HILLSDALE COUNTY — Voting is now open for the Week 3 reader’s choice Hillsdale County Athlete of the Week award.
Vote now through Saturday, Sept. 20 at 11:59 p.m. Vote as many times as you want for your favorite athlete on this week’s list.
Luis Castro-Thilo of Camden-Frontier was the Week 2 Athlete of the Week honoree.
Coaches and readers can submit athlete of the week nominations by Sunday morning each week. Up to 12 athletes may be nominated in a given poll. Schools and sport categories that win two or more polls in a row will not be included on the next poll but will be eligible for Hillsdale Daily News choice awards.
Nominees
Troy Shamplo – Waldron Football (8-player Football Athlete of the Week): Senior running back and captain Troy Shamplo turned the second half into a personal highlight reel, ripping off multiple touchdown runs — including a 70-yarder that capped the 56-36 win over their league and County rivals. His bruising style wore down the RedHawk defense and set the tone for a dominant finish that allowed the Spartans to keep the trophy jug another season.The Spartans ran for 432 yards out of 522 total offensive yards. This was led by Shamplo’s 31 carries, 303 yards, five touchdowns and two 2-point run-ins.
Logan Perkins – Litchfield Football: Logan Perkins had a standout night for the Terriers in Litchfield’s 50-6 win over St. Phillip. He set a school record for most interceptions in a game — three. He would add four tackles and five receptions for 35 yards — one touchdown — to his stat sheet. The road victory was the first in program history against St. Phillip.
Hunter Peiffer – Pittsford Football: A struggling Tekonsha squad was no match for a visiting Pittsford (2-1) squad that saw some players step up with larger workloads in expanded roles. Hunter Peiffer got the start at quarterback this week, throwing five times for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball four times for 59 yards and a score. He added two interceptions and five tackles on defense. Pittsford won 54-30.
Brayden Wright – Reading Football (11-Player Athlete of the Week): The Rangers finally got in the win column thanks to their 28-27 win over Mapley Valley in Week 3. Reading football was led by senior Brayden Wright. Wright carried the ball nine times for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
Marshall Baker – Jonesville Boys Soccer: The senior captain has been an anchor defender for the Comets this fall sports season, who have reached a 7-4 winning record after 11 games. The Comets beat Manchester 1-0 and Olivet 7-2 in Week 3 thanks to stout defensive work led by Baker and his teammates.
Grayson Rorick – Hillsdale Academy Boys Cross Country: The senior all-state runner led the Colts to a third place finish, playing up a division at the Holly-Duane Raffin Festival of Champions. He placed third overall with a time of 16:05.
Caleb Blonde – Jonesville Boys Cross Country: The junior keeps making a statement each week of the season. This time, Blonde ran down a first-place finish at the 2025 Auto Owners Insurance Spartan Invite, competing against some of the best runners in Division 3 and 4 across the state of Michigan. The junior finished first, and helped his team take third, with a time of 16:21.7.
Bryce Youngman – Hillsdale Boys Cross Country: The younger brother of Logan Youngman, the freshman made a statement taking sixth overall in his first-ever LCAA league jamboree, finishing with a personal best time of 17:56.42. While his older brother would go on to win the race, Bryce looks to be following in his footsteps as another up-and-coming runner to watch in Hillsdale County.
Nate Portteus and Joel Tucker – Hillsdale Boys Tennis No. 1 Doubles: The Hillsdale varsity tennis team continues to be a tough competitor across the south-central Michigan tennis scene. The Hornets defeated Bronson 6-0 in a sweep in Week 3. Leading the doubles action was Nate Portteus and Joel Tucker. Tucker and Portteus won No. 1 doubles against the Vikings in a two-match, 6-0 sweep.
Aleecia Baker – WCA Volleyball: The lone North Adams-Jerome athlete on the co-op team with Will Carleton, the senior volleyball star had 12 aces, 20 assists, five kills and seven digs in Will Carleton Academy’s win over Factoryville Christian in a rematch of last year’s CAC championship final. The Cougars won 3-1 including a 25-5 set where Baker served 14 straight points.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Vote for the Week 3 Reader’s Choice Athlete of the Week; Sept. 8-14
Reporting by Joseph Flaherty, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
