Arizona High School Athletes of the Week Announced

Voting open for top performers in boys' and girls' sports

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Arizona Republic has announced the nominees for its High School Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Diamond Kitchen & Bath. Fans can vote for the top male and female athletes based on performances in AIA-sanctioned sports from March 2-7, 2026. Voting will close on Thursday, March 12, with winners announced the following day.

Why it matters

The Arizona Republic's High School Athlete of the Week awards recognize the top high school sports talent in the state, shining a spotlight on the hard work and achievements of student-athletes. These weekly polls generate excitement and engagement around Arizona high school sports.

The details

The nominees include Kendall Pechacek of Queen Creek Casteel for her key saves in a penalty kick shootout to help her soccer team win the Open Division state championship, Kinsey Murray of Surprise Valley Vista for her near triple-double performance in the 6A basketball state title game, Luz Marian Santos Mas of Glendale Raymond S. Kellis for her double-double in the 5A basketball championship, Rider Portela of Phoenix Sunnyslope for his double-double in the Open Division basketball final, and John Mattingly of Phoenix Central for his 24-point effort in the 5A basketball championship.

  • The voting period runs from March 9 to March 12, 2026.
  • Winners will be announced on March 13, 2026.

The players

Kendall Pechacek

A senior soccer player at Queen Creek Casteel High School.

Kinsey Murray

A junior basketball player at Surprise Valley Vista High School.

Luz Marian Santos Mas

A senior basketball player at Glendale Raymond S. Kellis High School.

Rider Portela

A senior basketball player at Phoenix Sunnyslope High School.

John Mattingly

A senior basketball player at Phoenix Central High School.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

Voting will close at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, and winners will be announced the next day on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic on Saturday.

The takeaway

The Arizona Republic's High School Athlete of the Week awards highlight the top talent and achievements of student-athletes across the state, fostering excitement and recognition for high school sports in Arizona.