Archer Teams on a Spring Roll

 

Brentwood - The Archer School for Girls (Brentwood) spring sports teams returned from break on Monday, April 10, with much to accomplish. Each of the four varsity teams is in position to win their respective leagues and to make a run in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIF-SS) playoffs. It is officially “go-time” for Archer Athletics.

 

 

Santa Catalina Island - After opening the season with an 8-2 win over Brentwood School in the Battle for Barrington (Archer's 9th straight softball win against their neighbor), the Archer squad jumped aboard Catalina Express for the “26 mile trip across the sea” to Santa Catalina Island. Catalina was in all its glory after a winter of rain to accept the Archer team for two games against Avalon High School on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11. Awaiting the #7-ranked Archer team (CIF-SS Division 7) was Joe Machado Field, rebuilt on a sponsorship donation and nestled in the green hills just steps from where the original Wrigley Field used to host the Chicago Cubs during spring training. Also waiting was a full house; the Catalina community was out in force not only to support the Avalon Lancers but to witness the first-ever high school softball game on the new synthetic turf field. It was during the first-ever pitch on this new gem of a softball diamond that Archer's leadoff hitter Kam B. '18 crushed a deep ball into left field for a home run. It took no longer than Archer’s third batter, Morgan D. '19, to crush yet another homer as Archer went on to win under the lights, 19-8. Archer would win again the following day, 6-1, to complete a sweep of the “sea trip”.

 

The battery of pitcher Kam B. '18 and catcher Morgan D. '19, co-MVP’s of the Liberty League in 2016, lead a team that is 4-1 overall. Sophomore slugging sensation Morgan is on pace to break the home run and RBI records that she set last season as a 9th grader, while Kam certainly proves that Archer softball spells Kam with a “K”. The two-time all-CIF selection is closing in on former Archer great Carolyn Z. '14 whose career strikeout record is 357. Kam, who threw her second no-hitter against Trinity Classical (Valencia) on Thursday, March 23, is at 331 “K’s” and counting. The team will look to win the School's third straight league title and advance for a run at the CIF-SS Division 7 championship. The CIF playoffs begin on Wednesday, May 17, the CIF-SS Division 7 championship game will be either Thursday, June 1, or Friday, June 2. Click here for a mid-season video update from JD Media Group.

 

 

Covina - Archer was no joke on April Fools' Day at the 26th Covina Track Invitational, which featured some 1200 athletes from schools throughout California as well as from out of state. With sprint sensations Nia M. '20 and Hailey A. '20 leading the way, the Archer 4x100m relay team took 2nd place, while Nia finished 1st overall in the 200m and 2nd in the 400m. Nia’s 25.20 200m time established a new standard at Archer. Hailey finished 4th overall in the 100m. The reported questions coming from the overflow crowd was “who is Archer and where did they come from”? Indeed, Archer track is ascending quickly on the high school track scene. Consider that so far this season Hailey has qualified for the CIF-SS prelims in the 100m and 200m and Nia has qualified for the 200m and the 400m. Archer has also qualified its 4x400m and 4x100m relay teams, a group that has won 1st place at both league meets so far this season.

 

In distance races, star runner Leyla N. '16 will return soon from injury and is looking to qualify in both the 800m and 1600m. Caitlin C. '19 took 1st place at the Liberty League Meet #2 with a 1st place finish in the 1600m. Then, there is the standout Mia S. '19, who made it to the CIF-SS finals last year in the pole vault, the only 9th grader in the CIF to do so. Mia, who is part of the two relay teams that have qualified, is on pace to not only qualify again in the pole vault but in the high jump as well. It is nothing short of an astounding season so far for the track team, who will look to chart new territory when the CIF-SS prelims are held on Friday, May 12; the CIF-SS finals will be Friday, May 19.

 

 

Westwood - Leave the fins, grab the goggles. The Archer swimming program is once again moving forward with machine-like precision, having won another league meet at the UCLA Student Activities Center (SAC) pool, and as they headed into Spring Break, their record was 3-0. The team appears on its way to its third straight league championship in a row, and the girls have their goggles focused on improving on last year's season, the best one ever at Archer. In 2016, the team not only qualified for the CIF-SS Division 4 finals, but they also finished in 9th place overall. The 2017 team is on pace to take another step forward, with Saskia W. '18, Summer D. '18 and Claire G. '18 leading the way with a total of 10 qualifying times between them.

 

The team has been training hard over break and will be firing off the blocks as the team enters the last month of the season. Three meets, league prelims, and league finals remain on the regular season schedule and then it's on the Road to Riverside. The CIF-SS prelims will take place on Wednesday, May 10, and the finals will take on Friday, May 12, at the Riverside Aquatics Complex.

 

 

Santa Monica - Archer practices and plays matches at the Annenberg Community Beach House and has compiled its best beach volleyball team in the last five years. The depth and knowledge will be put to the test this season in the always rugged Westside Division of the 80-school Interscholastic Beach Volleyball League (IBVL). Archer, only three games into an eight-game league schedule, lost close matches to Marymount High School (Los Angeles) and Notre Dame Academy (West Los Angeles) while claiming victory over Wildwood School (Santa Monica) in straight sets. The top duo of Sophie S. '16 and Locke L. '17 lead the 16-player roster. Archer is on pace to qualify for the IBVL playoffs, which begin on Monday, May 8. 

 

West Los Angeles - The Archer Athletic Department, in conjunction with the Archer Communications Department and the JD Media Group, are locked in “go-mode” preparing for the increasingly popular Archer Sports Awards Night (ASAN). The event is set for Monday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at The Olympic Collection in West Los Angeles. Archer’s Upper School athletes from Fall, Winter, and Spring sports teams will be the guests of honor, while Archer’s award-winning A Capella group, The Unaccompanied Minors, will be on hand along with DJ Richie Rich. Keep an eye out for the e-mail invite to buy tickets. Click here to watch a recap from JD Media Group.