Lifetime Memories Are Made in The Big Game

Jason Donnelly has great memories of playing in “The Big Game” for San Marcos.

The Laguna Blanca School athletic director and girls volleyball coach told Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon audience that he played in two crosstown football clashes against Santa Barbara

The 57th annual game is set for Friday at Santa Barbara’s Peabody Stadium.

“The memories you’re going to create this week are going to last for a lifetime,” Donnelly said to the Dons and Royals players at the luncheon. “I wish you nothing but a good game. You’re going to create lifelong memories.”

Santa Barbara coach JT Stone is pumped about starting league play. He said there were plenty of bright spots in last Friday’s 47-27 loss at Pacifica.

“We were able to score and move the football,” he said. “I’m excited to see that before league.”

The Dons had numerous injuries during a 2-4 preseason.

“We’re done with preseason, so our schedule is a clean slate. We’re looking forward to moving forward,” said Stone.

He introduced Robert Tovar and Joseph Jimenez, two members of his team that make a difference.

He said Tovar is a “versatile player and a great part of our program.”

Jimenez has used football “as a tool to get through things you need to get through to go forward. I’m proud of where he is and where he’s going in the future,” Stone said.

After an 0-6 preleague schedule, San Marcos coach Jason Fowle said it’s time “for us to move forward and take advantage of this new lease on life with league coming on. We got a new season coming on. Our job is hone in and identify on the positive things that we’ve done and build on those from here on out … Build our guys up again.”

Fowle said junior quarterback Jacob Villarreal played his second full game on Friday against Nordhoff and made some good plays.  Running back Ashkan Allen went over 100 yards rushing against Nordhoff.

“It’s something we can build on,” said the coach.

Dos Pueblos: Coach Nate Mendoza said the Chargers held a Hueneme team that was averaging nearly 500 yards a game to 180 yards, and the offense rolled up 500 yards in last Friday’s 40-15 win.

Mendoza called receiver Daniel Arzate, Jr. “one of the toughest guys on the team.” Arzate has 21 catches for 285 yards.  “He’s a standout on offense and a huge contributor.”

Will Yamasaki has done well filling in for first-team all-league linebacker Chris Noggle. “We haven’t skipped a beat with Will,” said Mendoza.

Yamasaki has 20 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for a loss. He also plays fullback and is a wedge buster on the kickoff team.

DP has a bye this week before taking on Buena in two weeks.

“We’ve had that game marked on the calendar since February,” said Mendoza.

Carpinteria: “Right now we’re going to press the reset button,” said coach Ben Hallock about regrouping after a 55-0 loss against Bishop Diego. “We have five games left in our season and we’re better matched with those five teams.  We’re going to focus on ourselves for the last five games and see how we do.”

Hallock said free safety Tyler Bray and two-way lineman Brandon Muralles have played key roles for the Warriors.

The Warriors play at Santa Paula on Friday in one of the longest rivalries in the area. The teams first played in 1928.

Laguna Blanca: Coach Shane Lopes said center Jason Barnick has made tremendous progress in his two years of playing football.

“He’s come a long way. I’ve never coached a center who can sort the box the way he does,” said Lopes.

The Owls are coming off a loss against Thacher. They play Friday night against Orcutt Academy at Santa Maria High.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SBCC: Coach Craig Moropoulos said their was “no let up in our guys” in last Saturday’s 47-18 win over College of the Desert.

The veteran coach was most pleased with the defense, which is ranked No. 2 in the state in defensive scoring, allowing 19.8 points.

“That’s huge because we gave up 47 in the first game against Ventura in a loss,” he said. The team has allowed on 24 points in the last four games.

“Our guys have become very resilient. We’re young and we’re getting better each week,” Moropoulos said.

He introduced 6-foot-4 defensive back Tony Anderson from France and running back Demetrius Vinson, the Athlete of the Week.

Anderson blocked a kick and had 12 tackles against Desert. Vinson replaced injured Perry Martin at running back and rushed for 188 yards on 17 carries and scored a school-record five touchdowns.

“This guys is a stud in every phase of the word,” Moropoulos said of Vinson.

The Vaqueros have a bye on Saturday and play at Hancock in two weeks

WATER POLO

Dos Pueblos: Coach Connor Levoff said the Chargers were “coming off probably our hardest week of the season,” playing at Santa Barbara, at La Jolla and at the Bishop’s School. “Those are probably the three best teams we’ve seen all year.”  They lost all three.

He introduced junior Madison Montag, a versatile and important player in the program, and goalie Ben Cable, who has come back from injuries and a major surgery and is playing great.

“We started from square zero as far as getting him back in shape,” Levoff said. “He is the anchor of everything we do. He’s going to be a big part of our success going forward.”

Santa Barbara: Coach Mark Walsh said 6-foot-4 senior Jack Rottman has developed into a strong center. “It’s not like some secret potion we give them, it’s through hard work,” he said of Rottman’s improved play.

Senior Adam Gross is one of three players to start all four years for Walsh. “He’s a smart player and a great passer. He has more assists than anyone I’ve had in 20 years at Santa Barbara.”

