By Andy Walter

Smyrna High’s Brooke Duke was voted the State News’ Athlete of the Week.

The senior won the high jump at the DIAA indoor track & field state championships last Saturday. She was the lone downstate female winner at the meet.

Duke also was a state qualifier in the triple jump and 55-meter hurdles and was a part of the Eagles’ fourth-place 1,600-meter relay team. At the Henlopen Conference meet on Wednesday, Duke cleared 9-6 in the pole vault.

“What makes her so versatile is her amazing ability to master technique,” said Smyrna coach Maura Schafer. “She picks things up very quickly. Brooke also has a grit that is hard to come by. When pressure is on or people doubt her, she rises to the occasion.”

The Athlete of the Week is nominated and chosen by our readers. The nominating period starts at 2 p.m. on Friday and ends at noon on Monday. A voting period follows from 5 p.m. Monday through 5 p.m. Wednesday.

This process is performed exclusively online. When nominating an athlete, please include name, school and sport as well as a photo and brief description of why he or she deserves that week’s honor.

Here is the link to nominate someone for next week:

https://delawarestatenews.secondstreetapp.com/Athlete-of-the-Week-2-17-23/gallery/

All nominations must be high school varsity athletes and come from high schools within Kent or Sussex counties. The winner appears in print and online each Friday.

Andy Walter can be reached at 302-741-8227 or walter@iniusa.org
Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.