Vote: CSM Winter Athletes of the Week, Dec. 29, 2025-Jan. 4, 2026

As 2025 gave way to 2026, holiday tournaments in basketball and wrestling gave way to several great performances from star athletes in Central Illinois high school sports.

This week’s nominees for CSM Winter Athletes of the Week include several all-tournament team selections in basketball who led their squads to championships and a trio of wrestlers who saw themselves standing on the podium. 

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Check out all our nominees with information on their standout performances below, vote for who you think should win in each poll and spread the word to vote before polls close at 11:59 PM on Thursday!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Amarion Smith-Holley, Richwoods boys basketball 

Smith-Holley was the engine behind Richwoods’ first championship at the Pekin Holiday Tournament since 2009, winning tournament MVP honors. The star sophomore averaged 23.8 points per game while shooting 65 percent from the field, 41 percent from three-point range and 78 percent from the free throw line. His biggest performances included a 35-point outing against Chicago Crane in the quarterfinals on Dec. 30 and a 24-point showing in the title game against Chicago Mt. Carmel. Smith-Holley added 17 points in a win over Moline on Jan. 3. 

Chase Kasten, Normal Community boys basketball

Kasten led the Ironmen to a State Farm Holiday Classic championship in the Large School Boys bracket with a pair of big performances to open the week. He scored 21 in a 61-55 win over Springfield Sacred-Heart Griffin on Dec. 29 and poured in another team-high of 19 points in a 59-44 victory over Rock Island in the title game. He earned a spot on the SFHC’s all-tournament team.

Harrison Dea, Morton boys wrestling

Dea had a strong week, going 7-1 across a pair of tournaments. The Potters’ star grappler went 5-1 at the Mid-States Classic in Whitewater, Wisconsin on Dec. 29 and 30, winning three matches by decision, one by major decision and one by tech fall. He also led Morton to a good showing at the Dixon Duals on Jan. 3, winning his bouts against Morris and Machesney Park Harlem via pins to help the Potters win both matches

Lakon Otto, Canton boys basketball

Otto earned all-tournament honors at the Macomb Western Holiday Classic, where the Little Giants earned their first piece of hardware since 2016 by finishing third. Otto averaged 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, notching 15 points and seven rebounds in an opening-round win over Taylor Ridge Rockridge before putting up 16 points and five boards in a win over Eureka. He did everything in a semifinal loss to Warsaw West Hancock with 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, five steals and four blocks and dished out a team-high six assists to help Canton down Macomb in the third-place game.

Alec Del Toro, East Peoria boys wrestling 

Del Toro won the 215-pound bracket at Lincoln’s Floyd Bee Memorial Holiday Tournament and pinned all four of his opponents in the process. He pinned both Rock Island’s Julyan Mayares and Pekin’s Bradyn Haynes in 2:11 or less before taking down Rochelle’s Connor Broughton in the semifinals and Rock Island’s Rowan Stockwell in the championship. Del Toro’s efforts helped the Raiders finish tied for ninth out of 33 teams. 

Vote here!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll

• Amarion Smith-Holley, Richwoods boys basketball
• Chase Kasten, Normal Community boys basketball
• Harrison Dea, Morton boys wrestling
• Lakon Otto, Canton boys basketball

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CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees 

Keyaira Haywood, Dunlap girls basketball

Dunlap is in the midst of a white-hot stretch and Haywood has been a big part of it. She led the Eagles to winning the title at Rockford Boylan’s Reindeer Games, putting up 21 points in a 52-44 win over Sycamore on Dec. 29 and adding 16 in a 50-22 championship win over Machesney Park Harlem on Dec. 30. She again paced Dunlap with 18 points in a 52-13 blowout over East Moline United on Jan. 3, which extended the Eagles’ winning streak to eight games. 

Avery Tibbs, Washington girls basketball

Tibbs didn’t stop producing at the State Farm Holiday Classic, where she led the Panthers to their second straight tournament title with big wins over Freeport and Chicago DePaul College Prep. The senior sharpshooter led the way with 21 points in a 57-50 win over Freeport on Dec. 29 and added 22 in a 52-36 triumph over DePaul in the title game on Dec. 30 and earned all-tournament honors.

Dalia DeJesus, Dee-Mack girls basketball

DeJesus was another Central Illinois girls hoops star who led her team to a tournament title, earning MVP honors at Virden North Mac’s Holiday Hoopfest. DeJesus put up 18 in a 50-18 win over Pawnee in the semifinals on Dec. 29 and chipped in 14 in a 46-41 victory over Petersburg PORTA in the title game. 

Alicia Swank, Bloomington girls wrestling

Swank was one of two Bloomington wrestlers, along with teammate Autumn Starr, that impressed after the holidays. She won the Break the Silence meet at Oswego East on Jan. 3, sweeping through the 157-pound bracket with two pins, a tech fall and a decision. Earlier, she finished second at the Ottawa Holiday Hootenanny on Dec. 30 after going 2-1. Swank now boasts a 14-2 record on the season.

Baylie Nena, Metamora girls basketball

A star sophomore forward, Nena put up two double-doubles in three games for the Redbirds last week, including one with 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the charge in a 45-44 win over Pekin on Dec. 29. She also led Metamora with 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 63-52 loss to Peoria Notre Dame on Jan. 2 and put up 15 points and eight rebounds to key a 40-32 victory over Schaumburg on Jan. 3.  

Vote here!

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll

• Keyaira Haywood, Dunlap girls basketball
• Avery Tibbs, Washington girls basketball
• Dalia DeJesus, Dee-Mack girls basketball
• Alicia Swank, Bloomington girls wrestling

See All Options