Martin Dentistry Athlete of the Week: Kimball's Elysia Duarte
San Joaquin County voted and the first Martin Dentistry Athlete of the Week for April is Elysia Duarte of Kimball softball. In an online poll that closed on Friday, Duarte received over 70% of the votes cast for a total of 774 votes.
She earned this recognition after the Jaguars competed in the NFCA NorCal Classic Tournament looking to bounce back from their four-game losing streak. The senior infielder wouldn't let her team take another L as she led them offensively against St. Francis on April 6. She ended the game with three hits, three runs, two stolen bases and an RBI to help Kimball win 7-3.
The Jaguars kept their firey offense going as they would go on to beat Elk Grove later that day 4-2. Duarte was a key contributor finishing the game with a run and a hit. Kimball resumed league play going 1-1 losing to Oakdale and beating East Union. Lucky for the Jaguars, Duarte has been a consistent leader offensively as she holds the team's second-highest batting average of .465. She will look to give Valley Oak League teams trouble with her hot bat for the remainder of the season.
Here's a look at the past winners:
Aug. 26: Samson Hunkin, St. Mary's football
Sept. 2: Eliana Williams, St. Mary's girls' volleyball
Sept. 9: Landen Ly, Linden, football
Sept. 6: McKenna McIntosh, St. Mary's girls' volleyball
Sept. 23: Matthew Schallberger, Linden, football
Sept. 30: Sophia Martin, Escalon, girls' volleyball
Oct. 7: Keely Hummel, St. Mary's, girl's volleyball
Oct. 14: Taylor Zalunardo, Sierra, girls' flag football
Oct. 21: Katie Martin, Ripon, girls' golf
Oct. 29: Kaydence Bispo, St. Mary's, girls' volleyball
Nov. 5: Dax Weber, Linden, football
Nov. 12: Reyna Biedermann, Ripon, girls' water polo
Nov. 19: Asante Carter, St. Mary's, football
Nov. 26: Emma Gilmore, Sierra, girls' basketball
Dec. 3: Nylah Dyson, East Union, girls' basketball
Dec. 10: Ricardo Velasquez, Weston Ranch, boys' soccer
Dec. 17: Mario Rodriguez, Linden, boys' soccer
Jan. 7: Jaden Ryan, Kimball, boys' basketball
Jan. 14: Landon Gillespie, Ripon, boys' basketball
Jan. 21: Donez Lindsey, Lincoln, boys' basketball
Jan. 28: Mateen Rafiq, Weston Ranch, boys' basketball
Feb. 4: Destiny Martinez, Stagg, girls' basketball
Feb. 11: Morgan Reihl, Linden, gymnastics
Feb. 18: Natalin Hout, Chavez, wrestling
Feb. 25: Jace Beidleman, Ripon Christian, boys' basketball
March 3: Marcus Madoski, Ripon, boys' basketball
March 10: Jackson Fay, East Union, baseball
March 17: Alana Hernandez, Ripon, softball
March 24: Brayden Wilson, St. Mary's, baseball
March 31: Aaron Bayhon, Bear Creek, baseball
Editor's Note: Anyone can nominate an athlete of the week for every sport. Nominate next week’s ballot through email. Readers can email nominations to sports reporter Shannon Belt at sbelt@recordnet.com. Please include the player's stats and a photo if possible.
Original story: Spring sports in the 209 have kicked off league play as the school year enters the final stretch.
Teams are clawing their way to the top of their respective leagues as they take down familiar foes. With the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs set to start as early as April 23, San Joaquin County teams are hoping to earn a spot. This week’s athletes showcased that drive as they helped bring home dubs for their teams during league play.
The poll will include athletes from the following spring sports: softball, baseball, boys’ volleyball, and track and field. The poll can be found at the bottom of the story and closes on Friday.
Here are the candidates for April 1-7 (athletes listed in alphabetical order):
Elysia Duarte, softball, Kimball: After losing their last four games, the Jaguars bounced back with a 7-3 victory over St. Francis on April 6. Leading their offensive victory was Duarte who got hit every time she came up to bat. The senior infielder finished with three hits, three runs, two stolen bases and an RBI.
Shanye Harris, track and field, Edison: At the 2024 Arcadia Invitational Harris represented the Vikings racing to the top spot in her events. The senior took home silver in the 100-meter race running a time of 11.75 seconds. Her time at the invitational marks the fastest time in that event in the SJS.
Jeffrey Overgaard, track and field, Lincoln: Overgaard faced some of the top long-distance runners in the state at the 2024 Arcadia Invitational. The senior competed in the 800-meter open race and took home bronze with a time of one minute and 53.55 seconds. He set a personal record with that time.
More: Here are the Top 10 SJ County high school softball teams at Week 6
More: NBA G League Semifinal: Stockton Kings sneak past Santa Cruz
Aidan Patton, boys’ volleyball, Manteca: The Buffaloes are rolling so far this season earning them a No. 6 ranking in the SJS. Patton has played a key role for them and stood out in their most recent victory against Elk Grove on April 4. He leads Manteca with eight kills and four blocks helping it sweep the Thundering Herd.
Mikayla Simpson, softball, East Union: It wasn’t a pretty game but Simpson and the Lancers would not let up against Ripon on April 4. The junior pitcher finished the night with seven Ks and allowed five hits. With her clutch performance on the mound, East Union was able to snag a 5-4 victory over a tough Ripon squad.
Michael Quedens, baseball, St. Mary’s: The Rams got their first Tri-City Athletic League series sweep of the season by taking down Lodi. Quedens was the key to their 7-3 victory over the Flames on April 3. He led his team’s offense with a two-run home run, three hits and a stolen base. St. Mary’s won the other two games 7-1 and 7-6.
Athlete of the Week nominations are based on information available to The Record about all high school varsity players from San Joaquin County. Nominations must be received for consideration by Monday morning following that week's games.
Anyone can nominate an athlete of the week for every sport. Nominate next week’s ballot via email. Readers can email nominations to sports reporter Shannon Belt at sbelt@recordnet.com. Please include the player's stats and a photo if possible.
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Martin Dentistry Athlete of the Week: Kimball's Elysia Duarte