Within the next two weeks, all of Rosary’s fall sports will be coming to an end. Their seasons have lasted for about three months, and sadly, they are concluding to make way for winter sports. So, let’s go through a recap of all the sports seasons, and how they finished:

Cross Country

Oct. 28 will mark the Trinity League finals for our Royal runners who finished the season strong.

Senior Anabella Baretto reflects on her last cross-country season, “Although this is my last year on Rosary’s cross-country team, this season has been some of the best few months of my senior year so far. We have been doing so well in our races, and I am so sad I only have two races left with the girls. I am so grateful that I have been able to grow so close with the underclass women during my time on the cross-country team.” While Anabella cherishes her last season, freshman Kristin Ruiz really enjoyed her first season: “It is exciting and very easy to look forward to every day.”

Golf

Rosary’s golf teams grew exponentially this season and have played a key role in the expansion of Rosary’s golf program. Although they didn’t make CIF, our Royal golfers put countless hours and effort into matches and practices. Varsity captain Nia Delacruz ’24 talks about how Rosary’s golf season went: “The season definitely started off a little rocky since we were all trying to get back into ‘school mode,’ and our season started in the second week. But once we got back into the groove of things, it became smoother. My teammates and I had a lot of fun over the season! We made so many memories and have so many stories to tell. I can definitely say that this season was eventful and very memorable. My coach combined varsity and JV, so we got to grow together as a team. Together, we went through so many ups and downs and grew so much closer over the season. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to be on a team with and grow close to such amazing people, and I know that all of my teammates would say the same.”

Tennis

Both the JV and varsity tennis teams will finish their season on Oct. 24 in a match against Mater Dei. The team’s overall record is 10-6, and they are set to make CIF this year. Head coach Debbie Simonton is so proud of her players: “The 2022 Fall tennis season has been filled with a purposeful mission to compete with the utmost integrity and determination when representing Rosary Academy!  As the great Billie Jean King has said over the years, ‘Pressure is a privilege.’ Our varsity team has embraced the intensity required to play & compete in the Trinity League. We have had 10 awesome victories thus far and will finish the season knowing that we have done everything we could to qualify for CIF! I am very proud of all our players for raising the bar!” She also wanted to congratulate and express her appreciation for her nine seniors this season.

Varsity captain Sydney Rosario ‘23 deeply appreciates her teammates and the tennis community, adding, “The season is going well! We started preseason in the first week of school, so it has felt like a longer season. The increasing progress of our tennis program is only getting stronger, and it is filled with a sisterhood bond like no other. I am so happy to be a part of this family.” 

Volleyball

Like tennis, volleyball finished their season in a heated game against Mater Dei this week. All three teams have given their full effort into their seasons despite not placing quite the way they may have wanted.

Head volleyball coach Niloofar Mojab reflects on her third season with Rosary, and her first as head coach: “We didn’t make CIF, but we definitely saw a lot of improvement. We had a pretty young team with very few seniors, so that meant they were a little inexperienced, which is both good and bad. But this year shows that we will have great seasons to come. As head coach there’s a lot I want to change in a positive way. Overall, we had a really good season because we learned a lot throughout the season and that’s what really matters to me. Every match and every day we got better, physically and mentally; we got tougher and after more than a decade we took a set off Mater Dei. I don’t think my players could have imagined doing that, and that gave our girls so much confidence. It helped them believe in their teammates and the program as a whole. I have lots of good plans for this program. I really want to support the players’ mental health and stress the importance their personal lives have on their performance on the court.” 

Rosary’s Director of Athletics, Mr. Tice, is satisfied with the way Rosary finished out its fall sports, saying, “It has been a joy to witness the personal and team growth this fall. Veteran coach Debbie Simonton has been especially fun to follow, as her tennis team has had their best results in a decade.” Mr. Tice also adds how eager he is for the upcoming winter sports: “The winter season will be as exciting as ever, with our first ever wrestling competitions. The soccer team is positioned to make some noise, with a team full of veteran players. Water polo is excited to follow the successful lead of new coach Gabriel Martinez, and we all know that Coach Yoon will have the Runnin’ Royals basketball squad reaching for the rings.”

The Royals are so proud of their fall sport athletes, and we can’t wait for the winter sports season!