Rockford-area spring sports stars nominated to be newest athlete of the week
While the weather may feel like summer this week, the spring sports stars are shining on the diamond, court and track field.
It's time to vote on who you believe deserves the latest Rockford Register Star high school athlete of the week honor.
Voting ends at noon Friday, and you can choose between the nominees listed below. Go and vote at rrstar.com or at the poll below.
Last week's winner was Belvidere North star soccer player Cortlyn Hefty, who got over 38% of the votes to beat out Belvidere North softball player Marissa Long, who garnered almost 32% of the vote. Hefty had a hat trick as Belvidere North scorched East 8-1 last Thursday, and she had seven goals through the team's first four games.
To nominate a player or group of players, email Jay Taft at jtaft@rrstar.com by 9 a.m. each Monday.
More sports stories at rrstar.com
Boys volleyball: These are the top 5 boys volleyball players to watch in Rockford this season
Basketball: Best Rockford-area senior basketball players picked for the Rising Stars Classic
Softball: 20 Rockford-area softball players to keep an eye on this season
Baseball: Master schedule for 2023 boys baseball season in the Rockford area
Boys swim and dive: Rockford's swimmer of the year and all-area boys swimming team for 2023
Nathan Brinkmeier, Pearl City baseball
Brinkmeier had eight strikeouts and allowed only one hit in four shut-out innings in a 3-1 victory over Morrison. He also had five RBIs in a 37-1 win over Orangeville.
Zariah Burnett, Guilford track and field
This freshman has bolted onto the track and field scene, clearing the bar set at 1.68 meters (5-foot-6 1/4) on Saturday, which is the top high jump in the state so far this season for any girl.
Weston Forward, Rockford Christian track and field
Forward continued on his early-season surge by clocking a 4:31.50 while winning the 1,600-meter run at last Wednesday's Winnebago-hosted quad meet. That time is the third fastest in the mile in 1A so far this season.
Alaina Miller, Forreston softball
Miller went 7-for-8 with 6 RBIs and 6 runs scored as Forreston (8-2, 2-0 NUIC South) swept a double-header from Polo, 14-2 and 14-3.
Supreme Muhammad, Winnebago track and field
Muhammad has been on a tear ever since the track and field season kicked in, and last week was no different. He won the 100- and 200-meter dashes during a home quad meet last Wednesday. In doing so, he set the state's eighth best time in the 100 (11.17) and the state's third best time in the 200 (22.32) for Class 1A. He was also part of the 4x100 winning relay team that clocked the state's eighth-fastest time (44.47) in 1A on that same day.
Cam Plowman, Freeport softball
Plowman had seven strikeouts in four scoreless innings of relief to lead Freeport (3-0) to a 5-1 win over Lena-Winslow.
David Wanner and Owen Haas, Rochelle tennis
Wanner and Haas won all five of their matches at No. 1 doubles to help Rochelle to a perfect score of 30 in their six-team Hub Dubs Tournament (Harlem was second with 21 points) with five doubles teams each. They also won at No. 1 doubles in a narrow 3-2 dual meet win over Streator.
Kaylee Woolery, Winnebago track and field
Woolery, a senior, clocked in at 2:27.42 to set the sixth fastest time in the 800-meter run last Wednesday. Woolery is also a key part of Winnebago's 3,200 relay squad that ran the fastest time in the state on Wednesday, 9:43.24.
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a wide variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears to youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star, and for over 30 years all together.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Vote now for Rockford-area's latest athlete of the week award
