Each week, our Home-Team staffers will nominate male and female Hot Shot athletes from each of the counties we cover, then we turn the voting over to our readers. These nominations span Saturday, Nov. 24 through Friday, Nov. 30. The winners get a free T-shirt and bragging rights over every other school in the area. Read up on what made our nominees stand out, then vote until noon Monday.
Female nominees
Skye Barba, Palm Harbor University soccer: One of the Hurricanes veterans, the senior scored two first-half goals, including the winner she headed into the net, to help her team beat rival East Lake 3-1 and remain undefeated (6-0).
Reggine Brown, Plant basketball: The 6-foot senior scored 25 points to key Plant’s fourth-quarter rally in a 63-52 victory over Newsome on Thursday.
Bailey Hooker, Steinbrenner basketball: The 6-foot senior forward had 21 points and six blocks in a 56-55 win over Strawberry Crest on Thursday. The Southeastern University signee also added five steals and five rebounds.
Aja Jenkins, Clearwater basketball: In the toughest test of the season thus far, the senior grabbed 13 rebounds and scored 12 points in helping the Tornadoes to a 47-26 win over Tarpon Springs on Friday night. The Tornadoes improved to 7-0.
Kim Knudsen, Mitchell basketball: The junior came through in the clutch against Tampa Catholic, scoring 11 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter or overtime of a 65-60 win
Cassidy Place, Sunlake soccer: The junior sweeper scored two goals, assisted on two more and totaled 11 steals in a shutout win over Pasco. She also assisted on the Seahawks’ only goal in a 1-1 tie with Wesley Chapel.
Male nominees
Zac Campbell, Central soccer: The senior midfielder scored three goals and assisted on the other one in the Bears’ 4-0 win over Hernando that helped Central improve to 3-2-1.
Pete DiNovo, East Lake football: The senior quarterback completed 24-of-36 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns in a loss to nationally-ranked Orlando Dr. Phillips. At one point in the first half, DiNovo was 11-for-11 for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Zain Gilmore, Robinson football: The senior quarterback compiled 231 total yards (117 rushing, 114 passing) and three rushing TDs in the Knights’ 49-21 Class 5A region final romp of Pasco.
Marcus Hill, Armwood basketball: The senior had two double doubles this week. He notched 22 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks in Tuesday’s 72-59 win vs. Lennard. Then had 17 points, 14 rebounds, eight blocks, three assists in Friday’s 76-68 win vs. Strawberry Crest.
Rico Kerney, Wiregrass Ranch basketball: The senior guard averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds in three Bulls victories and led a second-half charge to help Wiregrass earn a 65-63 win over a Nature Coast team that made it to state last year.
Artavis Scott, East Lake football: The junior caught a team-high nine passes for 128 yards and a touchdown against Dr. Phillips. He also had a 57-yard kickoff return that gave the Eagles good field position on one drive in the first half.
Give us a shout next week at hometeam@tampabay.com if you have a Hot Shot we should consider.