Vote now: Who should be SBLive’s Arkansas high school athlete of the week?

By Jeff Halpern 

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Arkansas high school athlete of the week for May 8-14. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll are intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

Bennett Grafton, Rogers Heritage baseball

The junior hit a grand slam, inside-the-park home run to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead in a 6-4 victory over North Little Rock in the first round of the Class 6A state baseball tournament in Cabot.

Akayla Barnard, Cabot softball

The senior struck out 7 and walked 3 while pitching a no hitter in a 5-0 victory over Bentonville West in the Class 6A quarterfinals in Benton. She retired the last 18 batters with 15 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory over Rogers in the semifinals.

Jonathan Nwokeji, Valley View boys soccer

The freshman scored the winning goal with 2:17 left in overtime in a 3-2 victory over Harrison in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament in Jonesboro.

Clare Barger, Harrison girls soccer

The senior scored two goals and had one assist in a 4-1 victory over Little Rock Christian in the Class 5A quarterfinals in Jonesboro. She scored the game-tying goal in a 2-1 victory over Valley View in the semifinals.

River Hardman, Russellville boys track and field

The junior set the Meet of Champs and overall record in the 800 (1:51.52) breaking the 1985 overall mark (1:51.94) and meet record (1:52.44) by Robert Bradley of Crossett and the 1970 school record (1:51.83) set by John Feltner.

Solara Koser, Fayetteville girls track and field

The sophomore won the 100 hurdles (14.96) and 300 hurdles (45.46) at the Meet of Champs in Russellville and set the MileSplit US Second Team standard in both events.

Reece Tarini, Little Rock Christian Academy baseball

The senior pitched a complete-game victory with 5 strikeouts while throwing 73 of 97 pitches for strikes and had the walk-off hit in a 3-2 victory over Hot Springs Lakeside in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament in Marion.

Alyssa Houston, Benton softball

The senior pitched five no-hit innings in a 10-0 victory over Harrison in the Class 5A state tournament in Marion. She thew a no hitter and struck out 14 in a 1-0 victory over Greenwood in the semifinals.

Jadir Alvarado, Fayetteville boys soccer

The senior scored two goals in a 3-1 victory over Cabot in the Class 6A quarterfinals in Fort Smith.

Abbi Brookrerson, Brookland girls soccer

The junior scored 4 goals in a 6-0 victory over Gentry in the Class 4A quarterfinals in Little Rock. She scored 3 goals in a 7-1 victory over Bauxite in the first round, hitting the 100-goal mark in her career.

Rocco Patrick, Prescott boys track and field

The junior won the shot put (56-11 1/2) and discus (166-6) at the Meet of Champs in Russellville, setting the US Mile Split Second Team Standard in both events.

Anna Woolsey, Ozark girls track and field

The senior won the 100 (12.39), 200 (25.22) and 400 (56.26), setting the US Mile Split Second Team Standard in the 400.

Kyler Hoover, Harding Academy baseball

The junior went 3-for-4 with 4 RBI and scored 2 runs in a 10-5 victory over Bismarck in the Class 3A semifinals in Springdale.

Alexis Franklin, Booneville softball

The junior threw a 4-hit shutout in a 2-0 victory over Baptist Prep and added a leadoff triple in the sixth inning and scored in the Class 3A tournament in Gravette. She thew a 2-hit shutout and went 4-for-4 in a 5-0 victory over Hackett in the Class 3A semifinals.

Jackson Tucker, Conway boys soccer

The senior goalkeeper posted a shutout in a 1-0 victory over Springdale Har-Ber in the Class 6A semifinals in Fort Smith.

Heidi Sanders, Episcopal Collegiate girls soccer

The freshman scored 5 goals and had 1 assists in a 7-2 victory over Life Way Christian in the Class 3A semifinals in Bergman.

Joseph Bariola, Hot Springs Lakeside boys track and field

The junior won the 3,200 (9:12.85) at the Meet of Champs in Russellville, setting the US Mile Split Second Team Standard.

Donna Douglas, Nettleton girls track and field

The junior won the shot put (44-1 1/2) and discus (147-11) at the Meet of Champs in Russellville, setting the US Mile Split Second Team Standard in both events.

Owen Roach, Valley View baseball

The freshman went 3-for-3, scored 1 run and had 2 RBI in a 6-2 victory over Maumelle in the Class 5A semifinals in Marion.

Keeley Elsea, Gravette softball

The junior had 3 his, including a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh in a 7-6 victory over Nashville in the Class 4A quarterfinals.

Wyatt Oldham, Valley View boys soccer

The junior had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 victory over Harrison in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament in Jonesboro.

Janie Kramer, Fayetteville girls soccer

The freshman midfielder had an assist on a corner kick and scored on a free kick in a 3-1 victory over Fort smith Northside in the Class 6A semifinals in Fort Smith.

Kercher Herring, Russellville boys track and field

The sophomore won the pole vault (15-6) at the Meet of Champs in Russellville, setting the US Mile Split Second Team Standard.

Brooklyn Nicholson, Russellville girls track and field

The junior won the 800 (2:19.31) at the Meet of Champs in Russellville, setting a school record and setting the US Mile Split Second Team Standard.

Ross Felder, Springdale Har-Ber baseball

The junior allowed 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 7 in a complete-game victory while going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI as Har-Ber defeated Rogers Heritage in the Class 6A state semifinals.