Vote: CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, March 23-29, 2026
- Clutch Sports Staff
- 36 minutes ago
- 4 min read
As the spring sports season continues to accelerate, Central Illinois athletes were busy winning prestigious track titles, dominating on the diamond, clearing lofty bars and achieving records and milestones last week.
This week’s nominees for Clutch Sports Media’s Spring Athletes of the Week include two softball sluggers, four champions from the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships, a pair of two-way threats in baseball and standouts from girls soccer and boys tennis.
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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 Friday!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Joharah Boze, IVC softball
Boze had a pair of big games at the plate to lead IVC to a pair of wins. The IVC shortstop went off for two home runs and eight RBIs in a 21-1 blowout against Streator on March 24. She finished the game by going 5-5 with an additional double. Later, she went 3-4 with a double and an RBI to help the Grey Ghosts win their conference opener 9-7 over St. Joseph-Ogden on March 28.
Hannah Safranek, Normal U-High girls track and field
Safranek made a habit of finishing on the podium last week and won the Class 3A 60 meter title in 7.58 seconds at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships on March 28. She had several other strong finishes there, including finishing as the runner-up in the Class 3A 60 hurdles in a personal-best 8.67 seconds and taking third in the 200 meters (25.20). Safranek also helped lead Normal U-High’s 4x200 relay to placing third at Top Times and first at the Clinton Last Chance Indoor Meet on March 23, where she won the 60-meter dash again.
Acosia Morris, Richwoods girls soccer
Morris scored nearly half of Richwoods’ 11 goals last week to help lead the Knights to a pair of non-conference victories. She found the back of the net four times in a 7-0 win over IVC on March 23 and chipped in another goal in a 4-0 win over Limestone on March 26.
Ashlyn Sweatt, East Peoria softball
Sweatt was on fire at the plate last week to lead the Raiders in going 4-1 during a busy week. She had multi-hit games in all five contests and went 14-for-22 with 13 RBIs, six doubles and three stolen bases during the week. Her best performances were going 4-5 with three RBIs in a 9-5 win over Ottawa on March 23 and going 4-6 with three doubles and six RBIs in a 19-4 win over Wheaton North on March 27.
Samantha Yeh, Dunlap girls track and field
Yeh won an outdoor state title last spring in the Class 3A high jump and now has a de facto indoor state title as well after winning the event at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships on March 28. Yeh cleared a season-best height of five feet, seven inches to beat the next-best height by 2.5 inches.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Joharah Boze, IVC softball
Hannah Safranek, Normal U-High girls track and field
Acosia Morris, Richwoods girls soccer
Ashlyn Sweatt, East Peoria softball
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Stephen Petri, Metamora baseball
Petri was a major threat at the plate and on the rubber to help Metamora win four games and remain undefeated. He threw a pair of gems, beginning with a start against Orion on March 23 where he had nine strikeouts, one walk, three hits and one earned run allowed in a 9-5 win before throwing six shutout innings with six strikeouts and three walks allowed in a 3-0 win over Peoria Notre Dame on March 27. He went a combined 6-13 with three RBIs and two doubles at the plate during Metamora’s four victories as well.
Isaiah Whitaker, Bloomington Central Catholic boys track and field
Whitaker made a major splash at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships on March 28, setting the new best indoor mark among high schoolers in the country this season. Whitaker cleared 18 feet and half an inch, which broke the Illinois Class 2A all-time indoor record as well and surpassed his state-championship winning height from last year by six inches.
Tommy Sopko, Metamora boys tennis
Sopko reached a big milestone by notching his 100th career win last week. He accomplished the feat during a 7-1 win over Quincy on March 27 by winning in singles, as well as doubles with Weston Lange. Sopko helped Metamora finish second at its Red and White Invite on March 28 by winning a pair of matches.
Matt Sander, Morton baseball
Sander had great performances at the plate and on the mound last week to propel Morton to a trio of wins. He went 4-for-4 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored in a 12-2 win over Peoria Notre Dame on March 23 and was part of a no-hitter that three Potters pitchers combined for in a 9-0 win over Streator on March 27. In that game, Sander went three innings with six strikeouts and two walks.
Damir Harris, Normal West boys track and field
Harris took home a title and two fourth-place finishes at the Illinois Top Times Indoor Championships on March 28 to cap off an impressive indoor season. Harris won the Class 3A 200 meters title in 21.98 seconds while also finishing fourth in the 60-meter dash (6.93) and leading Normal West’s 4x400 relay to fourth place.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Stephen Petri, Metamora baseball
Isaiah Whitaker, BCC boys track and field
Tommy Sopko, Metamora boys tennis
Matt Sander, Morton baseball