Athletes of the Week: Walk scores game-winner, Chaon consistent at the plate

Apr. 13—The votes are in. Powered by Copper Creek Contractors, Ella Walk of Mahomet-Seymour girls' soccer and E.J. Chaon of LeRoy baseball are this week's winners. Here they are, in their own words, with their biggest supporters:

Ella Walk — Mahomet-Seymour girls' soccer

➜ Walk scored the game-winning goal in the final 90 seconds of the Bulldogs' 3-2 victory over fellow area power Champaign Central.

➜ "I was really honored and happy to be nominated because I feel like the recognition really reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire team. It's not just one person. We've been playing together since we were in third grade, and now it's really paying off. ... I had been pulled out of the game because I got a yellow card, so I was kind of frazzled. I went back in, and I was like 'Someone's going to have to make something happen.' I got the ball, took a touch and was like 'I'm just going to shoot it and hope it goes in.' This season has been really special. We've actually switched our formation a lot. Last year, we tried a different formation, and we tried another new one this year. Everyone was kind of on edge about it in the beginning, but it's really come together. Our passing has been really great, and we're playing on more of a team level than as individuals."

➜ "Stranger Things."

➜ Jimmy Buffett.

➜ Andrej Stojaković.

➜ track.

➜ teleportation.

➜ I always like to do my hair in some fun braids, and I always have my pre-game music-listening session.

➜ I don't even know if I could pick one. It's probably just all the friendships I've made with all the girls.

➜ backpacking through Europe with my friends.

➜ Karlee Fenton, Blue Ridge softball; Caroline Schweighart, St. Thomas More softball; Alicia Thomas, Centennial track and field

E.J. Chaon — LeRoy baseball

➜ Chaon tallied two hits in the Panthers' 10-9 win over Salt Fork and followed it up with three hits and two RBI in an 18-3 win over Blue Ridge.

➜ "I was very surprised with all the support and how quickly it got out. I found out midway through the school day, and I was very excited to see how fast the votes piled up once everyone found out about it. We have a great community that loves to support everyone, and it's great to see everyone be so happy for any LeRoy athlete. I was very shocked, especially with some of those bigger schools having a lot more people. We have that hometown pride, and it was a big support system from my community. ... Coming in as a young guy, I feel like I have a lot of pressure to keep up with last year's group, knowing they had a lot of seniors. Now, we have a lot of first-year starters, so we're just trying to fill the boots of a lot of everyone else who came before. It's definitely a pleasure to be competing with those guys and holding my own. It's been a blast with the group we have. We're very well put-together, and just coming out and playing my game has been absolutely amazing."

➜ "Without a Paddle."

➜ Dominic Fike.

➜ Ronald Acuña Jr.

➜ golf.

➜ super strength.

➜ I always make sure I go to Casey's before every game and get some sort of food item. Normally, it's in the candy section to get my fast sugars going. Then, I put my headphones on and listen to music, get the bands going to get my arms loose, take a massage gun to my legs to make sure those are nice and loose, lace up my cleats and go play.

➜ the JV game against Lexington last year. It was 9-8, and I was in center field. The pop fly goes up, and the tying run was on third base. I caught the pop fly and threw him out at home.

➜ getting past super-sectionals with this team. I want to see us have a really deep playoff run and see how far we can make it. I feel like these guys are a great group, and we can definitely do it. As long as we don't get too emotional and just play how we always have, we'll play to the best of our ability.

➜ Tyler Cole, Paxton-Buckley-Loda baseball; Ben Johnson, Westville baseball; Traxton Roberts, Armstrong-Potomac baseball