Zailey Conroy, Will Elder earn first Athlete of the Week awards

Reading sophomore Will Elder won the Hillsdale Daily News Week 1 Athlete of the Week honor for the 2026 spring sports season.

Sophomore Zailey Conroy won the first spring sports reader's choice Athlete of the Week award.

Voting Results

Runner-up: Kherington Ladd, Hillsdale softball

Ladd starred both in the circle and at the plate during the opening weeks of the season. She logged more than 25 innings as a pitcher, earning a win with a 12-strikeout performance against Morenci. Her 38 strikeouts lead all Hillsdale County pitchers. Offensively, Ladd totaled nine hits, two RBIs and eight runs scored. On the bases, she was a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts.

Third place: Bryn Rusk, Jonesville softball

Rusk highlighted her early season with a perfect game in an 18-0 win over Vandercook Lake, striking out nine batters in four innings. She has 15 strikeouts in three pitching appearances. At the plate, Rusk added four hits, including two doubles, drove in one run and scored seven times.

Honorable mentions

• Jayden Martinez, Camden-Frontier baseball — Threw a complete-game win over Pittsford with 13 strikeouts, allowing one earned run on two hits; added four strikeouts in two innings against Colon and recorded six hits, five RBIs and two runs.
• Desman Lawless, North Adams-Jerome baseball — Opened the season with a complete-game victory against Litchfield, striking out 15 batters; added an RBI double, a stolen base and scored a run.
• Talon Titus, Jonesville baseball — Pitched a complete-game shutout against Vandercook Lake with 13 strikeouts and one hit allowed; owns 19 strikeouts, a 0.583 ERA and a 1.083 WHIP in 12 innings while contributing offensively.
• Leah Headley, Reading softball — Leads the county with three wins in five starts; struck out 23 batters and threw a season-opening no-hitter against Litchfield while contributing offensively.
• Ashton Thornsbury, Hillsdale boys track and field — Won the 110-meter hurdles at the Jack Beilfuss Invitational and cleared a season-best 6 feet, 3 inches in the high jump.
• Reece Rundquist, Jonesville boys track and field — Won four events at Grass Lake, set personal bests in the high jump and long jump, and helped the 4x200 relay earn a win.
• Mondale Knepfler, Pittsford boys track and field — Helped lead winning relay teams as the first leg of the 4x200 and 4x400 and set a personal best in the high jump.
• Brielle Clark, Pittsford girls track and field — Recorded six wins across five events, set personal bests in the 200 and 400, anchored winning relays and won pole vault at Athens.
• Caylee Whinnie, Reading girls track and field — Earned three wins and six top-five finishes across five events while serving as a key relay runner.
• Jack Sturgill, Jonesville boys golf — Finished second individually in his varsity debut, posting four pars and helping Jonesville take third in its first Cascades jamboree.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Zailey Conroy, Will Elder earn Hillsdale County Athlete of the Week