IHSA Diamond Notes: Week 5
April 17, 2024
Each week, IHSA coaches around the state submit to us their nominations for the PBR Illinois Player of the Week and PBR Illinois Pitcher of the Week honors. Yesterday, we awarded the Week 5 Player of the Week honor to INF Jayden Patel (Lake Park, 2024; Parkland College) and the Pitcher of the Week honor to RHP Jackson Heidemann (Harlem, 2026). Patel finished the week at an 11-for-20 clip with one home run, one triple, four doubles, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, four walks and six stolen bases. Heidemann went 2-0 with 10.1 innings, just two hits allowed, 17 strikeouts and two walks.
There were a number of other impressive performances that were in the mix for the award and deserve recognition. Here’s a look at some of the most notable.
WEEK 5 DIAMOND NOTES
Logan Hickman, RHP/3B, Alton, 2026
Uncommitted. Hickman had a quality week for Alton going 3-for-7 with a home run, RBI, and run scored. In the Redbirds’ 3-2 win over O’Fallon, Hickman hit a go-ahead solo home run in the ninth inning with two outs. He threw 2.2 innings in the game, struck out two, walked one and allowed one hit, closing the door for the Redbirds and giving them the win.
Hickman is hitting .350 on the year and tallied his first varsity home run and win on the mound in their win over O’Fallon.
Dawson Vernier, RHP, Belleville East High School, 2024
Uncommitted. Vernier had an impressive outing in their 3-1 win over Freeport. He threw a complete game on the mound, struck out five, walked two, allowed five hits and one unearned run.
On the season, Vernier is leading the team in innings pitched (21) and ERA (1.33), and he’s tallied 19 strikeouts while only walking five.
Gavin Triezenberg, SS, Brother Rice, 2025
Arizona commit. Triezenberg helped the Crusaders to a 4-1 week, going 11-for-19 at the plate with a home run, triple, four doubles, eight RBIs, six runs scored and two stolen bases. In their 20-0 win over Leo he went a perfect 2-for-2 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. He had another impressive day in their 5-1 win over Lincoln-Way East, going 3-for-4 with one RBI, and he rounded out his impressive week with a 3-for-5 performance, tallying a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored in their 12-5 win over DePaul College Prep.
On the season, Triezenberg is hitting .412 with eight extra base hits, two home runs and 15 RBIs.
Gavin Bailey, OF, Mahomet-Seymour, 2025
Uncommitted. Bailey had an impressive week at the plate going 10-for-19 with three home runs, one double, 13 RBIs, seven runs scored and four stolen bases. His most impressive game of the week came in their 4-3 win over Effingham. He hit a grandslam in the top of the seventh, and he finished the day 2-for-3 with a grandslam, four RBIs, one run scored and a walk. In their 9-0 win over Charleston, Bailey went 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs, two runs scored and a walk, and he added another home run in their 11-1 win over Charleston, finishing the game 1-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.
Bailey is hitting .476 on the season.
David Cox, 3B/RHP, Nazareth Academy, 2024
Illinois-Chicago commit. The Roadrunners had an impressive week, going 4-0 with a win over No. 2 Joliet Catholic. Cox was a major contributor to their success, going 6-for-12 on the week with two home runs, two doubles, six RBIs, four runs scored and a walk. He had his most impressive game of the week in their game against Andrean, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored. Cox pitched in their win over No. 2 Joliet Catholic, throwing five innings, striking out three, walking one, allowing two runs and three hits, all while earning the win on the mound.
Joe Giuliano, RHP, Plainfield North, 2024
Uncommitted. Giuliano had an impressive performance on the mound in their 3-0 win over Plainfield Central. He threw a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts, one walk and three hits allowed, earning the win on the mound.
Michael Stapleton, 2B, Sandburg, 2024
Uncommitted. Stapleton impressed in the Eagles’ games last week hitting to an 8-for-12 clip with three RBIs. In their win over Lincoln-Way Central, Stapleton tallied the game-winning RBI in the top of the eighth inning, giving them the 4-3 lead, and ultimately the win. He finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI.
Stapleton is 16/35 (.457) on the season.
Dylan Ston, 1B, St. Francis Wheaton, 2024
Uncommitted. Ston helped St. Francis to a 3-1 week, which included wins over Brother Rice (6-5), Loyola (8-7) and Leo (10-0). He went 8-for-14 at the plate with two doubles, seven RBIs, five runs scored, two stolen bases and one walk. In their win over Brother Rice, Ston went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. He had another impressive game over Loyola, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
On the season, Ston is hitting .481.
