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 wrestlers from Lassiter and Pebblebrook.

Riley McElligott, Wrestling, Lassiter

Wrestling runs in the blood for the McElligott family. Riley's dad, Sean, won a state championship in 1989, and his older brother, Erin, also wrestled for the Trojans. Riley and his younger brother, Casey, are continuing the family legacy. Riley recently surpassed 150 career wins (102 by pin), which places him third in school history. He is a three-time Cobb County Champion, two-time Region Champion, Sectional Champion, and last year’s 113lb 6A State Champ. He is currently ranked #1 at 126lbs. by Georgia Grappler.  Riley is also a two-time Cobb County Takedown Association First-Team Member and has been a team captain for the last two years. He is only a handful of wins away from being second all-time at Lassiter.

"Riley is the kind of wrestler that a coach doesn't get very often," said Trojan Head Coach Matt Brickley. "He’s self-motivated, loves and understands the sport, and easy to teach.  He doesn’t lose very often, but when he does, he learns from it and makes corrections."

"He’s well-respected by his teammates and his presence will be greatly missed when he graduates in May. He has played a huge role in the success of Lassiter wrestling over the last four years. His accolades on the mat are tremendous, but his leadership and influence on the team far surpasses his athletic accomplishments," Coach Brickley said proudly.

Laila Robison, Wrestling, Pebblebrook

Now in her second year as a Falcon wrestler, Laila has had an incredible season. She is the Girls Team Captain and she has medaled at every tournament this year. She took the first-place medal in the heavyweight class at the Burnt Mountain Classic, 2nd at the Knightmare Before Christmas Tournament, and 3rd at the Cobb County Girls Tournament. Laila is also an exceptional student; she is an A/B Honor Roll student and taking Honors classes with a 3.575 GPA. She is viewed as a leader in the classroom and in the mat room by all her peers. She is also a very proud member of the Pebblebrook Mighty Marching Machine band.

"Laila is an integral part of the Girls Wrestling Team," said Pebblebrook Head Coach Joshua Patterson. "She is the leader to the whole group and can be found most practices helping out the younger wrestlers on the team. At the tournaments she is the one that is leading warmups, getting the girls together before wrestling starts, and helping to coach them mat-side. She isn’t always the most vocal; she usually lets her work do the talking."

"She is a model student," agreed Falcon Athletic Director Robert Figueroa. "Laila is very respectful, focused, and a pleasure to know. She sets the bar for all of our athletes. There is clear respect for her from teammates. Whenever I attend practice she is intent on learning and always happy to help. She is well-respected as a team captain."

Great jobs, Riley and Laila. Best of luck on the mat in the postseason! Nice work also Lassiter and Pebblebrook staff and coaches. Having team leaders like these two are what lead to success for everyone. Keep up the hard work!