It’s Week 8 of the CatchMark SportsNet West Michigan Conference Player of the Week fan poll for 2023 spring sports.
Six spring sports athletes from the conference who stood out in competitions May 22-27 have been nominated by the CatchMark SportsNet team.
Time to get voting.
The poll can be found at the bottom of this story after brief capsules on the nominees. The poll closes at noon Friday, June 2.
Athletes are listed alphabetically:
AVA GARCIA, Whitehall soccer
The junior scored on a penalty kick with 19 seconds remaining to lift the Vikings to a 4-3 victory over host Grant in a Division 3 girls district soccer opener last Wednesday. It was Garcia’s second goal of the game and helped Whitehall advance into this week’s district play at Newaygo.
CHASE GOWELL, Montague baseball
The Wildcats’ senior center fielder and leadoff hitter had a big week as his team won three of four games and captured a share of the WMC Lakes Division title. In a 12-1, six-inning Game 2 victory over Oakridge that earned Montague a piece of the divisional title, Gowell went 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI. In 13-0 and 15-4 wins over Holton, he combined to go 4-for-9 with a double, triple, four RBIs and four runs scored.
MAELIE HOPE, Whitehall track and field
The Vikings senior took first place in three events and second in a fourth event during the 44th West Michigan All-Star Invitational last Wednesday at Reeths-Puffer’s Rocket Stadium. Hope took first place in discus with a toss of 145 feet, 6 inches, and first place in shot put at 40-11.5. She won the 200-meter dash in 26.41 seconds and took second in the 100 dash in 12.67 second.
KELLEN KIMES, Hart track and field
The Pirates senior has been dominant in the throws throughout his high school career and he continued that last week. In Wednesday’s 44th West Michigan All-Star Invitational at Reeths-Puffer’s Rocket Stadium, Kimes took first place in shot put with a heave of 55 feet, 5 inches, and he finished second in discus at 168-2. In Saturday’s MITCA Division 3 team state finals at Clare, Kimes won the shot put (55-9) and discus (174-6).
ANDREA ROMERO-SERRANO, Oakridge softball
The Eagles catcher and team’s lone senior has hit well throughout the season, but she went on a tear last week. In four blowout victories, Romero-Serrano was a combined 10-for-14 with a grand slam, three-run home run and three doubles to go with 16 RBIs and seven runs scored. In sweeps of Montague Tuesday and Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills Thursday, Oakridge outscored its opponents a combined 65-2.
MAX SCHARP, Manistee golf
The freshman continued his fantastic season with a 3-under 32 during a nine-hole WMC Lakes Division jamboree last Thursday at Waters Edge Golf Club in Fremont. Scharp birdied Nos. 1 and 3, and he eagled the 472-yard No. 4. In Monday’s dual victory over Frankfort at Crystal Lake Golf Course, he shot a 3-over 38 in the nine-hole event. Scharp finished the WMC Lakes season with the lowest average as Manistee ran away with first place.
