Each week, The Record will nominate several high school athletes for the Martin Dentistry Athlete of the Week award.
The rest is up to you, the readers.
The Martin Dentistry Award recognizes top performances from 209-area schools — excluding boys football, which has its own poll. This week’s ballot highlights athletes who made their mark from Oct. 12-17.
Anyone can nominate an athlete of the week from any sport. Readers can email nominations to sports reporter Dylan Ackermann at dackermann@gannett.com. Please include the player's stats and a photo if possible.
The poll at the bottom of this page closes at noon Thursday, Oct. 22. There are no voting restrictions, so vote now and vote often.
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Here are the Oct. 12-17 nominees (athletes listed in alphabetical order by last name):
David Avila, boys cross country, Millennium
Two races, two victories and two of David Avila's best times of the season. The Millennium junior opened with a season-best 15:46.2 in the 5,000 meters at CCAA-MVL Cross Country No. 3 on Oct. 13, winning by 1 minute, 15 seconds. The bigger stage at the 20th Annual Hughson Supercross Invitational on Oct. 17 didn't slow him down, as he won the Varsity Gold 4,000 meters in a personal-best 12:59.9, more than 18 seconds ahead of second place. Avila has three first-place finishes this season after 10 last year and four two years ago.
Julissa Alfaro, flag football, Edison
One point stood between Edison and a possible share of the SJAA championship with Tokay, and Julissa Alfaro wasn't going down without a fight. The senior contributed 33 rushing yards, 14 flag pulls and an interception in a 20-19 loss on Oct. 12, then followed with 109 rushing yards, 95 receiving yards, a touchdown, 15 flag pulls and another interception in a 12-6 win over Bear Creek two days later. It's the kind of effort that has helped Edison reach 14-4 overall and 10-2 in league play, with Alfaro totaling 1,100 yards, 20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 156 flag pulls and 20 sacks.
Gianna Bertolozzi, flag football, Lodi
For the first time, Lodi can call itself a TCAL flag football champion, and Gianna Bertolozzi has been at the center of that success. The sophomore quarterback threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns on 21-for-31 passing in a 34-18 win over Lincoln on Oct. 12. Two days later, she added 51 yards and two touchdowns on 6-for-8 passing despite limited playing time in a 47-0 win over West. With 2,748 passing yards and 47 total touchdowns in her first year starting, Bertolozzi has helped Lodi to a 17-4 record, including 9-1 in league play.
Ryan Crotts, boys water polo, Merrill West
Thirteen goals in two games. Ryan Crotts couldn't stop finding the back of the net for Merrill West. The senior scored seven times and added an assist in a 17-15 win over Orestimba on Oct. 13, then struck six more times in a 19-9 loss to Bear Creek two days later. Crotts has 33 goals and six assists through 10 games, providing a major offensive spark for the 3-7 Wildcats, who have scored 88 goals this season.
Chloe Lowe, girls tennis, Tokay
Twenty-five SJAA matches. Twenty-five wins. That's the record Chloe Lowe has built since Tokay joined the league during her sophomore year in 2024. The senior continued her unbeaten run with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Edison in singles on Oct. 13, followed by a 6-0, 6-0 sweep vs. Chavez two days later. She's lost just three sets in SJAA play and is 10-1 this season, ranking No. 10 among California's No. 1 singles players on MaxPreps.
Adri Powers, flag football, Tracy
Defenses have had their hands full trying to contain Adri Powers, whether she's throwing or running. The Tracy junior completed 18 of 36 passes for 210 yards and five touchdowns, rushing for another 145 yards in a 37-7 win over St. Mary's on Oct. 12. Two days later, she went 16-for-30 for 197 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 85 in a 13-0 win over Kimball to clinch Tracy's second TCAL title. That dual-threat production has added up to 3,156 passing yards, 1,485 rushing yards and 54 total touchdowns, with Tracy sitting at 18-5 overall and 9-1 in TCAL play.
Taimane Tu'uga, girls volleyball, Manteca
Twenty-eight kills would be a career night for most players. For Taimane Tu'uga, it wasn't even her best this season. The reigning VOL Most Outstanding Player added 18 digs and an ace in Manteca's 3-1 win over East Union on Oct. 12, her fifth match surpassing 20 kills after setting a career high of 29 on Sept. 30. With one league victory separating Manteca from the VOL championship, the senior leads the county with 334 kills alongside 257 digs and 32 aces in 71 sets.
Alexandre Waters, boys cross country, Tokay
When Tokay arrived at Oak Grove Park for SJAA #4 BC/Tokay/Stagg on Oct. 15, the Tigers left little room for anyone else near the front. Nine runners finished in the top nine, with the 10th placing 11th, but Alexandre Waters led the charge. The junior claimed his first career victory in the 5,000 meters with a personal-best 17:17.0, finishing 47 seconds ahead of second place. Personal bests have become a theme this season, with Waters also running 14:11.1 in the 4,000 meters at the Oakmont Cross Country Invitational on Aug. 29 and 18:51.0 in the 3-mile race at the Frogtown XC Invite on Sept. 19.
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This article originally appeared on The Record: Vote now for the SJ County Martin Dentistry Athlete of the Week for Oct. 12-17
