While classes at Sonoma Valley High School start on Wednesday, the Dragon student-athletes officially begin the fall sports season today, with seven sports getting underway with workouts or tryouts.
The football season starts its practice schedule this afternoon, as longtime coaches Mick O’Meara and Mike Mulas begin their 25th season as the heads of the Dragon football program. With quarterback Jake Powers, wide receiver Steve Filippi and linebacker Mike Mulas all returning this year, the Dragons have keep components in place to make another run at the North Coast Section playoffs and a Sonoma County League title.
For the perennially strong volleyball program, one of Sonoma’s greatest volleyball players returns to coach the team she once starred for. Mindy Neves, a 2002 graduate of Sonoma Valley, will start her first year as varsity head coach after a great prep career that translated into a collegiate career at Kent State University in Ohio and Sonoma State University. She is assisted by fellow ’02 graduate and former teammate Megan Spence. Another new face will coach the freshman team, as Natalie Rentz, a 2003 graduate and daughter of former Sonoma varsity volleyball coach David Rentz, will take over for the team and assist with the varsity squad as well. The team holds double-day practices starting today.
The boys soccer program took a big step forward last year under longtime coach Pedro Merino, winning their first-ever Sonoma County League title and a trip to the North Coast Section playoffs. With a young team coming back for a chance to repeat, the soccer program looks to be thriving. The girls squad, under the direction of head coach Pamela Wiley, will look to battle in a tough Sonoma County League themselves. Both teams will hold tryouts today at Sonoma High School.
Girls tennis starts up today as well, with the Lady Dragons golf team starting Tuesday, cross country starting on Wednesday, and water polo starting on Thursday evening at the Hanna Boys Center pool.
