Since its start in 1999, the BARR model has grown into a nationally recognized approach used in 24 states and more than 375 schools, supporting the success of over 360,000 students.

Now in its ninth year of implementation, SJHS continues to excel in the BARR program. With a school-wide focus on positivity, collaboration, and student success, SJHS is leading the way in supporting the whole student. From strength-based Block Meetings to engaging I-Times and Community Connect sessions, staff consistently work together to meet student needs. The 9th grade BARR team continues to implement program fidelity. The team has recognized over 200 ‘student of the week’, written over 250 ‘encouraging postcards’, delivered over 600 I-Time lessons, and continues to focus on decreasing failure as they strive to reach every student. Site administrators are actively involved in BARR meetings, which ensures seamless communication and aligned leadership.

BARR Coordinator, and now Assistant Principal, Fidel Salcedo and the Ninth Grade BARR team have played a key role in strengthening each element of the program. Their dedication has earned SJHS national recognition. Recently, during the 2024-2025 school year, their efforts were recognized on the national stage, as they earned the BARR Center Accreditation of Schools. SJHS was the only high school in California and one of just eight schools nationwide honored at last year’s BARR Conference in Rancho Mirage.

Congratulations to Mr. Salcedo, who will join the High School Panel at this year’s BARR National Conference in Rancho Mirage, where once again he will have the opportunity to showcase San Jacinto High School’s impactful journey.

SJHS exemplifies how a consistent, compassionate, and collaborative approach to BARR can transform school culture and outcomes. “We are proud to celebrate this significant milestone with you. Your school serves as a model for others across the country, demonstrating what is possible when a whole school community comes together around a shared vision of growth and excellence,” shared BARR Center Founder and Executive Director Angela Jerabek.

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Local program founder and Student of the Month Committee member Karena Zermeno-Leon emceed the event. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.

January’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Haylie Alvarez, Katelyn Cerpas Fuentes, Jennah Ramirez, Erendira Soria, and Aaron Turner. San Jacinto Unified honorees for January are Christopher Garcia and Elizabeth Schmitz.

Hemet Unified School District

Haylie Alvarez

Hamilton High School Principal Kari Sanchez described Haylie in one word: persistence. She has attended Hamilton since eighth grade. Nominating teacher Mary Kleinvachter had Haylie in class in her sophomore and now senior years and said there is a night and day difference. Citing French playwright Molière’s quote “the greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it,” Haylie said it taught her about perseverance and found it to be one of the truest statements ever written. “I have lived the obstacles and I’m still dipping my foot into the glory of overcoming them each day that passes,” she said. “When I was 15, I found out my parents were separating due to complications.” Her academics suffered as a result. Her mother left and her siblings went with her. Haylie found it too overwhelming to leave all her friends and start over, so she stayed with her father. She entered into a toxic relationship with a boy at school and this caused further problems. One day she told herself, “Everything happens for a reason, and I have a reason to make things happen.” She plans to become an ultrasound technician. “I’m ready to do amazing things in life and help as many people as I can,” Haylie said.

Katelyn Cerpas Fuentes

Tahquitz High School Principal Andrew Holmes said Katelyn has overcome a lot of adversity but has shined through every moment of it. “She’s played tennis for over 10 years and had an exceptional season helping to lead her team to a Tahquitz first of making it to the CIF semifinals. She plays the guitar, ukulele and is in choir.” Her former AP Spanish teacher Virginia Shaw met Katelyn three years ago when she enrolled at the school in the Newcomers program, knowing very little English. With her great desire to learn she was able to reclassify as an English learner last year. “Before I tell you where I’m going, I want you to understand where I have been,” Katelyn said. “For most of my life, stability was a word I heard but never truly lived. My first experience with loss was when I was still a baby and my dad was deported.” Due to constant moving, she grew up studying across different countries, schools and cities. “Over time, I began to feel that I belonged nowhere,” she said. “At a young age, I learned how to appear strong. On the outside I looked capable but on the inside I felt invisible. The greatest lesson I learned is that strength is not silence and that independence doesn’t mean being alone,” Katelyn said.

