Some of the best performances in Central Illinois high school sports last week came from small school athletes, but nothing else was small about them. Ten f them that stood out earned nominations for Torq Fitness Athletes of the Week.
In an important week that featured sectionals in wrestling and key games near the end of the regular season in basketball, this week’s nominees include sectional title winners, 30-point scorers and players that led their squads to important victories.
UPDATE: Dee-Mack's Jerry Hahn and Canton's Kinnley Smith won Torq Fitness Athletes of the Week after receiving the most votes in their respective polls. Voting closed at 11:59 PM on Thursday.
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Bryson Horning, Delavan boys basketball
Horning lit up the stat sheet for Delavan, who’s made a late-season charge. The Panthers’ star did it all in a 64-53 win over Midwest Central on Feb. 11, finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and six steals. He also reached the 30-point mark in a 79-52 loss to Limestone on Feb. 15.
Jackson Carroll, Illini Bluffs boys wrestling
Carroll kept his perfect record intact heading into this weekend’s IHSA State Finals after winning the Class 1A Clinton Sectional at 150 pounds. The senior, who’s now 52-0 on the season, won with a 19-4 technical fall in the quarterfinals before beating Tolono Unity’s Holden Brazelton in a 7-3 decision in the semifinals and LeRoy’s Kobe Brent in the championship match by the same score.
Jerry Hahn, Dee-Mack boys basketball
Hahn was arguably Dee-Mack’s biggest contributor in a pair of victories for the Chiefs last week, including a 59-50 upset win over El Paso-Gridley on Feb. 15. The Chiefs’ big man led them with 22 points in that win and scored an additional 17, which was key in Dee-Mack defeating Ridgeview 68-66 on Feb. 11.
Josh Hoffer, Washington boys wrestling
Hoffer was one of several sectional champions for Washington wrestling and punched his ticket to state. The Panthers’ 215-pounder pinned Geneseo’s Colten Mooney and Woodstock North’s David Randecker both in under 3-and-a-half minutes, then beat Rochelle standout Kaiden Morris in a convincing 15-3 major decision in the title.
Eddie Lorton, Fieldcrest boys basketball
Lorton was busy scoring a load of points for the Knights last week, including a team-high 30 in a loss to Tremont on Feb. 14. However, his contributions weren’t all for naught as he dropped 27 to lead the Knights in a 67-57 win over Flanagan-Cornell on Feb. 11 and 14 more in a 60-30 victory against Streator Woodland on Feb. 10.
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Rianna Foster, IVC girls basketball
Foster took on an increased role for IVC in the wake of an injury to star freshman guard Alayah Nelton and averaged over 14 points per game in a trio of contests. She tallied 16 in a competitive 48-34 loss to Dee-Mack on Feb. 11 and matched that effort alongside six rebounds and four assists in a 43-37 win over Princeville on Feb. 13. She caused problems on both ends of the floor in IVC’s regional quarterfinal win over Knoxville, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds and seven steals.
Ava Heinz, Brimfield girls basketball
Heinz hasn’t allowed much to get in her way this season and she continued doing so with two monster performances. The senior forward finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and five blocks as Brimfield battled in a 52-40 loss to Midland on Jan. 10. In the Indians’ regional quarterfinal game against Biggsville West Central, she erupted for 30 points and 10 rebounds, outscoring the Heat all by herself in a 58-24 victory.
Savannah Jost, Tremont girls basketball
Jost averaged 28 points in a pair of wins over Heart of Illinois Conference foes to close out the regular season. The Turks senior dropped 18 on Fisher in a 58-31 win on Feb. 10 but more than doubled that with an astounding 38 points in an 84-71 win over Fieldcrest on Feb. 13.
Kinnley Smith, Canton girls wrestling
Smith won the Geneseo Sectional title at 140 pounds to head into the IHSA State Finals as one of the favorites. The Canton senior, whose record now stands at 43-3, pinned all three of her opponents, who were a combined 80-18, with all of her pins coming in 1:31 or less.
Macy Gochanour, Fieldcrest girls basketball
Gochanour proved why she’s one of the best scorers in Central Illinois with three huge performances. She went toe to toe with Tremont’s Jost, scoring 37 in the loss to the Turks but helped her team to two wins, finishing with 22 points in a 49-44 win over Normal U-High on Feb. 10 and a team-high 24 points in a 59-47 regional quarterfinal win over Midwest Central/Delavan on Feb. 15.
Kinnley Smith for girls athlete of the week!!!!