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 15-20.
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:
Delaney Aumua, Granada softball: Aumua, a sophomore, had a huge day at the plate in two games on Saturday. She hit the game-winning two-run home runs in top of the seventh inning to help upset ranked College Park. Aumua also had an RBI in a win against Top 20 Liberty.
Aryanna Banks-Lockhart, Benicia softball: Banks-Lockhart, a junior, hit two home runs and had four RBIs in a victory over Alhambra. She had three hits and two RBIs in a wild 14-10 victory over Granada, and also drove in the winning run in extra innings against California when she ws hit by a pitch.
Mia Bennette, The King’s Academy softball: Bennette, a sophomore, tore the cover off the ball in two games last week. She went 7 for 7, two of those home runs and three of those doubles, as Bennette had seven RBIs and scored three runs.
Kinga Czajkowska, Palo Alto track and field: Czajkowska, a junior, won the 1,600-meter race at the CCS Top 8 meet in dramatic fashion, pushing ahead of Prospect’s Kylie Hoorvaert on the final straightaway and winning with a time of 4:51.03, four-tenths of a second ahead of the Prospect runner.
Carley Hudson, Campolindo lacrosse: Hudson, a senior, scored two goals and had an assist in Campolindo’s 7-6 overtime victory over rival Acalanes. Hudson also had seven draw controls, and finished the week with 23 goals on the season.
Lelani Laruelle, Monta Vista track and field: Laruelle, a sophomore, won the high jump at the CCS Top 8 meet with a mark of 5-8, which equals the best mark in the state this season. Laruelle has only been high jumpin for three years, and she blasted past her freshman-best 5-2.
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Katie Lin, Carondelet lacrosse: Lin, a sophomore, scored four goals against Granada, three against Foothill and one against Park City. She also had two assists against Granada, and ended the week with 44 goals on the season.
Jennifer Ramirez, Pinole Valley softball: Ramirez, a senior, was 2 for 3 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBIs as Pinole Valley defeated El Cerrito. Ramirez is batting a career-high .292.
Hannah Rutherford, Mountain View track and field: Rutherford, a junior, rewrote the CCS Top 8 record books on Saturday. She won the 400 meters in a sizzling 53.77 seconds, and broke a 35-year-record when she won the 200 in 23.88.
Laniah Simpson, Archbishop Mitty track and field: Simpson, a junior, won the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles races at the CCS Top 8 meet and was the top points earner overall. For good measure, she finished second in the 100-meter sprint too, helping Mitty win the girls team title.