Poll: GMC Athlete of the Month for January

Patch’s Greater Metro Conference Athlete of the Month poll is back with four new candidates for the month of January.

Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, based on their achievements in the calendar month. Voting closes Feb. 7. Share the link and vote for your favorite top performer.

Kai Castaneda, Wauatosa wrestling

At 106 pounds, he is ranked No. 7 in the state for the East-West co-op. The sophomore faced seven matches in a 10-day period earlier in the month. He won five on the mat and another by forfeit, losing only a 6-5 decision to Jose Rodriguez of North Fond du Lac in the finals of the Bauer Brawl. Rodriguez himself is ranked 10th in Division 2.

Riley LaChance/Seth Mortag, Brookfield Central boys basketball

It was impossible to choose between these two scoring leaders for the Lancers basketball team in nominating an athlete of the month.

Central won its first six games of January before closing with two surprising losses. Still, the Lancers remained tied atop the Greater Metro Conference standings in large thanks to LaChance and Mortag.

Mortag, a senior, averaged 17.1 points during the month while LaChance, a sophomore was right behind at 16.7. Mortag scored 22 twice; LaChance recorded the top single game at 24.

MacKenzie Latt, Hamilton girls basketball

The sophomore forward had led her team to a 10-0 start, 6-0 in the Greater Metro Conference, before the Chargers stumbled twice near the end of the month with consecutive losses to DSHA and West Allis Central. A victory over Brookfield East to close the month got things going the right way again.

Latt averaged 15.3 points in the month with a high of 23 against West Allis Hale. Her season-high for points is 27 in a non-conference win over Milton in December and her overall season average is 17.7.

Brandt Rogers, Brookfield hockey

Technically, Rogers plays in the Classic 8 because the GMC doesn’t offer hockey. But that’s not his fault.

Rogers, a student at Brookfield East, scored in all eight games in January, and the Stars won all eight. He is helped by a couple of other strong scorers in Matt Fosdick and Patrick O’Brien, but his consistency won out. Rogers’ best game was in a 6-2 verdict over Waukesha, when he had a goal and three assists. In January, Rogers tallied five goals and 11 assists.