The final crop of nominees for CSM Fall Athletes of the Week Presented by Dominos are here, with all of them helping their teams finish among the top few in the state.
Leading the way are a trio of volleyball standouts that shined at the IHSA State Finals, alongside a quartet of football players that put up big numbers in quarterfinal games on Saturday, plus one of the area’s most decorated swimmers.
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UPDATE: Bloomington Central Catholic's Kampbell Niepagen and Farmington's Logan Utt won CSM Fall Athletes of the Week Presented by Dominos. Voting concluded at 11:59 PM Friday.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Taylor Langland, El Paso-Gridley volleyball
Langland helped El Paso-Gridley’s attack run at the IHSA State Finals as the Titans finished fourth in Class 2A. The junior setter had 13 assists in EPG’s semifinal game against Breese Mater Dei, then improved upon it with 14 assists and three kills in the Titans’ third-place game.
Kampbell Niepagen, Bloomington Central Catholic volleyball
Niepagen left it all out on the court with multiple huge games that helped BCC finish as the Class 2A state runner-up. The sophomore outside hitter led the Saints with 13 of the team’s 24 kills in a semifinal victory over Elmhurst Timothy Christian, along with two aces. She increased her output with 18 kills, four digs and two blocks in a hard-fought state title game against Breese Mater Dei.
Mia Lamberti, Limestone volleyball
Lamberti was all over the place for Limestone at the IHSA State Finals, leading the Rockets to finishing second in Class 3A. The sophomore led her team with 15 kills, five assists and five digs in a two-set sweep over Prairie Ridge in the semifinals, then posted a double-double of 16 kills, 14 assists and six digs in the state championship game against Mahomet-Seymour.
Amelia Heinze, Washington girls swimming
Heinze finished out a strong career with by adding more state medals to her collection at the IHSA State Meet in girls swimming. Heinze, who competed in the Athletes With Disabilities division took home second place in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke and third place in both the 100 and 200-yard freestyles.
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Calen Taylor, Normal Community football
Taylor put the entire state on notice with a monster performance in Normal Community’s narrow Class 7A quarterfinal loss to top-ranked Chicago Mt. Carmel. The senior running back, who garnered IHSFCA all-state and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors, totaled four touchdowns and well over 200 total yards. He scored on runs of eight and 62 yards, as well as passes of 53 and five yards.
Logan Utt, Farmington football
Utt got his due as he helped lead Farmington to its first state semifinal appearance in a blowout quarterfinal win over Dwight/Gardner/South Wilmington. Utt ran 18 times for 128 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, helping Farmington build an early lead that it never relinquished.
Cole Matejka, Normal U-High football
Matejka has been no stranger to big games in his senior season and had another big one on defense to limit Cahokia to just two scores in a 31-12 quarterfinal win in Class 4A. The Pioneers’ senior defensive end finished with nine tackles and two sacks, with four of those tackles going for loss.
TQ Webb, Peoria High football
Despite a loss to Joliet Catholic Academy in the Class 5A quarterfinals, Webb’s curtain call was one to remember. The senior wide receiver was the top target for quarterback Breon Green, finishing with over 100 receiving yards.
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