Broderson-Jones, Ramos Are Paloma Valley Athletes of Month

Kiana Broderson-Jones and Justin Ramos are presented Athlete of the Month Awards by Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty

Softball standout Kiana Broderson-Jones and volleyball star Justin Ramos were named the Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Month for May from Paloma Valley High School.

The athletes were presented certificates and a gift card by Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, sponsor of the award program.

Broderson-Jones hit .405 with 21 stolen bases while patrolling center field for the Wildcats, who finished the season with a 21-8 record, advancing to the second round of the CIF playoffs. In her junior season, she developed into a team leader and one of the top players in the program.

"Kiana is a very gifted, driven and hard-working athlete," said her coach, Briana Wells. "Her speed makes her a real threat, both in center field and while she is hitting. When Kiana gets on base, I am confident we will score.

"I have seen Kiana cover great distances to make catches, standing up, that the average outfielder could never make, even with a dive. Kiana has grown into a leader on this team, and we can always count on her to bring everyone together with her dance moves and humor!"

Broderson-Jones hopes to attend UC Riverside after her senior year and play softball there.

Ramos, a senior, played a leading role for the boys volleyball team, which won the Sunbelt League championship with a 12-0 record and advanced to the third round of the CIF playoffs before losing a tough decision to top-seeded South Pasadena.

"The crowd played a big role in that game," said Ramos, an outside hitter. "You could see the pressure was getting to them (South Pasadena) because of how loud the crowd was."

"Justin finished the season as a tremendous leader on the court," said his coach, Katie Bradley. "His offense and defense helped us to compete at a higher level than ever before. He has become a great volleyball player and role model for our future athletes at PVHS."

Ramos will attend Mt. San Jacinto College next year with plans to transfer to UC San Diego.

"It was a great run," he said about his four years as a volleyball player for the Wildcats. "I wanted to take it all the way, but there's no regrets. I'll remember everything about this season."

This is the final Athlete of the Month Award of the school year for Paloma Valley High. The final Athletes of the Month for Heritage High School will be announced on Thursday.

Stars of First-Place Teams Are Paloma Athletes of the Week

From left: Ryan Edinger, Justin Ramos, Samantha Flores. Not pictured: Abigail Callais.

The success of Paloma Valley High School's spring sports teams is evident in this week's Menifee 24/7 honorees as Athlete of the Week.

Senior first baseman Ryan Edinger had a big week recently for the Wildcats baseball team, which is 6-0 in league play. He was 3 for 4 with two doubles against Perris and 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs against Heritage, helping the team remain in first place.

Edinger said the players are confident in their ability to repeat as Sunbelt League champions this season. Last year, the Wildcats lost only one league game.

"I think it's just team chemistry," he said about the team's key to success. "We work well together. We take baseball seriously at Paloma."

Edinger, who is hitting .469 with 14 RBIs, plans to walk on at San Diego State and study mechanical engineering there.

Senior outside hitter Justin Ramos had a big week recently in league victories over West Valley and Hemet for the volleyball team, which also is in first place with a 7-0 record. He finished that week with 39 kills and 32 digs.

"We just need to keep it going and we've got it in the bag," Ramos said. "We need to make sure we beat West Valley and Hemet again. They're near the top of the league."

Ramos plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College next year, then transfer to a four-year school and study petrochemical engineering.

Track standout Samantha Flores has battled back from a preseason knee injury and excelled in a recent league meet against Elsinore, winning the 3,200 meters and placing second in the 1,600. She has helped the Wildcats remain one of the dominant teams in the Sunbelt League.

Softball player Abigail Callais was 2 for 3 qith a double in a recent 2-1 victory over Lakeside.

"Abigail is a very reliable first baseman and has made some excellent plays this past week," said her coach, Briana Wells. "She works hard at practice and has been very consistent at the plate all season."