Track & Field: Girls – Brianna Lee
Junior Brianna Lee is a varsity thrower and recently broke the school record in Shot and Disc at the teams first meet against Rosemead. Her throw reached a 32’6, which not only beat her personal record of 26’6.5 but also beat the school’s previous record of 32’2.5 set by alumnus Bianca Addison.
She placed 7th at the Rosemead Track & Field invitationals in the varsity Shot Put division.
“She put in a lot of work in the off season, and it really paid off for her,” stated Coach Ryan Kammerman. “Last year, she was not somebody who scored varsity points for us, and this year she became the best shot putter in distance we’ve ever had.”
Lee started by trying out for shot put in her sophomore year, as she was previously in weight training.
“Seeing how others could jump really high and run really fast in other categories, I knew it wasn’t really my thing,” stated Lee. “I had been in weight training, so I said that this is the event for me.”
She not only thinks about the result of the meet when competing, she also thinks about what scouts might be looking for and how she can improve her distances.
Track & Field: Boys – Kevin Yuen
“I like being able to do something that no other sport offers,” stated Kevin Yuen, senior. “Pole vaulting uses skills that combine a lot of different sports together [because] we have to run fast, be very coordinated, and be sprinters and gymnasts all at once.”
Yuen has been a part of track since his freshman year, first as a sprinter, then later transitioning into pole vault in his sophomore year. Determined to increase his skill level this season, he hopes to break the school record of 14’3 set by alumnus Mark Winchell. He currently holds the third best height in school years.
Yuen came in first at the meet against Rosemead with a height of 13′.
“He has always been our top pole vaulter for the past few years and is a really good team leader, especially for the pole vault crew,” stated Coach Ryan Kammerman. “He put in a lot of work during the off season and has really prepared himself to have a good senior year.”
Boys Volleyball – Anthony Tran
“I have seen a lot of growth in Anthony as a player from where he was last year to where he is now,” stated Coach Nolan Tcheng. “He has a huge appetite for the game and is constantly looking for ways to improve.”
Sophomore Anthony Tran is in his second year of playing volleyball. When he started last year, he was still learning how to play and familiarizing himself with Tcheng’s coaching style.
“He is a really good player, works hard, and gives the sport his all in everything he does,” stated teammate Alvin Nguyen, sophomore. “He put in the work outside of school, and with that he went from junior varsity bench warmer to varsity starter.”
Tran looks forward to being out on the court with his teammates and learning more about the sport. He takes advantage of the time he has in practice to better himself in areas he feels he needs improvement.
“He is a hardworking player who likes to ask questions about how he can become better and learn more about the sport,” stated senior Nicholas Izumida.
Baseball – Nathan Hernandez
“His leadership is what stands out. He pitches, plays multiple positions and is one of our best hitters,” complimented Coach Mauricio Hernandez.
Number 3 hitter, senior Nathan Hernandez holds one of the biggest leadership roles on the team.
With 13 years of experience, Hernandez enjoys being able to go out on the field and hear that his family, friends, and teammates are all cheering him on.
“He is really motivated and helps out the team a lot. [He] is an inspiration to me,” stated freshman Nicolas Castillo.
Now on his third year of playing on varsity, Hernandez is focused on improving his batting. This is his first year pitching on varsity.
Acknowledging that many players are still adjusting to the switch from junior varsity to varsity, he tries his best to help them get used to the fast paced movement of a higher level.
“He is a hard worker, talented, and most importantly, a good kid,” revealed Nathaniel Ortega, senior.
