Each week throughout the 2025-26 school year, Star Local Media will recognize one of the standout student-athletes from its coverage area as Athlete of the Week.
Through nominations submitted by coaches, as well as the sports staff’s own research, the entries will be trimmed down to six nominees each week. It’ll come down to a fan vote to decide who is named Athlete of the Week, however — readers have until 10 a.m. Monday to vote for one of the five star athletes below. The winner will be announced later in the week.
(For games played Oct. 27-Nov. 1)
Lathon Latiolais, Prosper football
Latiolais surpassed 100 receiving yards for the seventh time this season during Thursday’s 59-21 win over Princeton, doing so on just three receptions. Prosper’s top pass-catcher made the most of those catches, however, as each one resulted in a touchdown – scoring on plays of 82, 36 and 12 yards to total 130 receiving yards. Latiolais also gave the Eagles a boost heading into halftime after recording a 76-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that gave his team a 24-13 lead at the break.
Haylee Claypoole, Prosper Walnut Grove volleyball
The Lady Wildcats opened their postseason in victorious fashion on Thursday after sweeping Whitehouse to advance in the Class 5A Division II playoffs. Claypoole stepped up in a big way to lead Walnut Grove’s attack with a season-high 15 kills on a .324 hitting percentage, and she contributed plenty behind the service line with a pair of aces and on defense with 15 digs – her first double-double of the season.
Vincent Hooper, Frisco Heritage football
The Coyotes snapped a seven-game skid in dramatic fashion on Thursday, outlasting McKinney North in a shootout, 49-46. Heritage uncorked one big play after another en route to the victory, including several long runs by Hooper. In total, the running back carried the ball 28 times for 247 yards and three touchdowns, with two of those scores coming on consecutive carries for 68 and 67 yards.
Terrence Collins, North Mesquite football
The Stallions posted a huge 51-44 victory over W.T. White on Thursday to inch closer towards clinching a playoff spot out of District 6-5A Division I. Collins was an integral figure, carrying the ball 25 times for 198 yards and four touchdowns.
Maya Easterwood, Coppell cross country
Easterwood has created an expectation for posting medal finishes in each long-distance race she competes in. As the competition got fiercer, Easterwood held steady. She had impressed heading into the Class 6A state meet at Old Setter’s Park in Round Rock. When the championship race began, the junior found her way to the podium against the toughest competition the state has to offer, finishing third with a time of 17:13.
Hayden Curtis, Flower Mound volleyball
The Lady Jaguars were down 0-1 after the first set of their bi-district matchup against Plano, but the team rallied and was able to regain the form that saw them topple opponent after opponent throughout 2025. Curtis decided that Plano needed to topple as well, quietly taking over the entire contest. Her 34 assists alone were enough to impress, but her willingness to step up and deliver kills, aces and blocks were both impactful and a sign of the style of leadership she delivers on the floor.