Kent Reporter Athlete of the Week: Kent-Meridian

Published 1:30 am Thursday, January 29, 2026

The Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week for Jan. 30 are from Kent-Meridian High School; Malachi Morris (Fr.) swim and Makayla Thomas (Sr.) flag football.

What do you value in your sport or about your team?

Morris: I value cooperation and understanding and the ability to help others.

Thomas: I value the teamwork and support my team has for each other, everyone is always encouraging and always brings the energy for everything we do.

What have you learned from your sport that you can take with you throughout your life/future?

Morris: How to swim carefully and easily in the water without burning myself out.

Thomas: Flag football has taught me perseverance through challenges, and to trust myself and my team.

What do you do when you aren’t motivated and what helps you stay motivated?

Morris: I take a step back and see what I can do to be better next time.

Thomas: When I am not feeling motivated, I try to think about just having fun because I’m playing the sport I love.

Do you have a favorite pre-game meal?

Morris: Chili dogs with fried onions

Thomas: I don’t really like eating before a game so probably something small like a granola bar.

What advice would you give to a teammate that is struggling?

Morris: Breathe in, breathe out and move forward. At the end of the day, we did good.

Thomas: Don’t be too hard on yourself, it’s better to focus on the next play than to be stuck on the last.

From the sidelines:

Morris: Ryder is always first in the pool at practice. He works hard every day to improve his stroke, and his passion for swimming shines through no matter what set we are doing. Ryder has embraced both the swimming and social aspects of the team. He challenges himself to drop time every time he competes. Ryder has an amazing eagerness and willingness to try, learn, and understand every and anything he is thrown into at practice and competition. His enthusiasm radiates throughout the team.

Thomas: Makayla is a coach’s dream athlete. She is dependable, hard-working and “coachable”. She listens and makes every effort to make corrections to her play. She is a great teammate and plays both offense and defense. Here are her offensive stats: 230 yds rushing, 32 yds receiving, 49 yds passing, 3 rushing TDs, 1 passing TD,.Defensive stats include – 52 flag pulls, 18 pass deflections, 5 INTs, 1 Def TD, 1 Sack. She truly is the “do it all” flag athlete. We are also looking forward to her performances in Track this spring.