Week in sports: Torrey Pines girls soccer keeps league record perfect
Girls soccer:
Torrey Pines completed its perfect Avocado League title run with two wins in the last week of the regular season.
The defending San Diego Section Div. I champion Falcons defeated La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad 3-2 on Feb. 19 and Escondido 1-0 a day later.
Kate Cutting, Mary Harrah and Chelsea Small each scored one goal for Torrey Pines in the La Costa Canyon game, and goalie Ashelee Schlesier had five saves.
Meghan O’Rourke scored the Falcons only goal in the Escondido game.
The Falcons improved to 7-0 in league and 18-2-2 overall for the season.
Boys basketball:
Torrey Pines three-sport standout Trevor Newquist has throughout the season been remarkably versatile and durable while excelling in two simultaneous winter sports for Torrey Pines.
In his most recent performance, it was his ability to handle pressure and will to win that stood out.
With a share of an Avocado League title resting on his shoulders, Newquist stepped up to the free-throw line running on fumes, having played nearly the entire 32 minutes of the
Falcons pivotal Feb. 20 league finale against La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad, just one day after playing 30-plus minutes in a grueling soccer game against LCC.
Then he delivered the knockout blow, hitting the second of two free throws that turned out to be the difference in a thrilling 44-43 victory.
Torrey Pines improved to 9-1 in league and 23-4 overall for the season, giving the Falcons a share of the league title with previously unbeaten LCC (21-5, 9-1).
“Trevor is No. 1 a great athlete with a lot of talent, but his will to win and his mental approach are second to none,” Torrey Pines coach John Olive said.
“With the fatigue he was feeling and obviously the pressure, that’s just mental toughness that great athletes have.” Newquist’s job wasn’t done after draining the game winning free throw, though.
Newquist, a 6-foot-3 guard who’s the leading scorer on the basketball team and among the soccer team’s leader in goals and points, also figured prominently in the Falcons’ defensive stop that preserved the victory, forcing LCC guard James McCann to take an out-of-position 15-foot jump shot with just two seconds remaining that missed the mark.
“Trevor just harassed (McCann) into taking a really tough shot that really wasn’t a very good shot,” Olive said.
The excellent defensive play of Falcons post player Colin Porter denying LCC standout Dennis Kramer, a 6-10 post player, highlighted outstanding man-to-man defense that’s been the hallmark of an inexperienced Falcons team that’s overachieved all season.
The Falcons typically start one freshman and two sophomores.
“I think the upperclassmen have taught them how to prepare and those kids responded,” Olive said. “I’ve been really proud of the effort all season.”
Newquist scored 21 points and had 12 rebounds to lead the Falcons, and Porter added eight points and nine rebounds.
Cathedral Catholic concluded Western League play with a tough 44-40 loss to La Jolla.
The Dons placed third in the intensely competitive Western League with a 6-6 league mark and dropped to 14-12 overall for the season.
Matt Moynihan scored 14 points to lead the Dons and Chase Novak contributed 13 points.
Canyon Crest Academy defeated Madison of San Diego 57-51 in a non-league game on Feb. 18.
Niko Pepaj scored 24 points to lead the Ravens and Ahmed Hassan added 14 points.
The Ravens advanced to the Div. III playoffs despite finishing last in the Coastal South League play, going 1-7 after a 68-54 loss to Horizon of San Diego on Feb. 20.
The Ravens were 12-14 overall for the season going into their February playoff game against Cathedral Catholic.
Girls basketball:
Santa Fe Christian completed its unbeaten Coastal North League campaign, securing the title with a 50-35 victory over Calvin Christian of Escondido on Feb. 17.
Jo Carlson scored 14 points to lead the Eagles and Kiara Quinn added 12 points.
The Eagles improved to 6-0 in league and 18-8 overall for the season.
Cathedral Catholic clinched a share of the Western League title with an easy 61-21 victory over La Jolla on Feb. 20.
Victoria Lippert scored 16 points to lead the Dons and Katie Dollard added 14 points.
The Dons finished the league with an 11-1 mark and improved their overall record for the season to 18-8.
Cathedral Catholic concluded regular season play with a 65-33 thrashing of Horizon of San Diego on Feb. 20.
Canyon Crest Academy defeated Horizon of San Diego 65-33 in a Coastal League South finale for both team on Feb. 20.
Alisha Eckberg scored 17 points to lead the Ravens and Meghan Brown added 15 points.
The Ravens improved to 4-4 in league and 14-11 overall for the season.
Torrey Pines dropped into third place in the Avocado League after a 60-48 loss to La Costa Canyon in a regular season finale for both teams on Feb. 20.
Heather Serven scored 18 points to lead the Falcons and Megan Fennessy scored six points and had 13 rebounds. Sarah Lawrence added nine points and had three assists.
Torrey Pines fell to 5-5 in league and 15-13 overall for the season.