Riverside Prep’s Jake Wilhoit is the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week

There were 15,437 votes cast in the race for the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week poll. 

Riverside Prep baseball player Jake Wilhoit ended with 58.5% of total votes cast by Daily Press readers. 

The junior received 9,031 votes, beating out 11 other high school athletes from across the High Desert. 

More: CIF-Southern Section softball playoff scores from across the High Desert

To earn a spot on the ballot, Wilhoit went 2 for 3 and hit a go-ahead two-run single in the fourth inning of a victory over Capistrano Valley Christian on May 15.

In the voting, Wilhoit beat Granite Hills softball player Mackinzie Gomez, who received 26.26% at 4,054 total votes. 

The nominees were selected based on performances between May 11 to 16. 

Nominations are based on information available to the Daily Press. All high school varsity players from the High Desert can be considered for the ballot. 

Nominations must be received for consideration by Sunday morning following that week's games. Anyone can nominate an Athlete of the Week for every varsity sport. 

Want to get to know our winner a little better? Check out what Wilhoit had to say. 

• How long have you been playing baseball and how did you get started: I have been playing baseball since I was four years old. 
• What do you like most about baseball: Meeting new people and building relationships. 
• Do you have a pregame ritual: Always pray before the game, and when running out on the field touch second base and look up to the sky giving all glory to God. 
• What’s your most memorable sports moment: I would say hitting the go-ahead two-run single in game one of the playoffs. 
• If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be and why: I would want to be a professional athlete so I can see how they approach their day, what they do, how they eat, how they workout and how they mentally prepare for a big game. 
• Someone hands you $1 million, how would you spend it: I would take $200,000 and put it in my bank and with the other $800,000 I would put it in my savings.
• Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world and why: Tokyo, Japan. It’s always been my dream place to visit. 
• If you had an extra hour every day, how would you spend it: I would either spend it training or sleeping. 
• Do you have any hobbies: I love to play golf and basketball. 
• What superpower do you wish you had: Time travel. 
• Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Dodgers 
• Favorite athlete: Javy Baéz or Mike Trout
• Favorite superhero: Iron Man
• Favorite show: I don’t have one 
• Favorite movie: “A Bronx Tale”
• Favorite song: Any songs by Drake 
• Favorite meal: Chicken and rice, or steak and rice 
• Favorite restaurant: Long Horn Steakhouse
• Favorite app: TikTok

Be sure to nominate athletes for next school week’s ballot through email to sports reporter Jose Quintero at JQuintero@VVDailyPress.com. Feel free to also reach out to him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @J0seQuintero, or on Instagram at @760Varsity. Please include a player’s statistics and a photo if possible.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Get to know the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week