Winning Week for Culver City High

Last week was a winning one for the sports programs. Each of the teams notched at least one victory and all of them will be looking to repeat that success this week.

The boys’ soccer team was supposed to play its final nonleague game against Torrance, but a miscommunication on Torrance’s end left the Centaurs with no opponent come kickoff time.

Coach Dave Sanchez took everything in stride and instead geared up for his team's first Ocean League showdown against Inglewood Morningside. The extra practice time certainly didn’t hurt and the boys began their season with a 3-2 road victory over the Monarchs.

That gave the boys a two-game winning streak, but it was short-lived as the team fell to Santa Monica 4-0 on Friday. The Centaurs (4-9-2 overall, 1-1 in league) will look to bounce back as they play two more league games this week. 

The girls’ soccer team  rode a wave of success into its two Ocean League games last week and that wave swallowed up visiting Inglewood Morningside. That lopsided victory set the stage for the game the girls have talked about all season against defending Ocean League champion Santa Monica.

Against the Vikings, the girls came out very strong in the first half and scored twice. Senior forward and junior forward Lydia Chodosh, who are first and second on the team in goals scored and points this year, scored a goal apiece. The Centaurs went into halftime leading 2-0.

Unfortunately, things turned in the second half and the Vikings took control. Santa Monica scored two goals to tie the game and that’s the way it would end. Culver City is now 13-3-1 on the season and 1-0-1 in the Ocean League.

The girls’ basketball team got back on the right foot after an embarrassing loss to Gardena Serra on Jan. 8. The Centaurs kicked off Ocean League play against Morningside with a 50-36 victory. Two nights later, they scored more than 60 points for the third time this season with a hardfought 62-56 victory over Santa Monica.

Against Santa Monica, Centaurs junior guard Jade Neal took the game over. She scored literally one third of Culver City’s points, finishing the game with 21. After their two victories the Centaurs are 2-0 in league and 10-8 overall.

The boys’ basketball team continued its current hot streak. The Centaurs are now 15-3 overall and 2-0 in league after impressive victories over Morningside and Santa Monica in back-to-back Ocean League games last week.

Culver City opened its league season with a 75-70 road victory over Morningside and took its act to Santa Monica, where it beat the Vikings 62-54. The boys took both games in come-from-behind fashion. They outscored Morningside 24-13 in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game and outscored Santa Monica 26-12 in the fourth quarter Friday.

Culver City enters Monday's 7 p.m. tip-off against Irvine University riding a nine-game winning streak.