KALAMAZOO, MI – Fall is here, and Michigan’s high school fall athletics are headed down the home stretch of their respective seasons.
It’s left a plethora of spectacular performances in all athletics, which has coincided right here in Southwest Michigan, too.
With that in mind, it’s time once again to honor the top talents in the Kalamazoo-area for their stellar showcases done on the field, court, course or pool with the third non-football Athlete of the Week poll of 2023.
There are 47 athletes this week, so let’s get to it, Kalamazoo.
Cast your vote for Athlete of the Week as often as you’d like until the poll closes at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023.
If you can’t find the poll, click here instead.
Bryce Handley, Portage Central soccer
The senior finished with a pair of nifty goals that helped Portage Central secure a 4-1 rivalry victory over Portage Northern last week, maintaining the Derby Trophy at Central for the seventh straight year.
Mary Stears, Centreville volleyball
Stears collected 18 kills, one ace, two digs and two blocks to help Centreville remain a perfect 5-0 in Southwest 10 conference play over the last week.
Riley Buchner, Centreville volleyball
Bouchner compiled 46 digs and three aces over the last week to help Centreville remain a perfect 5-0 in Southwest 10 conference play.
Jozee Bugilone, Constantine volleyball
Bugilone stuffed the stat sheet last week, collecting 35 kills, 20 blocks, 21 digs and 6 aces to help the Falcons post an above .500 record.
Abby Baushke, Decatur volleyball
Baushke collected 16 kills, 46 assists, five digs, three blocks and four aces to help the Raiders post a 2-1 week last week.
Gavin Clark, Allegan tennis
The standout junior posted a successful week at his No. 2 singles position, recording a pair of victories that included a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kalamazoo Christian’s Logan Herder, which improved his overall record to 26-5.
Luke Malocha, Vicksburg soccer
Malocha netted a pair of goals in last week’s 8-2 win over Three Rivers, improving the Bulldogs’ win streak to four in a row.
Landon Johnson, Vicksburg soccer
Johnson netted a pair of goals in last week’s 8-2 win over Three Rivers, improving the Bulldogs’ win streak to four in a row.
Avery Snook, Vicksburg soccer
Snook netted a pair of goals in last week’s 8-2 win over Three Rivers, improving the Bulldogs’ win streak to four in a row.
Liby Zabonick, Three Rivers golf
Zabonick fired a career best 49 to finish tied for 14th at Three Rivers’ seventh jamboree hosted by Vicksburg last week.
Jenna Southland, Three Rivers volleyball
Southland had a monster week, finishing with an impressive 94 kills, 10 assists, 11 digs and seven blocks – all of which maintained the Wildcats’ state-ranking and saw them finish runner-up at their own invitational.
Miley Southland, Three Rivers volleyball
Southland also had a monster week, finishing with an impressive 180 assists, 13 digs, seven kills and seven aces – all of which maintained the Wildcats’ state-ranking and saw them finish runner-up at their own invitational.
Jordyn Bonnema, Kalamazoo Christian golf
Bonnema continued her torrid stretch of golf last week, carving up a pair of courses that included a score of 35 at Diamond Lake Golf Course, and a score of 38 at the States Golf Course.
KJ Walters, Kalamazoo Hackett golf
Walters also played well last week, carding a 45 at Diamond Lake, and a 40 at the States.
Jack Larink, Constantine soccer
The junior netted a pair of goals and dished out an assist in the Falcons’ 5-1 victory over Schoolcraft on Monday.
Shawn Meade, Constantine soccer
The junior netted a pair of goals in the Falcons’ 5-1 victory over Schoolcraft on Monday.
Jacob Hodgman, Mattawan tennis
The senior No. 2 singles player recorded a trio of wins last week, beating Kalamazoo Central’s Lukas Palmitessa in straight sets and also picking up wins against players from Gull Lake and St. Joseph to improve his overall record to 14-1 on the year.
Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis
The freshman phenom enjoyed a stellar week at the No. 1 singles spot, picking up comfortable victories over Battle Creek Lakeview, Gull Lake and Portage Northern to improve his overall record to 16-4 on the year.
Laksh Singh, Portage Central tennis
The sophomore also enjoyed a great week at the No. 2 spot, highlighted by a straight set victory over Portage Northern’s Nathan Gleason last week.
Ryker Corstange, Gull Lake soccer
The senior striker finished with four goals over the course of the past week, which helped the No.1-ranked Blue Devils secure a SMAC regular season conference title.
Zavier Thomas, Gull Lake soccer
Thomas netted a quartet of goals, including a hattrick in Gull Lake’s 4-1 win over Battle Creek Lakeview on Tuesday, which helped them secure a SMAC regular season conference title.
Charlotte Knox, South Haven volleyball
Knox put together a stellar night to help the Rams go 1-1 this week, leading the team with 18 kills, 12 aces and 36 digs.
