5 athletes who could be the Daily Chronicle 2024-25 Boys Athlete of the Year

The Daily Chronicle is looking ahead to the 2024-25 athletic season and five different Chronicle Player of the Year competitions. Today, we conclude the series with a look at five potential boys athletes of the year.

The number of multisport standouts in local boys athletics runs deep. So many athletes with NCAA Division I offers in one sport still are playing another.

The competition for the 2023-24 Daily Chronicle Boys Athlete of the Year was super close, with Davon Grant getting the honor. Not only is he back, but many of the other top multisport athletes from the area return, as well. Meaning that, somehow, the race for the 2024-25 boys athlete of the year is even more competitive.

Here are five athletes who could end up with the honor.

Davon Grant, DeKalb, jr., football/basketball

Grant made an impact on the basketball court as a freshman and put up even gaudier numbers in his sophomore campaign.

But his football prowess stole the show, at least among NCAA Division I programs. After one varsity season at receiver and safety, he has offers from Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Marshall, Akron and NIU.

He was a first-team selection on the Daily Chronicle All-Area football and basketball teams as a sophomore and was in the running for player of the year in both sports. It’ll be a tough competition with the other athletes on the list, but Grant is poised for another gigantic year.

Burke Gautcher, Sycamore, sr., football/track and field

Gautcher, the Daily Chronicle Football Player of the Year, has committed to play at Iowa, where he’ll shift from cornerback to linebacker. He had never played defense before the 2022 season. And in the 2023 season, he moved from wide receiver to quarterback.

There may be some stability on the football field in Gautcher’s future, getting the chance to play the same positions two years in a row. That should equal even more eye-popping numbers in his final high school season.

And that’s not even getting into track and field. He qualified in the long jump and with two relay teams for the 2A state meet. There’s the potential for a lot of shiny points on his list of qualifications by the time the school year is over.

Martin Ledbetter, Hinckley-Big Rock, sr., basketball/baseball

You get the feeling if the Royals had a football program, he’d be a three-sport star. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound standout is huge for a Class 4A baseball or basketball prospect, let alone at the 1A level. He has dominated both sports for three years for the Royals and was the 2024 Daily Chronicle Baseball Player of the Year.

On the baseball field, he pitches, catches and plays first base. He also hits the stuffing out of the ball, mashing nine homers after setting a school record with 12 as a sophomore.

On the basketball court, he was a second-team selection on the Illinois Media All-State team, special mention on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State team, and a Daily Chronicle All-Area first-team selection. He averaged 19.5 points and 13.1 rebounds a game.

Aidan Wyzard, Sycamore, sr., basketball/track/football

Wyzard took second in Class 2A in the long jump this spring. And he had only one shot before he injured himself and still put up the second-best mark in the state. The injury also kept him out of his other events, including a pair of relays that were among the best seeded in the state.

He also was a role player on the basketball team, an instant spark of speed whenever he was on the court. And if that’s not enough, he’s on the football team, too, although he didn’t play much last year on a loaded roster. But this year he’s a senior and could build off his five catches in 2023.

Freddy Hassan, Kaneland, sr., track/basketball

Hassan almost averaged a double-double during basketball season and was an All-Area first-team selection. Kaneland won the Interstate 8 Conference for the second straight year, and Hassan averaged 14 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 57% from the floor.

He also was an incredible high jumper during track season, taking seventh at the Class 3A state meet with a leap of 1.95 meters.