Summer is over. Fall sports are here. And San Joaquin County athletes are already showing that the time between seasons was anything but a break.
With the work now showing in competition, 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 Aug. 24-29.
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 closes
at noon Sept. 3. There are no voting restrictions, so vote now and vote often.
Here are the Aug. 24-29 nominees (athletes listed in alphabetical order by last name):
Erin Chunn, girls volleyball, Lathrop
There are plenty of ways to wear the captain title. Erin Chunn showed hers through her play. The senior outside hitter finished with 15 kills, four aces and three digs in a 3-1 win over Los Banos on Aug. 25, then less than 24 hours later had six kills, three aces and two digs in a 3-0 sweep of Kimball. “Erin Chunn stepped up big against Los Banos,” coach Toe Sauni said. “As captain, she locked down on defense and ran our offense with sharp execution and determination."
Keegan Gehrke, cross country, Lincoln
Personal bests are already becoming a habit for Keegan Gehrke. The Lincoln senior dropped a 16:15.7 in the 5,000 meters on Aug. 21 at Lodi Lake, good for second at the Flame Invite and the third-fastest mark in the Sac-Joaquin Section thus far. Then came a different distance and the same result on Aug. 29, another personal best with a 12:08.2 in the 4,000 meters to place 16th at the Oakmont Cross Country Invitational at Johnson-Springview Park.
Jaylah Hughes, cheer, River Island
Still don't believe cheer is a sport? Spend some time around Jaylah Hughes. The River Islands senior varsity cheerleader has spent four years as a captain, leading with fierceness and integrity without sacrificing the kindness and empathy she shows teammates and competitors. Whether on the field, in academics or throughout her community, Hughes has made leadership a constant.
Summer Neri, flag football, Edison
What didn't Summer Neri do last week? The Edison junior wide receiver and linebacker opened with nine flag pulls, two for loss, and three receptions for 13 yards in a 7-6 win over Wood on Aug. 24. Two days later, she added two receptions for 25 yards, four flag pulls and two interceptions as Edison shut out McNair 26-0. And just for good measure, Neri went 1-for-1 passing with a 20-yard touchdown.
Kano Shimoji, girls tennis, Tokay
A new country, new surroundings and now a new spot in Tokay’s lineup haven't slowed Kano Shimoji. After sweeping St. Mary’s and Elk Grove at No. 3 singles last week, Shimoji moved up to No. 2 this week and beat rival Lodi 6-2, 6-0 on Aug. 24. Two days later, she defeated Sierra’s No. 2 singles player to continue her undefeated start. "Despite the significant adjustments that come with living and training far from home, she has approached every challenge with focus, resilience, and determination," coach Katie Rappuhn said.
Alayna Sprinkle, girls volleyball, Ripon
From four assists as a sophomore to 982 as a junior, Alayna Sprinkle didn't need much time as a senior to reach four digits. The Ripon setter surpassed 1,000 career assists with 26 in a 3-0 road win on Aug. 21, meaning the celebration had to wait until the Aug. 24 home opener against East Union. With 1,000 balloons there to mark the milestone, Sprinkle celebrated in fitting fashion with 20 assists in another 3-0 sweep before adding 21 more in a 3-0 win over Liberty Ranch on Aug. 28.
Tessa Zalunardo, flag football, Sierra
Two years ago, 2,925 passing yards and 44 touchdowns introduced Tessa Zalunardo as a freshman. After finishing her sophomore season with 1,339 yards and 15 touchdowns in 20 games, the Sierra junior quarterback is beginning to resemble that first-year version again. She threw for 251 yards and five touchdowns on 22-of-25 passing in a 49-20 win over Central Valley on Aug. 25 before adding 128 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 24-6 loss to Lathrop the next day.
VOTE HERE
This article originally appeared on The Record: Vote now for the SJ County Martin Dentistry AOTW for Aug. 24-29
