Jake Luton and Paige Treloar-Ballard have been named the 2016-17 Ventura College Pirate Athletes of the Year. Luton was an All-American quarterback on the football team while Treloar-Ballard earned All-American status in both water polo and swimming.
Dre Jackson from the football team and Tiara Litonjua from the women's track & field team have been named the Ventura College Scholar Athletes of the Year for 2016-17.
Ventura's beach volleyball team wrapped up their season over the weekend at West Valley College in Saratoga. Leading the Pirates' efforts at the CCCAA State Championships was the team of Sariah Flores and Armonee Hunter. The duo won their first two matches in the championships, advancing to the state quarterfinals, the first pair from VC to advance that far in state competition.
The Pirate track and field teams competed in the Western State Conference Championships on Friday, with several athletes qualifying for the SoCal Prelims in Cerritos. Sophomore Alyssa Carrillo led the way qualifying for three individual events.
When the VC men's swimming and diving takes to the pool on Thursday in Santa Maria at the Western State Conference Championships, they will have a sizable head start, thanks in large part to diver Deonn Crilly. The freshman from Rio Mesa claimed the WSC 3m diving title and was second in the 1m competition at the SoCal Regional and WSC Diving Championships at El Camino College last weekend.
When the VC men's swimming and diving takes to the pool on Thursday in Santa Maria at the Western State Conference Championships, they will have a sizable head start, thanks in large part to diver Deonn Crilly. The freshman from Rio Mesa claimed the WSC 3m diving title and was second in the 1m competition at the SoCal Regional and WSC Diving Championships at El Camino College last weekend.
VC's swimming season is coming toward the Western State Conference and state championshp season, and Maria Petraitis is hitting her stride. The sophomore from Ventura High School had a great performance at the 19-team Pasadena Invitational Saturday, highlighted by her second place finish in the 200-yard breast stroke.
The Pirates' women's tennis team played its final dual match this past week, finishing off the year with a 5-4 upset of NorCal No. 1-ranked De Anza College. Sophomore Bailey Sindle closed off the dual season with an undefeated week, claiming her final two No. 1 singles matches against Bakersfield and De Anza, respectively, ending the regular season with a 9-6 individual mark.
Katie Campbell just finished a stellar freshman season for the VC women's basketball team. The Oaks Christian product was the Western State Conference North Division MVP and also earned first-team All-State honors.
The Ventura College men's tennis team is off to a great start at 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Western State Conference. Cruz Thayne is one reason why. The freshman from Newbury park is 6-1 on the season at No. 4 singles, and has teamed up with Bill Whitaker at No. 2 doubles to win seven straight matches. This week, Cruz lost just seven games in four matches in singles, all Pirate victories.
Tristan Griffith is at it again. A state qualifier in the 400m a year ago, Griffith has shown his versatility and speed as a sprinter for the Pirates' men's track and field team early on in the 2017 season. He won the 100m at the Bakersfield Battle of the Regions on Feb. 10 with a time of 11.03, and he won the 200m on Friday at the Western State Conference North meet at the VC Sportsplex in 22.34.
The VC Men's golf team has not been able to get out to the course much because of the rains this season. They were, however, able to play in the Eagle Golf Classic hosted by Mt. San Jacinto College at Soboba Springs Country Club last Wednesday where the Pirates finished third as a team out of 15 participating schools. Leading the charge was Brandon Resnick, who shot a 3-under par 69 to claim the overall medalist honors in the event.
Pirate sophomore Kyleesha Green has developed nicely into her role for the VC women's basketball team thsi season. Moved from point guard to the wing midway through the non-conference season, she has flourished, increasing her productivity across a wide range of statistical categories. In this past week, Kyleesha averaged 11 points, eight rebounds, 9.5 assists and 2.5 steals in two VC victories. Saturday against rival Moorpark, she flirted with a triple-double with 18 points, 12 boards and seven assists, all game high's.
VC point guard Eddie Cowan has been a steady infuence for the Pirates' men's basketball team this season. The sophomore from Harrisburg, Penn. has shown an ever-improving game as the season has progressed, averaging 13 points, 12 assists and 3.5 rebounds in the two games this week.
Sienna Brown has come into her own this season. The sophomore from Burroughs (Burbank) High School posted her sixth double-double of the season Friday against Citrus with 12 points and 12 rebounds in the 78-45 Pirate victory. She was named all-tournament in the VC-Optimist Holiday Tournament over winter break, and leads the team in field goal accuracy, shooting at a 47 percent rate (72-155).
Sophomore Vida Faniel has been playing well as of late for the VC men's basketball team. In the past four games, Vida has averaged 11.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 56.7 percent from the floor and 84.6 percent from the free throw line.
The Pirates soccer team advanced to the SoCal Regional Semifinals Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles Pierce College at the Sportsplex. Sophomore Melissa Cardenas scored the game-winner in the 64th minute on a header from a corner kick by Sarah Garcia. "Chica", who prepped at Oxnard High School, also had a solid outing in the back of the defense as the Brahmas desperately searched for an equalizer late in the game.
The Pirates soccer team advanced to the SoCal Regional Semifinals Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles Pierce College at the Sportsplex. Sophomore Melissa Cardenas scored the game-winner in the 64th minute on a header from a corner kick by Sarah Garcia. "Chica", who prepped at Oxnard High School, also had a solid outing in the back of the defense as the Brahmas desperately searched for an equalizer late in the game.
The Pirate football team has been racking up some impressive numbers on offense. Seemingly, a different receiver steps up each week to give an outstanding performance to help the team dominate the Northern Conference. In last week's regular season finale at Cerritos, freshman Brandon Jordan was that receiver.
Sophomore utility player Paige Treloar-Ballard has been a rock for the past two seasons for the VC women's water polo team. This past weekend, she scored 11 goals with four assists and eight drawn exclusions in the Pirates' three games at the Western State Conference Tournament in San Luis Obispo.
Entering its biggest week of competition in two years, the Pirates' women's soccer team defended its home pitch without allowing a single goal against Santa Barbara and Moorpark. VC's goalkeeper Evanessa Vasquez preserved the scoreless streak with a combined 14 saves, many in dramatic fashion as Ventura defeated SBCC 2-0 and tied the Raiders 0-0 to remain atop the Western State Conference North Division standings.
The Pirate football team is in a solid position to compete for a third straight Northern Conference crown. Although the offense had gotten much of the attention, the Pirate defense is a strong contributor to the team's success, and anchoring that unit has been the play of linebacker Darrian McIntyre.
Janelle Garcia has caught fire just in time to propel the Pirate soccer team. Over the past two weeks, she has scored seven goals in five matches, leading VC to four wins in five outings.
The Pirate volleyball team broke out of a rough patch in a big way Friday with a sweep of Glendale College. Sophomore middle Paris Dosch has been a steady presence for VC all season, and she was especially strong last week.
Lauren Wiksell was on fire in the water Saturday. The sophomore defender on the women's water polo team was all over the pool against the VC Alumnae with seven goals, an assist and seven steals on defense in the Pirates' 16-15 win. Additionally, she scored a pair of goals wit three assists a steal and a drawn ejection in VC's 18-3 rout of Los Angeles Pierce on Wednesday.
Jake Luton & Paige Trealor-Ballard, Athletes of the Year, 2016-17
June 06, 2017Jake Luton and Paige Treloar-Ballard have been named the 2016-17 Ventura College Pirate Athletes of the Year. Luton was an All-American quarterback on the football team while Treloar-Ballard earned All-American status in both water polo and swimming.
