As the winter sports season begins to take shape, the fall sports campaigns are either done or nearing the finish line at Grossmont High School.
In girls’ volleyball play, the Lady Foothillers under head coach Grace Campbell finished with a record of 18-14.
According to Campbell, some key players this season included Abby Chiu and Evin McDowell (both 1st Team All-League) and Dahlia Blake (2nd Team All-League).
“Grossmont girls’ volleyball continues on their quest to rebuild the program,” Campbell commented. “This season we made it to the first round CIF playoffs and two of our players made 1st Team All-League. We will continue to grow and improve.”
* On the gridiron, the Foothillers with head coach Anthony Lawrence at the helm went into last week with a record of 5-5 and a number four seed in the playoffs.
In a playoff game on Nov. 17, Grossmont defeated Mission Bay 30-14.
The Foothillers are next slated to play La Jolla Country Day on Thanksgiving weekend.
According to Lawrence, key players this season have included Cody Bigley, Joshua Ferrara, Hudson Herber, Jacob Suter, Zandy Vasilou, Noah Walker, Zelan Reynolds, Caleb Smith, Elias Burlaza, Carson Niel and Caiden Lindsay.
“The season has been filled with growth and learning,” Lawrence commented. “We have had 40 players start a game for us, and of those 40, 14 have never played, or have not played football since middle school.”
Lawrence went on to add, “I could not be more proud for how these kids fought and grew all season and bounced back from a 0-10 season to get a bye and a home playoff game.”
* In flag football play, the Lady Foothillers playing for head coach Tony Lawrence were recently sporting a 12-4 record and grabbed the number three seed in the CIF Division I playoffs.
First-Team All-League players included Guiliana Balistreri (Also league Offensive Player of the Year), Dahlia Blake and Xariah Gromus. Second-Team players were Siena Botkin, Ashley Beard and Marisa Farace.
* On the golf links, Grossmont under head coach Jim Earley went 13-3 and finished as Grossmont Hills league champions.
“We had four players receive All-League honors and qualify for the conference championship,” Earley stated.
Among the key golfers, according to Earley would be senior Leah Yosr (2nd team – All-League), junior Taylor Bergeleen (1st team All-League), senior Erica Freeman (1st team All-League, All-Conference, CIF qualifier), and sophomore Anabella VanCotthem (1st team All- League, Golfer of the Year, All-Conference, finished 25th at CIF).
“We had a great season,” Earley stated. “We achieved all of the goals we set at the beginning of the season: Win league, qualify for CIF, and beat Steele Canyon.”
* In boys’ water polo action, the Foothillers and head coach Clint McLaughlin finished the year 7-22. The team made some great strides through the season and finished playing some of their best water polo, according to McLaughlin.
Grossmont qualified for the Division I playoffs but ended up losing in the first round.
According to McLaughlin, senior Daniel Drake was tremendous at center defense while also scoring two goals per game on the offensive end.
Senior Ryan Motta put together some great games towards the end of the year, averaging three goals a game over the last month of the season.
Sophomore goalie Carson Hall came in big down the final stretch, averaging 10 blocks a game over the season.Seniors Jacob Starkey, Andrew Hall, Keler Smith and sophomore Gabe Acuna had big games to finish out the season.
* In cross country action, Grossmont under head coach Ross Bartell went 2-2 in the Grossmont Hills League and finished third.
The girls team finished fourth in Division II at the CIF Championship meet, and were just one place from qualifying for the State Championship Meet as a team.
According to Bartell, Suhey Arce and Kaci Brownsbereger earned All-League honors with a third and sixth place finish, respectively at the League Championship meet. Both girls also medaled and qualified for the State Championship meet with their performance at the San Diego CIF Championship meet.
On the boys’ side, Loan Reyes and Paul Benrud earned All-League honors with their seventh and ninth place finishes, respectively at the League Championship meet.
“This was one of the most successful seasons our girls team has ever had with a fourth place finish at CIF, and just missing the State meet as a team by one place,” Bartell remarked. “It’s also the first time we have had multiple girls qualify for the State Championship Meet, with Suhey Arce and Kaci Brownsberger both having an amazing finish to the season. All of the girls ran their best race of the season at the CIF Championship meet and ended up being the second best team from the entire Grossmont Conference at CIF.”
Bartell also had praise for the boys, noting, “Our boys team graduated the top four boys last season after winning back-to-back CIF championships and top 10 finishes in the state, so we knew it would be a bit of a rebuilding year. That said, I really felt that we achieved more than others may have expected. We are very young, with two freshmen, two sophomores, and two juniors in our top six, and still managed to finish third in the Hills League. We should be very strong the next few years, and should be competing for league and CIF championships again soon.”
* In girls’ tennis play, head coach Hillary Park’s team qualified for the CIF Division III tourney and won its first-round match, taking out a higher seed. Grossmont beat West Hills 14-4, the best team it had played all season.
According to Park, standouts during the season were number one singles player Hannah Calimlim, junior and third-year varsity player; the number one doubles team of Riley Franwick and Grace Drosi, both juniors.
“The day we beat West Hills, our number three doubles team played the best they had ever played and swept their three singles sets (Seniors Abby Cott and Averie Emery),” Park commented. “Even though we did not do well in league, we had many close matches that could have gone in our favor. Only two varsity players are graduating, so we are looking strong for next year.”
Editor’s note: All fall varsity sports head coaches were asked to provide information for this article.
(Photos by Megan Waller and Dylan Rowland)
