KHSD Achieve Magazine- Winter 2020 by Kern High Network

MOTOR CITY

letter from THE DIRECTOR

Read this or any of our previous issues on your desktop or tablet at kernhighnetwork.com

Greetings:

STAN GREENE Director School Support Services

ACHIEVE MAGAZINE JAVIER VALDES Editor Coordinator of Public Information VICTORIA VALENCIA Digital Content Public Information Specialist MIGUEL GARCIA Digital Content Public Information Specialist

Staff

Deanna Ribbons Deyanira Aguinaga Genesis Sical Vanessa Ramos Ashley Ortega Catherine Lugo

Photographers

Nick Ellis Mark Duffel Henry Barrios David Dennis

Roger Fessler, N2Revenue

Administration

The Kern High School District is proud to present the 10th edition of the KHSD Achieve magazine. What started in Fall 2017 as an idea for an interactive digital magazine that would showcase student successes within the KHSD, has now evolved into a full print magazine production. Thanks to the unwavering response from our students, staff, and community supporters, we have been able to continue to build our product issue after issue. With the help of our talented photographers, writers, and videographers, we have put together a one-of-a-kind reading experience that features great photography, informative articles, and an entertaining digital experience. We are thankful to our many contributors and local community sponsors at; Motor City Lexus, Bakersfield College, and Valley Strong Credit Union. It is because of them that we are able to promote and celebrate our student’s success in all arenas. We hope you enjoy this edition of the Achieve Magazine as much as we appreciated working with all of our partners to create it.

Stan Greene Director School Support Services Kern High School District

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Bryon Schaefer, Ed.D. Superintendent Scott Cole, Ed.D. Deputy Superintendent Brenda Lewis, Ed.D. Associate Superintendent Dean McGee, Ed.D. Associate Superintendent Mike Zulfa, Ed.D. Associate Superintendent

Administration

J. Bryan Batey, President Joey O’Conell, Vice President Jeff Flores, Clerk Cynthia Brakeman, Clerk Pro Tem Janice Graves, Member

The KHSD Achieve Magazine aims to celebrate and promote our students, staff, and community partners.

The Kern High School District (KHSD) is committed to ensuring equal, fair, and meaningful access to employment and education services. KHSD prohibits discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or bullying in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis and/or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics of age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical information, national origin, physical or mental disability, parental status, political affiliation, pregnancy and related conditions, race, religion, retaliation, sex, sexual orientation, Military Veterans status, homelessness, foster status, or any other basis prohibited by California state and federal nondiscrimination laws consistent with Education Code 200 and 220, Government Code 11135, and Title IX. If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or bullying you should contact your school site principal and/or the District’s Chief Equity Compliance and Title IX Officer, Dr. Dean McGee, 5801 Sundale Avenue, (661) 827-3149, dmcgee@kernhigh.org. A copy of KHSD’s Uniform Complaint policy and Nondiscrimination policy are available at www.kernhigh.org and upon request.

Follow the hashtag #KHSDACHIEVE

#KHSDACHIEVE The #KHSDAchieve campaign was established in Fall 2018 as a way to create unity with our KHSD students, staff, and community partners. Our goal is to continue to promote all the great things that our KHSD students do and to make it easier for supporters to access KHSD content, no matter what social media platform they use. Join us in sharing your KHSD moments for a chance to be featured in our next magazine.

4 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

#KHSDACHIEVE 4/ #KHSDAchieve

Check out some of the Kern High School District students and staff that tagged us in their events and activities this Fall semester.

Features 6/ STATE CHAMPION

45/ IHS BASKETBALL

8/ SOCAL REGIONAL CHAMPS

90/ EARLY COLLEGE

17/ BHS GIRLS BASKETBALL

92/ KHSD ALUMNI

28/ FOOTHILL SOCCER

94/ SECTION CHAMPIONS

Bakersfield High School’s Josiah Hill wins the heavyweight State Wrestling Championship. Read up on his journey to success. The East Bakersfield High School Girls Basketball team won the SoCal Regional Championships. Read up on the memorable evening.

After a 2-2 start to the season, BHS went on a 28-game winning streak, including a 10-0 record against SWYL foes.

Playing with the fire and determination of a team with something to prove the Trojans took their game to an even higher level.

State Champions COVER

Featured on the cover: Josiah Hill- BHS Wrestling State Champion, Alyssa Valdivia- FRHS- Wrestling Valley Champion, Gianna Valenti, CHS- Girls Soccer Valley Champion, Andres Meza, FHS- Boys Soccer Valley Champion, Taylor Linzie, BHSGirls Basketball Valley Champion, Kanyah Patterson, EBHS Girls Basketball SoCal Regional Champion, Josh Codamon, IHS Boys Basketball Valley Champion.

After receiving the number two seed for the postseason, the Falcons went on a historical playoff run that landed them in the big game. The Bakersfield College Early College program is targeted to help high school students earn a degree while in high school.

See what some of our most notable KHSD students who went on to play sports at the collegiate level at Bakersfield College. Find out what Kern High School District students were valley champions for the Winter 2020 season.

IN THIS ISSUE

88 SYC WRESTLING

SYC BASKETBALL

The Kern High Network hosted the annual SYC Wrestling Championships. The event brought together some of Kern County’s top wrestlers as they battled for a custom one-of-a-kind guitar.

The Kern High Network hosted the first ever SYC Basketball Championships. Check out some photos and story from the memorable evening.

NSPRA AWARD

2018

FOR DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT

MAGAZINE

PRSA

CalSPRA

IMAGE AWARD

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS

2018 MAGAZINE

2019 MAGAZINE

2020 MAGAZINE

Bakersfield High School’s Josiah Hill Wins Heavyweight State Wrestling Championship Josiah Hill has experienced enough adversity during his young life to let anything that happens on the wrestling mat rattle him. The Bakersfield High senior demonstrated his propensity for remaining cool and calm under pressure during the heavyweight final of the CIF State Wrestling Championships at Mechanics Bank Arena. Trailing 2-1 after getting taken down and rolled briefly onto his back by Gilroy’s Nico Villarreal early in the first period, Hill appeared about to go down again early in the second period. Instead, the extremely athletic and agile Hill amazingly scrambled out of the precarious situation and quickly turned the tables on Villarreal, scoring a takedown before garnering a pin moments later. Despite the way things looked, Hill said that he was never worried that he was in jeopardy of losing the match.

“I’ve been in that position a lot with my wrestling buddy Justin Darter,” Hill said, “I could hear people saying, ‘oh, oh’. I was just keeping calm and doing what I thought was right...I never feel like I’m in trouble in a match. Just because I know where I’m at. I know what I’m capable of. I just have the confidence to know I can get myself out of the situation.” Following the bout, Hill turned and faced his family and friends in the arena and raised his hands in the air before bumping his chest a couple of times with his fist. “This was probably the highlight of my year having everybody I love in the stands, getting to point at them,” Hill said. “And them seeing me win is just an unexplainable feeling.” One person that unfortunately wasn’t there to see Hill’s big win was his father, who lost his life in a motorcycle accident a few weeks after Hill placed seventh at

STATE WRESTLING

last year’s state championships. Hill’s mother passed away when he was 12. But Saturday night it was all smiles for the seemingly always happy and upbeat new king of the 285-pound weight division. “I’m still in awe and shock. I don’t have words for it,” Hill said moments after becoming the first heavyweight in Bakersfield High’s long and storied wrestling history to win a state title. “It was monumental win for my career.” Hill came into the state tournament with an impressive 38-1 record and ranked No. 1 in the state. He lived up to that top billing with a dominating performance throughout the three-day event. Three of his five matches ended in pins, including. The other two he won by scores of 10-0 and 9-5. Among the five wrestlers Hill defeated were the No. 2 (Villarreal), No. 4 (Malachi Taylor of Lakewood-Mayfair), and No. 9

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Nick Ellis

(Arturo Ojeda of San Jacinto) ranked 285-pounders in the state. “I haven’t seen too many heavyweight state champions wrestle like Josiah Hill,” BHS coach Andy Varner said. Watching Hill win the state title was an emotional experience for Varner. “I’m just so excited,” Varner said. “It’s hard to hold back the tears a little bit. Josiah Hill, state champion. It’s amazing and it couldn’t have happened to a better kid. If anybody deserved it, it was him. He worked his tail off. He believed he could do it. Just the work ethic. The drive. His athleticism. His size. You don’t get that showing up too much in your (wrestling) room. Just an amazing kid.” Hill will continue his wrestling career this coming year at Arkansas-Little Rock. “They are getting a good one,” Varner said.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

DIVISION 5 CHAMPIONS

Kanyah Patterson

Samantha Garcia

East High Girls Basketball team wins the SoCal Regional title Make no mistake, there is a lot of talent and skill on the East High girls basketball team. However, that hasn’t been the primary reason for the Blades’ current magical post-season run. East punched its ticket to the CIF D-V state championship game by claiming a dominating 56-42 victory over visiting San Diego-Madison in the SoCal Regional title game . “Our kids face so much adversity every day,” East coach Bobby Sharp said. “They’re tough. They’re gritty. And they love to win. They picked it up. They got their mojo going. Once we won the section, they believed that we may be able to win this thing. And look at where we’re at. It’s incredible.” Kanya Patterson scored 18 of her game-high 25 points in the first half as East jumped out to 31-15 halftime lead before cruising to its eighth straight victory. “I came out with the mindset that I just want to win and take it all the way for not just me but for my family and my school and the whole east side,” Patterson said. “We’re making history. I give all thanks to God for giving me the talent to play the game.” The Blades (23-9) were set to play NorCal champion Ross-Branson for the D-V state championship at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. However the game was canceled due to unexpected challenges brought by COVID-19. East is trying to become the first girls high 10 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

school basketball team from Kern County to win a state championship. Patterson, who is averaging 19.5 points per game during the playoffs, made sure the Blades got their shot at making history with a stellar all-around performance against Madison. The 5-foot-1 senior guard dazzled the large enthusiast crowd inside the East High gym with an array driving layups, floaters in the lane, and high-arching three-pointers from the corner. “I told coach before the game; she’s got that look in her eye,” Sharp said. “She knows what time it is. She’s a bigtime player. If there’s a better player in D5 in California I want to see her.” Seemingly helpless to stop Patterson from scoring playing a traditional man-to-man or zone defense, the Warhawks went to box-andone midway through the first quarter. That tactic slowed down Patterson a bit but opened the floor for the Blades other players, who shot the ball extremely well all night long. East finished 20 of 40 (50-percent) floor including 7 of 13 from three-point range. Serina Covarrubias and Samantha Garcia both made two three-pointers. Covarrubias fueled a 10-2 run at the start of the third quarter with back-to-back three-pointers from the left wing. Her second make from long distance extended the Blades lead to 24 points and put the

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Miguel Garcia

March 10, 2020

game out of reach for a Madison squad that scored only 21 points through the first three quarters. East’s tenacious defense had 12 steals for the game, many of which were converted into east transition baskets. “We try to put pressure on the ball and then when somebody picks it up, we attack,” Covarrubias said. Covarrubias finished with eight points and two steals. Garcia had 12 points and Southeast Yosemite League Co-MVP Alaisha Landeros added six points, eight rebounds, and six blocked shots for the Blades. Imani Moore led the Warhawks (18-18) in scoring with 20 points. Cameron Smith chipped in 12 points for Madison, which had its three-game winning streak snapped. “It’s hard to explain what this means to our kids,” Sharp said. “We’ve worked so hard to get here. If you believe and you work, anything is possible.” East averaged just three wins per season during the 12 years prior to Sharp taking over the program in fall 2016. The Blades have averaged more than 18 wins a season after Sharp’s first year in charge. “The first day I came here I told the group we’re going to win a section championship,” Sharp said. “That’s our goal. That’s our mission. That’s what we’re after. And we’ve been close three years in a row. Finally got it done. We never dreamed of this. This is just amazing. It’s incredible.”

