The Metro Conference held its awards ceremony June 7 at Hilltop High School. All the student-athletes who deserved recognition got recognized, even though it was a bit late in the 2021-22 inter scholastic term.
Rather than splitting the long lists into fall, winter and spring seasons, everyone was honored at the end of the term.
It was still a rewarding experience despite the wait for some student-athletes.
Bonita Vista High School senior Max Anderson was a double honoree as the school’s scholar-athlete for winter sports and 2021-22 player of the year for the Sweetwater district’s roller hockey program.
The dual awards certainly raised the profile of roller hockey as a sport within the district.
“My gosh! Scholar-athlete, roller hockey!” BVHS roller hockey coach Keith Quigley gushed in astonishment after attending the school’s annual student awards ceremony. “What an honor!”
Indeed, it was.
Anderson did have an astonishing season on the rink as the Sweetwater district scoring champion with 54 goals and 81 points in helping lead the Barons to record-setting 17-0 start and a berth in the Kiwanis Cup semifinal championship playoffs.
But hard work and dedication off the court also paid dividends in the scholarship department.
“At school I would say I was heavily involved in academics taking a blend of AP and IB courses,” explained the somewhat diminutive (5-foot-6) but talented ice and roller hockey player, who recently turned 18. “While I did not pursue the IB diploma, I took a blend of courses that I felt were best suited for me. I would attribute most of my academic accomplishments to my sophomore and junior years in which I took many higher-level courses, studied hard, and performed well on exams.
“My senior year however, I took a lighter load, only taking five classes, but still taking part in challenging classes such as AP calculus BC and IB English HL 2. In all honestly, I was not aware this award even existed till the night I received it. I was very surprised and was not expecting it.”
Being a standout athlete and scholar takes both discipline and sacrifice.
“I would say it was difficult to excel in academics and athletics given the time sacrifices that I was forced to make,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I had so many late nights doing assignments, but more so in order to keep up. I was very productive during school to give myself a more manageable load of homework as I knew I would be tired from practice.
“However, at times, it’s almost easier to excel in academics while doing a sport as sports will put you in a productive mood and offer structure to your day. I found myself at times doing better in school during sport seasons rather than during the off-season.”
Anderson will be attending UCLA as a freshman. He chose to study at the Westwood campus while also considering UC Santa Barbara and the University of Miami.
“I chose UCLA because academically and socially I felt it was the best fit,” he said. “At UCLA I will be studying business economics which will allow me to explore various facets of business such as investing, real-estate, and finance. At Santa Barbra I would have only been able to study economics, and at Miami I would have been more focused on solely real estate.
“Additionally, at UCLA I felt had the best balance between social life and academics, in which I can pursue a degree I‘m truly interested in while also living in a great part of Los Angeles, being right by the beach, and a comfortable distance from home.
“This major is an economics major that offers a focus on business topics. I’m excited for some internship opportunities and what careers the major will lead me to.”
Anderson is hoping that the college experience will provide a pathway to future success.
“In college my main goal is to do well academically and get my degree, however I also hope to make strong connections while I’m there that will help me later in life and in my career,” he explained “Additionally, these next four years I want to have a good time and make some memories.”
Interestingly, UCLA has both a club roller hockey team and club ice hockey team. In fact, the Bruins ice hockey team, which was founded in 1926, completed a superlative season in 2021-22 that saw the team post a 17-3 regular season record and advance to the semifinals in the American Collegiate Hockey Association West Regional playoffs.
“I plan on trying out for the UCLA ice hockey team,” Anderson said. “I’ve learned their program is very strong and is working towards competing at the Division I level in the future. It would be great to be a part of the program if I make the team.”
UCLA, which switches to the West Coast Hockey Conference this season for ice hockey, plays its home games at The Cube in Santa Clarita. The Bruins host defending WCHC champion Loyola Marymount on Oct. 7 to face off the 2022-23 season.
UCLA also competes in the Western Collegiate Roller Hockey League for inline hockey. The 2022-23 season faces off in October as well.
METRO CONFERENCE 2021-22 HONOR ROLL
Scholar-Athletes
FALL SPORTS
BONITA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Keely Larson (girls volleyball) 4.08 GPA
Male: Robert Yetter (boys water polo) 4.57 GPA
CASTLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Maya Seda (girls golf) 4.69 GPA
Male: Hector Martinez (boys water polo) 3.8 GPA
CHULA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Tiffany Tapia Miranda (girls tennis) 4.0 GPA
Male: Christopher De Hoyas Clayton (football) 3.83 GPA
EASTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Savannah Johnson (girls volleyball) 4.06 GPA
Male: Nicolas Peter (football) 4.09 GPA
HILLTOP HIGH SCHOOL
Male: Miguel Tisnado (boys cross country) 4.5 GPA
MAR VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Olivia Lawyer (girls volleyball) 4.23 GPA
Male: Ethan Hastings (boys water polo) 3.57 GPA
MATER DEI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jane Clark (girls cross country) 4.3 GPA
Male: Brian Dukes (football) 3.83 GPA
MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jazlyn Sonio (girls volleyball) 4.0 GPA
Male: Juan Estrada Jr. (football) 3.86 GPA
OLYMPIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Lea Cervantes (girls tennis) 4.4 GPA
Male: Leonardo Ayala Jr. (football) 4.32 GPA
