It was all about having fun.
That was the secret to the Santa Barbara High boys soccer team’s success this season. The Dons won the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 championship and reached the semifinals of the Southern California Regionals.
The team was recognized for its amazing season at Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table press luncheon.
The Dons beat L.A. Cathedral in the Division 1 section championship game in a penalty-kick shootout. They beat Fresno-Sunnyside in the first round of the regionals before falling to San Clemente in the regional semifinals.
“I don’t think I could have said it better than Gavin Guilfoyle did to the press after our (first-round) regional game and that’s: “ ‘We just have a lot of fun together,’” said head coach Todd Heil, who has now won three CIF section titles (his first in Division 1) to go with a regional title in his 19-year career at SBHS. “And our success isn’t anything crazy. It isn’t anything special. It isn’t anything that we drew up on a board, and I don’t want to take a lot of credit for it because it was really just a bunch of guys who wanted to play together and didn’t want to stop playing together.”
It was incredible journey for the team as it dealt with the Thomas Fire and the deadly mudslides and floods in Montecito.
“The journey for us was pretty special, not just for what we achieved together but for what happened in our community that brought us, I think, as a team a lot closer together and allowed us to be who were are.”
In the end, it was the team’s unity and the players’ love for each other that made a huge difference.
“It was that fun that brought us together, it was that fun that kept us together, it was that fun that brought us a CIF championship,” Heil said. “I’d put it out there that we were the team that had the most fun this year. There’s no team that smiled more or laughed more that I’ve had or experienced as a group together.
“As coaches, sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. And this year, we just got really lucky with the group we had and to achieve what we achieved.”
COLLEGE BASEBALL
UCSB
Assistant coach Dylan Jones praised the pitching of Stevie Ledesma, who made his debut in a 2-0 loss to Sacramento State on Sunday.
The former SBCC and Ventura High star didn’t allow a run in six innings. Reliever Shea Barry struck out four of six batters in two innings of work.
Of the young team, Jones said, “We’re starting to our identity and who we are as a team as we continue to grow.”
The Gauchos are schedule to host San Jose State for a weekend series, Friday through Sunday. They open Big West play next Thursday through Saturday (March 29-31) against Cal State Fullerton at home.
SOFTBALL
UCSB
The Gauchos are off during the week for final exams and play host to the Gaucho Classic 2 Tournament over the weekend. The teams participating include Cal State Bakersfield, St. Mary’s and Seattle University.
Assistant coach Alysia Hendricks said the time off gives players a chance to get healthy before Big West play begins next weekend at Cal State Fullerton next Friday and Saturday.
“We’re excited to have the full team back and ready to go for conference,” said Hendricks.
Santa Barbara High
Coach Tori Shyrock commended senior captains Katherine Firestone and Jessica Gladish for their hard work in building the team back to play at the varsity level.
“It’s been a long four years to try and get back where we want to be,” Shyrock said. “I’m proud of the ladies on our team who have put in a lot of time and effort into wanting to be out there.”
San Marcos
Coach Jeff Swann praised the hard work Paige Powell has put in to improve her hitting. “She worked all summer; she takes an extra 100 swings in practice,” he said.
Powell is battling .438 in eight games.
The Royals improved to 7-1 after wins over Westlake and Dos Pueblos at the rain-delayed Manlet Tournament in Simi Valley.
Dos Pueblos
Coach Jon Uyesaka said junior pitcher Allie Speshyock pitched well in the 5-4 loss against San Marcos.
“She is a natural leader,” he said. “She does a lot for us in the circle.”
He also praised senior Lauren Gerken for her leadership and passion for the game.
Gerken, a utility player, was recently accepted into San Diego State.
VOLLEYBALL
UCSB
Assistant Cullen Irons reported that 6-foot-11 redshirt freshman. Jack Truman hit .631 in two matches against top-ranked Long Beach State last week and that sophomore Keenan Sanders was the team leader in kills for the 10th time in the last 11 matches.
The Gauchos are off this week for final exams. They play next Wednesday at UCLA and take on Cal State Northridge in Big West play next Friday away and Saturday at home.
Santa Barbara High
Coach Chad Arneson introduced his team senior captains Will Rottman, Dane Westwick and Ben Roach.
He asked Roach, the goalkeeper on the CIF-champion soccer team, what was the key to that team’s success and Roach told him the players all like each other.
Arneson said the volleyball team is the same way. “I hope we carry that throughout the season.”
Arneson said Rottman is the returning Channel League MVP and “is an offensive threat at every position on the court.”
He said Westwick “has a great attitude, makes our offense go and makes everybody better.”
On Roach: “He’s a well-rounded player who is consistent with his passing and plays scrappy defense. He’s a crowd favorite because of his ability to not give up on the ball.”
The Dons (5-5) play host to Buena on Thursday.
Dos Pueblos
Assistant coach Chris Jones raved about the play of setter Parker Crossland at the 43rd annual DP Invitational at UCSB last Saturday. Parker dished out 94 assists, helping the Chargers take third place in the 30-team tournament.
“He set an incredible day for us,” Jones said. “I did not see him make one bad decision.”
The Chargers (10-0, 1-0 Channel League) play at San Marcos on Tuesday night.
SWIMMING
Santa Barbara
Coach Mark Walsh brought four seniors: Angel Singh, Alex Szymczak from the girls team and Jacob Castillo and Evan Blix from the boys squad.
He said Singh’s versatility will be a great help to the team. She swims the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, 500 freestyle and sprint relays.
Szymczak, who has been accepted at Scripps College in Claremont, was a league finalist in the 200 IM, 100 fly and 500 free. This season, he said, she’s scaling back to do shorter freestyle events.
Castillo will be doing sprint freestyle races for the Dons.
Blix will be shooting to make it to the CIF Meet for the four straight year. He swims the breaststroke, fly, freestyle and relays.
“We should be a fun team to watch,” said Walsh.
San Marcos
Girls team coach Chuckie Roth introduced two members of his team that train with the Santa Barbara Swim Club: Logan Reeves and Nicola Perissinotto.
Both student athletes carry 4.0 grade point averages and are key members of the team. Reeves swims backstroke and Perissinotto does the breast stroke and individual medley.
Boys coach Jeff Ashton brought water polo players Kellen Radtkey and Kyle Voulgaris who also are key members of the swim team.
Radtkey does the 200 and 500 free. He won the consolation title in the 200 and was second in the 500 at last year’s league finals.
“As a non club swimmer, he is quite accomplished,” said Ashton.
Voulgaris specializes in the 100 fly; he won the league consolation title in the event last year.
Ashton said Voulgaris has made a greater commitment to swimming this season.
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