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. Please note: 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 Nov. 6-11.
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 any votes after 5 p.m. on 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:
Sierra Brown, Las Lomas water polo: Brown, a senior, scored three goals in a 13-12 five-overtime victory over San Ramon Valley. Her third goal was the game-winner in sudden death.
Ellison Brush, Sacred Heart Prep water polo: Brush, a sophomore goalkeeper, saved six shots in Sacred Heart Prep’s 9-6 CCS Open Division championship victory over Soquel.
Elise Chen, Menlo School tennis: Chen, a sophomore, defeated opponents from Los Altos and Monta Vista to help the Knights win the CCS title. It was the program’s 11th championship.
Ruby Chen, Evergreen Valley cross country: Chen, a senior, helped Evergreen Valley win the CCS Division I team title after she ran a team-best 18:26.4. Evergreen Valley defeated Menlo-Atherton 56-64.
Sarah Chow, Sacred Heart Cathedral volleyball: Chow, a senior setter, had 33 assists in SHC’s 3-0 sweep over Notre Dame-Belmont in the NorCal Division II semifinal. The victory clinched the Fightin’ Irish’s spot in the NorCal final vs. Clovis North.
Wendy Heffelfinger, Acalanes water polo: Heffelfinger, a senior, scored the game-winning goal in the fifth overtime against Carondelet in the NCS Open Division third-place game.
Evie Marheineke, Archbishop Mitty cross country: Marheineke, a junior, was the CCS Division II champion after she won her race in a time of 18:05. She qualified as an individual for the state cross country championships on November 25th.
Tatum Olesen, Menlo-Atherton cross country: Olesen won the CCS Division I championship after running the race 17:54.8. It was the second-fastest time across finishers from all divisions.
Katie Salonga, Foothill volleyball: Salonga, a senior, had 53 assists and 11 digs in a 3-1 NorCal Open Division victory over St. Mary’s-Stockton. She helped Foothill advance to the semifinal round vs. St. Francis.
Jasleen Sidhu, Los Altos cross country: Sidhu, a senior, finished second in the girls D-II race after finishing in 18:15.0, the fourth-best time overall.
Tali Stryker, Miramonte water polo: Stryker, a senior, scored two goals and dished out three assists in a 9-2 victory over Campolindo in the NCS Open Division title game. It was Miramonte’s third consecutive Open title.
