Each week, our HomeTeam staffers nominate male and female Hot Shot athletes from each of the counties we cover. Then we turn the voting over to readers. These nominations span Saturday, March 1 through Friday, March 7. The winners get a T-shirt and bragging rights over every other school in the area. Read up on all of our nominees then vote until noon Monday.
Female nominees
Lauren Evans, Academy at the Lakes softball: The senior's run, two RBIs and .750 fielding percentage in a 5-4 win over Seven Rivers Christian reminded fans why she's headed to USF next season.
Addison Harden, Berkeley Prep track: The Arizona recruit set school records in the discus (125-2) and shot put (38-7) to win both events at the Berkeley Invitational. Her discus throw was the best in the state so far this year.
Brianna Harvey, Nature Coast softball: The junior is a menace at shortstop and at bat, and she proved it against Hernando. She earned two of her team's five runs and added an RBI.
Sommer Pollard, Countryside softball: In three wins this week, Pollard had a combined four hits and four RBIs, including the winning single in a 1-0, eight-inning victory over Northeast.
Olivia Welsh, Dunedin track: At the West Coast Invitational, Welsh won the 100 hurdles in 15 seconds and set a meet record by clearing 11 feet, 1 inch to take first in the pole vault.
Alea White, Cambridge Christian softball: The sophomore threw a no-hitter in a 10-0 win over Bayshore Christian. She also struck out 14 batters in the victory.
Male nominees
Brad Deppermann, East Lake baseball: The senior threw a no-hitter against Countryside in Friday night's 1-0 district win over the Cougars. He struck out 12 and did not allow a walk. Only two Cougars reached base, both on errors. Deppermann now has 36 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched.
Jackson Hardee, Plant City track: His height of 13-6 won the pole vault by a foot and a half at the Nash Higgins Relays at Leto. That feat would have placed third in last year's state meet.
Sey Juan Lawrence, King baseball: The sophomore centerfielder came into King's game against Leto with two hits in 32 plate appearances, but he went 2-for-3 against the Falcons, reached base three times and recorded a triple, a double and an RBI. King (9-0) is the only undefeated baseball team left in Hillsborough County.
Corey Mills, Pasco baseball: The freshman showed poise on the mound in a key district win over Central, giving the Pirates five strong innings. The he added three RBIs and a home run Friday against Nature Coast.
Devontae Persha, Lakewood track: The middle-distance specialist won the 800 (2:03.60) and anchored the winning 4x400 relay (3:36.60) to help the Spartans finish second overall at the West Coast Invitational.
Ryan Talburt, Sunlake baseball: The senior pitcher allowed River Ridge - formerly the top-ranked team in 5A-8 - just six hits, and both of the Royal Knights' runs were unearned.