West Ranch

WEST RANCH BOYS

The Coach

2022 Schedule

West Ranch Wildcats Head Coach Jeff Bryant III. PHOTOS BY CHRIS TORRES / THE SIGNAL

2022 Roster

# Name Year Position

0 Carson Yahata 11 G 1 Jaiyon Gardner 10 G 2 Jaqari Miles 12 G/F 3 Isaiah Fields 12 F 4 Darrell Moris 11 G 5 James Evans 11 F 11 David Coniglio 12 G 13 Andrew Meadow 12 F 20 Prince Oknonkwo 23 Aidan Banayo 12 G 24 Zach Bauman 11 G 32 Jazz Gardner 12 C Nov. 14-16 Paul Sutton Tipoff Classic TBA Nov. 29 Canyon* 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at Saugus* 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at Valencia* 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17-26 at San Ysidro Tournament TBA Jan. 3 Hart* 6:30 p.m. TBA Jan. 6 Golden Valley* 6:30 p.m. Jan. 7 Etiwanda 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at Castaic* 6:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at Canyon* 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 14

Grant 6:00

Jan. 17 Saugus* 6:30 p.m. Jan. 20 Valencia* 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at Hart* 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28 Nike Extravaganza TBA Jan. 31 at Golden Valley* 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 Castaic* 6:30 p.m.

* Foothill League games

GIRLS BASKETBALL

2022 Schedule The Coach

Nov. 14 at Village Christian TBA Nov. 16 at Notre Dame TBA

Nov. 18 at Lakeview Charter TBA

Nov. 29 Canyon* 5 p.m. Dec. 2 Saugus* 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at Valencia* TBA Dec. 19-21 Tournament of Champions TBA Dec. 27-30 Marina Tourney TBA Jan. 3 Hart* 5 p.m. Jan. 6 Golden Valley* 5 p.m. Jan. 10 at Castaic* 5 p.m. Jan 13 at Canyon* 5 p.m. Jan. 17 at Saugus* 5 p.m. Jan. 20 Valencia* 5 p.m. Jan. 27 at Hart* 5 p.m. Jan. 30 Trinity TBA Jan. 31 at Golden Valley* 5 p.m. Feb. 2 Castaic* 5 p.m.

* Foothill League games Head coach Daisy Cardenas. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL

2022 Roster

# Name Year Position 31 Nadia Bernard 12 C/F 3 Mikayla Friend 12 G 25 Maia Garrison 9 F 4 Savannah Gatewood 11 G 1 Abigail Lin 12 G 23 Audrey Lynch 12 F 0 Genoveva Miron 12 G 2 Aubrey Molina 11 G 14 Tyler Molina 12 G 21 Serena Sandhu 12 C/F 30 Alissa Saradin 12 F 34 Aishwarya Sudan 10 G 24 Alanna Topete 11 G

West Ranch Boys Looking to Add a Ring

By Justin Vigil-Zuniga

Signal Sports Writer

The Wildcats have their eyes set on big things and may have another roster equipped for a long playoff run.

It’ll all start in Foothill League play, where West Ranch hasn’t lost a game in nearly three years. They enter the season on a 24-game winning streak in league action.

The Cats returned their three leading scores from last year and added a ton of depth to the already loaded roster.

Reigning Foothill League Player of the Year Andrew Meadow led the Wildcats last year with 19.9 points and 7.2 rebounds a night. This year, Meadow will spend less time on the block, be able to move around more freely and won’t be stuck guarding the opposing biggest player the whole game.

Three-time Hacienda League Player of the Year Jazz “Big” Gardner joins West Ranch for his senior season. The 7-footer will take Meadow’s responsibility in the paint, moving him to his natural position on the wing and give the Cats another huge advantage on the court.

Gardner finished his junior season with a 19.2-12.9-2.8 average along with 3.5 blocks a game with the Los Altos Conquerors.

“The community and school love Jazz,” said head coach Jeff Bryant. “He’s a big gentle giant. He does everything the right way. The team loves him and that’s why he’s going to college.”

Bryant praised his center’s off-the-court presence of always talking to West Ranch teachers and staff as well as being close to a 4.0 student.

Gardner transferred in a package deal as his younger brother Jaiyon and father Jelani will have roles on the team and coaching staff.

The Gardner brothers are a few of a bigger transfer class for West Ranch. It did take some time to acclimate to one another but the team believes it has something special.

“We had to adjust to each other but we’re getting there,” said Meadow. “Each day we have a better practice and we’re building on it. Everyday keeps building us and we’re going to have a good season.”

Junior James Evans is also poised for a big season. Evans has been a force in the Foothill League since his freshman year. The 6-foot, 6-inch forward is coming off a 16.6 and 6.3 season while leading the team in steals. Evans is excited for his teammates to share in the scoring and add another defensive presence.

“Isaiah Fields is going to surprise people this year,” said Evans. “He’s a high-flyer and can shoot. He can really do it all. And Darrell Morris, one of our scrappy guards, he’s a lockdown defender.”

