High school sports in the 209 only have a few more months left which means there are only a few more Martin Dentistry Athlete of the Week winners to go.
As league play continues, teams across San Joaquin County are trying to earn their spot in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Whether it is leading their team past a league rival with a hot bat or shining on the court in volleyball, these six athletes are more than deserving to be on this week’s poll.
The poll includes athletes from the following spring sports: softball, baseball, boys’ volleyball, and track and field. The poll can be found at the bottom of the story and closes on Friday.
Here are the candidates for April 8-14 (athletes listed in alphabetical order):
Tiffany Bruss, softball, Venture Academy: There was no stopping Bruss when she came up to bat during the Mustangs' April 12 game against Ripon Christian. The junior ended the game with a team-high seven RBIs, four hits, three runs and a double. Her relentless offense helped Venture Academy route the Knights for a 14-2 victory.
Manu Buatavatava, boys’ volleyball, West: Tri-City Athletic League play has treated Buatavatava well as he continues to be a key leader for West this season. The senior middle blocker has recorded two double-doubles the most recent one coming against Tokay on April 10. He led the Wolfpack to a 3-1 win with 10 kills and 10 blocks.
Brent Godina, baseball, Lodi: Godina and the Flames would not be denied of this TCAL victory over familiar foe Lincoln on April 12. The senior infielder led Lodi’s offense with three hits, two doubles, and a run. His team took a close game, beating the Trojans 5-4 and winning their first league series of the season 2-1.
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Janai Jackson, track and field, Kimball: At the Valley Oak League Quad meet on April 10, Jackson was one of the fastest runners for the Jaguars. The senior speedster took home gold in the 100-meter and 200-meter races setting a personal and season record. Running a 12.77 in the 100-meter race set a personal record while her 28-second finish set a season record in the 200-meter race.
Izaak Navarrete, baseball, Edison: The Vikings' April 11th matchup against Chavez was almost a historical finish for Navarrete. He was just one hit away from his first no-hitter, finishing the blowout game with five Ks and allowing no runs in four innings. Edison would ride the sophomores’ solid pitching to a 15-0 win over the Titans.
Nayellys Torres, softball, Manteca: Torres did everything she could to help her team stay in the game against Oakdale on April 11. Manteca was trailing the whole game and struggled to get its offense flowing early. Despite that, Torres led the Buffaloes on the mound with eight Ks and only allowed four runs. Offensively, she was one of the few players to get a hit with a double in the fifth inning.
Athlete of the Week nominations are based on information available to The Record about all high school varsity players from San Joaquin County. Nominations must be received for consideration by Monday morning following that week's games.
Anyone can nominate an athlete of the week for every sport. Nominate next week’s ballot via email. Readers can email nominations to sports reporter Shannon Belt at sbelt@recordnet.com. Please include the player's stats and a photo if possible.
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
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