Jennah Ramirez

Alessandro High School Principal Matthew Centofranchi said Jennah is living the saying Assistant Principal Steven Mack always tells students, “You always have the choice to make the right decision.” Jennah enrolled at the alternative school last year and has had tremendous growth. Teacher Erica Ruiz-Pennington said Jennah has been part of her first responder class for two years and serves as battalion chief. “Her transformation has been nothing short of remarkable,” she said. “Despite living with a heart condition that could have slowed her down, Jennah refused to let it stop her. She also navigates the emotional weight of her parents’ divorce.” Jennah said growing up, she always wondered why her parents couldn’t have stayed together. “But I now see their relationship as friends and co-parents and I wouldn’t ask for anything more,” Jennah said. When she found she only had 20 credits at the end of her sophomore year and was transferring to Alessandro she dreaded the idea of leaving her friends behind but soon realized the school was a door to new opportunities and she was able to start focusing on herself. “My goal is to work for AMR as a paramedic,” Jennah said. She has been hired by the City of Hemet as a risk reduction cadet to start making a difference in the community.

Erendira Soria

Hemet High School Principal Jeff Franks introduced Erendira as a member of the soccer team, the school’s Care Club and its Breakfast Club. Tacher DJ Edwards said, “As I’ve gotten to know Erendira this year, a few defining qualities have stood out to me; her tenacious work ethic, resilient spirit and a heart full of compassion.” Erendira said her life has been shaped by both challenges and resilience. “As the oldest of four, I have always felt a deep sense of responsibility towards my family,” she said. Growing up she watched her family face many hardships and struggle with homelessness and domestic violence, issues that scarred her emotionally. In 2024, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Erendira became her support while caring for her siblings, one with cystic fibrosis and one with a disability. There were moments when she felt overwhelmed, but she never gave up hope. Thankfully her mother is now cancer-free. Through everything, Erendira remained dedicated to her education. She plans to attend community college to finish her general education and prerequisites for nursing before transferring to a four-year university to earn her bachelor’s degree in that discipline. “My goal is to become a nurse who not only provides medical care but also offers compassion and understanding to families facing difficult times, especially the ones like mine,” she said.

Aaron Turner

West Valley High School Principal Cynthia Leon introduced Aaron as “one of the sweetest kids ever.” Despite challenges, he had straight As last semester and is a valuable member of the chamber choir. His one-on-one aide Ivory Reichenecker has worked with Aaron for the past three years. “One of the best things that reflects who Aaron is comes from his time in choir, the class he enjoys the most,” she said. “He understands that success is not only measured by hard work but also by the care and respect you show others and that lesson will carry him far beyond this school.” Aaron said, “I come from a family that has always supported me and encouraged me to keep going even when things felt difficult. Even when things were challenging, I continued to show up and try my best, learning the value of dedication and growth along the way.” Aaron plans to attend MSJC and pursue a career as a graphic designer. “I am excited to combine creative and purpose and use my skills to express ideas, tell stories and make meaningful connections through design.” His mother, Chariss Turner, said Aaron’s condition is Duchenne muscular dystrophy. “Most boys don’t make it this far so the fact Aaron is here is a blessing; we are so grateful.” She thanked Hemet Unified School District for helping when other districts could not. “What the district and the school and the teachers offer is outstanding,” Turner said. “As a parent, when you drop your kid off and you know you have people that are going to take care of your kids and give them all the resources that they need, it’s a blessing. “So kudos to the people that care about our students,” she said.

San Jacinto Unified School District

Christopher Garcia

San Jacinto Leadership Academy Principal Mike Luna said Christopher has been with the school since sixth grade. Despite challenges this past year, his perseverance and determination have been an example of what grit is. Spanish teacher Elena Bazaldua said, “Chris’ journey over this past year is a powerful example of resilience and strength. After losing his father, Chris could have stepped back but instead, he chose to move forward.” Christopher said one of the things that he has remembered for most of his life is that there are 86,400 seconds in a day. “If you got that much money every day and you were able to spend it all and it came back every day, you would try to spend as much money as possible, buying all the things you’ve always wanted,” he said.  “That’s how many seconds there are in this day so don’t waste them.” Christopher likes to do creative things such as writing, playing the guitar and being active in his community. “When my dad passed away it was like a reality check,” he said. “Fate has this thing of giving you all that you want right before the end.” A week before he lost his father, Christopher was able to spend more quality time with him than usual. He plans to take a gap year to concentrate on his music before heading to college.

