Vote: Who should be SBLive's Missouri High School Athlete of the Week (9/11/2023)?
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.
Eli Angle, Perryville boys soccer
Provided a pair of goals as the Pirates blitzed North County, 8-0, in a victory on Sept. 6. Followed with a goal against Southern Boone on Sept. 8 and then had one assist in games vs. Columbia Hickman and Sikeston on Saturday.
Dominic Bartoni, Christian Brothers boys soccer
The senior had two goals and an assist in a 4-0 victory against Gateway Legacy on Sept. 5, a hat trick and assist vs. Peoria Notre Dame in a 7-3 win on Sept. 8 and the only goal in a 1-0 win over Marquette.
Chase Bensing, Fort Zumwalt South football
The senior hauled in three touchdown catches and snagged two interceptions as the Bulldogs secured a 31-28 win over Francis Howell Central.
Connor Blackford, Maryville boys cross country
The senior ran sub-17 minutes for only the third time and in the process his mark of 16:41.10 was enough to win the Ray-Pec XC Invitational on Sept. 9. It was his first varsity win.
Jacy Bray, Nixa girls volleyball
The senior, who has committed to the University of Texas-Arlington, recorded 11 aces, 68 service points, 35 digs and 154 assists in a 7-game stretch for the Eagles, who went 7-1 this past week.
Bailey Burkett, Liberty North girls golf
The senior won the Lady Jaguar Invitational on Sept. 5 with a score of 77, a two-stroke victory. She followed up with a win in a Liberty North quad meet held on Sept. 6 in Independence.
Carlie Cisneros, Liberty North girls volleyball
The Arizona pledge eclipsed 1,000 career digs in a 3-1 win over Lee’s Summit West on Sept. 7. She recorded 25 kills and 24 digs.
Ian Everett, Liberty (KC) boys swimming and diving
Everett broke the 100-yard freestyle meet record at the Lee’s Summit Invitational twice, first in the prelims and then in the finals (45.30). He also broke the school record in the prelims of the 50-yard freestyle (20.99), which also broke the meet record of 21.12 he set last year. He was also part of the winning 400-yard freestyle relay.
Grace Fagan, Visitation Academy girls golf
She fired a 41 to take home medalist honors in a dual on Sept. 6 against Ursuline Academy on Sept. 6 at Sunset Country Club. Visitation won the dual 171-243.
Gabe Fields, St. Joseph Central football
The Indians improved to 3-0 with a 36-32 win over Raytown. Fields had nearly 200 yards of combined offense (112 rushing yards and 77 receiving) and three total touchdowns.
Adrian Fox, Jackson football
He completed 18 of 27 passes for 367 yards and helped Jackson beat Farmington, 63-38. Fox threw two touchdowns in the first quarter before the Indians turned to the running game. All told, the offense generated 606 yards in the win.
Sydney Fuger, North Kansas City girls tennis
The MSHSAA state record holder for wins in a season, Fuger picked up a championship at the Thomas Jefferson Invitational on Friday in Joplin. She won 8-0 in the finals of No. 1 singles and the Hornets were second in the team standings, 1/2 point behind Thomas Jefferson.
Megan Graver, Bowling Green softball
After recording her 500th strikeout last week, she fanned 10 against Elsberry in a 4-3 win on Sept. 5 and 12 in a 5-4 win over Mark Twain on Sept. 7. She picked up a save and had an RBI single in a win against Canton on Sept. 6.
Deacon Gutshall, Platte County boys swimming and diving
The junior picked up a pair of wins at the Belton Invitational on Saturday, winning the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle.
Dakarri Hollis, Lutheran North football
A last-second touchdown pass by Hollis – who improvised by scrambling and throwing across the field to Barry Benson – lifted the Crusaders to a thrilling 45-42 road win over reigning Class 5 champion Francis Howell. He completed 20 of his 26 passes for 370 yards and three touchdowns and ran 22 times for 148 yards and a score.
Jadis Jones, New Madrid County Central football
The Coastal Carolina pledge had a big night with seven catches for 287 yards and five touchdowns. The Eagles picked up a 38-27 win over Dexter in the process.
