2017-18 Athletes of the Week
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Valexsia Droughn & Joey Herrera, Athletes of the Year, 2017-18
June 13, 2018Valexsia Droughn and Joey Herrera have been named the 2017-18 Ventura College Athletes of the Year. Droughn is a state champion sprinter on the women's track and field team while Herrera is an All-Western State Conference and All-State golfer. -
Brian Hicks & Marissa Gonzales, Scholar Athletes of the Year, 2017-18
May 23, 2018Brian Hicks from the men's swim team and Marissa Gonzales from the women's cross country and track & field teams have been named the Ventura College Scholar Athletes of the Year for 2017-18. The two have achieved the highest cumulative grade point averages among all graduating male and female student athletes at VC this year. Congratulations!
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Darrell Handy-Johnson, Men's Track & Field, Week of May 7-13
May 14, 2018Darrell Handy-Johnson had a great day Saturday at the Southern california Regional Track and Field Finals. The freshman two-sport standout from Maricopa, AZ qualified for the CCCAA State Championships in three events for VC, breaking a 20-year gold-medal drought in regional competition for the Pirate men. He won the high jump, clearing the bar at 6'8", and qualified for state with a sixth-place long jump of 22' 1". Finally, he placed third in the triple jump with a mark of 46' 8 1/4".
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Adrianna Bese, Women's Swimming, Week of April 30-May 6
May 07, 2018Swimmer Adrianna Bese saved her best for last. The freshman from Nordhoff High School set a new school record in the 200-yard breast stroke in the finals of the event Saturday evening at the CCCAA State Championships in Cupertino. She touched in 2:29.91 to place eighth in the event, establishing the new VC standard. Additionally, she also placed seventh in the 100-yard breast stroke on Friday in a time of 1:08.40, nearly a second faster than her qualifying time from the morning session.
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Joey Herrera, Pirate Golf, Week of April 23-29
April 30, 2018Pirate golfer Joey Herrera carded his second straight even par round on Monday, leading the Pirates to a second place finish at the Western State Conference event hosted by Citrus College. With the finish, the Pirates are in solid position for a SoCal Regional berth heading into the WSC Championships. The St. Bonaventure High School product had had three sub-par rounds this season, and another three even-par rounds, consistently leading the team in scoring
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Anissa Padilla, Pirate Softball, Week of April 16-22
April 23, 2018Sophomore Anissa Padilla has been one of the Pirate softball team's most outstanding performers all season. In 29 appearances in the pitcher's circle, 23 of them starts, the Oxnard High School product has 19 complete games with a record of 15-7 with three saves. She has an earned run average of 2.37 and has 132 strikeouts in 150 innings pitched. At the plate, she has a .397/.500/.618 stat line with 22 runs batted in. On Thursday against rival Moorpark College, she batted 4-4 with three RBI while allowing just three hits while striking out five in the five-inning complete game shutout as VC defeated the Raiders 9-0.
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Priyank Soni, Men's Tennis, Week of April 9-15
April 16, 2018It was a banner week for Pirate freshman Priyank Soni. On Tuesday, he and doubles partner Adrien Etiemble swept their opponents from Saddleback in the No. 1 doubles slot as Ventura posted a 5-0 SoCal Regional Playoff quarterfinal victory. Then on Friday, the Mumbai, India native defeated his doubles partner in the Western State Conference singles semifinals before upsetting teammate and No. 1-seeded Solal Cherqui to claim the WSC singles championship. Finally, in doubles, Soni and Etiemble played a marathon match in the WSC final, earning a runner-up finish in the draw.
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Cooper Fuchs, Men's Swimming, Week of April 2-8
April 09, 2018Cooper Fuchs continues to have an amazing freshman season for the VC men's swimming team. The Westlake High School product placed in three individual events Friday in the Pirates' only day at the Pasadena City College Invitational against 12 of the top programs in the state. In the 50-yard freestyle he touched in 21.06, just .16 off the pace for a second place finish. He also finished fourth in the 200-yard backstroke and sixth in the 200-yard freestyle.
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Tricia McClain, Women's Tennis, Week of Mar. 19-25
March 26, 2018The Ventura College women's tennis team has returned to the upper half of the Western State Conference. One of the keys to the success of the Pirates in 2018 has been its depth, including at the No. 6 spot, which is usually occupied by Tricia McClain. The sophomore from Ventura is undefeated in six WSC matches at No. 6, and has posted the second-most singles wins on the team. On the year, she is 9-4 in singles play, seeing action at the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 slots.
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Carina Cates & Danielle Garcia, Beach Volleyball, Week of Mar. 12-18
March 19, 2018The VC beach volleyball team opened Western State Conference play this week, and the No. 5 pair of Carina Cates and Danielle Garcia was the only Pirate duo to win both of their matches. Cates, a sophomore from Pacifica High School, and Garcia, a freshman from Camarillo High School, have won their last six matches and have an 8-3 record on the season in their No. 5 slot. On Friday they defeated pairs from Bakersfield and Santa Monica as VC split its first two WSC matches.
