The fall sports season is beginning to wind down, meaning that many teams’ seasons and athlete’s high school careers are coming to an end. However, many of them are either still playing deep into the postseason or finished their high school playing days in style and have earned nominations for CSM Fall Athletes of the Week Presented by Dominos.
This week’s nominees include a state champion soccer hero, multiple top runners from the IHSA State Finals in cross country, star running backs in football and more. There are polls for Boys Athlete of the Week and Girls Athlete of the Week.
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UPDATE: Metamora's Zach Born and Washington's Jessica Hermann won CSM Fall Athletes of the Week Presented by Dominos. Voting closed at 11:59 PM on Friday.
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Calen Taylor, Normal Community football
Taylor was the engine to Normal Community’s offense in a 52-49 back-and-forth win over Prospect in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs on Nov. 8. The Ironmen running back finished with 23 carries, 242 yards and five touchdowns, including the game-winning score with under two minutes to play. He scored Normal Community’s first two touchdowns of the game, ran for a 74-yard score to start the second half and found the end zone from four yards out just minutes later.
Zach Born, Metamora boys cross country
Born was the highest-finishing area racer at the Class 2A State Finals at Detweiller Park, running the course in a personal-best time of 14:42.70 to pick up a state medal. Born’s efforts helped the Redbirds finish 15th as a team.
Noah Molitor, Normal U-High boys soccer
The Normal U-High star finished his high school career in the best way possible, leading the Pioneers to a Class 1A State Title and scoring all four of their goals in their two games at state. Molitor’s strike early in the second half gave Normal U-High the only goal it needed in a 1-0 victory over Mendota in the state semifinals. His last game in a Pioneers uniform featured a hat trick in their 3-0 win over Cristo Rey Jesuit in the state title game, including a penalty kick goal and another goal early in the second half and his third in the 67th minute for his 48th goal of the season.
Jaiduan Cranford, Metamora football
Cranford electrified the Metamora offense in a second-round loss in the Class 5A playoffs to Chicago Morgan Park. The junior running back had touchdown runs of 55 and 53 yards, plus a 34-yard screen pass that he took for a touchdown on a fourth down. He finished with 15 carries for 119 yards and three receptions for 33 yards.
Aiden Faulkner, Elmwood/Brimfield boys cross country
Faulkner led the Trojans to a state runner-up finish at the Class 1A State Finals at Detweiller Park, finishing 25th in a time of 15:19.06. His time was the fastest of any Elmwood/Brimfield runners and was a a personal best for the junior.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Ellie Rink, Normal West volleyball
Rink was in a familiar spot as Normal West’s offensive and defensive leader in the Wildcats’ Class 4A sectional title victory on home court. The senior had 16 kills and 14 digs as Normal West bea O’Fallon in three sets for the sectional crown. She added a team-high 13 kills and 13 digs in Normal West’s sweep over rival Normal Community in the sectional semifinals on Nov. 5.
Meghan Zopel, Peoria Notre Dame cross country
Zopel finished off a stellar senior year by leading the Irish to a sixth-place finish at the Class 1A State Finals on Saturday. Zopel ran a personal-record time of 17:56.00, which was three seconds faster than her previous best, to finish 25th individually.
Jessica Hermann, Washington girls swimming
Hermann was a key factor in Washington’s Normal West sectional title on Nov. 10, qualifying for the IHSA State Finals in multiple events. Hermann was a sectional champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing in 1:10.50 and helped the Panthers to winning the 200-yard medley relay alongside Finley Smith, Madelyn Parrott and Maya Happel.
Ella Karmenzind, Limestone volleyball
Karmenzind came up clutch for Limestone as the Rockets won the Class 3A Ottawa Sectional title, which led to their first state berth in program history. Last week, the Rockets’ senior middle hitter tallied eight kills, five digs and a block in their three-set sectional championship win over Geneseo and added five kills and a trio of digs in a sweep over Dixon in the sectional semifinals.
Zoe Carter, Normal U-High girls cross country
Carter was the highest-finishing area runner – boys or girls and regardless of class – at the Class 2A State Finals, placing third. The senior ran the course in 16:49.5, just two-tenths of a second off her personal best and helped the Pioneers finish seventh as a team.
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