Cobb Schools' Athlete of the Week (AOW) program is a weekly recognition of a male and a female student-athlete that perform at high levels in their sport, in the classroom, and in their school communities. The program is made possible by support from BSN Sports.

This week's AOW winners are a senior actress from Allatoona and a junior wrestler from Lassiter.

Morgan Morrell, Allatoona, One Act Play

Morgan won Best Actress in 6A and helped lead the rest of her cast to a 2nd place finish for their performance of The Miracle Worker. She has been acting since she was seven years-old and was also a part of last year's 6A championship-winning performance of Wiley and the Hairyman.

"Her love and commitment to the theatre department and the school is unwavering," said Traci Kemp, Allatoona's Theatre Director. "Her being a part of our little family has been an honor and a privilege. She is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to performing. She is, what we call in the business, a triple threat. She is an outstanding student and is always there to lift her fellow castmates up. They admire and respect her leadership and learn from her on a daily basis."

Director Kemp also told a "truly magical" story about how Morgan came to be an actress: "When she was 7 years old, she was hanging out at the school on a Saturday when we were hosting our One Act Play competition. Her dad was an Assistant Principal at the time and brought her to the theater and asked if she could stay. She sat in the wings watching every show with pure amazement. I found out later that when she saw our production of Wiley and the Hairyman is when she knew she wanted to be an actress. Fast forward to her junior year: we did Wiley and the Hairyman and Morgan was the lead. We won State and Morgan said it was as if her life came full circle."

Carter Brickley, Lassiter, Wrestling

A junior wrestler with two Cobb County and Region Championships already on his resume, Carter has also won two State medals, including a 6A runner-up last season. He recently won his 100th match and is chasing the school record of 180 career wins. In youth wrestling, he was a four-time State Medalist (4th, 2nd, 2nd, 1st). He is a leader on the mat and in the classroom. He is a Team Captain for the Trojans while maintaining an impressive 4.44 GPA with five AP classes this semester.

"Carter has been around the Lassiter Wrestling program for 11 years now," said his coach (and dad) Matt Brickley. "He’s put so much time and energy into the program and has had a huge part in shaping what we have now. He’s also a Varsity Lacrosse player, member of Student Council, and belongs to the Shelter Club, which is dedicated to helping animals. His ultimate goal is to be a veterinarian; he has loved animals his entire life and wants to be able to help them as much as possible."

"He does a great job as part of the leadership group on the team and leads by example. Around school, he’s well-liked and has a very good friend group. He really is a fantastic student, team leader, and friend. I might be a bit biased, but he’s just a really easy kid to have. He sets his own goals, his own work/study/sports schedule without much, if any, push at all. His mom Kelly, brother Jax, and I are super proud of him!"

Great job, Morgan and Carter! We look forward to seeing Morgan on the screen or the stage and taking our pets to Dr. Brickley. Well done supporting these bright stars, Allatoona and Lassiter! You are all perfect examples of why Cobb is the Best Place to Teach, Lead, and Learn!