By Christopher Lung

World Editor

Girls Golf:

 Girls golf swings to new heights this year as they remained undefeated throughout their entire season. With Coach Steve Swanson leading the team, they have won the Monteview League championship again and have qualified for the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs as a team.

  The previous championship victory was during the 2015 season when they were co-champions with South Pasadena High School.  Their victory this season is significant because it is the first time the school has won two league golf championships in a four year period.  

  In addition to making CIF playoffs as a team, Swanson hopes that his athletes can individually qualify for CIF as well. The last individual qualifier to gain eligibility was May Tang in 2013.

  For Swanson, the most valuable part of coaching is being around the team and experiencing the game with his players.

  “Everyone has shown improvements this year and a greater potential for succeeding,” stated Swanson.

Boys XC:

  Coach Ryan Kammerman has gradually cultivated the high momentum and progress of the boys cross country team this season and produced multiple outstanding varsity leaders in the process.

  The finish line for the team is less than a week away before the start of the CIF playoffs, and their coach is training them to run faster than ever during this period. Kammerman hopes that the team finishes strong against Rosemead High School and Arroyo High School as they compete for the title of Mission Valley League champions.

  This season, Kammerman has led the team to one of its biggest accomplishments. The team competed at the Billy York Invitational in Riverside on Sept. 29 and broke more than 30 new personal records. This was the first time the boys placed top three in all three divisions at an invitational.     

  “The most rewarding thing about coaching is seeing the athletes improve and enjoy what they are doing,” revealed Kammerman.

Girls XC:

  During the peak of this season, the girls cross country team is focused on breaking their personal records. Coach Horalia Gamboa’s goal for the team is to continue increasing the speeds of the athletes so that they can surpass their individual expectations.

  The best aspect of coaching for Gamboa is seeing the girls improve and implement changes into their performance. Even though there are less upperclassmen compared to last year’s team, Gamboa believes that the underclassmen have stepped up to the challenge and steadily adjusted to the expectations of the team. The girls have shown progress in running and have proven to contain great potential.   

  Currently, they are competing against Marshall for fourth place in the Mission Valley League standings. With the CIF playoffs in sight, the team is committed to break more personal records.  

  “Although many of the girls in the team are still young, they are continuously learning and advancing towards their goals, ” complimented Gamboa.

Football:

  Football kicked off their season with some new adjustments in the lineup. With the additions of promising sophomores and juniors, the initial challenge was cooperating plays to form a cohesive team. So far, Coach Harold Sanin seems to have accomplished just that.

  Sanin trains the players under the blistering heat every Monday to Thursday from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and several Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. He hopes that the team will continuously improve throughout the season and make the playoffs. If Gabrielino finishes in the top three of the Mission Valley League, they will advance to the CIF tournament.

  This is the first year that the JV team has been dropped due to to a shortage of players. Only the frosh and varsity teams remain, but Sanin continues to coach on both levels.

  “The best part of coaching is helping my athletes reach their full potential because many are unaware of the extent of their capabilities,” Sanin expressed.

Girls Volleyball:

  Following in the footsteps of last year’s undefeated record, the girls volleyball team continued their streak this season, 7-0. The outstanding performances of the defending league champions can be attributed to Coach Cuong Chau.

  A secret to their success lies in the morning practices. By setting the practice from Monday to Friday at 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m., excluding game days, and sometimes Saturdays, Chau trains the dedication and tenacity into his athletes while improving  to their volleyball skills.

  “I love seeing the players work on their skills and then being able to apply it during the games,” declared Chau.

  Despite only having three seniors on the team, the underclassmen have stepped up to the challenge to fill the shoes of their predecessors. Chau is instructing the team on how to become faster on their defense and more aggressive with their offense.  

  The team’s goal is to win the Division Six of the CIF Southern Section. The team believes that under the coaching and guidance of Chau, the prospect of winning the league championship seems high.