It was the final Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon of the school year, but Randy Weiss was already looking ahead to the 2014-15 season.
Weiss, the community outreach and foundation officer at Union Bank, thanked the Round Table for all it does for youth in the community and presented the organization with a $10,000 check to underwrite the lunches for the athletes next year.
“This is a very, very special organization,” Weiss told the audience in the Ranchero Room at Harry’s Plaza Café. “There are probably close to 2,000 non-profit groups in Santa Barbara, and I’ve had the pleasure with working with most of them. But there’s something very special about the Athletic Round Table. It really brings our community together. It’s all about community. It’s our pleasure at Union Bank to help underwrite the cost of these lunches and support the great work of the Athletic Round Table.”
Weiss went on to remind the athletes “there’s no free lunch. Years from now, when you’re working in the business field and you have a chance to help young athletes and young students, you need to step up. Remember this great opportunity that you have today through the Athletic Round Table.”
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Coaches from six schools were recognized for their work this past season. The award, sponsored by Randy Rowse of the Paradise Café, is given based on the sportsmanship a coach demonstrates, community service, ethical behavior and longevity in the program.
The award winners were Anthony Califano (Dos Pueblos wrestling), Andrew Butcher (Santa Barbara High girls basketball), Jack Coy (San Marcos frosh/soph football assistant), Dale Colburn (Providence girls volleyball), Charles Bryant (Carpinteria tennis) and Jeff Burich (Bishop Diego girls basketball).
COLLEGE BASEBALL
SBCC coach Jeff Walker was proudly wearing the T-shirt from the Super Regionals at the press luncheon. Walker’s Vaqueros swept L.A. Mission in the Super Regional to advance to the Southern Cal Sectional against conference rival Oxnard. The winner of that best-of-three series goes to the State Final Four in Fresno.
“Each round we get new T-shirts,” Walker said. “One player was quoted, ‘We’re on the road to Fresno one T-shirt at a time.’”
Walker then noted the phrase being used on social media to describe the Vaqueros’ goal of reaching Fresno.
“For all you Twitter fans out there, the catch phrase is ‘Vaquesno.’ We’ll keep that going,” he said.
UCSB assistant Neil Walton said pitcher Austin Pettibone “was his true self” on Saturday when threw a four-hit, 6-0 shutout against Cal State Northridge. He also lauded the solid play of shortstop Peter Maris.
The Gauchos play at Pepperdine on Wednesday and at USF over the weekend.
PREP SOFTBALL
San Marcos coach Jeff Swann said his Royals will be playing Santa Barbara for bragging rights this week.
Despite a 9-15 record, Swann said it’s been a fun season. “They’re learning and getting better in every game and every practice. It’s been rewarding for me and the coaching staff,” he said.
He brought catcher Claudia Herrera and two-year team captain Stephanie Swann.
PREP TRACK
San Marcos coach Marilyn Hantgin introduced some promising youngsters in her program. Freshman Delaney Werner qualified for CIF in the 400 and the 4×400 relay; Chloe Hamer, another freshman, is going to CIF in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles and sophomore Tyson Miller qualified in the 200, 400 and 4×400 relay. She also introduced senior Esteban Alfaro, who in his first year of running track, won Channel League titles in the 100 and 200.
The Royals will compete in the Division 3 Prelims at Estancia High in Orange County.
Carpinteria will be hosting some of the top track and field athletes in the state on Saturday when it stages the CIF Division 4 Prelims.
“It’s a honor to do this. We take pride in it,” Carpinteria coach Van Latham said.
The meet will feature 116 schools, including powerhouse programs like Oaks Christian, Serra and St. Mary’s Academy.
Latham introduced CIF qualifiers Brooke Hymer (pole vault) and Gabe Zapien-Ybarra (discus), and Grace Delk and Greg Elizzarras, whom he called “the heart and soul of the team.”
Bishop Diego track coach Veronica Gines brought three CIF qualifiers: Zara Brillo-Sonnino (100), Adrian Solis (shot put, discus) and BJ Murillo (100 and 200).
PREP BASEBALL
Carpinteria coach Pat Cooney said he planned rub elbows with SBCC’s Walker to get some good karma going into the final week of the season. The Warriors are in a four-way tie for first place in the Frontier League. They play Malibu twice this week.
“It leaves a whole gamut of scenarios,” Cooney said. “We can go from first to missing the playoffs.”
Cooney introduced Nick Walker and Jonah Spach.
PREP TENNIS
Coach Liz Frech called DP’s season “a magical and unforgettable time.”
In an all-Chargers Channel League doubles final, Patrick Corpuz and Miles Baldwin defeated Mason Casady and Joshua Wang. It marked the first time DP won the league doubles title since John Sanford and Bart Hillock in 1978.
“Although it was tough to watch two DP teams play each other, I thought about the positive impact they had on our team,” Frech reflected “They gave us collectively the most wins (150), pushing us to realize a dream this season.”
Dos Pueblos posted its best record in program history at 16-3. It will open play in the CIF Division 1 playoffs on Wednesday at home against Crescenta Valley.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
UCSB coach Brie Galicinao said her Gauchos didn’t receive a NCAA Tournament bid after losing Saturday’s 10-9 battle against Long Beach State for the Big West title.
“Our program has never been in that position to take the title,” Galicinao said. “We came so close. It came down to extra innings against Long Beach State.”
The coach thanked the community for coming out and packing the stadium on Saturday.
“It was privilege to be out there,” she said.
COLLEGE TRACK
Westmont coach Russell Smelley said he’ll be taking 19 athletes to the NAIA National Championships in Mobile, Ala.
He reported that Ben McCollum qualified last weekend in the decathlon, scoring 6100 points, a 200-point improvement. He PR’d in the pole vault and 1500.
Also qualifying was a 4×400 relay team of Karlie Storkson, Ceci Adams, Lorien Patmore and Kailyn Koopmans. Koopmans ran an anchor leg of 57.7. She hadn’t broke 60 seconds all year, Smelley said.
The team finished in 3:54.90, beating the qualifying standard was 3:55.0.
Smelley also noted that four San Marcos alums qualified for nationals. They are Koopmans, Elysia Hodges, Shane Rowan and Evan Bradford.
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