Buhach Colony water polo star named Sun-Star Player of the Year after historic season
Buhach Colony High School senior Kyley Abril knows there is still a lot of water polo in her future.
The Thunder star will play at Merced College next fall.
However, Abril knows it’s going to be tough to top the experience she had this past fall playing at Buhach Colony for her father/coach A.J. Abril.
Kyley Abril helped lead the Thunder to their first Sac-Joaquin Section championship, a co-CCC championship and an appearance in the NorCal Regional championship.
Abril was named the CCC Most Valuable Player along the way for the second consecutive season.
Abril is also the Merced Sun-Star Girls Water Polo Player of the Year.
“I’m never going to feel like I felt playing for Buhach Colony and my dad,” Abril said. “We were so close as a team. Every team has its problems, but playing with the people I played with and playing for my dad made this season special.”
The Thunder shared the CCC championship with an 11-1 record with El Capitan. The two teams then met a few weeks later in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship game with the Thunder winning 11-9.
“Last year we made it to the championship game and we lost,” Abril said. “We knew we had a chance to win this year. I think it was cool to see two teams from our area make it. Three of the four semifinals with Merced making it were from our area.”
Abril was also named the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II MVP and named to the all-section team. She set school records with 90 goals and 135 assists.
She credits her dad for pushing her to new heights.
“It was great playing for my dad,” she said. “We always had water polo. Two years ago I got to play with my sister for my dad and that was special. I’d be at home and my dad would be on the computer researching our next opponent. He was a big support system for me.”
Volleyball
Lauren Gonzales, Golden Valley
Golden Valley High School junior Lauren Gonzales grew up playing softball. As a teenager she wanted to try to a new sport and it came down to volleyball or basketball.
Volleyball won out and it turned out to be the right choice.
Gonzales was named the Central California Conference MVP after leading the Cougars in kills and digs this season.
Gonzales is also the Merced Sun-Star Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.
“I played softball my whole life,” Gonzales said. “It was during COVID, I was 14 and wanted to try something new. It was either basketball or volleyball and I just fell in love with volleyball.”
The speed of the game won out for Gonzales.
“The game is just so fast-paced the whole time,” she said. “You have to rely on your teammates, the setter, the outside hitter, the libero and the middle all have specific roles. Everyone has to come together to be successful.”
Gonzales plays all over the court for Golden Valley. She became a captain this year for the first time and excelled in a leadership role.
“This is Lauren’s third year on varsity, and as soon as she stepped into the gym for tryouts, her leadership and team captain instincts took over,” said Golden Valley coach Regan Green. “Her role as a captain and leader came naturally to her. Her knowledge, skills, dedication, and love for the game helped make her the all-around player she was this past season.”
Offensively, Gonzales is the Cougars go-to attacker. When the team needs a key point or has to slow the momentum of the other team, Gonzales knows her team is going to turn to her.
“I believe that’s something you earn through hard work,” Gonzales said. “It means a lot because it means your teammates trust you.”
“Offensively, it makes sense that she was our go-to player, but defensively she left a positive impact, too,” Green added. “She was able to read other hitters, get to the right spot, and make the pass. Coaches want players like Lauren on their team. She is an all around great student athlete who steps up both on and off of the court.”
Tennis
Kloe Cotta, Los Banos
Surgery to remove a cyst on her knee delayed the start of the season for Los Banos High School senior Kloe Cotta this fall.
Despite playing through pain early, Cotta returned to her dominant form.
The Tigers star went 14-0 individually in Western Athletic Conference league matches, leading Los Banos to a conference championship.
Cotta was named the WAC Most Valuable Player and is also the Merced Sun-Star Girls Tennis Player of the Year for the second season in a row.
“It was a very special year individually and as a team,” Cotta said. “I wasn’t able to play during the preseason matches so to get the No. 2 seed in the section playoffs, to reach the league finals and earn MVP and for my team to make the section finals, it was a great year.”
Cotta had surgery to remove the cyst in July and returned to the court for the Tigers in the second week of September.
“It was painful,” Cotta said. “I was still going to physical therapy early in the season. The first few weeks it would affect me running back and forth on the court. “
Cotta won nine of her 14 WAC matches without dropping a game. Her closest WAC match came in the conference finals when she won 6-0, 6-3. She finished 18-0 in WAC after winning the conference tournament and 26-2 overall.
The Tigers senior reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinals and helped lead the Tigers to the section finals as a team.
Cotta made improvements to her game after finishing 25-1 last year.
“This year my slices were better and I developed more power in general,” Cotta said. “My slices allowed me to be more creative with my serves.”
Cotta will continue playing tennis in college at Cal State Lutheran.
“I’m really excited,” she said. “To make it to the next level is impressive. All my hard work paid off.”
Cotta plans to major in sports management. She’s excited for the opportunity to attend a small, private school.
She’ll miss her time at Los Banos, including playing for her longtime coach Lynn Barcellos.
“I’m going to miss my coach,” Cotta said. “Coach Barcellos has been with me since second grade. I’ve been with her for so long. I’m also going to miss my teammates. I made a lot of good friends.”
All-Area Honors
Girls Water Polo
Abigail Perez, Buhach Colony
Macie Drumm, Buhach Colony
Kiryn Wicker, El Capitan
Sarah Slocum, Merced
Abigail Rogers, Atwater
Eliza Marquez, Buhach Colony
Abby Fernandez, El Capitan
Brooklyn Ramsey, El Capitan
Dorothy Drury, Merced
Elise Metcalf, Merced
Girls Volleyball
Sophie Fernandez, El Capitan
Chloe Grever, El Capitan
Alexia Avalos, Le Grand
Alicia Souza, Hilmar
Sage Harcksen, Atwater
Marissa Merrell, Dos Palos
Felecity Parker, El Capitan
Cali Cole, Stone Ridge Christian
Samantha Harcksen, Atwater
Sydney Perez, Merced
Hannah Slate, Atwater
Elsa Van Dyke, Merced
Lilly Wisdom, Buhach Colony
Haiden Pridell, Le Grand
Girls Tennis
Julia Leon, Merced
Savanah Soulanone, Merced
Eva Whitby, Atwater
Melina Mejia, Los Banos
Arianna Medina, Atwater
Diya Rajani, El Capitan
Ruqaiya Arjmand, El Capitan
Arianna Flores, Los Banos
