St. Francis High senior Emily Raich was well aware that the girls basketball team would be missing some important elements prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
Going into season, the Sharks’ standout player knew it wasn’t going to be about the size of the dog but it’s the fight and heart within them that will make the difference on the court.
“We’ve just gone into every game with our heads up, full speed ahead and I think that’s what’s working for us,” Raich said.
The Sharks have been playing at full speed and are currently beaming with confidence following a 69-36 victory over San Lorenzo Valley High in the opening round of the Lady Sharks Shootout on Dec. 27.
With the win, St. Francis improved to a 6-2 overall record.
Raich—a member of Athletic Club Santa Cruz basketball team—is one of three seniors along with Aaliysah Gomez and Nevaeh Litel who will help take charge of a young Sharks team with several new additions.
“If I can get those three to get everybody else going and push each other, I think we’re on the right track,” St. Francis head coach Jesse Yniguez said.
Leading the way for the underclassmen is sophomore Peyton Orradre and freshman Maya Calfee, who are already making a huge impact for the Sharks.
“I’m getting used to it,” said Calfee after scoring a game-best 27 points in Wednesday’s contest.
Calfee’s outstanding vision on the court allows her to either drive to the hoop or dish the ball to a teammate for the assist, while Orradre makes her presence felt under the rim to grab the rebound.
Calfee has been playing on club teams since she was 4 years old including Team Tsunami Basketball Academy out of Watsonville and ACSC.
“[Calfee] likes to distribute. She’ll pass the ball and if she sees somebody open she’s gonna pass the ball. Whether they catch it or not, she’s gonna do the right thing. That’s just the way she knows how to play basketball,” Yniguez said.
The rest of the Sharks’ shiver features juniors Maeve Flynn and Melody and Aria Falcon; sophomores Julie Lopez, Bianca Balba and Bella Lilly; and freshman Mackenzie Ridgway.
“We’ve all become friends pretty fast and we joke around with each other at practice,” Raich said. “We’re not afraid to make mistakes out here. I airball and I giggle because I know that I’m going to hit the next one and my team’s got my back.”
Yniguez returns for his second season at the helm with a starting five (Raich, Gomez, Litel, Orradre, Calfee) that he believes is solid.
“They play hard for each other, they find each other. So, that’s not going to be a problem,” Yniguez said.
The biggest problem for Yniguez is substitutions since he doesn’t have a plethora of bench players to put in and out. He said for the most part the starters are doing a good job of playing most of the game, especially because they don’t want to lose.
“Just keep pushing them to play hard because they’re gonna be tired,” Yniguez said.
In 2022-23, the Sharks finished with a 6-17 overall record and went 1-9 in Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division play.
The Sharks are without the services of Isabella Fury, Samantha Orradre and Isabella Sumano—a trio of top contributors who graduated in 2023.
Yniguez is trying to get the Sharks back to the Central Coast Section postseason for the first time since the abbreviated 2020 season.
Prior to that, the Sharks qualified for the playoffs each year since the 2005-06 season including three-straight Division V titles (2012-13, ‘13-14, ‘14-15).
St. Francis will once again compete in the Cypress Division going up against Gonzales, King City, Marina, North Monterey County, Notre Dame–Salinas, Pacific Collegiate School and Pajaro Valley for a shot at the league crown.
St. Francis will tip off league play at home against Notre Dame today at 7pm.
Raich knows what to expect from familiar foes such as King City and NMC, but she’s also excited to face the new competition within the division.
Yniguez is confident the Sharks will be contenders and hopes they can make some noise with a trio of seniors that have the same mindset.
“I see us being right at the top with everybody else who’s gonna compete with us,” he said. “We’re ready. We’re gonna be there to finish it to the end.”
The Sharks continue PCAL Cypress Division action at Pajaro Valley on Thursday, followed by a home game against King City on Jan. 10. Tipoff for Both games is slated at 7pm.