Elizabeth Schmitz

San Jacinto High School Principal Lloyd Sheppard introduced Elizabeth as “one of those shining examples that continue to remind us of why we do what we do at each of our school sites to support our students.” He continued, “She reminded us of the value of personal connection that is sometimes overlooked at a large high school. She is also an example of student voice and why it’s so important for us to ensure that we’re listening to what our students need to help us be successful.” Registrar Luisana Martinez said Elizabeth is on track to complete her associate’s degree before her high school diploma. Elizabeth said she has attended about a dozen different schools until now. “My life hasn’t exactly been easy,” she said. “Life’s not been kind and neither was my mother. She had a mental illness, and it really hurt me and my brother.” A stepfather recognized she was being neglected as a child and tried to help. “My future hasn’t always been bright,” Elizabeth said. She admitted contemplating suicide before she was 13. “Due to technology, we are losing authentication in our world,” she said. She feels social communication is critical. “We now have a student forum at SJHS and in February we’re hoping to start town halls to invite all students to have a voice,” Elizabeth said.

For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.

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San Jacinto High School’s golf coach, Jim Stull, has organized an annual boys’ match play event for several years. Inspired by its success, Stull decided to extend the format to female golfers this year—and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

The tournament took place at the Golden Era Golf Course on the 24^th and 25^th of September and featured players from five local high schools:

• La Quinta High School
• San Jacinto High School
• Liberty High School
• Lake Elsinore High School
• Hemet High School

Parents, coaches, and spectators gathered to watch the girls compete in a match play format—a one-on-one style of play that differs from the more common stroke play. This style encourages strategy, mental toughness, and individual matchups rather than total scores over all holes.

Coach Stull praised the experience: “This worked out so well. The girls got a lot of golf and enjoyed themselves. In match play, coaches can be on the course with the players, offering direct support and strategy. One player from Elsinore even had her boyfriend as a caddie—it added a fun and personal element to the event.”

San Jacinto’s assistant coach echoed the sentiment: “This is great experience for the girls to come together to play. With this type of play, even lower-level players get a sense of what it’s like to compete.”

Liberty High’s head coach added: “It’s a lot of fun. The girls are used to stroke play, so this is new for them. But after two or three rounds, they really start to get the hang of it.”

Parents also shared their appreciation. Nathan Wheelock, whose daughter Trinity played, said: “I like this very much. It’s unique. It gives kids who are used to stroke play a chance to try something new. You can have one bad hole and still win the match—that’s a good learning experience.”

La Quinta coach Mark Williams noted how impactful the boys’ match play has been for his team: “The boys who played last year still talk about it and want to come back. That’s why I brought our girls this year—to give them that same experience.”

Coach Stull also highlighted the community support behind the event: “Golden Era doesn’t charge us to use the course, which is huge. I collect a small entry fee from the teams, and those funds go directly to support the San Jacinto girls’ golf program.”

Lunch for this event was prepared by the Hemet Sportsman Club.

Final Results

Championship Division (highest skill level):

🥇 Joanna Bushnel-Crist – 1st Place

🥈 Trinity Wheelock – 2nd Place

Silver Division:

🥉 Priscilla Guillen – 1st Place

🥉 Audrey Tranley – 2nd Place

Looking ahead, Coach Stull shared that the Boys’ Match Play Tournament is tentatively scheduled for February 2026 at the Golden Era Golf Golf Course.

For more information about the upcoming boys’ tournament or next year’s girls’ event, contact San Jacinto High School’s golf coach.

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Emmale Americano, a recent graduate of Hemet High School, attributes her desire to be a teacher to HHS Ag teacher Cassidy Steenbock, who taught agricultural mechanics and animal science.  “I strive to be half the ag teacher Ms. Steenbock is.  I hope to be an influential ag teacher because they not only teach agricultural skills, but they also serve as mentors, guiding students in their personal growth and development,” Americano says.  She plans to attend Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, majoring in education with a minor in biology.  

Nuview Bridge Early College High School graduate Andrea Bonilla says, “becoming a teacher has been a dream of mine for many years because of the impact teachers can have on their students and the importance of education.”  Bonilla feels that she was very fortunate to have had teachers who had a positive impact on her life and says that “without them I simply would not be where I am today.  These educators allowed me to realize my potential and gave me the confidence to reach my goals.”  Bonilla plans to attend UC Riverside, major in studio art and become an art teacher.   

