Vote: CSM Fall Athletes of the Week, Sept. 22-28, 2025

High school athletes from all around Central Illinois went on a tear to close out the month of September.

This week’s nominees for CSM Fall Athletes of the Week include stars who put up conference titles in golf, victories in cross country, records in boys soccer and impressive performances in football, girls swimming and volleyball.

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UPDATE: Normal U-High's Natalie Ocheltree and Normal West's Chase Sennett won CSM Fall Athletes of the Week after receiving the most votes in their polls. Voting closed at 11:59 PM Friday.

Girls Athlete of the Week nominees 

Natalie Ocheltree, Normal U-High girls golf

Ocheltree, a recent Illinois Wesleyan commit, built on an outstanding season by winning individual titles, as well as leading the Pioneers to team titles, at the Central State Eight Conference Tournament and Pekin Dragon Classic. Ocheltree fired a 70 to win the conference title on Sept. 24 at Weibring Golf Course and later shot a 71 at a difficult Lick Creek Golf Course to tie for first at the 10-team Dragon Classic on Sept. 20. 

Bethany Sennett, Princeville volleyball and girls cross country 

Sennett has juggled playing volleyball and running cross country at a high level this fall and was a winner in both sports last week. She won the Boiler Invite at Kewanee’s Baker Park Golf Course with a season-best time of 19:23.70 on Sept. 27. On the volleyball court, she posted a combined 54 assists in three games to lead the Princes to victories over Monmouth United on Sept. 24 and Monmouth-Roseville on Sept. 26. 

Quincy Points, Metamora girls swimming

Points won three events at the Bloomington Invitational on Sept. 27, with her efforts helping Metamora finish third out of 13 teams. Points won the 50 free in 25.67, the 100 breast in 1:09.76 and also swam on the Redbirds’ 200 medley relay that won with a time of 2:54.56. Points also assisted Metamora in finishing second in the 200 free relay in 1:42.00. 

Claire Ceresa, Morton volleyball 

Ceresa’s strong play at Champaign’s Set-Tember Invitational led the Potters to a tournament title and the junior to a spot on the all-tournament team. In the title game against Taylorville, Ceresa recorded a team-high 19 digs in a three-set victory over the Tornadoes.

Kendall Fair, Bloomington Central Catholic volleyball

The Saints' offense heavily revolved around Fair during a busy week where they went 5-1 and finished second at Bloomington/Normal’s Intercity tournament. Fair began her week with a monstrous 37-assists outing in a three-set win over Washington on Sept. 21 and supplied 22 helpers in a sweep over Prairie Central on Sept. 25. She put up 83 assists, 16 digs, five kills and a pair of blocks throughout four games at Intercity on Sept. 27. 

Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Chase Sennett, Normal West football

Normal West’s backup quarterback stepped into action on the road against state-ranked Peoria High and dazzled in a 43-38 Wildcats victory. Sennett threw for 240 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, finding Efoe Baskins twice for a touchdown and Cody Muhlbauer, Maliq Givens-Smith and CJ Payton all for scores as well. All of his touchdown passes were from at least 24 yards out. 

Colin Kemp, Pekin boys golf 

Kemp showed his mettle at the Mid-Illini Conference tournament, winning the championship with a 70 and beating Washington’s Gavin Schreurs and East Peoria’s Nicholas Unes in a 3-hole playoff. Kemp parred 18 of the 21 holes that he played and earned first team Mid-Illini all-conference honors at the conclusion of the tournament. 

Sean Kaeb, Normal U-High boys cross country 

Kaeb led Normal U-High to a team title at the Intercity meet on Sept. 27 at Maxwell Park and also won a title for himself. Kaeb completed the course in 15:22.32, his season-best time by 32 seconds. 

Jacob Walton, Peoria Christian boys soccer 

Walton broke a pair of school records for the Chargers by becoming their single-season and career goal-scoring leader. He’s the first player in school history to reach the 100-goal threshold and provided two goals in a 3-0 win over Bloomington Central Catholic on Sept. 22. His goal in the 76th minute helped PCS earn a 3-3 draw with Morton on Sept. 24 and he added three more scores at the Great River Classic on Sept. 26-27, where the Chargers drew with Chicago University and fell to Glenbrook North. 

Shane Cunningham, Richwoods boys golf

Cunningham added another achievement to his standout freshman season by winning the Big 12 Conference title. The Knights’ ace shot a 74 at Danville Country Club on Sept. 23 and beat Champaign Central’s Jeremy McCoy in a playoff. Cunningham’s performance helped Richwoods finish second overall with a 312, one stroke behind Peoria Notre Dame. Cunningham also paired with Hayden Lochbaum to shoot 60 at the Pontiac Indian Scramble on Sept. 25 and finish eighth.