The Wildcat Sports Report is your weekly roundup of the biggest moments in SI athletics. From thrilling victories to program milestones and community highlights, we bring you the stories that showcase the spirit of our Wildcats.
Wildcats Walk Off with Thriller at Oracle Park
In a tense battle between two of the city's storied rivals, St. Ignatius edged Sacred Heart Cathedral 3-2 in walk-off fashion Saturday at Oracle Park, with RJ Church's clutch single in the bottom of the eighth proving to be the difference.
With the game knotted at two, Church delivered the decisive blow, plating the winning run and sending the Wildcats faithful into a frenzy. It was the kind of finish Oracle Park was built for.
The game was defined as much by what didn't happen on the scoreboard as what did. Leo Rhein was nothing short of brilliant in relief for St. Ignatius, tossing five immaculate innings — surrendering just one hit and no runs while striking out three and issuing zero walks. He earned the well-deserved victory. Starter Chase Gordon set the tone early, going three innings and allowing two runs before handing the ball off.
Sacred Heart Cathedral drew first blood in the third inning, when a single scored two runs, giving the Fighting Irish an early cushion. St. Ignatius clawed back in the seventh, when DJ Delaney lifted a sacrifice fly to even the score at two — setting the stage for Church's heroics an inning later. The Wildcats' patient approach at the plate was a key factor all game long, drawing 10 walks on the day. Archer Horn, AJ Wineinger, and Gordon each worked two free passes, with Horn also swiping a pair of bags on the basepaths. Ryan Rosenthal, RJ Kott, and Church each contributed a hit, while St. Ignatius also turned a double play to snuff out a potential Irish threat.
The two rivals will meet again Friday, this time at West Sunset, where the Fighting Irish will be looking for revenge.
Women's Track & Field Takes 1st at CCS Top 8, Sets School and Meet Records
The women's track and field team delivered a standout performance last weekend, winning the team title at the CCS Top 8 Invitational in Los Gatos. The meet brings together the top athletes in the Central Coast Section and consistently produces some of the fastest marks of the season.
The Wildcats made an immediate statement, opening the varsity competition with a win in the 4x100m relay. The team of Breion Glaspie, Avery Hui-Bytof, Soleil Warner, and Ellie McCuskey-Hay took first in 46.70.
Senior Ellie McCuskey-Hay had a dominant day, winning the long jump (19-06) and the 100m dash (11.78). Soleil Warner also delivered one of the meet's top performances, running a personal best, school record, and meet record of 42.19 in the 300m hurdles.
The highlight of the day came in the 4x400m relay, where Gussie Robillard, McCuskey-Hay, Hui-Bytof, and Warner shattered a 29-year-old school record by five seconds, finishing in 3:48.57. The mark ranks fourth in California this season and also set a new meet record.
Additional top-three finishes included Tatum Conroy, who placed third in the high jump (5-00), and Zylah Coleman, who took second in the triple jump (38-10), matching her personal and school record. Aisha McCulloch added a third-place finish in the triple jump with a personal best of 36-02.
The Wildcats totaled 78 points to secure the team championship, with Soleil Warner earning Athlete of the Meet honors.
The team now turns its focus to WCAL Trials as they begin their push toward a league championship.
SI Women's Crew Shines at West Coast Scholastics
This past Sunday, April 19th, St. Ignatius hosted the West Coast Scholastic Championships on Lake Merced, welcoming top high school programs from as far as Utah to San Diego. This regatta is a qualifier for the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
We are proud of our team and grateful to our coaches and parent volunteers for delivering a first-class event. Hosting at this level takes a full team effort. Out on the water, SI crews had an outstanding day of racing.
Gold medal wins in the Senior Varsity 8+, Second Varsity 8+, and Freshman 8+ earned SI spots at SRAA Nationals in Oak Ridge TN May 22-23, where the team will race against the best high school programs in the country.
