NORWALK – What a year it's been for the area high school, college and university athletic teams.

Let’s take a look at just a few of the stories, in no particular order.

It all started with sports finally coming back after months and months of inactivity because of the pandemic of 2020.

Biola University started it off with men’s basketball coming back first in mid-January, which was followed by the first high school competition – cross country in February.

The high school sports scene gradually started to take shape and get back to a bit of normalcy, with a limited football schedule, but no playoffs.

That was followed by the usual spring sports; baseball, softball, track and field, boys volleyball, etc.

A few two-sport athletes had a tough decision to make, once it was announced that basketball would play in the spring, along with baseball and other spring sports.

However, all-in-all, the athletic directors – Linda Parra (John Glenn), Christina Mead (La Mirada), David Snyder (Norwalk), Steve Hendry (Santa Fe) and Rich Avina (St. Paul) - had their hands full these last two seasons and did a great job organizing schedules for all of the sports, which were all compressed into a spring season.

A few of the bigger highlights this year was the La Mirada girls soccer team winning the CIF Division 2 Championship and Biola’s men’s basketball coach Dave Holmquist winning his 1,000th career basketball game. Meanwhile, the Santa Fe boys water polo team qualified for its first CIF appearance in over 30 years, while the John Glenn softball team qualified for its first-ever CIF game.

In addition, Norwalk High School completed its beautiful sports complex, St. Paul made a big time hire of a new boys basketball coach – Patrick Roy – and local Olympic swimming hopeful Kayla Han made a big splash at the 2021 trials.

Finally, Biola’s softball team finished as the NCAA DII runner-up and they also debuted their first-ever men’s water polo program, while Cerritos College finished second in California in wrestling.

Here are their stories:

La Mirada - Girls CIF Soccer Champions

**La Mirada Varsity Girls Soccer team with the CIF Division 2 Championship letters at the La Mirada City Council meeting. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

The Matadores girls soccer team won its fourth CIF title in school history with a 2-1 win over Saugus in May.

La Mirada previously won its first title, which was a co-championship in 2008, followed by back-to-back titles in 2015-16. They also won a state championship in 2016.

“This one was really special, because it was D2 and because it was COVID and a bummer year,” longtime La Mirada coach Dave Christensen said.

Scoring the winning goal in the 95th minute on a penalty kick was senior defender Marissa Marquez. Sophomore forward Cassandra Villanueva scored in the 35th minute to tie the game, 1-1.

Leading the way the whole season was senior goalkeeper Sage Strohman, who was named CIF Player of the Year. Strohman has since entered West Point and finished this past season as the starting goalie for the Black Knights.

Norwalk High School Sports Complex

**The Grand Opening Ceremony of the Norwalk Athletic Fields and Stadium at Norwalk High School in October. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

After a two-year project, the beautiful Norwalk High School Sports Complex was dedicated this past Fall for its official opening.

The brand new, all-turf stadium and sports complex project is the result of a $375 million bond measure passed by Norwalk residents in 2014. The $33 million project began construction in October of 2019.

The complex consists of a new stadium, baseball and softball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, a field house and concession stand. “The culmination of a two-year journey has led us to this grand opening of this amazing sports complex,” said Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Superintendent John Lopez, at the grand opening.

Making its official debut on the field was the inaugural football game for the Lancers Friday, April 2.

Santa Fe Boys Water Polo

**Santa Fe’s Nathan Salcedo (5) scores a goal against Whitney in the first round of the CIF Water Polo Division 6 playoffs. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

For the first time in over 30 years the Chiefs Boys Water Polo team qualified for the CIF playoffs, after a breakout season with a 20-10 record. In addition to advancing to its first playoff game in years, the Chiefs also won their first CIF game, a 10-6 win over Whitney in a Division 6 first-round game.

They fell, 11-2, in the second round, but first-year coach Jacob Correa was proud of his team.

“From the beginning they doubted themselves, but with practice and repetition they were able to get it done,” said Correa, who was in his fourth year as coach.

“Our strengths were teamwork,” said Correa, after the win over Whitney. “We worked the ball around and didn’t have any bad possessions.”

Leading the team this year was senior hole set Nathan Salcedo with 110 goals. The other three big scorers for Santa Fe were Max Rivas with 71 goals, Eric Lopez (54) and Joshua Lara (50).

