May 11—The votes are in. Powered by Copper Creek Contractors, Asher Pruemer of St. Joseph-Ogden baseball and Bionca Walton of Rantoul softball are this week’s winners. Here they are, in their own words, with their biggest supporters:
Asher Pruemer — St. Joseph-Ogden baseball
➜ Pruemer pitched a five-hit shutout with eight strikeouts to lead the Spartans to a 7-0 win over previously unbeaten Monticello.
➜ “I didn’t even know I was up for Athlete of the Week until I saw a post about it like Tuesday afternoon. It’s pretty cool to know that the community is paying attention to our baseball team. … Everything was working out in that game. I was able to locate everything I wanted to throw, and I knew the guys behind me were going to make plays, so I just trusted them. I threw what I wanted when I wanted and let the guys behind me work.”
➜ “Happy Gilmore.”
➜ rap.
➜ Braden Smith.
➜ golf.
➜ flying.
➜ I talk with my teammates and have a good time with them. I always stretch before I throw, do dynamic and mobility stretches and then some band work. Then, I throw, rest for a little bit and go throw my bullpen before it’s time to roll.
➜ going on our Edwardsville trips. All of the guys have a really fun time, and we all hang out and bond together. Everybody learns who everybody is, and we create a bond with our team.
➜ attending the Masters at Augusta National.
➜ Tate Harden, LeRoy baseball; Jax Hardy, Champaign Central track and field; Nolan Sanderson, Mahomet-Seymour baseball
Bionca Walton — Rantoul softball
➜ Walton pitched a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts to lead the Eagles to a 10-0 win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda. She also had two hits and three RBI and pitched the final two innings of an 8-6 win over Danville before tossing another complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts in a 2-0 win over Monticello.
➜ “I’m glad the community helped me. A lot of people were like ‘Hey, we voted for you,’ a lot of people I didn’t even know. … We’ve really been coming together as a team. Our hits are coming through, and with me and Addy Sherrick pitching, we’ve been working together to wins games.”
➜ “Never Have I Ever.”
➜ Lizzo.
➜ Joe Burrow.
➜ volleyball.
➜ invisibility.
➜ I make sure I do my band stretches for my elbow.
➜ when we beat St. Joseph-Ogden this season. That was really exciting.
➜ swimming with manatees.
➜ Henley Parsons, St. Thomas More track and field; Emelyn Roberts, Argenta-Oreana track and field; Chloe Sikora, Champaign Central soccer