Nolan Maciejewski, CF, Tinley Park, 2025
Uncommitted. Maciejewski had an impressive week for the Titans, going 8-for-14 with three home runs, one triple, one double, six RBIs, three walks and four stolen bases. His most impressive performance of the week came in their 19-4 win over Argo, going 4-for-4 with three home runs, six RBIs and four runs scored. He rounded out his week with a 2-for-3 performance with one triple, two runs scored and a walk in their 7-5 win over Crete-Monee.
On the season Maciejewski is slashing .575/.667 with three home runs, two triples, five doubles, 25 runs scored and 12 stolen bases.
Brady Coon, CF/RHP, Triad, 2024
SIU-Edwardsville commit. Coon helped the Knights to a 3-1 week, going 9-for-13 at the plate with two home runs, three doubles, one triple, seven RBIs, six runs scored, one walk and a stolen base. In their 12-2 win over Civic Memorial he went 3-for-3 with two doubles, four RBIs and one run scored. He also earned the win on the mound, throwing 4.2 innings with five strikeouts, two walks, no earned runs and three hits allowed. In their second win over Civic Memorial, he went 4-for-5 with two home runs, one triple, three RBIs and four runs scored.
Carter Prina, 1B, Washington High School, 2025
Uncommitted. The Panthers went 4-0 last week, and Prina had an impressive performance going 8-for-10 with a home run, triple, seven doubles, eight RBIs, four runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases. He had an impressive performance in their 16-0 over Metamora, going 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. In their 14-4 win over Steator, Prina went a perfect 3-for-3 with three doubles and three RBIs. He also earned the win on the mound, throwing five innings with six strikeouts.
FREEPORT
Freeport had an impressive week going 4-0 on the week with two wins over Rockford Auburn (27-0 & 16-0), Harlem (22-9), and Stillman Valley (13-3). Below are some of their top performers from the week:
Ryan Coon, CF, Freeport, 2024
Augustana commit. Coon went 10-for-16 with three doubles, a triple, a home run, four walks, eight RBI, nine runs scored, and six stolen bases. It is also worth mentioning that Coon now has 106 stolen bases in his career for Freeport. Coon also got it done on the mound vs Rockford Auburn he tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, while punching out eight.
Payton Woker, SS, Freeport, 2025
Woker went 8-for-15 with a double, six walks, ten RBI, ten runs scored, and eight stolen bases for Freeport during the week.
Cameron Verner, INF, Freeport, 2025
Verner was another two-way standout for Freeport on the week. Offensively he went 8-for-9 with a double, three walks, four RBI, ten runs scored, and nine stolen bases. On the mound vs Harlem, he tossed a scoreless inning, allowing one hit, while striking out two.
Zac Matz, 1B, RHP, Freeport, 2025
Matz went 6-for-13 with four doubles, a home run, five walks, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and three stolen bases offensively. On the bump, he struck out five in their win against Harlem.
LOCKPORT
Lockport went 4-0 this past week, with wins over Andrew (7-6), Stagg (4-1), Metea Valley (10-7), and Oak Forest (6-5). Below are some of their top performers on the week:
Justin Vander Tuuk, OF, Lockport, 2025
Uncommitted. Vander Tuuk had a strong week offensively, setting the tone for the offense in their 4-0 week, by producing in almost every single plate appearance he had. He hit a go ahead HR against Stagg, and had several big hits in key moments in the other games throughout the week. He finished the week 7-for-9 with two doubles, a home run, four walks, two HBP, and six runs scored, good for a .778 AVG and a 2.150 OPS for the week.
Ryan Groberski, Lockport, 2024
Triton JC Commit. Groberski had a solid week at the plate, and came up clutch in multiple big spots. The biggest being when he delivered the walkoff RBI single against Andrew, in a game where he went 4-for-4 with four RBI. On the week as a whole, he went 7-for-13 with two doubles, a walk, five RBI, and a HBP.
Westminster Christian
The Warriors went 5-0-1 on the week with wins over Elmwood Park (8-7), Schaumburg Christian (14-0 & 16-5), and South Beloit (18-4 & 9-5). Below were some of their top performers:
Connor Zorn, 1B/RF, Westminster Christian, 2024
Uncommitted. Zorn had an impressive week hitting to a 15-for-21 clip with two home runs, four doubles, one triple, 12 RBIs and nine runs scored.
Liam Nash, RHP, Westminster Christian, 2027
Nash had an impressive performance on the mound in their 14-0 win over Schaumburg Christian, throwing four innings, striking out 10, allowing no hits and walking three.