Cora King, Centralia softball
The Panthers won a slugfest with Highland, 14-13, behind five RBIs from King, who hit a grand slam and a game-tying RBI single in the Clarence Cannon Conference win on Sept. 5. The next day, King was 2-for-3 with three RBIs in a 5-4 win over Moberly.
Braedon Nichols, Park Hill boys soccer
The senior recorded a hat trick to help the Trojans blank Oak Park, 7-0, on Thursday at home.
Abigail Osborn, South Shelby girls cross country
The only girl running for the Cardinals, the junior picked up her first-ever high school win at the Highland Cougars Charge on Sept. 5.
Lilly Plassman, College Heights Christian girls volleyball
The Cougars’ libero made a kick save in a volleyball match to keep the rally going in a contest against Sarcoxie on Sept. 7. Sarcoxie won the match, 3-2.
Thomas Pulliam, St. Dominic football
Pulliam had a career game in the Crusaders' road win at Mascoutah (Ill.). The senior carried 22 times for 149 yards and four touchdowns – both career-highs – as St. Dominic rolled to a 42-14 win.
Nate Reynolds, Eldon boys cross country
In the first race of the season, the Mustangs’ senior broke the 17-minute mark for only the third time, winning the 45th Annual Linn Invitational at 16:51.10 on Saturday.
Ava Rogers, Pleasant Hill girls golf
After setting the school record for 9 holes, she set the school record for 18 holes by shooting an 81 and winning the Lawson Tournament on Sept. 6. The Lady Chicks shot 376, a new school record as a team.
Hunter Stahl, North Point boys cross country
The sophomore set a new school record with a time of 16:38.30 — his career best — and took eighth place at the Forest Park XC Festival on Saturday.
Johnny Starks, Carl Junction football
The Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season 32-24 over Neosho and the two-way starter made a big impact. He blocked a punt that was returned for a score, blocked a field goal, blocked a PAT and also ran for a 69-yard touchdown.
Luke Strueby, Rockhurst boys soccer
The sophomore pitched a shutout in regulation and then made three saves in penalty kicks to help the Hawklets beat Shawnee Mission East to win the KAMO Classic title on Saturday. The Hawklets improved to 5-0.
Morgan Sutton, Ozark girls tennis
She posted an 8-0 win in singles and then joined with Ella Scott for an 8-0 win in doubles for the Tigers. They beat Joplin, 7-2, on Thursday in a Central Ozark Central Conference showdown.
Sydnee Wagner, Grain Valley softball
The Eagles went 5-0 at the Ozark Fall Festival over the weekend. In an 8-2 win over Springfield Glendale, Wagner was 3-for-3 with a double and pair of homers — her first in high school. Grain Valley outscored its opponents 47-7 in five games.
Amelia Wiesler, Oakville softball
She hit a pair of home runs and drove in four runs in a 9-6 win over Marquette on Sept. 6.
Peyton Willbanks, Liberty (KC) boys cross country
The senior set a new school record, breaking one that stood for the past 21 years — by running 15:23.90 to take 11th place at the Olathe (Kansas) Twilight Race on Saturday.
Olivia Williams, Lafayette (Wildwood) field hockey
She scored three goals and added an assist as the Lancers blanked Webster Groves, 8-0, on Sept. 6.
Christian Brothers football player Cole McKey voted SBLive's Missouri High School Athlete of the Week (August 28-Sept. 3)
Congratulations to Christian Brothers football player Cole McKey, who was voted the SBLive Missouri high school Athlete of the Week for August 28-Sept. 3. He received more than 46 percent of the votes.
McKey, a senior, completed 21 of 34 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the Cadets' 45-31 loss at Bryant (Ark.).
Rockhurst football player Aidan Ryan finished second in the voting after receiving more than 35 percent of the votes.
View the rest of the nominees here: Who should be SBLive's Missouri High School Athlete of the Week (Aug. 28-Sept. 3)?
PREVIOUS WINNERS: St. Pius X's Elena Ruble (August 21-27)
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