Menifee 24/7 honors Santa Rosa Athletes of Month

Santa Rosa Academy Athletes of the Month, from left: Chloe Santolucito, Wynter Pepper, Nick Welty, Aubrey Prior.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Menifee 24/7 kicks off the new high school sports season by honoring Athletes of the Month for August at Santa Rosa Academy. Honorees were selected by the coaches of their respective sports and were recognized with a presentation of certificates and photo opportunity on campus.

Sophomore cross country runner Wynter Pepper “is the perfect definition of a student-athlete,” says her coach, Megan Hansen.

“She takes her tenacity, strive for excellence, and resilience with her from the classroom to her sport/s,” Hansen said. “She gives me 110 percent and then some every single day. She constantly asks for ways to improve or get better with running. She is an amazing team player as she cheers her teammates on every day. I am so proud of the work she puts in and she will achieve great things in the future years to come.”

Coach Perry Jones said senior Nick Welty’s highlight of the month on the football team was tackling a running back from Desert Mirage for a loss of yardage.

“Nick is one of our team leaders and he is an example of how a middle linebacker should play the position,” Jones said.

Welty is second on the team with 10 total tackles for the Rangers, who are 1-1. On offense, he also has two catches for 23 yards.

Senior girls volleyball player Aubrey Prior is starting libero and captain of her team. She is also a cabinet leader and Captains Council.

“Aubrey is a born leader on and off the court,” said her coach, Elizabeth Culhane. “She creates meaningful connections, is a problem solver, has a great attitude and works hard.”

Senior Chloe (Corrin) Santolucito returned for her fourth year with the golf team. This is her third year as captain.

“Corrin has played golf for the girls team and the varsity boys team since her freshman year,” said her coach, Jennifer Santolucito. “This past spring she also helped coach the middle school team here at SRA. She volunteers at our Canyon Lake Country Club and Golf Course every summer for their golf camp, which also happens to be our home course. She has dedicated herself to the game of golf and to having great character in representing SRA and what we stand for. She does this both on and off the course.”