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Six area athletes were nominated for the March Allen County Area Athlete of the Month, with a few garnering state medals just before the contest deadline.
Although the spring sports season is just getting underway, athletes are already making a name for themselves in the early goings.
Brooklyn Ellis,
Iola HS senior powerlifter
Topping the list of female nominees is recent Kansas 3A powerlifting state champion Brooklyn Ellis. In her final competition, Ellis won the 148-pound weight class state championship with a first place 165-pound clean lift, a first-place 295-pound squat and a third-place 130-pound bench. Ellis was also named the pound-for-pound state champion, which means she is the strongest per capital 3A athlete in Kansas.
Camrynn Yardley,
ACC sophomore pitcher
Allen Community College sophomore pitcher Camrynn Yardley serves as the Red Devils’ pitching ace. Jayhawk Conference officials recently named her pitcher of the week. However, with three home runs and a .344 batting average, her abilities with the lumber may surpass her abilities on the mound.
Laney Hull, Humboldt High School junior shortstop
Following a tough first outing, Humboldt High school junior shortstop Laney Hull seemed to right the ship while leading her team with six RBIs in the Lady Cubs’ most recent game against Tri-Valley Conference foe Neodesha. She complemented her standout performance with a slew of timely plays on the infield to keep the Blue Streaks out of contention.
Brody Thompson, Iola HS junior powerlifter, tennis player
Among the male nominees, Iola’s Brody Thompson may have the most varied background in the grouping. He recently wrapped up the winter powerlifting season in the 172-pound weight class. Thompson took second after clearing a 190-pound bench, a 375-pound squad and a 265-pound clean for 930 total pounds. He also serves on the No. 1 doubles tennis team, where he recently assisted Iola in winning the Independence Invitational while taking three of four matches.
Grady Dougherty,
Iola HS senior pitcher
Although only a handful of games into the regular season, Dougherty has already made an impact with a pair of victories on the mound and several RBIs from the batter’s box. Dougherty recently pitched a complete-game shutout of Pioneer League rival Burlington Tuesday. He accounted for the Mustangs’ only RBI of the opener, then picked up another in the finale while helping his team to a 2-0 victory.
Drake Weir,
Crest HS junior pitcher
With junior Drake Weir on the mound, few area teams evoke a sense of dread as the Crest Lancers. Not only are the Lancers 6-0, but they also beat every team they faced by at least 10 runs and Weir is a significant part of their success. During his last appearance, Weir tallied a backbreaking 12 strikeouts while adding an RBI to the winning effort. Against Pleasanton days earlier, he had three RBIs to complement his six strikeouts.
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