Time to vote: Who deserves the latest Athlete of the Week honor for the Rockford area?

[ASFN Admin]

The winter sports' season came to a close after the IHSA boys basketball state championships concluded on Saturday, and the transition into the spring seasons has already begun.

That gives us a chance to see some different athletes popping up as we continue to name the Rockford Register Star high school Athlete of the Week. This week's nominees include basketball and track and field names to choose from.

You can go to rrstar.com or vote on the poll below, and we ask that you only vote once per day.


To nominate someone for the Athlete of the Week, send an email to [email protected] before 10 a.m. on Mondays, with information on why they deserve the honor.

This week's nominees are:

Adam Awender, Eastland basketball​

You must be registered for see images

Awender made 5 of his 12 shots and scored 15 points in Saturday's IHSA Class 1A title-game loss to Chicago Hope, one of only three Cougars to score in the season finale. Eastland fell 71-38 to take second in the state.

Chase Cutler, Hononegah track and field​

Cutler ran a 49.94 to win the 400-meter dash at Saturday's Hononegah Indoor Classic, and his time was the fourth fastest time in the entire state during the indoor track and field season. Cutler also won the 200 dash on Saturday.

Zyacn Haverland, Eastland basketball​

State basketball championships: Eastland's hot shooters go cold at the wrong time: in the state championship contest

Although the 6-4 junior forward had only two points in Saturday's state final boys basketball game, in which Eastland lost to Hope, he did haul in a team-high six rebounds. And, in Thursday's state semifinal victory, Haverland blocked a season-high seven shots.

Parker Krogman, Eastland basketball​

Krogman drained 6 of his 15 shots and tallied 17 points in Eastland's season-ending loss on Saturday to Hope. Krogman was one of the hottest-shooting Cougars down the stretch for the team that finished second in the state in 1A. Krogman also scored 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting in the state semis.

Paityn London, Freeport basketball​

You must be registered for see images

Though the girls season is over ― with Freeports' season being long over ― London was recently named as an Illinois Ms. Basketball finalist. She is the only underclassman on the ballot, and she averaged 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 6.1 steals. Her 48 points set a school record and she was named an IBCA all-state first-teamer.

Alec Schlichting, Lena-Winslow track and field​

Schlichting clocked a 6.63 in the 55 dash at last week's Byron Indoor Meet on Tuesday. That time was good for the meet victory, and it was also the fastest 55-dash time in 1A this Illinois indoor season.

Messiah Tilson, Guilford track and field​

Tilson already had the fastest 60-meter dash time in the entire state for the indoor track and field season, and then on Saturday he went even faster. The Guilford junior, who had a 6.84 at the March 7 Newman Open in Sterling, clocked a 6.83 to win the 60 dash at the Hononegah Indoor Classic this weekend.

Janardie Turner, Jefferson track and field​

Turner scorched the boys' field of Saturday's Byron Indoor Classic to win the 55 hurdles in 7.60. His time was the second fastest 55-hurdle time in the entire state this indoor season. Turner also won the 200 dash, the triple jump, and he took third in the high jump.

Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at [email protected] 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, for more than 20 years at the Register Star, and for nearly 30 years all together.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Who should win this week's Rockford Register Star Athlete of the Week?

Continue reading...