Stat-sheet stuffers, wrestling champions, and swimming standouts make up the first group of nominees for CSM Winter Athletes of the Week.
As teams begin to settle into the season, this week’s nominees helped them to victories, whether it was a 30-point outing, a buzzer-beater or simply doing it all. One of the first big weekends in wrestling and boys swim and dive resulted in multiple champions from Central Illinois as well.
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UPDATE: Canton's Connor Williams and Dunlap's Olivia Curtis won CSM Winter Athletes of the Week after earning the most votes in their respective polls. Voting closed at 11:59 PM on Thursday.
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Leshawn Stowers, Peoria High boys basketball
Stowers had the magic touch for the undefeated Lions in a trio of wins last week, which was capped off by the senior guard hitting a buzzer-beating shot to beat East St. Louis 47-46 at the Mt. Vernon Shootout on Dec. 7. Stowers finished with 10 points in that game and led his team with a 20-point showing in a 68-56 win over Bloomington on Dec. 5 while adding 13 in a 40-27 win over Chatham Glenwood on Dec. 3.
Connor Williams, Canton boys wrestling
Williams took home the title at 285 pounds for Canton at the Seneca Irish Invite on Dec. 7. The Little Giants’ big man totaled 28 of the team’s 179.5 points, which was good enough for second overall in the team standings. Williams took down all three of his opponents at the meet via falls.
Owen Alford, Olympia boys basketball
Alford was one of multiple key contributors in Olympia winning its first two games of the season, making his season debut with 33 points behind six 3-pointers, along with four steals, in a 76-54 win over Decatur St. Teresa on Dec. 2. One day later against Clinton, Alford put up 18 points and five 3-pointers, along with three rebounds to help the Spartans to a 59-55 win.
Peyton Hess, Pekin boys basketball
Hess had a major breakout week for the Dragons, going off for 33 points and 11 rebounds in a 70-67 loss to Dunlap on Dec. 7. The Pekin star wasn’t far off from a triple double in a 52-46 win over Galesburg on Dec. 3 with 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Nolan Pyle, Normal Community boys swimming
Pyle, a freshman for Normal Community, was a three-time winner individually and part of an Ironmen team win at the Macomb Invitational on Dec. 7. Pyle won the 100 yard freestyle in 50.93, the 200 yard freestyle in 1:54.11 and swam on the Ironmen’s 400 yard freestyle relay team that took home first as well.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Emme Hurie, Bloomington Central Catholic girls basketball
In an up-and-down week for the Saints, Hurie was a constant contributor and led BCC in a key 54-46 win over previously unbeaten Kankakee Bishop McNamara on Dec. 7, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. She had a well-rounded effort in a loss to Pleasant Plains two days prior, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. The junior forward was especially active on the glass in a loss to Mahomet-Seymour on Dec. 3 with 11 rebounds and six points.
Kylie Moeller, East Peoria girls basketball
Moeller was an electrifying presence on the court for East Peoria, who went 2-1 last week. The senior guard started her week with a bang, dropping 30 points in a 55-52 win over Illini Bluffs and followed it up with 27 in a 66-38 victory over Springfield Lanphier. Despite a 59-39 loss to Limestone to close the week, Moeller was still active by pouring in 16 points for the Raiders.
Olivia Curtis, Dunlap girls wrestling
Curtis won the 140-pound division for Dunlap at the first Princeton Invitational, bringing her record to 5-1 on the season. The Eagles’ grappler took down her first two opponents from Geneseo by fall before beating her opponent from Freeport via technical fall in the championship match.
Paige Selke, Morton girls basketball
Selke continued what’s been a strong sophomore campaign with a trio of big games for the Potters, led by a 24-point showing to help Morton avoid an upset over Manual in a 51-47 win on Dec. 7. Her 15 points were key in helping the Potters defeat Canton 64-49 on Dec. 6 and she added 16 tallies in a 49-47 loss to Pleasant Plains in overtime on Dec. 2.
Tina Lenard, Bloomington girls basketball
Lenard finished with two games scoring 20 or more points last week to help the Purple Raiders build early-season momentum. She dropped 21 points in a tightly-contested 55-46 win over Metamora on Dec. 3 and put up a similar 20 tallies in a 58-14 conference win over Peoria High on Dec. 6. She ended her week with seven points in a loss to Dunlap.
I vote 2 votes for Nolan Pyle. He is a great swimmer.