With the fall sports season underway, a number of Patrick Henry High School teams have their eyes on CIF gold as the campaign unwinds.

* In girls’ tennis action, the Lady Patriots under head coach Karen Ronney opened their season with two non-league victories over San Diego High 9-9 (Won by a game count of 2) and a 17-1 victory over Poway High, respectively.

The Lady Patriots travel to Cathedral Catholic on Sept. 7 for a Western League showdown.

PHHS finished its 2022 season as the No. 8 team in San Diego as rated by CIF and the UTR team ranking system. Patrick Henry placed third in the Western League. However as individuals, the Patriots had a historic year.

Returning senior Kate Prichard and 2023 PHHS Grad Anna Pallencaoe were the CIF Individual Doubles Champions a season ago. Pallencaoe received a scholarship to play for Point Loma Nazarene College this fall.

“At the start of the year I focused on singles but then I realized doubles could be really fun with Anna (Pallencaoe),” Prichard remarked. “I knew we had a good shot at winning the title because we were undefeated all year. There were some really good matches along the way but we were ready. It was an honor to represent my school as a CIF champion.”

Prichard returns to the squad for her final season after an undefeated junior year.

She was 24-0 in singles and opted for doubles in post-season play. Prichard and Pallencaoe were undefeated in doubles en route to the CIF San Diego Section Individual Doubles Title, which was a first ever for Patrick Henry.

Prichard also won the CIF Sportsmanship Award for her act of kindness of helping her opponents with an equipment issue during the final. It was a gesture of exemplary friendship in a heated tennis match. According to Ronney, the team, school and CIF representatives were very proud of her.

“We have an almost brand new team and it’s exciting to see what we can do,” said Ronney, who was named the 2020 National High School Coach of the Year by the Racquet Sports Industry and the U.S. Professional Tennis Association. “We have a lot of spirit and our goal is to strive for improvement with each match. We’re trying to the daily small things right to add up to big gains.”

Supporting Prichard in the lineup this year are returning seniors Scarlett Bligh and Samantha Timmons; and juniors Bailey Huot, Amy Pallencaoe, Norah Zlotnik, and Lily Wood. Newcomers to varsity include juniors Amaya Lopez, Emma Clifford, Sara Cervantes and Zaya Rice-Connor. Sophomores are Natalie Stein and Kim Nguyen. Freshmen looking to make an impact are India Sutera, Kailie Hill and Emma Cunningham.

* In girls’ volleyball play, Patrick Henry under head coach David Chau looks to improve upon last season’s finish.

“Last year we entered a rebuild after graduating 11 seniors the year before and finished with a 6-23 record and had a first-round exit in the playoffs,” Chau said. “This season, we have five key seniors that are poised to have a great season and lead our team deep into the playoffs.”

According to Chau, the team has a powerhouse offense this year containing four out of five of the team’s seniors.

Senior returner Lauryn Mann on the opposite looks to finish off a four-year varsity career as one of the team’s hardest hitting players with a breakout season and as a veteran on the team.

“Senior second-year varsity outside hitter, Maya Smith, is already picking back up where she left off last year after earning second-team all-league and will establish herself as a go-to player,” Chau remarked. “Senior Paisley Tubbs, who is joining varsity for her first year as a middle and opposite, brings great versatility to our offense and is able to score from all areas of the court. Lastly, our defense led by senior second-year varsity Libero/DS Hyen Gemeniano, is stepping up this season as the leader of the back row and making plays with her relentless pursuit to allow our dynamic offense to go to work. This year our first goal is to win a league title and then make a push for a CIF championship.”

As Chau noted, a couple that remind us to get 1% better everyday are “make plays, not excuses” and “be savage, not average”. “These quotes remind us everyday to put in the work physically and mentally in order to become a better player with every rep.”

* In field hockey play, PHHS under head coach Rosey Bryant and assistant coach Priscilla Lezcano will look to key players on the varsity including Britten Broatch (forward), Emi Suzuki (defense), and Zoe Colling (goalie).

“This year Patrick Henry will field a varsity team only,” Bryant commented. “Patrick Henry continues to focus on rebuilding the team in hopes for a more successful season this year as we move into a new conference within the Eastern League.”

Patrick Henry opened the season with a 2-0 win against Granite Hills.

* In cross country action, head coach Andrew Myette stated the program looks forward to a great season this fall.

“For the first time, girls’ cross country will be recognized as its own sport which we are truly excited about,” Myette said.

The Lady Patriots return a strong core of runners with Chloe Iannuzzi (2024), Ava Carpenter (2024), Miriam Aguirre (2025), Hannah Aguirre (2025), Amelia Kirkegaard (2025), Hannah Nevius (2025), Eva Cruz (2026), and Ayla Collins (2026). Additionally, the team is excited about several incoming runners who promise to make the team more competitive this season and who will have an impact at CIF where they finished 10th last year.

The boys’ team returns veterans Micah Romaine Gleim (2024), Cooper Lawrence (2024), Cash Goehring (2024), Jett David (2024), Alexios Saviddes (2024), Francisco Antonio (2024), Lukas Wolf (2025), Beckett Wilcox (2025), Cody Ayers (2025), and Isaac Moya (2025). Like the girls’ team, the boys’ team brings on board a strong contingent of new runners who will provide the team with depth, according to Myette. The boys hope to improve on last year’s 9th-place finish at CIF.

Coach Eddie Ramos (Head track and field coach) commented, “If you show up every day and put in the work to be successful, you will get the most out of this sport. Not only from an athletic standpoint but also from an individual perspective towards finding oneself.”

* In girls’ golf play, boys’ head coach Gary McMinn was slated to coach the Lady Patriots until a new girls’ team coach was in place.

“We do have an outstanding young freshman in Zadie Posternack,” McMinn noted. “She shot an even par 35 at the Balboa 9 hole match in our first match the other day.”

– Editor’s note: All fall sports varsity head coaches were asked to provide information for this article.