Trabuco Hills might have put an end to a SoCal dynasty. Santiago not only missed an opportunity to avenge last year’s CIF Final loss, but also to qualify for state playoffs. The Sharks have eight seniors, and may have to go into a rebuilding stage for next season. Two of those seniors—Makayla Wolfe (12) and Jesse Prichard (12), have been Varsity starters sine their freshman year, while Natalie Shollin since her sophomore year. Santiago is losing their all-star Wolfe to UCI, while LMU awaits Prichard, who may be one of, if not the best, setters in the state, along with Shollin to NU, who is a first time all-star this year. It only gets worse since Chanel Hoffman’s successor and starting outside hitter, Bailee Turang (12), is a senior as well.
The Sharks, however, have some bright spots for the future, with two underclassmen MB’s, Erin Anderson (10) and Ashlyn Blotzer (11), returning as preliminary starters only as a sophomore and junior. They will have their starting libero Sarah Smevog (10) back, who will only be a junior next year, but a well-seasoned “veteran,” as well as back-up setter Aimee Cortes (10), who will have to fill in the shoes of Prichard as a starter next season.
The Sharks ended their season with a still impressive 32-4 record. One of the highlights of the season was them winning the Ayala Invitational, beating their rival King in the semis followed by a sweep of Claremont in the final. The most impressive feat was the fact that they didn’t drop a single set during the tournament. Santiago endured another undefeated league season, dropping only two sets (both to King). Although no CIF title, the Sharks ended the season as the #2 team in the Southern Section Division 1A rankings.
Coach Elvik will continue to lead this team, which is one of the three best programs on campus and in Southern California. Although the year didn’t go as planned, the Santiago Sharks program still had a stellar season, and have a bright future ahead of them. It will not be difficult nor easy, but with one of the best coaches in the state, the Sharks look like they’ll maintain their dominance.
