GIRLS TENNIS
The fall sports season was especially memorable to local girls tennis fans as Metro-Mesa League champion Mater Dei Catholic won the San Diego Section Division II championship and league runner-up Olympian won the Division III title against league rival Bonita Vista in an all-South County match-up.
It was an overflow of emotions for all three teams concerned.
“In general, it was an amazing season,” Olympian coach Daniel Lainez said. “We finished second at the league only after Mater Dei Catholic. We finished ahead of Bonita Vista and Eastlake, teams that had beaten us most of the times. And, to finish the season, we won the Division III championship against Bonita. So, I cannot ask for more.”
The CIF title marked the second for Olympian, which defeated Metro Conference rival Otay Ranch for the Division III banner in 2019.
Meanwhile, Mater Dei Catholic recorded a championship repeat after defeating Eastlake in an all-Metro Conference match-up in last year’s Division II finals.
“We are beyond excited for our girls to bring home back-to-back CIF championships,” Mater Dei Catholic athletic director Jared Isidoro noted “Coach Jose Oropeza and his staff have worked extremely hard to grow the program and get them to compete at a high level. The ladies responded to the challenge and continue to make us proud.
“Our girls golf team won CIF as well, so (it was) a great fall!”
Making the grade
Both Olympian (third seed) and Bonita Vista (fifth seed) proved bracket-busters in the Division III tier.
Olympian opened with a 15-3 victory over 14th-seeded Southwest to advance to the quarterfinals against 11th-seeded Grossmont, 14-4 upset winners over sixth-seeded West Hills. From there, the Lady Eagles defeated the Lady Foothillers, 12-6, to advance to the semifinals against second-seeded Mission Bay.
Olympian upset Mission Bay, 12-6, to advance to the championship match against Bonita Vista, which had pulled off upsets over fourth-seeded San Diego Jewish Academy (11-7 in the quarterfinals) and top-seeded University City (10-8 in the semifinals).
A total of five Metro Conference teams were included in the Division III team playoffs. Besides Olympian and Bonita Vista, Otay Ranch earned the No. 8 seed and Hilltop earned the No. 10 seed.
Otay Ranch won a 9-9 tiebreaker (75-64 in games) over ninth-seeded El Capitan to meet top-seeded University City in the quarterfinals while Hilltop lost 13-5 to seventh-seeded Brawley in the first round.
University City eliminated Otay Ranch, 14-4.
Bonita Vista opened the tournament with a 14-4 win over 12th-seeded Christian.
Mater Dei Catholic received the No. 1 seed among Division II teams and ran the table with lop-sided victories against 16th-seeded Southwest El Centro (12-3 in the opening round), ninth-seeded Sage Creek (14-4 in the quarterfinals) and fourth-seeded Point Loma (16-2 in the semifinals).
The Lady Crusaders topped off the season with a 13-5 championship game win over second-seeded Coronado.
Eastlake was the only other Metro Conference team squeezing into the bracket, losing a 9-9 tiebreaker (82-71 in games) to Coronado in the first round in a bid to break the bracket.
No. 2 Torrey Pines defeated No. 1 Canyon Crest Academy in a 9-9 tiebreaker (76-71 in games) to win this year’s Open Division championship while No. 7 Carlsbad defeated No. 1 Scripps Ranch, 10-8, to claim this year’s Division I title.
Olympian’s lineup for the championship game included No. 1. Noelle Pellicane (0-3), No. 2. Alyssa Abalos (2-1) and No. 3. Camille Arellano (0-3) in singles and No. 1. Angelina Abalos/Giulianna Gastelum (3-0), No. 2. Olivia Barrios/Minami Butler (2-1) and No. 3. Taylor Garchie/Daniela Maldonado (2-1) in doubles.
The teams tied 9-9 though the singles and doubles rotation. The tiebreaker included total games won during the match, which the Lady Eagles captured 78-74.
The 2019 CIF championship also was determined by a tiebreaker.
“It was a tight match,” Lainez said. “One thing I told my players was that every game counted. A final score of 9-9 was possible so I told them to try to win as many games as possible in case we tied.”
Bonita Vista was making a return to the CIF championship game after winning the Division III title in 2015. Eastlake won the Division III title in 2014.
“The CIF final was close,” BV coach Joe Sheffield said. “Then again, who knows?”
