Paloma Valley Athletes of Week: Sheffield, Atkins, Patterson

From left: Regina Sheffield, Chloe Atkins, Alex Patterson are the Paloma Valley High Athletes of the Week.

Three winter sports athletes who combine athletic and academic success were recently named the Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Week from Paloma Valley High School for the week ending Jan. 18.

Junior shooting guard Regina Sheffield is a team captain for the Wildcats girls basketball team, which has a 12-9 overall record, 3-2 in the Sunbelt League. She averages 12.4 points per game and excels on defense for her team. The Wildcats play host to Elsinore on Wednesday.

Sheffield also plans to compete for the Wildcats track and field team this spring.

Junior forward Chloe Atkins leads the girls soccer team in both goals and assists this winter. She is a driving force for the Wildcats, who are 3-0-2 in Sunbelt League play after a scoreless tie with Temescal Canyon. Paloma is an impressive 11-2-4 overall.

"C-Lo deserves all the success and recognition because she has worked so hard to be the player she is now," said Paloma Valley coach Marie Dillon, referring to Atkins by her nickname. "She is the kind of player that makes her teammates around her better. C-Lo is very determined and passionate about playing the game. It's a privilege to coach her."

Third-year varsity player Alex Patterson is one of the stars of the boys basketball team. As a junior last year, he received the basketball program's Wildcat of the Year award, which goes to the player who best represents academic, basketball and character achievements. This year, he is leading the team in rebounding.

"We’re young this year. We only have three seniors," said Patterson, who plans to study kinesiology in college.

Each of the honorees received a certificate from Menifee 24/7 and a T-shirt from the Paloma Valley athletic department.