Miriam Gonzalez’s goal is to become an elementary school teacher and work with “little kids that are just like me, coming to a whole different country and learning English as their second language.”  A recent graduate of Alessandro High School, Miriam says that she “really likes helping little kids with things they don’t understand.”  She will attend Mt. San Jacinto College in the fall then eventually transfer to a university and complete her teaching credential.

Eugene Hernandez says, “my unwavering determination serves as a driving force in my pursuit of knowledge and personal development.”  A graduate of The Academy of Innovation in Hemet, Hernandez has a “deep-seated passion for education and a genuine desire to inspire and empower others.”  Hernandez plans to pursue a degree in English with a focus on literacy.  He will attend Mt. San Jacinto College in the fall and earn his associate’s degree, then transfer to a university and earn his bachelor’s degree and a secondary teaching credential.

Western Center Academy graduate Hannah Jindra says, I want to be a high school English and theater teacher and have wanted to be such for as long as I can remember.”  She says that she has been influenced by both her parents and teachers to pursue a teaching career and that both have shown her how to be an encouraging leader.  She hopes that her years in leadership roles will help her to appreciate different perspectives and extend the same encouragement she received as a student to others in her own future classroom.  Jindra plans to attend Brigham Young University, Idaho in the fall.

Kamryn Jorgensen, a recent graduate of West Valley High School, plans to attend Point Loma Nazarene University in the fall with a major in English literature.  Her goal is to become a middle or high school English teacher.  Jorgensen says, “My sophomore year of high school I had the privilege of being taught by an incredible English teacher.  Instead of the usual feedback I would get, he demanded more from me.  He saw me in a way that no teacher ever had before.  The end of that year, I decided that I wanted to be an English teacher.” 

Abigail Meza says that throughout her educational career, “I sought out mentors who believed in my potential and never lost sight of my dreams.”  A graduate of San Jacinto High School, Meza has overcome many challenges and emotional times but through it all has learned “the power of resilience and the human spirit.”  She says that “every setback became an opportunity for growth” and says that the wants to “be there for the kids who are going through what I had to go through.”  Meza plans to attend Riverside City College in the fall, purse an English major, and eventually become a middle or high school English teacher.

San Jacinto High School graduate Valeria Perez Carrera loves art. “My only passion, one that I consider dedicating my whole life to, is art.”  Perez Carrera plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College in the fall and follow the art pathway to become an art teacher.  Eventually, she will transfer to a university to complete her bachelor’s degree and earn her secondary teaching credential. Perez Carrera says, “I want to make my parents proud.  Being the first child in my family to attend college, I am aware of their hopes and the sacrifices they have made.”

Tahquitz High School tri-sport athlete Avery Ros says she always wanted to be a teacher but didn’t know what kind.  She says her years in ASB, however, “taught me that in the future I want to be an activities director.”  Combining her love of athletics with her goal of becoming a teacher, Ros will attend Cal State Fullerton and pursue a degree in kinesiology to become a high school P.E. teacher and ASB director.  “I will use my degree to help people and better the next generation.”

CalRTA Division 33 offers 11 $1000 scholarships each year to qualifying seniors in Hemet and San Jacinto school districts.  Students must have plans to become a K-12 public school teacher, have a 3.0+ GPA for their junior and senior years, have good citizenship at school and in the community, and be involved in extra-curricular activities at school and in the community.  For more information about the California Retired Teachers Association, go to calrta.org or div33.calrta.org.

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The 19-year-old Hemet resident is one of only 72 high-achieving community college students nationwide to receive the highly competitive scholarship, which provides students with up to $40,000 a year to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Crawford is majoring in Political Science and Liberal Arts-Social & Behavioral Sciences.

“I am so grateful, and surprised, for this recognition by the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Foundation,” said Crawford, who plans to graduate from MSJC on May 27 and transfer to UC Berkeley. “I’m even more thankful to the amazing faculty members at MSJC who have believed in me, guided me, and who have offered me some really impactful opportunities at being a leader. I truly do need to publicly thank Professors Nicholis Zappia and Stacey Searl-Chapin, and SI Coordinator Janice Levasseur.”

“I think it’s so easy in this fully virtual environment to lose a sense of oneself and become unmotivated,” he said. “This recognition really has confirmed to me that I am on the right path for myself.”