#PRIDE

GIRLS SOCCER

ARVIN HIGH

BEARS

Denise Ortiz

“Patience, effort, and work led us to a championship!” — Luis Tello, Girls Soccer Coach

Arvin High soccer player Cynthia Magana makes her way down the field as the Bears take on the Shafter Generals on December 11, 2019. Photos by David Dennis

THE LIST ARVIN HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

ED WATTS Principal

STEPHEN GRANUCCI AP, Instruction ROBERT MOORE AP, Administration CHRISTINE MILLER Dean of Students RALPH GONZALES Athletics Director LAURA LIERA Activities Director

WINTER 2020 South Sequoia League Boys’ Basketball 7th Place Judy Pulido

Alondra Macias

Arvin girls basketball amasses long list of impressive achievements The 2019-20 season was filled with many special moments for the Arvin High girls basketball team. The Bears (28-6) amassed a long list of impressive achievements and reached several historic milestones. For the first time in program history Arvin, which won the South Sequoia League for second time in four years, hosted three straight playoffs games, played in a section championship game at Selland Arena in Fresno, and hosted a state playoff game. “It was just a remarkable season now that I look back upon it,” Arvin coach Mario Pena said “It was just a great group of girls that came along at the right time with the right mindset.” The main reason for the Bears success was their stingy, ball-hawking, defense. Arvin allowed an average of only 38 points per game and held four opponents under 20 points. The Bears aggressive ¾ court trap continually forced opponents

GIRLS BASKETBALL

into committing turnovers that Arvin turned into easy transition baskets. “Everybody knows what we do out here, but some of them just can’t get out of it,” Pena said. “Our defense, in the middle part and the tail end of the first round of league was just swarming people.” The Bears’ SSL opponents wilted under the intense pressure. Arvin posted an 11-1 record in league, outscoring the opposition by a whopping 21.5 points per game. Fielding a balanced scoring attack that featured four players (Mariah Stone, Ivette Salcedo, Emily Flores, and Judy Pulido) who averaged between 8.5 and 9.3 points per game, the Bears got hot and won 13 straight games after suffering their only SSL loss of the season, a 45-42 setback at the hands of Shafter. Arvin avenged that loss in the second round of league play, routing the Generals by 26 points. “I think after that game we lost to Shafter, we played like, ‘Hey

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Miguel Garcia

we aren’t taking it for granted anymore,’” Pena said. “And we played to our potential from then on out. We never wavered.” Seeded No. 2 for the Central Section Division III playoffs, the Bears crushed their first and second round opponents Fresno-Sunnyside and Madera by 20 and 22 points. Next, in front of a large raucous home crowd, Arvin edged Southwest Yosemite League runner-up Frontier, 68-65, to earn a trip to the section championship game. Unfortunately for the Bears they lost the title game to Porterville. Despite that loss it was a thrilling playoff ride for Arvin and Pena, who believes there were two main reasons for his team’s success. “First of all, their dedication level and work ethic are second to none,” Pena said. “They strive and they fight for everything. Second, it’s because of how close these girls are. They call it a sisterhood. We are a family.”

Girls’ Basketball 1st Place Boys’ Soccer 4th Place Girls’ Soccer 3rd Place Boys’ Wrestling 5th Place

900 Varsity Road Arvin, CA 93309 Phone: 661-854-5561 Fax: 661-854-5943 www.arvin.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Arvin High School.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

Isaac Lopez

Jaime Reyes

Arturo Corona 14 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Citlali Sanchez

ARVIN HIGH SCHOOL BEARS BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Mark Duffel

#PRIDE

Emily Flores

Senior Basketball Player

Successful high school basketball teams usually have several seniors that the younger players count on to provide leadership on and off the court as well as step up and make big plays during crucial moments of games. This year for the Arvin High girls, all those responsibilities and much more were shouldered by the team’s lone senior, Emily Flores. The 5-foot-8 senior stepped up to the challenge in a big way, leading Arvin (28-6) to the Central Section Division III championship game. “She was really the glue that held everything together and really kept us on path,” Arvin coach Mario Pena said. “On the court, she was a beast under the boards. She kept us in several games by herself with her offensive and defensive rebounding. Her determination all through the season was unmatched. You couldn’t ask for a better leader and player.” Flores, an All-South Sequoia League First Team selection, averaged 8.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Renowned for her strong work ethic and being highly competitive, Flores had eight double-doubles. “When we were down, and we could have lost games, it was Emily’s leadership, whether it was vocal, or whether it was with her tenacious play, pulled us through a lot of those rough spots,” Pena said. “All of our girls looked up to her.”

Senior Emily Flores makes her way down the court at the CIF Valley Championship game.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

#DRILLERWAY

BOYS BASKETBALL

BAKERSFIELD HIGH

DRILLERS

Josh Geary

“It was another great season at BHS. We finished 23-8 overall and 10-0 in SWYL, winning our 4th straight league title. We had an outstanding group of seniors who left a great example for our returning players to follow” — Greg Burt, Basketball Coach

David Whatley and the Bakersfield High School Basketball team take on the Garces Rams at the SYC Basketball Championship. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST BAKERSFIELD HIGH ADMINISTRATION

BEN SHERLEY Principal

CHEYENNE BELL AP, Instruction MELISA RIZO AP, Administration STEVE ANDERSON Dean of Students JEFF SCOTT Athletics Director ANA LOVAN Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 1st Place Girls’ Basketball 1st Place

BHS girls basketball claims Central Section Division 1 championship To paraphrase a line from a popular DJ Khaled song, all the Bakersfield High girls basketball team does is win no matter what. Since Rashaan Shehee became the Drillers coach four years ago BHS has won 85-percent (97-17) of its games. During that same time span the Drillers have captured four Southwest Yosemite League titles and three Central Section championships. All evidence that Shehee has coached nothing but first-rate teams during his tenure at the city’s oldest high school. But according to the former NFL running back his most recent group, which went 30-3 and won the Central Section Division I championship, was something special. “This has by far been the best team that we have had in my four years here, and we’ve had some pretty good teams,” Shehee said. After a 2-2 start to the season,

GIRLS BASKETBALL

BHS went on a 28-game winning streak, including a 10-0 record against SWYL foes. Seeded No. 1 for the section playoffs, the Drillers claimed the championship with three wins by an average 14 points. BHS won its first state playoff game by that same margin before having its season ended by Chula Vista-Mater Dei, 70-64, in the Southern California Regional quarterfinals. “I’m extremely proud of the girls,” Shehee said. “They came out and battled from the very beginning. We did lots of hard work (during the off season) and they didn’t blink one bit. They didn’t complain. They just did it. We had the blueprint put together for them and they just came in with a work attitude every day and that’s why they were able to see the success that they had.” Focusing most of its effort on the defensive side of the ball BHS

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Mark Duffel

played an up tempo, physical brand of basketball that overwhelmed most opponents. The Drillers outscored the teams they played by an average margin of 25.9 points per game. Mater Dei was the only team all season that scored more than 51 points against BHS, which held seven opponents to under 20 points. The Drillers parlayed their ball-hawking pressure defense into offensive production, constantly converting their opponent’s turnovers into easy transition baskets. “If you defend well, you get lay ups,” Shehee said. “That’s the easiest shot in the game.” BHS made everything look easy this year. “They brought back driller dominance,” Shehee said. “They came to play hard and give it everything they had every game. They left everything out on the floor.”

Boys’ Soccer 6th Place Girls’ Soccer 6th Place Boys’ Wrestling 1st Place Girls’ Wrestling 1st Place 1241 G Street Bakersfield, CA 93301 Phone: 661-324-9841 Fax: 661-324-3401 www.bakersfield.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Bakersfield High School.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

Xiclali Melgoza Rexes

Orianna Morales

Gabe Garrett 18 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Brooklyn Ford

BAKERSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL DRILLERS BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Nick Ellis

#DRILLERWAY

Taylor Linzie

Senior Basketball Player

Taylor Linzie is that rare basketball player that can do it all. The 5-foot-8 senior guard-forward demonstrated that point this season, contributing in a myriad of ways to a highly successful Bakersfield High girls team. Linzie averaged 8.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 4.0 steals per game for a Drillers squad that went 30-3 and won the Central Section Division I championship. “Taylor had a great season,” BHS coach Rashaan Shehee said. “She did her job as captain and led our team to another valley championship. Without her it doesn’t happen. She impacted the game on both sides of the floor, and that’s what makes her so special.” There’s a fundamental reason for Linzie’s exceptional set of basketball skills, according to Shehee. “She has some natural talent, but it’s really her work ethic,” Shehee said. “Taylor works extremely hard. She’s one of the first ones in the gym, last to leave and always putting in extra work. She has a high motor. She just doesn’t stop.” Linzie’s desire to constantly improve stems from her passion for a sport she played at the varsity level all four years of high school. “You see her play and you’re like, ‘Man this girl just loves the game,’” Shehee said. She truly loves it. You don’t find that in a lot of kids nowadays.”

Senior Girls Basketball player Taylor Linzie at the SYC Basketball Championship.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

#WEAREHAWKS

BOYS BASKETBALL

CENTENNIAL HIGH

GOLDEN HAWKS

Max Richey

“Our team played with a great deal of passion and enthusiasm. I’m proud of how hard they worked and how they grew as a family. ” — Hernan Santiago, Basketball Coach

Centennial High School basketball player Noah West makes his way down the court as the Golden Hawks take on the Liberty High Patriots. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST CENTENNIAL HIGH ADMINISTRATION

MATT GUINN Principal

ERIKA PIERCE AP, Instruction CHRIS SANCHEZ AP, Administration ROBERTO DELAROSA Dean of Students TOM HASKELL Athletics Director JAYNA CHAPMAN Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 2nd Place

Centennial soccer team wins first section championship since 1996 Tim Ferralli knows a championship caliber high school girls soccer team when he sees one. The veteran coach guided Highland to five Central Section titles before he moved over to Centennial prior to the 2018-19 season. Despite winning only five games in his first year in charge of the Golden Hawks, Ferralli knew before this season even started that he had a special team capable of accomplishing big things. Like usual, Ferralli was right. Centennial led by high scoring forwards Gianna Valenti and Mia Gangle and standout goalkeeper Juliana Alexander won the school’s first section championship since 1996. The top-seeded Golden Hawks outscored their four section playoff opponents by a combined 6-0 score in winning the Division II title. “I saw the ability of the group that was going to be coming back

Girls’ Basketball 4th Place GIRLS SOCCER

and I knew this was going to be the opportune year,” Feralli said. “This is the one I was waiting for after we kind plugged along through last year. We had a lot of seniors coming back. The freshman group that I kept last year was a phenomenal group. So, I knew that it was kind of going to be a snowball effect and we were heading in the right direction.” Centennial came out the gates strong, posting four straight lopsided victories to start the season. The Golden Hawks continued to play well the rest of the regular season but finished third, behind Liberty and Stockdale, in the final Southwest Yosemite standings. Battle tested from playing the always tough Patriots and Mustangs two times each, Centennial entered the section playoffs confident about its chances to win it all. “Once we got the No. 1 seed, I actually kind of turned things

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Mark Duffel

over to them,” Ferralli said. “The captains ran practices because I wanted them to have ownership of it. It was their team. I just made sure things were accurate and safe and going in the right direction…I think that just allowed them to really come together and build a respect for each other and feed off that. It paid off. That’s for sure.” The big payoff for the Golden Hawks came late in championship game with Alexander making a clutch save of a penalty kick before Valenti converted a penalty a couple of minutes later, lifting Centennial to a dramatic 1-0 victory over Tulare Union. “I’m just as proud as I can be of each of them” Ferralli said. “It was a momentous year. For however long I have left in this whole ride, it was one that I’m going to remember. Seeing their faces.”

Boys’ Soccer 5th Place Girls’ Soccer 3rd Place Boys’ Wrestling 3rd Place Girls’ Wrestling 2nd Place 8601 Hageman Road Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: 661-588-8601 Fax: 661-588-8608 centennial.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Centennial High School.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

Sadie Angel

Bailey Branam

Kaylee Golleher 22 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Gavin Miller

CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL GOLDEN HAWKS SOCCER

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Mark Duffel

#WEAREHAWKS

Gianna Valenti

Senior Soccer Player Gianna Valenti doesn’t often use words to try and motivate her teammates when she’s out on the soccer field. The Centennial High standout prefers to lead by example. The standout senior midfielder did a masterful job this season of demonstrating leadership through her abilities. Valenti scored a team-high 39 points (13 goals and 13 assists) as she helped the Golden Hawks win the Central Section Division 2 championship. The Centennial captain was the difference maker in the title game, scoring on a penalty kick late in the second half of a 1-0 victory over Tulare Union. “She’s just one of those that has the soccer IQ and the skill to back it up,” Centennial coach Tom Ferralli said. “Just kind of a double threat in that aspect. She can read the game and then she applies the hustle behind it. She’s an impressive all-around player.” Valenti, a four-year varsity player, missed the first eight games of her junior season due to an ankle injury. But after getting some time to recover over the summer, Valenti came into her senior season completely healthy and ready to go. Playing the role of an attacking midfielder, Valenti shined on both sides of the ball. “Her passion for the game is what kind of sets her apart,” Ferralli said. “Because I think that encompasses both that offensive and defensive mentality as well as that wholehearted desire to compete. You just have constant faith in her that the job is going to get done.”

Gianna Valenti at the Central Section Division 2 championship game.

KERN HIGH NETWORK

#BLADEFAMILY

BOYS BASKETBALL

EAST BAKERSFIELD HIGH

BLADES

Jesus Ramirez

“This season was a very challenging season. I am extremely proud of our team. They pulled together and had a good season taking 2nd place in the SEYL.” — James Dominguez, Basketball Coach

Phillip Salas and the East Bakersfield High Blades take on the North High Stars on January 14, 2020. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST EAST BAKERSFIELD HIGH ADMINISTRATION

LEO HOLLAND Principal

SYDNEY PETERSON AP, Instruction JON ROSE AP, Administration MELISSA BENNETT Dean of Students TORI NETTLETON Athletics Director BREANNA ALVAREZ Activities Director

Angelina Rodriguez

East High girls soccer performs beyond expectations this season Fielding a starting lineup consisting mostly of freshmen and sophomores, the East High girls soccer performed beyond expectations this year. The Blades posted an impressive 26-4-2 overall record and came up just short of winning the Central Section Division IV championship. “It was an overachieving season,” East coach Marty Martinez said. “I knew that we were going to be good, but I didn’t know that we would go on that sort of run, so it was it was pretty crazy for that group.” Led by high-scoring forward Laila Baameur (41 goals and 12 assists) and talented midfielder Karla Esqueda (9 goals and 17 assists) and buoyed by a defense that allowed only 14 games all season, the Blades ran roughshod over most of their opponents. Fifteen of their 26 wins were by three goals or more. Meanwhile, all four of their losses were by one goal.

