Walz, Carreno Named Paloma Valley Athletes of Month

Jed Walz is presented his Menifee 24/7 Athlete of the Month Award by Larry Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty. Also honored was Winter Carreno (below). (Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon)

Baseball standout Jed Walz and track and field star Winter Carreno of Paloma Valley High School have been honored as Menifee 24/7 April Athletes of the Month, sponsored by RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

Walz, a senior pitcher, is 5-2 with a 1.06 ERA this season. Also a second baseman, he is hitting .349 with 12 RBIs. His individual season highlight came on April 21, when he pitched a no-hitter in a 3-0 victory over Elsinore High.

Only two Elsinore runners reached base that day -- one when hit by a pitch and another on an error.

"We had a couple good plays by Ryan Kemp, our third baseman," Walz recalled. "He came up clutch for me a lot. Our center fielder Dominic [Monachino] tracked down a couple balls, too. That game is my highlight so far this year."

Walz said the team's goal is to advance further in the CIF playoffs than last year, when the Wildcats lost to Santa Monica in the quarterfinals. With two games left in the regular season, Paloma Valley is 12-1 in the Sunbelt League and 17-7 overall.

"We're actually kind of young this year," he said about the team. "We have a lot of sophomores. But we all believe in each other. It's all about trust.

"I think I've matured a lot more this year. Last year I got frustrated a lot more. Now I just try to stay relaxed and have a good year."

Carreno, just a sophomore, had a big day for the Wildcats track and field team in the Sunbelt League finals on Wednesday. She placed first in the 100-meter hurdles (16.53), first in the high jump (5 feet) and fourth in the 300-meter hurdles (51.14).

Carreno has progressed significantly since first establishing herself with a high jump of 5 feet in the frosh/soph event of the Beaumont Cougar Classic. She also finished third in the 300 hurdles that day.

Now, she sets her sights on the CIF prelims, scheduled for May 16.

Walz and Carreno each received a certificate of recognition from Menifee 24/7 and a Target gift card presented by Larry Nemelka of RE/MAX Diamond Realty.

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