(back)

Sports Notebook
Corona volleyball hopes stay alive

By Cody Roth & Ethan Holly

Boys Volleyball continued its route for the Central Region title as the team coasted through four straight region match-ups. The match against Mountain Pointe drew extra emphasis, as the Aztecs and Pride were battling for top honors in the division.

Corona opened the match strong, winning the first game, but then fell just short in the second matchup with a score of 28-30. The Aztecs pulled out a victory with a 25-22 third game.

Jay Swirtz lead the team once again, compiling a noteworthy 40 assists in the match.

“I felt really happy when we beat Mountain Pointe, but I didn’t want to celebrate too much because I felt that we were capable of beating them all along, and didn’t want it to seem like it was a miracle that we actually did,” junior Aram Asadi said.

“Everyone looked forward to the match against Mountain Pointe, and in the end we all came through with big performances.”

The victory over Mountain Pointe was especially important to the team’s confidence, as it was the first time in seven years they had defeated the region rival. With just two games remaining in the season, boys volleyball looks to improve upon its already stellar 11-4 record, and take the region title.

Though not technically regarded as a sport by Corona Athletics, JV Hockey has dominated its opposition throughout the year, and brought hope for a bright future. Consisting of mostly freshmen and sophomores, the Aztecs defeated Brophy in the championship match to put the finishing touches on their 17-0-3 season.

Ryan Reynolds led the team in scoring with 29 goals, and finished second in the leagues. Following behind him where Ryan Greenspan and Andrew Stravers.

Defense also was imperative to the team’s success as they had two goalies in the top five in the state. The goalies surrendered only 30 goals over the course of the year.

Track and field continued to prepare for the state meet, while competing in the Tribune Invitational, held at Westwood High School.

Standout performances included those by Sara Adams and Lindsay Dorweiler, who placed second and third respectively in the 800; Samia Stokes, who placed second in the Discuss Throw; Jeff Swindle, who placed fifth in the 1600; Brendon McMaster, who placed fourth in the 3200; and Phil Feinberg who took first in the high jump and fourth in the long jump.

Unfazed despite the lack of any senior leadership to guide them, Girls Softball battled to a 20-5 record overall, and gained the respect of their peers. The departure of Whitney Lebowitz and Katie Laing left doubts over how well the team could perform this season. Although not ranked at the beginning of the season, the team’s hard work and determination led to them to a top-10  state ranking. 

“My juniors have stepped up on the leadership,” Coach Jennifer Ray said. “They hang out on and off the field and organize team dinners together.”

Varsity Girls Tennis capped off their season with a 19-2 overall record, and their fourth consecutive region title.

Though Senior Lynley Wasson received the majority of the praise throughout the season, capturing an unheard-of third state championship, all six members of the team qualified for the tournament. The girls joined a dynasty that has been undefeated in region play for four straight seasons.

In the first round of the state tournament, the Aztecs defeated Mesquite 5-1 to advance to the quarter finals against Xavier on April 26.

In its first meeting, Corona sneaked by its rival 5-4, with senior Lenee Brewster winning both her singles and doubles matches.

“The victory over Xavier set the tone, even though it came late in the season, because it gave us a positive outlook toward post season play.” Coach Carol Sandvig said.

“The second time around will be tough, and will come down to who wants it the most.”

(back)