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) boys 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 Sept. 18-23.
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:
Luke Baker, San Ramon Valley football: In another superb performance by last season’s Bay Area News Group player of the year, the senior completed 19 of 29 passes for 364 yards and five touchdowns as SRV routed Liberty 66-12. Also ran for one TD. Baker did not play in the second half.
Cedeno Chavez, Willow Glen football: The senior threw four touchdown passes, including the winner to Riley Warren from 25 yards out with seven seconds left, to defeat Overfelt 42-38. Chavez completed 17 of 20 passes for 293 yards and rushed for 60 yards and two TDs as Willow Glen improved to 3-1.
Drew Cunningham, De La Salle football: The senior linebacker was all over the field on Friday night as De La Salle went on the road and edged Folsom 14-7. He finished with 11 tackles — five solo — and was in on one tackle for loss as the Spartans improved to 3-2.
Nate Garland, Berkeley football: The junior rushed for 241 yards and four touchdowns in 14 carries and also scored on a 74-yard TD reception to lead Berkeley to a 54-37 victory over Castro Valley. The Yellowjackets improved to 2-3.
Hunter Inkster, Berean Christian football: Ran for 300 yards and four touchdowns in 22 carries as Berean Christian rolled to a 49-14 victory over Hercules. The senior also caught three passes for 59 yards and two TDs.
Kingston Keanaaina, St. Francis football: Ran for 167 yards on 15 carries and scored four touchdowns as St. Francis defeated Archbishop Mitty 42-20 in a WCAL opener. It was the junior’s third 100-plus-yard game this season. The victory improved the Lancers’ record to 2-2.
Grant Morgenfeld, Palo Alto cross country: The senior finished first in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League No. 1 race, covering the 3.1-mile course at Baylands in 15 minutes, 59.9 seconds to edge the runner-up by less than a second.
Kyan Phillips, Lincoln-San Jose football: Accounted for more than 200 yards of offense and scored both of his team’s touchdowns — on runs of 14 of 6 yards — as Lincoln held off Silver Creek 13-10. The sophomore passed for 120 yards and rushed for 92 as the Lions improved to 3-2.
Dylan Scirpo, Menlo-Atherton water polo: In a 17-16 victory over Sequoia, the junior led the way with four goals, 10 assists and four steals. For the week, he finished with 20 goals, 23 assists and 13 steals as M-A won four of its five games.
Isitolo Tuugamusu, Archbishop Riordan football: Tied a West Catholic Athletic League record with five touchdowns in the Crusaders’ 41-34 victory over St. Ignatius to open the league schedule. The freshman scored all of his points on the ground, finishing with 91 yards in 23 carries as Riordan improved to 3-1.
