ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Francesca Coronado has helped New Braunfels get off to a strong start in soccer this season, scoring six goals in six games.

Coronado scored three goals against rival New Braunfels Canyon in a 5-1 victory to open the season. The junior also scored a goal in a 7-1 win over Montgomery and a goal in 3-0 victory over New Caney at The Woodlands’ tournament. Those performances earned her the Express-News girls soccer player of the week Monday.

She added another goal in the Unicorns’ 3-0 win over Kyle Lehman on Thursday that lifted New Bruanfels to a 4-2 start.

New Braunfels’ fans lifted her to another win Friday when they cast more than 280 votes for her as the Express-News Athlete of the Week.

She narrowly edged two-time E-N girls basketball player of the week LA Sneed, who had 257 votes. The Wagner sophomore had a quadruple-double in an 86-18 win over Seguin, with 21 points, 19 rebounds, 12 steals and 11 assists. She also scored 20 points in a 47-35 win over Kerrville Tivy to give her 1,000 for her career.

Other nominees were Taft senior Tristan Holden, the boys basketball player of the week, and LEE senior Jesus Blanco, the boys soccer player of the week.

Holden had 10 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in an 81-62 victory over Holmes. He also had 24 points, nine rebounds and six blocks in a 78-60 win over Sotomayor.

Blanco registered 17 saves and allowed one goal in three matches to lead the Volunteers to the Alamo Heights tournament championship. Blanco had eight saves in a 3-1 win over Cedar Park to seal the blue bracket championship.

Coronado