What a day for South Pasadena High sports!
South Pasadena High School has a much smaller enrollment than many it faced, with just over 1,400 students, sometimes going up against high school campuses twice, three times its size, the Tigers showed plenty of grit and determination, coming up big – very big – last Saturday by adding four new CIF-Southern Section plaques to its trophy case.
South Pasadena earned one in girls’ volleyball, another one in boys’ water polo and two more in cross country – a championship for the girls, a second place finish for the boys.
At the end of the long day, SPHS Athletic Director CB Richards likes how the Tigers came out roaring, making school history for its efforts in collecting so much hardware over the span of a day.
“Our recent CIF victories showcase the dedication and talent of SPHS student athletes, the expertise of our coaching staff, and the unwavering support of the South Pasadena community,” he said. “Reaching peak performance during the championship season comes down to doing the little things right, putting luck in your favor, never giving up and trusting in your coaches.”
Beyond the wins, Richards is especially proud of how sports programs on campus emphasize character, sportsmanship, and academic success. “Guided by the CIF motto, ‘Victory with Honor,’ our student athletes consistently represent SPHS with pride both on and off the field. This fall’s electric sports energy has inspired younger athletes and strengthened the bonds within the SP community.”
Celebrating the school’s accomplishments, the school’s athletic director stressed the importance of raising the bar for success across South Pasadena athletics. “Sustaining this excellence takes commitment, and I’m focused on bringing that mindset to every program,” he said, just days ahead of Thanksgiving. “In this season of gratitude, I want to thank our dedicated coaches, athletes, parents, district staff, and administration for their hard work and behind-the-scenes support. Together, we can continue building something truly special for the South Pas community.”
Here’s a look at the school’s Super Saturday effort:
Cross Country
South Pasadena, led by senior Abigail Errington, won the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 girls’ cross country title at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, claiming the crown with 43 points, in front of second place finisher Santa Margarita with 90.
Errington won the individual title with a time of 16 minutes, 56.6 seconds in tackling the 3-mile course, paving the way for the Tigers to compete in the CIF State Championships this Saturday in Fresno.
Helping Errington win it for the Tigers were Saidbh Byrne, who came in fourth with a 17:55.2 clocking, Maya Lee, 19th (18:55.6), followed by Sofia Humphrey in 21st (18:58.2), Amelie Geoffron in 29th (19:24.6), Chloe Koo, 40th, (19:37.2) and Rose Vandevelde, taking the 55th spot (20:09.9).
The Tigers with 116 points grabbed the runner-up spot for the boys’ race, finishing behind champion Oak Park, totaling 107. Leading the way for South Pasadena was Michael Scarince, finishing 9th ((15:36.3), Noah Aldana 16th (15:46.3), Adam Ruiz 26th (16:03.9) and Dylan Shugg, coming across in 32nd (16:05.8).
Girls’ Volleyball
The Tigers won the state volleyball championship by getting past Hilmar from central California, coming back from two sets down 24-26, 24-26 to win it in dramatic fashion, taking the final three sets 25-14, 25-16 and 15-8.
In the end, a wild celebration was set off after South Pasadena nailed the clinching point.
Stunning victories are a way of life around this bunch, trailing two games to one, before winning two straight sets to win the CIF Southern California Regional Championship against host Walnut earlier in the week, setting up the state title match against Hilmar at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.
It was an especially solid win for the Tigers, considering where they came from at the start of CIF tournament play. South Pasadena was a 7-3 finisher in Rio Hondo League play, good enough for third place, and pleased to receive an invite to move onto CIF.
Once getting in, they reached the CIF Division 6 semifinals, where they were knocked out by Oak Park, but played well enough to get the No. 2 seed to play in the SoCal regionals, where they upended High Tech, Chatsworth and Santa Monica Crossroads ahead of knocking off Walnut.
South Pasadena, playing its best volleyball at the end of the season, finished with an overall 18-16 record, closing it out by winning five straight. Top players featured Senya Dorny, who led the team in kills, hitting percentage and blocks, joining Ava Conti, Kayla Boozer, Ella Garner, Bella Ventura, Jolene Wu, Kayla Yau and Evan Taylor, also among the statistical leaders.
Boys’ Water Polo
In a dream season, South Pasadena High finished it off with a 12-6 victory over Cleveland out of Reseda Saturday to win the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 State Regional Championship at Mt. San Antonio College.
The Tigers led 5-2 at halftime, but Cleveland didn’t go down easily, giving South Pasadena a strong battle over the final two quarters. South Pasadena, battling to the end, came out on top with an impressive offensive and defensive showing to win it.
To get there, South Pasadena won the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 championship, their first in 30 years, at Mt. San Antonio College on Saturday, November 16, with a 10-9 victory over Cate of Carpenteria, the Tigers going wild after the triumph, winning on a buzzer beater by Kenta Fernandez.
Following that effort, the Tigers moved onto the CIF SoCal Boys’ Water Polo Champions early last week as the Tigers got past Granada Hills Charter in a game played at La Canada High, winning it 16-13 in overtime.
That put South Pasadena up against Palisades Thursday in the semifinals, where they came out on top again, this time 10-5, setting up the title game against Cleveland.
Since there is no CIF competition beyond their CIF regional crown, the Tigers finished the season with a 21-11 overall record, including a 5-5 third place record in Rio Hondo League play.
Oh, and, of course, they’ll have many lasting memories.
The Tigers’ starters, known around the team as the “Magnificent 7,” include: Senior Caleb Dephouse, Senior Kenta Fernandez, Senior Nathan Greene, senior Theo Hilger, junior Jackson Lesnever, junior Diego Pizarro and senior Jackson Wingard.
Varsity Football
It’s little secret by now that South Pasadena High’s football team just completed another successful season, winning the Rio Hondo League championship outright, going 5-0 in Rio Hondo League play for the first time since 1977. The Tigers, finishing 10-3 overall, reached the CIF-Southern Section Division 10 semifinals following a pair of playoff victories, falling to Silverado High last Friday in Victorville.
Tigers coach Jeff Chi says his club will not stop its quest of winning a CIF crown, something that hasn’t been accomplished since 1975, and in a few weeks will have his returning players in the weight room preparing for next season.
Girls Tennis
South Pasadena High’s girls’ tennis team played in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs after completing a highly respectable 14-2 record. Helping to make It happen was Felicity Mason, just a freshman, who reached the second round of CIF individual play as the Tigers were a formidable force during the fall sports campaign.
