Winter Athlete of the Week Winners Gallery; Alexis Trine wins Winter Athlete of the Year
The 2022-23 winter sports season saw thousands of votes sent in by fans and readers across Hillsdale County for their favorite athletes of the week. The weekly award was voted on by our readers, and nominees were sent in by coaching staffs throughout the season. There were 12 winners this season, with one two-time winner.
The athletes listed below represent the talented teams and programs that populate Hillsdale County. In addition to the weekly winners from this past season, community members voted for the Winter Athlete of the Year. The nominees for that honor qualified after receiving an athlete of the week honor.
Winter Athlete of the Year: Alexis Trine - Jonesville Girls Basketball
Community members voted in a final ballot this winter sports season that set out to name one student with the Winter Athlete of the Year honors. Nominees for the Winter Athlete of the Year honor qualified for the award after being voted a winner in the weekly athlete of the week honor. 12 athletes received nominations.
At the end of the extended voting period, Comet Alexis Trine was voted by community members as the Winter Athlete of the Year. Trine was the week three athlete of the week. The runner-up for this season's Athlete of the Year was week eight winner senior Laiken Barnes of Waldron. Two athletes tied for third place in the final vote tally. North Adams-Jerome senior Casey Loper and junior Comet Austin Bowers received the third most votes.
Week 1 and Week 11 Winner: Jenna Londeau - Reading Girls Basketball
Reading sophomore Jenna Londeau was a two-time athlete of the week winner this past winter sports season. The Ranger was nominated and voted the week one athlete of the week after helping her team win two non-conference games against White Pigeon and Michigan Center. Londeau shot five three-pointers against Michigan Center and had five first quarter three-pointers against White Pigeon.
Londeau was nominated again for her efforts helping the Rangers in week 11 of the winter sports season. She helped the Rangers take down their rivals, the Jonesville Comets, in their final game as Big 8 opponents. Londeau had nine points, two threes, five rebounds, one block and three steals. The sophomore won the athlete of the week award for that week. The sophomore was an all-conference honorable mention and made 43 three-pointers this season.
Week 1 Honorable Mentions
Clemmie Gadwood - Will Carleton Academy Girls Basketball
Nolan Grant - Hillsdale Boys Bowling
Stephen Petersen - Hillsdale Wrestling
Lukas Selph - Reading Wrestling
Week 11 Honorable Mentions
Clemmie Gadwood - Will Carleton Girls Basketball
Chloe Manifold - Hillsdale Girls Bowling
Brooke Vanous - Pittsford Girls Bowling
Adam Martinez - Jonesville Boys Bowling
Week 2 Winner: June Best - Camden-Frontier Girls Basketball
There were several Camden-Frontier student athletes that were nominated this winter sports season. The first winner for Camden-Frontier was during the week two voting ballot, where senior June Best was voted the winner. Best would start a trend for the Camden-Frontier girls basketball team, which led to strong voting numbers throughout the season from the Camden-Frontier community.
Best was nominated after helping her team defeat Bellevue 47-22 during week two of their schedule. Best scored four three-pointers on her way to a total of 17 points.
Week 2 Honorable Mentions
Eathan Westfall - Reading Wrestling
Thomas Maier - Will Carleton Academy Boys Basketball
Julie Mach - Jonesville Girls Basketball
Jack Bowles - Hillsdale Boys Basketball
Week 3 Winner: Alexis Trine - Jonesville Girls Basketball
First team all-conference honoree Alexis Trine was the first Jonesville athlete to win athlete of the week during the winter sports season. The sophomore was nominated and voted the winner after helping her team win a Pat Paterson Pool A Championship. The Comet was award the Pool A MVP award and had 18 points and 15 rebounds over the two-game tournament.
Trine was one of several future 2022-23 All-Area Dream team members to be nominated for their efforts in the Pat Paterson Holiday Tournament. Every December, the Hillsdale Rotary Club sponsors the tournament, which features some of the best athletes in the area each year battle in two separate brackets for championship medals.
