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) 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 from May 12-17.
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:
Drew Diffenderfer, Santa Clara baseball: The senior struck out six and gave up no runs in Santa Clara’s 7-0 win over Cupertino. The Bruins finished the regular season 24-3 and won the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division title.
William Dryden, Archbishop Mitty volleyball: Dryden recorded 22 kills to lead Mitty to a 3-1 (25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 28-26) victory over St. Francis in the Central Coast Section Open Division championship match. Mitty received the top seed in the CIF NorCal Division I playoffs and is scheduled to host No. 8 Oak Ridge on Tuesday.
Christian Duarte, Bellarmine baseball: The Santa Clara University commit pitched a complete game, giving up just four hits and a run to lead Bellarmine to a 3-1 win over Valley Christian in the West Catholic Athletic League tournament final. Bellarmine is 17-13 this season.
Tim Edwards, Pittsburg track and field: The senior took first place in the 200-meter race at the NCS Tri-Valley Area Championships with a time of 21.51.
Jaden Jefferson, De La Salle track and field: Jefferson won the 100-meter race at the NCS Tri-Valley Area Championships, crossing the finish line in 10.39.
Yury Kuzmenko, Valley Christian swimming: Kuzmenko, a junior, set a state record in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 19.55 in the prelims. He went on to win the finals the next day with a time of 19.74.
Luka Mijatovic, Foothill swimming: The sophomore broke the national record in the 500 free with a time of 4:11.91. He also set a state meet record in the 200 free, touching the wall in 1:33.52.
Ingmar Nordberg, Northgate volleyball: Nordberg totaled 12 kills in Northgate’s 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 22-25, 25-15) win over Amador Valley in the NCS Division I championship game. Northgate advanced to the CIF NorCal Division I playoffs and will travel to Clovis on Tuesday.
Cooper Smith, Leigh volleyball: Smith totaled 22 kills to lead Leigh past Branham in the CCS Division I title game. Leigh is the top seed in the CIF NorCal Division III bracket and will host Washington-Fremont on Tuesday.
Nikko Taylor, Berkeley baseball: Taylor, a senior, set the school record for most stolen bases with 129. Berkeley finished the season 10-13.