Outstanding High School Athlete of the Week from Marion County

The winter sports season is in full swing, with top-performing student-athletes shining across various sporting events. Cross country meets have just wrapped up, marking the end of the fall season. Long distance runners, football players, and standout soccer players have recently showcased their talents.

This week, three top ten finishers from the cross country state series have emerged, along with impressive performances from regional semifinal football games. Additionally, Belleview’s Selvin Banegas Rodas has led his team to an early undefeated record on the soccer pitch.

Voting for your favorite athlete is now open and can be done once per hour on social media. Share the poll with friends and family so they can participate too. Voting will close Thursday at 2 p.m., and results will be posted on Friday morning.

In the football category, notable performances include Preston Wright, Tay’Juan Leslie-Farmer, Gerald Lawton, Fred Gaskin III, and Markell Davis. Soccer standouts include LilyAnne Congleton, Hunter Duncan, Selvin Banegas Rodas, Michael Andres Juarez, Lizandra Hernandez, Austin Hilty, and Gianna Meccia. Cross country standouts include Cedric McFadden, Rach Hill