The spring sports season is nearing its conclusion, and for players and coaches, the opportunity to reach goals and build legacies has come.
As a result of outstanding performances in track and field and baseball, respectively, Mackenzie Fauver and Cole Schoenwetter of San Marcos High School were named the female and male athletes of the week at Monday’s press luncheon.
Fauver has been an indispensable piece for the Royals this season, and in the All-City meet against Santa Barbara and Dos Pueblos, she won the 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles, and high jump. She also finished second in the triple jump to lead the San Marcos girls’ varsity team to victory.
“She is just dominating the hurdle races and anything else we put her in,” said San Marcos coach Marilyn Hantgin of Fauver. “It’s going to be hard to win without her; she can just do so many things, and she really does great helping all the young people develop in the hurdles and anything else they need.”
On the diamond, Schoenwetter was dominant against a highly touted Valencia team. He struck out 14 in 6.1 innings and combined with Caden Hodina on a no-hitter against Valencia, which is the third-ranked team in CIF Division 3.
“He was perfect through five innings and also had one hit and scored a run at the plate,” said San Marcos coach Wes Ghan-Gibson of Schoenwetter’s standout performance. “This kid just lives baseball; that’s what he’s about, and I think that’s what he’s been put on this earth to do.”
Schoenwetter has only allowed two runs on three hits so far this season in 27.1 innings on the mound. He is committed to UCSB and projected to be drafted in the first two rounds of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.
Laguna Blanca Scholar Athlete of the Year
Alexandra Siegel competes in tennis, soccer, and lacrosse at the varsity level. She is the captain of the tennis and soccer teams.
While living in Tokyo during her younger years, she started a girls’ soccer league during 6th grade that is still active today. She is the co-editor and chief of The Fourth Estate, which is Laguna Blanca’s student-led news site.
Siegel has a 4.57 GPA with several advanced-placement courses including, AP Government, AP Environmental Sciences, AP Literature, French Four Honors, and Advance Journalism. She received the Scholar Athlete of the Year award at Monday’s press luncheon.
UCSB Softball Reaching New Heights
Jo Evans was hired as UCSB softball head coach in August after 27 years as head coach of Texas A&M and has already made a massive imprint on the UCSB program.
The Gauchos boast a 22-11 overall record, including 9-3 in Big West Conference play, which is good enough for first place. In addition UCSB softball is riding an eight-game winning streak after recent three-game sweeps of Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield.
“We will hit the toughest part of our conference schedule coming up here next week. We host Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton, who are both really tough teams,” Evans said. “For me, it has been a labor of love trying to build a culture and creating new standards for a program that has struggled a little bit in the past.”