Photo taken from @sage_creek_volleyball

The girls volleyball team celebrates a 3-0 win at their home game against Escondido High School. They have won all but one of their home games so far this season.

Volleyball
Pass, set, hit. The girl’s volleyball team is a strong group of girls and a fierce opponent on the court. The team has won 13 of their first 20 games so far, setting the tone for a great season ahead.

Their most recent match was a 3-0 win over Escondido on Sage Creek’s home turf. Amanda Savage, varsity head coach, is looking forward to watching her team grow and progress throughout the season.

“We have a healthy, strong group of girls who genuinely care for one another and celebrate each other’s successes,” Savage said.

The girls are experiencing a season that is much “closer to normal” than last year, but they continue to be affected by the COVID-19 mandates that come and go. Savage hopes to continue to support the well-being of her players through these changes.

“My focus is on how the guidelines impact the mental health of my student-athletes,” Savage said.

Throughout the season, Savage hopes to build a strong foundation of trust within the team and foster an environment, “where players come into the gym each day to give 100% of the best self in sportsmanship and performance.”

Field Hockey
Passing, defending, shooting, cardio, and scrimmaging, the girls varsity field hockey team is training hard to show what they are made of. The girls have not yet been able to bring home a win this season, but varsity head coach, Andrea Fett, has confidence in her group of athletes.

“The team is showing a lot of improvement and potential,” Fett said. “They are working together well and have good goals for the season.”

After the uncertainty of last year, girls field hockey is looking forward to a relatively normal season. Fett wants to continue to train her girls to pressure their opponents and help them to improve their communication and teamwork.

“My goals for the season are to continue to push the other team so that we are on their half of the field for the majority of the time.”

Cross Country
The cross country team is kicking off a new season with a new coach, Jason Jacobson. After a season disrupted by COVID-19 mandates and coaching changes, the team is looking forward to a long-lasting, relatively normal season ahead of them.

“We are off to a really good start,” Jacobson said. “We have a large turnout of around 50 student-athletes with a good mix of new and returning runners.”

The team meets on the track before sunrise to grind out their workouts in the cool mornings. For those who prefer to sleep in, Jacobson holds practice in the afternoon as well. They have already started competing in local meets, but the team’s focus is on the end of the season.

“Everyone has been working hard and building a strong base that will pay off in November,” Jacobson said. He specifies that his goal for the season is to “have both the girls and the boys team qualify for the State Meet and podium.”

Beyond coaching the team to become better athletes, Jacobson also hopes to help everyone to come out of the season with a love for the sport and belief in themselves.

“If they work hard and do all of the little things, great things can be achieved in sport and in life.”

Girls Golf

The girl’s golf team is back on the course, ready for a season of good competition and good memories. The girls, currently ranked in the top10 in the county, fell just short of qualifying for CIF last season. Head coach, David Walther, hopes that this year will be different.

“Our goal is … to qualify as a team for CIF play,” Walther said. “Last year was the first time in five years that we were unable to do that.” But he also emphasizes that “Fun is number one,” and making good memories with his athletes is always his priority.

Three days a week the girls are on the course, practicing chipping, putting, and driving or competing against another high school. The team, including sophomore Samantha Deneroff, continues to work hard and improve under Walther’s coaching.

“[Walther] is very easy-going and understanding,” Deneroff said. “He is very helpful and is always there for us when we need him.”

The golf team has already competed in multiple tournaments this season, which they were unable to do last year. They look forward to being able to revive team traditions, such as their team trip to Disneyland, to make this season a memorable one.

Girls Tennis

The girls tennis team is currently dominating the court,  boasting a 6-1 record. With matches during the week against local high schools and tournaments on the weekends, the girls have dived into the season with determination and passion and face an exciting couple of months ahead of them.

This impressive start to the season did not happen by luck. The girls train hard in the intense afternoon heat to ace their serves and perfect their returns. Watching them play, they seem to fly across the court in the blink of an eye as they slice the ball over the net and into the far corner, just out of reach of their opponent.

With the help of varsity head coach Betsy Jordan, these girls will continue to give their all in every practice and every match this season to represent Sage Creek and become the best athletes they can be.