Poll: Which Dade high school athlete should be the Miami Herald’s Player of the Week? (Dec. 10)

Miami-Dade County’s best athletes finished off the fall sports season impressively and are already putting together standout efforts in the winter sports season.

This week, we resume a weekly feature where we ask you to vote for the best performer of the week in Dade County high school sports.

Below is a look at the five candidates from last week’s action. Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, Dec. 14, around 10 p.m.

You may vote as often as you like until then.

Here are the candidates from last week’s events:

▪ Alberto Mendoza, Columbus, football: Mendoza ran for 138 yards on 20 carries and passed for 149 yards and a touchdown to lead the Explorers to a 38-19 win over Jacksonville Mandarin and their second consecutive state championship.

▪ Joshua Townsend, Homestead, football: Townsend completed 25 of 36 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in the Broncos’ 31-28 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas in the Class 3M state championship game.

▪ Shanaii Gamble, Southridge, girls’ basketball: Gamble had a combined 41 points, 21 rebounds and 12 steals to lead the Spartans to wins over Miami High and Miami Christian.

▪ Scarlett Baur, Palmer Trinity, girls’ soccer: Baur scored a combined five goals and had two assists to lead the Falcons to wins over Miami Country Day, Carrollton and Fort Lauderdale.

▪ Jacob Marquez, Gulliver, boys’ basketball: Marquez had 22 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Raiders to a win over defending Class 5A state champion Belen Jesuit.

This story was originally published December 11, 2023 at 11:39 AM.