The Dons (9-4) play host to Servite on Friday and Vista of San Diego on Saturday.

UCSB Men: Assistant coach Ryan McMillan said the Gauchos have a very good shot at winning the new Golden Coast Conference. The conference includes Pepperdine, Pacific, San Jose State, Long Beach State and UC Irvine.

UCSB’s next home game is next Thursday, Oct. 13, against UCLA at 3:30 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

UCSB: The Gauchos went 1-1 over the weekend without leading hitter Lindsay Ruddins, who is sidelined with an injury. Freshman Rowan Ennis stepped up and had a career-high 17 kills in a comeback win at Cal State Northridge. Chanel Hoffman posted a career-best 19 kills in a loss at Long Beach State.

On Thursday, the Gauchos host UC Davis. The match will feature Gaucho freshman Chloe Allen going against her sister, sophomore Emily Harris. The sisters were stars at San Marcos.

On Saturday, the Gauchos host Cal Poly.

GIRLS GOLF

San Marcos: Coach Sarah Ashton said most of her student-athletes weren’t born when San Marcos last beat Dos Pueblos in golf. “I think I was in high school the last time it happened.”

She introduced her three senior standouts Alex Pitchford, Lauren Pitchford and MacKenzie McBride.

Ashton said Alex Pitchford is “quite competitive and a strong person as a teammate and an opponent.” She shot a career-best 39 in the win over DP.

Ashton said Lauren Pitchford is a great student and athlete. “She’s really consistent and really important for team focus and team spirit.”

She said McBride is “consistently underestimated. People think because she’s small she doesn’t hit the ball well. Because of that she gets a lot of strokes her way.”

McBride has medaled in half of the Royals’ matches. The team is 11-1.

Carpinteria: Assistant coach Ken Roby introduced top players Juliet Parsons and Mikayla Blair. He said the team’s scores are considerably better than last year. “That’s impressive considering we graduated five seniors.”

Dos Pueblos: Bella Vigna, the two-time defending league champion, has a college-level game,” said Mendoza, speaking for coach Rob Schiff.

He added that Julia Forster has improved greatly over the last two years and is a great leader.  She leads by example and has a great work ethic.

Bishop Diego: The Cardinals are fielding a girls golf team for the first time. Sienna Scibird and Grace Hay lead the team. Hay, a freshman who started playing golf 14 months ago, has 7.2 handicap. “She’s a player to watch in the future,” said coach Mike Cano.

He said Scibird “is smooth as silk on the golf course.” She has a 1.2 handicap and has committed to play at Cal Poly.

Santa Barbara: Freshman Cali Lingle and Luka Lund, a foreign exchange student from Copenhagen, Denmark, lead the Dons.  Lund has a season-best of 40, shot with borrowed club. Lingle, in her first year of playing golf, has a best of 49.

Coach Ryan Throop said Lund will get a little taste of home this week as the Dons play Santa Ynez in the Danish community of Solvang.

VOLLEYBALL

Laguna Blanca: Sophia Fay and Kendall White are the cornerstones of the back-row defense for the Owls.

“These two kids are the foundation on what are program is built on and that’s our ability to control the ball,” Donnelly said.  “Teams have a tough time putting the ball down against us and that tends to frustrate high school girls, especially when you’re playing high-level volleyball.”

Donnelly said when Fay and White are on the court at the same time, “we’re really, really good. In our system, it’s our defensive players that make us go.”

Bishop Diego: Coach John Sener said “nothing gets a team more healthy than wins. We put a couple on the board and it really made a difference.”

He said sophomore Lauren Holsted is one of the anchors of the team.  She leads the Cardinals in kills, digs and passes. “We’re looking for her to lead us further in the second half of league.”

He said junior middle Tiana Molony “is the absolute most athletic student-athlete I have had the opportunity to coach.”

Molony was a difference maker for the Cardinals in their two recent wins.

Providence: Athletic Director Steve Stokes said playing a tough schedule has paid off for the Pirates.

He said Natali Torres is “one of the few players that can turn a game around when it’s not going our way.”

The Patriots play at Bishop Diego on Thursday at 6 p.m. and have a Senior Day match against Besant Hill on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Westmont.

Santa Barbara: Coach John Gannon said sophomore outside hitter Chloe Mauceri and sophomore setter Ellie Chenoweth are “a huge part of the future and a big part of our present.”

The Dons finished the first round of Channel League play at 2-2. They open the second round Thursday against Buena.

Westmont: The Warriors are one of two unbeaten teams in the NAIA at 18-0.

Coach Patti Cook gave props to back row players Kami Troesh, Courtney Crosby and Taylor Becker. “They’re lights out nails on passing,” she said.

Cook thanked Ken Preston for making a huge impact on the volleyball program at Westmont. Preston, the former men’s coach at UCSB, has assisted at Westmont for several years. “He brightens up the gym with his presence and his smile,” said Cook.

She also praised assistant Ruth McGolpin.

“I couldn’t do the job I do without them,” Cook said.