Costa, Peninsula Softball See Success

Peninsula’s dramatic turnaround resulted in the Panthers finishing on top in the Bay League softball standings this week.

Peninsula’s 2-1 victory over host Redondo on Thursday allowed coach Tim Hall and his club to claim a share of the league title with Mira Costa, which earned a 9-5 decision over Palos Verdes to finish as co-champs.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Hall, who guided Peninsula to its last league title in 2008. “Last year, with a lot of these same girls, we really had to learn some tough lessons. We finished fifth out of six teams in league, but these girls committed themselves to get better during the summer and fall. I was proud of them no matter what we did or how we finished, but to be rewarded with a league title is pretty special.”

One of Hall’s pivotal players was sophomore pitcher Andie Siegel (9-8), who shut down the Sea Hawks on a two-hitter, striking out five and walking none. A pair of errors led to Redondo’s only run, but that was it.

“She pitched out of jams whenever we were in one,” Hall said of Siegel. “She was outstanding. She’s just had an amazing year. She dedicated herself all summer and all fall. She’s been a real key.”

Peninsula (11-13, 8-2) has been nothing short of amazing after losing 11 of its 14 nonleague contests before hitting a hot streak in league. The Panthers captured five straight in league play before falling in consecutive contests to Mira Costa and West Torrance last week. They bounced back to earn a dramatic 5-4 win over rival Palos Verdes on May 6, routed Leuzinger 13-0 on Tuesday and then earned the league title with the win over Redondo.

Though some observers might be surprised by the turnaround and its championship run in league, Hall isn’t.

“You do this long enough and you learn to trust your eyes more than a record,” he said. “Let’s just say that we inside the program, the players and coaches, are less surprised than anyone. We had seen some good things over the course of those [nonleague] games. We would see glimpses, but we weren’t putting games together. We would fall apart and not finish. But we started to put it together right at the beginning of league.”

Against Redondo, Kristyne Hong singled home Jenkins in the fifth inning for one run, then Camille Zuliani scored the winner from third on a double steal.

Another major player in Peninsula’s success this season is senior third baseman Allison Blackman. She hit a school-record 6 home runs and drove in 29 RBIs. Entering the contest against Redondo, Blackman was hitting .464.

“If you look at her stats, it’s just staggering,” Hall said. “She’s just had an outstanding year. And she’s played every inning of every game.”

Freshman Cassie Lajeunesse, who went 3 for 3 in the Redondo victory, Zuliani, the team’s catcher, and shortstop Taylor Karp have also made valuable contributions.

Zuliani “played in the outfield last year, so she was kind of a reluctant catcher,” Hall said. “But she really stepped up in a position where we really needed someone to step up.”

Hall added that Karp, who spent the last three seasons on the JV, has been a pleasant surprise.

“Taylor is another player who’s really dedicated herself,” the coach said. “She’s had a great year. Our team is full of great stories which explain the over-achievement or what someone would perceive it to be. I couldn’t be prouder of the girls."

Meanwhile, Mira Costa used the long ball in its victory Thursday over Palos Verdes. Meghan von Behren hit a three-run homer and Katie Saunders added a solo shot to spark the Mustangs, which finished the regular season 21-6-1 overall and 8-2 in league.

Mira Costa also recorded an 11-4 win over Redondo earlier this week. The Mustangs used six runs in the first inning to coast to the lopsided victory. They also pounded out 12 hits.

The Mustangs have benefited from the steady hitting of several of their players. Among them are junior Stefanni Lajeunesse, who is hitting .547 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. She also has seven triples.

Saunders, who has 4 homers and is hitting .484, Behren (2 home runs, .413 average), Chloe Krasnoff (4 home runs, .468 average) and Taylor Glover (3 home runs, .551 and 7 triples) have all played a big role in Mira Costa’s success.

Nicolette Gialketsis, Shannon Savino and Kamyle Glover also have played well.

Bright Future for Boys Lacrosse

The Redondo Union boys lacrosse team was eliminated from the playoffs earlier this week, but it didn’t diminish the club’s accomplishments, said coach Phil Comito.

“It definitely felt good to make our way into the playoffs… this gives our program a huge boost,” Comito said. “I think we’ll draw more athletes moving forward. We have some good younger kids that will help us move forward, too.”

Freshman Harrison Faecher is one of the rookies.

“He’s going to be an outstanding player,” Comito said. “He’s just going to get better and better. We’re excited about that.”

Comito is also excited about the prospects of freshmen Harry Whitson and Dominic Peluso, he said. Those three freshmen, along with sophomore goalie Chad Simonek and junior Jeff Brandon, give the Sea Hawks a good core of returnees.

Redondo (9-11, 6-7) rallied from a 6-0 hole against Loyola to tie the score at 6 in the fourth quarter. Loyola got two late goals to prevail in the semifinal matchup. It was the second time Loyola defeated Redondo, also besting the Sea Hawks in the season opener.

The Sea Hawks, who had never won a playoff game, opened the postseason with a 14-7 win over Crespi on May 3 to advance to their match against Loyola (see accompanying photos.)

Seniors Taylor Romero and senior Dillon Guth, both three-year starters and Redondo’s leading scorers, have been pivotal for the team’s success.

“They did a really good job of playing through injuries and setting an example for the rest of the players,” Comito said.

Redondo Girls Lacrosse Stays on Track

The Redondo girls team continues its march through the playoffs—the Sea Hawks defeated Santa Barbara Cate, 11-10, to advance to the championship in their division. Redondo rallied from a 10-8 deficit to prevail.

“Our defense was great in the second half,” said Redondo coach Tom Borgia. “We gave up a few early goals but settled down and held them to three goals in the second half.”

Julia Denney led Redondo, which now has a 20-2 mark, with five goals and an assist. Micayla Kotzbach added two goals and an assist, while Bailey Czech, Ariel Mistuloff, Allison Field and Allison Kotzbach each scored a goal.

Mira Costa knocks off Simi Valley

The Mira Costa boys volleyball team captured its second-round match at Simi Valley on Thursday, recording a sweep (25-14, 25-16, 25-15.)

D.J. White finished with 17 kills to lead the Mustangs, who advanced to Saturday’s quarterfinals, where they will meet host Mater Dei.

Karl Acres had nine kills while Kameron Bain recorded 36 assists. Mira Costa, the top seed in Division I, improved to 33-1.