2023 Girls Volleyball Fall Sports Honor Roll
Metro-Mesa League
First Team
Ximena Cordero (Otay Ranch), 12
Andrea Torres (Otay Ranch), 12
Lily Stewart (Eastlake), 12
Samantha Bondoc (Eastlake), 12
Emma Oluwa (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Brookelyn Mapa (Olympian), 12
Hayley Frushon (Bonita Vista), 12
Second Team
Ariel Chime (Eastlake), 11
Dayjah McFadden (Otay Ranch), 11
Olivia Lorenzana (Otay Ranch), 12
Kenidee Wax (Eastlake), 11
Luvee Letuli (Bonita Vista), 11
Havana Jacobs (Mater Dei Catholic), 11
Jessica Albro (Olympian), 12
Player of the Year
Ximena Cordero (Otay Ranch)
Libero of the Year
Leila Reynante (Eastlake)
Team Champion
Eastlake High School
Metro-South Bay League
First Team
Juliet Bailey (Hilltop), 12
Mila Watkins (Hilltop), 10
Guillian Arcena (Hilltop)
Aliyah Lucas (Mar Viata), 12
Jimena Barquin (Mar Vista), 11
Alexis Buna (Montgomery), 12
Isabella Origel (Southwest), 11
Second Team
Lillian Frierson (Hilltop), 12
Jenna Tellechea-Hinojos (Hilltop), 10
Vera Wallace (Montgomery), 10
Anissa Wallace (Mar Vista), 10
Genevieve Weygandt (Mar Vista), 12
Courtney San Juan (Montgomery), 9
Isis Medel (Southwest), 11
Player of the Year
Aliyah Lucas (Mar Vista)
Libero of the Year
Alexis Buna (Montgomery)
Team Champion
Hilltop High School
Metro-Pacific League
First Team
Kaya Landry (Sweetwater), 12
Camila Mendoza (Sweetwater), 12
Steffanie Meer (Sweetwater), 12
Kristine Fadriquela (San Ysidro), 10
Amaya Moreno (San Ysidro), 12
Grethell Davalos (Chula Vista), 12
Melanie Duarte (Castle Park), 10
Second Team
Leilyn Goldberg (Sweetwater), 11
Sacha Salazar (Sweetwater), 9
Yssabele Flores (Sweetwater), 9
Eva Reyes (Chula Vista), 12
Isabella Gonzalez (Chula Vista), 12
Melissa Beltran (Castle Park), 12
Kamila Cabrera Donas (Castle Park), 10
Player of the Year
Camila Mendoza (Sweetwater)
Libero of the Year
Steffanie Meer (Sweetwater)
Team Champion
Sweetwater High School
Girls Field Hockey All-League
Metro-Mesa League
First Team
Mady Getty (Eastlake), 12
Samara Maldonado (Eastlake), 10
Sabrina Jonason (Eastlake), 11
Helena Arce (Eastlake), 12
Diana Kostina (Otay Ranch), 12
Aaleen Fontanilla (Otay Ranch), 12
Yulissa Velazquez (Otay Ranch), 12
Laura Martinez (Olympian), 11
Elizabeth Bromley (Olympian), 11
Leilani Tello (Olympian), 12
Mackenzie Koeppen (Bonita Vista), 10
Second Team
Kyelin Straukas (Eastlake), 11
Karlie Guardado (Eastlake), 12
Delaney Guardado (Eastlake), 12
Giana Vuong (Eastlake), 10
Dayna Coates (Otay Ranch), 12
Aniya Kenney (Otay Ranch), 10
Danika Rivera (Otay Ranch), 9
Ashley Sardon (Olympian), 12
Maleah Edwards (Olympian), 11
Ava Phelps (Bonita Vista), 11
]Isabella Garcia (Bonita Vista), 11
Player of the Year
Diana Kostina (Otay Ranch)
Coach of the Year
Birdie Burgon (Eastlake)
Team Champion
Eastlake High School
Metro-South Bay League
First Team
Madison Culuko (Hilltop), 12
Angelina Betancur (Hilltop), 12
Isabella Ortega (Hilltop), 11
Hannah Gomez (Hilltop), 9
Camila Meza (Castle Park), 11
Karla Meza (Castle Park), 9
Leilanimana’Olana Roche (Castle Park), 10
Bonnie Benford (Sweetwater), 12
Tweiztha Orbita (Sweetwater), 11
Banesa Barrios (Sweetwater), 11
Izel Carbajal (Southwest), 12
Second Team
Itzel Gomez (Hilltop), 11
Isabella Mendoza-Chavez (Hilltop), 11
Tatiana Barrientos (Hilltop), 9
Isabel Ibarra (Castle Park), 11
Princess Tacla (Castle Park), 12
Leah Zambrano (Castle Park), 9
Vana Arevalo (Sweetwater), 10
Ashlee Leonardo (Sweetwater), 11
Miah Salzwedel (Southwest), 12
Edith Rubio (Southwest), 12
Cameron Gibbs (Mar Vista), 12
Player of the Year
Madison Culuko (Hilltop)
Coach of the Year
Chris Kryjewski (Castle Park)
Team Champion
Hilltop High School
Girls Tennis All-League
Metro-Mesa League
First Team