Lizbeth Espinoza GIRLS SOCCER

With All-Southeast Yosemite League center-back Serena Rodriguez and goalkeepers Emilee Hogan and Georgia Jackson protecting the net, East posted 21 shutouts. The Blades finished in second place to Highland in the SEYL. Seeded No. 4 for the playoffs, East downed Santa Maria 4-1 in the first round before overcoming an early 1-0 deficit to beat Visalia-Central Valley Christian, 2-1, in the quarterfinals. That result setup a semifinal match-up against top-seeded Hanford-Sierra Pacific, winners of 17 straight games. That fact didn’t deter the Blades, who went on the road and beat the Golden Bears 1-0. “They were used to winning so I had to tell the bench, ‘Get up, go jump around, you’re going the Valley Finals,’” Martinez said. East’s magical post-season run ended two days later with a 2-1 loss to Orosi in the section championship game.

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Mark Duffel

“I’m extremely proud of them,” Martinez said. “As a coach, the biggest compliment I can give them is they overachieved. It was just grit and being resilient and playing for each other. The culture of our team is different than most. It’s like we’re a big family and they want to play for each other. They’re all selfless and they try to win for each other.” Martinez believes that team unity was the biggest key to the Blades success this season. During the off season most of the team plays together on a club team coached by Martinez. In addition to that, every school year the players the girls soccer team compete in another sport together. This year they ran cross country. “People wouldn’t understand it, but (the reason for our success) is the culture of our team,” Martinez said “It’s them being so tight knit. It’s cliché, but we’re a big family.”

WINTER 2020 Southeast Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 2nd Place Girls’ Basketball 2nd Place Boys’ Soccer 5th Place Girls’ Soccer 2nd Place Boys’ Wrestling 5th Place Girls’ Wrestling 4th Place 2200 Quincy St Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: 661-871-7221 Fax: 661-872-6980 east.kernhigh.org

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KERN HIGH NETWORK 25

Eloisa Alfaro

Jose Martinez

Julio Luna 26 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Alaisha Landeros

EAST BAKERSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL BLADES SOCCER

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Mark Duffel

#BLADEFAMILY

Laila Baumer

Senior Soccer Player

To say that Laila Baameur exceeded all expectations for herself this soccer season would be a huge understatement. Prior to the start of the year the East High girls player, when asked by Blades coach Marty Martinez to list on paper her objectives for the season, wrote 20 goals scored. That number proved to be way to low for the ultra-talented sophomore forward. Baameur, who scored 13 girls her freshman season, found the back of the net 41 times, the most of any girls player in Kern County. She had six games with three or more goals including a season-high of five against Tehachapi. Baamuer scored at least one goal in 21 of the Blades 32 games. “I told her (at the time) that she needed to re-write (her goal of scoring 20 goals,” Martinez said. “She was kind of confused, and she finally said 30. I said, ‘Yeah we can start with that.” It’s a good thing they changed it. Baameur needed only eight games to get to 20 goals. “She’s not your typical goal scorer,” Martinez said. “She has a really good shot, and a lot of her goals are coming from outside the box, where most teams aren’t ready for a shot attempt…It was a phenomenal season for her. She really tapped into her potential.”

Senior Laila Baumer makes her way down the field at the North at East game on January 14, 2020.

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#SPIRIT

GIRLS WRESTLING

FOOTHILL HIGH

TROJANS

Kendra Juarez, Ariana Juarez, Tatiana Sajic, Jessica Manriquez

“This year it was passion for wrestling that brought the team together and that allowed them to achieve success as a team” — Phillip Marquez, Girls Wrestling Coach

Foothill girls wrestler Ariana Juarez wins her second consecutive SYC Wrestling Championship at North High on February 5, 2020. Photos by Henry Barrios

THE LIST FOOTHILL HIGH ADMINISTRATION

GAIL BENTLEY Principal

OCTAVIO PATIÑO AP, Instruction JODI SHUPPERT AP, Administration DERRECK REED Dean of Students MIKE BIEZAD Athletics Director JENNIFER WEST Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 3rd Place

Foothill High’s boys soccer team claims valley championship win Even though the Foothill High boys soccer team produced spectacular results during the 201819 season, the Trojans came into this year with a proverbial chip on their shoulder. Playing with the fire and determination of a team with something to prove, the reigning Southeast Yosemite League and Central Section Division IV champions, took their game to an even higher level. Foothill posted a highly impressive 24-1-2 overall record and repeated as both league and section champs. “It was a pretty special season,” Foothill coach Ty Rose said. “Even though we’re valley champs, we still have that underdog mentality from the east side. We don’t get a bunch of club kids coming in trying to come to our school, so we really have to develop it from the inside through our hard work. I think that’s what separates us from some others.”

BOYS SOCCER

The Trojans certainly separated themselves from their competition this season. Paced offensively by the high scoring duo of Aron Fabela (25 goals) and Andres Meza (23 goals) they outscored their opponents 77-20, an average of 2.1 goals per game. “I thought we would be good,” Rose said. “But I thought we would struggle to score more than what it ended up being like. I thought we were going to have to just grind some games out, but we had some young guys that over the summer really improved and came in hungry.” Despite losing 1-0 in double overtime to Highland the second time the two teams played, Foothill edged the Scots by a game for the SEYL title. The top-seeded Trojans dominated the Central Section Division III playoffs, outscoring their four opponents 14-4 in winning the title. They defeated Highland 3-0 in the championship game.

By Stephen Lynch Photo by Nick Ellis

“The “Valley” championship meant everything,” Rose said. “It was one our goals this season. I challenged the kids. We were moving up a division and knew it was going to be tougher. We kind of snuck up on some people last year, but not this year. People were gunning for us, because of the success we had last year. They responded in every way imaginable...They answered the call every single time they stepped out on the field. Pretty special group and very special season.” Foothill’s remarkable post-season run came to an end when it lost to Pasadena-Marshall in the SoCal D-IV Regional quarterfinals. It was later found out that Marshall had used an ineligible player and the Trojans were awarded the victory. However, the CIF refused Foothill’s request to let it play the team Marshall had beaten (but later forfeited to) in the Regional semifinals.

Girls’ Basketball 6th Place Boys’ Soccer 1st Place Girls’ Soccer 3rd Place Boys’ Wrestling 2nd Place Girls’ Wrestling 2nd Place 501 Park Dr. Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: 661-366-4491 Fax: 661-363-6223 foothill.kernhigh.org

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Aron Fabela

Girls Basketball

Luis Amaya 30 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Camila Moncada

FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL TROJAN BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Miguel Garcia

#SPIRIT

Bryan Diaz

Senior Basketball Player If you listen to Foothill High boys basketball coach Wesley Davis, you would think Bryan “Pony” Diaz was an a Eagle Scout. Davis describes his team’s best player this year using terms like hard working, trustworthy, dependable, and dedicated. “Bryan is an excellent young man,” Davis said. “He’s someone you wouldn’t mind your daughter dating or marrying.” Diaz’s slew of positive personality traits made him an obvious choice to be one of Trojans two captains. He excelled in that role, providing great leadership for a young Foothill team. Equally important, Diaz stepped up his game and became the Trojans go-to scorer and best lockdown defender. “He missed the first three or four games because he was one of the starting tailbacks on the football team and he needed some time to let his body recover,” Davis said. “He was able to come back and dominate on the court for us.” Diaz, a four-year varsity player and the sixth man on Foothill’s 2018-19 state champion team, averaged 14 points, three rebounds, and two steals per game this year. Davis believes the key to Diaz’s success on the court and in the classroom (Diaz’s GPA is between 3.5 and 4.0) is due hard work and dedication. “When he commits to something, he has an expectation of excellence,” Davis said. “He truly works hard, and it show in whatever he does.”

Senior Bryan Diaz and the Foothill basketball team take on the Shafter Generals at Mira Monte on December 9, 2020.

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#TITANQUEST

GIRLS BASKETBALL

FRONTIER HIGH

TITANS

Elise Enriquez

“We are more than a team, we are a family.” — Durant Smith, Girls Basketball Coach

Frontier High School basketball player Madison Torres and Titan team takes on the Centennial Golden Hawks. Photos by Mark Duffel

THE LIST FRONTIER HIGH ADMINISTRATION

VICKY THOMPSON Principal

BRYAN EASTER AP, Instruction AARON MYKYTIUK AP, Administration JENNY MADDERN Dean of Students MIKE GIBSON Athletics Director LANETTE CORNFORD Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 5th Place Girls’ Basketball 2nd Place Boys’ Soccer 6th Place

Luke Combs

Frontier High boys wrestling achieves great success The Frontier High boys wrestling program has achieved a great deal of success in recent years. So much that the Titans are now at place where they always have extremely high expectations for themselves. Every year one of Frontier’s main objectives is to have at least one wrestler win a medal at the CIF State Wrestling Championships. Even though the Titans sent seven wrestlers to the state meet this year they didn’t quite accomplish that goal. “We came up a little bit short of our individual goals, but overall, I was pretty happy with how they competed,” Frontier coach Carlo Franciotti said. “They’re really a good group of kids, character wise, so I was just very pleased with who they are and where the team ended up, even

BOYS WRESTLING

though we didn’t do as well as we wanted to.” None of the Frontier wrestlers who competed at the state meet were ranked high enough to have been expected to win a medal. Only one, Christian Landin (170 pounds) went as far as the quarterfinals, but six of the seven won at least two matches. The heptad of Landin, Josh Alcala (113 pounds), Jose Landin (132), Luke Combs (138), Garrett Fletcher (145), Ty Shepherd (220) and Jake Andrews (285) combined to go 14-14. Together they scored 44 team points, which placed the Titans 21st out of 270 teams in the final state tournament standings. According to Franciotti, his team’s success this year was due to much more than just talent and skill. “They really are the most dis-

By Stephen Lynch Photo by Javier Valdes

ciplined, most consistent team, highest character team I’ve probably ever had,” Franciotti said. “We had practice twice a week, and we had perfect attendance almost across the board the whole season, which is insane.” Even though he’s losing four of the seven state qualifiers to graduation, Franciotti is excited about the 2020-21 season. “We’re looking to bounce back big next year,” Franciotti said. “I don’t feel like necessarily like our backs are to the wall, in terms of our program…Our kids competed as well as they could of and did everything they were asked to do. I feel like we’re in a position next year to rebound in a big way, and that’s our hope. We’ve got a good group of kids coming in, and we’re extremely hungry. I think we’re going to make a jump next year.”

Girls’ Soccer 5th Place Boys’ Wrestling 2nd Place Girls’ Wrestling 4th Place

6401 Allen Road Bakersfield, CA 93314 Phone: 661-829-1107 Fax: 661-829-1185 frontier.kernhigh.org

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Ethan Payne

Rebecca Hazel

Garrett Fletcher 34 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Mekhi Pitts

FRONTIER HIGH SCHOOL TITAN GIRLS WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Miguel Garcia

#TITANQUEST

Alyssa Valdivia

Junior Girls Wrestler Alyssa Valdivia came into 2019-20 high school wrestling season with one goal in mind; win a state a state championship. Despite missing the entire previous season due to injury, the Frontier High junior came extremely close to accomplishing that lofty objective. Valdivia went undefeated and was ranked No. 1 in the state at 106 pounds heading into the CIF State Wrestling Championships, where she placed second, matching the highest finish ever for Kern County girls wrestler. “It was a great season,” Frontier coach Brett Clark said. “She’s only the third girl in Kern County history to be in the finals. She gave it everything she had. There’s no shame in that. She did a great job. I’m so proud of her.” For the highly competitive Valdivia (38-1) the setback in the state finals was difficult take. “She’s a competitor,” Clark said. “She hates to lose. She has that drive that all the good athletes have.” Valdivia’s strong desire to succeed was rewarded with a plethora of tournament titles. She took first place in the Southwest Yosemite League, South Area, and Central Section Master’s meets. An excellent technician and extremely flexible, Valdivia, was nearly impossible to beat. “She’ll do everything in her power not to lose,” Clark said. “She’s always going to give it everything she’s got.”

Junior Alyssa Valdivia wrestling her opponent at the SYC Wrestling Championship.

