Vote now: Who should be SBLive's Missouri High School Athlete of the Week (August 21-27)?
Here are the candidates for SBLive's Missouri High School Athlete of the Week as nominated by fans, readers and SBLive’s staff.
Read through the nominees and cast your vote at the bottom of the page. Voting will conclude on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. and the winner will be announced the following week. If you would like to nominate an athlete in the future, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.
THIS WEEK’S SBLIVE MISSOURI ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES:
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Tyler Bax, Blair Oaks football
Bax, a sophomore quarterback, threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more as the Falcons beat Maryville in a neutral-site game in Warrensburg.
Landon Boston, Washington football
Boston carried 21 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Blue Jays past visiting Union, 21-14.
Abigail Brackenbury, Blue Springs girls cross country
A returning all-state honoree from last year — she finished ninth in Class 5 — Brackenbury opened the year with a victory at the COMO Kickoff on Aug. 26 at Gans Creek, the site of the state championships. She ran 10:59.55 in the 3K, winning by 34 seconds.
Jackson Carruthers, Orchard Farm football
The senior made an impact on both sides of the ball in a 25-22 win over Houston. He caught seven passes for 126 yards, ran for 39 yards, racked up a team-high 11 tackles and recovered a fumble.
Jordan Carter, Lutheran North football
A senior, Carter was a defensive difference-maker in the Crusaders' 54-0 shutout victory against Hazelwood Central on Saturday night. He snagged two turnovers – an interception and a fumble recovery – and returned the fumble for 46 yards for a touchdown. He recorded three tackles, two pass break-ups and did not allow a reception.
Ben Chance, Bowling Green boys cross country
A returning all-stater, who finished fourth at the Class 3 meet last year, opened the cross country season by winning the COMO Kickoff on Saturday at Gans Creek. He ran 9:14.17 in the 3K race.
Talan Chandler, Nevada football
A University of Colorado commit, the Tigers' senior two-way lineman had a big day in his team's 56-0 win over Springfield Catholic with 10 pancake blocks and five tackles, including three for losses.
Caden Collison, Westminster boys soccer
A senior forward, Collison opened the season with three goals and an assist in a 4-1 win over MICDS on Saturday. Collison had five goals and two assists a year ago as the Wildcats went 17-6.
Kelsie Donaldson, Raymore-Peculiar softball
Not many pitchers can say they threw a perfect game in their first start, striking out nine in a three-inning no-hitter against St. Michael the Archangel on Friday. She followed that up by striking out 14 and allowing just one hit in a win over Grain Valley.
Bryce Gentry, Jackson boys cross country
The senior won a close battle with Kirkwood’s Levi Rowan to take first place at the Jackson High School XC Invitational on Saturday. Gentry is a returning all-stater for Jackson after placing 17th at the Class 5 meet last year.
Tristan Graham, Howell Central football
The senior quarterback completed 15 of 21 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-13 win over Fort Zumwalt East.
Kenley Halferty, Lee’s Summit girls cross country
A state qualifier last year in Class 5, Halferty opened her sophomore season with a win at the Lee’s Summit City Championship on Saturday with a time of 12:43.38. She won the 3-mile race by nearly 12 seconds.
Ethan Hansen, Rockhurst football
Hansen rushed for two touchdowns – a 30-yarder in the first quarter and a 72-yarder in the second half – in the Hawklets’ impressive 31-0 victory over Raymore-Peculiar. He finished with 110 yards rushing on 12 carries and completed 12 of 16 passes for 85 yards.
Wyatt Klaiber, El Dorado Springs boys cross country
A new first name but a familiar one for the Bulldogs as he is the fourth Klaiber to pass through the halls in recent years, Wyatt opened his high school career by winning his first race. He ran 17:07 to take first at the Clinton XC Invitational on Saturday.
Kanon Krol, Republic football
The senior had two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score, as the Tigers beat Carthage and snapped a 15-game losing streak to their Central Ozark Conference counterparts. He's a returning all-conference selection at running back and tight end.
Elijah Leonard, Lee’s Summit North football
The Missouri State pledge threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as he helped the Broncos beat Liberty North – his former school – in a showdown of the top-ranked teams in the SBLive Missouri Power 25.
Gabby McBride, Lindbergh softball
McBride threw a no-hitter and struck out 16 batters (with two walks) in a 7-0 win over Festus on Saturday. A junior, McBride went 19-7 with a 1.38 ERA and struck out 263 batters in 168 innings as a sophomore a year ago.
Dejerrian Miller, Cardinal Ritter football
A junior who transferred from East St. Louis (Ill.), Miller had an impressive debut with the Lions on Saturday. He caught eight passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns in a 52-6 victory at McCluer.
Elena Ruble, St. Pius X (Festus) girls volleyball
Competing at the MICDS Tournament over the weekend, Ruble had nine aces and finished with 92 assists, including 28 in a game against Mater Dei Catholic.
Marco Sansone, St. Louis University High football
The senior quarterback led the Jr. Billikens to a 38-21 win at St. Mary's on Saturday night. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 291 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception, and ran for 15 yards and two scores.
Avery Saucier, Helias Catholic girls volleyball
The junior setter had 47 assists, 19 digs and 21 service points to help the Crusaders go 4-0-1 and win the Wagener-Moore Invitational at Windsor Imperial on Saturday.
Olivia Slaughter, Grain Valley softball
The sophomore catcher played a key role in the Eagles picking up a 9-1 win over Platte County by going 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs in the Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference Invitational.
Ashley Theiss, DeSoto girls volleyball
The sophomore outside hitter had 38 kills, 8 blocks, 21 digs and had only one return error out of 41 chances at the Windsor Tournament on Saturday.
Ethan Vance, Camdenton boys swimming and diving
The senior was part of a trio of meet records at the Zizzer Invitational this weekend in West Plains. He won the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly and was part of the winning 200-meter freestyle relay team.
Ethan Venable, Oakville football
The senior running back ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries in the Tigers' 55-0 win over visiting Perryville on Friday. Playing defensive end, he racked up seven tackles.
Jack Williams, Lee’s Summit West boys cross country
Lee’s Summit West won the boys championship at the Dave Denny Lee’s Summit City Championship on Saturday. Williams, a junior who was all-state last year in Class 5, led the way for the Titans by placing first in the 3-mile race with a time of 9:58.61.
Will Wright, Carthage boys swimming and diving
The sophomore won two individual events — 400 freestyle and 200 IM — and was part of two relays at the Zizzer Invitational in West Plains. He was on the 200 meter relay that won and set a meet record, while the 400 freestyle was second.
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