Vote now: Who should be SBLive’s Arkansas high school athlete of the week? (Feb. 20-26)

By Jeff Halpern 

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Arkansas high school athlete of the week for Feb. 20-26. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.

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.

Justin Crutchmer, Lake Hamilton boys wrestling

The Lake Hamilton senior pinned Mountain Home’s Brayden McCoy in 1:40 to win the 190-poiund weight class and win his fourth consecutive state championship and finish his career with a record of 121-4.

Katie Palmer, Fayetteville girls wrestling

Palmer defeated Jayla Spring of Little Rock Central in 140 pounds to win her third-consecutive state championship.

Lienfang Yu, Bentonville girls swimming

The senior won the 200 individual medley (2:05.73) and 100 breaststroke (1:02.70) for the fourth consecutive time in Class 6A.

Evan Carter, Bentonville boys swimming

The senior won the 50 freestyle (21.66) and 100 freestyle (46.40) in Class 6A helping Bentonville win the state title.

Carlee Casteel, Rogers Heritage girls basketball

The senior set a school-record with 47 points in a 80-76 victory over Rogers.

Kellen Robinson, Episcopal Collegiate boys basketball

The sophomore scored 41 points in a 70-58 victory over Mayflower in the 3A-3 Regional Tournament at Rose Bud. He scored 34 points in a 75-51 victory over Central Arkansas Christian in the tournament semifinals. He scored 30 points in a 66-56 victory over Rose Bud in the tournament finals.

Zayne Lewis, Rogers Heritage boys wrestling

Lewis defeated Austin Ireland of Bentonville West at 126 pounds by fall at 4:59 to win his third consecutive state championship.

Skylur Lewis, Rogers Heritage girls wrestling

Lewis won her third consecutive state championship at 155 pounds by defeating Serena Valentine of Springdale Har-Ber by fall at 1:51.

Susie Lee, Bentonville girls swimming

The junior repeated in the 100 backstroke (54.66) and won the 200 freestyle (1:50.92) in helping Bentonville win the Class 6A state championship.

Connor Boatright, Springdale Har-Ber boys swimming

The junior won the 500 freestyle (4:25.16) and 200 freestyle (1:40.06) at the Class 6A state championship.

Pacious McDaniel, Springdale Har-Ber girls basketball

The 5-10 senior scored 22 points, had 10 rebounds with 2 assists and 1 steal in a 65-37 victory over Fort Smith Southside. She scored 22 points, had 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks in a 66-48 victory over Bentonville West.

Brandon Scott, Charleston boys basketball

The 5-11 senior guard scored 28 points and made 5 three-pointers in a 54-45 victory over West Fork in the 3A-1 Regional Tournament at West Fork. He scored 37 points in a 59-49 victory over Booneville in the tournament semifinals. He scored 29 points in a 70-58 victory over Valley Springs in the tournament final.

Shiloh Summers, Van Buren boys wrestling

Summes won his third consecutive state championship at 132 pounds when he defeated Michael Davis of Mountain Home 3-1.

Alena Williams, Searcy girls wrestling

Williams, who won a state championship with Cabot in 2022, won at 115 pounds with Searcy when she defeated Katelyn Wallace by fall in 47 seconds.

Kevin Brumfield, Springdale boys swimming

The senior won the 200 individual medley (1:49.37) and the 100 butterfly (49.77) at the Class 6A state meet.

Zoe Smith, Little Rock Central girls swimming

The freshman won the 50 freestyle (23.52) and the 100 freestyle (51.76) at the Class 6A state meet.

Josie Williams, Conway Christian girls basketball

The 5-7 senior guard scored 25 points in a 66-41 victory over Southside Bee Branch in the 2A-Central Regional at Sloan-Hendrix. She scored 30 points in a 60-39 victory over England in the tournament semifinals. She scored 23 points in a 52-40 victory over Mount Vernon-Enola in the tournament finals.

Rece Hipp, Rose Bud boys basketball

The 5-10 senior point guard scored 28 points in a 63-36 victory over Baptist Prep in the 3A-3 Regional Tournament in Rose Bud. He scored 36 points in a 75-66 victory over Riverview in the tournament semifinals. He scored 33 points in a 66-56 loss to Episcopal Collegiate in the tournament finals.

Brayden Phillips, Glen Rose boys wrestling

Phillips won his third consecutive state championship at 165 pounds when he pinned Carter Gittenger of Pottsville at 1:36 in Class 1A-4A.

Amelia Frounfelter, Mountain Home girls wrestling

Frounfelter won her second state title in three years by beating Emery Anderson of Acorn by fall at 1:12 at 155 pounds.

Emma Crowe, Hot Springs Lakeside girls swimming

The junior won 100 backstroke (58.75) and 200 individual medley (2:13.98) at the Class 5A state meet in Russellville.

William Sims, Little Rock Christian boys swimming

Sims won the 500 freestyle (22.12) and the 200 freestyle (1:48.33) at the Class 5A state meet in Russellville.

Grant King, Van Buren boys wrestling

King won his second consecutive 215-pound weight class championship when he defeated Bryce Williams of Greenwood 9-3.

Presley Givens, Bryant girls wrestling

Givens repeated as state champion at the 145-pound weight class by defeating Callie Parrish of Springdale-Har Ber by fall at 1:25.

Andrew Pittman, Maumelle boys swimming

Pittman won the 100 backstroke (56.66) and the 200 individual medley (2:05.30) at the Class 5A state meet in Russellville.

OIivia Paczewitz, Little Rock Christian Academy girls swimming

Paczewitz won the 100 breaststroke (1:08.60) and 50 freestyle (25.62) at the Class 5A state meet in Russellville.

Layne Taylor, Farmington boys basketball

The junior totaled 38 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in a 70-54 victory over Morrilton in the 4A-North Regional semifinals. He scored 18 points and had 17 rebounds in a 76-55 victory over Dardanelle in the tournament finals.

Marleigh Sellars, Salem girls basketball

The 5-8 junior point guard scored 25 points in a 61-52 victory over Osceola in the 3A-1 Regional tournament at West Fork. She scored 19 points in a 54-47 victory over Manila in the tournament semifinals. She scored 26 points in a 54-44 victory over Melbourne in the tournament finals.