SBART Press Luncheon: Abigail Garcia is the Scholar Athlete of the Year for Bishop Diego

Two sets of athletes of the week received their awards at Monday’s SBART Press Luncheon at Harry’s Cafe.

Dayzia Mendoza of Santa Barbara High basketball and Francisco Miguel Espinoza of Dos Pueblos High wrestlings were honored as last week’s winners.

Mendoza scored 37 points, including a school record nine three-pointers and added eleven rebounds in a 72-33 win over Rio Mesa. Espinoza finished in first place at the 108 pounds at the Channel League Championships. He racked up a team-high 26 points and qualified for the CIF playoffs in the process. 

This week’s honorees were Tobin Shyrock of Santa Barbara High boys’ basketball and HanaLora Abel of Dos Pueblos High girls water polo.

Shyrock helped lead Santa Barbara to the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division 3A playoffs with nine points, nine rebounds and six assists in a 72-48 win over Viewpoint in the first round and provided lockdown defense to hold West Torrance’s leading scorer to six points in round 2.

Abel provided clutch scoring to boost Dos Pueblos to the Quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. She totaled three goals in a 13-5 win over El Segundo in the first round and scored the game-winning goal in a 5-4 double OT win over Schurr in the second round.

BIshop Diego Scholar Athlete of the Year

Multi-sport standout Abigail Garcia was named Bishop Diego Scholar Athlete of the Year. She has been a part of two CIF championship teams with girls volleyball in 2021 and girls soccer in 2022.

Garcia was also a key player on Bishop Diego’s inaugural flag football team this season. In the classroom she maintains a 3.75 unweighted GPA and also serves as ASB Vice President.

In girls soccer, Garcia is a dominant force that has been named to the Marmonte League first-team three times. She will be competing in Track & Field for the first time this spring.

“It’s always nice to have kids that work hard that are very academic and athletic oriented,” said Bishop Diego Athletic Director John Muller. “She is our best soccer player by far. She dominated the field. She is very good.”

Dos Pueblos Girls Water Polo Survives and Advances to Semifinals

Coming into a quarterfinals match against Schurr of Montebello in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs, the Dos Pueblos High girls water polo team has not defeated a higher ranked team all season.

However, the Chargers picked a perfect time to pull off their first upset of the season defeating Schurr 5-4 in double overtime.

“We had a grind on Saturday. All season we had been playing exactly where the polls said we should be, We had not beat anybody ahead of us and had not lost to anyone behind us until Saturday,” said Dos Pueblos girls water polo coach Chris Parrish. 

The Chargers hope to continue their strong play in the semifinals at top-seeded Corona Del Mar on Wednesday beginning at 5 p.m.