Vote: Who should be SBLive's Texas High School Athlete of the Week (9/25/2023)?
Fall high school sports seasons in Texas are approaching the midway point.
Each week throughout the year, SBLive will take a look at the top high school athletes across the Lone Star State by researching the entire state, gathering the top performers and putting the best of the best up for reader vote.
We're splitting our Athlete of the Week process into two polls: a football player of the week and non-football athlete of the week. Those will publish on www.highschool.si.com/texas every Monday.
Here are SBLive's Texas Athlete of the Week nominees for September 18-24. Now, we want to hear from you. Scroll down to read about this week's nominees and cast your vote in the poll below. Voting remains open until Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.
Know of a performance worthy of recognition we may have missed? Let us know. Drop a note to andy@scorebooklive.com or @SBLiveTX on Twitter and Instagram and back it up with stats.
WHO SHOULD BE SBLIVE'S TEXAS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK?
Jadelynne ‘JJ’ Arellano, Leander Rouse, girls cross country
In a 3-mile race at the Lampasas Battlin' Badger Invitational on Thursday, the freshman ran 20:12.90. That secured her second win of the season.
Emma Belliveau, Leander Glenn, girls cross country
She took first place at the Lake Belton Bronco Invitational on Thursday by running a 19:41.60, winning by more than a minute, in the race in Temple.
Maya Bernal, Houston The Kinkaid School, girls cross country
The Falcons went 1-2 in the standings at the HOKA/McNeil Invitational on Sept. 22 in Round Rock. The freshman won in 20:02.50, a 23-second margin of victory at Old Settlers Park.
Jayden Cannon, Cypress Bridgeland, girls water polo
The senior had three goals and four assists as the Bears hammered Cypress Lakes, 21-0, on Friday.
Abby Fender, Richardson, volleyball
The senior setter had 13 assists, 11 digs and three aces in a 3-0 win over Richardson Berkner in a win on Tuesday.
Genna Gandara, El Paso Eastlake, volleyball
The freshman recorded a double-double in a 3-1 win over El Paso Peeble Hills with 48 assists and 15 digs.
Chase Gossett, Commerce, boys cross country
After a pair of runner-up finishes this season, he secured win No. 1 at the Denison Invitational on Saturday. He ran 18:21.56 and held off teammate Oliver Roberst for the title.
Cy Hoskins, Texarkana Texas High, volleyball
In a 3-0 win over Marshall on Tuesday, the senior had 20 assists, 11 kills, 7 digs, 13 service points and 3 aces for the Tigers.
Brooke Jimenez, San Antonio Harlan, girls water polo
In a 13-10 win over San Antonio Clark on Friday, she recorded five goals and had five assists for the Hawks. Added three goals and an assist in a 14-7 win over San Antonio Warren the next day.
Colby Lange, Keller Timber Creek, boys cross country
The senior picked up a win at the Flower Mound Invitational on Saturday by running 16:09.82, the first win of his high school career in cross country.
Allyson McCabe, Granbury, volleyball
The junior helped the Lady Pirates pick up wins over Fort Worth Brewer and Justin Northwest this past week with 32 digs and 86 assists in the two games. She had a season-high 53 assists in the win against Northwest. She has 641 assists so far on the season.
Kirra Musgrove, Houston Lutheran South, volleyball
The 6-foot-2 junior had 13 kills and 11 assists in a 3-0 win over The Emery-Weiner, from Houston, in TAPPS District 5-5A action on Thursday.
Malachi O’Brien, San Antonio Christian, boys cross country
The sophomore won his first 5K race of the season by running 17:07.95 at the River City Believers Soldiers Cross Country Invitational on Saturday in San Antonio.
Anthony Peguero, Spring Klein Collins, boys cross country
The junior ran a new personal best, 16:22.3, during the at the Soaring Eagle Invitational held on Sept. 23 in Houston. He won the race and the Tigers won the team title by 40 points.
Taylor Porter, Houston Cypress Ranch, volleyball
The Vanderbilt pledge recorded 11 kills and nine digs in a 3-0 sweep over Bridgeland on Tuesday, helping the Mustangs run its district winning streak to 42 in a row.
Chloe Richards, Magnolia, volleyball
The Houston Christian pledge recorded career kill No. 1,000 in the first set and had 23 in a win 3-0 win over Bryan Rudder on Tuesday.
Cienna Rodriguez, Fort Worth Crowley, volleyball
The senior recorded her 500th assist in a 3-0 loss to L.D. Bell on Friday. She had 12 assists in the loss and is nearly 500 on the season — with 482 — in her first season as the Eagles’ setter.
Jacob Sandoval, San Antonio Taft, boys water polo
The junior had four goals as the Raiders picked up a 13-2 win over Kyle Lehman in a game on Saturday. Later in the day, he had 7 goals in a 15-12 win over San Antonio Harlan. He now has 96 goals on the season.
Bianca Sierra, El Paso Montwood, volleyball
In a 3-0 sweep over El Dorado on Tuesday, the libero dished out 15 digs, six aces and 40 assists. Since Sept. 5, she has recorded 147 assists in five games.
Kenzie Sims, Bushland, volleyball
The Falcons beat Amarilla Tascosa, 3-2, on Tuesday, to improve to 28-6 on the season. She had 30 assists, two aces and seven kills in the victory.
Dalton Travis, Pearland Dawson, boys water polo
He had a team-high — and season-high — four goals, while the sophomore added an assist in an 18-1 win over Iowa Colony on Thursday.
Paige Trotter, Texarkana, volleyball
The sophomore right/outside hitter had 12 straight service points to help the Leopards beat Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy Fate on Tuesday.
Jordyn Tynsky, Denton Guyer, volleyball
The Colorado State commit had 34 digs, a season-high, while adding 7 assists, 3 aces and 12 service points in a 3-2 loss to Denton Braswell on Tuesday. She recorded her 1,000th career dig on Friday.
Alice Volpe, Cypress Bridgeland, volleyball
Volpe helped the Bears to a 3-2 victory against Cypress Woods in District 16-6A action on Friday. The TCU commit had 29 digs, 9 assists and 34 serve receptions with just only one error.
Paityn Winters, Burleson Centennial, volleyball
The junior had 26 assists, 13 kills and 11 digs in a 3-2 win over Joshua on Tuesday, helping the Spartans improve to 7-0 in district play.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
