SAMOHI — Garrett Frick has decided to aim high.
The senior forward who helped lead Santa Monica High School’s boys basketball team to the semifinals of the CIF-SS playoffs in February has committed to play ball for the Air Force Academy.
“Other schools were tracking me, too,” Frick said. “But in the end it came down to West Point and Air Force.
“I chose Air Force because I want to be a commercial pilot someday.”
Frick was also excited by the prospect of playing for a NCAA Division I program. Air Force is a part of the Mountain West Conference, which includes BYU, Utah and San Diego State.
“I wanted to serve my country, too,” Frick added.
St. Monica baseball has league title in sight<p>
St. Monica High School’s mini playoff drought may be coming to an end.
With three games remaining the Mariners are tied atop the Camino Real League standings with Bosco Tech, but a spot in the playoffs is far from a done deal for the team that has not made the playoffs since 2007.
“We could finish first or out of the playoffs,” Head Coach Jack White said before Wednesday’s practice. “We have to show up to play everyday.”
Next up for the Mariners (12-9 overall, 8-4 in league) is a tough matchup with Los Angeles’ Cathedral. The game will be the third game the two teams have played this season with St. Monica the victor in both previous contests. The game will take place on Friday at Marine Park at 3 p.m.
The most recent game was of the exciting variety.
Down 2-3 in the top of the seventh inning Tuesday, the Mariners rallied for two runs and the victory.
Catcher Anthony Yoshinaga, who started the game on the mound, led off the inning with a single to left. Senior Apollo Nestoras sacrificed Yoshinaga over during the subsequent at-bat. Sophomore Michael Doherty, who had been called up from junior varsity earlier this season, lined a shot off Cathedral’s first baseman for a double, scoring Yoshinaga on the play, tying the score at 3-3.
With the score knotted and a man on second, White decided to pinch hit for freshman Vincent Flores. Conor Walsh came in and promptly laced a single up the middle.
With men on the corners senior Hector Santiesteban wasted little time driving a ball to deep center sacrificing home Doherty with the go-ahead run.
“It was a nice team win, everybody did well,” White said of his team’s late game heroics.
Samohi softball keeps streak alive<p>
Head Coach Debbie Skaggs’ girls continue their stingy ways.
For the 23rd consecutive Ocean League game the Vikings shut out its opponent on Tuesday. Beverly Hills was the latest victim, falling 10-0 in six innings.
With the win, Samohi is now 18-6 overall and 6-0 in league. Next up for the Vikings is a road game at Hawthorne today at 3:15 p.m.
daniela@www.smdp.com
