There’s no better way to start the year of Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheons than to have the organization do what it does best — give back to local athletics.
Future SBART President Rich Hanna kicked off the year’s first pow-wow at Harry’s by presenting $3,200 in checks to the Athletic Directors of Santa Barbara High, San Marcos, Dos Pueblos, Bishop Diego, Carpinteria and Laguna Blanca.
The money was raised through the SBART’s annual Hi-Five Golf and Tennis Tournament, which was almost filled to capacity this last Spring. The money is intended to benefit each school’s general athletic funding.
Laguna Blanca AD Mike Biermann had to give the check back right away — someone had written “La Cumbre” on it instead of “Laguna.”
Surely the folks at La Cumbre Junior High would have accepted it gladly.
STATE CHAMPS: “I’ve been smiling since June 8th,” said Santa Barbara High boys golf coach James Bedard before presenting three players from last year’s CIF State Championship team. Santa Barbara High is 135 years old, and the state title was the first in school history.
Perhaps just as impressive is the fact that four players from last year’s team have moved on to play collegiately. Shane Lebow is at Stanford, Jack Perry is at Northwestern, Ray Gerow is at College of the Desert (rooming with former SBHS star Andrew Perez), and John Baur is at SBCC.
Bedard introduced three leaders from this year’s team — Mickey Kirby, Sean Searls and Spencer Mikles.
THE ODD COUPLE: Watch the Westmont men’s soccer team line up before games this year and you’ll notice an interesting pair right away.
Midfielder Nana Akyen out of Dunn School, who wears No. 24, is 5-foot-2. The man who lines up right next to him, No. 25 Peter Schmetz, is 6-foot-6. Schmetz plays equally well in the front and back, but when he’s on the attack he has a nice rhythm with Akyen, a midfielder.
“Somehow that combination seems to work for us a little bit,” said sports information director Ron Smith. The Warrior men are 3-0-2 on the young season.
BEVERLY’S BIG GUY: Beverly Hills High’s football team, which defeated Santa Barbara High on Friday, will head to Valley Stadium to take on San Marcos this Thursday. The Normans feature one of the top recruits in the country in Greg Townsend Jr., son of the former Raider.
Royals coach Jeff Hesselmeyer described Townsend, a 6-4, 240-pounder, as an “extremely special” player.
“I believe he was on some disciplinary issue and didn’t play for part of the game against Santa Barbara, which we hope they’ll extend this week,” he joked.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
John Uribe, SBCC Football — The Vaqueros were crushed by Allan Hancock College in their first game, but bounced back with an impressive 30-14 win at Antelope Valley on Saturday. Uribe, who won the award more than once as a record-setting quarterback for SBHS, went 19-for-29 with 264 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target was Bishop Diego grad Art Gonzalez, who caught nine passes for 177 yards and a score.
Charlene DeHoog, UCSB Volleyball — The Gaucho spikers are off to a 5-4 start, and DeHoog has been impressive thus far. She recorded three straight double-doubles over the weekend as UCSB went 2-1 at the Lobo Challenge in New Mexico.
DeHoog was named to the All-Tournament Team after recording 51 kills and 40 digs in the three matches.
SBART luncheons happen every Monday at noon at Harry’s Plaza Café. The public is welcomed to attend.
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