Wrestling champs, a state runner-up and basketball stars: Who won athlete of the week?

Jay Taft, Rockford Register Star

February 4, 2022 at 4:55 PM·4 min read

Colin Young from Belvidere, top, pinned Sam Young from Rockford East to win the 138-pound title during the NIC-10 conference championships at Guilford High School on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.

Belvidere wrestler Colin Young was voted as the Rockford Register Star's athlete of the week.

Young earned 42 percent of the 44,251 votes, beating out Byron basketball player Ava Kultgen (31 percent) and Belvidere North cheerleader Erika Alms (20 percent). The full results are below.

Young (38-5), just a sophomore, was one of six NIC-10 champs from the Belvidere co-op that took the conference team title Saturday. Sparked by a 12-second pin in the semifinals, Young stuck his finals opponent as well and heads into regionals with tons of momentum.

Auburn boys basketball player Rob Chaney won last week, earning 46% of the 33,861 votes, beating out Pecatonica girls basketball player Elaina Rager (34%).

Voting for the next athlete of the week begins Tuesday. If you have any nominees for the honor, email the Register Star sports department at sports@rrstar.com.

Erika Alms, Belvidere North cheerleading

Erika Alms holds up the sectional championship plaque that she helped the Belvidere North cheerleading team win on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Belvidere.

Alms was a big part of Belvidere North's recent dominance in winning its 11th straight NIC-10 cheerleading championship and then its eighth straight sectional title on Saturday. Alms is one of the Blue Thunder's top athletes on base, and she could be key to the team's efforts at the state tourney on Saturday. Belvidere North won the state title three years in a row before taking second the past two postseasons.

Freeport's Cadence Diduch was the first female to earn a conference title in NIC-10 history during the conference championships at Guilford High School on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022.

Cadence Diduch, Freeport wrestling

While her win wasn't enough to help Freeport defend its team title, the sophomore rolled to the 120-pound championship and became the first female to win an individual NIC-10 wrestling title at the conference tourney on Saturday. Diduch (16-3) will now take some time to get ready for the first IHSA girls wrestling state series, which begins with the Naperville Central Sectional on Feb. 11.

Ava Kultgen, Byron basketball

Kultgen knocked in 23 points to lead Byron (20-4, 6-1 BNC) past Stillman Valley (21-7, 6-2) 63-40 last Tuesday in a battle for second place in the Big Northern Conference. Byron held Stillman Valley to one field goal in the second quarter as it pulled away.

Malachi Johnson, Guilford basketball

Guilford's Malachi Johnson shoots a free throw against Boylan at Boylan High School on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, in Rockford.

Johnson led Guilford (12-10) with 19 points, draining five 3-pointers along the way, helping the Vikings sweep Boylan (14-7) this season capped off with a 40-34 win last Wednesday. Johnson, who buried a 3 in each quarter, was the only player on either team to score in double figures.

Marey Roby, Le-Win/Stockton wrestling

Congrats to Marey Roby as he punched his ticket to the 100 win club tonight in Durand as the PantherHawks beat Du-Pec 68-0! pic.twitter.com/xyLhR8277u
— Le-Win/Stockton PantherHawk Wrestling (@LWST_Wrestling) January 21, 2022

Roby earned his 100th victory on the wrestling mat last Thursday, and Le-Win/Stockton rolled over Durand 68-0 in a late-season dual. Roby and the PantherHawks will now get ready to compete in the Class 1A Dixon Regional on Saturday.

Jermarrion Simmons, Harlem bowling

Simmons rolled a 12-game score of 2,735 to take second place at last weekend's IHSA boys state bowling tournament at the St. Clair Bowl in O'Fallon, falling just 31 pins shy of a state crown. Simmons, who edged out his teammate Eric Roberts by 14 pins for second place, won the regional title for Harlem as well this postseason. "This is just momentum, that's all," Simmons said after regionals.

Ryan Tucker, Byron basketball

Sophomore shooting guard Ryan Tucker drained five 3-pointers and scored 20 points to boost the Tigers to a 64-29 win over Forreston on Saturday. Byron (8-10) won three of its four games last week.

Colin Young, Belvidere wrestling

Jay Taft: jtaft@rrstar.com; @JayTaft

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: IHSA sports: Results for Rockford Register Star athlete of the week

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Wrestling champs, a state runner-up and basketball stars: Who won athlete of the week?

More sports stories at rrstar.com

Erika Alms, Belvidere North cheerleading

Cadence Diduch, Freeport wrestling

Ava Kultgen, Byron basketball

Malachi Johnson, Guilford basketball

Marey Roby, Le-Win/Stockton wrestling

Jermarrion Simmons, Harlem bowling

Ryan Tucker, Byron basketball

Colin Young, Belvidere wrestling

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