Happy 2024 everybody! We hope everyone had a Happy New Year and great holiday season with family and loved ones.
As we go into the New Year, it’s time to look back at some of the best sporting moments on the central coast from 2023. From the track to the basketball court, the wrestling mat and even the octagon, here is a look at some of the moments to remember.
Let’s take a look at Cal Poly to start.
Aidan McCarthy was a household name all throughout the indoor track season and into outdoor season. Last year made it all the way to the NCAA Championships in the 800 meter after setting school records in the 800, 1500 and indoor mile.
Staying in that same lane, both the Cal Poly men and women’s cross country programs repeated as Big West champions and they did it right here at home at Blacklake Golf Resort in Nipomo led by Davis Bove who won the individual championship by a landslide for the men.
Over to the gridiron, last January, news dropped that former5-star quarterback recruit Sam Huardfrom the University of Washington was transferring to play for the Mustangs. He lived up to the hype setting two school records for most completions and touchdowns in a game.
Lastly, to the mat as Cal Poly Wrestling and Head Coach Jon Sioredas placed third in the Pac-12 Championships; their highest finish since 2009-2010. Sioredas also earned Conference Coach of the Year. Additionally six wrestlers went on to compete in the NCAA Championships headlined by Bernie Truax who went on to earn his third all-American honors and a fourth place finish.
Staying in college, U.C. Santa Barbara Men’s Baasketballproved to be the best team in the conference last year, winning the Big West Championship and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament where they eventually fell to Baylor in the first round. Guard Ajay Mitchell won MVP while senior Miles Norris went on to graduate and get drafted into the NBA to the Atlanta Hawks.
To no surprise, St. Joseph boys basketball kicks it off after reaching theCIF Open Division state championshipgame playing in Sacramento's Golden 1 Arena where they fell to Harvard-Westlake. It was the biggest stage the team had seen in program history as they worked their way to a Central Section championship game and wins over powerhouse program in the postseason. Thanks to the return of Tounde Yessoufou and Julius Price, don’t be surprised if you see them again this year.
Lompoc High School made history this past fall as the first and only program to field a girls flag football program within the Central Coast Athletic Association after the CIF made it a state sanctioned sport last year. The team finished at 4-5 in the hopes of more schools adding more teams in the area next season.
In the pool, it was another dominant season start to finish for theArroyo Grande girls water polo team that not only won their 200th consecutive league match but went on to win their first ever Central Section title defeating Clovis 9-6.
To wrap up what was an amazing year of sports on the central coast, in the octagon, North County’s Cody Gibson earned a spot in the UFC for a three fight contract after competing on the show The Ultimate Fighter and putting on a highly entertaining championship fight in UFC 292.
That’s our list of some of the best sport moments from this past year but we know we weren’t able to fit them all in so let us know what was your favorite central coast sports moment or sports story this past year.
We know there is a few that might have been left out of this list so feel free to let us know @ksbysports or @dylanforemantv what your favorite sports moment on the central coast was this past year.
