Winter prep athlete of the week, Kenji Yamashita, Mountain View wrestling

Kenji Yamashita of Mountain View wrestling was voted The Columbian’s high school winter sports athlete of the week, sponsored by Athletes Corner, for the week ending Dec. 21.

Yamashita collected 41 percent of the 2,291 votes cast by fans to beat out Nicole Goecke, who had 27 percent.

Yamashita won three matches by pin then beat Pryce Seely of Richland 8-2 to win the 138-pound division and help Mountain View place second at the Best of the West Tournament in Pasco.

The other nominees were Lexi Bottomley of Prairie gymnastics, Adrianne Schock of Battle Ground bowling and Kienan Walter of King’s Way Christian boys basketball.

Nominees and the online ballot are posted at www.360preps.com each Monday and voting continues until 8 p.m. Thursday. With limited winter break events, the next athlete-of-the-week vote will begin on Jan 6.

Athletes may be elected player of the week once during the regular season, and no athlete can be nominated for the honor in consecutive weeks.