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#BULLDOGSTRONG

BOYS SOCCER

GOLDEN VALLEY HIGH

BULLDOGS

Adrian Reyes Sarmiento

“The leadership of the 14 seniors and maturity of our 11 underclassment helped make our season successful. The boys showed emotion, passion, and dedication to the team and GV Soccer program. Which made for a great season” — Dominic Othart, Soccer Coach

Golden Valley High’s Jose Campos makes his way down the field during the Golden Valley match against Independence. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST GOLDEN VALLEY HIGH ADMINISTRATION

PAUL HELMAN Principal

GERI ANTOINE AP, Instruction KYLE WYLIE AP, Administration PABLO REYES Dean of Students JENNIFER WEBB Dean of Administration ROBERT HASKELL Athletics Director VALERIE BLACK Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Aliana Lefotu

Golden Valley’s girls wrestling team continues to succeed Despite a history of consistently being one of the top girls wrestling programs in Kern County, Golden Valley coach Juan Gamino thought his team might not be quite as terrific as in past years after graduating seven seniors in 2019. That turned out to be the case, but make no mistake, the Bulldogs were still very good. Golden Valley edged Ridgeview to win the tough South Yosemite League and sent three, tied for most among Kern County schools, to the CIF State Wrestling Championships. One of the three, Aliana Lefotu, won a state medal, finishing in fifth place in the 137-pound weight division. That’s the highest finish ever at the state tournament for a Golden Valley girls wrestler. “Overall, I’m happy to see the progress we made,” Gamino said. “I had a young team this year. I

GIRLS WRESTLING

knew it was going to be a bit of a rebuilding year.” Even though they beat out the Wolf Pack for the SYL title, the Bulldogs finished slightly behind Ridgeview in the team standings at the Southeast Area tournament, Central Section Master’s meet, and the state tournament. Golden Valley finished in 53rd place (21 points) at the state meet. Ridgeview, which took 41st place (25 points), was the only Kern County team to finish higher in the standings than the Bulldogs. Lefotu was ranked No. 7 in the state going into the state meet. The junior went 5-2 in taking fifth place. Gamino was hoping for a top-3 finish from his team’s best wrestler. “We hold all of our girls to a high expectation and Aliana is no different,” Gamino said. “We expect them to go out there and

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Nick Ellis

wrestle tough, because they all have the ability to place at the state tournament. However, I did have a little bit of a higher expectation of Aliana, being that she has beaten quite a few of those girls who were placing, but where she ended up is nothing to complain about.” Junior Destiny Dominguez (106 pound division), who along with freshman Aubrey Chavez (143) were Golden Valley’s other two state qualifiers. Dominguez lost her first match but then won next two before being eliminated from medal contention. Chavez went 0-2. “We have really laid a beautiful foundation for us to just continue growing,” Gamino said. “… Finishing fifth (at Master’s) kind of hit us close to the heart. We’re going take that and learn from it and really make a push to get back on top.”

Boys’ Basketball 4th Place Girls’ Basketball 5th Place Boys’ Soccer 3rd Place Girls’ Soccer 6th Place Boys’ Wrestling 2nd Place Girls’ Wrestling 1st Place 801 Hosking Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93307 Phone: 661-827-0800 Fax: 661-827-0480 goldenvalley.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Golden Valley High

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Jermaine Dabbs

Destiny Dominguez

Valerie Enriquez 38 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Aalisha Blakely

GOLDEN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOG WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Henry Barrios

#BULLDOGSTRONG

Dominick Leon Senior Wrestler

Every year since he started wrestling for Golden Valley High School, Dominick Leon has improved his skills as a grappler and accomplished greater success than the previous year. This season Leon took things to new level of achievement, becoming the first boys wrestler in Golden Valley history to win a “Valley” title. “I was happy for him, because he’s overcome a lot,” Golden Valley coach Joe Rojas said. “He’s worked his butt off. He’s worked hard his whole life, and he lost his brother mid-season last year, so it was a big deal. We were happy to see him accomplish that.” The junior 160 pounder took first place at the Costa Mesa Classic, Lemoore Deliddo Invitational, and South Yosemite League Championships. After winning at “Valley”, Dominick then finished in ninth place at the Master’s Meet, qualifying him for the CIF State Championships for a third time. Dominick went 2-2 at the state meet (he went 0-2 as a freshman and 1-2 as a sophomore) and didn’t medal but finished the year with an impressive 42-7 overall record. “He started the season great, dealt with some injuries and then came back strong,” Rojas said. “He missed a lot of big tournaments because, because of his injury, but he was able to overcome them and finish the season strong.” Senior wrestler Dominick Leon winning his first match at the SYC Wrestling Championships.

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#PLAIDUP

GIRLS SOCCER

HIGHLAND HIGH

SCOTS

Mireya Morales

“This year was a good season. We played great opponents on the other side of the pitch and we learned as a team to raise our bar and play beyond our expectations. ” —AJ Jacinto, Soccer Coach

Highland High School girls soccer player Alyssa Cleveland at the South at Highland soccer match. Photos by Mark Duffel

THE LIST HIGHLAND HIGH ADMINISTRATION

DEBRA VIGSTROM Principal

MINDY CARTER AP, Instruction BRAD HULL AP, Administration TSOGUIK BROUTAIN Dean of Students

Luis Valenzuela

JUSTIN FINCH Athletics Director MEAGHAN BARBER-SMITH Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southeast Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 6th Place Girls’ Basketball 4th Place

Chase Mendez

Highland Boys Soccer team end season with a 20-6-1 overall record Right from the very start Highland boys soccer coach Daniel Felix had high expectations for his team this season. Returning a large contingent of key contributors from the previous year, Felix felt his 2019-20 squad had the experience and talent to accomplish big things. Felix’s belief in his team ended up being well founded. The Scots posted a 20-6-1 overall record and finished a close second in the Southeast Yosemite League before making an impressive post-season run, that ended with them suffering a tough loss in the Central Section Division III championship game. Despite the negative result, the game marked a positive milestone for the Scots. It was the first time ever that a Highland boys soccer team had played in a “Valley” final. “We wanted to at least make it to the semifinals and give ourselves

Boys’ Soccer 2nd Place

Christian Chase BOYS SOCCER

a chance to win it all at the end,” Felix said. “We talked after every game every week. We just said we wanted to make this season as long as possible, and that’s what we did.” Sporting a balanced scoring attack while also playing extremely well on defense, Highland out-scored its opponents by more than a twoto-one margin (56-23). The Scots’ 20 wins were five more than it had the previous two years combined. “Not taking anything away from the teams that we’ve had the last year or two, but we were a bit more skilled, a lot more dedicated, a lot more focused, and a lot more determined this year which overall led to them getting to where we were,” Felix said. “We played as a team. We played as a family and we played for each other this year. I think that was a big thing. They were closer this year than we were

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Nick Ellis

the last few years.” The highlight of the season for the Scots came during the second round of league play when the handed Foothill its only loss of the entire year. “That was a big game,” Felix said. “It was a big turning point. It was a confidence booster for us.” Highland carried that infusion of confidence to the playoffs, where it won three times in impressive fashion before losing 3-0 to Foothill in the section championship game. “The boys played well,” Felix said. “We were a good team. We worked hard for everything. Nothing was given to us. They deserved everything they got. It wasn’t the outcome we had in mind, but we were there, and I know this was the first time Highland boys have ever played during the “Valley” finals. It was a good experience. It was a great season overall.”

Girls’ Soccer 1st Place Boys’ Wrestling 4th Place Girls’ Wrestling 3rd Place

2900 Royal Scots Way Bakersfield, CA 93306 Phone: 661-872-2777 Fax: 661-871-6052 highland.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Highland High School.

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Gabby Machado

Joseph Truskoski

Joshua Henry 42 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Abba Melanson

HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL SCOTS BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Mark Duffel

#PLAIDUP

Nevaeh Linton

Senior Basketball Player It’s not uncommon for a basketball team to have a player on its roster who is an exceptionally good scorer. It’s not rare for a hoops squad to have a player who rebounds extremely well or one who plays lockdown defense. But what is a real rarity for any basketball team is to possess that one player who can do all those things at a high level. Fortunately for Highland High, it was blessed this year to have such a player on its girls team. Senior guard Nevaeh Linton scored 16.7 points and grabbed 9.8 rebounds per game, all while playing great defense. A First Team All-Southeast Yosemite League selection, she had 13 double-double games. “She really did it all for us,” Highland coach Britt Parlan said. “If we needed her to score 20 points, she would score 20 points. If we needed rebounds, she would do that. Anytime we played a team that had a pretty big scorer, she would guard them.” Linton’s stellar all-around play helped Highland finish with a 1811 overall record and earn a spot in the Central Section Division IV playoffs. “She really was the engine that made our team go,” Parlan said. “…I had to tell her a lot of times, I know it’s a lot of pressure and responsibility, but you have to set the tone for our team. That’s what helps us win.”

Senior girls basketball player Nevaeh Linton at the South at Highland basketball game.

KERN HIGH NETWORK 43

#RISE

GIRLS SOCCER

INDEPENDENCE HIGH

FALCONS

Mariah Quiroz

“Trust the process. Wins come when you play right and you rely on one another as a soccer family. Go Falcons!” — Jesse Mitchell, Soccer Coach

Madi Mabalot and the Independence High girls soccer team takes on the Golden Valley Bulldogs . Photos by Henry Barrios

THE LIST INDEPENDENCE HIGH ADMINISTRATION

DEAN JUOLA Principal

DUSTIN GREEN AP, Instruction KRISTY TOWLE AP, Administration TIM O’HARA Dean of Students DEREK LAROSA Athletics Director KIM BRAVO Activities Director JEREMY NEWFIELD Dean of Student Support Services

WINTER 2020 South Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 2nd Place Girls’ Basketball 2nd Place Boys’ Soccer 4th Place

Independence High basketball team brings home the hardware With a relatively young roster, the Independence High boys’ basketball team came into the season with high hopes of capturing the coveted Division 2 CIF Central Section Championship, but with lack of experience, the Falcons knew the odds were against them. The team finished 8-2 in league play beating their opponents by an average of 26 points per game, but a disappointing showing at the inaugural SYC Championships set the Falcons’ confidence back a bit. However, after receiving the number two seed for the postseason, the Falcons went on a historical playoff run highlighted by a 63-62 win at home vs. Centennial that landed them in the big game at Selland Arena.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Falcons were then matched up with the ninth-seeded Redwood Rangers and wreaked havoc on the defensive end forcing 21 turnovers en route to a 60-45 Section Title win. “It starts on the defensive end for us, and they followed the game plan for the entire game.” head coach Richard Ross said. This championship was IHS Boys’ Basketball’s first section title win since 2013 when Ross was an assistant on the coaching staff. “It’s always exciting coming here (Selland Arena),” Ross said. “We’re trying to build some kind of legacy where we are here every year.” Independence’s scoring duo of senior guard Josh Codamon and sophomore guard Cameron

By Adam Waybright Photos by Henry Barrios

Brown gave opposing defenses all sorts of problems this year with their ability to put the ball in the basket. “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” team captain Josh Codamon said after his twelve point performance in the section title game. “I have waited four years for this. It’s a great accomplishment to finish it off in my senior season.” Cameron Brown’s game-high 22 points, ten rebounds, four assists, and four steals were enough to be named the game’s Most Outstanding Player. “It’s just crazy. I didn’t expect all this,” Brown said. “It was the biggest game of my life so far, and I came through.”

Girls’ Soccer 3rd Place Boys’ Wrestling 3rd Place Girls’ Wrestling 4th Place 8001 Old River Road Bakersfield, CA 93311 Phone: 661-834-8001 Fax: 661-398-0899 independence.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Independence High School.

KERN HIGH NETWORK 45

Joshua Lewis

Angel Sandoval

Isaac Bryant 46 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Torrance Robertson

INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL FALCON BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Miguel Garcia

#RISE

Hailee Julius

Senior Basketball Player

As a four-year varsity player with a lot of experience playing in big games, Hailee Julius was a major source of stability for the Independence girls basketball team this year. The standout guard was counted on by the Falcons to give a solid performance every game and most of the time she delivered in a big way. “She’s been in high pressure situations before, coming from teams that competed for “Valley” titles her first and second year,” Independence coach Mario Zetina said. “Moments never seemed too big for her. That experience was really invaluable because we had a lot of young players.” A First Team All-South Yosemite League selection, Julius averaged 9.4 points per game. “She had a good season,” Zetina said. She was one of the leaders on our team. A really strong competitor. Heady player. Was to invaluable to us as far what we were trying to do this year.” A Falcons captain, Julius let her play be the example she set for the team, according to Zetina. “What stands out about her is her perseverance,” Zetina said. “She has a tremendous work ethic. She’s extremely smart and has a strong desire to compete. She’s a blue-collar player. She’s reliable. You know what you’re going to get out of her, effort wise. You know that she’s going to come to play. And she’ll do whatever she has to, to help the team succeed.” Independence High’s Hailee Julius prepares to shoot at the Wasco vs Independence game.

