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Jan 14, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Rancho Bernardo’s Mary Snider described her two losses in last year’s state wrestling championships succinctly. “I got destroyed,” said the Broncos junior. Two things could have been a result of the setbacks — she could have been discouraged and quit or she could have used it as motivation to do better. Snider chose the latter. “I was happy just to go to state,” Snider said.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Ramona High’s James Knowd likes sports — a lot. So much so, he never stops playing and admits that if he had a chance, he’d most likely add another sport, track, to the three that already fill up the Bulldog’s calendar. Football in the fall, soccer in the winter and baseball in the spring leave little time for anything else but studying and maybe slipping away to surf. Football fills up the summer. Three-sport athletes are rare.
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Jan 13, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
San Diego Union-Tribune Girls Basketball RankingsFirst-place votes in parentheses; points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basisTeam; Record; Points;Last1. Mission Hills (10); 8-5; 118; 12. La Jolla Country Day (2);10-6; 104; 33. Francis Parker; 10-7; 101; 24. Lincoln; 12-4; 74; 45. Cathedral Catholic; 11-3; 71; 56. Westview; 9-6; 65; 6 7. Rancho Bernardo; 15-2, 42; 78. Bishop’s; 12-4, 29, 89. Victory Christian; 6-11; 23; 910.
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Jan 8, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Ramona High’s Donnie Williams admits coaching both the boys and girls’ water polo teams is not that unusual. But it is a bit of a challenge. “For the boys, we have all summer to get the players ready for the fall season,” explains the 63-year-old. “But one of the challenges with the girls is trying to get them ready for the winter season while the boys are still playing. “The girls just don’t get a chance to prepare, to play together before the season.
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Jan 8, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Winning 300 games as a high school basketball coach is an honor, but it’s not quite as difficult as it is for a soccer coach. Poway’s Gene Morris will get his 300th victory this season — guaranteed. But think how much quicker it would have come if, like basketball, there were no ties. Morris has 94 of them in his 21-year careerStanding at 296 wins to start the week, his Titans have posted an 8-0-1 record, that includes winning the Parker Cup Tournament with a 1-0 victory over Pacific Ridge.
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Jan 6, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
San Diego Union-Tribune Girls Basketball RankingsFirst-place votes in parentheses; points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis1. Mission Hills (10); 8-5; 117; 12. Francis Parker (1); 9-5; 108; 23. La Jolla Country Day (1); 10-5; 99; 34. Lincoln; 11-4; 71; T45. Cathedral Catholic; 9-3; 68; T46. Westview; 9-6; 62; 67. Rancho Bernardo; 14-2, 46; 8 8. Bishop’s; 10-4, 28, T99. Victory Christian; 5-10; 24; T910.
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Jan 6, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Mario CariniPowayBoys wrestlingSeeded fourth at the start of the annual Doc Buchanan Tournament in Clovis, the sophomore battled into the 168-pound finals before falling to the No. 1 ranked wrestler from Georgia. Brie BrownFrancis ParkerGirls basketballA 6-foot sophomore, Brown averaged 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Lancers beat Cathedral Catholic 59-29 and Villa Park 54-37.
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Jan 6, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Lindsay Biddle wanted to improve her game, so the Rancho Bernardo High School junior joined the Santa Clarita-based Troop West traveling team after last basketball season. What an education … like jumping from elementary school to an Ivy League college. A big-time scorer, who averaged 14.9 points over 32 games for Rancho Bernardo last season and has improved to 22.2 through 16 games this season, Biddle wasn’t asked to score for Troop West. Instead, she learned how to be a leader.
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Jan 1, 2025 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Akili Smith Jr.LincolnFootballWith the Oregon-bound senior leading the way, Lincoln rolled to the Division 1-AA state championship with a 28-26 win over Pittsburg. He finished the season with 2,478 yards and 24 passing touchdowns. Aileen ShinBishop’sGirls water poloA junior, Shin led the Knights to seven straight wins, scoring 32 goals, dishing out nine assists, collecting eight steals and getting 23 exclusions. The Knights won the Villa Park Tournament.
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Dec 31, 2024 | 
sandiegouniontribune.com | Steve Brand
Tavid JohnsonFrancis ParkerBoys basketballWith a resounding 81-56 win over Cypress in the Governor’s title game, the 6-foot-3 sophomore earned Most Valuable Player honors. He is averaging 26.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Camille DakeRancho Buena VistaGirls basketballScoring 24 points, the senior led the Longhorns past Novato San Marin, 55-51, to capture the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic NIT Gold Division. She surpassed 1,000 career points in the tourney.
