This Week in Athletics: Fall Wrap-Up

November 22, 2024

The fall sports season is winding down and what a memorable and successful start to the year we have witnessed! All five CIF varsity programs qualified for post-season and championships and several made very deep postseason runs. Here is a rundown of all of the fall varsity programs.

Ultimate Frisbee
The ultimate team competed against familiar foes in Dunn, and Santa Barbara this fall. The highlight of the year occurred when the Rams notched a victory over the Dunn Earwigs, avenging last season’s loss. The Rams were led this year by senior captains Nyle Ahmed ‘25, Joshua Ludviksen ‘25, and Harry Su ‘25. These three students are responsible for the continued growth and success of the program, helping the team increase in size each year, and helping to expand the game at the high school level in Santa Barbara County. As an emerging varsity sport, the captains

Football
The varsity football team captured their third straight Tri-Valley League title following their overwhelming defeat of the rival Thacher Toads, their third straight in the series. The win over Thacher evened the all-time series at 10 wins each for the storied programs and capped an undefeated regular season for the team. The Rams earned the #3 seed in the CIF playoffs. After shutting out 2023 champion Chadwick, the team hosted national media darlings, California School for the Deaf- Riverside. The #2 ranked Cubs, winners of back- to back CIF championships, topped the Rams in an epic showdown under the lights at Carpinteria High School. The semifinal appearance was the third in the past four years for the boys in blue, their most successful postseason stretch in the history of the program. With 15 departing seniors, the Rams say goodbye to one of the most successful classes in the history of the program. Quarterback Quinn Pullen ‘25, offensive juggernaut Ethan Rehnborg ‘25, and defensive standout Johnny Foster ‘25 are sure to be well represented during post-season award selections along with many of the players who had such successful seasons.

Cross Country
The boys and girls cross country programs ran to success all around Southern California this fall. Finding success in league meets as well as invitationals the Rams experienced a great deal of team and individual success, On the boys side, the Rams finished 5th at the Mt. SAC invitational and followed up that performance with a third place finish at the Tri-Valley League Championships, qualifying for the CIF-Southern Section postseason. The boys were led by Jordan Ryan ‘26, who placed 7th overall in the league finals. Ati Zwieback ‘27, Bruce Li ‘28, Ethan Qiu ‘28, and Miles Williams ‘27 rounded out the top 5 for the Rams. With no seniors in the Top-7 scoring group, the future is bright for these young harriers.

On the girls side, their season continues as they have qualified for the CIF-Southern Section Division 5 championship finals that will be contested on Saturday. After winning the Tri-Valley League in fine fashion, the top 7 ran a fast race in CIF prelims last weekend. Racing out to the winning score in qualifications, the group looks to contend for a title this Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College. Francesca Sutch ’25, Sophie Blank ‘27 and Jenevive Won ‘26 all finished in the top 10 of their heat. Kate McCoy ‘25 and Stella Rogers ‘25 rounded out the scoring for the Rams while Daisy Gemberling ‘25 and Tallulah Bates ‘25 also placed in the top 35 in the heat. It has been an exciting year for the girls team, and we hope there is a bit more magic in the air on Saturday.

Volleyball
The volleyball team capped off the regular season with a resounding win over the Villanova Prep Wildcats. The Rams were led by Oyin Opawumi ‘26 and Fallon Erickson ‘26. Finishing the season with an 8-5 record, the dynamic duo helped to lead the team to the playoffs in back to back years, no small feat in the highly competitive Tri-Valley league. With newcomers Vivi Delaney ‘28 and Cassidy Rose ‘28 joining the rotation, the future looks bright for the team. We thank our three seniors, Sienna Charvel ‘25, Lilly Whelan ‘25 and Kylee Greene ‘25 for their leadership of the program and contributions to the success of the season. These three students have helped ensure the program is in good hands for many years to come!

Girls Tennis
The powerhouse girls tennis program won their second straight Tri-Valley League championship cruising to a 15-1 regular season record. After winning the division 3 championship in 2023, the girls were elevated to division 2 for this year’s installment. In the history of the program, the Rams had never advanced past the quarterfinal round at this level. This year was certainly different. Playing some thrilling tennis along the way, the team advanced to the D2 semifinals for the first time in school history. Led all season with a versatile lineup, newcomers Ivy Huang ‘28 (2024 TVL Singles Champion) and Jade Wang ‘28 along with doubles partner Lisa Hasebe ‘27 (TVL Doubles Champion) made their mark all season long. The end result was a thrilling semifinal match with eventual Division 2 champion Campell Hall. The 5+ hour match, came down to a tiebreaker in the very last set. The match had the unique distinction of having to be moved to the Polo Club because of daylight. While the thrilling match ended in an 8-10 defeat, it was an event everyone will remember for a good, long time. Huang, Wang and Hasebe continue their seasons at the CIF Individual Tournament Championships during Thanksgiving Break. As we approach the final end of the season, we give thanks to the lone senior Collette Chang ‘25 for her incredible leadership, support and success. Colette, helped the program establish its dominance in local high school tennis, and was a member of the School’s first ever CIF championship girls tennis team. With all of the other girls returning, next season is shaping up to be another great one for the Rams.

Water Polo
Last week, the water polo team completed the best season in team history. Following two epic struggles with perennial league power Malibu High School, the team finished the Tri-Valley League regular season in second place. This allowed the team to earn the #4 overall seed heading into the Division 4 playoffs, the highest division ever for the Rams. The post-season saw epic wins over Don Lugo, Thousand Oaks, Glendale and #1 ranked Santa Ana to send the Rams to their first ever CIF championship match. Led by the tandem of Baye Breene ‘25 and Fletcher Prince ‘28 on the offensive end and goalie Andrew Sheshunoff ‘27, the Rams found themselves in the incredible home to USA Water Polo at Mt. San Antonio College. In a match for the ages, the Rams erased a 9-6 deficit with just under three minutes to play. Evening the match at 9-9, the Rams saw their hopes dashed with a last second buzzer beating goal from South Pasadena. While the Rams came up just a bit short, it was a season nobody will ever forget. The Rams say goodbye to their senior group: Breene, Nate Newlove ‘25, Christian Busse ‘25, Zadin Stephens ‘25, Quinn Vanasco ‘25, TJ Weir ‘25 and Phin Stephenson ‘25. The mark they have left on this program will be forever remembered.

It was a truly remarkable fall that may still have some surprises for fans of the Blue and White. As winter season is just getting started, we hope to see you all on the Mesa soon cheering for the Cate Rams!