Heritage High School Athletes of the Week: Sept. 16

From left: Danny Ibarra, Kristen Briseno, Isaiah Morrow, Simoriah Scharer, Diamond Brogan.

Each week of the school year, Menifee 24/7 honors top student-athletes at Heritage High School. The coach of each varsity sport is allowed to select one athlete based on the previous week's performances or on potential shown by the athlete. Here are this week's Heritage High School Athletes of the Week:

The boys cross country team is represented by Danny Ibarra, who took fifth place overall in the sophomore race at the Colton Swarm Invitational. Kristen Briseno of the girls cross country team took fifth place overall in the senior race at the Colton Swarm Invitational.

Running back Isaiah Morrow represents the football team this week. In last Friday's 65-12 victory over Coachella Valley, Morrow rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass.

Simoriah Scharer was chosen to represent the girls tennis team

"Simi is a multi-sport athlete, hard worker, and is always helping others during practice," said her coach, Monty McIntosh.

Diamond Brogan was chosen as a representative of the girls volleyball team

These athletes will be eligible for selection as Heritage High School's Athletes of the Month, which will be announced the first week of October.

Heritage High's Briseno, DeMarco Are Athletes of Month

Michael DeMarco and Kristen Briseno receive their Athlete of the Month Awards from Larry Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Track and field standout Kristen Briseno and baseball star Michael DeMarco were recently honored by Menifee 24/7 as the Heritage High School Athletes of the Month, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Briseno is a junior who vastly improved her performance in the distance races this spring, capitalizing on strength and endurance she gained as a cross country runner in the fall. She also played soccer this winter.

Her personal best in the 3,200 meters was established this year in the Inland Empire Championships -- a 12:25. She also has a personal record of 5:43 in the 1,600.

"I started training harder and calculating times more closely this year to see if I improved each time," she said. "I also practiced more on the weekends."

After playing one more year in high school, Briseno would like to study medicine in college.

Senior shortstop Michael DeMarco came on strong in the second half of the season for the Patriots baseball team. He hopes to carry that over to next year, when he will attend Chico State and try to walk on to the baseball team and study kinesiology.

"We had a bad beginning of the season, but we finally started to pick it up," said DeMarco. "We just lost a lot of close games."

Personally, DeMarco said his hitting began to improve when his coach pointed out a mechanical flaw.

"I was dropping my shoulder, so I was popping the ball up a lot," he said. "Got that fixed and did a lot better."

Briseno and DeMarco received a certificate from Menifee 24/7 and a Target gift card from Larry Nemelka of Diamond RE/MAX Realty.

Marquez, Briseno: Heritage High Menifee 24/7 Athletes of Month

Heritage High School's Caleb Marquez and Kristen Briseno receive their Athlete of the Month awards from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, sponsor of the awards program.

Senior nose guard and linebacker Caleb Marquez and junior cross country runner Kristen Briseno of Heritage High School were honored this week with the Menifee 24/7 September Athlete of the Month Award, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Marquez has performed consistently both on offense and defense for the Patriots football team, which is 4-1 overall heading into their Sunbelt League opener at home against Perris tonight. As a starting nose guard on the offensive line, he provides valuable blocking for Heritage's running game and pass protection for sophomore quarterback Brett Virgil.

Experience gained as a lineman and familiarity with those playing next to him -- especially tackle Niko Gomez -- has helped Marquez become a comfortable and confident leader of the offensive line.

"Offense is becoming really fun," Marquez said. "Knowing the plays better helps a lot. I feel like I'm able to go full-speed and hit people hard. But I know I have to hit them under control."

Marquez will be called upon for even more leadership tonight, because Gomez is sidelined with a leg injury. Until he returns -- perhaps next week -- it will be up to Marquez to adjust to a new fellow lineman and take up the slack.

One reason for excitement is the fact the Patriots are finally playing at home after four straight weeks on the road. It's also the school's Homecoming.

"It's a homecoming for us, and it's a real Homecoming," Marquez said. "People show up when we're on the road, but there's a lot more hype when we come home and see a big crowd."

Briseno, who was also a Heritage Athlete of the Week last week, is coming off an impressive performance in a cross country invitational at Yucaipa last weekend. She led the race virtually the whole way and finished first.

"I think it's hard when you're out in front," she said. "I have a bad habit of looking back to see where the other runners are. The coaches tell us not to, but a lot of runners do that."

Briseno handled the course well, both on surface streets and on hilly surfaces. That, combined with her 19:48 clocking in the recent Bulldog Invitational, have made her a top contender entering the upcoming Inland Empire Championships.

"It's a really big meet with a lot of great teams," she said.

Briseno's goal is to keep improving her times into the low 19-minute range.

"I didn't feel like I was hitting where I should be," she said about her earlier performances. "I woke up and realized I had to practice harder. I needed to start improving myself."

Each athlete received a certificate and VISA gift card from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, sponsor of the award.

Heritage Athletes of Week: Ibarra, Briseno, Thompson, Gomez

Heritage High School's Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Week (from left): Jesus Ibarra, Kristen Briseno, Brianna Thompson, Niko Gomez.

From enduring distance runners to a versatile tennis player to a tough member of the football team's offensive and defensive line, Heritage High is well represented by Menifee 24/7's Athletes of the Week.

Jesus Ibarra, a freshman, ran a personal best of 17:38 at the recent Bulldog Invitational in Hemet for the Patriots' boys cross country team. That was well below his previous personal best of 18:51.

Ibarra has a goal of improving his three-mile time to the low 16's in an attempt to qualify for the CIF postseason later this fall.

"I run to stay in shape, but also to go to CIF," he said. "I just have to do extra training and pick up the pace to go faster each meet."

In the same meet, Kristen Briseno established a personal best as well with a time of 19:48 for the girls cross country team. The junior, who also plays soccer, is disciplined in her physical and mental approach to the sport.

"I just set a goal of going a few seconds faster each time," she said. "A lot of it is mental. Sometimes in the middle of the race you're just tired of running, but you have to keep going."

Brianna Thompson was a standout singles player for the Patriots girls tennis team last year. This year, the senior was asked to team with Christen McGrath to help strengthen Heritage's doubles play. The two have responded with some impressive victories.

"She brings out the best in me as a tennis player," Thompson said about McGrath. "It's the trust factor. Now you have two people to get the point instead of just yourself, and I can play to my full potential without being as nervous."

Thompson would like to attend college at Old Dominion University in Virginia. She hopes to participate in NROTC in preparing for a career as a Naval nurse or ER physician.

Niko Gomez has been an anchor on the football team's offensive and defensive lines as a tackle and nose guard. He has been one of the main reasons the Patriots are 4-1 heading into Sunbelt League play Oct. 11.

Last week, Gomez had to leave during a dominating performance in a win over Rialto when he took the brunt of a helmet on his left leg, which had previously been fractured. His leg was splinted to reduce swelling after he was helped off the field. Fortunately, he suffered no broken bones.

The injury is diagnosed as a sprained ankle. An MRI is scheduled for Friday, but Gomez is hopeful of returning in two to three weeks. The Patriots have a bye this week and should be the favorite in their league opener against Perris Oct. 11. After that, Gomez hopes to be back.

"It's not like I'm looking to get more time to recover from my injury," he said about the team having the week off. "You kind of want to man up and play the next week, but I have to be smart about it. I'm confident about our team's chances against Perris and I hope I can come back after that."