State champions, sectional victors, and a member of a regional title team are among those who had outstanding weeks in high school athletics. This has produced a strong field of candidates for the Daily Leader Athlete of the Week nominations for May 19-24.
Each week, the Daily Leader nominates a group of stars, and you get to go and vote in our poll. This week, you will choose the winner for May 19-24. The voting at pontiacdailyleader.com ends at noon on Friday.
Coaches may email Erich Murphy at emurphy@gannett.com by 9 a.m. each Monday to submit a potential nominee who can be placed on the ballot.
Joe Duffy, Dwight
Duffy ran a leg on a winning relay and advanced to state in two individual events for DTHS at the Class 1A Dwight Sectional meet. He teamed with Ayden Roff, Chris Ozee, and Joe Faris in winning the 4×400 relay in 3 minutes, 32.49 seconds. He also advanced by placing second in the 110-meter high hurdles and met the qualifying time while taking third in the 300 hurdles.
Joe Faris, Dwight
Faris was a double winner in advancing to the state finals for Dwight. Individually, he won the 800-meter run in 1:56.42. In the relays, he teamed with Roff, Ozee, and Duffy in taking the 4×400 (3:32.49) at the Class 1A Dwight Sectional.
Kayden Knight, Lexington
Knight helped lead Lexington to a Class 1A baseball regional championship. Knight had two hits, drove in a run, and scored the go-ahead tally in a 7-4 win over LeRoy in the semifinals of the Dwight Regional. He also got the win on the mound. In the final against host DTHS, Knight delivered two hits, including a double, drove in two runs, and scored in a 5-0 victory.
Maria Long, Pontiac
Long made the most of her challenge of being the favorite in the Class 2A long jump. She won the state championship in the event with a mark of 18 feet, 1½ inches.
Logan McCabe, Pontiac
McCabe beat teammate Levi Rients to win the Class 2A Pontiac Sectional pole vault event and earn a place at the state meet. McCabe cleared 13 feet, 8½ inches for his winning effort.
Jeremy Melton, Pontiac
Melton was a double winner in the jumps at the Class 2A Pontiac Sectional. He won the long jump with a mark of 21-4¾. Melton then captured the high jump after clearing the bar at 6-5½.
Aubrey Phillips, El Paso-Gridley
Phillips was part of two winning events, placing second in another and taking fifth place in a fourth event to help El Paso-Gridley win the Class 1A state girls’ track-and-field championship. She won the high jump (5-5¾) and teamed with Keyli Cogdal, Jaida Reed, and Kiera Stoller to win the 4×200 relay (1:41.96). She was part of the 4×400 team (3:59.63) that placed second and was fifth in the shot put (40-1/2).
Jaida Reed, El Paso-Gridley
Reed was part of two winning relays and placed second in two other events in helping El Paso-Gridley win the girls’ Class 1A state track-and-field title. Reed was with Cogdal, Teagan Tibbs, and Stoller in winning the 4×100 relay (48.9 seconds) and joined Cogdal, Stoller, and Phillips in winning the 4×200 (1:41.96). She was second in the 100-meter dash (12.09 seconds) and was part of the runner-up 4×400 (3:59.63) team.
Elijah Webster, El Paso-Gridley
Webster advanced to the boys’ Class 1A state finals track-and-field meet in three events. He won the high jump by getting over the bar at 6-4. He placed second in the 800-meter run (2:08.03). Webster was also part of the second-place 4×800 relay team (8:58.7).
Kolton Wright, Prairie Central
Wright earned a trip to the boys’ Class 2A state track-and-field meet in three events. He ran the lead leg in the winning 4×200 relay for the Hawks. The foursome of Wright, Collin Kilgus, Caiden Schulz, and Wyatt Ault won in 1:28.74. Wright led off the 4×100 team that placed second (42.61 seconds). Individually, Wright was third in the 200 dash but met the qualifying time with his mark of 22.43 seconds.
Erich Murphy is a reporter for the (Pontiac) Daily Leader. He can be reached at emurphy@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Vote now for the Daily Leader Athlete of the Week from May 19-24
Reporting by Erich Murphy, Pontiac Daily Leader / Pontiac Daily Leader
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