The Week in Sports
January 24, 2019
About a week ago, the Carpinteria area was hit with a week-long rain storm that left this community pretty wet. Fortunately, there were no flooding incidents, but the storm did leave the athletic fields throughout the area unusable, prompting Athletics Director Wade Ransom to joke during an assembly that Savage Field (commonly referred to as the Upper Field) would be reserved for the scuba club that afternoon. However, like the old Johnny Nash song says, we can see clearly now, the rain is gone. The sunshine has the Cate athletics teams feeling bright as we head into the final weeks of the regular season and, for a few, on to the playoffs.
While it was raining outside, the boys basketball team was raining threes inside of Sprague Gym. After winning the Ojai Valley Classic Tournament, the team dropped a big game to rival Thacher in Ojai. Since then, however, the Rams seemed to have found their stride, knocking off every league foe in their way. Most recently, the Rams beat previously undefeated Villanova in front of a good sized crowd at Sprague Gym. Despite injuries to some key players, the team has battled strong. Newcomer Mason Oetgen ’22 has been stellar for Cate, while Tega Umukoro ’21 and Nkemka Chukwumerije ’21 have been spark plugs. Khadim Pouye ’20 has shot the ball well for Cate and Carson Williams ’19 and Parker May ’20 have done a nice job inside. The Rams look for some revenge soon, as they take on Thacher at Cate on Wednesday, January 30, at 6pm.
The girls soccer currently sits at first place in league and has really rolled with the hectic schedule in recent weeks. With the weather being uncooperative, the team has had games postponed and moved around a few times. The constant shifting doesn’t seem to have bothered the Rams so much, as they haven’t lost a game since before Winter Break. The squad is finally starting to get healthy and has seen big contributions from Neema Mugofwa ’20, Lily Riehl ’21, and Taylor Kane ’21. A few new faces have also been key factors in the team’s success; Rachael Ma ’22, Charlotte Weis ’22, and Olivia Dorion ’22 have all left their mark on several key games this season. Three league games remain for the team to lock up their postseason spot, including two big games against Bishop Diego on Saturday, January 26 (1:30 start) and Wednesday, January 30 (3:15 start).
With a team of mostly newcomers to the sport, the girls water polo team has been looking to improve with each game. The steady hand throughout the season has been the consistent play of the team’s three seniors. Celia Foster ’19, Ella Hendriks ’19, and Chloe Tarlton ’19 have been wonderful leaders on the team this season and have really taken ownership of the development of the squad. While the scoreboard might not always look the way the team wants it to, it’s refreshing to see a group of young athletes truly enjoying their teammates and the game. The group always seems to have a smile on their face post game, regardless of the outcome and that is just as important as any result.
The boys soccer team is right in the thick of the post-season chase with a few key games coming up. Much like the boys basketball team, it truly has been a full-roster effort this season due to injury and illness; head coach Pete Mack has seen contributions from his entire roster this season and will need them to keep up their strong play going forward. Daniel Boateng ’22 and Buba Fofanah ’20 are a threat to score each time they get a touch, while Jack Deardorff ’19 and William Deardorff ’21 have been playmakers in the midfield. Cullen Barber ’19 has been stout in his turn in goal for Cate as well. Four regular season games remain for the Rams, with three of those coming at home. After traveling to Laguna Blanca on Thursday, January 24, the Rams will take on Santa Clara (Saturday, January 26), Foothill Tech (Monday, January 28), and Grace Brethren (Wednesday, January 30) at home.
There may not be a scrappier bunch on campus than the girls basketball team. Within league play, the Rams have gone up against the #5 ranked team in Division 2A and #1 ranked team in division 3A. Despite the potential mismatch, the team never backs down and competes until the final whistle in each and every game. The constant effort speaks not only to the leadership of the coaches, but to the seniors on the team as well. Sarah Polowczak ’19 and Elle Smith ’19 have been great role models for the squad this season. Lily Zanze ’21, Meena Baher ’22, and Piper Brooks ’20 have all been major contributors for the Rams as well. Maya Blattberg ’20 has used her left-handed hook shot well this season and is battling for rebounds each shot.
On the squash court, the team A team has been hampered by injuries. Stefan Suh ’19 and Brandon Man ’20 have been stalwarts for the Rams on that side. The B team currently sits in second place in the B league, with Mark Huerta ’20, Alex Elrington ’21, and Jinming Wang ’22 showcasing some serious squash talent. The team has a chance at school glory coming up, with the annual Cate championships taking place next weekend. The winners will have their name up on the squash court walls, etching their name into history.