Vote: Who should be SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week? (10/16/2023)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for October 9-15. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email nate@scorebooklive.com.
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 who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Graham Beckman, Iowa City Liberty football
The senior leads Class 5A with 25 passing touchdowns after throwing for four in a 44-0 win over West Waterloo.
Grace Berglund, Glenwood girls cross country
The freshman turned in a Hawkeye 10 championship performance with a time of 18:54.36, holding off fellow freshman Delayne Reese of Lewis Central.
Ben Casey, Treynor football
The junior threw for four touchdowns, completing 13 of 17 passes for 218 yards in the Cardinals’ 59-0 win over Missouri Valley. His favorite target was Karson Elwood who had five catches for 131 yards and two TDs.
Jack Cooley, Clarke football
The senior completed 15 of 20 passes for three touchdowns and 171 yards as the Indians finished the regular season with a 4-4 record after beating Chariton 21-18, earning a playoff bid in the process.
Carli Cline, West Burlington volleyball
The Falcons’ junior leads the state with 701 digs on the season.
Ethan Eichhorn, Lewis Central boys cross country
The senior claimed the Hawkeye 10 boys title with a time of 5:14.04, beating Clarinda’s Treyton Schaapherder by 20 seconds.
Luke Hardman, Pella football
The senior QB has the Dutch thinking playoffs after passing for 359 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two scores in a stunning 40-13 upset of Bondurant-Farrar.
Grace Hoeper, Iowa City High girls swimming
The junior is the best in the state in the 50 freestyle (23.37) and 100 butterfly (56.82) and the second fastest time n three races – 100 free (50.73), 200 free (1:53.09) and 500 free (5:01.83). A student of Solon, Hoeper won the 50 free state championship as a sophomore.
Owen Howe, Johnston boys golf
The Dragons’ senior was crowned Class 4A state champion at Otter Creek, shooting an even par 142. Howe put together rounds of 72-70 to edge West Des Moines Valley’s Braeden Nelson by a stroke.
Cody Klein, Newton football
The senior running back racked up 322 yards and three touchdowns as the Cardinals pulled an impressive 21-2 upset over Gilbert.
Avery Knoop, Union volleyball
The Knights are 35-11 in match play this season, thanks in part to the junior setter, who is second in the state with 1017 assists (9.3 avg.).
Braeden Nelson, WDM Valley boys golf
The talented sophomore carded a low round of 2-under-par 69 to come back and finish as state runner up in the Class 4A boys golf tournament. He finished with a 36-hole score of 143 to finish a stroke behind champion Owen Howe of Johnston.
Aaron Olsen, Audubon football
The junior QB ran wild for 224 yards and two TDs and also had a 13-yard touchdown pass in the Wheelers’ 42-26 win over Baxter.
Quinn Olson, Bishop Heelan football
The senior QB ran for 160 yards and four touchdowns in the Crusaders’ 34-14 triumph over Sergeant Bluff-Luton.
Neal Pinter, Denver boys cross country
The senior had a blistering time of 15:41.16 to win the North Iowa Cedar League cross country meet and leading his team to the title as well.
Adrien Robbins, PCM football
The junior ran for 238 yards and three touchdowns and caught two passes for 68 yards and a TD to lead the Mustangs into the playoffs with a 45-6 win over Iowa Falls-Alden.
Pryce Rochford, Edgewood-Colesburg football
The junior QB ran for 284 yards and five touchdowns as the Vikings won a wild 70-50 shootout over Kee, who’s QB Dalton Mudderman passed for 252 yards and four TDs and ran for 96 yards and three scores.
Tate Riang, Marshalltown football
The senior had 141 yards rushing with a touchdown and 167 yards receiving with two TDs in the Bobcats 27-14 win over Des Moines Lincoln, which got 278 yards rushing from Javon Sanders.
Tori Runyan, Indianola volleyball
The senior leads Class 4A with 887 assists. The Indians are riding a 10-match win streak and are 34-4 on the season with an eye on the state tournament.
Ryan Stiles, Earlham football
The senior running back ran for 223 yards and two TDs to lead the Cardinals to a 52-14 rout over a good South Central Calhoun team.
Dylan Susemihl, LeMars boys golf
The senior ended his prep golf career with an impressive third place finish at Otter Creek in the boys 4A state tournament. He put together rounds of 72-73-145.
Hillary Trainor, Sumner-Fredericksburg girls cross country
The senior claimed the North Iowa Cedar League cross country meet individual championship with a time of 17:55.37.
Cael Turner, Creston football
The Panthers’ remarkable season continued with a 42-28 win over Nevada behind Class 3A’s leader in touchdowns as the senior passed for 242 yards and three scores. Teammate RB Brennan Hayes also had another big night with 186 yards and a TD.
Preston Wicker, Madrid football
The junior QB has been a key factor in the Tigers return to prominence as he ran for 217 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-14 shellacking of Wayne.
