W. Water Polo: Falcons sweep conference awards

File Photo: Angelica Hernandez was named the South Coast Conference Player of the Year.
File Photo: Angelica Hernandez was named the South Coast Conference Player of the Year.

For the fifth time in his career, Cerritos College women's water polo coach Sergio Macias was named the South Coast Conference Coach of the Year, while freshman Angelica Hernandez (El Rancho HS) was selected the Player of the Year. Macias led his team to the South Coast Conference championship and a 28-5 record before a loss to Golden West College ended their state title bid in the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

As for Hernandez, she led the Falcons with 91 goals, which is the fourth most in a season in school history, along with 44 steals and 14 assists. She was joined on the 1st Team by sophomores Katherine Gabayeron (Cerritos HS) and Sharon Ku (Cerritos HS), both two-time selections, along with freshmen Jasmine Villalpando (Montebello HS) and Carla Harvey (Potomac Falls, VA HS). Gabayeron was second on the team with 85 goals, along with a team-high 61 steals and 16 assists. Her goals total was the fifth-most in a season and her 132 career goals ranks fifth in school history. Ku broke her own school record with 270 saves on the year and was second with 47 steals, while adding eight assists. 

Villalpando set a new school record with 66 assists, eclipsing the old mark of 41 set by Sharon Pedregon in 2009, which accompanied her 40 goals and 42 steals. Harvey was a solid addition to the team, as she posted 43 goals and 42 steals, with her 49 assists the second most in a Falcon season.

Named to the 2nd Team were sophomores Yuridia Vela (Schurr HS) and Diana Medina (Pioneer HS). Vela, a 1st Team selection last year, concluded the season with 64 goals, which gives her 108 in her career, putting her seventh on the all-time list. She also contributed 42 steals. Medina posted 18 goals, along with 16 steals and eight assists on the year.

Photo by Daryl Peterson