Week 3 Honorable Mentions
Ava Mallar - Pittsford Girls Basketball
Megan Rufenacht - Hillsdale Girls Basketball
Kade Spahr - Pittsford Boys Basketball
Colton Wiler - Reading Boys Basketball
Week 4 Winner: Aubree Ervans - Reading Girls Basketball
First team all-conference star Ranger Aubree Ervans was the second Reading girls basketball member to be recognized for her efforts during the winter sports season. The sophomore was nominated in week four of the winter sports season and won the award. Ervans led her team in scoring during a 50-44 victory against the Homer Trojans.
Ervans had 21 points and five rebounds to help her teammates take down their Big 8 rivals. Ervans had another three points, seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals to help her team earn another win that week, this time against Concord in a 43-25 final.
Week 4 Honorable Mentions
Jack Bowles - Hillsdale Boys Basketball
Isaac Shively - Jonesville Wrestling
Ava Mallar - Pittsford Girls Basketball
Lukas Selph - Reading Wrestling
Week 5 Winner: Junior Alvarez - Litchfield Boys Basketball
Second-team all-conference honoree Junior Alvarez was the first Litchfield Terrier to win an athlete of the week award during the winter sports season. The junior Terrier received a nomination after helping his team take down a county rival and face one of the best teams in their region during week five.
The Terrier scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds against the Colon Magi. He then had 18 points and nine rebounds to defeat Waldron 39-30 in the same week. He also had three 3-pointers in that contest.
Week 5 Honorable Mentions
Karley McKibbin - Camden-Frontier Girls Basketball
Kaylynn Luke - Hillsdale Competitive Cheer
Lukas Selph - Reading Wrestling
Morgan Burk - Waldron Girls Basketball
Thomas Maier - Will Carleton Boys Basketball
Week 6 Winner: Evan McColley - Jonesville Wrestling
After five weeks, Jonesville junior Evan McColley broke the basketball athlete of the week win streak and brought the wrestling community their first athlete of the week of the 2022-23 winter sports season.
McColley was nominated and voted the winner after one of two Comets to bring home a medal from the Hudson Super 16 individual tournament. He was the only Hillsdale County wrestler to place in the "A" portion of the tournament, taking home a bronze medal in the 215-pound weight class. McColley was one of the top upper-weight wrestlers for Jonesville, battling some of the best 215-pound grapplers in the state during a tough conference schedule. McColley was a district medalist his sophomore season and is one of two Jonesville grappler athlete of the week winners who will look to be senior leaders on their team next winter.
Week 6 Honorable Mentions
Miles Brown - Hillsdale Wrestling
Rylee Miller - Hillsdale Girls Basketball
Hunter Dewey - Reading Wrestling
Serenity Trott - Reading Girls Basketball
Week 7 Winner: Averil Miller - Camden-Frontier Girls Basketball
Camden-Frontier girls basketball got their second athlete of the week win during week seven. Sophomore Averil Miller won the week seven athlete of the week. Miller was the fifth girls basketball player to win the athlete of the week award during the 2022-23 winter sports season.
Miller was nominated after helping her team defeat Climax-Scotts in a 35-28 defensive slugfest. The sophomore scored 17 points for Camde-Frontier and had a strong defensive performance. Miller will be one of the key returning members of the team next winter.
Week 7 Honorable Mentions
Donivon Dangerfield - Reading Wrestling
Tyler Milks - Jonesville Wrestling
Kade Spahr - Pittsford Boys Basketball
Morgan Burk - Waldron Girls Basketball
Kiley Hershiser - Hillsdale Competitive Cheer
Week 8 Winner: Laiken Barnes - Waldron Boys Basketball
Waldron schools got their first athlete of the week win of the winter sports season after senior Spartan Laiken Barnes was voted the winter of week eight. The senior all-conference honoree and Olivet College commit was nominated after scoring 20 points in the team's 55-38 win over Will Carleton Academy.
The senior had multiple double-digit scoring games this season, and he was the second-leading scorer on the Spartans boys basketball team this winter. The senior recently decided to continue his athletic and academic career at Olivet College. An article about Barnes' signing day will be released in the near future.