Dr. Roger Schultz, Superintendent/President of Mt. San Jacinto College, commended Crawford on his successes while at MSJC.

“This is an amazing accomplishment and James is very deserving of this award. We’re so proud and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes at UC Berkeley and beyond,” he said. “Achievements like these happen when you have great, supportive faculty and staff like we do who are truly dedicated to helping our students succeed.”

At MSJC, Crawford is a member of PTK and the Political Science Club and serves as a mentor for the Honors Enrichment and Supplemental Instruction programs. He also serves as a student representative on the MSJC Curriculum Committee.

In the community, he serves on the executive board for the Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto, where he’s part of the scholarship subcommittee and was on the voter registration and voter outreach subcommittee and the youth outreach subcommittee. He was awarded the 2020 Bosworth Award by the Riverside County Democratic Party for his community leadership in California’s 71st Assembly District. He has also helped on several political campaigns, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign.

In 2020, he was named a 2020 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar.

Crawford plans to transfer to UC Berkeley to earn his bachelor’s degree in political science and eventually earn a doctorate in political theory. He said he hopes to become a professor at a community college and continue actively participating in various political campaigns and organizations.

More than 1,300 students from 370 community colleges applied for the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The funds from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation aim to increase the number of community college students completing their education at top four-year institutions.

Mt. San Jacinto College serves about 27,000 students in a district covering 1,700 square miles from the San Gorgonio Pass to Temecula, with campuses in San Jacinto, Menifee, Banning and Temecula.

In May 2020, Mt. San Jacinto College awarded a record-breaking 3,554 degrees and certificates to 1,958 graduates.

MSJC • Contributed

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“It’s always the hope and desire of the Athletic Department here at SJHS to not only see our students further their education after graduation, but to also further their athletic careers as well,” said Amanda Galliano, SJHS’s Athletic Director. “It is with a tremendous amount of pride that we get to do just that for these athletes in our football and softball programs,” she noted.

Kajiya Hollawayne signed his intent letter for UCLA, located in Los Angeles, California for football. Lea Iribe made her commitment to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, located in Prescott, Arizona for softball.

Principal Courtney Hall shared her pride in the athletes, noting they are all role models on campus. “Thank you to our coaches for their time and guidance, and a special thank you to parents for supporting these students who have spent so much time in the sport their child loves,” said Hall.

When Athletic Director Galliano asked the students to share their future plans and who’d they like to thank, both seniors were all smiles and quick to answer. “I’m going to major in Kinesiology,” said Kajiya Hollawayne “I like to thank my mom, dad, brothers, sisters as well as my coaches, and I’m happy that football gave me an opportunity for college,” he continued.

“I plan to study Forensic Biology,” explained Lea Iribe. “I like to thank my parents, travel ball team and coaches, and I’m truly grateful that softball has given me an opportunity to attend such an amazing college,” she continued.

-Dawn Lawrence • SJUDS Coordinator

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Get your popcorn ready, Kameron Rocha will be playing on your TV soon

Mountain Pass League Defensive Player of the Year, Kameron Rocha has elected to take his talents to Northern California to play Defensive Back at Sacramento State next year.  Sac State swooped in and offered Rocha a full-ride athletic scholarship and he signed on the dotted line. At times this year, Kameron Rocha proved that his talent was on another level when compared to the other High School athletes on the field. San Jacinto’s head coach/play-caller Coach Galliano often called on Rocha to make big plays and Rocha always came up big. Whether it was huge catches or big hits, Rocha was a force to be reckoned with all around Southern California this season.

Sac-State posted an impressive 9-4 record going 7-1 in the conference. Sac-State is a part of the Big Sky Conference and finished in second place this last season. Sac-State safety coach Sam Cole has this to say about Rocha, “He is an instinctual football player who knows how to get to the ball. When the game is on the line, Kameron Rocha is a guy that you want on your team.” Rocha lead California in interceptions (17) over the past two seasons. The Tigers are going to miss him and are going to have a hard time replacing his pure athleticism and tenacity on the field. 

Besides being a great football player, Kameron Rocha is an amazing student. He stays out of trouble and gets good grades. San Jacinto High School Teacher & Defensive Coordinator Ryan Cogdill offered up this statement, “I am extremely proud of Kam. Kameron is an extremely hard-working young man who loves the sport of football. Kameron came into this season wanting to be ‘THE GUY’ and backed it up by how he played.  I’m glad a great program like Sac-State saw that about Kam and picked him up.” 