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#KVSTRONG

BOYS BASKETBALL

KERN VALLEY HIGH

BRONCS

Kaden Preston

“The team really battled and improved every game. Winning 7 of our last 8 games, this team was the best team in the HDL at the end of the season. — Brian Christianson, Basketball Coach

Kern Valley High School’s boys basketball player Shelton Alley goes for a shot. Photos by Mark Duffel

THE LIST KERN VALLEY HIGH ADMINISTRATION

JOHN MEYERS

Principal

ERIC HANSEN Assistant Principal HENRY WISE Dean of Students MIKE GENTHNER Athletics Director BRENT MIXON Activities Director

WINTER 2020 High Desert League

Ariah Seidel

Quincie Preston

Kern Valley’s girls basketball team win league for second straight year With the graduation of a fouryear starter and two three-year starters, it was a bit of a transition year for the Kern Valley High School girls basketball team. A lot of times that can be a bad thing. However, as it turned out, it wasn’t for the Broncs, who set a team record for most wins in a season with 20 and won the High Desert League for a second straight year. Led by senior captain Maddie Hurley, Kern Valley made the playoffs and won a game before losing to Corcoran in the Central Section Division V quarterfinals. That defeat snapped a Broncs’ 12-game winning streak. “Coming into the season I wasn’t quite sure with as many young kids as we had what we were going to do,” Kern Valley coach Bill Gallis said. “But they really grew up fast and they developed, and they really played

GIRLS BASKETBALL

as a unit.” The Broncs certainly demonstrated superb teamwork on the defensive end, using a 3-2 matchup zone that they extended to full court to hold opponents an average a paltry 34.8 points per game. “We don’t really have a system that we get run year in, year out,” Gallis said. “Whatever personnel we get, we just try to plug in the best offense and the best defense that fits our program at that time. This year it happened to be the 3-2. I thought we did a tremendous job.” Kern Valley’s defense really got stingy during league play, allowing just 26.4 points per game. Meanwhile the Broncs offense averaged 45.6 points per game during their 12 HDL contests. The mix of great defense and good offense proved to be a winning combination. Kern Valley went 11-1 in HDL games

By Stephen Lynch Photos by David Dennis

and shared the league title with Rosamond. “That was the highlight of the season for us,” Gallis said. “It was an incredibly accomplishment because the league is getting tougher. It’s a really good league and it’s just going to get even more competitive.” The Broncs’ winning back-toback league titles for the first time since 1992 and 1993 isn’t the only thing that made it a memorable season for Gallis and his team. “They were just a gutsy, gritty group,” Gallis said. “They were a team that just loved to have fun. I’m an intense guy, and we’ve had these intense kids in the past. This group was the complete opposite. If they weren’t singing or dancing, I knew we had trouble. They played hard all the time and the loved to compete. This year I learned you can have fun and win too.”

Boys’ Basketball 2nd Place Girls’ Basketball 1st Place Boys’ Soccer 4th Place Girls’ Soccer 4th Place Boys’ Wrestling 1st Place

3340 Erskine Creek Lake Isabella, CA 93240 Phone: 760-379-2611 Fax: 760-379-8314 kernvalley.kernhigh.org

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KERN HIGH NETWORK

Mateo Garza

Makenzie Christianson

Angela Lezama 50 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Christian Martinez

KERN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BRONCS BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by David Dennis

#KVSTRONG

Maddie Hurley

Senior Basketball Player Whether it was leadership, scoring, or rebounding, Maddie Hurley could always be counted on to provide it for the Kern Valley High School girls basketball team this year. The four-year varsity starter did it all for the High Desert League champions. Hurley averaged 12.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game for Kern Valley, which went 20-8 and won its second straight HDL title. The 5-foot-10 senior forward made 60 pointers, the fifth most of any player in the Central Section. For her efforts she was named HDL MVP and First Team AllHDL for the fourth time. “Maddie was really the glue that held it together for us,” Kern Valley coach Bill Gallis said. “We knew we were going to get 15-20 points and 10-15 rebounds from her every game. That consistency really helped us.” Hurley’s ability to fill a stat sheet was only part of what made her so valuable to the Broncs. “She’s just a selfless player,” Gallis said. “She did whatever we needed to do to win. Sometimes that was talking to a kid who was struggling during a game and giving them a lift. She’s just a good, caring kid. She’s one of those players that you love to have on your team, and you need in order to be successful.”

Senior basketball player Maddie Hurley makes her way down the court in a Kern Valley vs Liberty game.

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PATRIOTS #PRIDE

BOYS SOCCER

LIBERTY HIGH

Aiden Albertalli

“We had a great season with a young team. If we work hard during off season we can do some damage next season in league and playoffs.” — Philip Arias, Soccer Coach

Liberty High School’s Dylan Lynch at the Liberty at Centennial soccer match. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

LIBBY WYATT Principal

JOSH WILLIAMS AP, Instruction RON PRIEST AP, Administration STEPHANIE MILLS Dean of Students TIM DAVIS Athletics Director BROOKE SLAYTON Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 4th Place Dallas Williford

Hailey Heck

Liberty’s girls soccer wins fourth straight SWYL league championship There have been several high schools in Kern County that have fielded good girls soccer teams in recent years. Most have a successful season or two and then start to slip into mediocrity or worse. Not Liberty High School. The Patriots are the top local team, or close to it, every year. That was once again the case this season. Playing in the ultra-competitive Southwest Yosemite League, Liberty won its fourth straight league championship. The Patriots then went on to reach the semifinals of the Central Section Division I playoffs before losing to eventual champion Clovis North. “We had a good season,” Liberty coach Brandon ‘Boog’ Hearron said. “Every year we want to win league and compete at the high level. It’s kind of an expectation for us to be successful.” One of the keys to the success of

GIRLS SOCCER

Liberty was the outstanding play of senior Cynthia “Tiny” Flores, who scored a team-high 15 goals. “I think she’s the best player in the “Valley”,” Hearron said. “Having a girl like that on the team really helps. But we also had some great freshmen come through. Defensively, we were solid in the back and had great goal keeping with Paige Camarillo and the other girls. The biggest highlight of the season for Liberty was once again winning the SWYL title. The Patriots boast a highly impressive 36-3-1 mark in league games over the past four years. “That was huge, because that’s what I wanted our seniors to go out with,” Hearron said. “When they were freshman they won their first one. It was important for me to see them have success when they leave and to leave that legacy behind for those girls coming up behind them. Our junior

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Mark Duffel

class coming in next year, doesn’t know any different, so we’re just hoping everyone can stay healthy and do it again this year.” The only disappointing thing about the season for Liberty was its inability to win its first section championship since 2003. Section title or not, the Patriots remain the team to beat in Kern County. “We are the best in Bakersfield,” Hearron said. “It’s not that we’re the best, because we go to Liberty or that we’re the Liberty Patriots. It’s because those girls buy into working hard for each other. They buy into six days a week of training. I know other schools do it, but not like this. No one on our team misses practice. They love each other. We do meals together. We study together. Those girls work hard at it and they deserve everything they get.”

Girls’ Basketball 3rd Place Boys’ Soccer 2nd Place Girls’ Soccer 1st Place Boys’ Wrestling 4th Place Girls’ Wrestling 5th Place

925 Jewetta Ave Bakersfield, CA 93312 Phone: 661-587-0925 Fax: 661-587-1299 liberty.kernhigh.org

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Sonny Garcia

Lydia Strategos

Isabella Rigby 54 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Justin Yasukochi

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL PATRIOTS BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Mark Duffel

#PRIDE

Breanna Canfield

Senior Basketball Player

Don’t let the smile fool you. Breanna Canfield looks friendly and nice, and she’s both those things when she’s not on the basketball court. But whenever Liberty High student is playing hoops, battling for a rebound or fighting a loose ball, her demeanor changes drastically. “She’s so tough on the court,” Liberty coach Amy Hall said. “She’ll push people around and she’ll rip the ball out of their hands, and she’ll be aggressive. Sometimes she’ll talk a little (smack) and do that sort of thing. She’s a beast on the floor. But off the court, she’s just very kind and sweet.” Canfield was also very productive for the Patriots this season. The 5-foot-11 senior guard averaged 11.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. She was voted Liberty’s team MVP in addition to being selected First Team All-Southwest Yosemite League. A three-year varsity player, Canfield was one of Patriots captains this year. “I thought she had a great season” Hall said. “She was a leader, not only with the stats, but mentally. She was really inspiring to the girls. She would fire them up. She held everyone accountable and made sure they were doing their jobs, but she also had everyone’s back, when they seemed to be having a bad night. She was that person that when the time was ticking down and we needed a basket, she wanted the ball in her hands and she really thrived in those situations.”

Liberty High senior Breanna Canfield goes up for a shot at the Centennial at Liberty game.

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#PRIDE

BOYS SOCCER

MIRA MONTE HIGH

LIONS

Jonathan Alvarenga

“The Mira Monte boys soccer team had another good competitive season. They were a young squad who finished with a 17-9-2 overall record. The future is bright for this young group of Lions” — Ben Warren, Soccer Coach

Mira Monte soccer player Eriel Abreu plays against Dos Palos High during the Lions Cup tournament. Photos by Mark Duffel

THE LIST MIRA MONTE HIGH ADMINISTRATION

WILL SANDOVAL Principal

ZACH MCNINCH AP, Instruction LEAH HATTON AP, Administration JESSICA ENGLISH Dean of Students JOSUE VALENZUELA Athletics Director KATHLENE BUFORD Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southeast Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 3rd Place

Samara Bolanos

Mira Monte girls basketball team continues to evolve There was a noticeable similarity to the way the Mira Monte girls basketball team’s season evolved this year. Just like during the 2018-19 season, the Lions got noticeably better this year as their schedule progressed. Two years ago Mira Monte went 8-1 in its last nine games after winning just seven of its first 16. Last season the Lions rebounded from a 3-6 start and went 13-7 the rest of the way. Each time Mira Monte’s middle of the season surge helped power it to a Southeast Yosemite League title. “I think the main thing that you can say for Mira Monte basketball is just consistent improvement,” Lions coach Steven Aguilar said. “The girls always seem to get better as the season goes on. You can never count them out. They’re always looking for that one move, that one drill, that one something

Samantha Perez GIRLS BASKETBALL

that puts them above the rest. They’re always looking to improve as athletes. You can’t ask for anything better than that.” This year the Lions went 16-13, posting their highest win total for a season in school history. Senior guard Samantha Perez led the way Mira Monte, averaging 13.9 points per game. Perez, the Lions only returning starter, scored double figures in 22 of 28 games. “She was just able to lead the girls,” Aguilar said. “She led with scoring this year. She led with steals and assists. She was just a huge staple in why the girls were able to be so successful. Being the leading scorer for the year, it allowed the girls to play relaxed. Her leadership was huge. She understood what we needed. At a few of the games she would just take the ball if we weren’t doing well or if the girls weren’t running the offense correctly. She would

By Stephen Lynch Photos by David Dennis

just take the ball over and she would lead the girls You couldn’t ask for a better athlete than that.” With Perez leading the way, Mira Monte edged eventual Southern California Regional Division V champion East along with North for the SEYL championship. The Lions split the season series with both the Blades and Stars. Soon after SEYL play concluded, Mira Monte’s season ended when it lost to Reedley in the first round of the Central Section Division IV playoffs. Despite the Lions early post-season exit, Aguilar was pleased with the overall performance of his team this team. “We had a great year,” Aguilar said. We thought we should have gone deeper in the playoffs, but I just can’t say enough about the girls and how well they performed this year.”

Girls’ Basketball 1st Place Boys’ Soccer 3rd Place Girls’ Soccer 4th Place Boys’ Wrestling 6th Place Girls’ Wrestling 5th Place

1800 S. Fairfax Rd. Bakersfield, CA 93307 Phone: 661-366-1800 Fax: 661-363-6575 miramonte.kernhigh.org

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Kimberly Madrid

Jaciel Andrade

Diego Garcia 58 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Yazmine Perez

MIRA MONTE HIGH SCHOOL LIONS WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Javier Valdes

#PRIDE

Xavier Reyes

Senior Wrestler

It would only be a slight exaggeration to say that the success Xavier Reyes had as a high school wrestler this season was ALL due to hard work. Maybe not all, but it was certainly most of the reason Reyes won Southeast Yosemite League and Central Section titles, according to his uncle and Lions assistant coach Cirilo Reyes. “He was just an extremely hard worker,” Cirilo Reyes said. “I would say 90% of what he was able to accomplish was because of hard work and 10% was his God given ability.” The 160-pound senior certainly made the most of his natural ability, posting an impressive 34-6 record. The highlight of the season was when he became just the second Mira Monte boys wrestler to ever win a section (aka “Valley”) title. “He had a really good season,” Cirilo Reyes said. “He won a lot of tournaments. He really improved. I would say he improved 100% compared to last year.” Reyes, an honor student, was a Jockey Club Award winner for the month of February. He also won Mira Monte’s Lion Award for best boys winter athlete. “It’s incredible what he was able to accomplish here,” Cirilo Reyes said. “He’s super smart. He’s going to join the Marines right after high school. Overall, he’s a great kid. The kind that every coach would want to coach.”

Mira Monte High wrestler Xavier Reyes at the SYC Wrestling Championship.

