Photo by Michael Ramirez
Megan Flores and Clay Barbee are the King City High School Female and Male Athletes of the Year. Flores and Barbree were leaders on the fields and courts.
KING CITY — King City High School senior athletes Megan Flores and Clay Barbree were announced as the Female and Male Athletes of the Year for the Mustang teams. Flores and Barbree were introduced by Coaches Debbie Hudson and Lorenzo Espino at the King City Associated Student Body Awards Night on May 21 at the Robert Stanton Theatre.
Flores played volleyball, basketball and softball and was also a thrower on the Lady Mustang track and field team this season. Barbree played on the Mustang football and baseball teams. The players were selected as Athlete of the Year after a vote of King City varsity coaches.
Flores was a three-time All-Mission Trail Athletic League first-team basketball player and was chosen to the MTAL first-team this past season in volleyball and an All-Monterey County selection. Flores was on the All-Monterey County basketball player as a senior and junior and was an honorable mention All-County as a sophomore and second team All-MTAL as a freshman.
On the basketball court Flores finished her career as the third highest rebounder with 966, No. 3 rebounding with 338 this past season, and No. 14 in blocked shots with 82 for the season. Flores made the first-team All-Coastal League softball team and helped the Lady Mustangs win the league crown. This past season threw the shot put and discus on the track team and placed third in both events and scored 12 points for the Lady Mustang team in the MTAL finals.
Flores, daughter of Ralph and Joy Flores, will attend Hartnell College in the fall and will play on the Panther volleyball and basketball teams. King City head basketball coach Frank Padilla praised Flores for her play on the hardwoods.
“As a player, Megan was the player other teams had to stop,” said Padilla. “Players like Megan don’t come around every day. It’s been fun having her as a player. She made a big impact in our program with 966 career rebounds, and 388 rebounds this season alone. Both are third best in Lady Mustang basketball history. She will be missed, along with our other seniors.”
Barbree had a standout career as a member of the Mustang football and baseball teams. As a football player Barbree was a first-team All-MTAL player on offense and defense this past season and was chosen as the league Defensive Player of the Year.
As a junior Barbree was a first-team All-League player at tight end and was an All-County football player this season and last season.
“He was a three-year and two-way starter for the program and he’s the first kid that I’ve had to do that,” said King City head football coach Mac Villanueva. “He is a force on both sides of the ball and had 1,200 yards of offenses and 12 touchdowns and 15.5 sacks on another touchdown on defense his senior year. He was also a great leader both vocally and by example. He has a great grasp of the game and having him on the field is like having a coach out there. He’s No. 4 on the all-time reception and scoring list and is the single season record holder for sacks in a season.”
Barbree, son of Heath and Kanini Barbree of King City, will be attending Sonoma State University in the fall.
