By Steve Breazeale
For in-game updates, scores, news and more for all of the Dana Hills High School spring sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCsports.
Riverside Poly Charges Past Dolphins Softball in Semifinal Win
Despite tallying 11 hits the Dana Hills softball team could not overcome an early deficit in a 6-4 CIF-SS Division 2 semifinal loss to visiting Riverside Poly on May 30.
Riverside Poly, which snapped the Dolphins’ 12-game winning streak, will play Camarillo for the CIF-SS title on June 3.
The early innings of the semifinal tilt were stacked with opportunities for both teams, but the Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third when Niki Calderon and Kayla Trayor collected back-to-back RBI singles.
Riverside Poly outfielder Savannah Favre hit a two-run inside the park home run to extend the lead to 6-0 in the fifth.
Riverside Poly ace pitcher Paige Peterson kept the hot-hitting Dolphin bats at bay until the fifth. Riverside Poly saw a six-run lead shrink to three after Cameron Cecil, Tori Sickmeier and Jessie Nagel plated three runs with RBI hits. Cecil brought home another runner in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 6-4.
But Peterson proved to be in control, and did not allow another run to cross the plate in a complete game effort. Peterson struck out three and walked just one batter.
Dolphins’ starter Kate Donaldson exited the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the third. Serafine Parrish came on to pitch five innings of relief.
Zoch, who had a tremendous postseason at the plate, went 3 for 4 with a triple. Cecil and Nagel both went 2 for 3.
The loss ended a spectacular season for Dana Hills (19-3). The Dolphins went undefeated to capture the Sea View League title. The team’s 19 wins ties the most for a Dolphins team since the 2014 season, and the most since at least 2005.
Dana Hills defeated Laguna Hills, Rio Mesa and Charter Oak, respectively, to reach the semifinals.
Dolphins Relay Team Advances to State
The record-setting Dana Hills girls 4×400-meter relay team continued its strong postseason by placing second at the CIF-SS Masters Meet at Arcadia High School on May 26.
The relay team, which set an all-time county record at the CIF-SS Championships, finished second by posting a time of 3:47.01 at the Masters Meet. The relay squad will travel to Clovis to compete in the CIF State Track & Field Championships June 2-3.
The 4×400-meter relay team consists of Ximena Bustos, Hailey Ray, Anisa Rind and Jennifer Daly.
Several other Dolphin athletes competed at the Masters Meet and finished their seasons strong.
Jack Landgraf, the CIF-SS 3,200-meter champion, placed fourth in the event at the Masters Meet with a time of 9:19.51. Brandon Hough placed seventh (9:20.11).
Thomas Wilfert finished ninth (4:17.20) in the 1,600-meter run.
Daly placed fifth (2:14.47) in the 800-meter run.