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.

Macy, Jackson Honored as Paloma Valley Athletes of Month

Baseball player Bryce Macy and track and field standout Dazhana Jackson of Paloma Valley High School were recently honored as the Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Month, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Macy is hitting .352 for the Wildcats, who won the Sunbelt League title with a 13-2 record and open the CIF playoffs this week with a 19-6 overall record. He also is one of the team leaders in RBIs with 13 and provides valuable leadership from his catcher's position.

"Bryce has been our on-field general from behind the plate for the past three years," said his coach, Chuck Kemp. "This season his leadership and clutch play has been immeasurable.

"Bryce willed our team into a position at the top of the standings. As the season gets deeper, his play gets better."

Macy prefers to give the credit to the whole team, including the improved pitching staff he handles from behind the plate.

"I haven't played as well as I wanted to, but I still feel like I'm helping the team," he said. "Getting on base, sac flies, anything I can do. And as the catcher, I feel like I have to take a leadership role."

Macy plans to attend Cal Baptist next year and play baseball there.

Jackson (right) helped the girls track team win back-to-back Sunbelt League championships. She improved her personal record in the shot put by more than five feet with a best of 39-5. She also recently broke the school record in that event by more than two feet.

"Dazhana has been a great leader and mentor to our younger throwers," said her coach, Juan Merida. "I see her constantly talking to and helping the younger throwers improve their technique. In addition to being a great athlete, Dazhana excels in the classroom, where she holds above a 3.0 GPA."

According to Merida, Jackson has received scholarship offers from UC Irvine, Robert Morris and some other universities.

Macy and Jackson received certificates from Menifee 24/7 and a Target gift card from Larry Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty (presenting Macy his award in top photo).

Arvizu, Oyhenart Named Paloma Valley Athletes of Month

Holly Oyhenart and Josuha Arvizu received their Athlete of the Month awards from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Baseball player Joshua Arvizu and softball player Holly Oyhenart of Paloma Valley High School have been honored as the Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Month, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty, for the accomplishments in March.

Arvizu is a defensive leader in center field for the Wildcats, who are tied for first place in the Sunbelt League standings at 4-0 and are 9-4 overall. He also is hitting .296 with 7 RBIs.

In addition to athletics, Arvizu is an outstanding student. He excels in his advanced placement classes and has been accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy.

"Josh is an outstanding student-athlete," said his coach, Chuck Kemp. "He challenges himself every day with a stringent academic schedule that includes multiple AP classes. On the field, no one works harder than Josh. He shows tremendous leadership anchoring our defense in center field."

Arvizu said he is confident of the team's ability to win the league title this year, based on its league championship last year and returning experienced players.

"We want to build off the team chemistry we have to get even better," said Arvizu, whose team was 14-1 in league play last year. "As far as the academics, it's easy with coach Kemp because he expects us to be students first and then athletes."

Oyhenart, also an outfielder, is one of the leaders of the Wildcats softball team, which is 4-1 and one game out of first place in the league standings. She is hitting .542 with 10 RBIs.

"Holly is a very smart, reliable and hard-working athlete," said her coach, Briana Wells. "She is one of our team captains and has done a wonderful job filling the role as a leader both on and off the field. She is a mature athlete who understands that she must continually work hard to improve her skills. Her batting average is proof of her hard work and dedication to the game."

"I've been playing since I was little, and it's something I don't take lightly," said Oyhenart, whose team's only league loss was to Heritage.

Oyhenart has accepted a scholarship to Christian Brothers University in Tennessee.

Arvizu and Oyhenart received a certificate from Menifee 24/7 and a Target gift card from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Cota, Prewitt Named Paloma Valley Athletes of the Month

From left: DeMarco Prewitt, Larry Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, Principal Don Williamson, Ashlynn Cota.

Basketball season is over at Paloma Valley High School, but accomplishments of two standout players have not been forgotten.

Senior Ashlynn Cota and sophomore DeMarco Prewitt have been selected as Paloma Valley's Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Month, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Cota is a third-year varsity player who led the girls basketball team in scoring at 14.3 points per game. She helped lead the Wildcats into the CIF playoffs.

"Ashlynn's offensive abilities have helped her to excel as a player," said her coach, Romeo Galbreath.

Cota is considering offers from Cal State East Bay, Cal State Monterey Bay and Whittier College. She hopes to study kinesiology in preparation for a career as a chiropractor or physical therapist.

