The final tally: Penn's Annika Guenther wins the South Bend area Athlete of the Week for Aug. 14-20, 2023
The first full week of the high school sports season in Indiana and Michigan provided some standout performances.
One of them stood out above the rest in the eyes of the South Bend area voters.
Congratulations to Penn junior girls soccer player Annika Guenther on winning the first South Bend Tribune Athlete of the Week poll, which spanned action from Aug. 14-20, 2023. Guenther edged out her schoolmate, boys cross country runner Brandon Mueller, by gaining 932 votes. Mueller tallied 828 votes.
Northridge sophomore girls golfer Alex Reschly was third with 290 votes.
Here is a look at those three, plus the other four nominees from this week.
Winner: Penn girls soccer junior Annika Guenther
Guenther was a key part in the Kingsmen picking up three marquee wins at the Saint Joseph Invitational this week. She scored one goal in wins over Valparaiso and Evansville Memorial, then added an assist in a 2-1 victory over Chesterton.
Second place: Penn boys cross country senior Brandon Mueller
Muller won the junior/senior race at the NIC stomp Saturday, with his time of 15:59 being the only sub-16-minute showing of the invite. His performance helped the Kingsmen win the team title at the event.
More: High school boys cross country: South Bend area teams, individuals to watch for in 2023
Third place: Northridge girls golf sophomore Alex Reschly
Reschly led the Raiders in three events this week, including a 73 at the New Haven Invitational Saturday. She posted her best nine-hole score of her career (35) against Westview on Tuesday, and her 39 against Warsaw and Plymouth helped Northridge secure two huge NLC wins on Monday.
Other nominees
Goshen girls soccer junior Kennedy Yordy
Yordy couldn't stop scoring last week, totaling nine goals in two games. She tallied four goals in a 9-0 win over Mishawaka Tuesday, then added five more in a 6-0 victory over Elkhart Thursday. The nine goals already matches her 2022 season total.
More: A look at some of the top South Bend area prep girls soccer players
Concord boys soccer junior Rafael Sabas
Sabas manned the goal this week for the Minutemen, stopping 12 of 15 shots against three quality teams. They went 2-1 on the week, knocking off No. 19 (2A) NorthWood and Homestead while losing to No. 3 (2A) Mishawaka Marian in a tight 2-1 contest.
Northridge girls cross country sophomore Dakotah Moore
Moore continued her nice start to the season by winning the girls' race at the Larry James Invitational Saturday, hosted by Chesterton High School. Her winning time was 19:34.
More: HS girls cross country: Top South Bend area teams, individuals going into the 2023 season
Brandywine volleyball senior Kadence Brumitt
Brumitt led the Bobcats in kills (61), digs (39) and service aces (20) as her team went 6-0 to win the Coloma Invitational Saturday.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn's Annika Guenther wins the South Bend area Athlete of the Week for Aug. 14-20, 2023
