Local athletes continued with impressive performances ahead of the winter break this week, with some athletes achieving long-term accomplishments and others showing potential for their futures. Here are this week’s selections for Journal-World Athletes of the Week:

Owen Metz, Free State

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Owen Metz swims the 500-yard freestyle in a boys swimming meet on Wednesday, Dec.17, 2025, at the Lawrence Aquatic Center.

In Free State’s boys swim and dive triangular on Wednesday, Metz won the 500-yard freestyle race at 6 minutes, 34.87 seconds. That time was almost 30 seconds faster than his previous personal best.

Goldy Stephens, Lawrence

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawarence’s Goldy Stephens smiles after winning a match during the RavenMania girls wrestling tournament on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Olathe.

Stephens hit her 100th career win on the wrestling mat with Lawrence High School on Thursday morning in the KC Stampede wrestling tournament. Stephens became the first wrestler from Lawrence to reach the mark since girls wrestling became a sanctioned KSHSAA sport.