Fall All-League Teams Announced | Looking Back on a Successful Season

 

 

Fall season athletics finished up at the end of November and winter sports are in full swing at South Pasadena High.

Seven different fall sports – boys and girls cross country, football, girls golf, girls tennis, girls volleyball, and boys water polo – all had successful seasons, qualifying for the playoffs, either as a team or individually. Boys cross country, girls’ volleyball, and boys water polo all finished undefeated in League play.

All League Fall teams were announced this week:

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Football, SPHS:

Offensive Linemen: Garret Washburn (12th),  Noah Leider (10th) first team and Lineman of the Year: Jared Lachica (12^th) second team; Wide Receivers: Ivan Estrada (12^th) first team, Terrence Sweetman (11^th) second team; Running Backs, Ethan Hong (12^th) first team; Quarterback (12^th) Samuel Luna Long (12^th) first team; Defensive Linemen: Raymond Gomez (12^th) second team; Linebacker: Quentin Pithey (12^th) first team, Brian Zepeda (11^th) second team; Defensive Back: Zazriel King (11^th) second team; Punter: Samuel Luna Long (12^th) first team. Honorable Mention: Julian Cabera (12^th) and Jonathan Stride (11^th).

Girls Volleyball SPHS:

Lola Foord (11^th) MVP of the Rio Hondo League; Alyssa Sokolow (10^th) first team; Abigail Garner (10^th) first team, Lindsey Hirano (11^th) first team; Sofia Reyes Sylvain (9^th) second team, Kennedy Taylor, second team (10^th); Honorable Mention: Katharine Florence (11^th).

Boys Water Polo SPHS:

Eddie Lane Flannigan (11^th) first team, Evan Kowal (12^th) first team, Evan Felix (11^th) second team, Owen Imasaki (10^th); Honorable Mention: Maven Palacious (11^th).

South Pasadena was well represented at the CIF State level. Boys’ and girls’ cross country competed at CIF Finals, and the girls team was able to send Sydney Morrow to CIF State in Fresno. Girls’ volleyball finished as a CIF-Southern Section semifinalist and as the CIF Southern California State Regional Champions, falling in a CIF State Final to Lowell High School from San Francisco.

Other notable accomplishments for Tiger athletics was the football teams qualification to a CIF playoff berth and Junior Terrence Sweetman holding the most interceptions in California (and 7^th in the nation) on the regular season with 11 interceptions.  Lauren Calderon broke the Rio Hondo League record of 30 strokes on a par 36 for girls’ golf. Girls’ tennis continued strong league play, being able to finish ahead of Temple City, via a tiebreaker, to compete in CIF playoffs. Boys water polo fell to Schurr High School by one point with Schurr eventually falling in the CIF- Southern Section finals.

“In our athletic department, we were also able to bring Julius Murphy from our partnership with Children’s Hospital L.A. as our full-time athletic trainer,” explained SPHS Athletic Director Anthony Chan. “Julius brings experiences from playing collegiate football and basketball, as well as being a Certified Athletic Trainer for both Liberty Football and Palm Desert Power Baseball. He brings a great energy and extensive knowledge in preventative care and rehabilitation for our student athletes.”

As the South Pasadena High winter season begins, Chan says basketball games for both boys and girls will be played at the local middle school as construction on revamping SPHS’s athletic facilities are underway.

He also wants to recognize the SPHS Booster Club for its continuous “support and dedication of time in finding ways to support not only our athletics but also our other extracurricular activities on campus,” noted Chan. “Without the SPHS Booster Club, PTSA, generous donors, and volunteers, our athletics program would be unable to function effectively.”

To join the SPHS Booster Club, go to: sphsboosters.org/membership

South Pasadena Athletic Director Anthony Chan contributed to this story.