As winter sports season comes to an end and athletes prepare to pass on the torch to the spring sports, it is important that we highlight everything they have achieved so far. With multiple sports continuing historic seasons and entering the CIF playoffs, we look back on what they have achieved.
Girls Basketball
The girls’ basketball team has had a very resilient season. Acquiring a new coach last year was a great turnaround for their team. Last season, the team went 10-16 and had a 5th place finish in Channel League. This year, the Royals rebounded to a 16-8 record overall and a 3rd place Channel League finish, clinching a berth in CIF playoff for the first time in three years.
Senior Amelyse Wong was impressed by their growth this season, noting “The culture is really positive and we’ve developed as teammates on and off of the court, which has allowed us to improve our game throughout the season.”
They will continue their season into the Division Two playoffs playing San Clemente in the first round.
Girls Water Polo
For Coach Chuckie Roth’s last year as head coach of the girls’ water polo program, he decided to go all out continuing their dynasty and adding their eighth Channel League title in a row, going 70-0 through that period.
Senior Charlotte Raisin spoke about their success; “With it being his [Coach Roth’s] last season, finishing it out with him has made playing more competitive and fun because he has done a lot for us.”
The Royals currently hold a record of 23-7 and continue their push in the playoffs throughout the upcoming weeks, already 1-1 in round robin. They will play their final qualifying game against Long Beach Wilson as they look to claim a spot in the quarterfinals.
Girls Soccer
The San Marcos girls soccer team, with nearly all upperclassmen, had a dynamic season with the chemistry being stronger than ever because of the years they have spent together. Their best showing was against Oxnard where they knocked off the number one ranked, undefeated Yellow Jackets in an outstanding 2-0 victory.
Senior Zeina Matni attests this performance to their bond: “Out of all the years I have been here, this year really felt like we were a family and we were really close with one another.” This bond showed in the team’s total record of 6-9-3 and a Channel League record of 5-6-3.
Boys Basketball
The Boys Basketball team has had a great season, securing a CIF playoff berth and a second place finish in Channel League for the fifth time in six years. They had a successful season, beating cross town rivals SB and DP.
When asked about what set this season apart from the others, senior Koji Hefner said, ”This is like a brotherhood. Out of all of the years I’ve played on varsity, this is the most connected we have been.”
This has permitted them to finish 12-2 in the Channel League and 21-6 overall. In the first round of CIF Division Two playoffs, the Royals look to host Calabasas.
Boys Soccer
With 12 seniors leading the way boys soccer, they continued their tear and cemented themselves as the best team in the city again. They did not drop a game to Dos Pueblos or Santa Barbara in 3 and 7 respective years. This will also be their 8th year in a row clinching a spot in the CIF playoffs. When asked about the team, Senior Ricardo Olivo commented that this year everyone on the team is really strong and they are hoping to have a deep playoff run in Division Two.
Girls Wrestling
A young girls wrestling team is trying to find their way here at San Marcos. With no seniors on the team, they are led by freshman Angelique Silva and sophomore Ingrid Vargas. Silva went 18-15 in her rookie season with one of her major wins being against the senior captain of Ventura. Vargas also had a solid season going 16-9 with a couple of big wins at the Big Kahuna Classic where she was seeded 22nd out of 24 wrestlers, but had an outstanding performance, even defeating the number two seed en route to a seventh place finish. When asked about what would be able to propel her further into the next season, Silva mentioned changing her mentality to give her an extra edge for next year. The future is looking bright for the girls wrestling team with such young talent and it will be exciting to see how they can continue the success they have this year to next. Also, Sophia Garnica was able to qualify for individual CIF playoffs finishing 4th in Channel League.
Boys Wrestling
The boys wrestling team may also have a bright future ahead of them. The team is led by senior Anthony Leal, who has had some huge wins this year, securing a 16-10 record. When asked about what makes this year special, he said that it is the seniors trying to get everyone locked in and enjoying what they do. This is mainly targeted towards the underclassmen as he also said the upperclassmen motivate them in tournaments and matches to get better. This has shown to be very successful as freshman Tripp Jones has had a 7-7 season and is proving to be a dominant force on the mat and looks to continue that success into next season. The team was able to qualify three individual wrestlers for CIF with Issac Trujillo, Leon Fox, and Parker Weed looking to make a name for themselves as they will compete in Divisional Championships on the 13th and 14th of February.
As winter sports wrap up, come out to support the teams in CIF and those who may qualify for states. But don’t worry as the end of winter sports just means the beginning of spring as we look to the track, the fields, and the pool for more exciting seasons!