The Santa Barbara area high schools have entered the home stretch of the fall sports seasons, with a pair of sports preparing for CIF-SS playoffs and the rest competing in the second half of league play.
Local girls volleyball, flag football, girls tennis and football squads provided updates as they enter this intense part of the season at Monday’s Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Press Luncheon at Harry’s Plaza Cafe.
The SBART Press Luncheon is sponsored by Fidelity National Title Group, Investec Real Estate, Knight Real Estate Group and Carp Physio.
Girls Volleyball, Flag Football Regular Seasons Conclude
This week marks the end of the regular season for the local high school girls volleyball and flag football seasons, both of which kicked off before school was in session this year.
On the court, the Santa Barbara High and Dos Pueblos girls volleyball programs each earned league titles in the first season of the new league system, which placed the Dons into the Channel League and the Chargers in the Pacific View League.
Santa Barbara High has a league record of 7-1 and has clinched at least a share of the league title, while Dos Pueblos is undefeated at 7-0 against league opponents and has secured the outright title. The Chargers have one league match remaining on Tuesday against Del Sol.
Bishop Diego and Laguna Blanca will also be competing in the CIF-SS playoffs, and local girls volleyball teams will learn their playoff divisions and first-round matchups on Friday.
“We are probably gonna be Division 4, but it’s also a possibility we could be 3 or 5. It really just depends on how things flesh out. We’ll see, and we’re excited to head into playoffs,” Santa Barbara High girls volleyball coach Kristin Hempy said.
As for the flag football scene, Dos Pueblos will clinch a co-Channel League championship with a road win over Rio Mesa in Tuesday’s regular-season finale.
“This would be the fourth straight year we’ve been at the top of the league, which is something special, especially for our seniors,” Dos Pueblos flag football coach George Hedricks said.
In the Pacific View League, Santa Barbara High has already secured a top-three finish and the program’s first-ever CIF-SS playoff appearance ahead of Tuesday’s regular-season finale on the road against Buena.
“We are accomplishing something we’ve never done as a program, and that’s going to CIF playoffs, so we’re excited about that,” Santa Barbara High flag football coach Travis Manach said. “Friday at 2 p.m. is when the (playoff) seedings drop, so we’re pretty excited to see how that turns out for our first time.”
High School Football Season Marches On
While some sports are barreling towards postseason play next week, there are still three weeks remaining in the high school football season. The local teams now have two league contests under their belt after five-game non-league schedules.
Carpinteria High earned its first win of the season last week, taking down Santa Clara by a score of 35-7 to bring its Citrus Coast League record to 1-1. The Warriors will now host defending CIF-SS Div. 12 champion Grace on Friday.
“We were both relieved and excited at the same time. We took control and played well throughout,” Carpinteria High football coach Van Latham said. “Defense was the key. We held them to a shutout until the 4th quarter, when we started putting in some of the reserves.
“Good signs of what’s coming ahead. We have three games left, and we’re still in the hunt for the playoffs, but it’s going to be a tough one this week.”
San Marcos also collected its first league victory under head coach Isaiah Veal last week, taking down Santa Paula on the road to improve to 1-1 in Tri-County League play.
Meanwhile, Santa Barbara High, Dos Pueblos and Bishop Diego all dropped their league contests over the weekend. The Dons and Chargers are now 1-1 in their league campaigns, while the Cardinals sit at 0-2.
Student-Athletes in Attendance
Dos Pueblos Flag Football: Tabby Weller, Jane Gibson
San Marcos Girls Tennis: Fiona Weber, Myla Zeitsoff
Carpinteria High Football: Trux Trumble, Brick Trumble
Santa Barbara High Flag Football: Layla Wilson, Summer Maxwell
Santa Barbara High Football: Lucas Blessing, Scout Johnston
Santa Barbara High Girls Tennis: Kana Wolf, Violet Marr
Santa Barbara High Girls Volleyball: Jules Horton, Lola Heckman, Eloise Becker
Dos Pueblos Girls Volleyball: Faith Harrison, Allie Ben-Yaacov
Dos Pueblos Football: River Lee, Seth Orozco
San Marcos Football: Logan Vargas, Anthony Rodriguez Carrillo
