Drum Roll, Please -- The Winner of Joliet Athlete of the Year Is ...

Never say that residents don't love their local sports teams and star athletes. Joliet Patch's poll is proof of that.

Joliet Patch has been live online just one week, yet we managed to garner more than 3,082 votes in our first-ever competition.

All of the candidates were deserving -- and no one went without getting at least five votes -- but in the end it became something of a horse race between 's Matt Koran and Joliet Catholic Academy's Rachelle Sartori.

The victor: Koran, who received 52 percent of the vote to Sartori's 41 percent.

Congratulations, Matt!

Here are the poll results:

• Joliet Athlete of the Year, 2011-12 (Voting has been closed for this question)
  • Nick Collofello, Joliet Catholic Academy   5 (0%)
  • Kevin Duchene, Joliet Catholic Academy   91 (2%)
  • Jada Green, Joliet Central   11 (0%)
  • Ty Isaac, Joliet Catholic Academy   41 (1%)
  • Matt Koran, Joliet West   1621 (52%)
  • Curtis Parker, Joliet Central   8 (0%)
  • Morgan Reardon, Joliet Catholic Academy   17 (0%)
  • Hailey Salazar, Joliet West   18 (0%)
  • Rachelle Sartori, Joliet Catholic Academy   1270 (41%)
  Total votes: 3082

Here are some of the comments readers posted:

• "Matt Koran is Joliet's truest athlete! He's the all around student athlete. In an age when you don't see the multi-sport athlete, he's excelled in all 3 sports he's chosen to participate in. He not only excelled but is a 7 time all conference athlete in Football (in the toughest conference), Wrestling (where he placed 5th in state), and baseball (where he hit .330 6 HR's 17 doubles and stole 17 bases). All this done while still maintaining a 4.46 GPA and heading to Harvard. He's also a very well spoken modest young man who gives and gives. He's volunteered for the miracle league for 4 years now and is heading to Haiti at the end of this month. My vote goes to Mr. Matt Koran! Good Luck @ Harvard!!"
• "Rachelle deserves this honor because she is not only a superb athlete, but also a gifted student that excels in the classroom and a genuinely caring and kind person."
• "Kevin Duchene pitched incredibly all year! Un-hitable! The best season by a pitcher I have ever seen."
• "I vote Curtis Parker. What a great well rounded young man. Two sports and honor society. On his way to Steven point Wisconsin for college on a scholarship."
• "We have never seen a football player as talented as Ty Isaac in this area or for this state for that matter and may not ever see another one like him. He's got my vote."