Finalists for 2024-25 BCR Male Athlete of the Year

One of these six finalists will be named as the 2024-25 BCR Male Athlete of the Year. Check back to see who it will be and look in Wednesday’s BCR:

Elijah Endress (Bureau Valley, Sr.) - “Jah” certainly left his mark at Bureau Valley in all sports. He was a unanimous Lincoln Trail Conference Large School Division pick in football selected at “skills” position. The Second-Team BCR/LTC pick helped the Storm to the Lincoln Trail Conference championship in basketball, averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals. He set school records on the diamond for most hits (40), runs (48) and stolen bases (31) as a First-Team All-BCR and Lincoln Trail baseball pick.

Casey Etheridge (Princeton, Jr.) - Casey proved mighty on the football field, wrestling mats and track. He rushed for 1,706 yards and 25 TDs for the Tigers football team and is on target to become the all-time leading rusher in Bureau County. He was named First-Team Class 3A All-State, unanimous Three Rivers Mississippi All-Conference and co-BCR Player of the Year. The BCR Wrestler of the Year and First-Team All-Three Rivers Conference pick landed a fourth-place finish in Class 1A at 165 pounds, finishing 48-6. Etheridge qualified for 2A State track in the 300 hurdles, sweeping both Three Rivers hurdles titles.

Landon Hulsing (Bureau Valley, Sr.) - The BV big man led the Storm to an undefeated 12-0 run to the Lincoln Trail Conference championship in their first basketball season in the new league. He thrived, averaging 14.5 points and an area-best 11 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a game while shooting 53% from the field. He was named first-team All-BCR, Lincoln Trail All-Conference. Hulsing, who also ran cross country, capped his prep career by winning the Class 1A State discus championship and breaking the school record. He is leaning toward throwing the discus for Sauk Valley College next year.

Noah LaPorte (Princeton, Sr.) - The 2023-24 BCR Athlete of the Year had an encore year to remember, named All-State and unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference honors in two sports and Player of the Year for the second straight year. He played a key role in the Tigers’ fifth straight Class 3A State Quarterfinal appearance and the Tigers’ third straight regional championship and sectional finals appearances. He was named First Team All-BCR in baseball in his fourth year on the Tigers’ varsity. This fall, he will play Big Ten football for Northwestern University.

Ian Morris (Princeton, Sr.) - The PHS senior put the exclamation on his prep career with a State championship in the Class 2A discus. He was a three-time state qualifier. Morris was a First-Team Three Rivers Mississippi and All-BCR linebacker for the Tigers’ Class 3A quarterfinal football team, making 74 tackles with five TFLs and 2.0 sacks. A past state qualifier, Morris placed fourth at regional at 215 pounds, one place from qualifying for sectional. Morris has been accepted to the Air Force Academy, where he hopes to walk on to the Falcons’ track & field team in discus.

Cade Odell (Princeton, Sr.) - Odell earned all-state recognition in four fields during his senior year - football, wrestling, track and choir. He was a four-year stalwart on the Tigers’ offensive and defensive lines, earning First-Team Class 3A All-State, unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference and co-BCR Player of the Year honors. The Tigers heavyweight lost out on a second state medal in wrestling by the ultimate tiebreaker in the “blood round.” A regional champion, Odell went 33-5 and was named First-Team Three Rivers All-Conference. He capped his prep career in track & field by placing fourth in Class 2A shot put for the second straight year. He will play football for Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa this fall.

Editor’s note: Athletes of the Year and finalists are chosen by a points system for receiving all-conference, all-area, Player of the Year and All-State honors.