By DAVE THOMAS | Mission Times Courier
For several fall sports programs at Patrick Henry High, the sky is the limit this season.
With practices and regular season action underway, the teams are hoping for banner years.
In field hockey action, the Lady Patriots under head coach Kenny Hasselbar ended last season with a record of 18-8. Patrick Henry lost in the CIF Division I semifinals to Vista.
Heading into this year’s campaign, Patrick Henry has a number of key players, according to Hasselbar.
These include Abby Filson (Class of 2021), Jane Martinez (2020), Dani Nowicki (2020), Rachel Timmons (2021) and Jasmine Lawson (2021).
“Expectations for the upcoming season are extremely high,” Hasselbar commented. “We graduated a large portion of our team but we also have a very strong core of returning players. Losing in the D1 semifinals was heart-breaking for our program last season and left a sour taste in all our mouths. We are taking the approach to this season that it is simply one game at a time, with the end result to put the best product on the field at every opportunity.”
As Hasselbar noted, “the end goal for every team is to bring home a CIF championship and we would love to do that again, but it is still one day at a time.”
Patrick Henry opened its season last month with a 4-0 win over Hilltop.
The Lady Patriots have September dates with Torrey Pines, Helix, Westview, Cathedral Catholic, Vista, Scripps Ranch, and University City.
On the golf links, Patrick Henry finished last year with a 9-3 Eastern League record.
The Lady Patriots under head coach Chad Miller have a number of returning golfers this season.
Returning varsity golfers are Emma Abbe (12), Zoe Benink (12) Lily Thomas (11), Jojo Lampinen (11), Liliana Archuleta (11), and Kylie Munro (10). They are joined by freshmen Mackenzie Nabors and Jenel Mallari, as Patrick Henry looks to improve on its third-place league finish a season ago.
“Our program focuses on continued personal growth on the golf course and in the classroom,” Miller stated. “We aim to conduct ourselves with honor and integrity and to represent our community with class.”
Patrick Henry has September matches with Helix, Serra, San Diego, OLP, Morse, Christian, Mira Mesa and Mission Bay.
Miller also wanted to give a shout out to Mission Trails Golf Course and the Mission Trails Women’s Club for supporting high school golf.
— Dave Thomas is a San Diego-based freelance sports writer.
