Palm Desert track and field senior Jaliyah Alexander is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Specializing in 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter sprint, and the 4×1 relay, Alexander is the standard for the Aztecs. “Jaliyah represents everything we want in the Aztec community and on the Aztec program,” head coach Mark Monroy said. “She devotes
Shadow Hills baseball pitcher and outfielder Julian Herrera is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Primarily pitching on the mound for the Knights, Herrera mentioned it is all about being calm and collected in the moment. “I just try to stay calm, and I try not to overthink things,” Herrera said. I mean, being a
Indio softball outfielder Sienna Rodriguez is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Playing softball, water polo, volleyball, and track and field for the Rajahs, Rodriguez’s motivation to excel is her team. “I’m a competitive person and I think what motivates me is my team,” Rodriguez said. “I want to do it for them … I
La Quinta track and field sprinter Jaeleene Ramos is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Success for Ramos would be an understatement, as she has been part of a team that has won three championships. However, she credits her success to the people closest to her. “Something that motivates me on the track is probably
Rancho Mirage baseball pitcher and shortstop Malakai Lopez is this week’s student-athlete of the week. As a multi-sport athlete, Lopez uses his competitive fuel to become a better student and athlete. “I feel like I’m a very competitive person. I’m always wanting to get better,” Lopez said. “I always want to get to the next
Palm Desert’s boys tennis player Bhargav Jakkaraju is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Playing on the varsity team his freshman year, coaches and teammates noticed that Jakkaraju was more than an athlete; he was a student of the game. “He has really matured very much. He started playing for me as a freshman. In
Xavier Prep softball pitcher and utility player Dani Dardano is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Dardano, who has played on varsity since her sophomore year, mentioned that balance is the key to being an all-around athlete and a great student in the classroom. “I like to keep a really balanced life,” Dardano said. “I
Indio Girls’ water polo point Mia Buelna is this week’s student-athlete of the week. Joining the varsity team as a sophomore, Buelna was ready to compete as soon as she joined. “It was clear from the start that she wanted to get better at the sport, and she really proved from an early stage that
Palm Desert Boys’ soccer goalie Michael Cornwell is this week’s student athlete of the week. Described as a displinced and competitive athlete, Cornwell credits those traits from the people that are closest to him. “This team is built on allowing me to be the best because they are the best I can ask for,” Cornwell
Rancho Mirage Boys’ soccer Emiliano Dominguez is this week’s student athlete of the week. As described by coaches and teammates, Dominguez’s character is humble, relentless, competitive, and a great friend on and off the field. Playing on the varsity team since he was a freshman, Dominguez and his coach have built a long-lasting relationship. “We
The Shadow Hills girls wrestling program has won four straight league titles and a lot of that success can be attributed to senior star Kaylin Montano. Shadow Hills senior wrestler Kaylin Montano is our student athlete of the week.🏅 2x league champ🏆 1 @CIFSS title (hopefully 2 soon)📚 Bookworm👩🔬 Plans to study chemistry or biology💊 Wants to
“The biggest maturity I’ve seen in Audrey is a leadership role,” La Quinta Girls’ basketball coach Electra Viveros said. When she came into the program, she was on varsity off the bat, but she was more of a role player, and she had others around her who were shining at the time, and now she
Rancho Mirage senior guard Gram Craven is this week’s featured student athlete. A basketball fanatic, Craven knew exactly which program he wanted to lace up for. “I’ve been playing basketball my whole life. I always wanted to play high school,” said Craven. “That’s why I came here because I knew coach Hanmer and he’s a
“I’m in my 13th year of doing this and he’s by far, by far, the best scorer that I’ve been around. He just has a natural ability to make shots and that comes from hours and hours of him being in the gym,” said Sobczyk. “He’s just a very confident young man.” What are you trying
