Vote Now for Monroe County Region Athlete of the Week: May 25-31

Baseball is on a winning streak in the Monroe County Region Athlete of the Week competition, marking two consecutive weeks of triumph after a slow start to the season. Hunter Hemelgarn from Ida emerged victorious in the poll for May 18-24, accumulating an impressive 9,355 votes, leading a competitive field where five other athletes surpassed the 1,000-vote mark.

In the recent poll, Alivia LeBrun from Jefferson’s softball team secured second place with 5,661 votes, followed by Logan Mitchey of Ida boys golf with 4,864 votes. Kyle Burger from Bedford boys lacrosse and Lola Cacioppo of Monroe girls soccer rounded out the top five, receiving 3,550 and 1,738 votes respectively. In total, the recent voting saw 29,123 ballots cast.

Now, it’s time to participate in the voting for the May 25-31 period, which remains open until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, June 4. Here are the athletes nominated for this week, listed alphabetically:

Olivia Beaudrie (SMCC girls track and field): She clinched a Division 3 state championship in high jump and contributed to her team’s fourth-place finish in the 400 relay. Christian Craanen (SMCC boys track and field): He played a vital role in his team's state championship win, finishing second in the 3,200 meters, third in the 1,600 meters, and sixth in the 800 meters.

Steel Decator (SMCC baseball): He delivered a stellar performance, allowing no earned runs against a top Division 3 team, securing a district title for the Falcons. Maddi Duke (Bedford boys track and field): He achieved a personal best with a time of 1:53.87, placing fourth in Division 1 for the 800 meters.

Emi Grube (Jefferson softball): She excelled with a 3-for-3 batting performance, driving in three runs and co-pitching a no-hitter in a District quarterfinal. Taleon Guess (Bedford boys golf): He qualified for the state finals with a solid round of 73. Other notable nominees include Julia Hughes and Reece Kalb, among several talented athletes vying for your vote.