VOTE NOW! MyCentralJersey.com Athlete of Week Poll

Lauren Knego
Courier News and Home News Tribune

Welcome to MyCentralJersey.com’s Athlete of the Week poll. The Courier News and Home News Tribune Athlete of the Week polls have been merged, and we're including athletes from both coverage areas. 

We’ll write a feature story about the top vote-getter, so make your votes count. Voting closes Wednesday at 6 p.m.

The players who made our Week Four Player of the Week ballot can be found at the bottom of this story and are listed by sport. 

Nominations are based upon statistics available at press time.

Coaches, if you would like to nominate an athlete, please submit your nominations to hnsports@thnt.com by Saturday. 

GIRLS SOCCER: Brooke Sachau, Franklin

The junior goalie posted three shut outs last week. Sachau made five saves against Colonia on Monday, three saves against Montgomery in a 0-0 tie on Thursday and five saves as No. 5 Franklin beat No. 12 Montgomery 1-0 in the Somerset County Tournament. 

GIRLS SOCCER: Dennise Gamino, Perth Amboy

The junior captain finished with one goal and two assists. It was Gamino's sixth goal of the season, leaving her three goals away from the school record of nine goals in a season with seven games left. The goal Gamino scored was the school's first goal against Sayreville in many years (if ever). Her two assists allowed two players to score their first goals of the season as well. Her strong performance and two assists against South Amboy in Saturday's game gave Perth Amboy its first win of the season.

BOYS SOCCER: Anthony Ivanov, Immaculata

The junior goalie posted two shutouts last week, making six saves in a 1-0 victory over Bernards on Thursday and made 10 saves as No. 10 Immaculata defeated No. 7 Franklin 1-0 to advance to the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals. 

BOYS SOCCER: Matt Hoyt, Monroe

Hoyt finished with the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over St. Joseph (Met.) on Tuesday, tallied one goal and three assists against Piscataway on Thursday and added four assists in a victory over J.P. Stevens on Saturday.

FIELD HOCKEY:  Lily Simon, Bernards

The senior finished with one goal in a win over Mount St. Mary on Tuesday, and recorded a hat trick against Franklin on Wednesday. On Saturday Simon contributed another hat trick as second-seeded Bernards defeated seventh-seeded Somerville in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals. 

FIELD HOCKEY: Tatianna Sutor, South Plainfield

The senior goalie made 12 saves in a 4-1 victory over Monroe on Wednesday and posted a shutout with 10 saves against Sayreville on Friday as South Plainfield improved to 10-2-2. 

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Samantha Balsamo, East Brunswick

The senior recorded her 1,000th assist in a win on Friday, and finished with one kill and nine assists. In a 2-0 win over Old Bridge on Thursday, Balsamo finished with four aces, 2 kills, 12 assists and one block. On Tuesday she had three aces, one kill, 16 assists and two blocks in a 2-1 victory over South Brunswick.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Grace Serafin, Westfield

The senior finished with one ace and 23 assists in a 2-0 win over Elizabeth on Thursday, then added 21 assists in a 2-0 victory over Colonia on Friday.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY: Ray Sellaro, North Hunterdon

The senior finished in 16:16 to win the Boys Varsity B race at the Shore Coaches Invitational on Saturday as North Hunterdon finished in second place behind Kingsway, 55-90.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: Nicole Vanasse, Pingry School

The sophomore won the Girls Varsity F race at the Shore Coaches Invitational on Saturday with a time of 19:31 as Pingry won with 65 points. She also won the Skyland Conference Valley Division race on Wednesday in 19:40 as Pingry also placed first with 29 points. 

GYMNASTICS: Jocelyn Moore, Hillsborough

Moore won the vault, uneven bars and the floor exercise and placed third in the all-around as Hillsborough won the Somerset County Tournament for the fourth-straight time on Wednesday.

GYMNASTICS: Troi Marshall, Piscataway

The senior won the all-around, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise as Piscataway defeated Passaic Valley and Seneca on Monday. On Wednesday in a loss to East Brunswick, Marshall won the all-around, vault and floor exercise. 

VOTE BELOW FOR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

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