Looking back to 2024, the year the stars shined in Ventura County sports.
Olympic dreams
Tara Davis-Woodhall won gold in the women’s high jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics in August, jumping more than 23 feet on her fourth attempt of the night.
It was a moment of redemption for the 25-year-old Agoura High athlete, The Star’s All-County Track Athletics of the Year, who finished second in the 2023 world championships.
Davis-Woodhall was one of eight locals who competed in Paris.
Nico Young became the first Ventura County runner to compete in the 10k at the Olympics. The 21-year-old sprinter from Newbury Park High finished 12th at the Stade de France, finishing in a time that broke the first Olympic record.
Oaks Christian graduate Adrian Weinberg and Westlake Village’s Ben Hallock led the US men’s water polo team to a bronze medal.
Guard Weinberg, The Star’s 2018 Boys Water Polo Player of the Year, shut out Hungary in the bronze medal match.
Buena High graduate Sami Whitcomb led Australia to a bronze medal in women’s basketball.
Jaquez returns home
Jaime Jaquez Jr. proved himself as a member of the NBA by averaging 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in his first season with the Miami Heat.
The Camarillo High standout finished fourth in NBA Rookie of the Year voting behind winner Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio, Chet Holmgren of Oklahoma City, and Brandon Miller of Charlotte.
In January, Jaquez returned home to play Los Angeles clubs for the first time in Southern California.
Jaquez had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and added four rebounds, two assists and four steals in a 121-104 loss to the Clippers on Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 1
Two days later, Jaquez scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting with eight assists, one steal and one block in a 110-96 win against the Lakers.
Boston Festival
After leading Camarillo High to the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 championship, Camarillo High senior Boston Bateman was entered in the MLB Draft.
The 18-year-old left-hander was taken with the 52nd overall pick by the San Diego Padres on July 15. He later signed for a maximum salary of $2.5 million.
The Star’s All-County Baseball Player of the Year allowed one hit and one run over six innings and Trotter Enright’s Nate Tostado doubled in the game-deciding run in the top of the seventh inning. when the Scorpions came from behind to beat La Cañada Flintridge. -St. Francis, 2-1, title game May 18 at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore.
The win came one day after Moorpark High lost in the Division 2 state finals in one of the wildest finishes ever.
The Musketeers fell 7-6 to Newhall-Hart after Taylor Busch’s home run, a two-run home run was ruled out by the umpire as the Musketeers celebrated the title.
The Brady and Shane Show
Childhood friends Brady Smigiel and Shane Rosenthal led Newbury Park to one of the greatest seasons in Ventura County football history.
The Panthers went 14-1, won the CIF-SS Division 2 championship and were named CalHiSports.com’s Medium-size School of the Year.
Smigiel broke Ventura County’s 31-year-old Keith Smith’s passing record, becoming the first 10,000-yard passer in the county.
Rosenthal became California’s all-time leading receiver, setting state records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs.
Smigiel committed to Florida State in July. Rosenthal is committed to Princeton. Although they both recently took the trip to enroll at the University of Washington.
Pacifica hosted St. Bonaventure in the Marmonte League CIF-SS Division 4 championship game and reached the CIF-State Division 2-AA championship bowl.
Sadie goes off
Ventura High’s Sadie Engelhardt was honored with the 2023-24 Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Player of the Year Award at Larrabee Stadium in June.
In July, she was named “Best Actress of the Year” at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.
The junior had set state meet records for the girls 1,600 and outdoor mile in April. He won his fourth CIF-State track title in May. He won his third CIF-State cross country title in December. In between, he competed in the US Olympic Games and Field Trials.
He broke his meet record at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in June. He set a course record at the Clovis Invitational in October.
The North Carolina State commit recently announced he is forgoing his final high school season to compete professionally.
Hello and goodbye
The Los Angeles Galaxy remodeled its reserve team and moved Galaxy II to Rolland Stadium in Thousand Oaks
Ventura County FC made a big start in May and made the playoffs in MLS Next Pro.
In shocking local education news, La Reina High School has closed its doors in Thousand Oaks at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Before it was over, Brianna Bergstrom and the Regents ended the soccer team’s 12-year drought without a playoff win.
The Ventura County All-Star Football game ended its 50-year tradition in February, paving the way for the first National Football Foundation Senior All-Star flag and playoff games in December.
Joe Curley is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more news, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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