Which student-athletes have stood out among the crowd this season? See everyone who was voted Athlete of the Week in our weekly polls this winter!

And be sure to vote each week − the Boys Athlete of the Week and Girls Athlete of the Week polls run Tuesday evening until 8 p.m. Thursday.

Playoff Performers of the Week (February 20-March 8)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Julia Horger, Conwell-Egan

The Conwell-Egan sophomore is having an unforgettable season, making history in girls wrestling’s first official PIAA season. On Saturday, Horger became Bucks County’s first state girls wrestling champion when she won the 106-pound title at the PIAA Girls Wrestling Championships.

Last week, Horger won the 106-pound title at the inaugural PIAA Girls South East Regional Championships, going 3-0 with a pair of pins. The previous week, she won a title at the first ever PIAA District One/12 Girls Wrestling Championships. Horger, who was ranked No. 1 in the state by PA-Wrestling.com, finished her season undefeated at 22-0.

“What I love about Julia is (that) she is a really quiet and timid girl until she steps on the wrestling mat,” Conwell-Egan wrestling coach Chuckie Connor said. “Then she is throwing big moves and is so dangerous. It's fun to watch .”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Gavin Egan, Holy Ghost

The sophomore swimmer left the District One Class 2A Swimming Championships with some fancy new hardware. Egan won the boys 200-yard individual medley with his personal-best time of 2:00.71, ending up a full seven seconds before the second-place finisher. Egan added a silver medal when his 200 freestyle relay team finished second and set a school record with its time of 1:31.70. In addition, Egan finished fourth in the 100 freestyle (49.25) and fourth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:23.49).

“Gavin came to Holy Ghost Prep swimming as a driven young man in and out of the pool last year,” coach TJ Farrell said.  “He has led his team to a winning record this year and pushed himself to be a better swimmer, which in return pushes his teammates to be better also.”

Egan will continue to build upon his successful season at the PIAA Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend, where he will compete in the 200 IM and the 200- and 400 freestyle relays.

“Gavin is one of the leaders in our top relays that will be heading to states at Bucknell University (along with TJ Farrell Jr, Brian Chewning, Jr. and Liam Halligan),” Farrell said. “The coaching staff is proud of Gavin’s early accomplishments and will continue to push Gavin each year.”

Playoff Performers of the Week (February 13-19)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Ava Gregorio, George School

The George School junior decided to step away from basketball to focus on track and field this season, and it has paid off immensely. Last weekend, Gregorio won a gold medal in the long jump at the PAISSA Independent Schools State Championships. Her winning jump of 16-1.25 was also a personal best. She also finished fourth in the high jump (4-2) and 11th in the shot put (26-3).

After a fine indoor season, Gregorio will be putting her skills and training to the test in the spring competing in the Heptathlon. Gregorio’s seven Heptathlon events include the long jump, high jump, shot put, javelin, 100-meter hurdles, and 200-meter and 800-meter runs.

“Now that Ava has focused on track & field, she is learning so much so fast,” said George School head coach Mike Bailey. “It has taken a bit for (us) to learn each other's way of communicating, and has now started to take off in each of her events. Her winning long jump at the PAISAA State Championships was a sign of what's to come this spring and next year. She is going to be a very great Heptathlete.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Colin Walther, Conwell-Egan

The freshman is having an exceptional season for Conwell-Egan wrestling. On Feb. 17, Walther won the 127-pound title at the Philadelphia Catholic League Individual Wrestling Championships. Walther went 3-0 on the day, with two wins by fall, pinning both opponents in under a minute.

“I’ve had the privilege to coach Colin since he was about 8 years old and the kid works his butt off every day,” Conwell-Egan coach Chuckie Connor said. “I know he is capable of winning a lot of big matches and bringing home some hardware from Hershey."

This past weekend, Walther added some hardware at the District 1/12 Class 2A Championships, winning the 127-pound title. He pinned his opponent in 26 seconds in the finals match, and improved to 29-8 on the season.

