Winter is coming soon, and that means the Carlmont winter sports season has started.
From the squeaking of the gym floor to the turf shining bright under the lights, Carlmont’s winter sports are in full swing.
Carlmont offers four winter sports: boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, co-ed wrestling, and cheer. Each team has its own goals, ranging from league championships to making it to the state tournament.
Varsity boys soccer
The Scots are currently 1-4 after a challenging preseason, having played some of the top teams in the area.
“This tough preseason is getting us ready for league season, where we hope to improve on our performance last year,” said head coach Ryan Freeman.
The team’s primary goal is to win the league championship and improve on their performance in the Central Coast Section (CCS) from last year.
“This season is also a very exciting one for the program with the new additions to the team,” Freeman said.
Though losing several seniors last year was tough, Freeman emphasized that it was important for the program.
“This season is an important year for building a strong team for the years to come,” Freeman said.
The Scots are looking forward to the season ahead and hope to reach their goals of making it to CCS and winning the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) championship.
Varsity girls soccer
The Scots are 3-1-1 with big goals ahead after bouncing back from a tough season last year.
“I am excited to build new friendships and be back playing high school soccer after taking last year off. This year’s team is a strong one and has the potential to win first,” said senior Gabriela Cole.
This year, the Scots have entered the Ocean Division in the PAL and hope to take the championship in their first year.
“The team goals this year are to win the PAL league championship in our first year in this new division,” Cole said.
While the league is important, the Scots also hope to go further by making it to the CCS playoffs.
“We also want to proceed into CCS, hopefully making it to the semifinals,” Cole said.
Nothing can stop the Scots with a new and improved conditioning program. They hope it will give them a step up on their competition.
The team is also working on team chemistry both on and off the field to help them be the best they can be.
“Our goals will be reached by building the team connection to have a cohesive relationship on and off the field,” Cole said.
The Scots are excited to create a new face for the program this year by putting their name on the banner in the gym and making it to CCS.
Varsity boys basketball
The Scots are currently 3-3, sitting on the line of making it to the CCS playoffs. In basketball, a team must win half of its preseason games to qualify for CCS.
“We have a very talented team this year, so it will be very interesting to see how our team performs,” said Jordan Rice, a sophomore on the varsity basketball team.
The Scots have big goals, just like the soccer teams. They hope to do well in the CCS playoffs and advance further into the tournament.
“Our team goals primarily are just to make it to the state championship. We all think that we have enough talent to make it there,” Rice said.
The Scots have many important games ahead to reach their goals, starting with the tough league schedule.
“We are looking forward to playing Menlo-Atherton this year because of our big rivalry with them. Every year we play them, it’s always close,” Rice said.
Even with high goals, the team knows they must work hard every day in practice.
“We are going to reach our goals by just buying into the daily sacrifices, with practices every day,” Rice said.
The Scots are ready for the season ahead.
Varsity girls basketball
The Scots are currently 1-2 with some important tournaments ahead. Despite some preseason struggles, their goals remain the same.
“Our goal is to go further than we did last year in CCS, which was the semifinals,” said junior Emerson Barajas. “We also want to win the league and put ourselves on the banner in the gym.”
The Scots have had a difficult preseason, playing against some of the top teams in California.
“This tough preseason is helping us find our identity as a team,” Barajas said.
After finishing second in the PAL last season, the Scots are aiming to improve this year.
“We want to win the league this year. It will be tough because there are some really strong teams,” Barajas said.
The team is looking forward to their rivalry games, especially against Menlo-Atherton.
“We won an overtime game last year after coming back from a 17-point deficit. It was an unforgettable moment,” Barajas said.
The Scots’ biggest goal is to make it to the state tournament, but they know it won’t be easy.
“It’s going to be a challenge, but we’re working hard in practice. We’ve faced setbacks, but they’ll make us a stronger team,” Barajas said.
Wrestling
Wrestling is coming off an impressive season last year with rounding off the top of the PAL standings. They hope to follow the same path this year.
“Our team goal is to win the PAL championship,” said freshman Jeanette Healy.
Healy is in her first year in the Carlmont wrestling program and is hoping to leave her mark early.
“My personal goal is to become a state qualifier,” Healy said.
The Scots have also welcomed many new people to the team, expanding the wrestling program to all corners of the student body.
“There are a lot of girls this year, compared to other years where they only had one or two girls. I am really looking forward to getting to know everyone,” Healy said.
The Scots focus on the details to get to the top, with lots of conditioning to guarantee their success at the top this season. They also don’t skip on the little things.
“We work a lot on the basics so we can nail those and just become really good at one or a couple of things,” Healy said.
Varsity cheer
The Lady Scots are coming off another impressive season and are aiming to repeat this year.
The Lady Scots support several athletic teams throughout the year, from the football team to the basketball teams. Each team appreciates their dedication in cheering them on.
“Our goal is to maintain an energetic crowd, creating a positive environment,” said sophomore Coco Tomita.
Although the football season is over, the Lady Scots are busier than ever, cheering at basketball games while also preparing for competition season.
The Lady Scots are coming off a season in which they competed at nationals. The bar is set high for them, but through hard work and dedication, they hope to reach the same level of success this year.
