Fourteen athletes from across the High Desert are in the running for the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week.
Each week throughout the 2026-27 school year, the Daily Press will recognize one standout student-athlete from the High Desert as Athlete of the Week for their performance on the field, court, course or wherever they compete.
Athletes are selected for the ballot through nominations submitted by coaches, along with our own research. Nominations are limited to varsity athletes.
You can vote for your favorite high school athlete as often as you’d like. The poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.
Here are this week’s nominees, based on performances from Oct. 5 through 10.
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- Alexis Bitonti, Oak Hills volleyball — Bitonti recorded 10 kills, two aces, two blocks and four digs in a 3-0 victory over Burroughs on Oct. 6. She added eight kills, nine aces, four digs and three assists in a 3-0 victory over Serrano on Oct. 8.
- Amaya Jones, Sultana volleyball — Jones recorded 10 kills and a dig in a 3-0 victory over Serrano on Oct. 6. She added 14 kills, four blocks and a dig in a 3-1 victory over Apple Valley on Oct. 7, then finished with 19 kills, three blocks, four digs and an assist in a 3-1 victory over Hesperia on Oct. 8.
- Andrea Mendoza, Cobalt Institute of Math & Science Academy girls golf — Mendoza earned medalist honors in Cross Valley League competition at Bear Valley Country Club on Oct. 8, shooting a 37 to finish two strokes ahead of the runner-up.
- Brin Bryant, Academy for Academic Excellence volleyball — Bryant recorded five kills in a 3-0 victory over Lakeview Leadership Academy on Oct. 6. She added 10 kills, six aces, two blocks and four digs in a 3-0 victory over University Prep on Oct. 8. Bryant also totaled 49 kills, nine aces, 10 blocks and 34 digs across four tournament matches on Oct. 10.
- Darius Williams, Hesperia football — Williams completed 17 of 20 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns while rushing four times for 15 yards and another score in a 38-19 victory over Burroughs on Oct. 8.
- Gabriel Zamora, Hesperia cross country — Zamora finished 10th in the boys Division 1 varsity 5,000-meter race at the 47th ASICS Clovis Invitational on Oct. 10 with a time of 15:35.2.
- Kaydence Manjarrez, Hesperia cross country — Manjarrez placed fourth in the girls Division 1 varsity 5,000-meter race at the 47th ASICS Clovis Invitational on Oct. 10 with a time of 18:32.8.
- Keneth Lindsey, Silverado football — Playing in just his second varsity game, Lindsey carried the ball 21 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-28 victory over Adelanto on Oct. 8.
- Kenyon Gray, Silver Valley football — Gray caught five passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-16 victory over Nuview Bridge on Oct. 8. He also recorded an interception on defense.
- Madison Grounds, Academy of Careers & Exploration girls golf — Grounds shot a 39 to finish second in Cross Valley League competition at Bear Valley Country Club on Oct. 8, two strokes behind the medalist. The sophomore remains atop the league's individual season standings with one regular-season match remaining.
- Quron Muhammad, Victor Valley football — Muhammad rushed six times for 113 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-17 victory over Granite Hills on Oct. 8.
- Sariyah Ornelas, Hesperia volleyball — Ornelas recorded 14 kills, a block and four digs in a 3-2 loss to Apple Valley on Oct. 6. She added seven kills, three aces, eight digs and an assist in a 3-1 loss to Sultana on Oct. 8.
- Scott Ebeling, Serrano football — Ebeling completed 14 of 18 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns, and also completed two successful two-point conversion passes in a 48-12 victory over Sultana on Oct. 8.
- Shyan Biswas, Apple Valley football — Biswas returned a kickoff 71 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a pass that helped set up the go-ahead touchdown in a 20-7 victory over Oak Hills on Oct. 8.
You Can Vote Here
Nominations must be received for consideration by Sunday morning following that week’s games. Anyone can nominate an Athlete of the Week for every varsity sport.
Be sure to nominate next week’s ballot through email to sports reporter Jose Quintero at JQuintero@VVDailyPress.com. Feel free to also reach out to him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @J0seQuintero, or on Instagram at @760Varsity. Please include a player’s statistics and a photo if possible.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: The polls are open! Vote for the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week