Following a week of standout athletic performances, the nominees for the Journal Star high school boys athlete of the week for May 4-9, presented by CEFCU, have been announced. The winner will be determined through online voting, with the poll closing at noon on Friday. Details on each nominee are provided below.
Last week’s honoree was Ryder Rennette of the Dunlap baseball team.
IVC’s Aiden Duhs competes in the Class 2A boys state cross country championship Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
Griffin Meeker, Tremont baseball – The senior delivered a stellar performance at the plate last week. In Tremont’s 8-1 victory over Illini Bluffs on Saturday, May 9, Meeker fell just a single short of hitting for the cycle. He doubled in the third inning, launched a two-run home run in the fifth, and drove in two more runs with a triple in the sixth. He finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Meeker also earned a save on the mound, facing six batters and striking out five on 20 pitches. Tremont (24-2) extended its winning streak to 11 games.
Cannon Foster, Washington baseball – The senior pitcher turned in a dominant outing last week. Foster threw a no-hitter in a 10-0 nonconference win over Bloomington on Saturday, May 9. He struck out 15 batters and walked just one, facing only one over the minimum in the seven-inning contest. Foster threw 100 pitches, with 70 going for strikes, as the Panthers improved to 20-9.
Aiden Duhs, Illinois Valley Central track & field – The senior claimed victories in four events last week. At the Illini Prairie Conference Meet on Tuesday, May 5, Duhs won the 800-meter run in 1 minute, 57.94 seconds. He also ran the second leg of the 4×800-meter relay, teaming with Colter Hedden, Cullan Fahrenkrug, and Reece Fraikes to finish in 8:17.27. On Friday, May 8, Duhs posted a season-best time of 4:37.30 in the 1600-meter run at the Deer Creek-Mackinaw Invite. He also anchored the 4×800 relay, helping IVC improve its time by nearly 11 seconds (8:06.80).
Patrick Peterson, Dunlap track & field – The sophomore swept the throwing events last week. At the Bloomington Raider Relays on Thursday, May 7, Peterson won the shot put with a throw of 58 feet, 7.25 inches—his 10th victory in the event this season. He also claimed the discus with a toss of 173-1, his ninth win. Peterson holds the top distances in both events on the latest Peoria-area honor roll.
Metamora’s Hunter Poole battles Pekin’s Jacob Brown in a Mid-Illini dual tennis match Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Metamora.
Hunter Poole, Metamora tennis – The sophomore went undefeated last week, compiling an 8-0 record in singles and doubles matches combined. He capped the week at Metamora’s Tom Pitchford Invite on Saturday, May 9 by going 2-0 in singles matches as the No. 2 singles player, defeating opponents from Troy Triad and Chatham Glenwood. On Friday, May 8, Poole won another singles match at the invite and teamed with Matthew Poole for a No. 2 doubles victory in straight sets over Charles McKee and Ben Witten of Peoria Notre Dame. Poole also earned two wins each against Dunlap on Tuesday, May 5 and Richwoods on May 4. The Redbirds are 26-2 in doubles meets this season.