Athlete of the Month: Celebrating Excellence in Local Sports Teams

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Midwest Members Credit Union Female Athlete Of The Month For Shells: Coach Praises Lilli Ray’s Leadership and Game Intelligence

April 8 2026 at 2:35 PM

ROXANA - Roxana catcher Lilli Ray, a senior and one of two key team leaders alongside Ava Cherry,...

Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete Of Month: Alex Spangler Combines Baseball Passion With Nursing Ambitions

April 7 2026 at 11:09 AM

BRIGHTON - Alex Spangler, a senior at Southwestern High School, has been named an Altonized Community...

Tom Lane State Farm Insurance Female Athlete Of Month: CM Senior Kaylee Shields Vaults To Top Pole Vault Finishes

April 6 2026 at 3:48 PM

BETHALTO — Civic Memorial High School senior Kaylee Shields opened the outdoor track and field...

Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete Of Month for Granite City Warriors: Catcher Cooper Plays Key Role in Baseball Start

April 2 2026 at 2:42 PM

GRANITE CITY - Ayden Cooper is off to a strong start for the Granite City Warriors baseball team....

Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete Of The Month: Makler Joins Greenville University Soccer Program

April 1 2026 at 1:36 PM

PIASA — Southwestern boys soccer senior Eben Makler has signed a letter of intent to play socce...

Grenzebach Shines on Softball Field in Senior Season – Is A Byron, Carlson, Petri, & Kalb Athlete of the Month for McGivney

March 24 2026 at 9:30 PM

GLEN CARBON – Senior Avery Grenzebach has been a highlight player for the Father McGivney Catholi...

Spencer Homes Male Athlete Of Month: Edwardsville Baseball Senior Provides Leadership For Young Tigers Team

March 24 2026 at 12:35 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Hunter Baugh, a senior infielder and pitcher for this year's Edwardsville...

Auto Butler Female Athletes Of Month For Redbirds: Dominate at Illinois College Indoor Invitational

March 17 2026 at 2:43 PM

ALTON - Alton High’s girls track and field team won the overall title Friday, March 13, 2026,...

Sparklight Female Athletes Of The Month For Jersey: Jersey Girls Softball Opens With Coach Crnokrak's 100th Win

March 17 2026 at 12:01 PM

JERSEYVILLE — Jersey Community High School opened its softball season with an 11-0...

Sparklight Male Athletes Of The Month For Jersey: JCMS Wrestling Shines at State Tournament

March 17 2026 at 11:44 AM

JERSEY - Jersey Community Middle School wrestling returned from Northern Illinois University after...

BJ's Printables Female Athlete Of Month: Freshman Cally Shank Shines in Metro East Lutheran Basketball 2025-2026 Campaign

March 16 2026 at 11:40 AM

EDWARDSVILLE - Metro East Lutheran High School freshman Cally Shank emerged as a versatile option...

BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of Month: Kaleb Turney Has Excellent Year For Knights

March 13 2026 at 3:10 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Kaleb Turney, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, recently concluded his boys basketball career...

BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of The Month For MELHS: Bishop’s Season Reflects Months of Hard Work and Team Focus

March 13 2026 at 2:42 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Brady Bishop’s season at Metro East Lutheran included standout scoring in many...

BJ's Printables Male Athlete Of The Month: Metro East Lutheran's Jefferson Shines In Both Football and Basketball

March 6 2026 at 3:17 PM

EDWARDSVILLE — Metro East Lutheran senior Landyn Jefferson is being recognized as BJ’s...

BJ's Printables Female Athlete Of The Month: Alexa Stock Is A Diverse Student-Athlete For MELHS

March 6 2026 at 3:06 PM

EDWARDSVILLE — Metro East Lutheran High School junior Alexa Stock has finished her junior girl...

Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete Of Month: Carson Barone Made Key Contributions To Griffins' Successful Year

March 5 2026 at 5:22 PM

GLEN CARBON — Carson Barone has played a steady role in Father McGivney Catholic’s most...

Spencer Homes Male Athlete Of The Month: Miccah Butler Leads Edwardsville In Playoffs

March 4 2026 at 2:56 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Senior shooting guard Miccah Butler led Edwardsville with 18 points in the Tigers' 61-4...

Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athlete Of The Month: Oilers' Senior Runner LeBron Reed Reflects On Lessons From Cross Country/Track and Field

March 4 2026 at 10:48 AM

WOOD RIVER - LeBron Reed is entering his senior season with the East Alton-Wood River Oilers for track...

Spencer Homes Female Athletes Of The Month: EHS Bowlers Panico And Hill Are Sectional Qualifiers

March 3 2026 at 3:22 PM

EDWARDSVILLE - Senior Vivian Panico and junior Alexandra Hill battled through the IHSA Regional to...

Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Male Athlete Of The Month For Piasa Birds: Piasa Birds Coach Reflects on Robinson Family Legacy

March 2 2026 at 4:30 PM

PIASA - Southwestern boys basketball coach Jason Darr has spent the past 12 years coaching members...

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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.