Culver City senior baseball captain Alonso Reyes gets ready to throw out a runner to complete a double play during a recent home game.
Senior attacker, Elijah Adams shoots and scores in Culver City's 19-8 win over San Marcos last week at home.
Culver City volleyball player Zaliyah Quant leaps high to start his jump serve at a recent match at Culver City high school.
Major League Baseball maybe on strike but Culver City's varsity baseball team swung into action a few weeks ago. This week they continue their pre-season schedule against some of the best teams in the South Bay. All three teams that they will play this week are from Torrance.
The 3-2 Centaurs lost to Torrance last Tuesday 3-1 and on Friday they play North Torrance at home at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday they battle West Torrance at home at 11 a.m. Both North and West Torrance are ranked as two of the top teams in Southern California according to the L.A. Times best of 25 poll.
After they face the Torrance schools, they travel to another highly ranked team next week. Next Wednesday Culver City will start Bay league play against Redondo Union at 3:15 p.m. The Bay league is one of the top baseball leagues in Southern California.
"When you play in the Bay league you better come with all you're got and a little bit more because they have deeper teams compared to our depth. When those teams come, they are 23 to 30 deep and we have 16 to 18 players," said Culver City's long time varsity baseball coach Rick Prieto before practice last Monday.
Prieto is not making excuses, he just stating the facts. Prieto says the Centaurs appear ready for the challenge. "We will do the things we have always done here. We come prepared and we try to put our players in the best position to compete and play defense. We want our pitchers to throw strikes and let us do what we do best, and that's play defense."
Prieto hopes good pitching will put them in position to stay competitive in the Bay league. "I like the depth we have with our pitching staff but in terms of last years' pitching staff we don't have a closer like Jake Glickman. We are a little young, but we are hoping to find that young man soon to be our top closer."
This year the Centaurs will rely on senior stars and team captains Alonso Reyes and Justin Roulston. Both players signed to play for Long Beach State next year. Reyes is their best pitcher and Roulston is their best outfielder and hitter.
"I am so proud of those two young men," said Prieto. "Justin is doing fantastic. He is hitting the ball very well. He is picking up a little more power. He is hitting the ball and driving it."
Reyes is the teams' Jack of All Trades. "Alonso is kind of our utility man now," said Prieto. "I move him to second base and maybe shortstop if needed because of our lack of experience. He is our number one pitcher so the last thing I want to do to put a little more wear and tear on his arm."
If the Centaurs can stay healthy it's going to be an exciting season. If you are a baseball fan, come out and support the BIG BLUE, Culver City Blue not Dodger Blue.
In other Culver City sports the 2-3 boys' volleyball team will play Santa Monica at home on Thursday at 3:30, they travel to Mira Costa on Friday at 3:15 p.m., they face Peninsula on the road on Tuesday, March 15, at 3:15 p.m. and they play Palos Verdes at home on Wednesday, March 16, at 3:15 p.m.
The 5-8 girls' softball team will be in action on Friday against Venice at home and Monday they play at Mary Star on the road, and they play at home against Santa Monica on Wednesday, March 16. All three games will start at 3 p.m.
The 5-0 girls' lacrosse team play three road games against Beverly Hills at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, 3:30 p.m. on Monday against Marlborough and 3 p.m. Wednesday against Mira Costa.
The 1-3 boys' lacrosse team will play at Brentwood on Friday at 5 p.m., at home against Palisades at 6 p.m. and at Redondo Union at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
All four track and field teams will compete in the Redondo Invitational on Saturday at Redondo Union high school.
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