Athletes of the Week: Cuppernell gets quick pins, Gallier has career night
Jan. 14—Reese Gallier — Mahomet-Seymour girls' basketball
➜ Why she's Athlete of the Week: Gallier led the Bulldogs to a 62-58 road win against Normal West last Thursday with a career-high 29 points. She had to be on her A-game, as the Wildcats had two players score 20-plus points. In the end, Gallier's personal-best night propelled M-S to a close win. The junior added nine points in a 67-47 loss to Mattoon on Tuesday.
➜ From Gallier: "It was definitely an exciting feeling (being named Athlete of the Week). We beat Normal West, and that was a really proud moment for our team. We felt like the matchup could go either way, but we really wanted to come out with a win, so that was exciting. It was difficult, but we pulled through."
➜ A movie I could watch over and over is ... "Safe Haven."
➜ My favorite music genre/artist is ... country, and I like Zach Bryan.
➜ If I could have any superpower, it would be ... invisibility. That would be cool to be there but not be there. No one could bother me.
➜ Something that's on my bucket list is ... I definitely want to go out of the country. My family hasn't been on a vacation out of the country, so that would be really cool. I also want to swim with dolphins. I feel like that would be really fun.
➜ My biggest pet peeve is ... when people chew with your mouth open.
➜ My favorite basketball memory is ... last season when we won the Mattoon Holiday Tournament. I was injured during that time, but it was a really exciting feeling for our whole team.
➜ My favorite sports team is ... the Illini women's basketball team.
➜ Before a game ... usually, I come home. Depending on how I feel, I'll take a 20-minute nap, make myself a pregame meal and get there early to get shots up.
➜ After a game ... I go and talk to my family. I have a lot of people come watch because my family is very supportive, so I talk to them. If it's a home game, I'll go home and go to bed. If it's an away game and we win, we'll celebrate on the bus with the speaker.
➜ In five years ... I'd want to be getting into being a sports nutritionist. Being in that field, I'd want to look back on all the memories I had when I played sports. Seeing others' accomplishments would make me feel all those memories again.
➜ Honorable mention: Ava Beldo, Centennial wrestling; Kiley Dyer, Sullivan basketball; Aleah Emers, Centennial basketball; Addison Lucht, Cissna Park basketball; Addy Martinie, St. Joseph-Ogden basketball
Brody Cuppernell — St. Thomas More wrestling
➜ Why he's Athlete of the Week: The Sabers' star senior was on the mat for just 2 minutes and 15 seconds at last Saturday's Prairie Central Hawk Classic, pinning each of his five opponents in an average of less than 30 seconds. Cuppernell won first place in the 215-pound weight class as well as the event's award for the most pins in the quickest time. He followed that with his 100th career win on Tuesday in a roda match against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley/Fisher.
➜ From Cuppernell: "It's exciting (to be named Athlete of the Week). My hard work is getting appreciated, so that's nice. ... I'm just sticking to what I know, not trying to be fancy or wow people. I do what I know how to do and win. ... It's cool to see your growth from freshman year to now and realize, 'Wow, I can actually be something.'"
➜ A TV show I could watch over and over is ... "SpongeBob" or "Suits."
➜ My favorite music genre is ... country, all genres of country, but I like all types of music.
➜ If I could have any superpower, it would be ... super strength. I wouldn't tell people I had it, and I'd just go to the NFL and make a lot of money.
➜ Something that's on my bucket list is ... I want to go elk hunting and skydiving.
➜ My biggest pet peeve is ... when people lie.
➜ My favorite wrestling memory is ... from last year's state quarterfinal match against this kid who was supposed to be pretty good. I was pushing the pace on him, and he just gave up and stopped wrestling. He kind of forfeited the match in the state quarterfinal. I think he was like 45-2, and I made him quit.
➜ My favorite sports team is ... the Denver Broncos.
➜ Before a match ... I have to keep myself calm. If I get myself too pumped up, I'll waste my energy. I've been trying to sleep and stay calm and then, five minutes before my match, I'll get my warmup in. I get pretty hype when I walk on the mat. I don't need music to turn me up.
➜ After a match ... normally, we can't eat food because we have to make weight, so I like to hang out with my family.
➜ In five years ... I want to be a successful football player. Obviously, I want to get to the NFL, but I'm also realistic, so if that doesn't happen, I won't be too shocked. I also want to set myself up to be successful so I can have a family and provide for my kids and my wife. I want to get into real estate. ... I'll live in a mediocre house and fix it up while I'm living in it. Once I make enough money to make a down payment on a new house, I'll rent out my old house until I'm making enough money to make that my main job.
➜ Honorable mention: Kollin Asbury, Armstrong-Potomac basketball; Garren Barker, Champaign Central swimming and diving; Jack Barnhart, Centennial wrestling; Kaden Inman, Unity wrestling; Evan LaBelle, Watseka basketball
