The Week in Sports
March 28, 2018
The boys varsity lacrosse team showed few signs of rust after the long layoff, as they took down bay area rival Stevenson by a 7-6 score. The two sides have been matched against each other since the 1970s and this edition of the annual showdown lived up to the hype. After falling behind 3-1 at halftime, the Rams used mounted a comeback and took their first lead late in the fourth quarter. The game winning score came from Dylan Vincent ’21 with about five minutes left. Will Bowlin ’18 and Dylan led the team with three goals each, while Caden Cutter ’18 chipped in one as well. Peter Bulkley- Armas ’20 was great in net for the Rams, while Ben Jessup ’18, Will Anderson ’20, and Charlie Heyman ’20 helped keep possession for the Rams. The Rams had a hard time retaining that momentum when they went to Ojai to take on Thacher and fell to the Toads 8-1.
Fresh off of spring break and three days of indoor practice thanks to the rain, the girls varsity lacrosse team had to get right back into action on Friday, March 23 against Simi Valley. The Rams took control early by five of the six draws and went into half time leading 6-1. The goals came from Brie Walker ’18 and Maddie Erikson ’19, who had three each. Kenzie Davidson ’20 scored her first varsity goal in the second half. Maddie added four more goals in the second half, while Brie chipped in one more and Daphne McKeefry ’19 scored one. It was a family affair for part of the game as Josie Erikson ’21 picked up an assist on one of big sister Maddie’s goals in the second half. Lily Rhiel ’21 and Liza Borghesani ’20 were great defensively for the Rams. Just a few days later, Cate showed no signs of slowing down when they knocked off rival Thacher at home by a 14-5 score. The Rams were led by their trio of seniors, Brie Walker ’18, Julia Farner ’18, and Hailey Panzer ’18. Brie led the team with 6 goals and three assists while Julia and Hailey controlled the midfield and defensive end with great ground ball coverage and communication. Daphne McKeefry ’19 had three goals for Cate and Liza Borghesani ’20 finished with 6 saves.
On the volleyball court, the boys varsity squad lost a tough, four set contest to visiting Foothill Tech. The Rams battled hard and won the first set 25-22, but the Dragons offensive attacked proved to be too much for the young Cate squad. Theo Mack ’20 paced the Rams with 15 kills and 10 digs. Cullen Barber ’19 had a nice game with 8 kills and some great sets to assist his teammates. His younger brother Albert Barber ’21 tallied 13 digs on the afternoon. Carson Williams ’19, Jojo Broussard ’19, and Sebastian Richardson ’19 all chipped in at the net blocking for the Rams.
The baseball diamond was green and ready for action when the Rams hit the field to play Valley Christian. It was a nice “welcome back” for Cate, as the team was able to take down the Lions by a 17-4 clip. Everyone in the starting lineup reached base on the day, which helped Cate score 9 first inning runs. Jack Deardorff ’19 had Cate’s only extra base hit with a opposite field double in the first inning. Patrick Armstrong ’18 and Scott Holmes ’20 each had two hits on the day. On the mound, Dalton Phillips ’19 picked up his first win in a Cate uniform, spinning four hitless innings while surrendering just one walk. He was relieved by Patrick ’18, who also made his pitching debut, throwing two solid frames. The game was closed out by Jack ’18. McCarthey Willet ’19 flashed the leather and made some great defensive plays for Cate.
The track team is one of Cate’s most popular spring sports. With roster numbers continuing to grow, the Rams have plenty of options on which players will compete in which events. Elle Smith ’19, Sarah Polowczak ’19, Rovenna Armi ’19, Isabela Montes de Oca ’18 and Rivers Sheehan ’19 will all be major factors for Cate. For the boys, Buba Fofanah ’20 will compete in several events for the Rams, as will Sean Zhan ’19 and Drew Anastasio ’19.
The swim team has yet to hop into the pool for competition, but they are hard at work preparing for that first meet. The Rams won’t compete until after Spring Break, but they are prepping for a big season. On the girls side, the team will look to Celia Foster ’19, Tilly Bates ’18, and Elle Hendricks ’19 to lead the way. Molly Dorion ’18, Mari Espinoza ’18, and Jasmin Esteves- Rosas will also be key contributors for the Rams. The boys team will be led by Andre Pincot ’18, Victor Vasquez ’19, and Marcos Brasil ’20.
On the diamond, the Rams picked up their first win on Tuesday, February 26 when they took down Ojai Valley School by an 18-0 clip in Ojai. The Rams were led at the plate by Ethan Cassulo ’19 and Daniel Panadero ’21 who combined went 5-5 with 6 RBIs. Jack Deardorff ’19 picked up the win for Cate, firing two hitless innings and adding 5 strikeouts. This year Cate will lean on captains Patrick Armstrong ’18 and Emily Burns ’18 to help guide a young squad.
The boys varsity tennis team came out of the gate to face some very tough competition. The Rams have taken on two of the area’s toughest teams to get the season going, which will pay major dividends for the squad later in the year. Joe Thomassen ’18 will help captain the team this year. Ethan Ha ’20, Cole Dexter ’18, and Carter Melnick ’18 are all major players for Cate, who will look to make another deep run into the CIF-ss playoffs.
Boys volleyball got on the board with a three-set victory over Malibu on Tuesday, February 26. Cullen Barber ’19 and Theo Mack ’20 paced Cate offensively, while Carson Williams ’19 had a couple nice blocks in the game. Sebastian Richardson ’19 was solid at the setter spot, dishing out sets and passes to his teammates all afternoon long. Albert Barber ’21 was impressive in his Cate debut and led the team in digs.
Like most of the Cate programs, the girls varsity lacrosse team has yet to take the field. However, when they do, they are going to be a nightmare for opposing teams. The Rams will return a solid core from last years team that advanced deep into the playoffs. Brie Walker ’18, Julia Farner ’18, and Maddie Erickson ’19 will look to put the ball in the back of the net while Liza Borghesani ’20 looks to turn teams away in net.
The boys varsity lacrosse team was able to get two games in before break, winning both road contests. After beating Grace Brethren on Saturday, February 24, the Rams used a second-half scoring flurry to pick up a thrilling comeback win over Simi Valley High School on Thursday, February 27. Parker Bowlin ’20 scored a clutch goal late in that contest, while Dylan Vincent ’21 has been dishing out assists so far this season. Will Bowlin ’18 has found the back of the net several times already this season, and Cate has seen some great play from Caden Cutter ’18, Will Anderson ’20, Anthony DuPrau ’19, and Luke Beckmen ’18 so far this season.