton on May 27. She helped the Indians win a sectional title on May 30, driving in a run in a 4-1 win over Peru St. Bede and added an RBI double in B/E’s 4-3 loss to Beecher in the Class 2A super-sectionals on June 3.

Get to know Legaspi in a Q and A here: 

What’s been your favorite memory of the season?

“When I hit my game-winning homerun against Canton in the sectional semifinal game.”

If you had to be stranded on an island with a teammate, who would it be and why?

“If I was stranded on an island with a teammate I would choose Sawyer Drury. I feel like we’d both turn it into a funny situation and she would keep the mood light hearted. Sawyer and me have a great pitcher-catcher relationship so I think we’d have a great time on an island together.”

Favorite music artist?

“Ole 60.”

Favorite food?

“Tacos.”

Do you have any pregame routines/rituals?

“In pregame, my throwing partner, Teagan Drury and I will play catch and then walk the ball in to each other and I’ll throw her the ball behind my back and then she will throw it to me under her leg and then we high five. We’ve been doing this together since 8th grade.”

Who’s your favorite college or professional athlete?

“My favorite college athlete right now is Mia Scott.”

Do you have any hidden talents?

“Unfortunately no hidden talents.”

Who’s your role model and why?

“My role model is my dad because he supports me and my siblings in everything we do. He also is always up to help me get better in my sport and pushes me to work hard to achieve what I want. I know I can always count on him to help me navigate life.”