Playoff Performers of the Week (through February 12)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Gracie Clift, Abington

The Abington junior is breaking new ground and breaking down barriers for the school’s girls wrestling program. As the Ghosts didn’t have enough wrestlers for a girls wrestling team this year, Clift wrestled on the boys team. She’s been especially impressive in February, going 8-1 with seven wins by pin and improving to 10-2 on the season.

“Gracie is a pioneer when it comes to Abington wrestling,” assistant coach Bill Brennan said. “(She’s) always looking to improve (and) she proactively reaches out to the coaches to review her matches to understand areas that she can improve. She works hard every practice, not taking any shortcuts.”

Last week, she won the 124-pound title at the SOL Girls Wrestling Championships, pinning her opponent in 0:57, the quickest pin in the finals matches. She had won her first two matches with pins of 1:16 and 1:56. At the District 1/12 championships this weekend, Clift took fifth place in the 124-pound bracket and qualified for the PIAA Southeast Regional Tournament.

“Even more impressive is how quickly she picks things up as she is a first year wrestler,” Brennan said. “She is extremely humble and a great teammate, supporting everyone.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Connor Lenahan, CR South

The senior wrestler has continued to add to an impressive high school career in the postseason. Last week, he clinched the Golden Hawks’ win over Franklin Regional in the opening round of the PIAA Class 3A dual-meet tournament in Hershey, pinning his opponent in 3 minutes, 24 seconds in the 114-pound final.

“Connor has had an awesome season of wrestling,” CR South coach Trey Balasco said. “He is really mastering his craft and getting to the top of his game. I can't wait to watch him go on a postseason run.”

The win raised his career victory total to 103, and he improved his season record to 35-8. In addition, Lenehan is ranked No. 1 in District One at 114 pounds by PA-Wrestling.com.

“I truly believe he is up there with the top kids in the state,” Balasco said. “(I) am excited to be by his side for his last run at the podium.”

Week 10 (Final Regular-Season Poll)

Boys Athlete of the Week: Karl Hussey, Holy Ghost 

The sophomore bowler achieved every bowler’s ultimate dream when he bowled a perfect game in a match against Neshaminy on February 6. Hussey bowled a perfect 300 in his second game, and with his two other games of 245 and 256, he finished with an 801 high series.

Hussey’s was the first perfect game in school history. Hussey will be looking to make history again as he prepares for the PIAA state tournament. As a freshman, he finished 25th in the state regional championship.

Firebirds’ bowling coach Norm Muller was impressed by Hussey’s calm demeanor as he grew closer to perfection.

“Karl was very relaxed. He was joking with teammates and some of the opponents,” said Muller. “Usually nobody would talk during it, but he was the one starting the conversation. Before his turn, he would get quiet and get zoned in.”

Hussey remained calm even as a large crowd gathered round.

“When I got to my 10th frame, everyone kind of just stopped bowling for me to finish off my game as I was going for the 300,” Hussey said. “Kids from other schools came to watch me. When I got ready to throw the ball, I remember taking one last breath before I threw the shot. When it struck, everyone started to clap around me.”

Hussey isn’t a stranger to receiving attention for his accomplishments.

Over the summer, Hussey, his parents, and twin brother Curt climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. The trip was to raise awareness about ovarian cancer. Both Karl’s mother and grandmother are survivors of ovarian cancer, and they wanted a way to memorialize members of their support group who had passed away.

From the world’s highest mountain peak to a bowling alley in Bristol, Hussey is determined to give his full effort.

“(Karl) wants to constantly get better,” Muller said. “He is a true athlete, always putting his full energy into every roll. I always ask of my players to give 110% when it is their turn, and Karl gives that and more.

“He is driven by the goals he sets for himself and, based on his drive to attain those goals, the sky is the limit for Karl.”

