Vote: CSM Fall Athletes of the Week, Nov. 2-8, 2026
A look at the calendar shows it’s mid-November but for Central Illinois high school athletes, it says that it’s time to make history. This week’s Clutch Sports Media Fall Athletes of the Week nominees have done just that and came up big in postseason action.
This week’s nominees include a state champion star in soccer, all-state finishers in boys and girls cross country, football players that helped their teams reach the state quarterfinals and sectional champions in volleyball and girls swimming.
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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 on Friday at 11:59 PM!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Laine Thompson, Normal West volleyball
Thompson led Normal West to winning the Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional with a pair of quality offensive performances. She put up a team-high 16 assists and three aces in a sweep over Centralia on Nov. 3 and led the Wildcats with nine kills and two aces in a sweep over Breese Mater Dei in the sectional championship game on Nov. 5.
Maya Happel, Washington girls swimming
Happel spent her Saturday at the Normal Community Sectional winning and winning often. She led the Panthers to a team sectional title by winning the 100 freestyle (52.16) and 100 breaststroke (1:08.44) and swimming key legs on Washington’s winning 200 free relay (1:39.50) and 400 free relay (3:39.68). Happel qualified for the IHSA State Finals in all four races.
Presley Shanahan, Tri-Valley volleyball
Shanahan’s two double-doubles keyed Tri-Valley to its first sectional crown since 2009. The Vikings’ star had 11 kills, 10 digs and two aces in a Class 2A Pontiac Sectional semifinal win over Coal City on Nov. 3 and grinded out 19 kills, 14 digs and two blocks in a tense three-set win over Eureka in the sectional title match on Nov. 5.
Lorelei Hulsing, Bloomington girls cross country
Hulsing led all area runners at the Class 2A State Finals and led Bloomington to its best state finish in program history on Nov. 7. The sophomore crossed the line in 17:39.3, which marked a new 3-mile personal best and gave her ninth place and all-state honors. Hulsing’s performance aided the Purple Raiders in finishing 11th as a team.
Addi Woertz, Illini Bluffs volleyball
Woertz was at the helm of an intimidating Tigers attack in leading them to a Class 1A Lexington Sectional title. She put down 16 kills to go with seven digs, four aces and three blocks in a sectional semifinal victory over Cissna Park on Nov. 3 and led the way with 13 kills, a trio of aces and a pair of blocks in a victory over Tremont in the sectional title game on Nov. 5.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Laine Thompson, Normal West volleyball
Maya Happel, Washington girls swimming
Presley Shanahan, Tri-Valley volleyball
Lorelei Hulsing, Bloomington girls cross country
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Cal Byrkit, Peoria Notre Dame soccer
Byrkit helped this year’s PND team etch its name into history with goals in his final three games to lead the Irish to a Class 2A state championship. The senior midfielder scored PND’s first goal of the game in a 2-1 win over Lemont in the Class 2A Hinsdale South Super-Sectional on Nov. 2, then scored the lone goals in both of the Irish’s 1-0 state wins over Glenbard South and Crystal Lake South. Both of his goals at state were scored late in the second half.
Malakai Kinsey, Normal Community football
Kinsey did what his team needed and found the end zone with regularity in Normal Community’s 49-48 Class 7A second round win over Chicago Kenwood on Nov. 7. Kinsey ran for four touchdowns on 13 carries, scoring a 9-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, a 1-yard touchdown in the third, a 25-yard touchdown run in the fourth and a 5-yard touchdown in overtime that tied the game at 48-48 before Adler Jimenez’s game-winning extra point.
Cole Cahill, Elmwood/Brimfield boys cross country
Cahill led Elmwood/Brimfield to a Class 1A State Title on Nov. 7, the Trojans’ ninth state championship in team history. The sophomore nabbed all-state honors as he put up a time of 14:59.7 to take 13th place.
Nate Godfrey, Heyworth football
Godfrey headlined a dominant ground game in a historic victory for Heyworth as the Hornets clinched their first state quarterfinal berth in team history with a 45-7 win over Fisher. Godfrey led the way with 14 carries for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
Ben Gorsage, Washington boys cross country
Gorsage put up a lightning-quick time in his best finish in four trips to the IHSA State Finals in cross country. The Panthers senior crossed the line in 14:20.2, which was the 13th-fastest time in Class 2A state meet history and was good enough for fourth place and all-state honors. Gorsage’s performance helped the Panthers finish 15th as a team.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Cal Byrkit, Peoria Notre Dame boys soccer
Malakai Kinsey, Normal Community football
Cole Cahill, Elmwood/Brimfield boys cross country
Nate Godfrey, Heyworth football
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