Through the preseason and league, the goal of every winter sport coach has been the post-season.
With the announcement Saturday of the boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer and the girls water polo playoff brackets, and the boys divisional wrestling championships wrapping up on the same day, the fields were set for what many call the “second season.”
Although usually one of the smaller-enrollment schools in the playoffs, Ramona appears set to make some noise this winter, especially on the wrestling mat.
Ramona’s surprisingly easy victory in the inaugural girls Division 3 team championships under Caitlin Munoz has the Bulldogs poised to make a run at a top five finish in the Masters meet this Friday and Saturday at Christian High.
With five individual titlists, led by returning state meet competitor Hannah Gonzalez, the still-young second-year program is already making its mark.
Boys wrestling coach Tyler McKay is also looking to fare well at the Masters meet with section Division 3 champion at 113 pounds, Gabriel Vargas, eying not only a medal stand finish, but a potential berth in the state playoffs the following weekend in Bakersfield.
The top four boys and girls out of the Masters meet advance to state.
Here is a quick look at how the winter sports programs as Ramona stand with the winter playoffs having started.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Missing the Division 3 playoffs by just one spot, the Bulldogs instead traveled to Division 2 No. 1 Olympian for a first-round game Tuesday. Should they upset the Eagles, they’d be on the road Friday night against the No. 8 Poway-No. 9 La Jolla winner.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ramona’s girls (2-21) finished the season with 16 straight loss and did not qualify for the Division 3 playoffs.
BOYS SOCCER
A 7-8-6 overall record positioned the Bulldogs as the No. 5 seed in Division 5 where they were to host the winner of the Coastal Academy-Mar Vista first-round game Wednesday night. Win there and they play at No. 4 El Capitan on Friday night.
GIRLS SOCCER
Ramona drew No. 3 Hilltop for its first round Division 3 game on Wednesday. Should the Bulldogs (6-12-3) prevail, they would meet the winner of Valley Center-Christian contest Friday night on the road.
GIRLS WATER POLO
Battling in the Division 3 playoffs where the Bulldogs were seeded No. 5, Ramona opened by routing San Ysidro from the South Bay 22-3 before keeping the wave rolling by crushing Chula Vista Learning Charter, 20-3.
That catapulted Ramona into last Monday night’s semifinals against No. 1 University City at the La Jolla High Coggan Family Aquatic Complex where the winner would face the victor between No. 6 Steele Canyon and No. 7 Rancho Buena Vista this Saturday for the title. The championship game is scheduled for 11 a.m.
BOYS WRESTLING
Hosting the Division 3 championships, the Bulldogs qualified six competitors into the Masters meet.
Gabriel Vargas led the way by capturing the 113-pound weight class with a 4-0 decision in the championship match. He won his first round match with a fall in 2-minutes before scoring a 16-0 technical fall.
Also advancing were Logan Barrera (3rd at 120), Liam Gonzalez (2nd at 150), Liam Cavaness (3rd at 190), Cannon Frisch (5th at 215) and Braden M. Jordison (4th at 285).
GIRLS WRESTLING
With five individual titlists off the Division 3 championship team heading the list, the Bulldogs, in just their second year of competition under Caitlin Munoz, find themselves in the Masters meet discussion.
Not only did Savanna Diaz (115 pounds), Hannah Gonzales (130), Giuliana Pekelder (155), Tairen Lee (190) and Robin Moore (235) dominate their opponents, pinning everyone in the finals, they are now strong contenders for the overall title and a trip to Bakersfield for the state championships.
The reason Munoz and others believe the Bulldogs will make a major impact is teammates like Eden McNett (second at 140) and Kaitlyn Peck (second at 170) also figure to pile up a bunch of points and no one would be shocked if Kathleen Beals (third at 125) and Fatima Soto (fourth at 105) also fared well.
