IVC’s Boze, Metamora’s Sopko win CSM Spring Athletes of the Week

The latest Clutch Sports Media Spring Athletes of the Week winners have helped their teams to impressive starts to the season and had unforgettable performances.

Joharah Boze of IVC softball and Tommy Sopko of Metamora tennis won the honors for the week of March 23-29 after receiving the most votes in their respective polls. Boze slugged multiple home runs and drove in nearly two handfuls of runs throughout the week while Sopko hit a big career milestone and led Metamora to a runner-up finish in a competitive home tournament.

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

Boze won CSM Girls Athlete of the Week after receiving 53 percent of the votes in the boys poll. The IVC shortstop had a monstrous performance on March 24 against Streator, going 5-for-5 with two home runs, a double and eight RBIs in a 21-1 victory. She also contributed heavily to an Illini Prairie Conference win over St. Joseph-Ogden on March 28, going 3-for-4 with a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth inning of a 9-7 win. So far this season, Boze is hitting .485 with 17 RBIs, five home runs and four doubles to help the Grey Ghosts to an 8-3 start.

Get to know Boze in a Q and A here: 

What’s been your favorite memory of your high school career so far? 

“Hitting my first grand slam against PBL my freshman year.”

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

“Mack Barton because we laugh a lot together so we wouldn’t look at it as a bad thing, it would just be a joke. We would probably die on the island because we can’t figure out how to get off.”

Favorite music artist?

“Don Toliver.”

Favorite food?

“Chicken enchiladas.”

Do you have any pregame routines/rituals?

“I always take a moment and think about everything my dad has told me about hitting and try using that information in a game.”

What’s one thing that’s on your bucket list?

“Go D1.”

Who’s your role model and why?

“For me, that is a tough question because I wouldn't be playing this sport or know a lot about this sport if it wasn't for my mom, dad, and my sister. My sister Shylar has always been the person I look up to. When I was little, I would always want to be as good and as strong as her. My mom has always taken time out of her day to drive me to the games, pitch to me before/after practice, and always the loudest in the crowd to cheer for me. Now my dad, [he] has been my coach on and off the field, whenever I step on that field I look for him in the crowd, whenever I get out I look for him to tell me what to different the next at-bat, my dad gives me new knowledge everyday about this sport that I can use to get better. Those three are my role models on and off the field.”

Sopko won CSM Boys Athlete of the Week after receiving 28 percent of the votes in the boys poll. The Metamora standout won his 100th career match last week during a 7-1 Redbirds win over Quincy on March 27. There, Sopko won in singles and in doubles with his teammate Weston Lange. The following day, he led Metamora to a runner-up finish at its Red and White Invite by winning matches against Chatham Glenwood and Belleville East. Sopko has led the Redbirds to a strong 7-1 record so far this season. 

Get to know Sopko in a Q and A here:

What’s been your favorite memory of your high school career so far? 

“My favorite memory from high school tennis has to be the overnight trips that we take on weekends as a team. We always play games like Quiplash or poker, and I have a great group of teammates and friends to spend that time with.”

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

“If I had to be stranded on an island with a teammate, I would choose Weston Lange. He is the most survivalist of anyone on the team, and I could trust him to find food.”

Favorite music artist?

“I do not have a favorite artist.”

Favorite food?

“My favorite food is the hibachi fried rice.”

Do you have any pregame routines/rituals?

“At Metamora, we will make a circle with our racquets on the court before every stretch. It’s always important that we get the best circle. We also sometimes do the LeBron pregame toss for fun.”

What’s one thing that’s on your bucket list?

“One thing I would want to cross off of my bucket list is to watch the Wimbledon finals in person.”

Who’s your role model and why?

“My role models are all the great players that have come before me at Metamora tennis. We have a fence filled with signs [of] all of the sectional champions and all-state players. Knowing how much hard work they put in to accomplish what they were able to achieve, really is great motivation for me as well as a standard set in the program.”