San Marcos High School is back at the head of the class in the CIF’s Southern Section.
Seven of its teams recorded the highest combined grade-point average for its sport, the most of any school in a section in which 1,788 teams from 26 sports submitted entries. The Royals competed against schools with enrollments of 1,500 or more students.
“We have done this twice in the past,” Athletic Director Abe Jahadhmy said. “A lot of credit goes to the athletes.”
San Marcos previously captured the overall team championship in the CIF Southern Section’s Academic Awards Program by placing first in six sports in 2011 and in seven sports in 2015. This year’s 34th annual awards, which are sponsored by the Southern California FORD dealers, were announced on Wednesday.
Quarterback Ben Partee was honoredas San Marcos’ Maile Scholar-Athlete of the Year with a grade-point average of 4.8.
The Royals won CIF-SS Academic championships for this school year in girls water polo (3.84 GPA), boys basketball (3.84), girls track and field (3.84), girls volleyball (3.79), boys lacrosse (3.74), baseball (3.69), and boys track and field (3.65).
San Marcos also placed second in two sports, getting edged in girls swimming and diving by Long Beach Poly (3.90 to 3.88) and in boys volleyball by Long Beach Wilson (3.71 to 3.70). The Royals were third in both boys tennis (3.81) and girls basketball (3.79), and fourth in girls tennis (3.82) and girls swimming (3.80).
Ten other San Marcos squads received academic honorable mention for having a team GPA of at least 3.00.
“The San Marcos block schedule really helps,” Jahadhmy said. “Our students have to focus on fewer classes per term.”
The CIF-SS also honored 141 “Student-Athletes of the Year” that were submitted by their schools. San Marcos nominated Ben Partee, a three-sport star (football, basketball and baseball) as its top Male Scholar-Athlete, and Ella Prentice (swimming and water polo) as its top female.
Also submitting Scholar-Athletes of the Year from Santa Barbara County were Dos Pueblos (Peter Speier and Olivia Geyling) and Santa Ynez (Grant Lockhart and Alexis Hemming).
Santa Barbara’s three Channel League schools finished 1-2-3 in CIF-SS girls volleyball. Following San Marcos were Santa Barbara and Dos Pueblos, with the Dons edging the Chargers for second by the razor-sharp margin of 3.7529 to 3.7528.
Santa Barbara also finished second to the Royals in both girls track and field with a GPA of 3.78 and in girls water polo with a 3.80 score. The Dons were fourth in girls swimming (3.80) and fifth in boys volleyball (3.65).
Dos Pueblos won the team championship in boys tennis with a GPA of 3.97 while Providence School was first in boys country for schools with an enrollment of under 1,500 with a score of 3.98.
The Chargers were barely nosed out by Palos Verdes for the girls lacrosse title, 3.786 to 3.785. DP was also third in girls volleyball (3.75) and fourth in boys golf (3.63).
Providence School added a third place in boys track and field (3.81) to its boys cross country title.
Receiving honorable mention from Santa Barbara County (1,500 and higher enrollment division):
Dos Pueblos — Baseball 3.47; Basketball, boys 3.39; Basketball, girls 3.49; Cross country, boys 3.42; Cross country, girls 3.61; Golf, girls 3.70; Lacrosse, boys 3.31; Soccer, boys 3.48; Soccer, girls 3.67; Softball 3.66; Swimming, boys 3.58; Swimming, girls 3.78; Tennis, girls 3.79; Track and field, boys 3.31; Track and field, girls 3.60; Volleyball, boys 3.63; Water polo, boys 3.18; Water polo, girls 3.66; Wrestling, boys 3.13; Wrestling, girls 3.05.
San Marcos — Cross country, boys 3.75; Cross country, girls 3.63; Football 3.34; Golf, boys 3.50; Golf, girls 3.71; Soccer, boys 3.13; Soccer, girls 3.714; Softball 3.49; Swimming, boys 3.51; Water Polo, boys 3.55.
Santa Barbara — Baseball 3.17; Basketball, boys 3.54; Basketball, girls 3.38; Cross country, boys 3.40; Cross country, girls 3.80; Golf, boys 3.35; Golf, girls 3.69; Lacrosse, girls 3.34; Soccer, boys 3.11; Soccer, girls 3.48; Swimming, boys 3.58; Tennis, boys 3.44; Tennis, girls 3.70; Track and field, boys 3.41; Water polo, boys 3.41.
Receiving honorable mention (1,499 and under enrollment division):
Bishop Diego — Basketball, girls 3.08; Golf, girls 3.48; Soccer, girls 3.39; Tennis, girls 3.45; Volleyball, girls 3.37.
Cabrillo — Basketball, boys 3.16; Basketball, girls 3.61; Soccer, girls 3.54; Volleyball, girls 3.42; Water polo, girls 3.51.
Providence — Basketball, boys 3.42; Basketball, girls — 3.41; Golf, boys 3.65; Tennis, girls 3.82; Volleyball, girls 3.83.
Santa Ynez — Baseball 3.28; Basketball, boys 3.26; Basketball, girls — 3.26; Cross country, boys 3.52; Cross country, girls 3.70; Football 3.02; Golf, boys 3.12; Golf, girls — 3.48; Soccer, boys 3.23; Soccer, girls 3.48; Softball, 3.27; Swimming, boys 3.12; Swimming, girls 3.18; Tennis, boys 3.21; Tennis, girls 3.27; Track and field, boys 3.47; Track and field, girls 3.44; Volleyball, boys 3.42; Volleyball, girls 3.28; Water polo, boys 3.08; Water polo, girls 3.26; Wrestling, boys 3.12.
email: mpatton@newspress.com
