Meet the nominees for Press-Citizen's Athletes of the Week, April 22-28
Athletes from the Iowa City area competed at the 2024 Drake Relays over the weekend, where they faced elite competition and gained valuable experience on a big stage.
Iowa City West boys made the biggest impact during the three-day event. The Trojans won their second-straight distance medley title while senior Aidan Jacobsen clinched his first Relays title in the 400-meter hurdles.
Action also picked up in both high school soccer and tennis.
Here are the nominees for the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s high school Athlete of the Week for April 22-28. Press-Citizen.com readers vote to decide this week’s winners. Voting closes at 8 p.m. on Thursday.
Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name:
Girls
Rachel Haack, Soph., Iowa City High
Haack placed fifth in the girls discus at the Drake Relays.
She finished with a throw of 135 feet, 7 inches to finish in the top five.
Rose McAtee, Jr., Solon
McAtee put up a strong offensive performance in Solon’s 5-0 shutout over Benton.
McAtee, the team’s scoring leader, added two goals to her season total (10) and led the Spartans to their fifth win of the season.
Eva Plathe, Sr., Clear Creek Amana
Plathe had another strong performance for the Clippers in a 5-0 win over crosstown foe Regina Catholic.
Plathe found the back of the net two times and earned three assists to add to her scoring.
Sophia Singh, Fr., Iowa City West
Singh had a strong outing in Iowa City West’s 8-1 win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson in tennis.
The first-year Trojan earned a two-set sweep in singles competition (6-0, 6-0). Singh and teammate Maggie Shin won in doubles action too (2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5)).
Alexi Thigpen, Soph., Liberty
Thigpen placed sixth in the long jump at the Drake Relays.
She posted a jump of 16 feet, 8.75 inches. The sophomore was the only Iowa City-area athlete to compete in the event.
Boys
Flori Gembo, Sr., Liberty
Gembo had the hot scoring touch during Liberty’s 4-0 win over Wahlert Catholic.
The Wartburg College commit scored three goals on three attempts to add to his total (9) on the season. He also assisted on a goal by teammate Drew Wilkinson.
Aidan Jacobsen, Sr., Iowa City West
Jacobsen earned two first-place finishes at the Drake Relays.
Individually, Jacobsen won first place in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.03. He was also a part of the distance medley team that won its second-straight title at the Blue Oval.
Brendan Lestina, Jr., Iowa City High
Lestina pulled out a close singles win during Iowa City High’s 5-4 win over Liberty.
He defeated came away with a win in three sets (5-7, 7-5, 10-8).
Abner Godoy Pacheco, Soph., Clear Creek Amana
Pacheco added three goals to CCA’s 7-3 win over South Tama.
The second-year Clipper helped CCA boys earn their seventh win of the season.
Jack Saunders, Jr., Liberty
Saunders found success in singles and doubles competition during Liberty’s 9-0 win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
Individually, Saunders won in straight sets (6-0, 6-1) in singles play. Saunders and teammate Sam Maddhi earned a win as well (6-1, 6-2).
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Vote: Iowa City Press-Citizen's Athletes of the Week for April 22-28