It’s time to honor the top athletes from the winter sports season. These seven talents put the “win” in winter with a lot of hardware being won.This group includes a state champion wrestler, the leaders of two different CIF-SS championship teams, historically good hoopsters and league champions on the pitch.It’s time to meet the best of the best — our Desert Sun 2024 Top Winter Athletes:Victoria HyattSport: BasketballSchool: Shadow HillsWhy her: Hyatt ended her illustrious four-year varsity career with her best all-around season, stuffing the stat sheet with 20.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 4.8 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. Now that’s putting in work. Hyatt led the Knights to the Desert Empire League title with an undefeated 10-0 record and helped launch the Knights into the third round of the Division 2A playoffs. Hyatt was the DEL co-MVP and a Division 2A All-CIF performer.GETTING TO KNOW VICTORIAFavorite music: “I like rap and R&B. I like Kanye.”Favorite food: “I love chicken and I love pasta. Those are my two favorites, not necessarily together, though.”Binge-watching: Not anything at the moment but I like psychological movies and thrillers. I just like everything in that genre.”Dream vacation: “China. I’ve never been to any Asian country or that part of the world and I’d like to see that culture.”Sports idol: “Nneka Ogwumike (former WNBA and Stanford basketball star). I just like the way she plays and she has sisters that also play like I do.”Next year: “I have committed to Cal State East Bay to run track. Excited to commit to a school for a sport and experience a new environment, new weather, new area.”Brock MantanonaSport: WrestlingSchool: Palm DesertWhy him: Mantanona made this one a pretty easy choice as he completed an undefeated senior season and capped it with a CIF State title, the second of his illustrious career. Mantanona needed to rally in the championship match but finished his final season in style. Along the way he added another Desert Empire League title, CIF-SS title and Masters to his ledger.GETTING TO KNOW BROCKFavorite music: “Country and 2000s R&B like Usher, Chris Brown and Neyo”Favorite food: “I like sushi and steak, those are my two favorites probably. I like Misaki for sushi, just went there last night, in fact.”Dream vacation: “We have family from Guam, so I’d like to try to visit there.”That state championship match: “Super relieved, I thought I was gonna go out and dominate, but I gave up the first score and had to rally to win it. Huge relief. My junior year it was the same thing, a guy I already beat earlier in the year and I fell behind and I lost. This year, I was like ‘Oh no! It’s happening again.'”Next year: “Going to University of Michigan, my brother Beau is already there and he’s had a great experience so I’m excited. He said it’s tough. Division I, Big Ten college wrestling is about the highest level you can get. Outside the Olympics, it’s sort of like our professional level. Looking forward to it.”Ryland RiskSport: SoccerSchool: Palm DesertWhy him?: Risk led the Aztecs in both goals with 18 and assists with 15, helping the team earn a share of the Desert Empire League title. He was named the Desert Empire League offensive player of the year. The junior was also named to the first-team All-CIF-SS Division 2.GETTING TO KNOW RYLANDFavorite music: “Rap, R&B that type of stuff, listen to some rock or 90s, but mostly rap. Playboy Carti, that’s my guy.”Favorite food: “Cheeseburger or salmon; not both at the same time. My mom will cook salmon at home. That’s the way I like it.”Sports idol: “Ever since I picked up a ball it’s been Messi. I also like Neymar. People have told me my game is more similar to Neymar than Messi, but I like Messi more because he’s more of a guy to look up to both in soccer and in life. No shenanigans.”Dream vacation: “Somewhere in South America like Argentina or Brazil. The beaches down there would be nice and of course the soccer culture is amazing, too.”Binge-watching: “Breaking Bad. It’s always a classic and I can always go back to it at any point.”Mia BuelnaSport: Water poloSchool: IndioWhy her: Buelna was the driving force behind the epic, magical, unexpected run to a CIF-SS title. She was the team’s leading scorer during their drama-filled five-game postseason blitz which included the