Week 8 Honorable Mentions
Lexus Sigler - Camden-Frontier Girls Varsity Basketball
Eathan Westfall - Reading Wrestling
Chloe Manifold - Hillsdale Girls Bowling
Ava Mallar - Pittsford Girls Basketball
Derek Ballinger - Jonesville Wrestling
Week 9 Winner: Austin Bowers - Jonesville Wrestling
The Comet wrestling program had a second junior grappler earn an athlete of the week win after McColley won in week six. Junior Austin Bowers won the week nine athlete of the week award after bringing home a district championship.
Jonesville junior Austin Bowers won the first individual district title for the Comet wrestling program since 2015. Bowers won the 165-pound district title at the week 9 district tournament held in Bronson. Bowers and three of his teammates move on to the regional tournament. Bowers was nominated alongside two other district title winners and was a part of a group of five total county wrestlers who won championships in their district tournaments. He joins a talented group of underclassmen who will return to the Comet wrestling program next winter.
Week 9 Honorable Mentions
Joey Campbell - Reading Wrestling
Gavyn Carden - Pittsford Boys Basketball
Kailee Kurtz - Waldron Girls Basketball
John Petersen - Hillsdale Wrestling
Week 10 Winner: Simon Collins - Litchfield Boys Basketball
The Terriers earned their second athlete of the week win of the winter sports season after fans voted Litchfield junior Simon Collins the week 10 athlete of the week. The junior Terrier joined teammate Junior Alvarez as the two Terriers to win during this past winter sports season.
Terrier Simon Collins was nominated for the award after helping his team win their 2023 homecoming game. Collins has been a double-digit scoring leader for the Terriers in several games near the end of this season. He led his team to a 40-29 victory over Tekonsha in week 10. He had a total of 19 points and five rebounds, including four three-pointers. The Terrier was a honorable mention all-conference athlete who will be a part of a talented 2023-23 group of senior Terrier basketball players.
Week 10 Honorable Mentions
Shalee Van Heerde - Hillsdale Girls Bowling
Tyler Milks - Jonesville Wrestling
Brooke Vanous - Pittsford Girls Bowling
Wyatt Wahtola - Hillsdale Wrestling
Eathan Westfall - Reading Wrestling
Week 12 Winner: Eathan Westfall - Reading Wrestling
Week 12 saw the first state champion wrestler in Reading program history be voted the athlete of the week. Fans named Eathan Westfall the athlete of the week winner after he was nominated for his efforts during the 2022-23 MHSAA State Wrestling Finals.
The senior captain of Reading Wrestling capped off a perfect season at the D4 individual state finals. The senior became the first state champion in school history after winning the D4 285-pound tournament. The senior is also a four-time conference champ and three-time regional champion. This is his third all-state honor.
Week 12 Honorable Mentions
Chloe Manifold - Hillsdale Girls Bowling
John Petersen - Hillsdale Wrestling
Megan Roberts - Academy Girls Basketball
Andrew Sackett - Jonesville Boys Bowling
Week 13 Winner: Casey Loper - North Adams-Jerome Boys Basketball
Senior Ram Casey Loper, a fall sports recipient of the athlete of the week award, won the final winter sports athlete of the week after receiving the most votes out of five nominees. The all-conference honoree was a pivotal part in turning the team's season around and earning one of the most impressive wins in North Adams-Jerome's boys basketball history.
Loper was nominated after having a standout effort in the team's first district semifinal win since 2017. The Rams boys basketball team defeated the Litchfield Terriers. Loper scored 30 of his team's points in the contest to help earn the upset victory in the March tournament.
Week 13 Honorable Mentions
Brady Wright - Jonesville Boys Basketball
Mason Payne - Pittsford Boys Basketball
Colton Wiler - Reading Boys Basketball
Mikey Plemmons - Hillsdale Academy Boys Basketball
The athlete of the week voting ballots will return for the spring sports season. Community members can register to vote for their favorite athlete of the week. Registering enters voters for a chance to win a prize from one of our sponsors. Coaches submit nominees every Sunday to the Hillsdale Daily News. Voting will resume after the Easter Holiday Weekend.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: The Winter Sports Athlete of the Week Photo Gallery includes 12 athletes
