Salinas is home to seven high schools loaded with talented athletes who put on highlight-level performances every week.

To put a spotlight on these athletes and their accomplishments, The Salinas Californian runs weekly online polls throughout the season for a boys' and girls' athlete of the week.

Here's who won the awards this week:

Braden Arriaga-Lopez, Everett Alvarez football

Friday's homecoming game against Salinas was going to be a tough one. The Cowboys were fresh off of a thrilling win against Palma and looked like one of the best teams in Monterey County.

Someone forgot to tell Arriaga-Lopez that.

The running back was part of a productive running game for the host Eagles, racking up 148 yards and a touchdown as they led 21-20 at halftime before losing 35-28. That's much closer than last year's game — a 44-14 win for Salinas — and yet another example of improvement for Everett Alvarez this fall.

Arriaga-Lopez has scored in every game this season for the Eagles and, combined with Andre Wallace and Dylan Uto, makes for a stable of capable rushers on offense.

He'll have another chance to keep that scoring streak alive this week in the Eagles' game against Aptos, a squad that's given up nine rushing touchdowns in five games this season per league stats.

Other candidates: Austin Villanueva, Salinas football; Marco Espinoza, Alisal football; Matt Bassetti, Palma water polo.

Laura Vetter, Notre Dame water polo

The Spirits have a penchant for close games and comeback victories. In both instances, junior Laura Vetter's high scoring is a regular fixture in the pool.

Last Tuesday, the Spirits entered the third period facing a six-goal deficit to host Pacific Grove. Thanks in no small part to Vetter's eight goals, tied for the most she's had in a game this season, the Spirits came back to win 14-13 and stay in the top three of the Pacific Coast Athletic League (PCAL) — Mission division.

Though Thursday's game against Carmel was a tougher task — the Spirits lost 18-7 to the visiting Mission division leader — Vetter was productive yet again on the attack.

She scored another four goals to keep her among the top five scorers in the Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz county area.

The Spirits continue their Mission schedule this week with a game against Everett Alvarez Tuesday and another against Monterey Wednesday. In the first games against those two teams this fall, Vetter's totaled 13 goals and six steals. Look for the three-year varsity starter to keep her goal count rising.

Other candidates: Samantha Montelongo, Alisal volleyball; Samantha Reich, Salinas water polo; Stephanie Lopez, North Salinas cross country.