This is a busy time for High School and College Sports. So, why am I covering a Middle School Volleyball Tournament? Because “Sports Dad” is a big part of my identity. As I sat for eight hours last Saturday in the Arlington High School gym, I realized that this event perfectly encapsulates what I feel about sports and community. From the approximately one hundred boys, the coaches, the referees, the parents, the high school student volunteers, the snack bar operators, and Arlington High School facilities employees who worked a Saturday to make it all happen. This was a big event, logistically and in impact.
We watched these boys play a sport that very few had any real experience with. They played with a heart for their teammates and their schools. We saw the full range of sincere emotions, from rapture to tears.
Sports bring people together, as very few things do. Congratulations, Frank Augustus Miller Middle School, on your 8th-grade boys’ victory and to all the participants, volunteers, and families for a successful tournament.
Arlington vs. Poly Soccer Update
An opening goal by Eric Barbarin had Poly ahead 1-0 at halftime. The Lions adjusted well on defense, and Poly struggled to find scoring opportunities in the second half of the match. Arlington goals by Hugo Gomez and Andrew Manujuano secured the Lions’ victory in the first leg of the renewed rivalry. The two teams meet again on January 31 at Arlington in a 7 p.m. prime-time rematch.
The ML King Girls are having an incredible season. They are ranked 18th in the CIF Southern Section and have a 19-4 record.
Santiago @ ML King: January 21, 7 p.m.
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Parents, Grandparents, Classmates, School staff and Teammates… It’s getting to be the time of year when the best of our local high school athletes are making college commitments. We would love to tell those stories. If you know an excellent Riverside high school athlete, drop me a tip.
