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 April 7-12.
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:
Mercedes Coller, St. Francis softball: The Lancers freshman pitched five no-hit innings as St. Francis recorded a combined no-hitter in a 6-0 win over Whitney in the championship game of the Livermore Stampede. She also hurled a two-hit complete-game shutout in a 1-0 win over Granada.
Giselle De Casas, Castro Valley softball: De Casas hit three doubles, drove in four runs and went 4 for 4 at the plate as Castro Valley knocked off James Logan in a matchup of ranked teams. The junior committed to LSU added three hits and two RBIs in a 16-3 win over Arroyo.
Amiri Green, Bishop O’Dowd softball: Green scored three runs, drove in two runners and had two hits as Bishop O’Dowd beat Mt. Eden 20-9. The sophomore also scored a run in a 9-4 win over San Leandro.
Allison Lui, Notre Dame-Belmont softball: Lui pitched a complete game in a 3-1 win over Notre Dame-San Jose, allowing just an unearned run and hitting a single to key NDB’s three-run rally in the top half of the seventh inning. She walked just one NDSJ batter and struck out 13.
Kyleigh Mace, Mitty softball: The junior spun a two-hit shutout in a 4-0 win over St. Ignatius. The BYU commit also shut out California, allowing three hits in a 1-0 victory, and beat College Park, conceding two runs on four hits in six innings of work in the circle.
Kaci Norton, Livermore softball: The junior had a strong week in the circle at the Livermore Stampede, pitching a two-hit shutout against Freedom, allowing one run on four hits in a win over Sheldon and conceding two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in a win over Alameda.
Lola Sierra, Capuchino softball: Sierra had four hits and drove in three runs as Capuchino beat No. 5 Mills 11-7. She added a hit and an RBI in a 5-0 win over Burlingame.
Aaliyah Soderlund, Alameda softball: Soderlund drove in three runs on two hits as Alameda beat Mitty 6-4 at the Livermore Stampede. She added an RBI single in a 5-4 loss to Granada.
Veronica Taira, Menlo School track and field: The Knights senior placed ninth in the seeded 3,200 meters at the Arcadia Invitational, clocking a time of 10:35.88 to earn a 13-second personal record.
Kalia Woo, Mills softball: Woo pitched a complete-game shutout in a shortened contest, allowing just two hits in a 10-0 win over Half Moon Bay. She added two hits in two at-bats at the plate, scoring a run and driving in a runner while also drawing a walk.
