Name: Mason Netcel

School: St. Charles North, senior

Sport: Baseball

What he did: Across five games in Nashville, Netcel went 8 for 12 at the plate while posting a .784 on-base percentage. He had two doubles and three home runs, scored 12 runs and drove home seven more for the North Stars.

Netcel was selected as the Athlete of the Week based on the results of an online vote.

Here is his Q&A with sports reporter Joel Boenitz.

How did you feel you performed at the plate?

Netcel: I feel pretty good about how I hit and how I played. I feel like I’ve most improved on stuff like base running and fielding. So I feel like I not only played well in the box while I’m hitting, but also in the field and on the bases.

You hit your first home run of the season in your first game against Aurora Christian. What was the feeling of getting the first one off the board so early?

Netcel: I was obviously excited that we were swinging the bats well in that game, and I was more than happy to be a part of that. When I hit that first one it was a good feeling. I think I expected to hit for a little more power this year, but getting that first one over the wall, it felt good.

You ended off the trip with a two-home run game, your first at the high school level. How did that feel?

Netcel: It’s obviously a very good feeling when you’re going up there and your swing feels good. And I think I can put the ball over the wall at any time. So it just felt good, I’m just thinking about my approach, staying within myself. I’m not trying to hit home runs, it’s just happening.

You averaged 12 runs a game as a team in five games. What kind of potential does this team have on offense?

Netcel: We’ve got a ton of dudes who can swing it, and I think our approaches at the plate. Our coaches do a great job of setting up practices and working on the things that we work on, but our approaches were great. I think we have a lot of guys that can execute it really well. And I think if we stick to it, we can definitely be a huge threat this year at the plate.

You returned 11 players from last year’s DuKane Conference team last season. How will that help you all out this season?

Netcel: Through the games we played last year, we had a lot of growth and I think it’s transferred over to this year. Our team is so close off the field as well and we’re all really great friends. We hang out outside of baseball and stuff. So I think just having that team chemistry and being able to play for each other and with each other is definitely a huge advantage that some teams don’t have.

You committed to play at Indiana State back in September. Do you feel like a weight’s been lifted off of you knowing you have that commitment?

Netcel: It’s definitely a big relief, but it also brings some added pressure to it. Something I worked on this offseason was handling how I’m going to handle myself mentally this year and just try not to do too much. I think there’s a lot of expectations that are put on you when you commit to a school like Indiana State. So this year I’m just trying to keep my expectations for myself not too high. I’m just trying to play the game the right way and not try and think about what anybody is saying about me or is thinking about me.

Favorite pre-game meal or drink?

Netcel: I like to drink a Liquid I.V. before a game to help me stay hydrated and help me play.