Menifee 24/7 honors Liberty Athletes of the Month for April

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Menifee 24/7 is pleased to honor Athletes of the Month for April at Liberty High School. Honorees were selected by the coaches of their respective sports and were recognized with a presentation of certificates and photo opportunity on campus.

Senior Spencer Sololowski is in his fourth year as a member of the varsity golf team and has recently excelled both in the classroom and on the course. Academically, he is A-G track with a 3.4 GPA. On the course, he has lowered his 9-hole average by 8 strokes. He was also a main contributor for the Bison’s Mountain Pass League championships in 2023 and 2024.

“Spencer always a positive attitude and is determined to improve himself every day,” said his coach, Travis Hodge.

Rowen Baynes hit two home runs to lift Liberty past Lakeside in a recent baseball game and has been swinging a hot bat for a while. He will be headed to Upper Iowa next year to continue his playing career.

Asha Digiambattista “has stepped up in a big way this season for the track team,” said her coach, Josh Cagwin. “She was the league champion in both the 800m and the 4x400 relay, and she currently holds school records in the 800m, 4x400, 4x800, and 4x1600 relays. Her improved work ethic, toughness and consistency have been huge for her growth. I'm proud of all she’s accomplished and excited to see what’s next!”

Jacob Alderson “has made an incredible comeback this track season after battling through injury last year,” Cagwin said. “His dedication to training and staying mentally focused has paid off in a big way. Jacob has not only returned stronger but has become a key contributor to our team’s success this season as he heads to CIF in the hurdles and high jump.”

Swimmer Gwen Asbury is one of the team captains and has an incredible work ethic, said coach Felicia Asbury. “Her dedication to swimming is evident in her impressive achievement of holding 10 school records. She is the reigning Ivy League Champion and Raincross Conference Champion in the 500 Freestyle, where she also shattered the meet record at the Raincross Conference Championships by 9 seconds.

“Gwen also anchored the 200 freestyle relay to lead her team to a first-place finish at the Raincross Conference Championships. Her commitment and leadership continue to inspire her teammates and elevate our program."

Jake Hernandez of the boys swim team “has been a tremendous leader throughout his years on the swim team, known for his outstanding work ethic and perfect attendance at practice,” coach Asbury said. “He has achieved CIF consideration times in the 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay, and 200 freestyle relay. Most notably, Jake swam the breaststroke leg of the 200 medley relay that broke the school record. His leadership and commitment played a key role in helping our team become Ivy League Co-Champions this season.”

Victoria Lugo of the girls lacrosse team has had an outstanding season. “Victoria has been an amazing athlete all season long,” said coach Brad Loven. “Her contribution to this year's lacrosse team helped Liberty make the CIF playoffs for the first time. She is very durable and extremely tough. Her position at midfield requires her to play both offense and defense while running back and forth the entire length of the field. Victoria's presence on the field is well known by her teammates and opponents. She is a supportive teammate who guides her team on the field.”

Mariah Solario is a senior who plays second base for the Liberty softball team. She had a tremendous April, helping guide the team to a 7-1 record for the month. In that span, Mariah hit for a team-high .591 average at the plate, 1.307 OPS, and had an on-base percentage of .625. Defensively, Mariah had 17 putouts and a fielding percentage of .937. Mariah has elevated her game her senior year, especially at the plate, and has been a main contributor on the team this spring.