2022-23 Preps Year in Review: Top students, in memoriam, all-interview, deserved more pub

Jul. 16—Top student-athletes

➜ Vanessa Condarco, Keira Hohlbauch, Eva Hopkins, Austin Kutz, Emma Vazquez, Gracie Wagoner and Makenna Wagoner, Arcola. Part of an unusual 11 valedictorians for the Purple Riders, all of these individuals participated in at least one sport apiece.

➜ Mabry Bruhn, Monticello. Class 1A girls' cross-country state champion stays busy beyond running — as an athletic directors' association scholar-athlete, president of the Sages' FFA and a 3.98 GPA holder.

➜ Morgan and Reese Brunner, Cerro Gordo. Valedictorian and salutatorian for the Broncos, respectively, the sisters starred for Cerro Gordo/Bement's girls' basketball team during a campaign that resulted in 22 wins.

➜ Ava Dickerson and Daniel Suits, St. Thomas More. Valedictorian Dickerson helped Sabers girls' basketball to the Class 1A state tournament, shone in soccer. Salutatorian Suits was a steady baseball pitcher.

➜ Emma Edwards, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond. Knights' valedictorian was a solid distance runner in both cross-country and track and field, earning All-Area honorable-mention status in both.

➜ Grant Kauffman, Tuscola. Maintained a 4.0 GPA and battled through an injury suffered during football season to remain a positive presence for Warriors boys' basketball during its state third-place run.

➜ Noam Kramer, Urbana. One of just two seniors on the Tigers' 2023 girls' soccer roster, Kramer held the team's best GPA, was an academic all-sectional selection and started in every match.

➜ Ephraim Johnson and Kate Wilson, Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Valedictorian Johnson was a key contributor to Panthers baseball, while salutatorian Wilson qualified for the Class 1A girls' track and field state meet in pole vault.

➜ Lauren Miller and Dylan Moore, Unity. Rockets' Illini Prairie Scholar Athletes of the Year were crucial to success experienced by their teams — Miller in basketball and track and field, Moore in football and baseball.

➜ Kallen Robertson, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. Topped the Falcons' Class of 2023 academically while also participating in football and track and field, not to mention taking dual-credit courses at Parkland.

➜ Cassidy Short, Sullivan. Latest school valedictorian was a stud in track and field particularly, qualifying for the Class 1A girls' state meet as a long jumper and 400- and 800-meter relay runner.

➜ Elizabeth Wittenborn and Baler Rigsby, Watseka. Valedictorian Wittenborn earned a letter in volleyball, basketball and softball for the Warriors, while salutatorian Rigsby did the same in cheer and tennis.

➜ Blake Wolters, Mahomet-Seymour. Recent second-round pick in the MLB draft also maintained a 3.96 GPA while being scouted by numerous professional baseball teams, volunteered in several ventures.

➜ Brynlee Wright, Milford. Co-salutatorian served an integral role in Bearcats volleyball's 26 wins and softball reaching a regional final, also playing basketball.

➜ Luke Zimmerman, Villa Grove. All-Area first-team football selection topped his class academically at Villa Grove, and he also garnered All-Area honorable-mention recognition for his play on the baseball diamond.

In memoriam

➜ Clyde Turner, Champaign Central. All-time leading scorer in Maroons boys' basketball history, 70, died on Aug. 9, 2022. Turner generated 1,805 points before graduating in 1969 and led Central to a '69 single-class state tournament third-place finish.

➜ Lee and JoAnne Cabutti, Champaign Central. Winningest coach in Maroons boys' basketball history and his wife died three days apart, on Sept. 8 and Sept. 11, 2022, respectively. Lee, 97, guided Champaign High/Central to 434 victories and a 1969 third-place state finish, and the Combes Gymnasium court now bears his name. JoAnne was 92 and retired as a nurse.

➜ Donald "Butch" Clark, Unity. Former Rockets distance runner, basketball player and pole vaulter, 81, died on Nov. 29, 2022, after a battle with Parkinson's disease. Clark became known locally as a highly talented fast-pitch softball player after high school.

➜ Bob Richards, Champaign Central. Olympic and Pan American gold-medalist pole vaulter, 97, died on Feb. 26, 2023. The Champaign High graduate won the 1952 and 1956 Olympic men's pole vault golds.

