Dragon Teams in Season’s Stretch Run
By Steven Serafini
Sonoma Valley Sun Sports Editor
Sonoma Valley High School’s fall 2026 season has reached the stretch run for seven sports teams, including football, volleyball, cross country, boys and girls water polo, and girls golf and tennis.
The Sonoma football boys, who after winning back-to-back Redwood Empire Mountain League (REML) titles, were moved up a division from the REML to the Redwood Empire Bay League (REBL) and, after a 2-3 pre-league record, have been saddled with two straight one-sided REBL defeats.
In their league opener, which was also their Homecoming Game, the Dragons fell 43-7 to a strong visiting Napa team, and in last Friday night’s high-scoring affair in Sebastopol, they lost 70-40 to a powerful Analy squad that is favored to reign the REBL.
The Sonoma gridders next played on Saturday, Oct. 24, against Tamalpais in Mill Valley, losing that contest 21-42. They host San Rafael at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, before ending their regular and league season at Santa Rosa on Friday, Nov. 6.
THE VOLLEYBALL LADY Dragons entered the 2026 season with only two returning varsity players from last year’s team and with their inexperience got off to a rough start, managing only one win in their first 15 matches.
After the girl spikers built their team cohesion while gaining experience with each match played, they went on to beat five of their next 11 opponents, and as of presstime had a 6-20 overall record and 2-9 Vine Valley Athletic League (VVAL) mark.
Comprising the Lady Dragons teram, directed by head coach Mindy Neves and assistant coaches Chris Lopez and Audrey Powers, are seniors Fernanda Alvarez Paredes, Gemma Geldert, Ellie Llanos, Lilli Marino, Helen Riebli and Alyssa Tierney; juniors Allegra Bell, Lalane Francis, Natalia Gonzalez, Ryane Jensen, Bailey Linfante and Ella Jo Petersen; sophomore Emily Moi; and freshman Evelynn Neves.
SONOMA’S WATER POLO boys, coached by Emily Dusky, have put together an upbeat season which, with one match remaining in the Vine Valley Athletic League (VVAL), have won six of their last eight matches, and going into Tuesday’s finale own a 10-5 overall record and a fifth-place VVAL 3-2 mark.
In an earlier season tourney, the Dragons went 2-2, and then later in the season they hosted the Dragons Breath Tournament, where they won all three of their matches to claim the title, with senior Joshua Giller and junior Colter Martin earning offensive and defensive MVP honors, respectively.
Comprising the water polo Dragon boys are seniors Giller and Austin Cheesman; juniors Martin and Judah White; sophomores Ryder Behan (goalie), Cameron Menefee and Lucian Porrino; and freshmen Jacques Janson and Kyle Sherman.
THE WATER POLO Lady Dragons, coached by Ben Diaz, have battled through a tough schedule and going into their final match of the regular and league season have a 5-10 overall record and 2-4 VVAL mark.
The Sonoma girls have been led by returning VVAL first-team all-league senior Mary Miller, who has scored 69 goals with 18 assists and 26 steals, and junior Josepine Shirk, who has recorded 129 saves.
Comprising the water polo Lady Dragons are seniors Miller, Josie Brown, Madison Gray and Isabella Ihrig; juniors Shirk, Madelyn Corsi, Audrey Nava and Avery Steenport; sophomore Neveah Garren; and freshmen Lisa Ramirez, Jocelyn Romberg, Alexandra Rounkle and Kaila Seyms.
SONOMA’S GIRLS GOLF team, coached by Walt Williams, is comprised of seniors Mae Alstott, Kayden Linfante, Mia Perez, Riley Rhodd, Jacquelyn Strand, Isla Tudisco and Gracie Weaver; juniors Amelia Bell, Sadie Chavez, Kyra Decker, Gianna Diggins, Kaylee Ellsworth, Lindsey Gutierrez, Jade Johnson, My Mogensen, Mahle Sharma, Jenna Trujillo and Nicol Velma; sophomores Keaton Abodeely, Gianna Padilla, Evelette Perez, Evelyn Quintero and Stella Saldana; and freshmen Elan Chandler, ChloeAnne Coffey, Ava Faustino, Savannah Gjestland, Stella Moll, Vivian Petrak and Mitali Sriram.
Leading the Lady Dragons is their number-one golfer and team captain Alstott, who’s continued to improve with each match and recently shot a personal best 54 at the Silverado Golf Club course in Napa,
The Sonoma girls are also paced by Rhodd, Weaver and Moll, who is one of eight frosh golfers on the team, which bodes well for the future.
SONOMA’S TENNIS GIRLS continue to navigate a challenging schedule, which will end with three road matches before hosting both Casa Grande on Oct. 22, and Justin-Siena on Oct. 27.
The top two singles players for the Lady Dragons are seniors Isla Tudisco and Isabel Pedersen, while the number-one doubles team consists of senior Maury Lane and freshman Nomi Signer, who have the most wins on the team with a record of 5-3.
Comprising the Lady Dragon netters, directed by coaches Kristi Amoroso and Jenny Yamakawa, are seniors Lane, Pedersen, Tudisco and Olivia Pinkin; juniors Stella Albertazzi, Maya Borchardt, Ella Edwards and Daphny Paz; sophomores Keaton Abodeely, Nina Bush and Ellie Miller; and freshmen Signer, Lulu Apter, Mia Borloz, Elan Chandler, Emarie Gysbers, Kayla Hefferon, Mikah Johann and Kaelyn Tomola.
SONOMA’S CROSS COUNTRY boys, directed by longtime head coach John Litzenberg, ran against Piner on the Spring Lake course in Santa Rosa earlier in the season and sophomore Thurston Smith finished in second place with a time of 16 minutes, 50 seconds, while senior Calvin Hofstetter was fourth in 17:49.
Smith’s clocking was just seven seconds back from the 10th fastest time for a Dragon boy on the course, while Hofstetter’s time was his personal best at Spring Lake.
Both Sonoma runners competed in two recent Vine Valley Athletic League (VVAL) Center Meets, with the first one taking place on the 3.07-mile Alston Park course in Napa, where Smith finished eighth overall with a time of 18:41, and Hofstetter came in right behind him for ninth place in 18:48.
At the second VVAL Center Meet on the 3-mile Schollenberger Park course in Petaluma, Smith took seventh-place overall in 16:00, while Hofstetter finished 11th overall in 16:33.
Be First to Comment