Unified Soccer Wins Big

by Julianna Kirk

Fresno High School’s Unified Soccer Team is guided by two dedicated coaches: Head Coach Janice Richner and Assistant Coach Sammy Hasso. The athletes represent a diverse range of grades. This season, the team showcased their skills by competing in five games, emerging victorious in each match. Team Captain Juan Perez expressed his enthusiasm, stating he "loves to bring home the wins for Fresno High and enjoys supporting his community."

Sportlight: Bailey Cota

By Jessenia Varela Gomez

Bailey Dyanne Cota also known by her friends as “Bails, Bil, or Biller” is a 17-year-old tennis player at Fresno High. Bailey has been playing tennis for all four years of high school and is currently #1 on the ladder in tennis. She plays both doubles and singles. Her favorite thing about this sport is how they play individual games, but they are still playing for each other.

She is also involved with Senate, ASB, CART, and goes to First Presbyterian Church. She loves going to CART because it gives her the opportunity to explore different career goals. When she is not playing tennis, she loves to write, paint, and to hang out with her friends.

She has previously played soccer and cheer, but tennis is her #1 sport right now. She did, however, play club soccer until sophomore year, and she loved it. Bailey revealed that she is inspired by her grandfather. “He played tennis when he was younger, and he was the kind of person that lit up a room! I really want to be like that,” she said.

Bailey is motivated by the thought that she can be a better version of herself every day.

Water Polo: Fresno High School vs Matilda Torres High School

By: Hugo Meza

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, Fresno High School hosted a home water polo game against Matilda Torres High School, marking their second match of the season.

Player #4, Rhett Wright, scored the first goal of the game, followed closely by Player #3, Hugo Meza. Within just a few minutes, Fresno High established an early lead of 2-0.

By halftime, the score had expanded to 6-2, and the team maintained their momentum throughout the second half. As their coach, Mr. Vinuela, advised, “You’ve got to keep your foot on the gas if you want to win.” The players heeded this advice, ultimately concluding the game with an impressive score of 16-4. This victory served as a significant rebound for the team, especially after their earlier loss to Hoover on Tuesday.

However, some players from Fresno High reported claims from Matilda Torres High School's coach, who alleged that Fresno High had bribed the referees and accused the team of employing unsportsmanlike conduct, including punching and kicking.

Player #10, Liam Wright, succinctly encapsulated the team's competitive spirit, stating, “If you ain’t scoring, you’re boring.”