Poll results: Mascoutah star forward Girls Player of the Week in southwestern Illinois
Sophia Loden of Mascoutah High School is the winner of this week’s Belleville News-Democrat Girls Player of the Week high school basketball poll, as selected by readers of bnd.com.
In recent action, Loden, a senior forward, averaged 20.6 points and 10 rebounds per game to help the Indians win the Vandalia Invitational championship. Loden had 26 points in a 64-46 win over Wesclin, 16 points in a 49-42 win against Greenville and 20 points in a 50-39 win against Effingham in the title game.
Loden also recently became the all-time leading scorer in Mascoutah girls basketball history while grabbing her 1,000th career rebound. Loden, who tallied 65% of the votes, entered the weekend averaging 23.3 points, 12.5 rebounds 2.46 assists and 2.3 steals per game. She’s also shooting 81..5% from the free thrown line.
Here were the candidates for the week of Jan. 16-21
Shannon Dowell, O’Fallon High School, senior, G. Dowell averaged 30.3 points per game as the Panthers took third place at the Highland Tournament. Dowell scored 41 points in a 64-42 win against Civic Memorial, 22 points in a 55-50 loss to Okawville and 28 points in a 54-34 victory against Mater Dei in 3rd place game.
Karsen Jany, Columbia High School, senior, F. Jany posted 20 points and 6 steals in a 53-37 victory against Granite City and scored 16 points in a 74-16 win over Dupo.
- Sophia Hoffmann, Carlyle High School, sophomore, G. Hoffmann posted 28 points, 7 steals and 5 assists in a 58-49 win against Woodlawn and 26 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in an 89-21 victory against Sandoval.
Sam Lindsort, Waterloo, senior, F. Lindsort posted 15 points and 5 steals in a 47-46 victory over Triad and 18 points in a 56-44 loss to Collinsville.
Natalie Peterson, Freeburg, senior, G/F. Peterson posted 26 points in a 59-28 victory over Granite City and 17 points in a 95-20 victory against KIPP St. Louis. Along the way, Peterson also surpassed 1,000 career points.
The poll ended at 8 a.m. Friday. To be clear, this poll is not scientific.
In fact, we invite you to vote as many times as you want. It’s all for fun, BND readers. The next poll will appear on the BND’s website — www.bnd.com — at 5 a.m. Wednesday.
Please email nominations to gvartanian@bnd.com.
Previous poll winners: Taylor Smith of Belleville East High School; Cole Stuart of Freeburg High School; Dylan Murphy of Columbia High School; Clareece Davis of Althoff Catholic High School; the Freeburg-Columbia Holiday Tournament; Jordan Lewis of Althoff Catholic High School; Karsen Jany of Columbia High School; David Marshall Jr. of Belleville West High School; Marshall Jr.; and Addi Dilley of Red Bud High School.