Girls Athlete of the Week: Mimi Duffy, CB West

The senior track athlete added to her already impressive resume with a record-breaking week.

Duffy broke three CB West indoor track records after an excellent showing at the prestigious Ocean Breeze Invitational. The Penn State commit finished third in the girls Red (highest level) 400-meter run with a time of 57.36, and third in the 200-meter dash with a 24.87 time, both of which set school records. Days prior, Duffy broke the school’s record in the 60-meter dash when she ran a 7.82 at Lehigh University in the DVGTCA meet. Her time in the 200 meters ranks as No. 2 in Pennsylvania this season.

"There is no one more deserving than Mimi - she has earned all the recognition," said Bucks coach Kiki Bell. "Her humility as an athlete has prevented her from truly understanding how much of an impact she has had on this team these four years.

"She is a leader and role model to the younger athletes,  a competitor other teams and coaches enjoy watching, and a dream for us to coach."

Week 9 (January 22-28)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Grace Weyler, Neshaminy

Grace Weyler has put in the work, and it’s paying off for the Neshaminy freshman. Last week, she had her most impressive outings of the season. Facing rival Pennsbury, Weyler scored a career-high 12 points. She was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor (all 3-pointers), helping secure a 49-36 win. It was quite a change from December, when Weyler played just three minutes in the first matchup against Pennsbury. Weyler’s improvement on defense helped her earn more minutes on the floor for a Neshaminy team with state championship aspirations.

“Defense is the biggest jump ninth-grade players have to overcome,” said head coach John Gallagher. “Grace has improved her defense and at the same time leads the team in 3-point percentage. In the last five games she has averaged over 20 minutes per game.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Jagger Verbit, Faith Christian

The Lions’ guard/forward has had an incredibly impactful freshman campaign. Averaging nearly 22 points per game, Verbit has helped the Lions to a 15-4 record and third place in the District One Class 2A standings (as of Feb. 2). Verbit continued his fine campaign last week, scoring 30 points in a win against Valley Forge Military Academy and 24 points in a double-OT loss to MaST Charter. He finished the week with a 24-point performance in a win over Bristol, while pulling down 17 rebounds in his last two games.

“Jagger has worked extremely hard this year.” said head coach Torey LaFerney. “He's really coachable and an incredible competitor. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Week 8 (January 16-21)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Payton Hinkle, Bensalem

The Owls’ wrestler has put together an impressive sophomore campaign. Last weekend, Hinkle won the 100-pound championship at the Lebanon Girls Tournament. She went 4-0 with all four wins by fall, including two in under one minute. For the season, Hinkle is 16-4 and also won a title at the Bedlam for Belt Tournament in December.

“Payton is a ferocious competitor,” said Bensalem wrestling coach Donavin Williams. “She puts so much time into her wrestling. She is constantly asking questions and reviewing her film. She is a true student of the sport who has not begun to stretch her full potential. Her hard work is really (paying off).”

To make her success even more impressive, Hinkle didn’t start wrestling until eighth grade. She is ranked at No. 2 in both the district and state rankings by PA-Wrestling.com.

Boys Athlete of the Week: Guy Horton, Neshaminy

The senior played a key role in Neshaminy picking up a pair of wins. Against Pennridge, the guard scored a game-high 24 points, including nine points in the critical third quarter, which helped Neshaminy pull away en route to a 58-37 win. Against CB West, he scored six of his eight points in the decisive fourth quarter, securing a 48-46 victory for Neshaminy.

Playing a bigger role this season, Horton has thrived on both ends of the court.

“Guy is our defensive stopper who is always tasked with playing the other team's best player,” said head coach Mark Tingle. “He brings great energy and commitment to getting better each day on both sides of the ball.“

In addition, Horton is a valued teammate and leader, helping Neshaminy to an 11-7 record while playing in the tough SOL Patriot Division.

