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 Sept. 28-Oct. 3.
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. 8. There are no voting restrictions, so vote now and vote often.
Here are the Sept. 28-Oct. 3 nominees (athletes listed
in alphabetical order by last name):
Julissa Alfaro, flag football, Edison
Call Julissa Alfaro a wide receiver. Call her a linebacker. Better yet, call her a winner. The Edison senior had nine flag pulls, two interceptions, three receptions for 25 yards, 41 rushing yards and four total touchdowns in a 45-0 win over Stagg on Oct. 28. Two days later, she added 21 receiving yards, six flag pulls, two sacks, another interception and two total touchdowns in a 26-0 win over Chavez.
Savannah Alvarado, girls volleyball, Bear Creek
The results didn't go Bear Creek's way, but Savannah Alvarado did just about everything she could to change them. The senior setter had four kills, five aces, 14 digs and 33 assists in a 3-2 loss to Weston Ranch on Sept. 28. Two days later, she added an ace, six digs and 23 assists in a 3-1 loss to Tokay. Through 60 sets this season, Alvarado has piled up 316 assists, 35 aces and 140 digs.
Melissa Frutos Cruz, girls volleyball, Weston Ranch
No ball seems too far out of reach for Melissa Frutos Cruz, even as a freshman. The Weston Ranch libero dug up a career-high 31 balls and added two aces in a five-set win over Bear Creek on Sept. 28, then collected another 22 digs and two aces in a sweep of McNair two days later. Just 54 sets into her high school career, she has already piled up 280 digs.
Aurora Holdaway, girls water polo, Lincoln
A 2-8 record hasn't stopped Aurora Holdaway from giving Lincoln everything she has. The senior scored four goals and added an assist in a 14-6 loss to Lodi on Sept. 28, then helped deliver the Trojans' second win of the season with two goals and an assist in a 7-5 victory over Kimball two days later. Her 22 goals and nine assists have her involved in more than half of Lincoln's 60 goals.
Carmelo Rodriguez, boys cross country, Ripon
First place may not have come yet for Carmelo Rodriguez, but race after race, the sophomore continues to show how bright his future is. Rodriguez ran a 17:25.7 in the 5,000 meters to place second at the TVL Mid Season Meet at Wildcat Ranch on Sept. 30, his first career top-two finish. He followed it with perhaps his best race yet, placing third out of 86 runners with a personal-best 15:48.1 in the 3 miles at the Amanda Garcia Memorial Invite Greg McKinstry Boys Championship on Oct. 3.
Aylin Sandoval, girls tennis, Stagg
Beating the same opponent once is difficult. Doing it again while improving on the first result is even harder. Stagg's No. 1 singles player Aylin Sandoval beat Edison's No. 1 player 6-3, 6-2 on Sept. 29 after winning their first meeting 6-3, 6-3, then swept Franklin 6-0, 6-0 on Oct. 1 after beating the same opponent 6-0, 6-1 earlier this season. The senior improved to 6-4 and, according to MaxPreps, ranks No. 25 among girls singles players in California and No. 4 in the county.
Asha Virk, flag football, Tokay
Thrown into the starting role as a sophomore, Asha Virk has done little besides win. She completed 27 of 35 passes for 327 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 20-13 win over McNair, her closest SJAA game yet, before going 28-of-33 for 222 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 42-6 win over Bear Creek two days later. Virk is 11-1 as a starter with 2,318 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions while leading Tokay to a 10-0 league record.
Jayden Ward, boys water polo, Mountain House
Finding the back of the net has become routine for Jayden Ward, and a 12-goal game the week before proved just how dangerous he can be. Even in a 17-3 loss to Ripon on Sept. 28, the Mountain House senior scored twice before erupting for five goals and two assists in a 15-9 win over Sierra two days later. Through nine games, his 51 goals and 15 assists have him involved in more than half of Mountain House's 107 goals.
VOTE HERE
This article originally appeared on The Record: Vote now for the SJ County Martin Dentistry AOTW for Sept. 28-Oct. 3