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SYC WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

SYC

WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS By Stephen Lynch

There were multiple reasons for Yasmine Scherer to be highly motivated when she took the mat for the girls 126-pound final of the South Yosemite Conference Boys and Girls Wrestling Championships on Wednesday night at North High. For starters, the North High sophomore, ranked No. 2 in the Central Section in her weight class, wanted to improve her impressive won-loss record and ensure a top seed for the D-3 Divisional Championships later this month. But the thing that might have inspired Scherer the most to go out and claim a dominating victory over Mira Monte’s Yazmine Perez was the custom-made guitars being handed out to the winners of the event. “This year I wanted it because I was on it,” Scherer, one of the five wrestlers depicted on the guitars, said. With the win, Scherer who qualified for state last year but didn’t medal, improved to 3-0 with three pins this season against Perez, who is ranked No. 3 in the section. “I got out there and leave it all on the mat,” Scherer said after pinning Perez in one minute and 18 seconds. “That’s what I try to do.” Scherer was among several highly ranked girls wrestlers to live up to their lofty billing. All four girls ranked No. 1 in the section in their respective weight divisions took home guitars. Frontier’s Alyssa Valdivia, one of 60 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

the four, claimed a 15-0 technical fall victory over Golden Valley’s Destiny Dominguez in the 106-pound championship match. “I had my mind set on what I wanted, and I got it,” Valdivia said. No. 1 ranked Aliana Lefotu turned in a better result for the Bulldogs in the 137-pount title bout, pinning Foothill’s Jessica Manriquez in two minutes and 48 seconds. In a battle of No. 1 versus No. 2, top-ranked Orianna Morales of Bakersfield High defeated Golden Valley’s Audrey Chavez, 4-0. “I just wanted to go out there and do my best,” Morales said. “I think I did pretty good. There are some things I do need to work on, but I think I deserve it.” Stockdale’s Ehireme Ohens, another No. 1, pinned Ridgeview’s Camilla Caggianelli midway through the second period to win the 160-pound title. Thirteen different schools were represented in the girls finals. Golden Valley and Ridgeview led the way, with both schools sending six girls to the championship round. Eight schools had boys qualify for the finals. BHS had the most with eight, including Josiah Hill, the state’s No. 1 ranked heavyweight. Amid a dominating season, Hill turned in another highly impressive performance in the 285-pound championship match, easily out-pointing Frontier’s Jake Andrews, 13-3.

Yasmine Scherer

Dylan Stansbury

Ehireme Ohens

Despite the positive outcome, Hill wanted to get a pin. “It was a good match. There are just some things I need to clean up so I can finish how I need to,” Hill said. Like Sherer, Hill was excited to take home a guitar. “It’s a nice because I have a cowboy hat and now, I have a guitar,” Hill said. “Now I’m going to have to learn how to play it. Get my cowboy on.” Arguably the most anticipated match of the night, the 160-pound boys champion-

62 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

ship bout, lived up to the hype as BHS’ Jaden Sanchez ranked No. 14 in the state) narrowly edged Golden Valley’s Dominick Leon (No. 20 in the state), 6-4. With the match tied 4-4, Sanchez got a takedown with 20 seconds left in the final period to earn the hard-fought victory. “I knew going into the match it was going to be a tough one,” Sanchez said. “I’ve known Dom for almost all my life. We’ve grew up wrestling together. I knew it was going to be tough no matter what. I tried to go in every period and fight as hard as I

could.” Another fierce battle occurred in the 126-pound championship match. North’s Anthony Ornelaz was the victor by the slimmest of margins, 12-11 over Frontier’s Johnny Appleton. “I’ve put a lot of hard work and effort into the season,” Ornelaz said. “It was a good match.” Appleton came into the match ranked No. 26 in the state. “It feels really good,” Ornelaz said of the win.”

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS GIRLS

BOYS

101-Mariah Armendariz Ridgeview pinned Monserrat Lupian, South

106-Sebastian Jara Ridgeview won 6-4 OT decision over Jacob Nagatani, Liberty

106-Alyssa Valdivia Frontier won 15-0 technical fall over Destiny Dominguez, Golden Valley

113-Derrek Alcantar Frontier won 12-10 decision over Daniel Ornelaz, North

111-Genesis Quirarte Ridgeview pinned Tatiana Sajic, Foothill

120-Shane Corona Foothill won 18-3 technical fall over Carson McElroy, Bakersfield

116-Ariana Juarez Foothill pinned Yasenia Navejas, Ridgeview

126-Anthony Ornelaz North won 12-11 decision over Johnny Appleton, Frontier

121-Lilmary Cobbins South won 5-3 decision over Vanessa Nebre, Golden Valley

132-Everardo Rueda Rueda won 21-6 technical fall over Kayden Bingham, Frontier

126-Yasmine Scherer North pinned Yazmine Perez, Mira Monte

138-Adrian Juarez Bakersfield won 7-2 decision over Josh Lewis, Independence

131-Gabby Machado Highland won 4-0 decision over Celeste Cubillo, Golden Valley

145-Javier Ocampo North pinned Luis Amaya, Foothill

137-Aliana Lefotu Golden Valley pinned Jessica Manriquez, Foothill 143- Orianna Morales Bakersfield won 4-0 decision over Audrey Chavez, Golden Valley 150-Sbeydi Hernandez South won 1-0 decision over Maritza Martinez, West 160-Ehireme Ohens Stockdale pinned Camilla Caggianelli, Ridgeview 170-Maliya Castillo Ridgeview pinned Myles Medrano, Foothill 189-Gracie Lan Centennial won 13-4 major decision over Naomi Roby, Golden Valley 235-Monique Bravo Ridgeview pinned Galilea Chavez, East

152-DJ Weimer Bakersfield pinned Dylan Stansbury, Ridgeview 160-Jaden Sanchez Sanchez won 6-4 decision over Dominick Leon, Golden Valley 170-Daniel Lobos Bakersfield won 3-2 decision over Juan Zavala, Ridgeview 182-Justin Spainhoward Ridgeview won 6-5 decision over Pedro Trujillo, Bakersfield 195-Chente Trujillo Bakersfield pinned Zion Chuca, North 220-Ty Shepherd Frontier pinned Michael Romero, Independence 285-Josiah Hill Bakersfield won 13-3 major decision over Jake Andrews, Frontier

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#STARSONPOINT

BOYS BASKETBALL

NORTH HIGH

STARS

Cashawn Christopher

“This was a record-breaking season for North High Basketball. We finished 10-0 in SEYL play, made it to the semifinals of the inaugural SYC championships, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the valley playoffs. Our group of seniors truly laid the foundation and set the standard for our program for years to come. ” — AJ Shearon, Basketball Coach

North High senior Larry Atkerson at the East at North basketball game. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST NORTH HIGH ADMINISTRATION

MARK BALCH Principal

KENDRA WEISSER AP, Instruction KARI PALACIOS AP, Administration RUSS SHUPERT Dean of Students ANDREW SHEARON Athletics Director ALISON TOY Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southeast Yosemite League

Francesca Palacios

North High girls basketball has their best season in 5 years Fair or not, sports teams are judged almost exclusively on their won-loss records and success in the post-season. Sometimes those two things don’t accurate gauge the quality of a team. That was the case this year for the North High girls basketball team, according to Stars coach Briana James. North finished with a respectable 14-11 record and lost in the first round of the Central Section Division III playoffs. But James feels her team was better than those results. “Our record doesn’t really show how good we were,” James said. “We lost some games we shouldn’t have lost. We lost 11 games, but we had some really close games. We played a lot of tough teams, so I don’t think the record necessarily measures the success of the team.” Junior guard Francesca Palacios

GIRLS BASKETBALL

averaged 12.5 points and 4.1 rebounds a game and senior guard Ayleen Rodriguez, a four-year varsity player, tallied 11.8 points and 5.2 rebound per game for the Stars, who finished tied with East, one game behind Mira Monte for first place in the SEYL. Rodriguez and senior guard Kim Chavez (7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game) were both selected First Team All-Southeast Yosemite League. Palacios and junior guard Anela Irven (7.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, a 3.1 apg) were both named Second Team AllSEYL. “We had 10 kids that all stepped up,” James said. “We had multiple leading scorers all season long. It really was a full team effort all season.” The key to the Stars’ success was their aggressive defense, which averaged 12.5 steals per game. North allowed opponents to

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Mark Duffel

score just 44.4 points per game. “We were very defensive oriented,” James said. “Our kids, they definitely bought into playing defense. We might not necessarily have had the most talent, but I told our kids all the time, if we can outwork teams each possession, then we can give ourselves an opportunity to be successful at the end. They put themselves in position to win some really tough games.” Unfortunately for the Stars they lost most of the close game they played. Three of North’s losses were by one point. Another two were by four points. Despite that fact the Stars had their best season, based on winning percentage, in five years. All and all, this team is one of the best teams we’ve had since I’ve been here,” James said. “The girls worked really hard and the success that we had was earned.”

Boys’ Basketball 1st Place Girls’ Basketball 2nd Place Boys’ Soccer 6th Place Girls’ Soccer 6th Place Boys’ Wrestling 1st Place Girls’ Wrestling 5th Place 300 Galaxy Ave Bakersfield, CA 93308 Phone: 661-399-3351 Fax: 661-393-5918 north.kernhigh.org

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Joelie Gentry

Ayleen Rodriguez

Martin Yelland

Romer Aparicio 66 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

NameWillis Here Elijah

NORTH HIGH SCHOOL STARS WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Miguel Garcia

#STARSONPOINT

Yasmine Scherer Senior Wrestler

Carpenters wish nails were as tough as Yazmine Scherer. Three and a half years ago the North High sophomore had a brain tumor removed which caused her to struggle just to walk. Despite continuing to suffer lingering effects from the incident, Scherer has preserved and battled to become a top-notch high school girls wrestler. This season she qualified for the CIF State Championships for a second straight year. Scherer went 3-2 at the state meet, narrowly missing out winning a medal in the 126-pound weight division. “She wakes up every day regardless of how her head’s feeling or anything like that and she puts her best foot forward,” North coach Brady Garner said. “There are frequently times during the season she’s got migraines so bad from having that brain tumor removed that it’s hard for her to walk. But you’ll never hear her complain and she’ll be the first to stand up and get ready to wrestle and do get whatever she can to move forward.” Scherer’s toughness and perseverance paid off in a big way this season. She finished first in league and at the South Yosemite Conference tournament and placed second at the South Area and Master’s meets. Scherer (32-6) was ranked No. 10 heading into the state tournament. “She really is a good kid and hard worker,” Garner said. “You couldn’t ask for a better example for the rest of our girls and everyone else at North High.”

North High wrestler Yasmine Scherer at the CIF State Wrestling Championships.

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#PRIDE

GIRLS BASKETBALL

RIDGEVIEW HIGH

WOLFPACK

Kristia Everett

“We had a surprisingly good season. I am excited about next year since we have a strong young team returning.” — Travis Bivens, Basketball Coach

Ridgeview High junior Makaiyah Randle prepares to shoot at the Ridgeview at West game. Photos by Miguel Garcia

THE LIST RIDGEVIEW HIGH ADMINISTRATION

STEVE HOLMES

Principal

DREW PARKER AP, Instruction JENNIFER ANDERSON AP, Administration ADAM SETSER Dean of Students SHANE KOERNER Athletics Director JOSE VALADEZ Activities Director CORRI RAUB Dean of Student Services

WINTER 2020 South Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 5th Place Adrian Sandoval

Ridgeview High’s boys soccer team continues SYL domination Winning the South Yosemite League title has become an annual event for the Ridgeview boys soccer team. Despite having a roster consisting mainly of young, inexperienced players and suffering numerous injuries, the Wolf Pack continued its tradition of SYL domination this year. Ridgeview, which graduated 14 players from its 2018-19 team, edged both Tehachapi and Golden Valley by half a game to win its fifth straight league championships. “It was a rebuilding year for sure,” Ridgeview coach Phil Collignon said. “We had two freshman and eight sophomores on varsity. I only started only two seniors. It was a really good year for our young guys. …We bonded really well. We had some good chemistry.” Senior Marco Ceja and freshman Luis Gil Maravilla had 11

Fernando Solis BOYS SOCCER

goals apiece and sophomore Ryoma Yamaguchi tallied 10 goals to lead a potent Wolf Pack (10-9-2, 8-2 SYL) offensive attack. Even though Ridgeview was able to win league, things didn’t look promising early in the season. The Wolf Pack got of to a 2-7-2 start to the year. But after losing six games in a row, including its first league game, Ridgeview caught fire and went on a tear, winning eight of its next nine games. Injuries and a difficult early season schedule played a big part in the Wolf Pack’s rollercoaster season. “Because of injury issues, we had to change a lot,” Collignon said. “We adapted to a lot of situations…These young guys are very talented, so it was good, because they were able to do a lot of higher-level things at a young age. If they weren’t as talented or smart of players, then we would

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Nick Ellis

have lost a whole bunch of games. We beat a bunch of teams that were better than us.” The highlight of the year for Ridgeview came when it clinched the SYL title with an end of the regular season win over Independence. “It was good to keep that tradition going,” Collignon said. The Wolf Pack’s season ended with a loss to Santa Maria in the first round of the Central Section Division I playoffs. That setback did little to diminish from what Ridgeview accomplished prior to the start of the post-season. “We are very proud of winning a fifth straight league title,” Collignon said. “Based on injuries and age we kind of did overachieve. A lot of very young players stepped up and continued the legacy of being the champions.”