Week 7 (January 8-15)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Grace Nesbitt, Neshaminy

The freshman wrestler is off to a most promising start to her varsity career. Last weekend, Nesbitt won the 100-pound title at the Souderton Big Red Invitational, pinning the top-ranked wrestler in the state in 2:00 in the championship match. All three of her wins were by fall, with the first two in 1:57 and 1:22. She is 6-0 on the season, and moved up to No. 1 in the district rankings, and is ranked third in the state by PA-Wrestling.com.

Nestbitt is continuing the success she had at Maple Point Middle School and Neshaminy Youth Wrestling, where she wrestled in the quarterfinals at the 2023 Keystone State Championships, and won a PAUSA Freestyle Wrestling State Championship.

“Grace is one the hardest workers we have in the room,” said Neshaminy head coach Frank Bing. “She practices every day with the varsity boys and is doing great this season.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Morris Ivery, Conwell-Egan

The senior led the Eagles to a thrilling Catholic League win last week. With his team down three points and time running out in regulation, Ivery beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer that tied the game against West Catholic. The Eagles pulled out the 67-74 win in overtime, with Ivery contributing 16 points.

“Morris is a great student-athlete,” head coach Tyrone Lewis said. “He embodies everything that Conwell-Egan and the basketball program stands for. He’s a great leader on and off the court; I love coaching him and having him a part of the program.”

Week 6 (January 1-7)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Ella Wheeler, CB South

The junior powered the shorthanded Titans to an overtime win against CR North last week. Wheeler hit a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to send the game to OT, and then had five points in OT to lead the Titans to a 54-50 victory. Wheeler finished the game with a season-high 18 points, which led all scorers.

“Ella is a driven competitor who brings a ton of athleticism to the court,” said Titans’ head coach Beth Mattern. “She has explosive quickness getting to the basket and can knock down the open jumper. Ella is a great teammate and I’m lucky I get to be her coach.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Liam Feeney, Bristol

The senior achieved a highly coveted but rarely attained feat when he bowled a perfect game. Feeney rolled a perfect 300 game on Friday in a Bicentennial League match against Church Farm School. He followed with games of 236 and 214 for a 750 series to lead the Warriors to the win.

In addition, Feeney helped set two team records and broke one individual record. His 300-game led the Warriors to a record-setting high-game of 1155, and a high series of 3171, which also set a record. In addition, he broke the school’s record for individual high series in a match with his 750 series. Last season, Feeney won the BAL individual title and was named Bowler of the Year.

Week 5 (December 25-31)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Kayla Husti-Luca, Souderton

Winning a wrestling tournament championship is a big deal for anyone. But it was especially meaningful for the Souderton junior last week at the Governor Mifflin Tournament.

Kayla Husti-Luca had a freshman year to remember. She went 20-3 and finished second in the state at 130 pounds after advancing to the PIAA state championship match. Unfortunately, she didn’t get to pick up where she left off, as off-season shoulder surgery kept Husti-Luca on the sidelines her sophomore season. Her planned return was then delayed as she developed severe migraines this fall.

Husti-Lucas spent much of the fall at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia after she experienced 60 straight days of migraine symptoms. After determining that her shoulder surgery was causing the migraines, Husti-Luca received successful treatment which allowed her to return to school and begin wrestling again.

She made her first appearance in over 15 months at the Governor Mifflin Tournament, where she went 4-0 with three wins by technical fall and one by fall in the 130-pound bracket.

“(I’m) super proud as a coach to see Kayla not only get back to wrestling but also to get some immediate gratification and recognition,” said Souderton head coach Chris Atkinson. “She has had to deal with so much to get back to a sport she loves, lives and breathes and we couldn't be happier she is finally back.”

Husti-Luca is currently 8-0 and won the Penn Manor New Years Tournament in Lancaster, defeating the fourth-ranked wrestler in the state in the finals.

