It finally happened for Cate School and its coach, Ben Soto.
The only football coach the school has ever had brought his team to the front of the Rancho Room at Harry’s Plaza Cafe to be recognized as CIF champions during Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Press Luncheon.
The Rams last month won the first CIF-Southern Section Division 1 8-man football championship in the 17-year history of the program. They defeated former 11-man football power Grace Brethren, 50-30.
“I can’t tell you the feeling that you feel when you wake up and you’re the CIF champion,” said Soto, who’s been a coach at Cate for more than 30 years. “We’ve had 17 years that we tried.”
Cate, which was making its 13th straight playoff appearance, had twice reached the semifinals (2007 and 2015).
This year’s team rebounded from a league title-game loss against Thacher and won three games to claim its first title. In the semifinals, Cate rallied in the last 10 minutes to beat Sage Hill, 21-16.
“We try to get here every year. We’ve gotten to a couple of semis and didn’t get over the hump,” said Soto. “But we were able to do it this year because of the great coaches I have.”
He also credited longtime Round Table member Mike Warren, who was his football coach at Carpinteria High back in the 1970s.
“He’s been a positive influence in my life, and I thank you so much,” Soto said.
The coach thanked “his great seniors for the hours they put in on their own” to accomplish the goal of winning CIF.
Among them was quarterback Will Bouma, who was named the CIF-SS Division 1 8-Man Football Player of the Year.
“This guy, they come every once in a while for a coach,” Soto said of Bouma. “He was a coach on the field. The hours he put in … If you saw him play, you wouldn’t believe the way this guy can sling the ball.
“He can play 8-man, 6-man, 11-man, 15-man, I don’t care. He can play.”
Soto closed his presentation by thanking the former players and Cate alums who called to congratulate him on winning the title.
“I let the guys know that they were playing for more than themselves,” he said.
Cate’s football team is the fourth CIF-SS champion from the South Coast to be honored by the Round Table this fall.
The other champions are Bishop Diego’s girls volleyball team, Santa Barbara High’s girls volleyball team, and the Carpinteria boys water polo team. The Dos Pueblos state-qualifying boys and girls cross country teams also were recognized.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
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