To say the Point Loma High School surf team is riding high would be a half-truth when referring to the waves they conquer.
Team coach Mike Estanol has urged his wave-riders to adopt a mantra: “Better Person, Better Pointer, Better Surfer.” So motivated is his 19-member group some have gone beyond his wishes. Seven team members are carrying GPAs of 4.0 or higher in academics and 4.0 in citizenship.
Estanol identified them as seniors Sophia Cale, the team captain who is headed to the University of Montana; Ben Hill who will attend Cal Poly SLO; Kyle Clifton who will serve as a yoifeguard I for San Diego Fire-Rescue this summer before traveling to enroll at University of Miami; Lukas Shipley who will graduate a year early; sophomore Logan Aldrich who finished the surf season ranked No. 4 in Div. I men’s shortboard, and freshmen Luke Godinez and Lena Santoro.
The Pointer surfers also set high marks in the water as they finished their first winning season, posting a 3-2 record in official Scholastic Surf Series (SSS) meets. The highlight of the team’s season was defeating Oceanside High at the Oceanside Pier.
The team finished in third place at the championship meet among schools in the Southern California region, also held at the Oceanside Pier. They defeated both Ventura and Malibu high schools along the way. Carlsbad High defeated the men’s shortboard and longboard teams in the semi-final round. The women’s shortboard lost to San Dieguito Academy, also in the semi-finals and the longboard team finished in second place, just one point behind champion Carlsbad.
“I consider it a privilege to coach these students and am so impressed by their skills, effort, and improvement both in the water and the classroom,” Estanol said.
Members of the PLHS surf team include Seniors Cale, Hill, and Clifton. Juniors Shipley, Conor Haffey, Dane Van Cooney, Kirra Moody, and Bryce Graulich. Sophomores Aldrich, Ivan Wolf, Kylie Davis, and Henry Flaherty. Freshmen Godinez, Santoro, Corrine Santoro, Connor Puckett, Gavin Chiodini, Ethan Osth, and Tobin McWethy.