Boys Athlete of the Week: Chris Dennis, CB West

After an excellent freshman campaign where he went 34-6 and finished sixth in the state in the PIAA Class 3A 114-pound championships, Dennis is on his way to another stellar season.

Last week, Dennis won the 133-pound title at the Ralph Wetzel Classic, going 4-0 with three wins by technical fall and one by pin. He improved to 13-0 on the season and is currently ranked No. 3 in District One at 133 pounds.

*Additional details will be added when received.

Week 4 (December 19-24)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Sophia Santiago, Pennsbury

The sophomore has quickly established herself as one of the top wrestlers in the region.

Last week, she earned a win by fall in the Falcons’ first dual match of the season against Souderton, helping Pennsbury win the match. Her current record is 4-2, and she earned the No. 1 spot in the district rankings at 142 pounds. She has shown impressive growth from last season, when she went 5-9.

“Sophia is a technical, strong, and aggressive wrestler who has great work ethic and determination,” coach Craig Williams said. “Her hard work and dedication to the sport is truly inspiring. Her goal is to make it to the PIAA State tournament this season. She makes me a proud coach and I look forward to her continued success this season.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Timmy Rahill, Council Rock South

The senior has been on fire from the 3-point line this season, helping the Golden Hawks to a 7-4 record. He has had three games with more than 20 points in the last week, beginning with a 23-point performance in a win over Truman, where he sank five 3s. Rahill followed with 21 points against CB East, and 24 points in a win at the Boardwalk Classic.

He is averaging 18 points per game, shooting 52 percent from the 3-point line, and has connected on 26 3-pointers so far this season (through Dec. 24).

“Timmy is a true ’gym rat’ and he has continued to work hard in every facet of his game,” coach Andrew Rogers said. “He has really stepped up as a senior captain and leader this year, so it is really great to see him recognized for his performance.”

Week 3 (December 11-18)

Boys Athlete of the Week: Joe Bachmann, Faith Christian

The freshman’s varsity career is off to a most impressive start. He went 6-0 at the Beast of the East, one of wrestling’s most prestigious tournaments in the country, on his way to winning the 106-pound championship. Bachmann defeated Cameron Sontz of Delbarton by decision in the championship match.

Bachmann received national recognition prior to starting high school. He was ranked as the top wrestler (106 pounds) in the country by SB Live and MatScout over the summer. Earlier this year, Bachmann represented Puerto Rico at the U17 World Championships in Turkey and wrestled in the Pan-American Championships in Mexico City. He won gold at Pan-Am in freestyle and bronze in the World Championships

Despite his exceptional talent, Bachmann remains grounded and puts in as much – or more – work than anyone on the top-ranked Faith Christian wrestling team.

“Joey is obviously gifted with talent and an elite feel for this sport, but the most impressive thing about him is the constant energy and effort he brings to every practice,” said Faith Christian wrestling coach Ben Clymer. “He’s present and driven, he does extra workout, and he brings the best out of his teammates. I really can’t say enough about him.”

Bachmann has started his varsity career 13-0 with wins against Wyoming Seminary, first-place finishes at Ironman and Beast of the East.

“He’s off to as hot a start as you could possibly be, but I know his goal will be to continue getting better and to peak at the end of the season,” Clymer said.

Girls Athlete of the Week: Lianna Adames, Upper Moreland

The junior had the opportunity to take on a more prominent role this season, and she has seized the chance. The Golden Bears are off to a 7-3 start, which included a stretch of four games in one week. Adames’ performance was a crucial factor as UM won all four of those games.

“Lianna is a great person (who) truly is a tremendous teammate,” said Josh Adelman, Upper Moreland’s new head coach. “She works so hard on her game and has been hitting so many clutch shots for our team, especially during our recent 4-game win streak.  Lianna also works hard on the defensive side of the ball getting lots of steals and deflections.”

Adames scored a game-high 20 points in a win over Pottsgrove, sinking four 3-pointers, and the next day, she scored five of her seven points in the fourth quarter to help UM edge Springfield 41-40. She contributed 15 points in a win against Academy Park, and eight points in a rout of Cheltenham. She is averaging nine points per game for the season.

