The winter sports activities season is upon us, and with that got here the introduction of basketball and soccer groups to the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Press Luncheon on Monday at Harry’s Plaza Cafe.
With native winter sports activities opening up their seasons as early as at present, the perfect cross nation groups will proceed their seasons this weekend on the CIF-SS Finals meet.
A full video of Monday’s luncheon shall be linked right here when it’s made obtainable by SBART.
Winter Sports Season Kicks Off
While the UCSB Gauchos opened up their basketball season earlier this month, the native excessive colleges will hit the hardwood as quickly as Monday night time.
In the Channel League, Santa Barbara High will look to repeat as league champions with a a lot completely different staff. The Dons graduated 14 seniors final yr, and don’t roster a single senior on this yr’s squad.
“It’s a very different team, but different doesn’t mean bad because they’ve really come a long way since the summer when we played a lot and trained a lot together,” Santa Barbara High head coach Greg Zuffelato stated.
“We’ve got a bunch of juniors, sophomores and freshmen that are really starting to come together. So, we’re excited about the season.”
San Marcos, led by the senior pairing of Koji Hefner and Brody Green, will look to problem the Dons for the highest spot within the league after a second-place end final season. Meanwhile, Dos Pueblos will look to enhance on a fifth-place exhibiting.
In the Tri-Valley League, hopes are excessive for the Bishop Diego boys basketball program beneath first-year head coach Caleb Richey. The Cardinals open their season towards Lompoc on Thursday.
“I’m excited,” Richey stated. “We have a lot of returners, some newcomers coming along. I believe the energy is a little different from last season, and I’m looking forward to this season for sure.”
As for the ladies facet, Dos Pueblos is the lone native basketball staff coming off a playoff look. However, the Chargers could have a brand new look this yr after the resignation of Manny Murillo.
On the pitch, San Marcos women soccer is coming off a 12-6-4 common season mark. That landed the Royals as the highest staff on the town and they’ll look to construct off that success with loads of returning expertise.
“We’re looking forward to the season,” San Marcos head coach Miguel Vences stated. “The great thing about our team is we have six returning players from a very solid team last year. So, we’re excited to see how they gel with the three or four players that we’ve moved up from the JV roster.”
In boys soccer, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos every reached the CIF-SS playoffs final yr, whereas Santa Barbara High will hope to bounce again from a two-win season final yr.
Cross Country Squads Head Into CIF Finals
Local racers excelled on a wet day at Mt. San Antonio College final weekend on the CIF-SS Prelim races, punching their tickets to this weekend’s CIF-SS Finals meet.
Dos Pueblos and Cate every had each of their groups advance to this weekend, whereas the San Marcos and Carpinteria High women squads moved on as properly. Meanwhile, the Royals and Warriors will every have particular person boys within the finals meet as properly.
“The Channel League had a great showing,” San Marcos head coach Marilyn Hantgin stated. “We had individuals profitable the races, all the groups making it. So it was actually nice for our Channel League normally to indicate how nice we’re within the Southern Section.
“[The girls] had a great time out there. They felt good about it, and now we just have to repeat next week and try to make it onto the state championship. That’s our goal, so hopefully that will happen.”
The native groups will head again all the way down to Mt. San Antonio College this weekend with their sights set on the CIF State Finals in Clovis subsequent weekend.
“We need to be in the top seven out of the 16 teams that have qualified for this finals event,” Dos Pueblos boys cross nation coach Michael Smedley stated. “So hopefully, we can get through this and be where we really want to be at Clovis in two weeks.”
Student-Athletes in Attendance
Santa Barbara High Girls Basketball: Audrey Castillo, Eva Rogers, Alina Zaridas
San Marcos Girls Soccer: Harlyn Griffin, Sofia Faraoni
Santa Barbara High Boys Basketball: Owen Horn, Levi Oakes
San Marcos Girls Basketball: Janelle Capuno, Amelyse Wong
San Marcos Boys Basketball: Koji Hefner, Brody Green
San Marcos Cross Country: Wyatt Degner, Elsie Tuttle
Dos Pueblos Cross Country: Jasmin Vela, Amelia Vela
Carpinteria High Cross Country: Jacqueline Guadian, Mila Martin, Max Soto, Edwin Hernandez
Carpinteria High Girls Basketball: Jamaica Cook, Leona McClellan
Bishop Diego Girls Soccer: Kate Douglas, Abbey Hubbs
Bishop Diego Boys Soccer: Amari Jones
Bishop Diego Girls Basketball: Jaymi Coronado, Kacey Seashore
Bishop Diego Boys Basketball: Rudy Blue, Crew Sjovold
San Marcos Boys Soccer: Wesley Monroy, Robert Rosales