Athletes of the Week: Charley Condill and Matthew Thomas

Apr. 8—Charley Condill — Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball

Why she's Athlete of the Week: The senior put together consecutive strong hitting performances for the Knights and is a big reason for them getting off to a 5-1 start ahead of Friday's scheduled game against Okaw Valley. In a win over Tri-County, Condill went 5 for 5 with four singles, one triple, four runs scored and two RBI. The very next day, in a victory versus Champaign Central, Condill hit for the cycle for the first time in her high school career, finishing 4 for 5 with three RBI on top of two stolen bases.

"I led off the (Central) game with an inside-the-park home run, and that never really happens. So I was kind of like, 'Oh, this is how the game's going to go.' And everyone else was hitting great, too. We were all in on offense that night. Every time I went up to bat, I had this confidence I was going to get a hit and I didn't really know why or how. I knew I had just the double left (to get) at the end, so in my head I was thinking, 'I just have to get a double.' And I did. And (teammate) Kailee Otto was only a single away from the cycle that night, if that tells you how well we were hitting."

I need tickets to see ... the Women's College World Series. They are all the teams I've been watching ever since I was young, and it's always fun to see those types of people. And I'd love to watch (ALAH alumna) Makenzie Brown play sometime. She's at Arizona State.

One movie I could watch over and over is ... "Finding Nemo." It's my favorite movie ever since I was little. I just always have loved it, and it's the one movie I can remember everything from.

If I could choose one superpower, it would be ... flying. You don't have to pay for gas for your car, can go wherever you want easily and can get away from people if you need to.

The social media platform I use most often is ... Instagram. That's where I have the most connections with people, and I get to get updated on everyone else's life and what's going on.

My biggest pet peeve is ... bugs. I hate bugs.

My favorite softball memory is ... going to state (in 2021), definitely. Even though we got fourth, it was still such a fun experience.

My most embarrassing softball memory is ... going 0 for 6 (Thursday against Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg). We still won, though, so that's all that matters. (Coach Jerry Lane) told me after the game, "The game always evens itself out," and I thought that was a good quote and very accurate.

Before a game ... I normally eat a lot of snacks and have a lot of fun. We have this big snack bag where we have pretty much every type of food. We all eat whatever's in the bag on the way to the game. It's very fun and lighthearted.

After a game ... I eat again. We always go out to eat, and always talk about what we did well and what we need to work on the next day.

In five years, I see myself ... getting my master's in art therapy, graduating from Millikin. I'm going there to play softball and volleyball, so I'll probably be ending my athletic career.

Honorable mention: Brianna Barna, Chrisman softball; Kyla Bullington, Armstrong-Potomac softball; Ella Miller, Westville track and field; Chloe Sikora, Urbana soccer; Paislee Welge, Mahomet-Seymour soccer.

Matthew Thomas — Danville boys' track and field

Why he's Athlete of the Week: The senior opened his final high school outdoor season with a bang, winning both the 110-meter hurdles and 300 hurdles races in a five-team meet at Rantoul. Thomas clocked a time of 15.42 seconds in the 110s and a time of 42.12 in the 300s, marks that would have ranked second and third, respectively, among his entire 2022 outdoor season.

From Thomas: "I'm feeling really good about (the season). In the 110s, I hit one of the hurdles extremely badly. So that probably would've knocked off a few tenths (of a second). In the 300 hurdles, I know I can go faster. So I'm excited for later in the year, when I get in a little better competition and I can push myself even more — and when it gets warmer. I'm really excited for the pole vault. We didn't do it at Rantoul because we had 20 mile-per-hour head winds, so we didn't think it was safe to do that. I'm hoping I can break the school record in the outdoor season — 15 feet, 8 inches."

I need tickets to see ... the Super Bowl. I grew up a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, so if the Steelers were in it that'd be a lot of fun. But I've always wanted to go to at least one in my life.

One movie show I could watch over and over is ... any of the "Star Wars" franchise. I grew up watching that. I've rewatched those movies several times, and I've always liked them.

If I could choose one superpower, it would be ... to understand every language I hear. I feel like I could talk to other people a lot more. If I went to Germany or something, I could hear the language and understand it, and I could talk more and get around easier.

The social media platform I use most often is ... Instagram. I scroll through my feed seeing memes and other people's accomplishments in track and field and football.

My biggest pet peeve is ... when you're making plans with your friends, and you agree on something and then plans fall through.

My favorite track and field memory is ... my sophomore year, coming home from the Big 12 varsity meet. There were a lot of juniors and seniors. It was an hour-and-a-half bus ride home, and we were talking and laughing the whole ride home. It was just a lot of fun.

My most embarrassing track and field memory is ... falling in the 300 hurdles my sophomore year, at one of our home meets. I was fine, I just hurt my pride. I finished the race and everything.

Before a meet ... I listen to music, mostly rap.

After a meet ... I go to McDonald's or Steak 'n Shake. If it's in-season, I'll get a Shamrock (Shake), but if not I'll get a chocolate shake. I'll go to Steak 'n Shake to get a fry.

In five years, I see myself ... graduating from Western Illinois with an exercise science degree and becoming an athletic trainer.

Honorable mention: Noah Company, Le Roy baseball; Brayden Elliott, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley baseball; Jacob Maxwell, Unity track and field; Hayden Prunkard, Salt Fork baseball; Kam Ross, Centennial baseball.