Vote: Who should be Texas high school Athlete of the Week? (12/24/2024)

We narrowed down the top winter sports performers of last week. Now, we want to hear from you!

AOTW

Which Texas high school athlete had the best week?

Each week, SBLive scoured the Lone Star State for the top winter sports like basketball, wrestling and now soccer and swimming is underway throughout Texas.

Congrats to basketball player Anakin Torres from El Paso Austin, who won the most recent SB Live Athlete of the Week poll with 68% of the more than 10,000 votes. The 5-foot-10 senior scored a game-high 21 points against El Paso Jefferson on Monday.

Scroll down, read up on the nominees and cast your vote for your winner. Voting closes Sunday, Dec. 29 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

If you would like to make a nomination in a future weeks, email swanson@scorebooklive.com.

TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES

Caio Aron, The Woodlands College Park boys wrestling

The California Baptist signee went 6-0 and took home first place in the 132-pound bracket at the KC Stampede. Aron is now 22-0 on the season. He’s now won 76 in a row.

Creed Barnes, Amarillo boys basketball 

The Sandies picked up a 52-41 win over Amarillo Tascosa on Tuesday in District 3-5A action and Barnes had a team-high 18 points in the victory. 

Aundrea Bradley, Tatum girls basketball 

The senior had a triple-double in a 58-22 win over Sabine on Tuesday in District 16-3A action. She had 15 points, 11 steals and 10 assists. 

Austin Brown, Lufkin boys basketball 

The Panthers got 31 points from the 6-foot-8 junior, including five 3-pointers in a 69-43 win over Hallsville on Tuesday in a District 10-5A contest.

Gunnar Carnes, Lufkin Pineywood Community Academy boys basketball 

The Timberwolves picked up a 53-49 win over Diboll in District 21-3A action on Tuesday and Carnes’ layup with 4 seconds left broke a 49-49 tie to help his team win.

Jocelyn Castro, El Paso Riverside girls basketball 

The senior guard scored a game-high 31 points to help Riverside pick up a 53-49 win over El Paso Chapin on Dec. 18.

Aaliyah Chavez, Lubbock Monterey girls basketball

Chavez, who recently surpassed 4,000 career points, tallied a game-high 19 to help the Plainsmen pick up a 46-44 win over Amarillo on Friday.

David Chong, Dickinson boys basketball 

The senior guard had 30 points to help the Gators pick up an 84-39 win over Clute Brazoswood on Dec. 20. Chong had 18 in a 69-63 win over Houston Clear Lake on Dec. 18.

Aniya’ Foy, Katy Cinco Ranch girls basketball 

The Kansas State signee had 24 points on Friday in a win against Katy Mayde Creek. She became the school’s all-time scoring leader in the game, passing the mark held by Stefanie Gilbreath from 2003-07.

Amare Guerra, San Antonio Antonian Prep boys basketball 

The 5-foot-9 junior has posted four straight 20-plus point games. He tallied 20 in a win against Austin St. Andrew’s on Dec. 20.

Xenia Gutierrez, Killeen Harker Heights girls wrestling

After going 0-2 at the Texas Women’s Classic the previous weekend, the junior won all four matches and took home first at the Ms. Claus Slam in Coppell. She won all four of the matches by pin.

Caden Harley, Woden boys basketball 

The senior was one of three Eagles in double figures and his 17 led the way in a 52-39 win over Garrison on Tuesday inside Ford King Jr. Gymnasium.

Emma Heaton, Amarillo Canyon Randall girls wrestling 

A state champion last year in Class 5A, Randall beat wrestlers from Oklahoma, Colorado and Missouri this weekend in the KC Stampede. She won the 190-pound bracket with a 4-0 record.

Brody John, El Paso boys basketball

The 6-foot-4 senior dropped 32 points to help the Tigers blitz in an 83-47 victory against El Paso Austin in a contest on Dec. 17.

Jadyn Johnson, Melissa boys wrestling

The senior was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the KC Stampede after winning the 165-pound bracket in the two-day event in Kansas City, Mo. Johnson is now 20-0 on the year after a 6-0 run to the title.

Jaida Kuntz, Richmond Foster girls wrestling

The freshman went 3-0 in the 185-pound bracket and pinned all foes on her way to the title at the 28th Annual Doc Hess Classic in Bryan. She is now 23-1 on the year.

Wendy Le, Haltom City girls wrestling 

The senior picked up her first tournament championship at the Ms. Claus Slam in Coppell. She went 3-0 to win the 100-pound bracket with three wins by pin.

Christine Lechuga, Fabens girls basketball 

In a lopsided 57-14 win over El Paso Immanuel Christian on Tuesday, the senior scored 16 points, while adding 8 rebounds and 6 steals for the Lady Wildcats.

Ishitha Mallidi, Coppell girls wrestling 

The junior posted a 4-0 mark to take home first place at her school’s annual tournament — the Ms. Claus Slam — that wrapped up Saturday. Mallidi won the 114-pound title and helped the Lady Cowgirls take first place.

Elijah Marquez, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff boys swimming

At the Corpus Christi ISD Holiday Classic, he won the 200-yard IM, the 100-yard butterfly and was on two winning relays — 200 free and 200 medley — for the Hornets.

Dylan Ota, Southlake Carroll boys wrestling

A defending state champion, Ota picked up career win No. 100 at the 11th Annual Takedown Alzheimer’s Classic in Keller on Saturday. Ota went 5-0 in the 113-pound weight class.

Riley Rayome, The Woodlands girls wrestling 

A defending state champion, she went 4-0 at the 3rd Annual Beast of the East Tournament in Newark, Delaware on Dec. 19-20. She won 3-0 in a sudden victory in OT against Marie Sharp from Blair Academy in the 115-pound bracket finals.

Shamiah Taylor, Waco girls basketball 

The Lady Lions picked up a 58-51 win over Lampasas on Tuesday behind a season-high 32 points from the sophomore guard. 

Paytin Thompson, Gladewater girls basketball 

The sophomore scored 18 points, while adding five rebounds and three assists to help the Lady Bears pick up a 48-46 win over West Rusk on Tuesday in District 16-3A play.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll are intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.