Andrea Del Castillo (Eastlake), 10
Yuribia Leon (Bonita Vista), 11
Luka Maekawa (Mater Dei Catholic), 9
Lia Fernanda Villegas (Eastlake), 12
Isabella Arnaiz (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Samantha Hernandez (Mater Dei Catholic), 10
Arantza Martinez (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Ana Cortes (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Sofia Castellanos (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Sofia Camarena (Mater Dei Catholic), 11
Alyssa Abalos (Olympian), 10
Angelina Abalos (Olympian), 10
Player of the Year
Andrea Del Castillo (Eastlake)
Coach of the Year
Jose Oropeza (Mater Dei Catholic High School)
Team Champion
Mater Dei Catholic High School
Metro-South Bay League
First Team
Kiley Balko (Oty Ranch), 12
Andrea Limon (Hilltop), 12
Allison Ibarra (Hilltop), 9
Kamila Palacios (Otay Ranch), 12
Analaura Umayan (Montgomery), 11
Valerie Hawkins (Montgomery), 11
Bryssa Macias (Hilltop), 12
Madeleine Sevichay (Hilltop), 12
Mya Escano (Otay Ranch), 12
Lena Wehrhan (Otay Ranch), 10
Kimmy Barros (Hilltop), 11
Bella Castro (Hilltop), 11
Player of the Year
Kiley Balko (Otay Ranch)
Coach of the Year
Dan Woodard (Otay Ranch)
Team Champion
Otay Ranch High School
Metro-Pacific Bay League
First Team
Sofia Rodriguez (San Ysidro), 12
Sydne Pacheco (Mar Vista), 12
Hannah Thurman (Mar Vista), 12
Itza Hernandez (Southwest), 11
Ari Valencia (Castle Park), 11
Gabriella Ramriez Ibarra (Castle Park), 11
Romina Diaz (Southwest), 11
Alexa Camacho (Southwest), 11
Mia Montiel (Southwest), 12
Larissa Garcia (Southwest), 12
Ingrid Delgado (Chula Vista), 12
Serenity Luna (Chula Vista), 11
Player of the Year
Sofia Rodriguez (San Ysidro)
Coach of the Year
David Corrales (San Ysidro)
Team Champion
San Ysidro High School
Girls Golf All-League
Metro-Mesa League
First Team
Vanessa Moreno (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Liliana Davis (Olympian), 10
Sofia Gomez (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Camila Ortega (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Calvine Paterson (Olympian), 12
Taylor Pacheco (Olympian), 12
Second Team
Alyssa Moncada (Mat er Dei Catholic), 11
Isabella Ybarra (Eastlake), 10
Diana Sanchez (Mater Dei Catholic), 11
Maya Torres (Mater Dei Catholic), 12
Gianna Lee (Olympian), 10
Andrea Roman (Bonita Vista), 10
Player of the Year
Vanessa Moreno (Mater Dei Catholic)
Team Champion
Mater Dei Catholic High School
Metro-South Bay League
First Team
Paula Zumstein (Montgomery), 10
Liliana Olivarria (Hilltop), 10
Eliana Velazquez (Sweetwater), 12
Paulette Melendrez (San Ysidro), 12
Addison McManus (Mar Vista), 11
Paloma Jarumayan (Montgomery), 9
Second Team
Emelie Morales (Mar Vista), 10
Erika Preciado (Mar Vista), 11
Emmie Morales (Montgomery), 9
Victoria Bonnett (Montgomery), 12
Keera Lopez (Hilltop), 10
Joselyn Gomez (Montgomery), 10
Player of the Year
Paula Zumstein (Montgomery)
Team Champion
Montgomery High School
SPRING SPORTS SCOREBOARD
BASEBALL RANKINGS: 1. Torrey Pines (12-1), 2. Rancho Bernardo (8-1), 3. Granite Hills (9-3), 4. St. Augustine (11-2), 5. Patrick Henry (12-3), 6. Cathedral Catholic (11-3), 7. San Marcos (10-2), 8. LJCD (9-4), 9. Pt. Loma (9-3-2), 10. Sage Creek (8-5), 11. La Costa Canyon (4-3-1), 12. Bonita Vista (9-3-1), 13. Maranatha Christian (10-3), 14. Santa Fe Christian (9-4), 15. Eastlake (9-5)
SOFTBALL RANKINGS: 1. Del Norte (12-1), 2. Mater Dei Catholic (13-1), 3. Cathedral Catholic (10-2), 4. Poway (11-4-1), 5. Torrey Pines (12-2-2), 6. Christian (10-1-1), 7. Rancho Bernardo (9-4-1), 8. Mission Hills (7-2-2), 10. Eastlake (8-4), 11. LCC (12-5), 12. Santa Fe Christian (8-0-1), 13. Carlsbad (8-6), 14. Bonita Vista (7-6-1), 15. Rancho Buena Vista (7-6-1)