Kameron Rocha was selected as the number one defensive back on the All-Valley HSJ Chronicle Football Team. He is proud to be playing for Sac-State next year and plans to, “Put On” for the valley. From my experience watching Kameron play this season, he is the kind of guy who deserves this scholarship. He works hard in school and on the field, is always respectful to authority and his opponents, and takes correction/direction well. The fact that he is so coach-able certainly played a role in his development as a football player, and that’s not to discredit the hours of time he has put in at the weight room, off-season training with Pro-Way, and on the field running sprints when everyone else was at home playing Xbox.

The HSJ Chronicle can’t wait to watch Kameron Rocha play next season on Saturdays and is looking forward to all the amazing things he does at the next level.

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Search: Football Player Signs

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 It’s Getting Fun as League Play Begins

League play begins this week; every game counts if you want a spot in the playoffs. In the first game of the week, San Jacinto High School is traveling up the hill to face Beaumont. San Jacinto is coming off a bye week, and before that, a very impressive win against Temecula Valley were they looked dominant in every phase of the game. San Jacinto is ranked 129 in the state and wants to keep climbing the ranks; their overall schedule is 3-2 right now with losses to Woodrow High School & Eastlake High School. San Jacinto should benefit from such a tough schedule in the first half of the season, which has to be by design. They played schools that are either in higher divisions than them or ranked better so that they can get a feel for stiffer competition. The offense is led by Kajiya Hollawayne, the Junior QB who has over 1,000 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, 527 rushing yards, and 5 rushing touchdowns on the year already. The defense is led by Kameron Rocha who has four interceptions and makes plays all over the field every Friday night.

Beaumont is coming off a huge win against Lakeside. They are currently sitting at the top of the division (tied with Citrus Hills) with a 5-0 record. They are ranked 264th in the state but hope to prove that rankings don’t mean anything in this matchup against San Jacinto. Beaumonts offense is led by Senior QB Edward McCulloch, McCulloch has banked in 580 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, 157 rushing yards, and 7 touchdowns. They play a real team style of defense with all the players getting in on the action. 

Citrus Hills is traveling down to Hemet to play the Bulldogs. Citrus Hills is tied with Beaumont for the highest record in the league at 5-0 they are currently ranked 136 in the state and fresh off a victory over Poly (Riverside), Citrus Hills’ team is led by QB Markus Bell. Markus Bell has 486 yards through the air this season and 7 touchdowns. Citrus Hills’ defense is full of ballhawks. They are averaging two interceptions a game and have 10 on the season. 

 (Football Preview)

Hemet is coming fresh off a defensive battle against Redlands High. They won that game 17-7 thanks to Junior QB Jeremiah Graves who had over 200 All-Purpose yards and two rushing touchdowns. Hemet High School is ranked 297 in the state and has a 3-2 record. Their team is led by Jeremiah Graves; the Junior QB has 700 passing yards on the season, 7 touchdowns, close to 200 rushing yards, and 3 rushing touchdowns. The defense is led by Junior DB Frankie Castillo who has been locking down receivers all season long and banked in 4 interceptions already. Also Senior Safety Bradley Fye, he has 3 interceptions on the year and is always in the playmaking tackles. 

In our Game of the Week West Valley (527, 2-3) is traveling down the road to Tahquitz (625, 3-2) this game is a solid matchup between the two schools that have had a little rivalry growing since 2007 when Tahquitz opened up forcing half of West Valley’s underclassmen to be rezoned. A lot of the players at West Valley felt betrayed by the guys who chose to go to Tahquitz instead, and the Rivalry was born. West Valleys team is led by Senior Running Back Tyrone Jackson Jr. the offense flows through Tyrone; rather they are running misdirections or passing; he is usually only a good block or two away from being a highlight reel. Tahquitz is having a tough year, with rotating staff and an unsure future they are hoping to prove their doubters wrong and show everyone that they are ready to play and compete to be at the top of the division.

