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 January 8-13.
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 [email protected].
We accept nominations until 11 a.m. each Monday.
We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.
On to the nominees:
Morgan Cheli, Archbishop Mitty basketball: Cheli, a senior committed to play at UConn next season, scored her 1,000th career point in a 75-42 victory over Sacred Heart Cathedral. The McDonald’s All-American nominee is averaging 17 points and 10 assists per game.
Avery Knapp, San Ramon Valley basketball: Knapp, a senior, scored a career-high 27 points in SRV’s 72-30 victory over California. Knapp also scored 17 points in a victory against Pinewood.
Alyssa Lopez, Christopher basketball: Lopez, a senior point guard, scored 11 points in Christopher’s 58-41 victory over Leland in BVAL Mt. Hamilton league play. That win helped the Cougars improve to 15-1.
Natalia Martinez, Piedmont basketball: Martinez, a senior committed to San Diego State, scored 41 points as the Highlanders defeated then-No. 4 Bishop O’Dowd 59-50. The high-scoring guard also put in 52 points in a game earlier this season.
Story Mettee, Willow Glen soccer: Mettee, a freshman, had herself a game against Prospect. She scored three goals and had dished out three assists in a 7-0 victory over the Panthers.
Hailey Nelson, Las Lomas soccer: Nelson, a senior, scored a hattrick – three goals – in a 7-0 victory over De Anza. That gave Nelson seven goals and four assists on the season.
Natalia Niebles, Silver Creek soccer: Niebles, a junior, scored the game-winning goal in Silver Creek’s 1-0 victory over Evergreen Valley. That gave her 15 goals and eight assists on the season up to that point.
Abby Peterman, American soccer: Peterman, a sophomore, scored seven goals and had two assists in three games. This included four goals and one assist in a 10-1 victory over Washington-Fremont, and scored the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Liberty.
Evelyn Rigsby, Campolindo soccer: Rigsby, a junior, scored the game’s only goal in Campolindo’s 1-0 victory over Diablo Athletic League rival Acalanes. According to stats inputted into MaxPreps, it was her first goal of the season.
Daijha Teague, Oakland basketball: Teague, a senior, scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had six assists and nabbed six steals in an 89-22 victory over Skyline last week. Teague was named all-OAL last season.