The polls are now closed for the April Athlete of the Year challenge.
Congratulations to Alyssa Malicki on being named our Athlete of the Year! Alyssa will receive a commemorative plaque presented by Country Financial and be featured in this week’s edition of Pioneer Press. Thank you to all of our challengers and voters!
This program is governed by these rules. Voting results are considered preliminary and are not final until winners are announced at the end of the voting period.
Looking for your school? Find the correct zone.
More: Official rules | Athlete of the Month: FAQ | Questions? Concerns?
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Name: Terrance Roundy
Year in school: Senior
School: Oak Park-River Forest
Sport: Football
Position: Running back
Best game: “Roundy ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries as the Huskies rallied from a 16-point deficit to defeat Simeon 29-28 in Week 1.”
Quote: “It’s nice to win,” Roundy said. “I’ve got to thank my teammates. I wouldn’t have won it without my team. It feels good to be recognized and get my play recognized and what I’ve been doing on the field.”
Name: Trevon Brown
Year in school: Junior
School: Oak Park-River Forest
Sport: Football
Position: Wide receiver
Season stats: Brown scored 10 touchdowns and had the game-winner against Simeon. He was a key factor on a Huskies squad that reached the Class 8A state playoffs for the sixth season in a row.
Quote: “He’s just a wonderful kid,” OPRF athletic director John Stelzer said. “A terrific student, a terrific athlete. We’re very fortunate at Oak Park-River Forest High School to have quite a few of those student athletes.”
Name: Patrick Sarad
Year in school: Junior
School: Leyden
Sport: Boys cross country
Best game: Led by Sarad’s fifth-place finish, the Eagles finished third with 64 points at the Class 3A Young Regional on Oct. 21 and advanced to the Lake Park Sectional. Sarad completed the course at Chicago’s Washington Park in 16 minutes, 20.4 seconds. At the sectional, Sarad placed a team-best 44th (15:49.55). Leyden finished 15th in the team standings.
Name: Brooke West
Year in school: Senior
School: Fenwick
Sport: Girls swimming
Best game: West earned two individual medals at the state meet on Nov. 18 and helped the Friars place in two relays. She finished third in the 100-yard backstroke, ninth in the 100 freestyle and swam a leg for Fenwick in the 200 medley relay (eighth) and the 400 free relay (12th).
Quote: “We’re another year of being bigger, stronger and faster,” West said of the relay teams. “Our goal was to make it back and be top 12, and we pushed each other in practice.”
Name: Michael Barnas
Year in school: Senior
School: Ridgewood
Sport: Boys basketball
Position: Forward
Season stats: Barnas scored a team-high 17 points in a 59-52 Metro Suburban Red loss at Timothy Christian on Dec. 15, including half of his team’s 18 fourth-quarter points. He added 10 rebounds. Three days earlier, Barnas scored 14 points in a 62-34 conference win at Walther Christian. He again led the team in scoring. In the Class 3A Elmwood Park Regional final loss to North Chicago, Barnas led the Rebels with 13 points.
Quote: “I’m going to the basket more because I got to be more confident,” Barnas said. “I’m bigger, stronger and faster. I know I can beat the man guarding me. I’m driving to the basket instead of kicking it out to somebody for the open shot.”
Name: Amalia Figueroa
Year in school: Senior
School: Leyden
Sport: Girls basketball
Position: Guard
Season stats: Figueroa led Leyden in scoring in back-to-back West Suburban Gold road victories, registering 18 points in a 54-52 win over Willowbrook on Jan. 20 and finishing with 15 points in a 52-49 victory over Addison Trail on Jan. 23. She made three 3-pointers against Addison Trail.
Quote: “She’s a true two-way player,” Leyden girls basketball coach Stephanie Kuzmanic said. “She has turned herself into a really good shooter, she can guard just about every position and even though she’s only 5-foot-3 she’s also one of our best rebounders.”
Name: Ryan Jaffray
Year in school: Junior
School: Leyden
Sport: Wrestling
Position: 220 pounds
Best game: Jaffray (34-7) came agonizingly close to qualifying for the Class 3A state tournament at the Larkin Sectional. After earning points for what appeared to be the winning takedown in his consolation semifinal, Jaffray was subsequently pinned. He would have advanced to state if he won the match.
Quote: “(Jaffray) is such a hard worker and is so disciplined in how he goes about the sport,” Eagles coach John Kading said. “He’ll spend the offseason practicing and doing the things he needs to do to get better and reach his goals next year.”
Name: Jacob Kaminski
Year in school: Sophomore
School: Fenwick
Sport: Wrestling
Position: 195 pounds
Best game: Kaminski marched through the Class 2A 195-pound bracket and claimed a state championship by defeating Rochelle’s Alex Harvey 7-1 in the state final on Feb. 17 in Champaign. Kaminski finished the season 31-2 and had five pins in the state playoffs.
Quote: “This was a well-deserved and earned state title for Jacob,” Fenwick coach Pete Kowalczuk said. “It’s also great for the rest of our guys to witness. It will go a long way in the growth and development of the Fenwick program.”
Name: Alyssa Malicki
Year in school: Senior
School: Ridgewood
Sport: Softball
Position: Pitcher
Season stats: 4-0, 21 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 walk, 47 strikeouts, one perfect game, two no-hitters
Best game: It’s hard to choose. Malicki threw a no-hitter and walked just one batter in a 3-0 hone win over Elk Grove on March 22. Two days earlier, Malicki struck out 17 Fenwick batters in an 8-1 road victory. She also threw a five-inning perfect game at Guerin on March 16. The Rebels won 13-0.
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