VOTE: SJ County Martin Dentistry's Football Week 8 Athlete of the Week
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Friday nights are back, and so is The Record's weekly search for the top high school football performance in San Joaquin County.
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Each week during the 2026 season, one standout player will be voted the Martin Dentistry Football Athlete of the Week.
The choice belongs to you, the readers.
This week's ballot features 10 nominees from Stockton, Escalon, Lathrop, Tracy, Ripon and Lodi after their Week 9 performances.
Everyone is encouraged to submit nominations for the upcoming week by emailing [email protected].
The poll at the bottom of this page closes at noon Thursday, Nov. 5. There are no voting restrictions, so vote now and vote often.
Here are the Week 9 nominees (athletes listed in alphabetical order by last name):
Dylan Ball, running back/safety, Escalon
Some players just refuse to let their team lose. Escalon's Dylan Ball proved why he's one of them. The junior scored with two minutes remaining to force overtime, then fought through nearly seven tackles for the tying touchdown. The winning kick completed a 35-34 victory over two-time defending state champion Sonora. Ball finished with 123 rushing yards on 14 carries, four touchdowns and eight tackles.
Eric Cortez, running back/linebacker, East Union
Who needs experience when you can deliver like Eric Cortez? The East Union senior had just 60 career rushing yards and one previous game at running back before facing crosstown rival Sierra. He erupted for 132 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries in a 38-0 victory, adding eight tackles to his team-leading 59 this season.
Dario Dominguez, quarterback, Stagg
The biggest games call for the biggest performances. Stagg's Dario Dominguez answered with a career night against McNair, completing 9 of 13 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns in a back-and-forth 33-28 victory that set up a winner-take-all SJAA finale. He now has 974 passing yards and nine total touchdowns this season.
Roman Duvernay, running back, Lathrop
Neither Lathrop nor Roman Duvernay was where they wanted to be. The Spartans were 1-3 after their first league loss since 2023, and the Manteca transfer had minus-1 career rushing yard. Five games later, Duvernay has 655 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Lathrop has won four straight. His latest 147-yard, two-touchdown effort on 18 carries fueled a 36-6 win over Ceres.
Darnell Holmes, running back, Stagg
Ten rushing yards in the first half. Then Darnell Holmes reminded everyone why he's one of Stagg's all-time greats. The senior finished with 114 rushing yards on 18 carries, 80 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a 33-28 thriller against McNair, breaking the program's career touchdown record with 58. He also reached 3,375 career rushing yards.
Jacoby Johnson, running back, Tracy
Allow Jacoby Johnson to introduce himself. The junior rushed for 1,208 yards and six touchdowns in two seasons at Mountain House before transferring to Tracy, where transfer rules and a spot behind David Grisham kept him waiting. Grisham's injury in the league opener created an opportunity, and Johnson made the most of it in the fourth TCAL game, rushing for 147 yards on 25 carries against St. Mary's in a 14-7 loss.
Braylon Lindsey, defensive back, St. Mary's
In a game where one mistake could change everything, Braylon Lindsey made sure St. Mary's came out on top. The senior forced three turnovers with two interceptions and a fumble recovered by the Rams, adding two tackles in a 14-7 win over Tracy. The third-closest victory in their 61-game league winning streak secured at least a share of a 12th consecutive TCAL championship.
Keyondrae Porter, athlete, Bear Creek
First interception of the season. Then a second. Then a third. Bear Creek's Keyondrae Porter couldn't stop taking the ball away in a 44-0 win over Franklin. The junior added three tackles to his three interceptions, showing another side of his game after entering with 227 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Kael Rangel, fullback, Ripon
Ripon needed two wins in its final three games to clinch a playoff berth. Thanks in part to Kael Rangel, it took just two. After rushing for 82 yards and a touchdown in an upset of Sonora, the senior fullback added 98 yards and two scores on 11 carries in a 43-7 win over Orestimba. He now has 446 yards, eight touchdowns and a 7.2-yard rushing average.
Nico Sinigaglia, quarterback, Tokay
It's hard to believe Nico Sinigaglia had never taken a varsity snap at quarterback before this season. The Tokay junior threw four touchdowns in his debut against rival Lodi and hasn't looked back. In a 35-7 win over Merrill West, he completed 18 of 32 passes for a career-high 274 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. His season totals stand at 1,382 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
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This article originally appeared on The Record: VOTE: SJ County Martin Dentistry's Football Week 8 Athlete of the Week