Foothills Sentry - July 2021

Foothills Sentry Page 15 July 2021 COMMUNITY SPORTS BY CLIFF ROBBINS AND CHAD CLINE 2020-2021 high school sports are behind us The CIF-SS should be com- mended, as well as the schools, athletic directors and coaches who put in numerous hours to piece together a shortened sea- son and get combined winter and spring playoffs in place. Fourteen playoffs were held, with 31 of our local high schools qualifying for playoff spots. Villa Park captured the Divi- sion 3 Girls Team Tennis Cham- pionship. It was the first time in 25 years that Villa Park reached the finals. Villa Park Girls Softball (25- 2) ranked fourth in Division 2, and reached the Division 2 finals, riding on the precise pitching of Sydney Somerndike, recording strikeouts in the playoffs of 19, 12, 12, 12 and 12. Somerndike entered the finals with 323 strike- outs, striking out 13 Azusa play- ers in the finals. Foothill Head Coach Jon Fox accepted the runner-up trophy from CIF Commissioner Thom Simmons. Joining the presentation are, left to right, Roman Pistone (11), Simmons, Fox, Easton Babb (5), Joey Garcia (12), and Josh Anderson (25). The Foothill High Girls Lacrosse team gathers after capturing the Division 1 title with a 21-5 win over Newbury Park. Villa Park captured the Division 3 Girls Tennis title. Team members are, from left, Coach Ron Metcalf, Danielle Moriarty, Grace Gamal, Morgan Shaffer, Aubrey McGraw, Gia Boudea, Gillian Pascual, Eli- anna Vu, Sydney Shaffer, Nikki Tran and Jordyn Kuo. Commissioner Thom Simmons is rear right. Sydney Somerndike, Villa Park’s Most Valuable Player and Gatorade Player of the Year, struck out 19 against Diamond Bar and won the game, 4-0. Villa Park didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning, but Brianne Kang cut her down trying to steal second, her first of two. Somerndike gave up a single in each inning, but shut down any scoring threat. The walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth gave Azusa High School the Division 2 girls softball title. Foothill Boys Lacrosse took runner-up in Division 1. Loyola captured the Division 1 title, edg- ing Foothill, 9-7. Foothill Girls Lacrosse, ranked number one in Division 1, cap- tured the first CIF-SS Girls La- crosse Division 1 Championship over Newbury Park, 21-5. Canyon High School Girls La- crosse team advanced to the Divi- sion 2 finals after competing only for the third year. Canyon fell to Corona Del Mar in the finals, 12-8. Canyon announces hiring of Josh Waybright Canyon High School an- nounced the hiring of new head football coach Josh Waybright. Coach Waybright was the var- sity head football coach at South High School in Torrance from 2002-15, leaving as the second winningest coach in school his- tory. He led South to many deep CIF runs, including a trip to the 2010 CIF final. He was twice selected to coach the Regional All-Star Game, and was named Coach of the Year in 2010. Most recently, Waybright was an assistant head football coach with North High School in Torrance, and was integral in leading North to the 2019 CIF Championship game. Waybright says he is excited to make the move to Orange County to coach in one of the most com- petitive football counties in the nation. He brings knowledge and pas- sion to the Canyon High School football program. In the words of Coach Waybright, “It’s a great day to be a Comanche!” Canyon High School Head Coach Alison Cho (right) accepts the runner-up trophy from CIF Commissioner Thom Simmons. Can- yon advanced to the girls Division 2 lacrosse title game against Corona Del Mar. Canyon lost in the final, 12-8. Luke Fox (8) advances the ball up field against Mater Dei. Foothill won the game in overtime, 7-6. Sydney Shaffer (left) from Villa Park High captured the Crest- view League number one doubles title and Most Valuable Player. Sister Morgan Shaffer took sec- ond in singles, and the Most Valuable Player award. Aaliyah Farmer (25) attempts a score from a corner kick. Villa Park took runner-up to Harvard Westlake in the Div. 1 finals. Matthew Meagher, a senior from Villa Park, started against North Hills Yorba Linda, and gave up one run and one hit.