Marion County Athlete of the Week: Vote for area's top performer in high school sports
Hurricane Ian cut Week 6 sports short, limiting our coverage for Marion County athletes. However, Week 7 sports were in full swing with performances happening in each fall sport.
Sadly, we can only nominate five student-athletes.
Representatives from Trinity Catholic, Redeemer Christian, Forest, and West Port all shined last week. We have a 200-yard rusher, a league-high bowling score, and a volleyball player who averaged 20 assists a game.
Don't forget to cast your votes. You can vote once per hour. Please share the poll on social media so friends and family can get in on the action. Voting will close Thursday at 11:59 p.m.
Rylee Palmateer, Volleyball, Redeemer Christian
Stats: 45 kills, 19 digs, 14 receives
Palmateer led the county in kills. The sophomore is one of the premier hitters in the area and guided her team to a 2-1 record last week. She currently has 253 kills on the season.
Jaydyn Velasquez-Soto, Football, West Port
Stats: 1 blocked punt, 1 forced fumble, 1 TD
Velasquez-Soto turned defense into offense for the Wolfpack. His blocked punt led to a touchdown, and he stripped a ball carrier before scoring his defensive touchdown. The junior was a driving force in West Port's fourth shutout of the season.
Beau Beard, Football, Trinity Catholic
Stats: 221 total yards, 204 yards rushing, 17 yards receiving, 4 TDs
Beard has been on a tear this season, and this may be his best performance. The senior running back's 200-plus yards of offense and four appearances in the end zone helped the Celtics win a 49-46 shootout against Calvary Christian.
CC Kinchen, Bowling, West Port
Stats: Top-three league scores
Kinchen posted scores of 213 and 215 in a win over Belleview. It's the first time a Marion County bowler broke 200 this season. She's led her team to a first-place standing heading into the MCIAC tournament.
Amelia Fitzpatrick, Volleyball, Trinity Catholic
Stats: 15 Kills, 6 aces, 16 digs, 40 assists
Fitzpatrick is one of the county's leaders in assists. This week, she posted 40 assists in two games over stiff competition.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: First Marion County Athlete of the Week after Hurricane Ian