Morris is an intense on-ball defender who will pick up ball handlers at 94 feet and give opposing guards little to no breathing room.

At the shooting guard spot, the team returns another 16-point average scorer in senior Jaqari Miles.

The senior believes his defense will be the biggest area of improvement from the 2021-22 league championship team.

“I feel like our defense got a lot better,” said Miles. “[Our fullcourt press] will never change. We’ll always press.”

The team will have sharp outside shooting from Zach Bauman and David Coniglio.

For the first time in Bryant’s tenure, he’ll have a senior-heavy team. The team has exited the playoffs earlier than they expected in each of the last two seasons. Now with a ton of experience, Bryant believes his team can finally get over the hump in the postseason.

“I think that’s our biggest strength right now, our senior experience,” said Bryant. “We’ve been here before. We’re very senior-heavy and those seniors are guys that have been in the playoffs. I’m hoping that’s going to be our strength and hopefully get us over the hump.”

The team knows what’s at stake and the players are handling their academics as well as Byrant could hope for. The head coach believes he has at least five seniors who could go on to play college basketball and wants his players to strive on and off the court to be ready.

“Our motto is, ‘Be a champion in the classroom,’” said Bryant. “Our new principal [Robert Fisher] definitely supports our basketball program but we understand that academics come first. It’s definitely a goal to finish the school year with a 3.5 GPA or above as a team.”

The goals on the court remain the same. Win league, win CIF and win state. 

West Ranch Girls Ready to Join Contention

By Justin Vigil-Zuniga

Signal Sports Writer

It’s been 13 years since the Wildcats have come close to the top of the Foothill League but the team may finally be on the rise.

Last year, West Ranch managed to sneak into the postseason and won its first playoff game in 12 years.

The Wildcats will feature head coach Daisy Cardenas in her first year as a head coach. Cardenas is a former standout at Canyon and is the first local rival to pop up from the Jessica Haayer coaching tree.

The former Canyon and Whittier College shooting guard has enjoyed her short time as a head coach. Cardenas has a ton of insight to offer her team on defensive pressure and shooting mechanics.

The team didn’t get a summer season but still feel they’re jelling with some new players and their new head coach.

West Ranch will feature a true big in Long Beach State-bound Nadia Bernard. The 6-foot, 3-inch center is the focal point of her team with point guard Alana Topete. The two have been playing together for a few years pre-dating high school and are ready for big years.

“We definitely have a pretty nice point guard,” said Bernard. “We have a post, myself. I feel like that’s our advantage over a lot of other teams in this league. We also have a lot of girls that want to work hard and play defense.”

Cardenas has been pushing defensive intensity into her new squad, a different style than some of the girls are used to at West Ranch.

“We’ve definitely been working on improving our defense,” said Topete. “On offense, we’re moving the ball around more and getting everyone involved.”

The Wildcats have plenty of options with scoring the ball but with Bernard’s presence in the paint, the bulk of the West Ranch points may come down low.

Don’t count out outside shooting from the Cats as the team will have a handful of sharpshooters led by junior Aubrey Molina. The shooting guard will be a knockdown option and likely get plenty of good looks this year on kickouts from the inside attack.

Molina believes the team chemistry has them ahead of schedule with a brand-new coach.

“Our chemistry has really bonded us,” said Molina. “We’re doing well with our new coach, new adjustments, new style of play and new program.”

Two new additions to the team will also likely have a big impact to the Cats’ offense.

Sophomore Aishwayra Sudan will also be a threat to shoot inside and outside. Cardenas is hoping Sudan and Molina’s range will help spread the floor, clearing some breathing room for Bernard and vice versa.

Freshman Maia Garrison may also be a name to keep an eye on. Garrison’s defense has quickly impressed Cardenas, which may lead the freshman into a big role on the gritty Wildcat defense.

Lastly, returning senior Genoviva Miron will also be a big plus on defense. Miron will also likely tally up some solid points on offense but be another two-way force for West Ranch.

The group is working hard but still is having a blast being back together in the gym.

“It’s really fun, we’re a really funny group,” said Molina. “Lots of jokes going on. It’s a really positive environment and we’re all doing really well in it.”

Cardenas has played for nearly half of her opposing coaches in the Foothill League. The first-year head coach is looking forward to putting together game plans against some of the coaches who shaped her basketball mind.

“I’m really excited,” said Cardenas. “I think seeing everybody in the Foothill League is going to be kind of crazy for me, especially because I played for a few of the coaches.”

Cardenas’ youth playing career included playing for Kevin Honaker, Haayer and Jerry Mike. Now she’ll aim to beat them at their own game.

“One thing I’m hoping to see is more competitiveness,” said Cardenas. “You don’t understand when your time is done until it’s actually done. So, I think just having them understand that, be competitive and take everything into consideration that it might be their last game. To always give 100% I think that’s been something that I’ve preached to them a lot.”

West Ranch has a mountain to climb but the team’s hard work and chemistry may make it a smooth ascent. 