Editor’s note: We prohibit the use of bots and any other artificial methods of voting. Suspicious activity could lead to the disqualification of candidates and a permanent suspension of the Athlete of the Week poll. No voting by email: Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.
Welcome to the Bay Area News Group (Mercury News & East Bay Times) girls Athlete of the Week poll.
For the entire academic year, we will provide a list of candidates who stood out over the previous week and allow you, the reader, to vote for the winner.
This week, we consider performances from Feb. 19-24.
Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting.
Votes by email and after 5 p.m. Wednesday are not counted.
Scroll to the bottom for the poll.
Winners are announced each Friday online and in the print edition of the Mercury News and East Bay Times sports sections.
Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com.
We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday.
We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.
On to the nominees:
Ella Beardslee, San Ramon Valley soccer: Beardslee, a senior, scored the golden goal in overtime to give San Ramon Valley the NCS Division I title. Her shot bounced off the crossbar and her coach Mark Jones said the ball was “literally inches away from going either direction.”
Oriannah Birden, Salesian basketball: Birden, a freshman, scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Salesian’s NCS Division I championship victory over California.
Angelinah De Leon, Clara wrestling: De Leon, a junior, finished as the runner-up in the 155-pound CIF championship division. De Leon won the CCS wrestling title the previous week.
Quinn Godfrey, Branham basketball: Godfrey, a senior, dominated in Branham’s CCS Division I championship victory over Evergreen Valley. Godfrey scored 32 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and had two blocks. Her coach Nick Moreno said, “This year she knew that she had to step up and she was ready to do it.”
Sophia Lu, Monta Vista basketball: Lu, a senior forward, led the Matadors with 17 points as the Cupertino school won its first CCS title in 31 years. Lu’s big night helped Monta Vista reach the NorCal playoffs.
Myley Markley, Homestead soccer: Markley, a sophomore, played with the poise of a senior in Homestead’s CCS Division II championship. She had 18 saves and was named the player of the game.
Kamryn Rosa, St. Francis soccer: Rosa, a junior, scored two goals to help St. Francis win the Central Coast Section Division I title over rival Archbishop Mitty. Her first goal was a belter taken from midfield, and the second was scored on the counterattack.
Shayna Ward, Oakland Tech wrestling: Ward, a junior, was the runner-up at the CIF state 120-pound wrestling championship. Ward won the NCS 120-pound championship a few days before.
Summer Young, Menlo School basketball: Young, a senior, made three 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds as Menlo School won the CCS Division IV title in a 49-33 victory over Half Moon Bay. Young, the daughter of former 49ers quarterback Steve Young, is also a standout flag football player.
Madyson Yu, Miramonte soccer: Yu, a junior, scored one of the Miramonte’s two goals in regulation, which set the stage for the Matadors to win the NCS title in penalty kicks 5-4. That gave Miramonte its fifth NCS title in program history.
