Several teams and players achieved success in San Luis Obispo County high school winter sports, including strong league, CIF and state accomplishments.
Here are some of the countywide team and player highlights in soccer, basketball and wrestling for both boys and girls.
Arroyo Grande
The Eagles’ girls basketball team (18-11, 6-4 Mountain League) lost to San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo in the Division 2 regional state semifinals, 44-37.
Molly Sloan, Kinzie Amer and Sophia Robertson were the seniors who helped lead the team to a CIF Division 1 Central Section tournament victory. They had two CIF Division II State tournament wins, and on Feb. 4, the Eagles ended rival St. Joseph Knights’ 39-game Mountain League winning streak.
Amer was a first-team all-Mountain League selection, and Robertson was a second-team all-Mountain League pick.
Diana Sorrondo was the Mountain League’s defensive MVP.
Arroyo Grande’s Sophia Robertson dribbles against Rancho Bernando in a CIF state game. Scott Robertson @drscottrobertson
Atascadero
Senior Kaden Pryor was a Division 3 CIF Central Section champion in the 144-pound division, earning his third straight CIF section title.
The last time a Greyhound accomplished three-time CIF section champ status was his assistant coach, Joe Belmonte. A former Greyhound alumnus, Belmonte was a three-time section champ himself from 2002-04.
Pryor, who recorded 122 total wins in his varsity career, is one of five Atascadero wrestlers in school history to become a three-time CIF section champion, Belmonte said.
Pryor went on to qualify for the Central Section Masters tournament at Selland Arena in Fresno, where he took fourth, and qualified for the state tournament as well.
“Kaden is very special,” Belmonte said. “He had a great year.”
Atascadero High wrestler Kaden Pryor was a Division 3 CIF-Central Section champ. Courtesy photo
Pryor’s season record was 46-8 with 34 pins.
Senior Cole Loney was a CIF Central Section Division 3 champion in the 190-pound division in wrestling and also qualified for Central Section Masters.
Loney, who’s father Dan Loney served as head wrestling coach, was a star in football as well. He recorded a season record of 34-9.
Belmonte will take over head coaching duties next season.
Cole Loney was a Division 3, CIF-Central Section champion wrestler in the 190-pound weight division. Courtesy photo
In girls basketball, the Greyhounds (17-12, 8-1 Ocean) were the champions in the Ocean League and CIF Central Section Division 4 semifinalists.
Laney Arnold was the Ocean League defensive MVP.
Sophia Porter and McKenna Nichols were first-team Ocean League selections.
The Greyhounds had to break through a press defense, here Sophia Porter and Whitney Jeckell bring the ball down court. Atascadero girls beat Mendota in a playoff basketball game on Feb. 18, 2025. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Mission Prep
The Royals’ boys basketball team finished 26-8 and second in the Mountain League at 6-4, earning a CIF Central Section Division 2 championship and falling in the second round of the state regional tournament.
Senior guard Jayden Nozil was the defensive MVP for the Mountain League.
Roman Benedetti was a first-team, all-league selection.
Jayden Nozil takes a pass to the basket. Mission Prep beat Frontier 67-55 on Feb. 21, 2025, to advance to the Division 2 CIF Central Section basketball final. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Royals girls soccer finished second in the Ocean league and were the fourth seed in Division 4 for the Central Section. They lost in the second round in a heartbreaker in penalty kicks, Athletic Director Mary Jo Pruitt said.
Sarah Connors, Taylor LaFollete and Peyton Pierce each earned first-team, all-league honors.
Mission Prep girls basketball was the sixth seed in Division 2 for the section. They fell in the second round to Orcutt. Maka Guy earned first team, all-league honors.
Makanani Guy dribbles with Molly Sloan in background. Mission Prep girl’s basketball team beat Arroyo Grande High school, 55-51 on Feb. 11, 2025. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Morro Bay
The Pirates had playoff runs in boys soccer, girls basketball, and boys and girls wrestling.
Boys soccer (6-12-2, 5-2-1 Ocean) came up short in an opening round game against Avenal with a 0-2 loss. Efrain Hernandez, Luis Anguiano and Dylan Wynns were first-team all-league selections.
Girls basketball (11-16) made it to the second of playoffs before ultimately falling to Sierra High School; Violet Pace was a second-team all-league selection.
Jake Falat was a first-team, all-league selection in basketball.
Shea Dawson earned his third consecutive individual CIF title on the wrestling mat and made it to the state tournament.
