Menifee 24/7 is pleased to honor Athletes of the Month for January at Liberty High School. Honorees were selected by the coaches of their respective sports and were recognized with a presentation of certificates and photo opportunity on campus.
Vance Guanga was selected from the boys wrestling team.
“Vance has wrestled for three years with Liberty. He is a team captain and has been a great asset to our wrestling team,” said his coach.
Girls water polo player Kaitlin Ortiz “has been an absolute blessing to our team,” said coach Hailey Badham. “Watching her grow from when she was a little girl to becoming a young woman who is about to take on her future is a complete blessing.
“Kaitlin embodies every characteristic that every coach hopes to have. She is coachable, kind, resilient, responsible and extremely hard-working. She keeps her head down and exceeds any expectations that we could ever ask of her. We are so thankful to have Kaitlin on our team and although we will miss her so much, we cannot wait to see what she accomplishes in life. Your girls Liberty water polo team is cheering you on loud and proud.”
Girls basketball player Aubrianna Anderson is averaging 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals per game.
“Bri was a defensive standout on the JV team the last couple of years and that’s carried over to varsity this season,” said coach Fred Yepez. “She’s one of the main reasons why our team defense has improved this year and has us sitting at the top of the division right now. She can shoot the ball pretty well and is leading our team in scoring.”
Tyler Guardado is being honored from the boys soccer team.
“From the very first day, Tyler consistently demonstrated strong leadership qualities, setting the tone by ensuring all players remained focused, disciplined, and prepared for training,” said coach Garrett Hayden. “He has fully embraced his role as a leader and earned the responsibility of serving as team captain. His presence on the field commands respect and motivates his teammates to compete with greater intensity, confidence, and purpose.
“Under his leadership, players naturally rise to meet the high standard he sets. The team’s success and unity are a direct reflection of his influence and commitment. Tyler continually sacrifices for the benefit of his teammates, and even while sidelined by injury, he led from the bench, proving his impact extends well beyond the field of play.”
Lillian Alagao is the captain of the girls soccer team.
“Her daily commitment to modelling service-based leadership has been fruitful for her colleagues,” said coach Juan Romero. “She also leads by example, both on and off the field. On the field, her daily sacrifices are impactful to the success of the team and central to our system of play. Off the field, she maintains an academically rigorous schedule and maintains a 4.0+ GPA.
“Lillian is an exceptional young lady who is destined for great things in her future. We, as a team and coaching staff, are grateful to have her on our team. Lillian, you will always be remembered for your actions, your kindness, commitment and the impact you have had on the soccer program. We are all praying for your success and wishing you the best as you finish the season and move on to bigger and better things in your personal journey!”
Boys basketball player Kevin Henderson “is what every coach would love to have in a player,” said coach Jacoby Herring. “He’s a true testament of a senior leader in a program. Kevin never complains, is always there, and every teammate celebrates him when he succeeds like he’s their big brother. That in itself is very telling of how impactful his character is. He’s a true testament to what it is to lead by example and to leave a legacy. We’re going to miss having him around next year, but we’re wishing him all the blessings in his future endeavors.”