➜ Montrell Emery, Urbana. Tigers student-athlete, 16, died on March 15, 2023, as a result of gun violence. He was a basketball player within Urbana's school system.

➜ Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr, Prairie Central. Star multi-sport athletes died on March 19, 2023, in a ski-related accident in Colorado. Bazzell, 18, was a two-time All-Area boys' basketball first-teamer and one-time All-Area boys' track and field first-teamer. Fehr, 17, was an All-Area football first-teamer and boys' track and field second-teamer.

➜ Mark Carley, Potomac. Standout basketball, baseball and track and field athlete for the Artesians, 69, died on May 7, 2023. He led Potomac baseball to its first regional title in 1971 by pitching a five-hit shutout, and he later became a coach at Schlarman.

➜ Colin Kristensen, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. Football and track and field athlete, 17, died on May 30, 2023, in an automotive accident. The senior-to-be also was part of the Falcons' FFA organization and performing arts program.

➜ Roger Beals, Chrisman. Legendary Cardinals boys' basketball coach, 85, died on June 13, 2023. He guided Chrisman's program to the Class A state tournament in 1985 and 1987, placing second in the former year and third in the latter, winning a total of 541 games between 1969 and 1992. He also led Chrisman cross-country to a pair of team state championships.

➜ Joseph Stallone and Keegynn Martinek, Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Panthers graduate and senior-to-be, respectively, died on June 27, 2023, in an automotive accident. Stallone, 19, and Martinek, 17, were boyfriend and girlfriend. Martinek was a PBL and Top Star cheerleader.

➜ Thron Miles, Danville. Vikings junior-to-be, 16, died on July 10, 2023. He played on Danville's junior varsity boys' basketball team last season, and coach Durrell Robinson said Miles would've made varsity this year.

All-interview team

➜ Jackson Gilbert, Urbana. A repeat honoree on this list, Gilbert seems constantly at ease no matter the situation — whether he's just won a track and field state title or been shockingly disqualified from a race.

➜ Shayne Immke, St. Joseph-Ogden. A bubbly personality, Immke genuinely enjoys discussing the sport that she's participating in but always finds a way to direct conversation back to others around her.

➜ Wade Schacht, Champaign Central. Had plenty of chances to speak to the media, as a boys' golf state champion, and provided interesting insights into that sport and tennis while also wearing his heart on his sleeve.

➜ Rose Talbert, Monticello. Her introspective takes on middle- and long-distance running paired with willingness to deliver candid thoughts about her own performances make for truth-filled quotes.

➜ Izzy Wilcox, Tuscola. Straightforward with interviews on basketball and softball, she carries herself in such a way that suggests she's accustomed to media attention.

Deserved more pub

➜ Ava Boyd, Mahomet-Seymour. All-Area second-team pick in girls' cross-country, track and field state medalist in the 1,600-meter run is thriving with Champaign Vipers.

➜ Ava Boyer, Tuscola. Older sister Ella is our Female Athlete of the Year, but junior-to-be Ava is doing outstanding things as a softball player, running the point in basketball.

➜ Maddux Carter, St. Joseph-Ogden. Carter stepped up as a golfer, boys' basketball player and baseball player in his senior year, serving as a great role player while other names took more of the spotlight.

➜ Teo Chemla, Uni High. All-Area boys' soccer second-team selection made a positive presence felt on the basketball court and also fared well in track and field as a senior.

➜ Brianna Denault, Watseka. Excels at every sport she plays. Her junior year saw her grab All-Area second-team status in softball, special-mention recognition in basketball and honorable-mention status in volleyball.

➜ Aleigha Garrison, Judah Christian. Competing for a small school as part of an even smaller girls' distance-running program, Garrison made state in both cross-country and track and field as a junior.

➜ MaKayla Koeppel, Clinton. Junior year included distance-running state advancements, in both cross-country and track and field, plus a steady girls' basketball role.

➜ Parker McClain, Urbana. McClain earned a Class 1A boys' tennis state doubles berth along with fellow senior Elijah Walker, put together another fine golf season.

➜ Clay Seal, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond. Received a unanimous first-team all-conference nod as a baseball pitcher in his senior season, after standing out in golf and basketball earlier on.

➜ Karson Stevenson, Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin. Quarterbacked Blue Devils football to another league title with dual-threat capabilities, ended his junior year with good performance in baseball.