The Post-Dispatch Athletes of the Week is compiled by Chris Gove based off stats reported to STLhighschoolsports.com. Please send nominations to cgove@stltoday.com by noon each Monday.
Manny Ellis, Cardinal Ritter football
A 5-foot-7 and 165-pound running back, Ellis helped the Lions to their second successive win with the best single-game rushing performance of his four-year career. Ellis, who has verbally committed to Indiana State, rushed for 276 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries as Cardinal Ritter won 36-8 at St. Pius X-Kansas City. He also caught one pass for 18 yards. For the season, Ellis has carried the ball 71 times for 730 yards. He’s scored two touchdowns each in all four of the team’s games, seven rushing and one on a kickoff return. Ellis ran on state champion 400- and 800-meter relay teams in May in the Class 4 state track and field meet and also is involved academically and in other extracurricular activities.
Patrick Gierer, Father McGivney soccer
A junior goalkeeper who leads the area in solo shutouts with nine, Gierer helped the Griffins blank three opponents last week. That was highlighted by a 1-0 win over Columbia, the first victory in seven tries in the series for Father McGivney. Gierer made 10 saves in that game. The Griffins’ week started with a 3-0 win over Maryville Christian in a Gateway Metro game, with Gierer recording three saves. The next day, Gierer had four saves as Father McGivney won 1-0 in a nonconference game against Mater Dei. Last week’s three shutout wins were part of a seven-game shutout streak for the Griffins that includes a 0-0 tie Monday against Mascoutah. Gierer ranks among area leaders at 8-3-1 for the season with a .58 goals against average and 93 saves.
James Johnson, Belleville East football
The Lancers are 4-0 for the first time since 2010, and Johnson played a big part in last week’s 23-0 victory at O’Fallon to open Southwestern Conference play. A 6-foot-3 and 185-pound junior receiver and defensive back, Johnson scored all three of East’s touchdowns — two on receptions from Kayden Wood and the third on a 14-yard interception return. Johnson caught six passes for 102 yards, including a 30-yard TD in the second quarter and a 42-yarder in the fourth quarter. He made three tackles in the game and also returned one kickoff for 29 yards. For the season, he has 19 catches for 297 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 13 tackles and two interceptions — both returned for touchdowns.
Victoria Noble, MICDS field hockey
A sophomore midfielder and forward in her second year on varsity, Noble provided eight goals and five assists to help the Rams to victories in four games. She had a hand in every goal in a 6-0 win at Westminster to start the week, scoring three times and providing three assists. The next day, Noble scored twice as the Rams won 4-3 at Villa Duchesne, snapping a seven-game losing streak to the Saints. Noble added two goals and one assist in a 7-0 win over Whitfield, and she had one goal and one assist in a 6-0 victory against Pembroke Hill. Noble is tied for the area lead with 45 points on 19 goals and seven assists, and she’s tied for the area lead with four game-winning goals.
Max Weber, Civic Memorial cross country
A senior who has been a first team All-Metro runner the past two years, Weber won the 59th Edwardsville Invitational individual title with a dominant performance on the 5-kilometer SIU Edwardsville course. Weber finished in a time of 15 minutes and 38.8 seconds for a victory of 28.3 seconds. It was the second victory of the season for Weber, who opened the campaign by winning the Civic Memorial Twilight in a personal-best time of 14:28.9 on a 3-mile course. He also has been runner-up twice, once each on a 3-mile course (Granite City) and a 5-kilometer course (Forest Park Festival, in personal-best 15:09.9). Weber finished 13th last season in the Class 2A state meet.
Vic Williams, CBC football
A 5-foot-8 and 170-pound senior running back, Williams scored four touchdowns and accounted for 290 total yards to help lead the 4-0 Cadets to a 56-13 victory against De Smet in a Metro Catholic Conference game. Williams ran for a career-high 283 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries for an average of 31.4 yards per carry. He rushed for a 56-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a pair of 80-yard TDs in the third quarter as CBC pulled away. Williams also scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Nick McClellan to kick off the scoring. For the season, Williams has rushed for 524 yards, is averaging 15.9 yards per carry and has scored eight touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving).
Ellie Zweigart, Waterloo volleyball
A senior libero who eclipsed 1,000 digs for her career earlier this season, Zweigart helped the Bulldogs post an 8-0 record last week to improve to 13-1 overall, including the championship of the Effingham St. Anthony Tournament. In five tournament wins, Zweigart totaled 48 digs, five aces, 21 service points and 101 successful serve receptions to help Waterloo’s offense stay in system. Earlier in the week, Zweigart had no reception errors and 24 digs in a three-set win at Wesclin, 23 digs and one ace in a three-set conference win at Jerseyville and then 13 digs, three aces and no reception errors in a home conference sweep of Civic Memorial. She also is a two-time state track and field qualifier.
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Chris Gove | Post-Dispatch
Editor, high school sports
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