LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Centralia’s (Mo.) High School’s Madison Preston, who delivered a walk-off home run in the Missouri Class 2 state championship game, was named MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week for games played Oct. 17-23.

Trailing Blair Oaks 2-1, Preston clubbed a two-run long ball in the bottom of the eighth inning that lifted Centralia to the MSHSAA Class 2 title, it’s first since 2013 and fourth in six years. Additionally, she was strong in the circle, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh before Blair Oaks evened the game. Earning a no-decision, Preston went 6.2 innings, allowing a run on one hit with 13 strikeouts. A day earlier in the semifinals, she tossed a complete-game and hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth in a 4-2 victory over Lanthrop. Tossing all eight innings, she surrendered two runs, one earned, on three hits with 15 punchouts and two walks.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week’s award.

The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week are announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the fall season, with one representative chosen from the participating regions. During the spring campaign, a player from each of five separate high school regions is selected.

Please note, in order for a school to have multiple player(s) recognized during the course of a season, a coach from that institution must be an NFCA member. To become an NFCA member, please click HERE or call 502-409-4600.

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team’s stats on Max Preps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team’s information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country. 

2016-17 Max Preps/NFCA Players of the Week

10/24 – Madison Preston | Centralia (Mo.) HS

10/17 – Rylyan Nelson | Sterling (Colo.) HS

10/10 – Ainsley Tolson | Trenton (Mo.) HS

10/3 – Rylie Unzicker | Millard South (Neb.) HS

9/26 – Kayla Poynter | Walnut Grove (Ga.) HS

9/19 – Jordyn Hays | Grand Junction (Colo.) Central HS

9/12 – Olivia Douglas | Hastings (Neb.) HS

9/6 – Kerrigan Gamm | Osage (Mo.) HS

8/29 – Lindsey Malkin | Broomfield (Colo.) HS

8/22 – Madison McPherson | Marion County (Ga.) HS