"I'm going to go to the gym and work out, hopefully get into a college program where I can work out with other recruit," she said. "I want to work on my defense. It's been important ever since I was little, but I'm more of an offensive threat, so I know I need to work on my defense and my speed."

Prewitt is a three-sport athlete who also completes in football and track, but most recently his talents were utilized by the boys basketball team. Coming back from an early-season injury, he led the team in scoring and served as a captain of the team.

"DeMarco is a strong student and athlete," said his coach, Michael Pfeiffer. "He is a high character young man."

Prewitt made first-team all-league as a freshman and came back with a strong sophomore season.

"We're a young team; we only had two seniors on the team," Prewitt said about the Wildcats, whose season ended short of the CIF playoffs. "At the end of the season we won three in a row. Our morale was good."

Cota and Prewitt received certificates from Menifee 24/7 and were presented Target gift cards from Larry Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.






She is considering offers from Cal State East Bay, Cal State Monterey Bay and Whittier College. She hopes to study kinesiology in preparation for a career as a chiropractor or physical therapist.

"You talk about having two shining examples of our student body right here," said Paloma Valley Principal Don Williamson. "This is awesome."

Mahilum, Armijo Named Paloma Valley Athletes of the Month

Lysander Mahilum and Jackie Armijo receive their Athlete of the Month awards from Cynthia Nemelka of REMAX/Diamond Realty.

Wrestler Lysander Mahilum and soccer standout Jackie Armijo were honored this week as the January Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Month from Paloma Valley High School.

The monthly award is sponsored by REMAX/Diamond Realty. Cynthia Nemelka presented the awards.

Mahilum, just a sophomore, won the 108-pound weight class at the Sunbelt League finals Feb. 1. He is one of several wrestlers who will represent the Wildcats in the CIF Divisional Finals on Feb. 22.

Recently, he placed a strong second in the prestigious Raul Huerta Memorial Tournament.

"For the last week, we've just been focusing on training and team bonding," Mahilum said about the break between league finals and CIF finals. "We had a pancake eating contest, we had a pizza eating contest. Everyone's trying to get big, then we'll get small again to make weight.

"The next two weeks will be the grind. It's intense dieting and working out. I'm looking to get first or second at CIF and top eight at Masters. My end season goal is to place at state."

Armijo is a senior and one of the leaders of the Wildcats girls soccer team, which is heading to the CIF playoffs as league champions. She began the season as a defender but also has taken advantage of scoring oppotunities, contributing goals from the midfield position.

"I'm really confident we can make it father in the playoffs this year," said Armijo, whose team won league for the first time since 2008.

College programs have shown an interest in Armijo, who is prepared to continue her career at the next level.

Palmer, Taoete, Castor Named Athletes of the Month

Three high school athletes who recently completed standout fall sports seasons have been selected by their schools to receive the Menifee 24/7 Athlete of the Month Award, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Football player Matt Palmer and volleyball player Dayanerrah Taoete of Heritage High School and cross country runner Zackery Castor of Paloma Valley High School were recently honored for their accomplishments in November. Each was presented a VISA gift card by Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Matt Palmer had one of the best seasons of any defensive football player in Southern California for the Patriots, who posted a 13-1 record and won the CIF-SS Central Division championship. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior defensive back had 10 interceptions this season -- second most in the state. Six of those came in the playoffs, including one in Heritage's 34-33 victory over Rancho Verde in the championship game.

Palmer, who also played wide receiver for the Patriots, is being recruited by several colleges and already has received a scholarship offer from Azusa Pacific University, according to his father.

Dayanerrah Taoete just completed an impressive season as outside hitter for the Patriots girls volleyball team. Under first-year coach Lindsey Sappington, she provided leadership for a team that finished 12-8 and advanced to the CIF playoffs.

Taoete will play club volleyball through the summer in hopes of earning a college scholarship.

Zackery Castor was the top athlete on the Paloma Valley High boys cross country team, even though he spent the entire season dealing with a leg injury suffered during the preseason. He posted a time of 16:19 in the CIF prelims at Mt. San Antonio College, setting the pace for Wildcat runners as usual.

The Menifee 24/7 Athlete of the Week and Athlete of the Month awards will resume in early January.