Kamryn Mercado will be the spotlight for La Quinta water polo this season. An experienced swimmer that is stepping into a leadership role. It’s been a great experience to have her on the team. Right away, it was really obvious that she had leadership skills,” said LQ head coach Gregg Garczynski. “And so that’s why
How would you describe her as an athlete? “As an athlete, she’s scrappy. This is her second year so we’re really developing on her technique right now,” said Indio head coach Miguel Villalobos. “And trying to focus on her aggressiveness on the mat. She’s doing a good job with us and she won the league
“So, I met Messiah when I first got hired on here in January, you know, kind of started getting knowing the kids and just kind of filling out who they are as a person. When we got out out here on February, started to see what kind of athletes we have. He was by far
How would you describe him as a football player? “Hard worker, determined, tenacious,” said Palm Desert head coach Rudy Forti. “Just gets after it.” Dawson Johnson is a football enthusiast. He didn’t find football, football found him. “I never really played football growing up. I grew up in Canada,” said Johnson. “So a big soccer family,
“He has a great arm in this pool. He’s really in the last three years developed the core strength and his power that he comes off of there. It’s hard for the other team’s goalies to stop once he gets it,” said Gundlach. Riley Reyes didn’t initially start in the pool at Shadow Hills, but
That is Sage Baricza front and center. The senior cheer captain for Palm Desert and a spirit enthusiast. “I’ve been cheerleading for 14 years and I got started in a sport that’s a little bit different than high school cheer. I got started in all-star cheerleading when I was four years old,” said Baricza. “My mom
“Come on Miranda lets go, lets go!” That is Shadow Hills cross country head coach Richie DeTamble encouraging their senior powerhouse. Miranda Salcedo has waited her turn to take over the one spot for the Knights. “Miranda is one of those that doesn’t ask questions and just puts in the work. Well, when I say
“I was going to be a single player, but then the coaches thought that we play together. So, then we became partners last year,” said Lorena Parra-Hernandez. “We were fighting for the number three spot for singles and then we ended up as the number one doubles,” said Mia Castillo. “Both of them are very, extremely likable.
“The guys that go to Sacred Heart you are hoping or expecting that they come to Xavier. Doesn’t always work out like that. But Angie is a great lady and she brought Kyle to our school,” said XP head coach James Dockery. “He’s been a great ambassador on and off the field for Xavier, and
“The main reason I came to this school was because of their sports program,” said senior golf captain Madison Siva. “She is a gritty player. She tries her best and she doesn’t let a whole lot bother her,” said head coach Debbie Koyama. “I think the most important shot is the next one. So, if
Tennis is mostly an individual sport, but in high school it takes a collective effort. Here at La Quinta Julianna Guerrero has been a solid four-year starter. “I love it here at La Quinta. I love my team, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” said Guerrero. “A talented freshman you could see the
Rajahs girls volleyball doesn’t rebuild, they reload. And this season is senior Joselin Martinez’s time to shine. “I expect for her to have some great, amazing, memorable plays out there,” said Indio head coach Meagan Nolasco. “Some great kills. She’s a force at the net with her big block. So, I expect her to be
The Palm Desert girls volleyball team is led by southpaw standout Dakota Minker, a force at the net and a true competitor. “Her being a senior, her being a lefty, and her being a returner. That’s huge in the volleyball world,” said Palm Desert Volleyball coach Melissa Walker. “Her leadership skills are incredible. She’s able to
La Quinta High School Cross-Country “He came out freshman year in track and that’s where I met him. He had two races and the first race he went it was funny,” said La Quinta Cross Country head coach Candy Felix. Our Student Athlete of the Week segment returns tonight and our first senior to be
Update 6/11/23 Congratulations to our Student-Athlete of the Year winners: Marjourie Lopez of Shadow Hills High School Tristan Mulahusejnovic of Palm Desert High School Original Article: Blake Arthur and Bailey Arredondo have featured local high school seniors throughout the 2022-2023 school year with the “Student-Athlete of the Week” segment. From this year’s seniors who were