Three local athletes receive IHSA All-State Academic honorable mention honors

Three local athletes were honored recently as honorable mention selections to the IHSA All-State Academic Team.

Crystal Lake Central’s Karson Hollander, Johnsburg’s Riley Klotz and Richmond-Burton’s Joe Miller, were among the 50 who received honorable mention.

The IHSA names 13 male and 13 female winners to the All-State Academic Team, then 50 more as honorable mention. Every IHSA member school is invited to nominate one female and one male athlete who had a minimum 3.50 GPA and participated in at least two IHSA-sponsored sports.

Hollander was a Northwest Herald All-Area first-team choice in boys cross country and recently finished second in the 3,200 and 1,600 meters at the McHenry County Track and Field Meet.

Klotz was a Northwest Herald All-Area first-team selection for girls golf, where she finished 45th in the Class 1A State Tournament and was picked as Kishwaukee River Conference Girls Golfer of the Year. Klotz also was a member of Johnsburg’s competitive cheer team that successfully defended its state championship in the Small Division.

Miller was quarterback and safety on R-B’s 11-1 football team that repeated as KRC/Interstate Blue Division champion and advanced to the Class 4A quarterfinals, where it lost to Providence.

Miller also played basketball for the Rockets and was a standout for R-B’s track team last season when his 4x400-meter relay team almost won the Class 2A state title. He has been battling a hamstring injury this season and hopes to make it back for the postseason.