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 April 22-27.
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:
Cristian Alvarenga, Mt. Eden baseball: The junior was a perfect 4 for 4, totaling two RBIs and a double in a 13-4 win against San Lorenzo. Alvarenga leads the Monarchs in batting average (.483), slugging percentage (.637), RBIs (14) and stolen bases (6).
Giovanni Bernal, South San Francisco baseball: Bernal was 3 for 4, totaling five RBIs and two doubles in South San Francisco’s 10-7 win over El Camino. The Warriors are 17-5, 9-2.
Cameron Chatman, Independence track and field: The senior won the 100-meter race at the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division Finals with a time of 11.05.
Shareef Elaydi, Archbishop Mitty swimming: The freshman won the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter breaststroke at the West Catholic Athletic League championships. Elaydi also anchored Mitty’s 200-meter medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay to first-place finishes.
Ezra Goldfarb, Head-Royce baseball: Goldfarb struck out 17 batters in seven innings pitched in a 5-0 win over College Prep. The sophomore has a .37 ERA for Head-Royce, which is 12-4, 6-2.
Tanner Gray, Granada track and field: The senior won the 3200-meter race at the Granada-Livermore dual meet with a time of 9:50.01.
Darrin Lau, Foothill lacrosse: Lau scored four goals and dished out two assists in Foothill’s 10-8 win over Amador Valley. Foothill is the No. 9 seed in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs and will play No. 8 Casa Grande on the road Tuesday.
Carter Johnstone, Los Gatos baseball: Johnstone went 3 for 3 and had three RBIs and a home run in the Wildcats’ 11-1 win over Cupertino. Los Gatos (19-3, 8-2) is a game behind first-place Los Altos in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division standings.
Daniel Saavedra, Lincoln-San Jose baseball: The junior had two hits, two RBIs and a double in Lincoln’s 11-8 win over Piedmont Hills. Saavedra is batting .409 for the Lions who are 18-3, 12-2.
Elijah Thomas, Hercules baseball: Thomas struck out seven and allowed just two hits in Hercules’ 10-0 (five innings) win over Salesian. Hercules (11-8, 10-1) is first in the Tri-County Athletic League Stone Division.