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Valexsia Droughn, Women's Track & Field, Week of Mar. 5-11
March 12, 2018The Pirate track and field teams posted four all-time top-10 performances over the weekend at the Occidental Distance Carnival Spring Break Classic. None were more impressive than Valexsia Droughn's 12.16 mark in the 100 meters to break the school record of 12.20 set two years ago by Alisha Greenlaw. The sophomore from Rio Mesa High School also had a wind-aided 11.93 earlier this season, and she currently has the second-fastest time in Southern California this year.
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Taylor Goffena, Pirate baseball, Week of Feb. 26-Mar. 4
March 05, 2018Freshman pitcher Taylor Goffena is finding his groove. The Prescott, Ariz. native has produced solid starts in each of his last three appearances for the Pirate baseball team, pitching a combined 19.1 innings and allowing just four earned runs over that span. With a record of 2-1 over his last three outings, he is quickly becoming the Pirates' No. 1 starting pitcher. This past week against Citrus, Taylor threw seven solid innings, scattering eight hits and allowing just one run in VC's 5-1 victory. On the season, he has a 1.59 earned run average in 22.1 innings of work.
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Mikala Cvijanovich, Women's Swimming, Week of Feb. 19-25
February 26, 2018Sophomore swimmer Mikala Cvijanovich came to VC specializing in the breast stroke. What has been discovered early in the season is that she is also pretty good in the individual medley. The Arbor View (Nev.) High School product excelled in both events Saturday at the Mt. SAC Invitational, and helped two relays score points, as well.
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Kamar Wilson, Men's Track & Field, Week of Feb. 12-18
February 20, 2018The Pirate track and field season is just beginning, and freshman Kamar Wilson is already making his mark. The Pacifica High School product claimed silver in the high jump at the Battle of the Regions in Bakersfield a week ago, then won gold Friday at the Western State Conference Relays, also in Bakersfield. He cleared 6'2 3/4" on Friday to win the event in just his second meet as a Pirate.
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Rafael Dunan, Men's Tennis, Week of Feb. 5-11
February 12, 2018A "golden set" may be one of the most rare occurrences in sports. Pirate freshman Rafael Dunan pulled one off this week. In Thursday's match against Santa Barbara, the freshman from Nice, France scored 24 consecutive points in the first set of his No. 5 singles match-up, shutting out his opponent without giving up a single point. He won the match love and love, helping the Pirates to a 9-0 sweep of the Vaqueros.
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Chris McKee, Pirate Baseball, Week of Jan. 29-Feb. 4
February 04, 2018The Ventura College baseball team is off to a 2-1 start to the 2018 season. On Saturday they blasted 18 hits en route to an 8-2 victory at Pasadena. Leading the way was sophomore Chris McKee. The sophomore from Newbury Park High School was 4-5 with a double, two runs scored, two runs batted in and a stolen base in leading the offensive onslaught for the orange and black.
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Megan Best, Pirate Softball, Week of Jan. 22-28
January 29, 2018Th Pirate softball team got off to a great start over the weekend at the Glendale Tournament, winning three of four games. Sophomore pitcher Megan Best was a factor in all three victories with a save and a pair of wins in the circle. In 14 innings of work, she allowed just three runs and nine hits while striking out 14 batters. She picked up a pair of wins against Long Beach and Mt. San Jacinto, respectively, and recorded the save against Cerro Coso.
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Nikki Puga, Women's Basketball, Week of Jan. 15-21
January 22, 2018Ventura College's women's basketball team moved into first place alone in the Western State Conference North Division over the weekend with a 47-38 come-from-behind victory at Moorpark. Leading the way for the Pirates was freshman Nikki Puga. The Camarillo High School product had a career day, sinking five 3-pointers en route to a career-high 17 points. The 5-foot-4 guard also pulled in four rebounds with an assist and no turnovers in 35 minutes of play, leading the VC to the key road triumph.
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John Williams, Men's Basketball, Week of Jan. 8-14
January 16, 2018The VC men's basketball team got off to a great start in defense of its Western State Conference North Division crown Saturday with a solid 77-67 victory over visiting Allan Hancock. John Williams was key in that victory with 24 points, 20 in the second half. The freshman from Augusta, GA also pulled down eight rebounds, grabbed four steals and recorded two blocked shots.
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Jacob Alonzo, Men's Basketball, Week of Nov. 27-Dec. 3 2017
December 04, 2017By any measure, Jacob Alonzo had a great weekend on the court forthe Pirates' men's basketball team. The sophomore guard from Camarillo High School averaged 16 points per game for VC in the Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament at Antelope Valley College. He made nine 3-pointers in the three games, including a clutch shot with three seconds remaining to give the Pirates the lead against No. 1-ranked San Bernardino Valley on Saturday.
