Vote: CSM Fall Athletes of the Week, Aug. 17-23, 2026
- Clutch Sports Staff
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The first full week of the 2026-27 IHSA sports season brought out some of the best football and golf stars in Central Illinois.
Many of those players are nominees for Clutch Sports Media’s first CSM Fall Athletes of the Week of the year, including record holders and Big 12 quarterbacks on the gridiron and consistently strong performers on the golf course.
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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 11:59 PM on Thursday!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
RJ Jackson, East Peoria football
Jackson etched his name in the East Peoria record books as the school’s all-time rushing leader. The senior ran for 269 yards and five touchdowns in the Raiders’ 55-30 win over Springfield Southeast and now has 2,539 rushing yards for his career. Jackson is also one the doorstep of breaking East Peoria’s touchdown record and needs two touchdowns to break it.
Carter Senko, Fieldcrest boys golf
Senko put up four outstanding performances to lead Fieldcrest to multiple victories and strong finishes throughout the week. He shot a 71 to earn medalist honors and lead his team to winning the Midland Invitational on Aug. 17. The next day, he also was the medalist with a 72 at the Peru St. Bede Tee-Off Classic. His 36 was the low score and helped the Knights win a dual against Roanoke-Benson on Aug. 20 and he led his team to shoot a scramble score of 59 and take second at the Putnam County Scramble on Aug. 22.
Eli Carder, Richwoods football
Carder played a starring role to lead Richwoods to a 48-30 win over Peoria High, its first win over the Lions since 2017. He threw for 350 yards and four touchdowns and involved many different receivers, including Josh Taylor who caught two of the touchdowns. Carder’s passing touchdowns helped the Knights to stay in front the whole game.
Shane Cunningham, Richwoods boys golf
Cunningham’s strong week was highlighted by winning Peoria Notre Dame’s Mickey Schallau Invite on Aug. 17 after shooting a 67 and winning a three-way playoff against Dunlap’s Nolan Eccles and Normal U-High’s Jack Quinn. Cunningham recorded six birdies in 18 holes to help him shoot his career-low score and added another birdie to win the playoff. He also shot a 68 to finish in a tie for third at Bloomington’s Mia Memorial Classic on Aug. 19 and teamed with Colin Cunningham to shoot a 74 and lead the Knights at the East Peoria Raider Cup on Aug. 20.
Lucas Beaty, Normal Community football
Beaty engineered a standout performance to lead Normal Community to a 47-4 win over Bloomington. The senior signal caller went 15-for-19 with 308 passing yards and four touchdowns with two going to Lincoln Hoover and one apiece to Luke Potts and Jackson Masters. Beaty also rushed for 33 yards and an additional touchdown.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
RJ Jackson, East Peoria football
Carter Senko, Fieldcrest boys golf
Eli Carder, Richwoods football
Shane Cunningham, Richwoods boys golf
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Cate Cummings, Pekin girls golf
Cummings showed she’s taken the next step during the first full week of the season as she won two events, including the Alleman/Rock Island Blast Off tournament on Aug. 22. Cummings shot a 76 to lead the Dragons to victory and also led them with a 45 to win a tri-meet over Richwoods and Galesburg on Aug. 20.
Sydney Hunt, Dunlap girls golf
Hunt came out on top in a strong field of golfers at the Metamora Redbird Classic as she fired a two-under-par 69 to win the event at Metamora Fields on Aug. 19. Hunt’s round featured five birdies and helped Dunlap win the event by 23 strokes. Hunt also teamed with teammate Isabelle Howard to shoot a 74 at the Bloomington Better Ball Invite and help Dunlap win the title while finishing second individually.
Hadley Hitt, Normal U-High girls golf
Hitt helped lead Normal U-High to several good performances, including tying for fifth at the Rochester Invitational on Aug. 22. Her efforts helped the Pioneers place second. Hitt also teamed with her sister, Audrey Hitt, to win the Bloomington Better Ball Invite with a 73 on Aug. 21 and help Normal U-High take second as a team. Hitt also helped her team tie for first at the Lincoln Scramble on Aug. 17.
Caroline Braucht, Bloomington Central Catholic girls golf
Braucht remained in strong form to start the season as she placed second at the Metamora Redbird Classic with a three-over round of 74. The Saints finished fifth in the 15-team field. Braucht also played on a team with her sister, Sydney Braucht, at the Bloomington Better Ball Invite on Aug. 21 as they shot a 78 to place third.
Elle Filarski, Tri-Valley girls golf
Filarski cruised to a pair of victories, beginning with a dual win over Heyworth on Aug. 18 where she shot a 42 to earn medalist honors. The next day, she led the Vikings to a 38-shot victory at a tri-meet over Fieldcrest and El Paso-Gridley by carding a 41.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Cate Cummings, Pekin girls golf
Sydney Hunt girls golf
Hadley Hitt, Normal U-High girls golf
Caroline Braucht, Bloomington Central Catholic girls golf
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