The 2022 calendar year certainly brought out some outstanding efforts by our local high school sports teams. This included a pair of CIF Southern Section championships and some other feats that deserve mention.
Take a look below at our top 10 for the year.
- Burroughs Boys’ Volleyball
This team may have not won a CIF title, it may have won something even bigger. Burroughs won the elite Santa Barbara Tournament, defeating both Corona del Mar and Mira Costa on the same day. For those that are not familiar with high school volleyball, Corona del Mar and Mira Costa are to high school volleyball what Duke and North Carolina are to college basketball. After the tournament, Burroughs was ranked No. 12 in the nation in the USA Today Volleyball Coaches Association poll. The Bears did also win yet another Pacific League title, their 12th in a row and finished with a 30-4 record. - Burroughs Boys’ Golf
The Bears captured their second consecutive Pacific League title and were led by one of the top trios in the state in Lincoln Melcher, Adriel Abaoag and Emilio Huerta. Melcher and Abaoag were two of just 23 golfers in the entire CIF Southern Section to advance to the Southern California Golf Association Regional Championship, which was following the CIF championship. Melcher is now playing at UCLA. - Burroughs Baseball
The Bears had a magical year in winning the CIF Southern Section Division 5 title with a 1-0 win over Moreno Valley High in a game played at Cal State Fullerton. Burroughs finished the year with a 23-11 record. The Bears also reached the semifinals of the CIF Southern California Division IV regional championship. Pitcher Gunnar Nichols had an amazing postseason and is now at Pepperdine University.
4. Burbank Boys’ Tennis
The Bulldogs finished second in the Pacific League and came within a whisker of tying Arcadia. Burbank had the Apaches hanging on the ropes before a late comeback resulted in 83-80 games victories after both teams tied with nine sets each. Burbank got a bad playoff draw and fell in the first round to Dos Pueblos Individually, Burbank singles players Adam Ridaoui who is now a senior, and Amrith Kodumuri, now a sophomore, not only went 1-2 league, but both advanced out of their section rounds to qualify for the CIF finals. Burbank carried the distinction of being the only school in the Southern Section to have two reach the 19-player final draw. Kodumuri defeated Rio Hondo League champion Lance Morgan of La Canada in the first round of the finals, before falling to eventual champion Andy Nguyen of Millikan. Ridaoui fell in the first round of the CIF finals.
5. Burroughs Girls’ Swimming
The Bears won the CIF Southern Section Division 4 title, the lowest of the four divisions contest by the Southern Section. The Bears had lost to rival Burbank in the dual meet between the two squads. But it was Burroughs that scored 199 points at the Marguerite Aquatics Complex in Mission Viejo.
6. Providence Boys’ Cross Country
The Pioneers won their second consecutive Prep League title and also returned to the California State Meet. Sophomore Henry Virtue along with seniors Aidan Urbina and Trevor Deane led the way.
7. Providence Girls’ Cross Country
Hard to believe that three teams tied for second place through five runners and Providence actually finished fourth in the tie-breaker in Prep League finals. But Providence, which was already ranked in CIF, advanced to postseason play and qualified for the state championship for the first time in school history. Sophomore Aubrey Eaton was the league individual champion. Sister Reese Eaton and Natalie Gonzalez, who are also both just sophomores, give the Pioneers something to look forward to over the next two years.
8. Burroughs Softball
The Bears had a solid regular season, which was followed by an excellent playoff run that saw the team reach the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs. Burroughs went 22-11-1 and also participated in the CIF Southern California Regional State playoffs.
9. Burroughs Girls’ Basketball
Not much was expected of the Bears after losing much of its star power from the previous season to graduation. But veteran coach Vicky Oganyan was able to put together another fine squad as Burroughs finished the season with a 22-7 record and reached the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2-AA playoffs.
10. Burbank Girls’ Basketball
The Bulldogs made their first playoff appearance since 2016 and then put together a nice postseason run. Burbank went 14-8 overall and reached the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 3A playoffs under first-year coach Kris Jabourian.
