Sierra Canyon with another stellar year in athletics

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

It was another top notch year for the Sierra Canyon athletics program.

Things got off to a huge start when school started in August.

The football team won its second consecutive Mission League championship and advanced to the Division 1 playoffs for the first time in school history.

The Trailblazers reached the semifinals and suffered a setback to eventual champion Mater Dei of Santa Ana.

Sierra Canyon was led by Wyatt Becker, Dane Dunn, Kwazi Gilmer (UCLA), D.J. Jordan (USC), Cameron Mitchell, Ruben Gamboa and several othet top standouts.

The girls volleyball team won its second consecutive Mission League championship and was included in the Open Division playoffs (highest level).

Danica Rach (Boston College), Taylor Treahy (George Washington), Maddie Way (Hawaii) and setter Sade Ilawole formed quite the senior quartet.

The Trailblazers welcome back key players Lauren Lynch, outside hitter Halie McGinest and super sophomore Eva Jeffries.

The girls tennis team recorded its best season in school history claiming a co-championship in the Angelus League.

Moving to winter sports, the boys basketball team won the Mission League regular season championship knocking off Harvard-Westlake, Notre Dame, Crespi, Chaminade, St. Francis, Alemany and Loyola.

The Trailblazers suffered a league tourney loss to Crespi and officially finished in third place.

Sierra Canyon was included in the Open Division playoffs for the 12th consecutive year. The Trailblazers are the only team to make the highest level every year possible.

Top players were Justin Pippen (Michigan), Isaiah Elohim (USC) and Noah Williams (CSUN). Coach Andre Chevalier is excited to welcome back Bryce Cofield, Bryce James, Jayden Alexander, Stephan Kankole, Michael Baba and Jordan Askew.

The girls basketball team won it second consecutive Mission League championship and advanced all the way to the Open Division championship game, losing to rival Etiwanda.

A week later, Etiwanda beat Sierra Canyon in the Open Division state regional finals.

Top players included McDonald’s All-American Mackenly Randolph (Louisville), Izela Arenas (Louisville), Christy Reynoso (Long Beach State), Kayla Malek and super sophomores Jerzy Robinson and Emilia Krstevski.

In the Spring, baseball took fourth place in the Mission League and was included in the Division 1 playoffs. The team lost to eventual runner-up Orange Lutheran in the first round.

Top players were Julian Areliz (UC San Diego), Andrew Nelson, Cody Gallegos, Ethan Montes, Desi Delgado, Sean Parrow, Brayden Charness and Jonny Hagopian.

The softball team took second place in the Mission League behind Notre Dame. The Trailblazers beat Saugus in the Division 3 playoffs but lost in the next round to Redondo Union.

Top players were Duke-bound Hailey Shuler, Sophia Debs, Lianna Lara and sophomore Sophia Sarni.

Track and Field produced an individual champion.

Matthew Curry won the Division 4 400 meters.

Curry wins 400, 4 x 100 relay team finishes second

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon track and field team had a successful spring season.

Especially the sprinters.

After high finishes through Mission League and league finals competitions, everything came together for football player Matthew Curry.

Curry won the 400 meters race in the Southern Section Division 4 finals at Moorpark HS with a time of 49.82.

The Trailblazers 4 x 100 relay team placed second behind Serra of Gardena. Sierra Canyon ran 42.23. Congratulations to Curry, B. Curry, Hendrix Hart and freshman Da’mari Hall.

Jori Glover had the best girls finish in any event, taking sixth place in the high jump by clearing five feet.

Glover was also 8th in the discus with a throw of 105 feet.

Dino Scordia showed his athleticism  by placing 8th in the high jump and 9th in the long jump.

Scordia long jumped 19 feet and high jumped 5 feet, 8 inches.

Sierra Canyon wins first-round playoff game

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon softball team didn’t play many regular season games.

Rain and other factors contributed to only 14 contests instead of up to 28.

But the Trailblazers went 6-2 in the tough Mission League and qualified as the second place team for the Division 3 playoffs.

Things got off to a great start Tuesday with a 6-0 shut out win against Foothill League second place team Saugus.

Sophia Debs threw four innings and struck out six. Duke-bound Hailey Shuler threw three innings and blasted a two-run home run.

Debs was 3 for 3 with a double and RBI.

Nina Peyton-Johnson hit a two-run home run.

Lianna Lara had a an RBI.

Riley Furnace and Peyton Jackson each had a single.

Sierra Canyon moves onto Tuesday’s second round and will host Redondo Union at 3:15 p.m. on the corner of Variel and Rinaldi at the lower school campus.

Sierra Canyon loses to Orange Lutheran

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon baseball team made the Division 1 playoffs after a fourth place finish in the Mission League.

It didn’t last long.

The Trailblazers were bounced from the postseason tournament after a 6-0 shutout setback.

Orange Lutheran won the Trinity League and is regarded as one of the top teams in not only the state but the nation.

Sean Parrow, a talented freshman right-hander held the Lancers scoreless through five innings.

Parrow pitched into the sixth inning.

A pivotal sequence came when Orange Lutheran had a runner on first and no outs.

A ground ball to third base resulted in a throw to second for a force out. However, Orange Lutheran coach Eric Borba complained and the first base umpire ruled the runner safe at second.

The Lancers had two on and no outs instead of runner at first with one out.

The whole complexion of the inning changed.

The Lancers  went on to score six runs.

Julian Areliz had the only hit for Sierra Canyon.

