Athlete of the Month: Celebrating Excellence in Local Sports Teams

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Spencer Homes Male Athlete Of The Month: Matthew Wilson Emerges as Strong Freshman for Edwardsville Basketball

January 27 2026 at 3:47 PM

BELLEVILLE - Matthew Wilson is emerging as an important contributor to the success of the Edwardsville...

Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athletes Of Month: Huch, Martin Earn All-Conference Honors

January 22 2026 at 8:20 AM

ROXANA — Grace Huch and Raegan Martin were named all-Cahokia Conference selections after helping...

Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month For Shells: Jaylin Roach Earns All-State Cheerleading Honor

January 21 2026 at 3:20 PM

ROXANA — Jaylin Roach has been named a 2025-2026 all-state competitive cheer athlete, recognizing...

BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of Month: MELHS' Runner Jack Shank Breaks 16-Minute Barrier

January 21 2026 at 2:48 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Metro East Lutheran senior Jack Shank delivered a standout performance in the 2025 cros...

Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Male Athletes Of The Month: Corbin Barnard Wins Regional Crown at Alton; Two Others Advance

January 19 2026 at 1:50 PM

ALTON - Corbin Barnard of Marquette Catholic secured the individual regional crown Saturday, Jan....

Sparklight Male Athletes Of The Month: Jersey Boys Bowling Secures Third at Alton Regional

January 19 2026 at 1:39 PM

ALTON - The Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 boys bowling team placed third...

Auto Butler Male Athletes Of The Month: Alton's Top Bowlers Lead Team With Consistent Scores

January 19 2026 at 1:28 PM

ALTON - Alton’s boys bowling team finished second at the regional tournament Saturday, Jan....

Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Male Athletes Of Month: Breyer Fourth Individually at Regionals; CM Bowling Team Advances

January 19 2026 at 11:43 AM

ALTON — Civic Memorial High School senior Jude Breyer finished in fourth place individually...

Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Male Athlete Of The Month: Honor Student Menke Performs In Three Sports For Explorers

January 16 2026 at 1:36 PM

ALTON - Noah Menke has been an exceptional student-athlete in his four years at Marquette Catholic...

Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete Of The Month: Roxana Senior Lyndon Thies Breaks Longstanding Wrestling Record

January 15 2026 at 9:13 PM

ROXANA — Lyndon Thies etched his name into Roxana wrestling history tonight in a packed gym....

Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month: Libero Maci Timpe Shows Remarkable Growth in 2025 Season

January 13 2026 at 3:07 PM

PIASA — Maci Timpe, a senior libero for the Southwestern Piasa Birds, concluded her volleyball...

Auto Butler Female Athlete Of The Month: Alton Senior Monica Klockenkemper Sets Personal Best in Regional Meet

January 13 2026 at 2:29 PM

ALTON — Monica Klockenkemper, a senior runner for Alton High School, concluded her fall 2025...

Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of Month: Ty Etcheson Signs To Play at John Wood Community College In Quincy

January 12 2026 at 4:46 PM

GLEN CARBON - Ty Etcheson, an infielder and pitcher for the baseball team at Father McGivney Catholic...

Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athletes of the Month: CM Cheer Squad Secures Second Place at 2A Varsity ICCA State

January 12 2026 at 3:48 PM

SPRINGFIELD, IL. - The Civic Memorial High School girls cheerleading team claimed secon...

Spencer Homes Female Athletes Of The Month: Edwardsville Cheer Teams Shine at State Championships

January 12 2026 at 2:23 PM

EDWARDSVILLE — Edwardsville High School’s varsity and junior varsity cheer teams delivered...

Sparklight Female Athletes Of Month For Jersey: Panthers Post Strong Strong ICCA State Showing

January 12 2026 at 11:33 AM

SPRINGFIELD, IL., - Jersey Community High School and Jersey Community Middle School cheer squads...

Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete Of the Month: Scott Phelps Signs To Play Baseball For Kaskaskia College

January 9 2026 at 2:45 PM

GLEN CARBON - Scott Phelps, who is an outfielder for the highly successful Father McGivney Catholic...

Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete Of Month: Javier Cass Proud of Warriors' Team Spirit

January 9 2026 at 2:29 PM

COLLINSVILLE - Javier Cass is a junior forward for the boys basketball team at Granite City High...

Sparklight Male Athlete Of Month: Coach Murphy Praises Abe Kribs' Leadership on Jersey Team

January 9 2026 at 11:00 AM

JERSEY - Jersey senior Abe Kribs is leading his basketball team with strong performances as they...

Sparklight Female Athlete Of The Month: Meredith Gray Sets New Jersey Girls Rebound Record

January 8 2026 at 4:23 PM

JERSEYVILLE - Meredith Gray of Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 has become...

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At Riverbender.com, the spirit of competition and sportsmanship comes alive as we honor the exceptional achievements of individual athletes across 12 distinguished local high school teams. Our Athlete of the Month feature shines a spotlight on those who have gone above and beyond on the field, displaying excellence, dedication, and a love for the game. From the relentless determination of the Edwardsville Tigers to the unwavering teamwork of the Alton Redbirds, we celebrate these athletes who inspire us all. Join us in recognizing the Athlete of the Month, a tribute to hard work, talent, and the vibrant sports community in our region. Explore profiles, interviews, highlights, and more, as we pay homage to the local heroes of our favorite sports.