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San Jacinto vs. Eastlake

In this week’s Game of the Week matchup, we bring you back to San Jacinto where the Tigers welcome Eastlake High into their stadium for a showdown that should bring great defense and offense for all spectators. Under center for the Tigers is Junior Quarterback Kajiya Hollawayne. Rivals.com currently has Kajiya as the 39th ranked player in the state and a 3-star recruit. He is coming off of arguably one of the best performances by a quarterback in San Jacinto High School History, three passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, over 200 yards rushing and over 200 yards throwing. Hollawayne will need to bring the momentum and the same energy on Friday night if they are going to take down Eastlake. 

The Eastlake Titans are 0-3 to start the season but still ranked 109. They will be trying to come into San Jacinto to get their first win of the season. That means they are coming in hungry and willing to do whatever it takes to walk out of the stadium the victors. San Jacinto better is preparing for a dog fight, because it’s going to be a heck of a game. 

It appears that Eastlake is in the middle of an identity crisis; they are having a quarterback competition in the middle of the season between two juniors. That makes it difficult for both teams to prepare for the game. Eastlake is going to have a hard time rallying the team with no obvious leader to command the field and huddle. Ryan Cogdill (San Jacinto’s Defensive Coordinator) will have a hard time preparing for the week and adapting during the game, with quarterbacks coming in and out it’s hard to get a feel of what their tendencies and capabilities are. I expect Coach Cogdill to have it figured out by half time, that’s when San Jacinto’s defense will be able to exploit Eastlakes inconsistency. This game is going to be very entertaining and is a good preview of the quality of schools San Jacinto will have to play if they are going to make another deep run in the playoffs this season. 

In other Mountain Pass League games this week Hemet (395) travels to Riverside to take on John W North (287), Tahquitz (686) will head to Moreno Valley to play Canyon Springs (915), West Valley (564) is home and celebrating Homecoming against Vista Del Lago (568), Beaumont (229) has a home game against their rival Banning (746), and Citrus Hill(100) will take on Rancho Mirage (250). As always The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle will have a complete recap of this week’s action available on their Youtube channel, make sure to Comment, Like, Subscribe to stay updated on what’s happening in our valley’s high school sports.

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San Jacinto Needs To Make A Statement Coming Off A Loss

The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle is taking you to San Jacinto High School this week for the Game of the Week. This week San Jacinto High is welcoming Murrieta Mesa into “The Jungle” as the two teams look to show the rest of Southern California that they are serious contenders. San Jacinto started the season off with a huge win against Great Oaks showing dominance in every phase of the game, but their winning streak was quickly brought to an end when they traveled to Long Beach last week to play Woodrow High School. San Jacinto lost this matchup, causing them to drop from the 94th ranked school in California to the 144th ranked school. 

The team (lead by Junior Quarterback Kajiya Hollawayne) will be looking to come out hot and put a lot of points on the board tonight in order to make a statement to the rest of the division, “Just because we took one L doesn’t mean we are out of it.” Ryan Cogdil (Defensive Coordinator of the Tigers) isn’t happy that the team lost, but believes it could be good for them; now they can come together as a team and show everyone that they are a serious threat this year. 

Murrieta Mesa is ranked 302 in California. They are starting non-league play 0-2; their first game was a blowout loss to La Serna and last week they were involved in an offensive dog fight losing to Etiwanda High School in overtime 42-35. On paper San Jacinto should be able to control this game; they have the talent to do so. It all comes down to the players trusting their coaches play calls and sticking to their assignments. Football is as much of a chess match as it is a physical contest and it takes both Players and Coaches to trust each other and be in sync in order for the team to find success. 

San Jacinto needs to use this week to find their identity again and remember that they only went as far as they did last year by play as one team that fired on all cylinders. Coach Galliano and Kajiya Hollawayne will do everything in their power to get that high pace offense working as it should be, this week. Ryan Cogdill needs one of his defensive playmakers to step up and be a leader on the field after losing one of his captains to injury last week. Who on the defensive side of the ball is going to step up and become the leader in his absence?

Other Mountain Pass League Matchups tonight include: Beaumont vs. Perris, Hemet vs. Banning, Tahquitz vs. Lakeside, West Valley vs. Temecula Valley, and Citrus Hill vs. Pacific. You can see the winners and losers of this game in next week’s paper, but why wait? Subscribe to The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle Facebook/Youtube for faster updates on local sports news. Pictures of the game will be available on my personal Facebook page @AuthorKyleRaeHeadlee.

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The post San Jacinto Welcomes Murrieta Mesa appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.