Girls’ Basketball 4th Place Boys’ Soccer 1st Place Girls’ Soccer 1st Place Boys’ Wrestling 1st Place Girls’ Wrestling 2nd Place 8501 Stine Road Bakersfield, CA 93313 Phone: 661-398-3100 Fax: 661-398-9758 ridgeview.kernhigh.org

Scan the QR code to watch Kern High Network coverage of all things Ridgeview High School.

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Kristen Gonzalez

Dylan Stansbury

Mekhi Johnson 70 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Marco Ceja

RIDGEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL WOLFPACK WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Nick Ellis

#PRIDE

Genesis Quirarte Senior Wrestler

When it comes to high school wrestling, hard work and skill aren’t the only factors that determine success or failure on the mat. Sometimes luck plays a part too. Unfortunately for Genesis Quirarte it was some bad luck that likely cost her a chance at winning at medal at the CIF State Wrestling Championships this year. It’s impossible to know for sure, but the Ridgeview senior 111-pounder certainly appeared on her way to challenging for a podium finish at the state meet when a painful injury derailed her season. Two weeks before the state tournament Quirarte suffered a broken right pinky during the South Area meet. Despite the injury she was able to win the event. However, the following week at the Central Section Master’s Quirarte started off with a pair of wins before the pain worsened on the second day of the tournament and she lost her next two matches. Quirarte, a state qualifier her sophomore and junior seasons, was 36-0 and ranked No. 4 in the state this year before suffering the two losses at Master’s. “She tried really hard to push through it,” Ridgeview coach Eduardo Machado said. “Her hand kept getting grabbed, not intentionally, but she was dealing with pain already. She tried to practice all week but couldn’t really do that much. She he did her best. She won’t regret her efforts. I’m proud of her for going as hard as she did and as far as she did.” Ridgeview High wrestler Genesis Quirarte at the SYC Wrestling Championships.

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BOYS SOCCER

SHAFTER HIGH

GENERALS

Matthew Arellano

“An outstanding season with an amazing group of young student athletes. SSL Champions and valley runner ups.” — Jorge Maldonado, Head Coach

Shafter High soccer player Nelson Hernandez makes his way down the court at the Shafter at Garces soccer match. Photos by Mark Duffel

THE LIST SHAFTER HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

RUSSELL SHIPLEY Principal

MARYBETH BEADLING AP, Instruction DAVE BOYT AP, Administration VALERIE LABRENTS Dean of Students BRIAN FEASTER Athletics Director BRIAN FEASTER Activities Director

WINTER 2020 South Sequioa League Boys’ Basketball 3rd Place Girls’ Basketball 2nd Place Boys’ Soccer 1st Place Gabriel Iruh

Shafter boys basketball finishes with best league record in 7 years Shafter High Boys Basketball finishes with best league record in 7 years It was quite a memorable season for Shafter High Boys Basketball. The Generals ended the season with the program’s best league finish since 2013 with a 10-2 record in South Sequoia League play. Shafter beat their opponents with an average of 26.4 points per game in those ten wins. “I was very pleased with the way my team played throughout the season,” Shafter head coach Jeff Waldrip said. “It was nice to see how hard they worked every

Tony Ortiz BOYS BASKETBALL

day in practice and how they came together as a team. It didn’t end the way we wanted, but I am happy with the overall results of this team.” The highlight of the team’s season came in early December when the Generals won the Shafter Kiwanis Tournament for the first time since the early 90s. They did so with four wins in four days with the final victory coming against the Independence Falcons to claim the championship. “It was a tough game, but we came out with fire and energy,” All-SSL First-team junior guard Gabriel Iruh said after the

By Adam Waybright Photos by Miguel Garcia

championship win. “We wanted to win so bad, so we had to go get it.” Guard Tim Ramirez, who was also given All-SSL First-team honors, gave the City of Shafter one more highlight performance after he exploded for a 34 point game against Arvin with nine three-pointers made. Ramirez was one of eight seniors on Shafter’s roster this year. “I am truly going to miss my seniors,” Jeff Waldrip said. “Tim Ramirez and Leo Fernandez were both with me for three seasons… It was a season to remember for Shafter Boys Basketball.”

Girls’ Soccer 2nd Place Boys’ Wrestling 3rd Place

526 Mannel Ave Shafter, CA 93263 Phone: 661-746-4961 Fax: 661-746-6723 shafter.kernhigh.org

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Chloe Espericueta

Oscar Valdez

Frenchi Ruiz 74 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Ariana Gil

SHAFTER HIGH SCHOOL GENERALS BASKETBALL

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Miguel Garcia

#PRIDE

Monica Birrueta

Senior Basketball Player Monica Birrueta doesn’t like to talk about her many accomplishments as a standout player on the Shafter girls basketball team for the past four years. Generals coach Shawn Pennel has no such reservations. In fact, he admits it’s something that he really enjoys doing. It certainly isn’t a difficult task because Birrueta completed her high school basketball career this year as one of the most decorated girls players in Shafter history. The 5-foot-1 point guard extraordinaire, who averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game this past season, wrapped up her time in a Generals uniform with a remarkable 1,120 career points. Just as impressively she helped Shafter win 72 games over the span of her prep career. “She’s extremely underrated for as much as she’s done in her career,” Pennel said. “I’m overwhelmed by it. I think I’m prouder of it than she is. I don’t think she thinks of it as that big of a deal. She’s extremely humble.” An extremely hard worker and an excellent team leader, Birrueta was named All-South Sequoia League First Team each of her four years with the Generals. “She was the best player on my team the last four years,” Pennel said. “…Every tournament we’ve ever gone to she’s been selected to the all-tournament team. She’s got so many medals and trophies, it’s ridiculous.”

Senior Monica Birrueta makes her way down the court at a West at Shafter game.

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#REBELSDOITRIGHT

BOYS BASKETBALL

SOUTH HIGH

REBELS

Prince Ellis

“South High is on the rise.” — Eddie Ramey, Basketball Coach

South High basketball player Duriae Seals at the South vs Bakersfield Christian High Eagles game at North High School. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

CONNIE GRUMLING Principal

JOHN GOETJEN AP, Instruction BRIAN SMITH AP, Administration TAIASHA ALVARADO Dean of Students DANTE BORRADORI Athletics Director CECILIA PULIDO Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southeast Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 3rd Place Girls’ Basketball 5th Place Vanessa Marquez

South Girls Wrestling wins the SEYL championship The 2019-20 season started with some uncertainty but turned out well for the South High girls wrestling team. The Rebels won the Southeast Yosemite League championship and finished fourth at Central Section Southeast Area meet. “I wasn’t sure what our team was going to be like this year, since we lost some very skilled wrestlers last year, and I had a lot of first year girls this year,” South coach Quinn Moore said. “I wasn’t sure what that meant for us this year. I knew we had a couple coming back, but everybody rallied together, they helped each other out and we ended up getting nine to the Master’s this year.” Unfortunately for South none of the ennead finished high enough at the Master’s meet to qualify for

Boys’ Soccer 4th Place GIRLS WRESTLING

the CIF State Championships. The Rebels highest placers at the Southeast Area meet were senior Monserrat Lupian (101 pounds) and junior Sbeydi Hernandez (150 pounds), who both took third place. Sophomore Lilmary Cobbins (121 pounds) also reached the Southeast Area semifinals and ended up placing fourth. The highlight of the season for South was unseating Foothill to win the SEYL title for the first time in school history. “That was big for us,” Moore said. “The girls just bought it to the system. They understood that if they wanted something, they had to work for it. They didn’t try to take the easy way out this year. Everybody pulled their weight and worked and got off their backs.”

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Miguel Garcia

The league title was a big accomplishment for the Rebels, considering everything they had to overcome to win it. “They were a tough team,” Moore said. “They went through a lot this year. We had a couple tournaments get cancelled. We had girls banged up more than normal. We expect to be banged up, but this year was a trials and tribulations year. We went through the ringer this year, but the girls fought back and got through it.” With Lupian being the only one of his wrestlers graduating this year, Moore expects South to be even better this coming season. “This was my first year of taking over the program and we didn’t have a Masters champion or state qualifier,” Moore said. “Hopefully, we can change that next year.”

Girls’ Soccer 5th Place Boys’ Wrestling 3rd Place Girls’ Wrestling 1st Place 1101 Planz Road Bakersfield, CA 93304 Phone: 661-831-3680 Fax: 661-837-2756 south.kernhigh.org

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Angie Anchondo

Marlene Perez Gil

Reghan Sanders 78 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Richard Garcia

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL REBELS WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Javier Valdes

#REBELSDOITRIGHT

Monserrat Lupian Senior Wrestler

One thing you can certainly say about Monserrat Lupian is that she’s a quick learner. In two years, the South High honor roll student went from wrestling novice to winning a league title. Lupian, a senior this year, had never wrestled before when she began competing for the Rebels her sophomore year. “She was just determined,” South coach Quinn Moore said. “She was willing to learn and put in the work. Nothing came easy. She was a very hard worker. She was very dedicated.” Lupian’s devotion to wrestling paid off in a big way for her this year. She finished the season with solid 27-10 record and placed in the top-five of four regular season tournaments before taking first place at the Southeast Yosemite League Championships. Wrestling at 101 pounds, Lupian then reached the semifinals of the Central Section Southeast Area tournament. She lost her semifinal bout but bounced back to take third place. A week later Lupian went 2-2 at the Central Section Master’s meet and didn’t quite place high enough to qualify for state. “We had high expectations, but we hit a couple of roadblocks,” Moore said.

South High wrestler Monserrat Lupian at the SYC Wrestling Championships.

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#MUSTANGPRIDE

BOYS BASKETBALL

STOCKDALE HIGH

MUSTANGS

Joaquin Rios

“We were 13-13 this season, which was a 4 game improvement from last year. That, combined with the fact we had only 2 seniors on our roster makes the future look bright for Stockdale basketball.” — Dave Purdy, Basketball Coach

Stockdale High School basketball player Lawrence Duru takes on the Frontier High Titans on January 17, 2020. Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST STOCKDALE HIGH ADMINISTRATION

SCOTT ODLIN Principal

TASHAWN WINSTON AP, Instruction TEDDY ARMIJO AP, Administration REBEKAH FULCE Dean of Students JUSTIN ROBERTS Athletics Director LEA MACLEAN Activities Director

WINTER 2020 Southwest Yosemite League Haley Obenshain

Stockdale High’s girls soccer team finish off a great season The Stockdale High girls soccer team got off to a rough start to 2019-20 season. Things didn’t look promising for Mustangs after they won just one of their first five games. However, starting with a 3-0 victory over eventual Central Sequoia League champion Kingsburg in mid-December, Stockdale founds its stride and won seven and tied one during an eight-game stretch. The winning tear eventually subsided but the Mustangs continued to play well the rest of the season. “We ended up having two out of our three of seniors get injured and be out all the way through January,” Stockdale coach Lorne Howlett said. “We had six freshmen who all played those early games. It was tough because we were out there with little leadership on the field. They (the six freshmen) all have great potential, but they were 14 playing against girls that were 17. They did great later in the year because

GIRLS SOCCER

they got that early experience.” Stockdale’s hot streak began right before the start of Southwest Yosemite League play. Two of the seven teams the Mustangs vanquished were their SWYL rivals Liberty and Centennial. The win over the Patriots was the first by the Stockdale since 2013. “I was happy for them,” Howlett said. “You could see the look on their faces that they had worked really hard.” The wins against Liberty and Centennial helped put Stockdale in first place (4-0-1) at the end of the first round of league play. But unfortunately for the Mustangs they lost both rematches and finished in second place by half a game in SWYL to Patriots. Seeded No. 13 for the Central Section Division I playoffs, Stockdale upset No. 4 Fresno-Central, 1-0 in the first round. That win, the Mustangs sixth

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Nick Ellis

shutout of the season, setup a third meeting with No. 5 Liberty in the quarterfinals. Despite a solid effort Stockdale lost the rubber match to the Patriots, 4-2. After the season Stockdale (127-2) had several players receive accolades. Junior defender Kristin Ramirez, one of the Mustangs captains, was named SWYL Defensive Player of the Year. Sophomore forward Danielle Medellin, Stockdale’s leading goal scorer, and senior forward Haley Obenshein were both selected First Team All-SWYL. Three other Mustangs, Alex Jacinto, Kiersten Silva, and Sophia Sheler were Second Team All-SWYL selections. “It was a great season,” Howlett said. “Two to three of our key players were always out throughout the season, but we were still able to manufacture some wins…It was my second year, so it’s still about creating a culture.

