CYPRESS, CA- The Cypress College spring season was a large enough sample size to know that we were on to something special in 2020. The Cypress Chargers were forced out of action due to the pandemic of COVID-19 which is impacting nearly 9,500 student athletes who watched their season come to an abrupt halt. The CCCAA unanimously agreed to cancel the 2020 season on March 19 which officially put a close on seven Cypress Chargers' seasons - baseball, softball, women's tennis, men's golf, women's beach volleyball, and Men's/Women's Swim.
BASEBALL
The Cypress College baseball team was one of four Chargers teams to be ranked in the top ten in the state of California. The #2 ranked Chargers played twenty-one games and finished with a 17-3-1 record. The 2020 season was full of excitement including a 13-game win streak, a walk-off homerun, and a series sweep of the Fullerton Hornets. Cypress was polished for a deep playoff run and saw their young talent excel all over the field. Freshman, Mario Tostado, was the most surprising bright spot for Cypress this season. Tostado boasts a great story as he began the season on the bench and finished the season leading the OEC in batting average (.462) and in homeruns (5). Tostado also knocked in 24 RBI's to lead the Charger's this season. Another offensive force for Cypress was sophomore, Hayden Winters. After a slow start in January, Winters was the hottest hitter (.486) in the OEC in the month of February. Bobby Silvis was an integral part of the Cypress squad this season as he batted (.451, 3rd in the OEC) out of the leadoff spot for the Chargers. Sebastian Diaz was fantastic on the mound posting a 1.66 ERA in 38 innings pitched. Diaz last start was a gem as he took a no hitter into the 6th inning in which the Chargers would take down Saddleback in walk off fashion, 2-1. Sophomore, Colton Bulger was the go-to arm out of the pen for Cypress as he got the Chargers out of jams all season long leading the team with a 1.17 ERA. Cypress will look to retool for next season, but many of the players will receive interest from the next level. Hayden Winters quickly saw his hard work rewarded as he recently committed to the University of Houston to kick off recruiting season for the Chargers baseball team. Spencer Serven and Carson Letterman will also be teammates for a few more seasons as they committed to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley this past weekend.
SOFTBALL
On the other side of the fence the #3 Cypress College Softball team was as dominant as there was throughout the state. After being ranked #1 in the middle of the season the Chargers fell to #3 when the season was cancelled. After a 17-1 record, including a 2-1 victory over #1 Mt. SAC, the Chargers had their eyes on their 10th state title. With 22 games to play, Cypress was finding their identity with every game. Eliza Sandoval (8-0) and Janea Brannen (5-1) led the way in the circle for Cypress. Brannen made 13 appearances with a 1.45 ERA while Sandoval appeared in 10 games with a 1.86 ERA. Stephanie Kugler threw 24 innings as well while posting a 1.17 ERA (3rd in the OEC). The bats got started all season by left fielder Jordan Thompson. Thompson led off for the Chargers and seemingly stole second base (13) every opportunity she had. All-State selection, Lesley Bojorquez, led the OEC in batting average (.588) along with an incredible on base percentage (.656). Much like Thompson, Cameron Curiel found herself on base batting (.474) while stealing 11 bases. Alyssa Huerta was another consistent bat for the Chargers (.500) along with Maddie Bogdanovich (.478). The Chargers stumbled in their only loss of the season on the road at Santiago Canyon, 3-2. Coach Brad Pickler earned his 1,400th win and the 2020 season was full of highs. These women deserve appreciation for the hard work they put in this season.
MEN'S GOLF
One of the most heart-breaking stories in Cypress athletics was the cancellation of the 2020 men's golf season. The #1 Cypress College men's golf team was off to the best start in program history. Winning five of their first seven tournaments the Chargers looked poised to compete for a state title. Freshman, Luke Bartram, was the leader of the pack taking 1st place in three tournaments and finishing in the top three in all seven tournaments. The Chargers took home the individual medalist 5 times including tournament victories by Matthew Wotherspoon and Panos Pantazopoulos. Cypress played in two OEC tournaments before the cancellation of the season and finished 10-0 in the standings. Cypress golf will have another loaded roster next year with new recruits coming in making Cypress College one of the most competitive teams in the state.
WOMEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL
#9 Cypress College beach volleyball team finished the season on a high note when they cracked the top ten at the duration of the season. Cypress opened up their season against a high level of competition that featured the defending State Champions (Grossmont) and two four-year universities (The Master's and Concordia). After a rough start the Chargers won three of their final four matches including a sweep of Fullerton and Grossmont in the same day. The Chargers were halfway through their season and had just begun OEC play (1-0) before their run was abruptly stopped. Rachel Burney was an athlete who showed consistent improvement throughout the short season earning Charger of the Week. Brittany Zavala was the leader for Cypress, excelling with every partner she had this season. Zavala's positive attitude and communication propelled Cypress beach volleyball to succeed this season and they will look to carry their momentum to indoor volleyball this fall.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Cypress College women's tennis turned a new chapter in their program with the hiring of head coach, Matt Harris. Harris brought energy, knowledge, and skill to a very raw and young Cypress tennis team. Many of the athletes had never played organized tennis before, but with the commitment and belief in Coach Harris these women saw their skills evolve quickly. Coach Harris instilled in his athletes to get 1% better every day and to focus on the fundamentals. The Chargers won their first two matches in two seasons and found a confidence within themselves. Coach Harris is excited to bring in his first round of recruits and continue the journey of becoming a prolific program in the OEC.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIM
Cypress swim's season was cut shorter than most due to the pandemic. The teams were only able to compete in two swim meets this season, and never got to see their athletes perform at their best. Women's swimmer, Meghan Efseaff, earned a first-place finish in the 50-yard fly at the Mt. SAC Invitational and a first-place finish in the 100-yard fly at the first OEC meet of the season. Zachary Sofai scored the most points for the men's swim team at each meet where he earned a second-place finish in the 100-yard fly. The swimmers will look to stay in shape as best as possible with many of them returning to the pool this summer to kickoff water polo season.
We will continue to wonder how our 7 athletics seasons would unfold, but we are aware of the significance that COVID-19 threatens us all with. The Chargers will be back in action soon enough, but until then we urge everyone to stay safe until the pandemic concludes. All photos from the 2020 season can be found here. We will continue to update our website regarding our student athletes progression, along with any updates we may have regarding COVID-19.
Stay connected with the Chargers through social media. Follow Cypress College Athletics on Twitter @CypressChargers. Check in with the Chargers on Facebook/CypressChargers and on Instagram @CypressChargers.
