Heritage's Newsom, Dogani Named Athletes of Month

Soccer standout Alyssa Newsom and basketball standout Francis Dogani of Heritage High School have been honored as the February Menifee 24/7 Athletes of the Month, sponsored by Photos DLite photo studio.

Newsom posted 12 shutouts this season as goalkeeper for the Patriots' girls soccer team. She had a 90 percentage save percentage and a 1.3 goals-against average. Her years of experience in soccer definitely paid off this season.

"As a goalkeeper, some keys to my success have been training as a soccer player at an early age, being fearless, being aware of what's happening, and instinctively knowing what's going to happen next," Newsom said. "I started playing soccer, in general, when I was 3 years old. As a goalkeeper, my dad began training me when I was around 4-5 years of age, but I officially became a goalkeeper around 7.

"Out of my 12 shutouts this season, the shutout in the second game against Paloma (in a scoreless tie Feb. 5) stood out the most to me and my family and friends that came to watch. Yes, I played hard to win (in this case tie), but I also played hard for the love of the game and the joy of competition."

Newsom's coach, Michael Mattison, had high praise for the level at which Newsom performed this season.

"Alyssa did an excellent job in helping Heritage varsity soccer in setting a team record with 12 shutouts," Mattison said. "She is a positive leader on the field and off. Alyssa has a great work ethic which shows in her technical ability on the field. She also sets a great example by working diligently academically."

Just a sophomore, Newsom has high goals for the remaining two years of her high school career.

"Hope Solo said it best: 'No one has perfected the art of goalkeeping,' " she said. "That's what pushes me to be the best. Also, the competitiveness I have within me truly only shows on the soccer field.

"Once a goalkeeper, always a goalkeeper, because the smell of those gloves stay with you forever."

Dogani, a sophomore guard for the boys basketball team, averaged 20.3 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 4 assists per game in February, with a season high of 30 points against rival Paloma Valley. His improved play the second half of the season made a big impact on the Patriots.

"The first half of the season, my lack of experience showed," Dogani said. "I would usually psych myself out before games, telling myself things like, 'They're all older and bigger than me; how can I step up to that?' The second half of league, I kept thinking about the work I put in and how I'm just as good if not better than the teams and people we were playing against. The closer to the end of the season, the more my confidence rose.

"I consider myself a team leader because I'm always vocal in practices and games, and my teammates rally around and gain energy from defensive or offensive plays I make. My strengths are my shooting, defense, and ballhandling."

Dogani's coach, Andrew Ellis, was impressed by the guard's dedication on and off the court this season.

"Francis' work ethic is unmatched, as he is constantly trying to refine his skills and better his craft," Ellis said. "He had a very consistent year for us, but he really came alive this February in the last half of the season. He became our 'go-to' guy as his hard work started to pay off in the game. He also continues to get it done off the court as well, maintaining a 3.8 GPA."

Dogani responded quickly when asked about his personal highlights of the season.

"One was our home game against our rival, Paloma Valley, where I scored 30 points," he said. "We didn't win, but we received tremendous support from our fans. Another was our last game of the season against Lakeside High, where we rallied from down 10 in the fourth quarter to win our first league game in three years.

"There were many ups and downs during the season and I would like to thank our coach and our only senior (Logan Dreese) for sticking with us throughout it. We couldn't control wins or losses, but we always made sure we played hard. My faith in God is also important to me, as I believe I can't do anything without Him."

Newsom and Dogani will receive a free portrait from Photos DLite. The school will also receive one for display.