Boys’ Basketball 6th Place Girls’ Basketball 5th Place Boys’ Soccer 5th Place Girls’ Soccer 2nd Place Boys’ Wrestling 5th Place Girls’ Wrestling 3rd Place 2800 Buena Vista Road Bakersfield, CA 93311 Phone: 661-665-2800 Fax: 661-665-0914 stockdale.kernhigh.org

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Lauren Hamilton

Elliott Bryniarski

Etienne Cruz 82 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Ebele Mbagwu Name Here

STOCKDALE HIGH SCHOOL MUSTANG WRESTLING

By Stephen Lynch

Photos by Javier Valdes

#MUSTANGPRIDE

Ehireme Ohens Junior Wrestler

One thing that can never be questioned about Ehireme Ohens is her resolve. Not after the way the Stockdale High junior battled her way through painful injuries to her left arm and hand to earn a spot in the CIF State Wrestling Championships this season. Ranked No. 3 in the state, a wounded Ohens gutted out a second-place finish at the Master’s meet and then wrestled the entire state tournament with her ailing appendages heavily bandaged. Despite that Ohens made it all the way to the quarterfinals before getting eliminated from the tournament. “She was determined to continue wrestling,” Stockdale coach David Orozco said. “She’s very focused.” This year Ohens, who placed eighth at the state meet last year, was focused on being the best 160-pound girls wrestler in California. If not for the injuries she might have accomplished that goal. Ohen was 18-1 before losing in the finals of the Master’s tournament. Prior to that she took first place in almost every tournament she entered. “She’s very explosive,” Orozco said. “When she does a move, she’s very aggressive. And she’s fast. One of the things when she takes her shots she’s able to get into the body pretty quick. And she’s very powerful. She has a lot of the strength. One of the things she focuses on a lot during the off season is muscle building.” Junior wrestler Ehireme Ohens after her competition at the CIF State Wrestling Championships.

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#WESTISBEST

GIRLS SOCCER

WEST HIGH

VIKINGS

Natalie Perez

“The season was a success from start to finish. We accomplished the goals we set out as a team, everyone played a key role this season.” —Chris Orozo, Soccer Coach

West High soccer player Stephany Castillo prepares to kick the ball during the West High vs Ridgeview High match on January 9, 2020. . Photos by Nick Ellis

THE LIST WEST HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

MEGAN GREGOR Principal

RYAN COLEMAN AP, Instruction FABIAN BUCKNER AP, Administration ZAENA ARANETA Dean of Students SCOTT DAVISSON Athletics Director GENIA OWENS Activities Director

WINTER 2020 South Yosemite League Boys’ Basketball 3rd Place Girls’ Basketball 6th Place Adrian Daniels

Stephon Brooks

West High basketball team has good season despite shortcomings In a sport where size really does matter, the 2019-20 West High boys basketball team didn’t have player taller than 6-foot-3. Despite that shortcoming, pun intended, the Vikings fought and scrapped their way to a solid 15-13 overall record and a third-place finish in the South Yosemite League. To compensate for its lack of size, West regularly played full-court man-to-man defense, attempting to force turnovers and score easy transition baskets. “When we won games, we usually turned people over a lot,” West coach Elbert Watkins said. “We played well defensively and were able to force the tempo. We were a short team, but we were fast. We were able to play at a fast pace and make the game go faster.” Senior guard Kobe McCollough scored 13.4 points per game and junior forwarded Amari Thomas

BOYS BASKETBALL

chipped in 8.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Vikings, who lost to second-seeded Garces in the first round of Central Section Division III playoffs. The highlight of season for West was a victory over SYL rival Ridgeview in the first round of league play. Snapping a 13-game losing streak to the Wolf Pack wasn’t the only memorable win for the Vikings. In mid-January West defeated Delano, which went 23-12 and ended up making it all the way to the Division V Southern California Regional semifinals. “Everyone was really excited when we beat Ridgeview,” Watkins said. “We hadn’t beaten them in 6 years, so that was big…So was the win against Delano. They were one of the top teams in Kern County, and for us to come back and beat them after we lost to them the first time, that was a great game

By Stephen Lynch Photos by Miguel Garcia

for us.” While those wins were pleasing to Watkins, he’s also likes that his team never shied away from a challenge. “We’ll play anyone, and we won’t back down from anybody,” Watkins said. “No matter their record or their size and we’ll play them. We got the 15 seed (for the playoffs), but we were a better team than that. A lot of the coaches didn’t want to play us in the playoffs.” Overall Watkins was happy with how his team performed this year. “I think it went really well,” Watkins said. “I was hoping we could have at least made it to the second round of the playoffs. That was my goal. I was hoping we would have gotten higher than a 15 seed. We had a couple bad losses that kind of hurt us, but for the most part I was happy with how it ended out.”

Boys’ Soccer 5th Place Girls’ Soccer 5th Place Boys’ Wrestling 4th Place Girls’ Wrestling 4th Place

1200 New Stine Road Bakersfield, CA 93309 Phone: 661-832-2822 Fax: 661-831-5606 www.west.kernhigh.org

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Abby Lopez

Maritza Martinez

Osmar Duarte Jr. 86 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

Andrew Sanchez

WEST HIGH SCHOOL VIKINGS GIRLS SOCCER

By Stephen Lynch

Photo by Nick Ellis

#PRIDE

Destinee Davis

Senior Soccer Player Four players were listed as captains on the West High girls soccer roster team this year. But the one that was the unquestioned leader on and off the field for the Vikings was senior forward Destinee Davis. With the graduation of 12 players from West’s 2018-19 squad, Davis stepped up this season and set an excellent example for the team’s large influx of newcomers. “She was someone they could look up to, especially the underclassmen,” West coach Chris Orozco said. “She showed them what a successful athlete should look like.” Davis’ on field performance was certainly something for the younger players to try and emulate. She was one of the team’s biggest offensive threats, scoring nine goals and leading the team with 11 assists. A versatile and experienced player, Davis’ value to the Vikings didn’t come solely from her offensive output. “Most people think of a striker as someone that just stays up a top, but she’s is a player that molds to any spot on the field,” Orozco said. “And that’s definitely how we used her. There were times where we were up in the score and we just needed someone in the back that knew what they were doing. She stepped up a couple times to play defense. When she was on top, she had an eye for the goal no matter where she was on the field.”

Senior Destinee Davis makes her way down the field in the West High match against Independence.

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SYC BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lady Drillers and Garces Rams claim first SYC Basketball Championship By Stephen Lynch | Photos by Nick Ellis There was quite a contrast in the way the two title games of the first ever South Yosemite Conference Basketball Championships played out at North High. The girls game was a blowout decided in the first few minutes after the opening tip, while the boys game went down to the wire with the result finally determined in overtime. The Bakersfield High girls, led by the outstanding all-around play of Erica Hayden, jumped out to an early 20-3 lead en route to an easy 56-37 victory over Tehachapi. Hayden tied a career-high with 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds and dished 88 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

out six assists as the Drillers (26-2) rolled to their 24th straight victory. “I thought we came out and did what we were supposed to,” BHS girls coach Rashaan Shehee said. “Wanted to make sure we continued to keep our intensity. Very pleased with the way we came out and played.” BHS’ hopes of sweeping the event were dashed later in the evening when the Garces boys team let an 18-point second-quarter lead slip away before rallying in overtime to edge the Drillers 57-54. Jack Hatten scored a game-high 20 points and JJ Uphold had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Rams, who came in the

game as substantial underdogs based on a pair of regular season losses, including one by 32 points, to BHS this season. “This this our third time playing them,” Hatten said. “We’ve been close, but they blew us out the last time. To come out and win tonight, I’m speechless. I can’t believe it. It’s awesome.” The BHS girls led a solid Warriors squad by double figures nearly the entire game. Leading 11-3 midway through the first quarter, Hayden scored three straight baskets to kick start a 9-0 Drillers run. Despite the best efforts of Teagan Thurman, who finished with 20 points and 20

rebounds for Tehachapi, BHS continued to lead big the rest of the first half and went into the locker room at halftime in front 33-18. The Drillers never let Tehachapi (18-2) get closer than 13 points of the lead in the second half. Ray Vaughn scored 10 points and Taylor Linzie added nine points and 10 rebounds for BHS, which was propelled to the victory in large part due to a strong defensive performance. The Drillers held Tehachapi to 24.5-percent shooting from the floor and scored 17 points off 20 Warriors’ turnovers. “We knew we had a competition and I’m just glad our team kept it together and we played a good game,” Hayden said. Hayden connected on 7 of 15 shots from the field and was 2 of 2 from the free throw line. She was named BHS’ Player of the Game. “Everything was just falling for me,” Hayden said. “It was a good game for me.” Shehee was pleased with Hayden’s play but also how his team came out and established control of things right at the start of the game. “We tried to have an emphasis on starting fast because lately we haven’t been starting fast,” Shehee said. “We’ve been a little bit lethargic with our defensive rotations. Today we did what we were supposed to.” The Garces boys completely dominated

early action against BHS. The Rams, behind the hot shooting of Hatten, led 21-8 at the end of the first quarter and 33-17 at halftime. BHS, which played much of the game without star forward David Whatley due to foul trouble, struggled on offense the entire night. After shooting just 20-percent from the floor in the first half, BHS (21-6) connected on four straight three-pointers to start the third quarter. Later in the third period, an Alex Martinez three-pointer cut the Rams lead to 33-29. BHS, which held Garces (19-9) to just 19 points in the second half, eventually tied things 50-50 on a driving basket by Josh Geary with two and a half minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The score remained deadlocked, 52-52, as regulation time expired. Neither team scored in the extra four-minute period until Whatley muscled his way inside for a short-range score with 1:51 left on the clock. Ipreye Egbe responded for Garces 30 seconds later with a game-tying shot in the key. BHS’ next offensive possession ended with Whatley picking up his fifth foul. After defensive foul by Ryan McGee, Hatten sank a pair of free throws to give the Rams the lead for good with 42 seconds left.

Garces coach Brian Dignan was excited that his team was able to win the first ever SYC Tournament. “I think it’s extremely special,” Dignan said. “Garces has a rich tradition and history of excellence in sports. Basketball, we’ve had our lull. It’s great to come in here and in our first opportunity for the conference tournament, to be champions. Hopefully gets us back on that track of championship play with our program.” Geary finished with 16 points and Whatley had 13 points and six rebounds for BHS, which entered the game riding a 14-game winning streak. “Give credit to Garces. They played really well tonight,” BHS coach Greg Burt said. “We just didn’t have it. It didn’t feel like we had it from the beginning tip. We battled back, got it tied. We could just never make that final play to get over the top.” Girls Championship Game Bakersfield 56, Tehachapi 37 Boys Championship Game Garces 57, Bakersfield 54 (OT)

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#WEAREBC

Bakersfield college sports

BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE

RENEGADES

Dasia Wandick

Bakersfield High School alumnus Tyrell Coleman plays basketball for the Bakersfield College Renegades. Photos by Nick Ellis

KHSD TO BC

1. Centennial High School alumnus Esteban Robles swims for the Bakersfield College Renegades. 2. Centennial High School alumna Daran Towns swims for the Bakersfield College Renegades. 3. Frontier High School alumnus Caleb Jameson plays golf for Bakersfield College. 4. Stockdale High alumna McKenzie Villalvazo plays volleyball for the Bakersfield College Renegades. 5. Centennial High alumnus Cody Hartsfield is a track and field athlete at Bakersfield College. 6. Independence High alumna Amaya Williams is a track and field athlete at Bakersfield College. 7. Liberty High School alumna Hannah Purvis plays for the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis team at Bakersfield College. 8. West High School alumnus Juan Contreras plays for the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis team at Bakersfield College.

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CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONS Photo by Mark Duffel

DIVISION II SECTION CHAMPIONS Centennial High School Girls Soccer

Photo by Nick Ellis

DIVISION III SECTION CHAMPIONS Foothill High School Boys Soccer

94 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONS Photo by Ralph Gonzales

DIVISION VI SECTION CHAMPIONS Arvin High School Girls Soccer

Photo by Henry Barrios

DIVISION II SECTION CHAMPIONS Independence High School Boys Basketball

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CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONS Photo by Mark Duffel

DIVISION I SECTION CHAMPIONS Bakersfield High School Girls Basketball

Photo by Miguel Garcia

DIVISION V SECTION CHAMPIONS East Bakersfield High School Girls Basketball

96 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONS Photo by Shair Garner

DIVISION III SECTION CHAMPIONS North High School Boys Wrestling

Alyssa Valdivia Frontier 106

Monique Bravo Ridgeview 235

Ehireme Ohens Stockdale 160

Orianna Morales BHS 143

Maliya Castillo Ridgeview 170

Aliana Lefotu Golden Valley 137

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CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONS Jacqueline Hernandez Frontier 101

Kirsten Banales EBHS - 121

Genesis Quirarte Ridgeview 111

Justin Darter BHS 220 - D1

Gabriela Machado Highland 131

Josiah Hill BHS 285- D1

Dominick Leon Golden Valley 160- D2

Abelino Rivera Shafter 108 - D3

Kalob Lopez North 120- D3

Anthony Ruvalcaba South 132- D3

Javier Ocampo North 145- D3

Alex Valle CHS 182 - D3

Ricardo Eaton EBHS -170 - D5

Johnathan Patino East 182 - D5

Xavier Reyes III Mira Monte 160 - D5

98 KHSD ACHIEVE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2020

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go Out There and Do Amazing Things!â&#x20AC;?

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