Jayla Ballesteros
The 2023 Fall sports season is flying by at a rapid pace. Water polo, volleyball, cross country, golf, and tennis are this season’s sports. The schedules are packed with games, and each of the teams has had a busy Fall. The Catalina tennis team has had an impactful season so far. Led by their coach, Richie, and team captain Ally Yoshiyama, they placed third in the Gabilan Division. They await a final match that will decide whether or not they will attend this year’s Central Coast Section Championship. Catalina tennis has put in a lot of effort this season and with their in-league record is six wins and four losses. The girls have thrived this fall and Catalina held its 64th annual Santa Catalina Girls Varsity Tennis Invitational. It has not taken place in the last few years due to COVID, so the team was excited about the event. They worked hard at the tournament and played wonderfully. The tennis team has had a busy competition season having at least one game a week; and for three consecutive weeks, the girls had three games a week. Even though this must have been exhausting for the players, they were ready to play their hardest at each of the games.
Catalina Tennis has four seniors this year: Ava Kruger, Gaby Salazar Zaied, Ally Yoshiyama, and Ines Larrauri Robinson Bours. This strong group of seniors has helped mold Catalina Tennis into the successful team today. The girls started out strong, winning 6-1 against Notre Dame within the first three weeks of the season. During this match, Gaby Salazar ‘24 and Ines Larrauri ‘24 were a doubles team and won a decisive tiebreaker against Notre Dame. The two players make a strong team and are incredibly entertaining to watch.
Though the season has been extended, it is not over yet. With a few games left, the team has come together and is working hard to finish out the season The Catalina Tennis team is excited to see where their efforts will take them and if they will make it to CCS this year.
LAMPLIGHTER 