Vote: CSM Winter Athletes of the Week, Dec. 1-7, 2025

The winter sports season is heating up with basketball teams finding their legs now several weeks into the season and wrestlers competing in their first few tournaments of the year. As always, there were many notable performances from Central Illinois prep athletes that landed them nominations for CSM Winter Athletes of the Week. 

This week’s nominees include 30-point scorers in basketball and a pair of heavyweight wrestlers on the boys side, plus top scorers from three of the area’s top girls basketball teams so far and two girls wrestlers that won weekend tournaments. 

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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! 

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Ke’shaun Manney, Bloomington Central Catholic boys basketball

Manney put on several electrifying performances for the Saints to kick off December. He nearly had a triple-double in a 79-76 loss to Normal U-High on Dec. 1 with 35 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. He followed it up with 31 points, six rebounds and six assists in a 68-48 winning effort over Normal West the next day to wrap up Intercity play. Manney once again led the Saints, scoring 20 points en route to his team’s 71-61 victory over Eureka on Dec. 5. 

 Connor Williams, Canton boys wrestling 

Canton’s star heavyweight reached a big milestone with his 100th career win, pinning Morton’s Nate Gashaw in a Mid-Illini dual on Dec. 4. He didn’t stop there as he won the 285-pound bracket the Seneca Fighting Irish Invite on Dec. 6, pinning his opponent in all four of his matches. His efforts helped the Little Giants take home the team trophy as well. 

Kash Klendworth, Fieldcrest boys basketball

Klendworth lived up to his first name in a trio of hot shooting performances to lead Fieldcrest to a 3-0 start. He made his season debut with 27 points in a tightly-contested 65-63 win over Midland on Dec. 2 and followed it up with a 33-point outing in a 61-50 victory over Olympia on Dec. 5. He wrapped up his strong week by dropping 21 points in a 70-40 romp over Galva in the Knights’ first game at the Ken Colmone Classic. 

Jayden Lambert, Metamora boys wrestling 

Lambert had a week full of wins for the Redbirds, picking up three pins during the week in duals against Dunlap, Tremont and Normal Community. He later won the 215-pound bracket at Rockford East’s Giardini Invitational with four victories. Three of those wins came via decision until he beat Morris’ Malachi Congo with a 12-3 major decision in the championship match. 

Connor Doe, Brimfield boys basketball

Doe has been an engine behind Brimfield’s 7-0 start and landed himself on the Peoria Heights Thanksgiving Tournament all-tournament team, netting a team-high 27 in a 55-46 win in the championship game over the host Patriots on Dec. 1. He turned around and grabbed nine boards while dishing out six assists in the Indians’ 70-43 win over Flanagan-Cornell the next day and added 23 points in a 64-42 win over Stark County on Dec. 5. 

Vote here!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll

• Keshaun Manney, Bloomington Central Catholic boys basketball
• Connor Williams, Canton boys wrestling
• Kash Klendworth, Fieldcrest boys basketball
• Jayden Lambert, Metamora boys wrestling

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CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees

Karissa Cook, Heyworth girls basketball 

Cook has made an immediate impact for Heyworth’s girls basketball team and averaged 28 points in three contests last week. She led the way with 31 points and five steals in a 59-24 win over Midwest Central/Delavan on Dec. 1 for the Hornets’ sixth straight win to start the season. She put up 24 points and seven rebounds in a 60-57 loss to Maroa-Forsyth on Dec. 2 but helped her team rebound with 29 points and four steals in a 70-27 blowout win over Armstrong on Dec. 4. 

Avery Tibbs, Washington girls basketball 

Tibbs made several opponents pay last week with a trio of 20-point outings to keep the Panthers unbeaten on the year. She started off with 27 points in an 86-44 win over East Peoria on Dec. 2 before pouring in 25 points, six steals and five assists to power Washington to a 61-42 victory over rival Metamora on Dec. 4. She also scored 21 in Washington’s 68-44 win over Arlington Heights Hersey on Dec. 6.

Marley Clark, Richwoods girls wrestling

Clark and the Knights traveled up to the suburbs for the Elgin Larkin Royal Rumble and she came away with a win in the 235-pound bracket. Clark pinned her first two opponents from Hoffman Estates Conant and Aurora East before pinning Glenbard West’s Thanh Dinh in the championship match. 

Kayt Miller, IVC girls basketball 

Miller continued her effective start to the season with two double-doubles in three games. She put up 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Grey Ghosts defeated Fieldcrest 72-53 on Dec. 2. and matched that state line in a 55-18 win over East Peoria on Dec. 6. In between then, she scored 13 and pulled down seven rebounds in a 61-41 IVC win over Tremont. 

Chloe Collins, Olympia girls wrestling

Collins picked up a tournament title at the Princeton Invitational Tournament on Dec. 6 by winning three matches to take first place in the 100-pound bracket. All four of Collins’ victories came by fall as she pinned opponents from Metamora, Geneseo, Mahomet-Seymour and Ottawa all in under 1:35. 

Vote here!

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll

• Karissa Cook, Heyworth girls basketball
• Avery Tibbs, Washington girls basketball
• Marley Clark, Richwoods girls wrestling
• Kayt Miller, IVC girls basketball

See All Options