Patrick Henry High fall sports teams look to make runs to CIF gold 

With the weeks of summer winding down, it is no surprise there’s a lot of action on the fields and in other venues for the Patrick Henry High School fall sports teams.

On the girls’ volleyball court, Patrick Henry under head coach David Chau is coming off of a 19-16 season a year ago, losing in the second round of CIFs.

According to Chau, the team is returning eight players from a season ago, adding many strong players in all positions, including two offensive powerhouse freshmen.

“A few players to look out for this season is the heart of our defense, Alyssa Chu and Ellie Scribner, both senior outside hitters, and Ashlynn Kirchoff, senior libero, who all led our strong defensive team last season in digs,” Chau said.

“With those three returning, we are looking to have an even stronger defensive season with four-year varsity starter, Alyssa Chu, chasing 1,000 career digs this season. Leading our offense, we are returning sophomore setter Natalie Rynard, who led our team in assists last season. This year we are competing to win a league championship first and then hopefully the Division II CIF title.

“We have an amazing group this season and are looking to make great strides.”

In field hockey action, Patrick Henry High went 5-15 last fall, making it to the first round of CIF’s.

Head coach Melissa Waters said some key players this time around look to be Christina Hauge (junior on offense and defense), senior defender Milania Brady, and midfielder Riley Teixeira.

“Some goals this year are to beat our record last year, and bring our best every game,” Waters remarked.

In girls’ flag football play, the team went 11-6 last season and reached the CIF Division II playoffs for head coach Alona “Lonii” Harper.

“That was huge accomplishment for our program,” Harper said. “It gave the girls a chance to see what they’re capable of, and it left us hungry for more. This year feels different with all the new rule changes, almost like starting from year one again.

“But honestly, that’s part of the fun. We get to build, adjust, and grow together as a team. More than anything, I want my girls to enjoy this experience, learn the game at a deeper level, and create memories that will stick with them long after high school.”

Harper said the program has big goals as this season unfolds.

We want to leave our mark on the growth of girls’ flag football, and we’re chasing a CIF championship,” Harper said. “The best part about this group is that it’s not about one or two players carrying the load. Every single player on this roster is expected to shine. I’m proud of how hard they’ve been working, and I can’t wait to see them compete.”

In girls’ tennis action, head coach Karen Ronney’s team finished tied for third place in the Western League a season ago. This year’s team returns to the courts with a new generation of players.

“With the graduation of nine seniors, many up-and-coming young athletes are performing well to give the team a 4-0 overall start,” Ronney said. 

The Patriots are paced by No. 1 singles player Kim Nguyen, who has been a strength in the lineup for years. Juniors Kailie Hill and Ruby Roe were doubles standouts and transitioned to singles. Rounding out the singles squad are senior Riley Poland and sophomore Gabby Huot.

All-Western League doubles specialist Natalie Stein returns to the team to lead a strong group of players, including Eleanor Suhreinrich, Ciara Malone, Clare Johnson, Samantha Sagadal, Julia Lockwood, Juliette Equipado, and Alison Stein.

The junior varsity team is also 4-0 this season with a talented group of singles players that includes sophomore Marissa Callahan, Claudia Guirguis, Phoebe Alcorn, Zinnia Peterson, and senior Sophia Murphy. 

The junior varsity doubles squad includes sophomores Kat Spencer, Cassidy Keegan, and Lynn Jackson. Freshmen are Paige McDowell, Karina Najera, Samantha Murray, and Clara Suhreinrich.

“We’ve been deep in talent for many years, and we are excited to see how our younger players will perform,” said coach Kaitlin Wilson-Stenzel. “So far, we’ve been very impressed with their competitive skills. They are handling the pressure of match play like veterans.”

New to the Patriots junior varsity tennis staff are head coach Aaron Sheinbein and assistant coach Ashkon Kazeminjad.

“We’re excited to be a part of Patrick Henry’s strong winning tennis tradition,” said Sheinbein, who is on the San Diego District Tennis Association Board. “It’s a learning curve, and we are enjoying getting to know the players.”

Editor’s note: All Patrick Henry High fall varsity head coaches were asked to provide information for this article.