OTAY RANCH HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Zoe Rachow (girls volleyball) 3.86 GPA
Male: Aydan Wohlford (boys cross country) 4.1 GPA
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Sarahi Nunez Loaiza (girls tennis/volleyball) 4.48 GPA
District Female: Sarahi Nunez Loaiza (Southwest)
District Male: Aydan Wohlford (Otay Ranch)
WINTER SPORTS
BONITA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jada Gibson (girls soccer) 4.19 GPA
Male: Max Anderson (roller hockey) 4.45 GPA
CASTLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Frances Campos (girls basketball) 4.4 GPA
Male: Orlando Martinez (boys wrestling) 4.11 GPA
CHULA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Nyla Wraight (girls water polo) 4.34 GPA
Male: Josiah Willadsen (boys soccer) 4.24 GPA
EASTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Natalie Borba (girls soccer) N/A
Male: Tomas Jacobo (boys wrestling) 3.5 GPA
HILLTOP HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Gialli Francisco (girls soccer) 3.4 GPA
Male: Dominick Mercado (boys soccer) 3.3 GPA
MAR VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Khandyss Dupree (girls basketball) 4.26 GPA
Male: Oswaldo Lambarena (roller hockey) 4.44 GPA
MATER DEI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jasmine Navarro (girls soccer) 3.71
Male: Kenny Gonzalez (boys basketball) 3.11 GPA
MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Cary Brown (girls basketball) 4.0 GPA
Male: Tedrous Teshome (boys basketball) 3.67 GPA
OLYMPIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Angelina Leal (girls wrestling) 3.09 GPA
Male: Nathan Ramos (boys wrestling) 3.85 GPA
OTAY RANCH HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Arramis Gonzalez (girls basketball) 4.24 GPA
Male: Nico Cervantes (boys basketball) 4.23 GPA
SAN YSIDRO HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Miranda Mitra (girls water polo) 4.44 GPA
Male: Franlys Valenzuela (boys basketball) 3.9 GPA
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Alex Avalos (girls soccer) 4.09 GPA
Male: Michael Ramos (boys basketball) 4.43 GPA
SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Paulene Mangulabnan (girls basketball) 4.07 GPA
District Female: Jada Gibson (Bonita Vista)
District Male: Franlys Valenzuela (San Ysidro)
SPRING SPORTS
BONITA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Natalie Guevara (track & field) 4.28 GPA
Male: Josh Bruce (baseball) 3.88 GPA
CASTLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Natalee Ortiz (girls lacrosse) 4.2 GPA
Male: Ryland Humphrey (baseball/swimming) N/A
CHULA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Hannah Patton (swimming) 3.75 GPA
Male: Timothy Gacayan (boys volleyball) 3.78 GPA
EASTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Emily Lundgren (swimming) 4.5 GPA
Male: Rei Harashima (boys golf) 4.1 GPA
HILLTOP HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Makaylin McIntrye (swimming) 4.1 GPA
Male: Jonathan Eppert (boys tennis) 4.6 GPA
MAR VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Melissa Marentes (girls lacrosse) 3.5 GPA
Male: Levi Wold (track & field) 4.43 GPA
MATER DEI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Amy Jones (softball) 4.13 GPA
Male: Carlos Mattei (boys golf) 3.96 GPA
MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Victoria Ruiz (swimming/cheer) 4.58 GPA
Male: Darius Eddington (boys golf) 3.65 GPA
OLYMPIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jaiden Kelly (beach volleyball) 3.78 GPA
Male: Andrew Leibold (boys lacrosse) N/A
OTAY RANCH HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Maya Loper (softball) 4.74GPA
Male: Xavier Wells (boys volleyball) 4.1 GPA
SAN YSIDRO HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Miranda Mitra (swimming) 4.44 GPA
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Isela Teran (softball) 3.62 GPA
Male: Miguel Angel Segura Contreras (boys volleyball) 4.5 GPA
District Female: Emily Lundgren (Eastlake)
District Male: Timothy Gacayan (Chula Vista)
2021-22 SCHOOL TERM
SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
BONITA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jada Gibson 4.19 GPA (soccer)
Male: Josh Bruce 3.88 GPA (football/baseball)
CASTLE PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Frances Campis 4.4 GPA (basketball/volleyball)
Male: Orlando Raymond Martinez 4.11 GPA (football/wrestling)
CHULA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Cailan Gatlin 3.89 GPA (volleyball, soccer, track & field)
Male: Josiah Willadsen 4.24 GPA (soccer)
EASTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Risa Cozza 4.4 GPA (water polo, swim)
Male: Nico Perez-Peters 4.09 GPA (football, basketball)
HILLTOP HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Lily Hermosillo 4.33 GPA (softball)
Male: Joaquin Angulo 4.33 GPA (wrestling, tennis)
MAR VISTA HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Olivia Lawyer 4.23 GPA (volleyball, water polo, beach volleyball)
Male: Levi Wold 4.42 GPA (cross country, track & field)
MATER DEI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Jasmine Navarro 3.71 GPA (volleyball, soccer, track & field)
Male: Brian Dukes 3.81 GPA (football, basketball, track & field)
MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Alexis Cervantes 3.8 GPA (wrestling. cheer)
Male: Juan Estrada Jr. 3.86 GPA (football, wrestling, track & field)
OLYMPIAN HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Maya Galvan 4.18 GPA (cross country, soccer, track & field)
Male: Jacob Zaratan 4.07 GPA (tennis)
OTAY RANCH HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Arramis Gonzalez 4.24 GPA (volleyball, basketball, track & field)
Male: Haydn Brotschi 4.14 GPA (football, track & field)
SAN YSIDRO HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Miranda Mitra 4.44 GPA (swim, water polo)
Male: Angel Lopez 4.05 GPA (football, soccer, volleyball)
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Sarahi Nunez Loaiza 4.51 GPA (tennis, volleyball)
Male: Miguel Angel Segura Contreras 4.5 GPA (water polo, volleyball)
SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL
Female: Cusha Landry 3.7 GPA (volleyball, basketball)
Male: Joel Bojorquez 3.5 GPA (football, basketball, track & field)