Valencia, Offerman Named Paloma Valley Athletes of Month

Paloma Valley High School Athletes of the Month Michael Valencia and Shannon Offerman accept their awards from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Senior wide receiver and defensive back Michael Valencia and senior volleyball right-side hitter Shannon Offerman have received the Menifee 24/7 Paloma Valley High School Athlete of the Month awards, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Valencia has been one of the top pass receivers for the Wildcats, who are 8-1 this season and headed for the CIF playoffs after Friday's game at Lakeside. He has 27 receptions for 480 yards and 13 touchdowns.

His familiarity with quarterback Brent Boehm on passing routes and timing has been a big part of the team's success.

"I feel like this season is the best season I've ever had," Valencia said. "This is my first year getting the ball a lot. Brent started trusting me more and getting me the ball.

"We developed a big bond over summer in the passing league. That gave us the chance to work on formations and timing."

Valencia is also a starter on defense, collecting 43 tackles this season with one fumble recovery and five interceptions.

Wildcats coach Bert Esposito can't say enough about the impact of Valencia on the program over the years.

"Michael is a Wildcat through and through," he said. "He has played in our program all four years and even played his youth football here with the Menifee Wildcats. Michael is an awesome person and a delight to be around. He is very polite, cordial and intelligent. He will be very successful in whatever endeavor he chooses and I am extremely proud to have been his coach and see him develop into a fine young man."

Offerman has had a standout season for the girls volleyball team, which is headed for the CIF playoffs. Despite ankle and shoulder injuries, she has excelled as both a shot maker and blocker on the front line. In a recent match against Temescal Canyon, she had a school-record nine blocks.

"Shannon has been a leader on the team, someone the other players look up to," said her coach, Stephen Kaas. "She is hoping to play volleyball in college and is working hard to get there."

Offerman said it was a challenge battling through the injuries and helping the team endure a rough start to the season.

"It's been a roller coaster, but we've gotten through it," she said. "We came together at the end when we needed to. We lost a few matches we shouldn't have, but everybody does that. Overall, we've had a good season."

Offerman hopes to continue her volleyball career in college and study ultrasound technology.

Both athletes received a certificate from Menifee 24/7 and a VISA gift card from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Boehm, Flores: Paloma Valley Menifee 24/7 Athletes of Month

Paloma Valley's Brent Boehm and Samantha Flores receive their Athlete of the Month awards from Cynthia Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty, sponsor of the awards program.

Senior quarterback Brent Boehm and senior cross country runner Samantha Flores of Paloma Valley High School were honored this week with the Menifee 24/7 September Athlete of the Month Award, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Boehm has compiled some impressive numbers in leading the Wildcats football team to a 5-0 record in nonleague play. He has completed 61 of 97 pass attempts (63 percent) for 950 yards and 17 touchdowns.

A returning starter, Boehm is a confident leader of the team's high-powered offense, which has outscored opponents, 271-101. After having a bye last week, the Wildcats open Sunbelt League play at home Friday at 7 p.m. against Elsinore.

Boehm said he is excited about the team's success, but he knows the players can't get too high on themselves. The Wildcats started last season 5-0 as well but lost three of five games in league play.

"We know we still have stuff to work on," he said. "We're not really riding too high. We know we can't have something happen to take us down, so the seniors take it as motivation."

Although the Wildcats' level of success in league play remains to be seen, there is no doubt that fans will be entertained by Paloma Valley's wide-open passing game. The team features several talented receivers, including Michael Valencia and RJ Benz, but it all starts with Boehm.

"It helps to have receivers you've worked with for a while," Boehm said with a smile. "I find it (the passing game) fun. The run can get boring."

Running is anything but boring for Flores, who is still riding high after a first-place finish in the recent Woodbridge Invitational cross country meet. She also did well last weekend in a race at Sunny Hills.

What she's really shooting for, however, is a top time at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational, one of the premier events of the season. The MSAC course is a challenging hilly course that is also used for CIF postseason competition and is considered a benchmark for local runners.

"That meet is huge," said Flores. "I train a lot on hills to get ready for that course. You just have to keep your pace and rhythm. The last half mile is hard, but you have people cheering you on."

Flores recorded the second fastest two-mile time in school history (11:51) in the Bronco Round-Up earlier this season. If she continues her level of success at courses like MSAC, she just might achieve her dream of continuing her cross country career at the University of Colorado.

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