Valencia High School celebrated 20 of its student athletes on Wednesday in what was an historic afternoon for Vikings athletics as the Valencia faithful recognized their seniors’ commitments to committing their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Senior Jyerni Green got to officially be celebrated as Valencia High School’s first-ever flag football collegiate signee, an achievement that Green described as a blessing.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” she said. “But I’m very excited to move on into a different chapter of life. My grandpa always said, ‘It’s a springboard into life.’ And I’m just very excited that I get to be the first one to do it.”
Green described the commitment as rewarding as she helped build the flag football team over the previous two years and was a part of the program’s inaugural season in 2024.
“This means a lot because I put so much sweat and tears into this sport,” she said. “And it’s really rewarding to see how big and how much it’s growing right now. And to be the first one to be going off to college, it’s truly a blessing.”
Green signed her national letter of intent to Benedictine University Mesa, in Arizona.
As for the girls’ basketball program, head coach Jared Honig got to celebrate and send off senior Cara McKell, who signed hercommitment to Westmont College.
McKell was honored as one of two female athletes of the year at Valencia High School, an achievement that showcases her hard work and leadership, according to Honig.
“It’s been a privilege to coach her in my first three years here and I’m just really proud of her accomplishments that she had individually and how she propelled our team to the next level, he said. “So, it’s really an accomplishment of all her hard work.”
McKell ends her high school career with a Foothill League player of the year honor in 2025 and first-team selection for the 2025-26 season after leading the Vikings to the Division 2 championship.
Signing their national letters of intent were (player, sport, school):
- Tyler Wertz, baseball, Trinity University.
- Cara McKell, girls’ basketball, Westmont College.
- Simone Chambers, dance, Louisiana State University.
- Julia Traverso, dance, Louisiana State University.
- Mackenzie Mueller, dance, California Baptist University.
- Farah Fleming, dance, California Baptist University.
- Jeneva Alrayes, dance, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
- Jyreni Green, flag football, Benedictine University Mesa.
- Aiden Ends, football, Western Colorado.
- Katie Franco, girls’ lacrosse, Northwood University.
- Taya Pickup, girls’ soccer, The Masters University.
- Alyssa Owens, girls’ soccer, Chicago State University.
- Blair Rune, softball, Cornell University.
- Tory Yamamura, swimming, University of Missouri.
- Aubrey Martin, swimming, Colorado State University.
- Luis Torres Orrala, Track and field/cross country, California State University, Northridge.
- Reece Casey, boys’ volleyball, North Central College.
- Jacob Fernandez, boys’ volleyball, De La Salle University Philippines.
- Dylan Murphy, boys’ volleyball, North Central College.
- Tigran Greyan, wrestling, Cal Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
