Vote now! Voting open for the Martin Dentistry Football Athlete of the Week for Bowl Games

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Each week during the 2025 San Joaquin County high school football season, The Record will honor one standout player with the Martin Dentistry Football Athlete of the Week award.

The winner is decided by you, the readers.

The Martin Dentistry award highlights the top performances from 209-area schools. This week’s ballot features seven nominees from Stockton, Tracy, Lodi and Mountain House.

Everyone is encouraged to submit nominations for the upcoming week to dackermann@gannett.com.

The poll at the bottom of this page closes at noon on Thursday, Nov 13. There are no voting restrictions, so vote now and vote often.

Here are the Bowl Game nominees (Athletes listed in alphabetical order by last name).

Amire Fleming, Running Back, Tokay

The greatest running back in Tokay history? The numbers say yes.

In just nine games, Amire Fleming broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,390 yards, surpassing Jim DeSanti’s mark set in 1978 — a record that stood for 47 years.

In a 51-44 victory over Mountain House, the senior made that title hard to argue. Fleming ran through tackles, powered through defenders and scored again and again, just as he has all season.

Leg tackles didn’t slow him. One-on-one matchups didn’t stop him. Fleming imposed his will on every drive.

And when the offense rested, he didn’t — lining up on defense, a workhorse in every sense. Tokay will miss its senior, but his play and impact will continue to inspire the program for years to come.

Erin Foster, Quarterback, Mountain House

A big run? Erin Foster had it. A clutch throw? He made that, too.

The Mountain House senior quarterback did everything for a program that went from winless last season to one score away from a bowl championship.

Foster piled up more than 1,000 rushing yards and 700 passing, the definition of a true dual threat.

He may not be the county’s top passer, but his impact went beyond numbers.

Foster gave Mountain House belief — and that may be the biggest win of all.

Darnell Holmes, Running Back, Stagg

One cut, one burst, and the field opened up.

That’s been the story all year for Darnell Holmes, and it didn’t stop against Laguna Creek. The Stagg junior ripped off chunk after chunk — more than 200 yards and two touchdowns in a 64-41 loss.

Holmes opened the season with three-touchdown efforts in each of the first five games and closed strong with multiple scores in four of the last six.

He’s only 5-foot-8, but his running style is fearless. Inside or out, Holmes finds daylight and rarely gives defenders a chance.

With Holmes and coach Eric Crocker returning, Stagg’s best season in decades looks less like a one-year story and more like the beginning of something bigger.

Lance Martin, Wide Receiver, Stagg

Lance Martin didn’t need the spotlight. He earned respect the hard way.

While Stagg’s rushing attack grabbed most of the attention, Martin quietly became its balance — the dependable senior wideout who always found a way to make a play.

He led the Delta Kings with more than 600 receiving yards and five touchdowns, responsible for nearly a third of the team’s yards through the air. He made catches through contact, fought for every yard and blocked like an offensive lineman on Holmes’ biggest runs.

Whether split out wide or digging into the secondary for a block, Martin played with complete buy-in.

Then came the bowl game — 80 yards, two touchdowns and one more reminder that reliability wins games.

Taylor Orn, Wide Receiver, Lincoln

A hat trick — American football style.

Lincoln senior wide receiver Taylor Orn didn’t find the back of a net, but he found the end zone three times in a 54-15 rout over Turlock.

Every catch came at a moment that mattered. His first score bailed the Trojans out of a first-and-30 hole. The second came on a post that left his defender behind. The third? The same route — and Turlock still couldn’t stop it.

Orn’s performance was part timing, part toughness, all confidence.

Quick, physical and durable, Orn’s first three-touchdown game of his career showed every part of his skill set — and why Lincoln’s offense keeps finding ways to get him the ball.

Dawson Pelech, Middle Linebacker, Kimball

Snap. Read. Hit. Repeat.

Every team needs a quarterback on defense. For Kimball, it’s Dawson Pelech’s.

The senior middle linebacker sees everything before it happens — calling out coverages, shifting teammates and meeting every hit with precision. Intelligence, athleticism and toughness define his game and his leadership.

Heading into his final game already leading San Joaquin County in tackles, Pelech saved one of his best performances for last in a 20-17 win over Pitman.

Each of his 10 tackles tightened Kimball’s hold on the game. Pitman managed just three points in the second half as Pelech turned reads into results.

Then came the exclamation point — an interception returned for one of Kimball’s two touchdowns, a fitting final highlight for the defense’s heartbeat.

Josiah Wilson, Athlete, Kimball

When everything around him changed, Josiah Wilson didn’t.

A new coach. Key seniors gone. Five forfeited games. Kimball’s season could’ve unraveled — but Wilson refused to let it.

The senior lined up anywhere the Jaguars needed him: quarterback, receiver, running back, defensive back, even returning kicks and punts. Wherever the lineup called, he showed up.

Even with the team sitting at 1-9 before the bowl game, Wilson’s effort never wavered. He played every snap with the same urgency as if a championship were on the line.

Double-teamed or overlooked, it didn’t matter. Wilson stayed focused on what meant most — his teammates. And that says more than any box score ever could.

VOTE HERE

This article originally appeared on The Record: Who’s up for Bowl Game Martin Dentistry Football Athlete of the Week?

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