Vote Now: Select Patch's Athlete of the Week

Be heard by picking our Patch Athlete of the Week of the southwest for the week ending Dec. 25.

Vote for one of the following (or write in your own candidate in the comments):

: Morgan Tuck, senior forward on the girls basketball team. Tuck, who is University of Connecticut-bound after this season, was named to the for her dominate performance in the holiday tournament in Phoenix. The Nike tournament featured some of the best high school talent in the world and Tuck shined among her peers, scoring 35 points and 14 rebounds against MacArthur (TX) and playing solid throughout.

: Junior varsity boys basketball team. The  boys basketball team is currently undefeated with a 10-0 record. The boys have topped the Southeast DuPage Elementary Athletic Association conference. 

: Sarah Warren, sophomore speed skater. Warren will be competing in speed in Innsbruck, Austria, Jan 13-22. Warren, who will race in the 500m and 1000m distances, and the mixed 3000m relay, qualified for the games in October at the American Cup II in Cleveland.

: Juozas Balciunas, boys basketball team. Balciunas led the Indians with nine points in Lemont's 41-27 win over Joliet Catholic in the first-round of the small-school group of the Romeoville Christmas Classic.

: Laura Dierking, girls basketball team. Dierking came off the bench to and led Naperville Central with eight points and seven rebounds, all of them in the second half. The strong performance, unfortunately, went to a losing cause as Redhawks struggled offensively—they scored only 10 points through three quarters—and lost 41-20 to Evanston in the opening round of the 29th annual Dundee-Crown Charger Classic in Carpentersville.

: Jaylen Nunn and Bobby Leach, boys basketball team. Nunn and Leach each led the Spartans in scoring by adding 10 points apiece for Romeoville in the Elgin Tournament last week. Romeoville defeated Holy Trinity 75-31 and are now 2-7 this season.

Want to write in your own candidate? Go ahead! But be sure to explain your pick in the comments and be sure to vote by 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28.