Vote now: Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week
Welcome back 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 between Jan. 10-16.
Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Vote as many times as you’d like until then.
Candidates for future Athlete of the Week polls can be nominated at highschools@bayareanewsgroup.com.
We also review stats submitted to MaxPreps by coaches/team statisticians.
On to the nominees:
Benjamin Asiaba, Valley Christian soccer: Scored two goals to lead the Warriors to a 3-2 victory over Serra in West Catholic Athletic League play. Valley ended the week 4-2-1 overall and 2-2 in the WCAL.
Seamus Deely, San Ramon Valley basketball: Grabbed a rebound and scored at the buzzer to lift the Wolves to a 63-61 victory on the road over previously undefeated and second-ranked Dougherty Valley in East Bay Athletic League action. Deely led SRV with 14 points.
Joachim Eisenberg, Half Moon Bay soccer: Scored two goals and assisted on another as the Cougars turned back South San Francisco 7-1 in Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division play. HMB began this week 5-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the league.
Noel Estrada, Mission San Jose soccer: The sophomore scored twice to help Mission San Jose defeat Washington-Fremont 4-1 in Mission Valley Athletic League action. Also scored a goal in his team’s 2-1 loss to James Logan. MSJ ended the week 3-3-1 overall and 3-3 in the league.
Vinny Estrada-Smith, Concord basketball: The senior led the way with 19 points as the Minutemen cruised past Berean Christian 87-45 in Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division play. Concord improved to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in the league.
James Frye, Miramonte basketball: Scored 27 points as the Mats rolled past College Park 83-48. Then had 17 points in a 75-47 rout of Las Lomas and 16 in a 66-41 thumping of San Ramon Valley. Miramonte ended the week 15-1 overall and 2-0 in the Diablo Athletic League’s Foothill Division.
Ian Hutt, Branham soccer: The Bruins improved to 10-1 overall and 5-0 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Mt. Hamilton Division as Hutt scored two goals in a 4-1 win over Prospect and assisted on two goals in a 4-2 win over Pioneer. Hutt began this week with eight goals on the season.
Jacob Kuverji, Leland basketball: In a Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division showdown, the senior scored 21 points to lead the Chargers to a 67-63 victory over Leigh. The result improved Leland’s record to 14-0 overall and 2-0 in the league. Earlier in the week, he scored 15 points in a 65-41 rout of Piedmont Hills.
Marco Recios, Gunderson soccer: The 5-foot-9, 155-pound senior scored a hat trick – three goals – to lead the Grizzlies to an 8-1 victory over Piedmont Hills in Blossom Valley Athletic League West Valley Division action. Earlier this month, Recios scored four goals in a 6-2 win over Independence. Gunderson began this week 4-3-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the league.
Torin Volkamer, Bishop O’Dowd soccer: Scored two goals in a 5-2 victory over Arroyo and had a goal and an assist in a 2-0 victory over San Leandro as the Dragons ran their record to 6-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in the West Alameda County Conference Foothill League.