Logan Begeman, Portage Central cross country
The senior runner picked up another victory at last week’s SMAC West 1 event, posting a time of 16:06.9.
Jackson Lam, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix cross country
The sophomore recorded a fifth-place finish at last week’s SMAC East Jamboree, posting a time of 17:11.1.
Logan Westgate, Portage Central cross country
Westgate recorded an eighth-place finish at last week’s SMAC West 1 event, posting a time of 17:17.8.
Dylan Duguay, Loy Norrix cross country
Duguay recorded a second-place finish at last week’s SMAC East Jamboree (16:58), while also finishing in 29th place at the Jackson Invitational (16:22.1), a season-best.
Annie Alkema, Kalamazoo Central cross country
The junior picked up her second first-place finish of the year last week, finishing with a time of 19:50.6 at the SMAC East Jamboree.
Rhea Mouw, Portage Central cross country
Mouw finished in fourth place at last week’s SMAC West 1 event, posting a time of 20:35.4.
Roxanne Jorgensen, Portage Northern cross country
The freshman runner picked up a pair of top 10 finishes last week, first posting a time of 20:46.9 at the SMAC West event, which was good for sixth place and also picked up a personal best and an eighth-place finish at the Cougar Falcon Invite (19:46.1).
Henry Cox, Plainwell cross country
The junior recorded a pair of first place finishes and a second-place finish. Cox won with a time of 16:36.3 at the Bangor Invitational, and won with a time of 16:56.1 at the Tri-Meet on Tuesday.
Sullivan Zietlow, Three Rivers cross country
Zietlow recorded a trio of top 10 finishes over the past week, finishing fourth at a Tri-Meet (16:48.6), sixth at the Cougar Falcon Invite (16:22.7) and second at Tuesday’s Tri-Meet (16:57.7).
Caleb Wesseldyk, Otsego cross country
The junior recorded a pair of first place finishes last week, winning a Tri-Meet (16:30.5) on Sept. 19 and posting a season-best time of 16:23.3 at the Tri-Meet on Tuesday.
Kenny Sheffer, Otsego cross country
The sophomore recorded a pair of second place finishes last week, including a personal-best time of 16:32.7 at the Tri-Meet on Sept. 19.
Isaac Veen, Plainwell cross country
The senior picked up a trio of top 5 finishes last week, including a fourth-place finish at the Bangor Invitational (17:11.7).
Logan Brazee, Otsego cross country
The senior enjoyed an excellent week, picking up a second-place finish at the Tri-Meet on Sept. 19 (19:19.1), a 24th place finish at the Jackson Invitational (19:08.3) and a personal-best at Tuesday’s Tri-Meet (18:25.7), which was good for first place.
Emma Hoffman, Otsego cross country
The sophomore picked up a first-place finish at last week’s Tri-Meet (19:01.6), and also finished 12th at the Jackson Invitational (18:33.7) and second at Tuesday’s Tri-Meet (18:34.3).
Megan Germain, Otsego cross country
The senior picked up a pair of third place finishes and posted a season-best at the Jackson Invitational, finishing in 15th place with a time of 18:44.2.
Emma Steele, Vicksburg cross country
The senior enjoyed a trio of top 10 finishes, including a personal-best time of 19:14.9 at the Cougar Falcon Invite, and a first-place finish at the Tri-Meet on Sept. 19 (21:56.4).
Dante Pillot, Schoolcraft cross country
The junior recorded his best finish of the year last week, finishing second at the Parchment Classic with a time of 18:06.9.
Alaina Klooster, Kalamazoo Christian cross country
The junior record a pair of top five finishes last week, including a fourth-place finish at the Parchment Classic in a time of 20:32.5.
Libby Smith, Gobles cross country
The freshman continued her torrid stretch last week, collecting another pair of first place finishes that was highlighted by a personal-best time of 19:14.4 at the Bangor Invitational.
Ava DeYoung, Gobles cross country
DeYoung picked up a pair of top 5 finishes last week, including a second place finish at the Mendon Invite (20:54.5).
Marek Butkiewicz, Kalamazoo Hackett cross country
The sophomore recorded a first place finish at the Irish Fox & Hound event last week (17 min flat).
Maggie Spybrook, Kalamazoo Central swim
Spybrook picked up a pair of first place finishes at last week’s meet with Mattawan, earning a time of 5:25.07 in the 500-yard freestyle, and a 2:19.86 time in the 200-yard IM.
Lillian Mahar, Loy Norrix swim
Mahar has won seven events over the past week, which was highlighted by her state qualifying time of 5:14.42 in the 500-yard freestyle against Bridgman on Tuesday.
Audra Tate, Loy Norrix swim
Tate picked up a trio of first place finishes over the past week, all highlighted by her 100-yard fly time of 1:03.62 against Bridgman.
Abby Milliken, Loy Norrix swim
Milliken picked up a trio of first place finishes over the past week, all highlighted by her 100-yard breaststroke time of 1:11.39.
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