The Serrano High School Athletic Department nominated two student-athletes for the Citrus Belt Area Athletic Directors Association Outstanding Athlete Awards. The two high school seniors were honored during a luncheon on Tuesday, May 7th, at Cal Baptist University, along with other all-star student-athletes from across the SoCal region representing their schools.
2024 FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Senior Emmalee Escarzaga was selected as Serrano’s Female Athlete of the Year. She was recognized for her athletic achievements as a member of the Serrano Sideline Cheer Squad, the Traditional Competitive Cheer Team, and the STUNT team. Emmalee has been a cheerleader all four years of high school and started cheering back in first grade when she participated in the Snowline Youth Football & Cheer program.
Serrano’s cheer program had an amazing season, which allowed Emmalee and her squad to compete in this year’s CIF Championships. Serrano’s Traditional Competitive Cheer Team qualified for the CIF Championships at the beginning of 2024, where they were awarded the State Championship and then moved on to compete in the Nationals for the USA Cheer Competition, ending their impressive season in February 2024. Emmalee is also a member of the Serrano STUNT team, who also qualified for CIF and competed at the CIF Southern Section STUNT Championships on May 3rd for the first time ever, in the school’s history.
Emmalee is not only an all-star athlete, but she is also an all-star student and was the proud recipient of a Phelan Chamber of Commerce Scholarship and completed her Senior Mentorship program here at Tri-Community NewsPlus, providing our organization with a compelling social media strategy that embraces technology to help extend our readership. Emmalee has been accepted to Life Pacific University in San Dimas and will major in Media & Communications during the Fall.
2024 MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Senior Odis Hamer was awarded Serrano’s Male Athlete of the Year for his athletic achievements in both Football and Track & Field. Odis has played football for the past 12 years and was on the Diamondback Football team all four years of high school. After the regular football season ended, Odis was picked for the Mojave River First-Team All-League. He played defensive end in the close-scoring High Desert All-Star Football Game in February 2024, where his team ultimately lost by only a single point.
Odis continued to refine his athletic skills and was encouraged by friends and coaches to join the Serrano Track & Field team during the Spring. Odis competed in discus throwing and clinched the Mojave River League first-place title, beating out Hesperia and Oak Hills’ discus throwers. This is the first year Odis has competed in Track & Field, and, as it turns out, he is a natural discus thrower. He qualified for the Track & Field Southern Section CIF in May 2024 and then went on to compete in the CIF Finals, representing Serrano High School.
Odis’ hard work, academic accomplishments, and athletic talents have allowed him to continue his football career. He has received several offers from numerous college football teams but has ultimately committed to playing for the University of Redlands this Fall, where he will major in Business.