team winning three times by one goal. Buelna scored four goals in the 9-8 championship win over El Modena and was named the Division 6 CIF-SS Player of the Year.GETTING TO KNOW MIAFavorite food: “Spaghetti, mom’s spaghetti that is.”Favorite music: “I like rap and R&B like Drake, Daniel Caesar.”Dream vacation: Turks and Caicos. I’ve been bringing that up a lot at home. I’ve always wanted to go there. Dream vacation for sure.Last movie in a theater: “Godzilla Minus One” I liked it.On the season: “It was so amazing. We kept getting down and then coming back. It was just so fun to be a part of history like that with my teammates and coaches.”Zach BuleySport: BasketballSchool: Palm SpringsWhat he did: Buley, who also earned this honor last year, has kept the Indians atop the Desert Empire League standings for three years now and as a senior it was his leadership almost more than his scoring and rebounding that helped the team play its best. The Indians were a perfect 10-0 in league play, and Buley was named the Desert Empire League MVP.GETTING TO KNOW ZACHFavorite food: “Definitely chicken parm. I’m starting to learn how to make it myself, but I haven’t perfected it yet. My dad has it mastered.”Binge-watching: “Mostly just watch YouTube, but if I do watch something on TV it’s usually “The Office.” Always a go-to and it’s always on.”Sports idol: “My whole life I looked up to Kobe Bryant. He’s the big reason I got into basketball. I love old-school basketball, watching clips of Michael Jordan. Allen Iverson is one of my favorites, but definitely it was Kobe that was my No. 1 inspiration.”Favorite music: “Love R&B. Used to be rap, but now I’m into R&B. Love Sza, Summer Walker.”Next year: “Still hoping to play basketball but want to go into sports marketing. Definitely staying in SoCal, maybe Long Beach or FullertonKaylin MontanoSport: WrestlingSchool: Shadow HillsWhy her: Montano had a fantastic year for the Knights, first helping them achieve history as the first desert girls’ team to win a CIF-SS title, capturing the Southern Division crown. She then followed up a first-place finish in the CIF-SS meet with her primary goal of the season, a Masters championship. In that championship match she held on for a grueling 1-0 win. She went on to finish seventh at the state meet, the first Shadow Hills girls’ wrestler to make the podium at that level.GETTING TO KNOW KAYLINFavorite music: “I listen to R&B. My mom loved the 90s so we listen to a lot of Tupac, a little Drake. In the wrestling room we listen to a lot of rock so I got into that, too.”Favorite food: “I like a nice burger, because it’s balanced in a way you can throw some veggies on there. As far as fast food burger wars, people love In-N-Out and I like it too, but I love Habit Burger.”Sports idol: “Helen Maroulis. She’s an Olympic wrestler. She was like the first girl wrestler I found out about and I’ve followed her since. She’s big for me.”Binge-watching: “Gilmore Girls. I’ve seen it 10 times already maybe, but … I’m doing it again.”Next year: Still looking at a couple places. Fort Hays Kansas is one. But this summer I’m wrestling on the California National Team, which I did last year too, and it was so fun. This year we’re going to Oklahoma.”Reagan Van HornSport: SoccerSchool: Palm DesertWhy her: Van Horn led the Aztecs in scoring this year as Palm Desert won the Desert Empire League title and made a run all the way to the quarterfinals in Division 3. The senior midfielder was named the Desert Empire League Offensive MVP and made first-team All-CIF for Division 3.GETTING TO KNOW REAGANFavorite music: “Definitely like Drake for before a game, but I love house music, too.”Favorite food: “Sushi. I used to hate fish, but just this year I got into and now it’s all I want. Okura is my spot for sushi. I could eat so much of it.”Sports idol: “Sydney Leroux from the U.S. women’s team. Ever since I was little, like in elementary for free dress day, I would wear her jersey and just the fact that she’s had kids and is still playing. I just love her.”Dream vacation: “Bora Bora. I love the beach and sun and hot. That’s me.”Binge-watching: “The Bachelor. It just ended and I’m already sad about it. Every Monday I’m always watching it.”Next year: “Going to Concordia to play soccer and I want to study nursing.”



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