Winter Athletics Roundup

By Matt Drew, Assistant Athletic Director

It was an exciting and competitive winter season on the Mesa with two teams earning Frontier League titles and four teams making California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section playoff runs.

Girls Soccer

Girls soccer had an outstanding season going 11-2-1 (9-0-1) to win their league and book a trip to the playoffs. The Rams were an unstoppable force, plowing through their competition all season long. The girls played host to Campbell Hall from Studio City in the first round of the CIF Playoffs and put together their most complete game of the season with a 3-0 shutout. It was a thrilling victory over a very good team that put the Rams into the second round. Unfortunately, the team drew No. 1 seed Hemet on the road, and as Coach Taylor Wyatt said after the game, “they were as deserving of the number one seed as anyone.” Hemet would go on to win that second round matchup 6-0, but by no means was that final score telling of the effort and determination the team played with. The Rams fought to the final whistle and should be incredibly proud of their entire season. A huge thank you from Coach Wyatt and Coach Lisa Holmes to seniors Ava Bracher, Tamsyn Taptich, Emie Nam,

Boys Soccer

Boys soccer also earned a spot in the CIF playoffs after going 6-3-2 overall and 4-2-2 in league play. The season was defined by streaks of wins, losses, and ties, culminating in a two-game winning streak heading into the playoffs. The Rams kept fans on the edge of their seats during the playoffs, opening with a 1-0 win over Diamond Bar in the wild card round. Two days later, the Rams played spoiler, pulling off an upset over Poly (Pasadena) with a final-minute goal to force overtime and emerged victorious after a 4-1 result in penalty kicks. The second round brought one of the most exciting soccer games ever to Nion Tucker '40 Field. The Rams battled for 80 minutes against No. 2 seed Ánimo Leadership before an unlucky handball resulted in a gameending penalty. An unfortunate end to an unbelievable game and season. Coach Jorge Reynoso and Coach Jose Molina send a big thank you to seniors Sage Hou and Jae Lim on great careers.

Boys Basketball

Boys basketball finished the season with a 12-7 overall record and went 5-3 in league play, just missing out on the title in the final week of play. After starting the season strong, the group was plagued by injuries and battled against tough competition during the middle stretch of the year. The Rams bounced back to win six of their last seven, including a thrilling victory over rival Thacher to clinch a spot in the playoffs. With wins over Northview and Santa Ana, Cate made it to the CIF Quarterfinals for the second year in a row, before falling to eventual champion Jordan. A very skilled and deep team played a fast-paced game and made it difficult for the Rams. The boys played with great effort and grit all year against one of the tougher schedules the program has played. Coach Andy Gil and Coach Joe Cordero send a big thank you to seniors Babacar Pouye, Jengus Ercil, Marley Joseph, Daniel Lee, William Vanica, and Jack Higgins on a fantastic four years.

Girls Basketball

Girls basketball turned in an undefeated league campaign (6-0) to capture the Frontier title and went 8-6 overall on their way to the CIF Playoffs. With momentum entering the playoffs, the Rams hosted Pacifica (Garden Grove), a school of nearly 1,700 students, in the First Round at Sprague Gym. In front of a great crowd, the girls played with incredible effort and heart, but succumbed to the sheer size of Pacifica. The Rams had an amazing season that ended the same way it started, with the team playing as one and giving it their all. Coach Laura Moore and Coach Tim Weir would like to thank seniors Desi Flores, Kendall Thorne, Nicole Teh, Mary Foster, and Talia Tom on their great work over the past four years.

Girls Water Polo

Girls water polo rounds out the winter teams and had a season filled with tremendous growth. Despite their overall record, there were many great accomplishments. A young and inexperienced Rams team made significant strides throughout the year and will only continue to grow moving forward. Coach Jesse Morrison and Coach Duffy Montgomery '16 would like to say a big thank you and congratulations to seniors Liz Sutter, Lylie Bechtel, Myla Van Lynde, Cathleen Chow, and Stella Meister.

The athletic department would like to thank all of our winter athletes, with special recognition for our seniors, on incredible seasons and for making all members of the Cate community proud.

Grandparents Day 2023

On Friday, January 27, Cate hosted Grandparents Day on the Mesa with more than 100 grandparents, parents, and friends in attendance on a delightful, crisp winter day. Cate's last Grandparents Day event was held in 2019. Event participants had the opportunity to attend a variety of activities, including listening to Ben Williams' presentation on A Fortunate Life, attending classes and assembly, having lunch with their student, enjoying a classical musical performance, and cheering on afternoon sports activities. Students enjoyed a unique photo opportunity with their grandparents, surely a keepsake for many years beyond Cate. Thank you to all grandparents, parents, and friends who attended and for being part of a remarkable day. View a full gallery of images from Grandparents Day here.

View the full gallery of images from Grandparents Day.