“There were points in the last few games where she was knocking down 3s, pulling up for 2s in the lane, and attacking the basket for important layups,” Adelman said. “We are proud of her accomplishments.”

Week 2 (December 3-10)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Brooke McFadden, Conwell-Egan

The Eagles’ guard couldn’t have had a better start to her senior season.

Days after announcing her commitment to The College of New Jersey, McFadden opened the season with a pair of double-doubles at the She Got Game Classic.

In the first game, McFadden tallied 15 points and 11 rebounds, and she had a similar stat line of 15 points and 12 rebounds in the second game, helping the Eagles to a 2-0 start to the season.

“We were outmatched in terms of size in both games at She Got Game but Brooke rose to the challenge and dominated on the glass on both sides,” Conwell-Egan coach Chris Brennan said.  “Her hard work resulted in many second-chance points and she got our transition offense moving from the first game and it carried through both games. We see more double-doubles on the horizon for Brooke.”

Boys Athlete of the Week: Aiden Maue, Souderton

Before beginning his indoor track season, Maue concluded his fall season at the Running Lane Cross Country National Championships in Alabama.

Maue finished 29th in the boys 5K Gold Race with a time of 15:37.6 at the prestigious event that features the top runners from across the country.

Now, Maue will turn his attention to winter track, where he will compete primarily in the mile and 3,000-meter run.

“Student-athletes at Aiden’s athletic caliber are rare to come by,” said Jimmy Stevenson, the head coach of Aiden’s cross country and track-and-field teams at Souderton. “What’s even rarer is for that student-athlete to have such a selfless and joyful disposition about him. Aiden ’Sunshine’ Maue comes to work every day with a smile on his face, making each of his teammates better as he keeps them accountable and calls them to a high degree of excellence.”

Week 1 (December 1-2)

Girls Athlete of the Week: Ella Brown, Pennridge

After an eye-opening sophomore season, Brown has quickly established herself as the next star player in the league.

The junior opened the season with two high-scoring games at the Pennridge Tip Off Tournament, to the delight of the home crowd. In the first game, Brown erupted for 25 points to lead the Rams over Villa Joseph Marie, 50-38. The next day, after trailing 11-9 in the first quarter, Brown scored 15 points in the second quarter against Quakertown, and finished with a game-high 19 points in the win.

"Ella has done a fantastic job this season, not only as our leading scorer but she has thrived in the leadership role that her teammates voted her into as a captain,” Pennridge coach Jason Rapp said. “Her numbers speak for themself. One thing that might go unnoticed is how efficient Ella is on offense. She is shooting 54 percent from the floor, and her shot selection and basketball IQ make her a really difficult matchup for opponents.  Ella is a 'gym rat' who is constantly working on her game and pushing herself to be the best player she can be."

Players to Watch: 35 standouts poised for big seasons in Bucks County area girls basketball

Boys Athlete of the Week: Connor Taddei, Pennsbury

As the Falcons’ top returning scorer from last year’s SOL Patriot Division championship squad, Taddei has taken his role as a team leader to heart.

The senior was named MVP of the Hatboro-Horsham Tip Off Tournament after leading the Falcons to the tourney title. He had 16 points against Northeast, with 14 coming in the second half of the victory. And in a 60-43 win over Robeson, Taddei had a game-high 18 points. He had four 3-pointers in both games.

“Connor is simply a great kid and a fine example of what Pennsbury is – balance and excellence,” Pennsbury coach Wes Emme. “(He) is going to make a college basketball program very happy and he is off to an outstanding start to the season. He deserves any and all recognition he receives because of how hard he’s worked to get here.”

30 boys basketball players to watch: In the Bucks County area for 2023-24 season

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: See Athlete of the Week winners for winter in Bucks County area