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Celeste Salazar, Basketball, Week of Nov. 20-26 2017
November 27, 2017The Pirates' women's basketball team is off to a solid beginning to its 2017-18 season. The team's most steady and reliable performer has been sophomore guard Celeste Salazar. The Pacifica High School product is among the team leaders in almost every statistical category and has been a steady influence on the court with the most minutes played. She leads the team in 3-point shooting and has been the Pirates' best defender, often times drawing the opposition's best player. Additionally, she has been versatile in the line-up, playing four of the five positions on the floor at one time or another.
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Fabiola Flores Gomez, Women's Cross Country, Week of Nov. 13-19 2017
November 20, 2017This past weekend, the VC women's cross country team produced their best state finish in 34 years, placing third at the CCCAA State Championships in Fresno. The team had three runners in the Top-14 earning All-American honors including Fabiola Flores Gomez. The sophomore from Santa Paula High School covered the 5k course in a lifetime best 19:01 placing 12th out of the 161 competitors.
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Gil Scott Jackson, Pirate Football, Week of Nov. 6-12 2017
November 13, 2017The Pirate football team wrapped up their second straight undefeated conference campaign Saturday night with a 44-34 win over Cerritos. Leading the way offensively for VC was running back Gil Scott Jackson. The freshman from Oaks Christian High School totaled 118 yards from scrimmage, including 13 carries for 64 yards rushing and six catches for 54 yards receiving.
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Carina Cardenas, Pirate Soccer, Week of Oct. 30-Nov. 5 2017
November 06, 2017In soccer, like some other sports, there are positions that do not have statistical categories to judge worth, but whose play is vital to the success fo teh team. For the Pirates this season, freshman center back Carina Cardenas has filled that role. The Rio Mesa High School product plays as the last line of defense before the goalkeeper and played two excellent games this past week against Oxnard and Cuesta, both shutout victories for Ventura. She logged 90 minutes in each outing helping the Pirates preserve their post-season hopes for 2017.
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Tyler Orsini, Pirate Football, Week of Oct. 23-29 2017
October 30, 2017In the 50th meeting between Ventura and Moorpark on the grid iron, VC dominated offensively in posting a 49-27 victory over the Raiders, Ventura's series record-tying 10th straight win over MC. The Pirate offense racked up 555 yards of total offense, with much credit to the offensive line unit. Leading the way Saturday was right guard Tyler Orsini. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound freshman from Royal High School in Simi Valley was the top grade earner on the line for the game, and has also been in the line's top-3 all season as VC has one of Southern California's top-ranked offensive units.
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Jacob Hernandez, Men's Cross Country, Week of Oct. 16-22 2017
October 23, 2017The Ventura College men's cross country team finished in the runner-up spot at last week's Western State Conference Championships held in Bakersfield. Leading the pack for VC was Jacob Hernandez, who covered the 4-mile course in a season-best 20:35, nearly a full minute faster than her ran the same course a month earlier. The freshman from Ventura High School placed fourth of 101 finishers in the meet, and was the top Pirate for the first time all season.
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Ryan Reardon, Men's Water Polo, Week of Oct. 9-15 2017
October 16, 2017
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Sabrina Cherfane, Women's Water Polo, Week of Oct. 2-8 2017
October 09, 2017The VC women's water polo team completed an undefeated weekend at the Ventura Tournament, posting four straight victories, the first three each by a single goal. Leading the way for the Pirates was attacker Sabrina Cherfane. The sophomore Westlake High School product scored a team-high 11 goals over the four games, with five steals as Ventura defeated El Camino, Cypress, Palomar and San Diego Miramar at the Ventura Aquatic Center.
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Kendric Mallory, Pirate Football, Week of Sept. 25 - Oct. 1 2017
October 02, 2017VC sophomore wide receiver Kendric Mallory is having great season. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Dayton, OH product has amassed 40 receptions for 469 yards and six touchdowns halfway through the 2017 season for the Pirate football team. In last week's game against No. 3-ranked Saddleback, Mallory pulled in 12 catches for 90 yards and three touchdowns in leading No. 9 Ventura to the 44-34 upset victory over the visiting Gauchos.
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Marissa Gonzales, Women's Corss Country, Week of Sept. 18-24 2017
September 25, 2017The Ventura College women's cross country team is off to its best start in years and leading the way is sophomore Marissa Gonzales. The Camarillo High School product has been the Pirates' top finisher in each of the three races she has entered, placing 10th in the SoCal Preview in Santa Clarita on September 15 where VC placed fourth out of 24 teams. Last Friday, Marissa ran the 5k course at the Bakersfield Invitational in 19:29, good for fourth place individually. She helped the Pirates claim the team title at the event, as well.
