PBR Illinois Diamond Notes: Week 7
June 4, 2021
Each week, IHSA coaches around the state submit to us their nominations for the PBR Illinois Player of the Week honor. On Wednesday, we awarded the Week 6 POTW honor to OF Adison Worthman (Bloomington, 2023), who became the first underclassman to win the award this season.
Worthman was a combined 10-for-16 with three home runs, generating 12 RBIs, and he added eight stolen bases as well, all while captaining the outfield from center error-free.
There were a number of other impressive performances that were in the mix for the award and deserve recognition. Here’s a look at some of the most notable.
WEEK 7 DIAMOND NOTES
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Lucas Montesantos RHP / OF / Hinsdale Central, IL / 2022Hinsdale Central earned an outright clinch of the West Suburban Conference title for the first time in over 20 years and did so behind a dominant outing by Montesantos Thursday night against Glenbard West in the clinching game. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, finishing the game with 13 strikeouts and only three walks. He also went 5-for-11 at the plate with two doubles, two RBIs, and a pair of walks, too. |
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Al Holguin 1B / LHP / St. Rita, IL / 2021The USC-Upstate recruit went 12-for-20 on the week with four doubles, a home run, and 10 RBIs. He also earned the win on the mound for St. Rita against Brother Rice to help clinch a share of the CCL - Blue title, striking out four across four scoreless frames. |
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Tyler Conklin RHP / SS / Kaneland, IL / 2021Kaneland’s senior ace hurled back-to-back complete game no-hitters in a week’s time, doing so against conference rival Sycamore and then again on Kaneland’s senior in a matchup with Rochelle. He finished the week with 24 strikeouts and just three walks; an eye-popping final line for Conklin. In 36 innings this year, Conklin has 72 strikeouts and a 6-1 record. |
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Michael Laudando SS / RHP / st. Laurence, IL / 2021Laudando had an impressive all-around week for St. Laurence, as the recent Rockhurst University commit’s most impressive feat was a complete game, 11-strikeout shutout over potent Brother Rice. He also went 5-for-14 at the plate and swiped five bags, scoring five runs as well. |
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Karson Bonaparte INF / RHP / Normal University, IL / 2021Committed to Notre Dame, Bonaparte had one of the loudest offensive weeks across the state. He finished with 10 hits total in 16 at-bats, clobbering three home runs and driving in eight runs. |
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Tanner Tompkins RHP / INF / Normal West, IL / 2021In his first varsity start on the hill, Tompkins struckout 12 batters, with a 67% strike rate, and walked just one in a five-inning no-hitter against Peoria Central. |
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Brandon Haake RHP / O'Fallon, IL / 2021O’Fallon defeated Civic Memorial last Friday 12-0 and did so on the back of Haake’s five inning, 56-pitch no-hitter. The Southwestern Illinois CC commit struckout nine batters in the process, raising his season total to 35 strikeouts across 28 innings with a 2.69 ERA. |
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Drew Bryant LHP / 1B / Brimfield, IL / 2022Brimfield's ace has yet to give up a run in the entire year and he struckout 21 batters over 12 innings last week, earning two wins along the way. Over a six-game offensive span, Bryant tallied 10 hits, including four doubles, 10 RBIs, five steals, and seven runs scored. |
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Jayden Clark 1B / OF / Thornton Fractional South, IL / 2022The junior outfielder had five hits in 14 plate appearances with two doubles and two home runs, driving in five total. Clark also walked six times and scored five runs, doing a bit of everything for Thornton Fractional South across the week. |