Dawson was joined at the state tournament by fellow CIF champion on the girls’ side, Chelsea Catalan, and Ahlexis Terry.
Mission Prep beat Morro Bay 46-23 on Tuesday in Mountain League girls basketball action. Nick Wilson
Nipomo
The Nipomo girls wrestling team won the Central Coast Athletic Association (CCAA) Girls Wrestling Championship.
The Titans wrestlers placed fourth out of 66 schools at the CIF Central Section Division 2 Championships.
The Top 8 qualified for CIF Masters the following week. They included: 105 pounds — Alex Castillo (ninth place and alternate to Masters); 115 pounds — Alondra Perez (seventh place); 140 pounds — Nikole Navarro (third place); 145 pounds — Angela Melena (sixth place); 155 pounds — Monse Garcia (seventh place); 190 pounds — Tasi Maumausolo Matagi (champion and named the upper weight MVP of the tournament); 235 pounds — Taya Maumausolo Matagi (second place). Taya and Tasi are twin sisters and freshmen.
Morro Bay had two qualifiers to state wrestling, including Tasi, who finished fifth place at Masters and qualified for state in the 190-pound weight class. In the 235-pound class, Taya finished third at Masters and qualified for state.
At state, Tasi went 2-2 and did not place, but both of her losses were by narrow margins, Nipomo athletic director Russ Edwards said. Tasi finished her freshman season with a 24-9 record.
Taya went 5-2 and placed fifth in state; Taya upset the No. 1 seed in the bracket in a triple overtime match in her first match. Taya finished her freshman season with a 34-6 record and a fifth-place state finish.
Nipomo boys soccer (13-7-4, 7-0-1 Ocean League) took first place in league; lost 2-0 in a CIF Central Section boys Division 5 soccer final match, the deepest postseason run in program history.
Juan Diego Zarate was the Ocean League MVP and finished with 21 goals. Justin Sights was the league goalie of the year with six shutouts and 3.9 saves per game.
Juan Diego Zarate brings the ball forward. Nipomo lost 2-0 to Granite Hills High School of Porterville in CIF-Central Section boys Division 5 soccer final match on Feb. 26, 2025. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Paso Robles
Denisse DeLaCruz Lopez made history by becoming the first female Bearcat wrestler to qualify for the state meet, finishing fourth in the section.
DeLaCruz Lopez advanced to the quarterfinals before facing a tough match against Nipomo, the No. 4 seed, said Athletic Director Michael Sauret.
“Although she lost that match, Denisse demonstrated resilience by defeating the No. 3 seed before ultimately falling to Nipomo again, securing a fourth-place finish,” Sauret said. “Currently, Denisse is among the top 32 girl wrestlers in the state.”
The Bearcats’ boys basketball team (16-10, 5-3 Ocean) finished in second place in league, and Adane Siegrist and Omaree Daniloff were both first-team, all-league selections.
Paso Robles High wrestler Denisse DeLaCruz Lopez. Courtesy photo
Templeton
The Eagles boys’ soccer team (14-6-3) won the Sunset League with a 7-0-1 record.
Charlie Dahlen was the league MVP and Andrew Hamilton, Alik Jaeger, Sebastian Haas, Zack Rubin and Luke Kahler all made first team.
San Luis Obispo
In wrestling, Romeo Saligan was the CIF Division 4 champion at 144 pounds.
In girls basketball, the Tigers (26-5, 10-0 Sunset League) finished as league champions before being eliminated in the CIF quarterfinals. Bailey Hartford was the league MVP. Jennifer Stambaugh and Ali Abercrombie were all-league, first-team selections.
In boys basketball, the Tigers finished in second place in the Mountain league with a 6-4 record and a 21-8 overall record. They were eliminated in a CIF first-round game. Logan Missler was a first-team, all-league selection.
In girls soccer, the Tigers recorded a 20-4-4 overall record and a second place finish in the Mountain League. They were CIF Division 1 runners-up and qualified for CIF Southern Regional Tournament where they advanced to the semifinals in Division 2. Aiyana Polkow was the Mountain League co-MVP.
Boys soccer (12-9-3 overall record) was the CIF Central Section Division 2 runner-up. They qualified for the CIF Southern Regional Tournament. Robert Humphrey was the Mountain League goalie of the year.
San Luis Obispo High School girls basketball team has had their best season in at least three decades, going undefeated in the Sunset League and posting 25 wins. Courtesy photo
This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 10:59 AM.
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