Below is a list of the nominees for The Honda/Hyundai's Jason Deters & WGEM SportsCenter Prep Athlete of the Week. The fan vote counts as one vote in the total vote process ... with 10 sports broadcasters/writers submitting ballots as well. The winner will be announced Monday morning at 7:35 on WGEM SportsCenter, ESPN 1440 AM or WGEM.com/sports.
NOTE: All candidates are from the ESPN 1440 coverage area.
From Feb. 4 - Feb. 10
Zach Abney (Pittsfield) -- Despite a bloody and busted lip, Abney fought back to take the second sectional title of his career by beating an Olympia wrestler 5-4 in the 170-pound class.
Torie Conover (Central-SE) -- Winners of the Class 2A Liberty Regional, the Lady Panthers used double-digit scoring nights from the senior with 11 versus Pittsfield and 12 against Liberty.
Lucas Daniel (North Shelby) -- Clutch free throws in the final minutes of the Brashear Tournament helped hold off Marion County and clinch the tourney title for the Raiders. Daniel finished with 13 points.
Josie Finch (Illini West) -- As the Chargers clinched their 20th win of the season and a Class 2A Macomb Regional, it was Finch who had the biggest week. On Wednesday, she finished with 14 points and drilled the go-ahead 3-pointer with 30-seconds left for the win. A day later in the title game, she led the charge with 12 points.
Cody Hildebrand (Payson) -- A dominating week led to two wins for the Indians. Friday night he dropped 28 points on the road at Griggsville, then a night later went off for 31 -- 23 in second half -- to beat Pittsfield.
Jack Lucie (West Hancock) -- Winning his third straight wrestling sectional title at the Class 1A Olympia Sectional, the junior heads to state after running away with the 126-pound class.
Will Lucie (West Hancock) -- The freshman claimed a wrestling sectional title at 106 class after building a big lead and grabbing an eventual pin over a rival from Midwest Central.
Andre McClure (South Shelby) -- Two wins for the Cardinals saw two nice performances from their big man. McClure had a game-high 24 points versus Brookfield and then put up 17 in a nice win over Highland.
Brooklyn Moore (Unity) -- Scoring six of her game-high 14 points in the fourth quarter Thursday night, Moore led the Lady Mustangs to their second regional title in school history with a win over South Fulton.
Carly Spalding (Monroe City) -- A week after recording her 1,000th-career point, the senior was back it by helping the Lady Panthers to two CCC wins, including dropping 25 points on Centralia Friday night.