Senior Varsity 8+ Gold (K. Tang, D, Del Santo, J. Alcantara, K. Lin, T. Barrett, E. Lehane, A. Haller, M. Hernandez, M. Hogan)
2nd Varsity 8+ Gold (N. West, L.Chavaree, M. Moreno, M. Arieta, F. Antonini, A. Turgut, A. O'Driscoll, J. Lange)
Freshman 8+ Gold (F. Gomes, B. Parr, C. Fiester, G. Duggan, L. Beckinghomme, E. Smith, S. Boudraa, A. Turbin, C. Contreras)
Additional results included:
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Senior 4+ Gold (K. Tang, E. Lehane, J. Alcantara, M. Hernandez, M. Hogan), Silver (N. West, L.Chavaree, A. Haller, K. Lin, T. Barrett)
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Junior 8+ Gold (K. Tang, D, Del Santo, M. Moreno, K. Lin, T. Barrett, A. Turgut, F. Antonini, M. Arieta, J. Lange) Bronze (J. White, N. Rathgeb, A. Sharron, J. Ball, N. Panasik, V. Guardado, S. Labagh, O. Horan, E. Goethals)
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Novice 8+ Gold (G. Monge, L. Mayfield, A.Chigos, B. Chan, N. Panasik, M. Brightbill, S. Labagh, M. Henspetter, E. Goethals)
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Junior 4+ Gold (K. Tang, D, Del Santo, M. Moreno, K. Lin, T. Barrett), Silver (J. White, K. Timons, A. O'Driscoll, J. Ball, A. Sharron), Bronze (N. West, M. Arieta, F. Antonini, N. Rathgeb, J, Lange)
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Frosh 4+ Gold (B. Parr, L. Beckinghomme, A. Turbin, C. Fiester), 5th (F. Gomes, E. Smith, S. Boudraa, L. Mayfield, B. Chan)
From top boats to developing crews, this was a full-program performance that reflects the work being done every day. As Coach Hayden shared, "It's one thing to be fast at the top. It's another to break into new lineups, race in small boats, and still outperform the field. That kind of adaptability is a milestone for our women's team and a reflection of this team's culture." With this in mind, we are proud to represent St. Ignatius at the national level.
Up next:
US Rowing South West Regionals will take place May 1-3, where teams can qualify for US Rowing Nationals in Sarasota, Florida. Both high school and large club teams will compete. SRAA National Rowing Championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, are scheduled for May 22-23.
Wildcats Rally Past Fightin' Irish for 11–7 Victory
St. Ignatius Varsity Softball built an early multi-run cushion and then survived a stunning six-run comeback attempt by Sacred Heart Cathedral to hold on for an 11–7 win Wednesday in Pacifica.
St. Ignatius wasted no time getting on the board. In the bottom of the first, Ave Anderson tripled to center field and Gianna Galarza followed with an RBI single, staking the Wildcats to an early 2–0 lead. A double by Julie Galarza in the second pushed the advantage to 4–0, and a walk by Annie Stecher along with an SHC error added two more runs in the third to make it 6–0.
The Fightin' Irish refused to go quietly. A home run to left field in the top of the fourth was part of a jaw-dropping six-run rally that tied the game at six and silenced the SI crowd momentarily.
But the Wildcats responded immediately. St. Ignatius sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth, erupting for five runs on seven hits to retake the lead for good at 11–6. The key blow came from Vicky Carillo Marchetti, whose two-run double proved to be the decisive swing of the game. Sacred Heart added a lone run in the sixth to make it a final of 11–7, but St. Ignatius held firm the rest of the way.
Olivia Dollard earned the win in the circle for St. Ignatius, working all seven innings and striking out nine while allowing 10 hits and seven runs — five earned.
St. Ignatius amassed 16 hits on the day, with Sam Goethals, Gianna Galarza, and Delilah Berry each collecting three. Galarza, Stecher, and Carillo Marchetti each drove in two runs to pace the offense.
Up next, St. Ignatius travels to face Archbishop Mitty on Friday.
And that's a wrap for the Wildcat Sports Report – Go 'Cats!
