The Week in Sports
November 16, 2017
Fall Break is approaching fast. Our students are wrapping up a busy week of papers, quizzes, and projects and have their eyes, and stomachs, on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. With the fall season in the rear view mirror, it’s time to look ahead to the winter. Before we jump into that, I’d like to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving. Thank you to the Cate families who provide unwavering support to our athletic programs. Thank you to our coaches who spend their afternoons and evenings teaching and inspiring our student-athletes. Finally, and most importantly, thank you to our students for bringing a great attitude and a tireless passion to the athletic fields every day.
Final Fall Sports News
The girls varsity tennis team competed in the CIF-ss Division I playoffs against the best Southern California has to offer. It was the first time the Rams competed in the area’s top division. Cate battled but fell to a talented Mira Costa squad by 12-6 on Wednesday, November 1. It was just the second loss of the year for the Rams, and the team ended their season 13-2. Cate will say goodbye to talented seniors Jackie Cai ’18 and Janice Ng ’18 who completed a fantastic tennis career on the Mesa.
After going on the road and beating the Academy of Career and Explorations 58-14 in the first round of the CIF-ss playoffs, the football team ended its season with a 39-18 loss to defending champion Mojave in the second round of the CIF-ss playoffs. The Rams finished their season 6-4. Patrick Armstrong ’18, Eric Yi ’18, Luke Beckmen ’18, Chris Bennett ’18, Will Bowlin ’18, Desmond Castillo ’18, Andy McHarg ’18, and Caden Cutter ’18 end their Cate with the loss but each can be proud of the way they played during their time at Cate.
Winter Sports Rev Up
The boys varsity soccer team returns a core of talented players this season and has high hopes for some of its younger players to fill in around the edges as the Rams look for a conference championship and a playoff berth. Captain Ben Jessup ’18 will lead Cate from the center back position, and returners Baker Fox ’19, Bailor Jalloh ’19, and Buba Fofanah ’20 look to solidify the middle of the field. This is a highly skilled group of players around which to build. “We’ll be stronger and faster than last year, and I really like what I think some of our younger guys may bring to the table. We had a number of close losses last year due to simple breakdowns and inexperience. I think we’ll be able to clean that stuff up early this season because most of the guys now know their roles and our expectations,” said Cate Head Coach Pete Mack.
The Rams will open up their season on Thursday, November 30 against St. Bonaventure High School.
The boys varsity basketball team has hit the hardwood ready to compete and try to make a deep playoff run. The Rams have a good mix of youth and experience this season and will lean on Marko Pliso ’18, who is within reach of the School’s all-time scoring record. Head coach Andy Gil will also look toward Patrick Armstrong ’18, Andy McHarg ’18, and Tommy Nettesheim ’20 to help lead the way. Cate kicks off the season on Wednesday, November 29 at home against Garden Street Academy.
Girls varsity soccer will have plenty of senior leadership this season. The three captains, Mari Espinoza ’18, Emily Burns ’18, and Isabela Montes de Oca ’18 will help lead the team through another tough schedule. Players like Neema Mugofwa ’20 and Maddie Erickson ’19 will also provide a spark for head coach Lisa Holmes. The Rams will battle the Dunn Earwigs on Wednesday, November 29 at Cate.
On the hardwood, the girls varsity basketball team will count on younger players to lead the way. With just two seniors on the roster, head coach Amy Venditta has a young and exciting team that has a high ceiling. Piper Brooks ’20, Maya Blattberg ’20, and Elle Smith ’19 will anchor an aggressive Cate side. Newcomers Deborah Brittain ’21 and Lilly Zanze ’21 will also look to help the Rams in their first season on the Mesa. Coach Venditta will no doubt have the Rams ready to run by the time they open their season on Thursday, November 30 against Providence at Cate.
In the pool, the girls varsity water polo team looks to replace some of the offensive firepower it lost from last season. Head coach Max Bergeson will look to Tilly Bates ’18, Ella Hendricks ’19, and Celia Foster ’19 to lead the way this season, with water polo newcomers Liza Borghesani ’20 and Grace Johnson ’21 showing great promise early in the season. The Rams will head into action on Tuesday, December 5 at home against Moorpark High School.
The squash courts are alive with the sound of sneakers squeaking and shots against the wall. For the boys, Ian MacFarlane ’18 will captain the Rams this season and is expected to be one of Cate’s top players. Head coach Tim Thomas will also look to Dylan MacFarlane ’20, Ian’s younger brother, to help carry the team. On the girls side, Kate Bradley ’19 will lead a young crew of Rams. Cate will start their season at the SoCal B League tournament on Saturday, December 2.