The Trailblazers look to next year with several top players back, including Parrow, Ethan Montes and Brayden Charness.

Sierra Canyon playoff run starts Thursday

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon softball team opens the Division 3 playoffs at 3:15 p.m. Thursday at home.

The Trailblazers will face Foothill League second-place team Saugus in the first round.

Sierra Canyon advanced to last year’s quarterfinals.

The Trailblazers are primed for a deep postseason run after a strong second place finish in the Mission League behind Notre Dame.

Notre Dame was the overall No. 2 seed in the same playoff division.

Duke-bound Hailey Shuler and Sophia Debs will do the pitching in the circle for Sierra Canyon.

Shuler has been a great hitter all year, as well.

Sierra Canyon will likely face Redondo Union in the second round Tuesday, May 7 and No. 4 seed Etiwanda in the quarterfinals if it gets past the Sea Hawks.

Sierra Canyon will play 10 games, five at home and five on the road for 2024

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon football team finalized its 2024 schedule this week with a nonleague game against juggernaut St. John Bosco of Bellfower.

The Trailblazers, fresh off their first ever Division 1 playoff appearance, will play five home games and five road games.

Sierra Canyon opens the season early August 16th in Hawaii. The Trailblazers face Punahou.

Sierra Canyon comes home for a road game at JSerra, followed by home game with Oaks Christian and another home game against SJ Bosco.

There is a week off, a home game with Orange Lutheran and another week off before five Mission League games.

Wyatt Becker and Dane Dunn return to lead the offense and Jaxsen Stokes is expected to have a big role.

Watch out for Madden Riordan and Richie Wesley on defense.

Here is the full schedule

Week 00: Friday, August 16: at Punahou (Hawaii)

Week 0: Friday, August 23: at JSerra

Week 1: Friday, August 30: vs. Oaks Christian

Week 2: Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. St. John Bosco

Week 3: BYE

Week 4: Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Orange Lutheran

Week 5: BYE

Week 6: Friday, October 4: at Chaminade

Week 7: Friday, October 11: at Notre Dame

Week 8: Friday, October 18: vs. Bishop Amat

Week 9: Friday, October 25: vs. Loyola

Week 10: Friday, November 1:  at Serra

Sierra Canyon headed to Division 3 playoffs

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon softball team ended the regular season with an easy 13-2 Mission League victory against Louisville.

The Trailblazers now look to the Div. 3 playoffs next week after finishing all alone in second place.

Duke-bound Hailey Shuler  faced 20 batters and had six strikeouts for Sierra Canyon (9-5, 6-2).

Shuler was 2-3 at the plate with two RBI’s.

Sierra Canyon only played 14 regular season games due to several rain outs.

Natalia Areliz had two doubles and three RBI’s.

Riley Furnace had three RBI’s.

Lianna Lara was 3-3 only missing the cycle without a triple.

Nina Peyton-Johnson was 2-3 and Peyton Jackson had a home run and two RBI’s.

The playoff brackets come out Saturday.

Sierra Canyon salvages a game from Notre Dame, takes a step toward the playoffs

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

Left-hander Brayden Charness and Johnny Hagopian combined on a 3-hitter to lead the Trailblazers.

Hagopian surrendered just one hit ober 4 1/3 innings with two strikeouts.

Sierra Canyon regrouped after scoring just one run in the previous 14 innings against the Knights.

Sierra Canyon is now two full games clear in the loss column of St. Francis.

The Trailblazers have two games left against Loyola and should finish third or fourth in the league, good enough for a Div. 1 playoff berth.

Sierra Canyon all alone in second place in Mission League

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon softball team took care of its business this week.

The Trailblazers recorded two shutouts against Alemany and Chaminade to secure itself a playoff berth.

In an 8-0 victory against Alemany, Duke-bound Hailey Shuler gave up just three hits with 13 strikeouts.

Shuler helped herself at the plate with a home run, double and two RBI’s.

Sophia Sarni, Riley Furnace, Lianna Lara, Peyton Jackson and Delilah Reynolds each had an RBI in a balanced offensive effort.

The big game was Thursday’s 4-0 win against Chaminade.

Sophia Debs was the star in the circle with seven strikeouts.

Shuler homered, doubled and two RBI’s.

Furnace did the dame thing as Shuler.

Jackson and Reynolds each had a double.

Sierra Canyon will test itself with a nonleague game against Oaks Christian and finishes up next week with games against Louisville and Providence of Burbank before the playoffs begin the last week of April into May.

Sierra Canyon loses first two games to Notre Dame in Mission League play

By Jacob H. Pollon

 

The Sierra Canyon baseball team is trying to finish in the upper half of the Mission League to secure a playoff spot.

It is in dangerous territory after two losses this week against Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks.

In a 2-0 shutout setback Tuesday, freshman right-hander Sean Parrow was solid. Parrow only gave up a run on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

However, the Trailblazers bats went cold.

Greyson Gullage had two hits, Andrew Nelson had a hit and Mikhal Johnson recorded a hit.

Johnson and Aidan Jahng each had a walk.

Thursday saw Notre Dame come away with an 8-1 victory in Sherman Oaks.

Julian Areliz had two hits, including a double and walked.

Areliz has signed with UC San Diego.

Nelson had a hit and a walk and scored the lone run for the Trailblazers.

Jahng and Jack Shtrum each had a hit for Sierra Canyon.

Sierra Canyon faces the Knights for the final game of the three-game series today at 3:30 at home in Chatsworth.