Athletes of the Week: Welter and Fisher

Tue, 11/04/2014 - 11:05pm | The News-Gazette

Abby Fisher
St. Joseph-Ogden cross-country

Why she was chosen: The senior has been instrumental in SJ-O’s yearlong success and postseason run. She was the Spartans’ top finisher as they won a regional title two weeks ago and was No. 2 and just behind freshman Faith Houston as SJ-O won a loaded Decatur Sectional — its first since 2007 — to advance to state.

From Fisher: “St. Teresa’s won (the sectional) for the last few years, and they have a really great program. It was great to compete with a team like that and the other great teams that were there. I was really proud of the team as a whole. It’s nice to know you’re winning a sectional that’s not a blowoff.”

I’m always texting ... my teammate Jessica Kassuelke.

I’d love to drive a ... Ferrari.

I need an autograph from ... Lolo Jones.

A movie I’m dying to see is ... “Gone Girl.”

I need concert tickets to ... Bruno Mars.

My first job was ... working at Dairy Queen this past summer.

My nickname is ... just Fish. That’s what my coaches call me.

One thing I’ve never done but want to try is ... running a marathon — eventually.

If I could have one superpower, it would be ... to be able to fly.

The best advice I’ve ever been given was ... “Don’t think. Just run.” It’s more of a quote, I guess, from (former SJ-O cross-country coach Jim Acklin). It was on one of our shirts.

My most embarrassing sports moment was ... falling every time we went to Homer Lake my freshman year.

I started running cross-country ... in seventh grade, but I was really bad at it. When I was a freshman was when I started to truly embrace it.

My favorite thing about cross-country is ... the team aspect of it. It’s not like track where it’s just one individual thing that you’re focusing on.

The toughest moment of a race is ... the second mile, which I think it probably is for most people. It’s easy to go out fast the first mile, but the second mile is where you have to hold on, keep the same pace and not die down.

My favorite course to run is ... Detweiller.

In five years, I see myself ... graduated from college and starting a career.

Honorable mention: Marissa Burleson, Danville swimming; Emily Christian, Schlarman volleyball; Parker Francisco, St. Joseph-Ogden volleyball; Emma Garcia-Canga, Centennial swimming; Jessica Gilbert, Blue Ridge volleyball; Taylor Helenthal, Monticello cross-country; Jennifer Hong, Centennial swimming; Faith Houston, St. Joseph-Ogden cross-country; Anna Kaeb, Cissna Park volleyball; Maddie LeGrande, Champaign Central volleyball; Madeline Swiersz, Danville swimming; Isabelle Seten, Centennial swimming; Kendall Woods, Champaign Central swimming; Penny Yue Xu, Urbana swimming