Here are the nominees for The Herald’s high school athlete of the week (09.15.25)
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Athletes from football, tennis, swimming and volleyball earned weekly nominations
- Quarterbacks Freeman and Means led key wins with strong passing and rushing stats
- Swimmer Impens and runner Nighbor delivered multi-event wins and record-breaking times
Fort Mill swimmer Dominic Impens is The Herald’s high school athlete of the week.
The Yellow Jackets’ senior won all four events he competed in, including the 50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay, to account for 84 points, in the Upstate Invitational at Fort Mill Aquatic Center on Sept. 6.
Impens also helped the Fort Mill boys’ swim team to the Upstate Invitational title against the 18-team, 460-swimmer field.
Last week’s other finalists
Victoria Baranski, Northwestern girls’ tennis: The Trojans’ senior won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles in a 5-1 loss at Nation Ford on Sept. 2.
Baranski also won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles in a 5-1 loss to Catawba Ridge on Sept. 4.
Baranski has not lost any games in singles’ play, going 84-0 overall this season.
Tayshon Freeman, York football: The Cougars’ 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior quarterback went 12 for 14 for 122 yards passing and a touchdown, while also rushing for 80 yards and three more scores in a 27-20 win over Union County on Sept. 5.
Freeman has 370 yards passing and a touchdown, while also rushing for 189 yards and four more touchdowns for York (1-2) this season.
Jackson Hill, Clover football: The 6-foot-2, 235-pound junior defensive lineman had seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss in a 21-19 win at Palisades on Sept. 5.
Jaylin Larrimore, Buford girls’ volleyball: The Yellow Jackets’ senior had 17 digs and three aces combined as Buford went 3-0 in the last week with victories at Central Pageland (3-0, Aug. 28), at Chesterfield (3-0, Sept. 2) and over Cheraw (3-0, Sept. 4).
Nigel Lightner, Rock Hill football: The 6-foot, 186-pound junior receiver caught nine passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns to lead Rock Hill to a 28-11 win over Lancaster on Sept. 5.
Lightner also had four tackles and an interception as a defensive back in the same game.
Lightner has 14 catches for 179 yards and three touchdowns, while also making 12 tackles and an interception for Rock Hill (2-1) this season.
Xavier Means, Northwestern football, Jr.: The 6-foot, 155-pound junior went 24 for 30 for 250 yards passing and three touchdown passes in a 55-35 win at South Florence on Sept. 5.
Means also had 147 yards rushing and two more scores in the same game.
Means has 653 yards passing and seven touchdown throws, while also rushing for 266 yards and three more scores for Northwestern (3-0) this season.
Ella Nighbor, Clover girls’ cross-country: The Blue Eagles’ senior ran a course record 18:03.10 to win the Trojan Invitational at Northwestern on Sept. 6.
Nighbor’s win also helped the Clover girls’ cross-country team to a runner-up finish at the same event.
Abby Russell, Catawba Ridge girls’ tennis: The Copperheads’ freshman won 6-2, 4-6, 10-8 (tiebreaker) at No. 3 singles in a 4-2 loss to Fort Mill on Sept. 2.
Russell also won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 singles in a 5-1 win at Northwestern on Sept. 4.
Catawba Ridge is 1-1 overall this season.
Brett Scales, Fort Mill football: The 5-foot-9, 159-pound senior safety had eight tackles, one pass breakup and blocked two punts, returning one 23 yards for a touchdown to help Fort Mill to a 33-7 win at Blythewood on Sept. 5.
Scales has 18 tackles and one interception for Fort Mill (3-0).
Matthew Scott, Nation Ford boys’ volleyball: The Falcons’ junior outside hitter had 25 kills, 16 digs, three aces, three assists and one block in a 3-2 win at Northwestern on Sept. 2.
Scott also had 15 kills, 12 digs, four blocks and three aces in 3-1 victory at Blythewood on Sept. 4.
Scott has 83 kills, 45 digs, 10 aces, seven blocks and five assists for Nation Ford (6-3) this season.
Cole Stukitz, Catawba Ridge boys’ volleyball, Sr.: The Copperheads’ senior outside hitter had 11 kills in a 3-0 win at Fort Mill on Sept. 2.
Stukitz also had 15 kills in a 3-0 victory over Northwestern on Sept. 4.
Catawba Ridge is 6-1 overall this season.
Note: Information published today includes statistics through September 6.
This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Here are the nominees for The Herald’s high school athlete of the week (09.15.25)."