Peoria Christian hooper, Illini Bluffs wrestler and more: Who was athlete of the week?
Illini Bluffs wrestler Hunter Robbins was voted as the Journal Star athlete of the week.
Robbins earned 53 percent of the 49,892 votes, beating out Midwest Central/Delavan girls basketball player Cora DeSutter (23 percent) and Peoria Christian boys basketball player Wes Hunt (13 percent). The full results are below.
Robbins, a 106-pounder, was 19-2 and claimed the title on Saturday at the 58th annual Lyle King Princeton Invitational Tournament. Robbins earned a bye to the quarterfinals where he posted a 16-0 tech fall over Dixon's Ayden Rowley. The sophomore then claimed a 4-0 decision against Dylan Eimer of Olympia, before beating Alex Powell of Litchfield in the finals, 6-0.The poll closed at noon Friday.
Information about the nominees is below. The voting for next player of the week begins again Tuesday at pjstar.com. If you have a nominee for the honor, email us at sports@pjstar.com or tag us on Twitter @pjstarsports.
Last week's winner: Who was the athlete of the week?
Isaac Mapson, Washington boys basketball
Mapson started a 3-0 week for the Panthers with a big game in last Tuesday's 67-62 nonconference home win over Bloomington. His game-high 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting along with eight rebounds and three steals helped hold off a second-half rally. Following Friday's 10-point win over Mid-Illini Conference host Canton, Mapson went for 15 points as the Panthers (10-5) edged Champaign Centennial, 47-45 at the St. Joseph-Ogden Shootout.
Big Panther players: Why these senior leaders are as important as ever for Washington boys basketball
Wes Hunt, Peoria Christian boys basketball
Hunt had a pair of big games last week in leading Class 1A sixth-ranked Peoria Christian. In Wednesday's 56-44 win over visiting Lewistown, the 6-foot-8 senior wing went for 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Hunt then capped the week with 27 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks as PCS (12-2) survived in overtime, 56-55, over Maroa-Forsyth at the Clinton Shootout.
Multi-sport start: How this Peoria Christian star will handle basketball and baseball in college
Denali Craig-Edwards, Peoria High girls basketball
Craig-Edwards, who is a AOW from Nov. 15-20, gets the nod after nearly recording a rare-quadruple double on Saturday. She scored 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, recorded 10 steals and dished out six assists in a 83-23 win over Danville. The Class 3A third-ranked Lions (13-3) head to Richwoods on Tuesday before hosting No. 2-ranked Morton on Saturday.
That No. 1 feeling: 'Pretty darn cool': Talented duo has Peoria High girls ranked No. 1 for the first time
Cora DeSutter, Midwest Central/Delavan girls basketball
DeSutter ended last week in a big way for Midwest Central/Delavan (11-8). The 5-foot-10 junior forward hit a game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer on the run from just inside half court to beat Illini Bluffs, 56-55, in overtime. She finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals in Thursday's road game. Her week began on Monday with a double-double (24 points, 12 rebounds) in a win over Peoria Heights. DeSutter also went for 17 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 76-40 loss to Class 1A No. 1 Brimfield on Wednesday.
Kainan Buley, Pekin/Tremont co-op boys swimming and diving
The junior was a two-event winner from last Thursday's triangular home meet as Pekin (266) beat Normal U-High (157) and Wethersfield (20). He took home first in the 200 freestyle, edging out U-High's Mathew Meyer — 1:54.47 to 1:54.49. Buley also swam anchor with Isaiah Porritt, Tyler Buck and Lucas Glesne as the 200 freestyle relay won in 1:36.70. Buley added a second-place in the 500-yard freestyle (5:16:04) and a runner-up in the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:48.46).
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Results for the Peoria Journal Star athlete of the week poll for Jan. 3-8
