Sports

The Best of South City Sports in 2011

El Camino's inaugural PAL Bay baseball title, rare CCS wrestling crowns lead way.

Which feats from the teams and athletes at South Francisco and El Camino High Schools stood out in 2011? We’re glad you asked.

Here is a look at top sports doings of the Warriors and Colts over the past year:

1. El Camino Baseball: A historic accomplishment in a major team sport has to rank first. The Colts streaked to their inaugural championship in the Peninsula Athletic League’s top-tier Bay Division with an 11-3 record. Steve Knudson was named the PAL Bay Player of the Year after a starring at the plate and on the mound. Fellow seniors Justin Eclavea, Trevor Kelly and Tyler Rios all played big roles as El Camino finished 15-11-1 overall.

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2. Wrestling – South San Francisco’s Calvin Nicholls and El Camino’s Trevor Kelly: No local wrestler had won a Central Coast Section crown in 20 years, until Nicholls and Kelly notched the feat in the same night. Nicholls, the anchor of South City’s PAL championship squad, won gold in the 171-pound division, prevailing in a 5-4 decision in the title match. Kelly rolled through the heavyweight bracket, pinning all five of his opponents to become El Camino’s first CCS champion since 1987.

3. South City Football: In many ways, 2011 could be considered the Warriors’ best season of the last decade. South City went 8-2 in the regular season to clinch its first CCS playoff berth in six years, and then promptly eliminated defending champion Willow Glen 31-23 in a Division II opener. That marked the 9-3 Warriors’ first CCS win since 2001. South City’s other big highlight? Beating El Camino 34-9 for its eighth straight win in the Bell Game. Jerick Anicete, Tavita Faaiu, Rika Levi and Ramzy Azar earned All-PAL Ocean Division first-team honors, and junior running back Anthony Shkuratov played an integral role.

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4. El Camino Football: The Colts pocketed a rare league championship and fell just short of matching their historic 2007 season, marked by the program’s first outright league title since 1970. This year, El Camino finished in a three-way tie atop the PAL Lake Division with Carlmont and Capuchino at 4-1. The Colts also made their first appearance in the CCS playoffs in four years, losing in a Division II opener. Running back/linebacker DJ Peluso was named the PAL Lake Offensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year, and Aaron Hill landed Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. Mark Turner was recognized as the PAL Lake Coach of the Year.

5. El Camino Boys Basketball: The Colts finished second in the rugged PAL Bay Division in the 2010-11 season and then advanced to the CCS Division II semifinals. With a youthful starting backcourt leading the way, the program figured to improve on its 17-11 overall record in the future. Sure enough, El Camino has roared out of the gates in the young 2011-12 season behind guards Elijah White and Anthony Knight, as well as wing Michael Smith. A 10-point win over St. Ignatius bodes very well for the team’s prospects this season.

6. El Camino Girls Swimming: Sparked by Rachel Lam and Danica Alfajora, the Colts claimed the team title at the PAL Ocean Division finals. Lam and Alfajora both were double winners in individual events and swam on two winning relays apiece. El Camino also went 7-0 to win the league’s dual meets championship for the third straight year.

7. Dominic Goodman – South City Boys Track: The junior won the PAL championship in the triple jump by leaping 42 feet, 1.5 inches. A week later, Goodman finished 23rd in the CCS semifinals at 40-7.5.

8. Joseph Arroyo – El Camino Boys Cross Country: Arroyo advanced to the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships in his senior season. He finished seventh in the CCS Division III race in 16 minutes, 28 seconds.

9. Selina Rodriguez – El Camino Softball: In her senior year, the slugging Rodriguez was named the PAL Ocean Division Player of the Year.


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