Bee’s Best: Spreading credit for Buchanan girls soccer success; Bee All-Stars list
Jasara Gillette is quick to share the credit for Buchanan High girls soccer success.
“There is so much that goes into it,” Gillette said. “Your players have to work hard and then the coaching staff I have is amazing.”
The Bears finished the season 20-3-1 overall and 8-0-1 in the Tri-River Athletic Conference. The Bears won the conference title and captured the Central Section Division I championship.
Gillette is The Bee’s Coach of the Year.
“When you get Coach of the Year, it’s like an all-around award just for your whole coaching staff and the team culture that you built,” she said.
“I think that’s important. Not just me. It’s kind of everybody ... parents that work this year to make it such a great year. I definitely feel like it’s just never me. It’s everything that goes into it with everybody involved.”
Gillette arrived at Buchanan in 2020 after she spent numerous seasons at Clovis East before going to West Hills College-Lemoore for four seasons.
While the Bears didn’t win the TRAC in 2020, Buchanan won the CIF Southern California Division II championship, and also advanced to the Northern California Division I championship this past season.
“We got two rings,” she said. “Our goal is to win the TRAC and win Valley and we accomplished our goals, which is pretty awesome.”
Large School Player of the Year
Karina Gonzalez, senior, forward, Sanger
One of the big reasons why the Apaches won the Central Section Division II championship was Gonzalez’s knack for scoring goals and being a leader.
She paved the way for Sanger this past season when she finished with 39 goals and seven hat tricks. She scored four postseason goals including one in the 2-0 victory over San Luis Obispo in the championship.
Medium School Player of the Year
Isabella Cruz, senior, forward, Kerman
Cruz helped the Lions to a Central Section Division IV title when she had an assist in the win over Santa Maria.
She netted 47 goals and had 35 assists and 129 points to help the Lions to a 29-4 overall record and 10-0 in the North Sequoia League.
Small School Player of the Year
Yadira Hernandez, senior, forward, Granite Hills
Hernandez led the Grizzlies to a Central Section Division VI championship.
She totaled 37 goals and had 15 assists. She nearly tripled her goal total from her junior season when she finished with 13 goals.
Fan’s vote
Alyssa Wheeler of Clovis North is the fan’s vote for The Bee’s Player of the Year.
Wheeler won the poll after receiving 44% of the votes, ahead of Isabella Cruz of Kerman.
Wheeler was voted to the first team in the Tri-River Athletic Conference.
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Bee’s best
Gizelle Aguirre, sophomore, Caruthers
Paityn Bruce, sophomore, Redwood
Emmah Burnes, junior, Mission Oak
Krysta Casas, senior, Dinuba
Michelle Caudillo, senior, Golden West
Kayleah Cervantes, junior, Caruthers
Rylie Chaney, senior, Buchanan
Isabella Cruz, senior, Kerman
Natalie Duran, senior, Dinuba
Diana Garcia, senior, Sanger
Karina Gonzalez, senior, Sanger
Zoey Hartfield, sophomore, Central Valley Christian
Abigail Herren, freshman, Fresno Christian
Yadira Hernandez, senior, Granite Hills
Ines Fabian-Hicks, senior, Fresno
Olivia Koop, senior, Buchanan
Frankie Lee, senior, Sanger
Melissa Lopez, junior, Roosevelt
Damaris Lopez, junior, Fowler
Donna Lovio, junior, Coalinga
Mabel Lunde, senior, Kingsburg
Mariah Martinez, junior, Fresno
Esperanza Martinez, senior, McLane
Abigail McKean, junior, Sierra Pacific
Mia Mirelez, senior, Clovis North
Jessica Montelongo, senior, Buchanan
Miracle Neal, sophomore, Fresno Christian
Logan Nidy, senior, Buchanan
Natalie Ochoa, junior, Clovis
Isabella O’Neal, senior, Kerman
Jackie Pizano, sophomore, Riverdale
Mia Ramirez, junior, Tulare Union
Aniston Renovato, sophomore, Bullard
Diana Rico, senior, Dinuba
Kassandra Rita, junior, Exeter
Mya Rodriguez, senior, El Diamante
Mylah Rodriguez, junior, Kerman
Reigan Rose, senior, Clovis East
Jazzell Ruiz, junior, Madera
Jackie Saechao, freshman, El Diamante
Olivia Saenz, junior, Redwood
Natalie Santana, senior, Tulare Union
Elizabeth Statler, senior, Sierra Pacific
Melayna Vasquez, freshman, Fowler
Bailey Velazquez, senior, Hanford West
Alyssa Wheeler, senior, Clovis North
Maddisson Woods, senior, Exeter
Cadence Whitley, senior, Clovis North
Alyssa White, junior, Clovis East
Ciara Wilson, senior, Buchanan
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
