Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Dec. 28-Jan. 3
Published 10:30 am Tuesday, January 6, 2026
The Athlete of the Week nominees for Dec. 28-Jan. 3. Voting closes at midnight Sunday. The winner will be announced with the next poll and in next Wednesday’s paper.
Last week’s winner
Mya Mercille | Monroe girls basketball
The senior guard/forward erupted for 28 points as the Bearcats beat Lakewood 60-46 on Dec. 27. Mercille won The Herald’s Athlete of the Week for Dec. 21-27 by claiming 338 (53.14%) of the 636 votes.
This week’s nominees
Owen Boswell | Mountlake Terrace boys wrestling
The junior 190-pound grappler pinned two opponents in under a minute before winning the semifinals in 3 minutes, 49 seconds and the title with a 7-2 decision in the Let it Fly tournament at Everett H.S. on Jan. 3.
Lily Riechelson | Glacier Peak girls basketball
The sophomore guard/post player scored a school-record 36 points for the Grizzlies in a solid win over the visiting Olympia Bears on Dec. 29
Freya Schwabenbauer | Snohomish girls wrestling
The freshman went 5-0 with four pins en route to winning the 130-pound division at the 54-school Pac Coast Tournament in Ridgefield.
Michael Smathers Jr. | Marysville Pilchuck boys basketball
The sophomore erupted for 47 points against Lynnwood on Dec. 29 and added 21 vs. Snohomish on Jan. 2.
Note: The Herald’s Athlete of the Week nominees are chosen based on stats reported to the newspaper, recommendations from coaches and first-hand observations. Stats from games and recommendations for nominees can be sent to sports@heraldnet.com. Nominees must be submitted by 9 a.m. Monday. Did we miss someone? It could be because individual stats were not reported to The Herald. Coaches/scorekeepers: Please report results by 10:30 p.m. on the day of the event. To participate in the voting, visit heraldnet.com.
