The Times Athlete of the Week: Manning the midfield, Joe’s Stationhouse favorites of Streator’s Landon Muntz

In the closest vote ever for The Times Athlete of the Week, three different student-athletes held the lead in the final hours, but Streator boys soccer’s Landon Muntz pulled away late, receiving 259 of the 683 votes cast.

Sunny Weber (Sandwich girls cross country) and Liam Tipple (Ottawa boys cross country) finished tied for runner-up honors on a ballot that also included Taylor Kruser (Newark girls volleyball).

Muntz, the Bulldogs’ junior midfielder, had his team’s lone goal in a 2-1, Class 2A La Salle-Peru Regional championship match against Orion on Friday.

This will be the final Athlete of the Week until the beginning of the winter sports season.

Here is a Q&A with this week’s winner:

Do you have any nicknames?

A lot of people call me “Muntz” or “Muntzy.”

When did you start playing soccer, and how did you get into playing the game?

I started playing when I was 6, and something just clicked with the sport, so I kept playing it.

What are the responsibilities of a center midfielder, and what is your favorite part of manning the center-mid position?

Center midfield is a part of every play, where you have to make sure everyone is marked and spaced correctly. Then if transitioned to offense, you need to be able to receive the ball and get rid of it quickly or take a shot. My favorite part of it is getting the ball in the middle and making a good-looking pass to a forward for a goal. Also having a strong defense takes a lot of weight off of midfield, and we had an excellent defense.

Your goal and assist totals were almost even for the season. Which is more fun for you, scoring a goal or recording an assist?

Obviously scoring a goal is the best feeling, but I’ve been taught by great coaches that an assist is just as good as a goal. They are both important to the game.

What was your childhood go-to book series?

I wasn’t much of a reader, but my sixth-grade teacher Mr. Durdan got me hooked on Harry Potter, so I have to go with that.

What was your favorite childhood Halloween costume?

I had a skeleton costume, so I felt like I was in the movie “Karate Kid” and liked that one the most.

What is your favorite local pizza place, and what do you order?

My favorite local pizza place is Joe’s Stationhouse, and I get pepperoni and bacon on it.

What is the best memory you’ve made on a soccer pitch?

Winning a regional championship my sophomore year.

The Streator team had nine seniors this past season, but also a strong junior class (including you) and a handful of sophomores playing up. What are your expectations for next season, and what do you and your teammates need to do to get there?

Losing the senior class is big, but I still expect us to compete and be a strong team. Obviously, getting in the weight room will play a big part in next year’s success, but our guys have a good work ethic.

Do you have any college plans yet? If so, do they involve sports?

I plan on going to college, but I’m unsure about sports. I’d like to keep my options open for the future.