Paloma Valley High School Athletes of the Week: Feb. 11

Menifee 24/7 honors area high school athletes for their accomplishments. Coaches of each sport are invited to submit one athlete per week for recognition. Here are this week's Athletes of the Week at Paloma Valley High School:

Boys soccer player Sael Garcia (left) helped his team clinch the league title for the first time since 2002 with his strong play the first week of February. He scored three goals in a 5-1 win over Perris. "Garcia plays with so much poise and control yet is so aggressive and appropriate," said coach Ramon Benz. "He shows great sportsmanship and leadership at all times. Garcia possesses all the qualities we look for in our boys soccer program." The team ended the regular season 13-3-4 overall.




Corryn Barackman (right) is a freshman on the girls soccer team, which finished the regular season with a 19-0-3 overall record. "This season we have used her in some very tough games and Corryn has stepped up big time," said her coach, Carlos Alfaro. "She is so efficient in her game. Corryn is one of the smallest girls on the team, but she plays as one of the biggest girls and can play with some of the best around the county. I have known Corryn since she was 11 years old and she always surprises me when I play her. She always makes the right adjustments needed to be successful as a player."

Two players are honored this week from the girls water polo team. Goalkeeper Sarah Maddocks (left) has 126 blocked shots for the Wildcats. "While the coaches appreciate her strong play in goal, the most important things that she brings to the team are communication and self-sacrifice," said her coach, Joe Ellett. "Sarah is like a field general, giving clear direction to her teammates, which has led to a very effective cooperative defensive scheme. She also is battling on-going knee pain. She is doing everything that our trainer asks her to do so that she can keep playing."

Hailey Matthews (right) "is doing a great job all over the pool this season," Ellett said. "On defense, she is aggressive and forces many turnovers. She offers help and is able to quickly move off her player to a double team. On offense, she has a cannon of an arm. This week, she scored four goals, which led the team. Hailey is always locked in and ready to compete."