The Hemet Sportsman’s Club is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 2011 to serve amateur athletics in the San Jacinto Valley. Its mission is to fill the financial gap that exists between what youth and high school teams need and what schools and family members can provide. Donations, special events, membership dues, and other activities raise funds to help athletic teams with equipment, uniforms, transportation, and recognition.
Club President Bill Misner hosted the Dec. 7 banquet honoring the valley’s high school fall athletes at the Hidden Hacienda in Hemet. “We are now honoring three scholarships per season, this one will be for best football player, best all-around boy (non-football), and best all-around girl,” he said.
The Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award was created in 2019 to honor the most outstanding athlete in the San Jacinto Valley for the entire school year. In 2021, the Sportsman’s Club expanded this award to recognize a female MVP for each of the three sports seasons. The award comes with a $1,000 scholarship to be used towards a post-high school education.
Madison Pastorius from San Jacinto Valley Academy took the top honor. Other Fall 2024 Award Finalists were Evalina Hernandez, Hamilton High; Ava Cozart, Hemet High; Kylie Herrera, Noli Indian School; Allison Norman, San Jacinto High; Vanessa Garcia, Tahquitz High; and Deonys Ioane, West Valley High School.
The Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award was implemented this school year to honor the most outstanding male athlete for sports other than football, basketball, and baseball. This award is given for each sports season (fall, winter, and spring) and includes a $1,000 scholarship to be used towards post-high school education.
Jackson Lorch from West Valley High School earned the top award. Other Fall 2024 Award Finalists were Jesus Rodriguez, Hamilton High; Evan Marshall, Hemet High; Marco Polo Morales, San Jacinto High; Noah Padilla, San Jacinto Valley Academy; and Christian Gardea, Tahquitz High School.
The 12th annual Bob Stangel Award, honoring the most outstanding prep football player in the San Jacinto Valley, is named for the late head coach at Mt. San Jacinto College from 1974-1999 after a successful stint at Riverside Notre Dame High School where he won a CIF championship. During his tenure at MSJC, Stangel was named Conference Coach of the Year seven times and Region III Coach of the Year three times. When he retired after the 1999 season, the MSJC Eagles were ranked ninth in the nation and fourth in the state. Stangel’s 154 victories make him the winningest football coach in MSJC history. Coach Stangel is a member of the California Community College State Football Hall of Fame and a charter member of the Mt. San Jacinto College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Draven Lopez from Hemet High School received the Bob Stangel Award and a $1,000 scholarship toward his post-high school education. Other 2024 Bob Stangel Award finalists were Cole Haley, Hamilton High; Robert Valencia, Noli Indian School; Daylen Love, San Jacinto High; Nahamani Hamala, San Jacinto Valley Academy; Romeo Evans, Tahquitz High; and Nathan Hutton, West Valley High.
Coaches from area schools were asked to submit names of athletes who were recognized by the Hemet Sportsman’s Club as Fall Sports Team MVPs. They were, from Hamilton High School: Naakai Yazzie Watson (Cross Country Girls), Jesus Rodriguez (Cross Country Boys), and Evalina Hernandez (Girls Volleyball). From Hemet High School were Gabriella Loza (Cross Country Girls), Ryanne Womack (Girls Golf), Brooklyn Benson (Girls Tennis), Ava Cozart and Julia Valenzuela (Girls Volleyball), and Evan Marshall (Boys Water Polo). From Noli Indian School was Kylie Herrera (Girls Volleyball). San Jacinto High School chose Alondra Cuevas (Cross Country Girls), Erik Diaz (Cross Country Boys), Valerie Chavez (Girls Golf), Allison Norman (Girls Tennis), and Eternity Fiaseu and Keyera Cameron (Girls Volleyball). From San Jacinto Valley Academy were Emman Zkukov (Cross Country Girls), Noah Padilla (Cross Country Boys), Madison Pastorius (Girls Volleyball), and Kaahliya Lacy (Girls Flag Football). From Tahquitz High School were Kimberley Luna (Cross Country Girls), Renaldo Mendoza (Cross Country Boys), Morgan Graham (Girls Golf), Bella Johnson (Girls Tennis), Vanessa Garcia (Girls Volleyball), and Christian Gardea (Boys Water Polo). Those honored from West Valley High School were Jenna Murphy (Cross Country Girls), Austin Gillmore (Cross Country Boys), Jade Gastelum (Girls Tennis), Kyla Schneider (Girls Golf), Deonys Ioane (Girls Volleyball), and Jackson Lorch (Boys Water Polo).
For more information, https://hemetsportsmansclub.com.
