Metamora girls basketball player voted Journal Star high school athlete of the week

Alivia Vaughan of the Metamora girls basketball team was voted as the Journal Star athlete of the week.

The junior guard, who received 667 of 959 votes, capped her week at the Grow the Game Showcase on Saturday, scoring 18 points and picking up player of the game honors in beating Chicago St. Ignatius, 49-47 at Hinsdale Central. In two Mid-Illini Conference games, she scored 25 points in beating East Peoria on Friday, while adding 16 in a loss to Limestone last Tuesday.

The poll closed at noon Friday. Information about the nominees is below. If you have a nominee for the honor, email us at sports@pjstar.com or tag us on X.com at @pjstarsports. Last week, Kennedy Quinn of the Abingdon-Avon girls basketball team was named JS athlete of the week.

Drew Kieser, Brimfield boys basketball

Kieser picks up his second small-school nomination after another high-scoring performance on Friday. The senior made 11 3-pointers for 43 points in a 63-49 win over North Fulton. He hit six triples in the first quarter for 18 points, then added five points including a trey in the second. Kieser's second half came with 20 points including two 3s each in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. His point total was five short of the program's all-time record (Kevin Kreiter, 48 points).

Lathan Sommerville, Richwoods boys basketball

Sommerville filled the stat sheet at the Highland Shootout on Saturday. The Rutgers signee went for 23 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks in an 86-60 loss to St. Louis Vashon. He also scored 16 points in beating Limestone, 78-38 on Friday.

Lily Luczkowiak, Illini Bluffs girls basketball

Luczkowiak opened the new year with a pair of 23-point games in two wins. The senior forward scored 23 in Saturday's 41-23 road victory against Athens. Her week started last Tuesday by dropping 23 to beat Peoria Christian, 80-18. IB is 18-3 heading into Wednesday's state-ranked matchup with Elmwood.

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Ian Akers, Peoria Notre Dame boys wrestling

Akers claimed the 113-pound title as the Irish won the 38th annual Fairbury Prairie Central Hawk Classic on Saturday. The junior, who now sits at 20-4 on season, went 5-0 on the day, picking up five pins in the process highlighted by his fall in 1:26 over Sandwich freshman Colten Stone in the title bout. Akers was joined on the medalist stand with teammate Michael McLaughlin, who won the 285-pound bracket.

Savannah Hamilton, El Paso-Gridley girls wrestling

Hamilton finished off the 38th annual Fairbury Prairie Central Hawk Classic on Saturday with a win. The junior won the 15th-place match with a pin over Decatur Unity Christian junior Christian Zientara in 4:32.

Andrew Peterson, Galesburg boys swimming and diving

Peterson set a pair of records at the Normal Community Iron Invite on Saturday. The senior's winning dive of 417.10 was three points better than the previous record set by Jack Hammerton of Richwoods in 2020. The Silver Streaks won the invite, outdistancing themselves from runner-up Edwardsville, 406-367. In the process, Peterson also broke his own team record, which he set in Thursday's dual meet win over Burlington (Iowa), 143-35.

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Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Results of poll for newest Peoria high school athlete of the week