Vote: CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, May 12-17, 2025

The Central Illinois area’s top high school athletes in spring sports have been coming up big for their teams all year, but their performances are even more crucial now at the end of the regular season and postseason. 

This week’s 10 nominees for CSM Spring Athletes of the Week feature sectional and conference champions in track and field, clutch hitters in softball, historic achievements among baseball stars and more.

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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 Thursday!

Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Gabe Perez, IVC baseball

Perez accomplished one of baseball’s rarest feats, throwing a perfect game with six strikeouts in a four-inning win over Mendota on May 16. Perez added an RBI double in the 15-0 win and helped the Grey Ghosts win by a much closer margin in an 8-7 victory over Metamora on May 15, leading the team with three hits. 

Abe Martin, Morton boys track and field

Martin took home three Mid-Illini Conference titles at the conference meet on May 13 and helped the Potters win the team title as well. The freshman won the 800 meters in 1:55.77 and also ran key legs on Morton’s 4x400 relay that placed first in 3:27.02, plus the Potters’ 4x800 that won in 8:14.35.

Landon Crawford, Farmington baseball

It was a big week for Crawford and the Farmers as the junior had several big showings at the plate and on the mound and Farmington set a new program record for wins in a season. Over the course of four games, Crawford went 8-for-13 with five RBIs, three doubles and four home runs. In a 13-3 win over Kewanee on May 14, Crawford went 3-for-4 and slugged two home runs and struck out 11 batters in five innings on the mound, giving up three hits. He added a homer and went 2-for-3 in a 17-3 win over Galva on May 13 and doubled twice with an RBI in Farmington’s record-breaking 10-0 win over Monmouth-Roseville on May 15.

Aitor Togay, Normal Community boys tennis

Togay helped Normal Community win the Big 12 Conference Tournament over the weekend with first-place finishes in the singles and doubles bracket. After an opening win in straight sets in singles play, Togay gutted out a 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 win in the semifinals of the No. 6 singles bracket before winning 3-6, 6-3, 10-3 against Richwoods’ Sean McGary in the championship match. In No. 3 doubles with playing partner Landen Patrick, the duo beat opponents from Peoria Notre Dame and Normal West before winning 7-5, 6-2 in the title match.

Layne Johnson, Brimfield/Elmwood baseball

Johnson continued swinging his hot bat for Brimfield/Elmwood as the Indians’ win streak reached 14 games. Johnson hit a grand slam in a 14-7 win over Fieldcrest on May 12 and added a double and two RBIs in a 16-0 romp over Midwest Central on May 16. The highlight of his week came in an 11-1 win over Peoria Christian on May 17 where he went 4-for-4 with four doubles and two RBIs.

Vote here!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll

• Gabe Perez, IVC baseball
• Abe Martin, Morton boys track and field
• Landon Crawford, Farmington baseball
• Aitor Togay, Normal Community boys tennis

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Girls Athlete of the Week nominees

Kaitlyn Atkinson, Dunlap softball

Atkinson continued her breakout season last week, hitting three home runs and pitching nine scoreless innings for the Eagles. Atkinson began her week by pitching five scoreless frames with eight strikeouts in a 10-0 win over IVC on May 12, then showed off her power by going 4-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs in a 15-2 win over Canton the next day. She went yard in a 5-3 loss to Washington on May 15 and pitched four shutout innings with eight strikeouts in a 6-3 win over Bloomington Central Catholic on May 17, driving in a run as well.

Baylie Nena, Metamora girls track and field

Nena’s sectional titles in the 100 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles were a big difference maker in Metamora winning the Class 2A Rock Falls Sectional title and allowed the freshman standout to qualify for state in both events. Nena won the 100 hurdles in 15.72 and the 300 hurdles in a personal-best 46.59. She nearly qualified for state in the high jump too, clearing 5’0.5 to finish third in the event. 

Lauren Shuey, Bloomington softball

Shuey came up big at the plate for Bloomington in several games during its stretch run, especially a 3-2 win over Mt. Zion on May 12 where she hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning. Shuey helped spark the Purple Raiders’ comeback effort with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth. She went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in a 21-4 win over Peoria High on May 15 and drove in three runs on two hits, including a home run, in an 18-1 win over Manual the same day.

Makayla Wieduwilt, Bloomington Central Catholic girls soccer

Wieduwilt helped BCC turn the corner from the regular season into the postseason with a pair of big games. She scored two goals and added an assist in a 5-1 win over Galesburg in the Saints’ regular season finale on May 12, then added a goal and three assists in a 6-0 win over Urbana U-High in a Class 1A regional semifinal win on May 16. 

Emme Steward, Normal U-High softball

Steward shined in a busy week for the Pioneers softball team, driving in seven runs and hitting a pair of homers to highlight her recent stretch. Her go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning was the difference-maker in a 3-2 win over Prairie Central on May 12 and she added an RBI in each of two games against Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin. Steward went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in a 22-15 slugfest win over Tri-Valley on May 16 and went 1-for-4 with a home run and four walks in a doubleheader sweep against Morton on May 17.

Vote here!

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll

• Kaitlyn Atkinson, Dunlap softball
• Baylie Nena, Metamora girls track and field
• Lauren Shuey, Bloomington softball
• Makayla Wieduwilt, Bloomington Central Catholic girls soccer

See All Options