VOTE: SJ County Martin Dentistry's Football Week 1 Athlete of the Week

Friday nights are back, and so is The Record's weekly search for the top high school football performance in San Joaquin County.

Each week during the 2026 season, one standout player will be voted the Martin Dentistry Football Athlete of the Week.

The choice belongs to you, the readers.

This week's ballot features 10 nominees from Stockton, Tracy, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Oakdale and Escalon after their Week 1 performances.

Everyone is encouraged to submit nominations for the upcoming week by emailing dackermann@gannett.com.

Labor Day means an extra day to vote. The poll at the bottom of this page closes at noon Friday, Sept. 11, instead of Thursday. There are no voting restrictions, so vote now and vote often.

Here are the Week 1 nominees (athletes

listed in alphabetical order by last name):

Dylan Ball, running back, Escalon

Escalon’s Dylan Ball scores a touchdown during a varsity football game at Engel Field in Escalon on Sept. 4, 2026. Chavez won 27-22.

Chavez knew the run was coming. Dylan Ball kept finding yards anyway. With Escalon failing to complete a pass, the junior running back carried 23 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-22 loss to Chavez.

Kailan Beaver, wide receiver, Edison

Edison High’s Kailan Beaver catches a TD pass against Downey High on Friday September 19, 2025. Edison led 27-13 at the half.

Down its No. 1 receiver before the game even started, Edison needed someone else to step into the spotlight. Kailan Beaver wasted all of one drive doing it. The senior wide receiver caught five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown on the opening possession, then finished with 12 receptions for 126 yards and a score in a 26-22 win over Franklin.

Darrion Brown, running back, East Union

One of the best running backs and teams in East Union history left plenty to replace. Junior Darrion Brown offered quite the first glimpse of what comes next, taking the first 10 carries of his varsity career for 147 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-0 rout of Modesto.

Taevion Gibson, wide receiver, McNair

West’s Francisco Hernandez, left, fights for a pass intended for McNair’s Taevion Gibson during a varsity football game at McNair High in Stockton on Sept. 26, 2025. The pass was incomplete. McNair won 40-21.

The best game of Taevion Gibson’s high school career apparently wasn't a one-time thing. After opening with 204 receiving yards and two touchdowns, the McNair senior wide receiver nearly did it again with eight catches for 147 yards and three touchdowns in a 62-12 win over Burbank, pushing him past his receiving yardage total from all of last year.

David Grisham, running back, Tracy

Tracy High’s David Grisham celebrates after an 86 yard TD run against West High Friday night, August 22, 2025

Big-time moments call for big-time performances. Senior running back David Grisham provided one in Tracy’s biggest win in more than a decade, rushing 21 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-20 victory over then-top-100 Valley Christian.

Ryder Harmison, running back, Merrill West

Ryder Harmison had never rushed for 100 yards in a game. In fact, the Merrill West junior running back had just 246 yards on 61 carries all of last season. He blew past both marks in one night, rushing 27 times for 274 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-14 win over Mountain House.

Anthony Navarro, running back, Oakdale

Oakdale High’s Anthony Navarro returns a kickoff against East Union High from Manteca Friday night. Oakdale won 71-55.

Oakdale came up six points short, but it wasn't for a lack of effort from Anthony Navarro. The senior running back carried the ball 29 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-21 loss to Lincoln, following a 173-yard rushing performance just one week earlier.

Shawn San, quarterback, McNair

Shawn San didn't just have a big game against Modesto. He had the kind that helped him surpass seven starts worth of production from a year ago. The McNair junior quarterback threw for 349 yards and five touchdowns without an interception on 18-of-24 passing in a 62-12 win, bringing him to 628 passing yards through two games.

Jayden White, running back, Lathrop

Former coach on one sideline. His protégé on the other. Jayden White helped make sure it was the protégé celebrating when it was over, as the Lathrop junior running back rushed 17 times for 59 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-14 win over Sierra.

Mason Zeer, running back, Tokay

Tokay’s Mason Zeer, right, runs the ball during a varsity football game at Lodi’s Grape Bowl Stadium in Lodi on Aug. 28, 2026. Tokay won 48-23.

No varsity experience and a 47-year-old single-season rushing record broken just last year left Mason Zeer with quite the act to follow. It hasn't looked like too much for the Tokay junior, who opened a 48-23 win over Garden Valley with an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown before adding 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.