Longtime Santa Fe Athletic Director Steve Hendry was very proud of his young coach.

“Jacob (Correa) has done a great job with the entire aquatics program,” Hendry said. “He works well with the athletes and the administration. His focus throughout the last year and a half has been the safety of the kids.

“Jacob has definitely changed the culture of our boys water program.”

Peralta plays two sports concurrently

**Joey Peralta, a three-year two way player, chose baseball his senior year but played the final basketball game to cap his senior year. (Photos by Keith Durflinger)**

One of the multiple sport athletes was Santa Fe Boys Athlete of the Year, senior Joey Peralta, who couldn’t play the two sports that he loved – basketball and baseball. He had to make a choice. It was baseball.

Playing all four years for basketball coach Leonard Romero, Peralta played a full season of baseball for coach Pierre Romo, but on the last day of the basketball season on senior night, Peralta suited up one last time and he shined, scoring a game-high 21 points.

John Glenn Softball

**John Glenn's Julia Cole (23) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a three run home run against Magnolia in their CIF softball second round playoff game. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

After 31 years of not qualifying for the CIF-Southern Section playoffs, the John Glenn Eagles made a run in 2021 that will be remembered for some time.

Glen, coached by Larry Leal, in his third year, not only qualified, but won its first-ever playoff game and won a second-round game before falling in the quarterfinals.

In the two wins, they combined for 24 runs, shutting out the teams both times.

“It feels good because it hasn’t happened in a long time,” said Glenn junior pitcher, Gabby Ortega of their CIF wins.

This years’ team is mostly freshmen, but the next two incoming classes also look to carry the Eagles for the next few years

“What an incredible run our softball program had this year,” Parra said of the successful year. “John Glenn High School and the Norwalk La Mirada Union School District is so proud of the accomplishments of our Varsity Softball program this year.”

St. Paul High School

A new era began with the hiring of the boys basketball coach Patrick Roy this past summer.

The announcement was made by first-year athletic director Rich Avina.

Roy comes to St. Paul with a wealth of experience, winning two CIF titles at Inglewood High School

“This is a great day and a great fit for St. Paul basketball,” said Avina, at the time of the hiring,

Roy came into the season with a lifetime record of 502 wins and 123 losses.

Kayla Han – Olympic swimming hopeful

**Kayla Han, 13, with the La Mirada Armada swim team competed in the 400M IM in the Olympic Trials in June. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

At the young age of 12, Kayla Han became one of the youngest swimmers to qualify for the US Olympic trials this past summer.

Han, now 13, who swims out of the Splash Aquatics Center in La Mirada for the Armada Swim Club, competed in the grueling 400 Individual Medley.

She missed her opportunity, but had an incredible swim in the 400 IM.

Getting to the Olympic Trials was one thing, but the biggest splash Han made was an unbelievable comeback and win in her 400 IM race in the B Final.

The 5’5” swimmer, who had already missed the cut for the summer Olympics, had a fantastic swim as she trailed three swimmers heading into the final turn. She eventually won on a monumental final lap.

“It’s definitely a step closer to my dream of getting an Olympic gold medal,” Han said. “It’s a really good experience for the next Olympics and I’m still training hard for the Olympics in three years.

Concurring with the dreams of Han was former Olympic swimmer Patty Caretto-Brown.

“She definitely has a very, very promising career ahead of her,” Caretto-Brown said. “She is definitely an Olympic hopeful for 2024 in Paris. It’s got to be so unbelievable for her.”

Biola University – Basketball coach Dave Holmquist wins No. 1,000

**Biola men's basketball head coach, Dave Holmquist, recorded his 1,000th coaching win against. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)**

Longtime Eagles men’s basketball coach Dave Holmquist became only the fifth college coach to win 1,000 games.

Holmquist, in his 45 years of coaching, achieved the milestone last February with a 73-51 win over Concordia University.

“When you have such good people, such good teammates that really like and support each other, it makes it so much better. This has been that kind of team,” Holmquist said.

In addition to that tremendous milestone, both the women’s softball team and men’s basketball team had tremendous seasons. Softball finished as runners-up in NCAA DII, falling in the championship game, while the men’s basketball team advanced to its first-ever NCAA DII Regional playoffs.

Year in Review: Sports made a comeback in 2021