It was a senior class that will likely be like no other, especially for the student-athletes who had promising spring sports seasons prematurely cut short by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
Athletic competition remains a key motivator for many students — both on the field and in the classroom.
The Class of 2020 did leave its mark on area schools in terms of scholarship, being well represented in all academic teams and honor roll. It also represented itself in what it means to be student-athletes and further the athletic traditions at their home schools.
Senior strong
The Olympian High School boys lacrosse team — 11 seniors strong — did not get the chance to defend its South Bay League championship this spring.
In fact, the Eagles played just four games, posting a 2-2 record, before the season was prematurely ended by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
“I really feel for my whole Olympian High lacrosse team not being able to finish out the season,” Eagles head coach Keith Quigley said. “I especially feel bad for my seniors who didn’t get their senior night game, etc. I hope we’ll eventually all be able to get together to at least recognize our seniors and have some sort of celebration. They deserve it.”
Seniors on this year’s OHS team included attackmen Alec Barragan, attack/midfielder/face-off specialist Renz Miranda, midfielders Nicholas Burgos, Alec Delgado, Julius Fackler and Lance Pagtakhan, defender/midfielder Diego Lawson and defenders Kyle Libed, Lance Lucas and Alan Rodriguez and face-off specialist Rocky Lim
Miranda led the group in scoring with five goals and four assists in four games this spring while Delgado had four goals.
Miranda also led the senior core in defensive fielding with 15 ground balls.
Many of Olympian’s seniors have already lined up their post-high school plans.
Fackler, Lawson. Lucas and Rodriguez have expressed interest in attending Southwestern College while Barragan, Delgado and Miranda have chosen San Diego State University as their next educational steppingstone.
Burgos has chosen UCLA while Pagtakhan has indicated an interest in Grossmont College.
Libed would like to attend either CSU San Marcos or CSU Sacramento.
Olympian Eagles Boys Lacrosse Team Class of 2020
Student-athlete profiles
Brittany Rodriguez
School: Castle Park High School
Sports: Girls lacrosse (four years); field hockey (four years); girls soccer (two years)
School activities: President of the AP Spanish club; ballet folklorico (six years)
Awards: Second team all-league for girls lacrosse (2019); 2019 Defensive Player of the Year for girls lacrosse; Defensive Player of the Year for field hockey
Proudest moment: “Being a president of a club and to be a leader for two different sports.”
Future plans: Looking at playing lacrosse at the college level at Eastern Oregon University.
Angie Ortega
School: Castle Park High School
Sports: Girls lacrosse (four years); girls basketball (three years); field hockey (four years)
School activities: Club U (four years); Photography club (two years); ASB (three years)
Awards: Straight A’s; perfect attendance
Proudest moment: “When I worked with students with learning disabilities in the club of Trojan Buddies and I got to hang out with the kids by talking to them, playing games and helping them with their work.”
Future plans: Going to Southwestern College for two years and then transfer to a four-year college.
Cindy Lopez
School: Castle Park High School
Sports: Girls lacrosse (four years); field hockey (one year)
School activities: MEChA (two years); AP Spanish club (one year)
Awards: 4.0 GPA in AP classes
Proudest moment: “My proudest moment of my high school career I think was overall my entire experience and what I did throughout these years. I’m really proud of how I got involved in these different activities, such as clubs and sports, specially lacrosse, as I started it since freshman year. I learned not only the sport, but it also taught me about teamwork, persistence, strength not only physically but mentally, respect, and many more.
“It helped me to open up and meet new people and I had experiences that I will cherish forever and I know that I won’t experience anything like it again, and it gave me a very different perspective of the high school experience. I’m very proud to be part of this high school, but I’m much more proud to be part of the Trojan family.”
Future plans: Going to attend UC San Diego.
Destiny Chavez
School: Castle Park High School
Sports: Girls lacrosse (four years)
School activities: TLC
Proudest moment: “I’m proud of joining the lacrosse team since my freshmen year. They have been my second family and have always been supportive in every decision I made. We have grown as a team. I’m proud of participating in the homecoming court and it was an amazing time.”
Future plans: Going to Southwestern College with plans to transfer to a four-year college.
Valerie Gurule-Metzig
School: Hilltop High School
Sports: varsity cheer (four years), varsity wrestling (two years), varsity track & field (one year)
Awards: Cheer captain 2020, cheer Division I CIF champions, CIF all-academic 2020, wrestling captain 2019-2020, wrestling second team all-league 2020, wrestling Division II CIF champion 2020, wrestling San Diego Masters state qualifier 2020
Proudest moment: “This year winning two CIF titles in both cheer and wrestling to wrap up my high school years.”
Kassandra Loredo
School: Hilltop High School
Sports: Field hockey (four years); girls soccer (one year, freshman); girls wrestling (two years, junior/senior), girls lacrosse (four years), girls golf (one year, senior)
Awards: Four-sport athlete, Coaches award (lacrosse), most inspirational (field hockey), second-place Metro Conference finals at 139 pounds (wrestling), top six place-finisher CIF Division II wrestling finals, second team All-Metro Conference as a junior (lacrosse), lacrosse senior captain, newspaper, HTV
Vanessa De La Luz
School: Hilltop High School
Sport: Softball (four-year starter)
School activities: CSF, MECHA Club
Awards: Team captain junior and senior year
Proudest moment: “Being a 4.0 student.”
Future plans: Nursing and photography
Otay Ranch High School Baseball Team – Class of 2020
Player name: Hector Millan
Varsity: Three years
Awards: Team captain
Proudest moment: 2019 Lions Premier division runner-up and playing in Petco Park
Future plans: Attend college and continue baseball at the next level.
Player name: Omar Lopez
Varsity: Four years
Awards: Team captain, all-league
Proudest moment: 2019 Lions Premier Division runner-up .
Future plans: Attend Azusa Pacific University on a baseball scholarship.
Player name: Christopher Gulley
Varsity: Two years
Proudest moment: Playing with my brother in Petco Park and winning.
Future plans: Attend college and continue baseball.
Player name: Isaac Artalejo
Varsity: Two years
Proudest moment: Playing and winning in Petco Park.
Future plans: Attend college and continue baseball.
Player name: Joseph Peña
Varsity: Two years
Proudest moment: 2019 playing at Petco Park.
Future plans: Attend college and continue pitching at the next level.
Player name: Diego Luna
Varsity: Two years
Awards: Coaches award
Proudest moment: 2019 Lions Premier division runner-up.
Future plans: Attend college and continue baseball and academics.
Player name: Emmanuel Perez
Varsity: Two years
Awards: Team home run leader
Proudest moment: 2019 Lions Premier division runner-up.
Future plans: Attend college and continue baseball.
Player name: Levi Mendez
Varsity: Two years
Proudest moment: 2019 Lions Premier division runner-up.
Future plans: Attend college and make more memories.
Bonita Vista High School Baseball Team – Class of 2020
Hilltop High School Baseball Team – Class of 2020
