The high school sports season has begun, and we will be honoring the accomplishments of area athletes throughout the school year. Each week, the Herald-Tribune staff will select nominees for the Herald-Tribune Boys Athlete of the Week poll. Nominees are derived from scores and stats emailed in by Sarasota and Manatee County coaches during the week to htincoming@gmail.com. Readers can then vote in the online poll to determine the Boys Athlete of the Week.
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A poll will be posted at heraldtribune.com each Monday, and voting will end at 10 a.m. Friday each week.
To vote, go to the poll below or CLICK HERE.
The nominees for the week of Aug. 17-22, 2026 are:
Football
Logan Carillo, Riverview: Carillo finished
11-for-13, throwing for 360 yards — Riverview's single-game passing record — and four touchdowns in Riverview's 32-21 win over Naples.
Dorien Jones, Venice: In Venice's 42-40 overtime win against Rabun Gap in Georgia, Jones had five touchdowns, converting the 2-point try that led to Venice's win. He accounted for all of Venice's scores except one.
Ka'marion Jones, Lakewood Ranch: Jones opened scoring with a 99-yard kick return in Lakewood Ranch's 27-14 win over Parrish Community. He added a 38-yard reception in the first quarter.
Cedric King, Cardinal Mooney: King had two touchdowns, including an 85-yard score to open the third quarter. He had over 100 yards on six catches.
Jayden Rivers, Sarasota: Rivers caught six passes for two touchdowns, one for six yards and the other for 13 in Sarasota's 35-18 win over Bayshore.
Mason Summer, Southeast: Summer finished 16-of-22 for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 96 yards and two touchdowns, rushing 10 times.
Jacoby Thomas, Parrish Community: Thomas finished with 167 yards and two touchdowns behind 19 carries.
Golf
Grant McCall, Bradenton Christian: McCall shot a 35, the lowest score of the field. He helped Bradenton Christian to a second-place finish.
Donovan Plakyda, Lakewood Ranch: Plakyda shot a 70 at the John Ryan Invitational, the lowest score of the field. He helped Lakewood Ranch to a second-place finish in the tournament.
Cross Country
Nolan Heaney, Venice: Heaney finished first at the Lemon Bay Invitational, running a 5:30.6 5K. His time was seven seconds faster than the second-place finisher.
Editor's Note: We reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or declare a vote "no contest" if tampering such as bots or offering to pay for voting is evident. Please respect the integrity of the vote the way these athletes respect the integrity of the game.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VOTE for the Herald-Tribune Boys Athlete of the Week for Aug. 17-22
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