WDV Athletics Update: Record-Setting 2023-24 Year
It’s been a record-setting 2023-24 year in WDV Athletics, and the year isn’t over yet. This year we have 599 student-athletes participating in 16 sports and 29 teams! Below are some highlights from our season, and the schedule for upcoming games.
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In just our second year in the more competitive Pioneer League, our WDV Varsity Boys Basketball team ended their season as co-champions in the league, making it our first WDV Athletics Pioneer League title.
The season ended with a 20-9 record, and the team advanced to the CIF playoffs. We also had four players earn All League Honors:
- Ahmose Daniels – Junior, co MVP Pioneer League
- Caleb Ortiz – Junior, First Team All League
- Jameson Johnson – Sophomore, First Team All League
- Alonzo Gonzalez – Senior, Second Team All League
The team this year was relatively young, and yet our team’s resiliency and balance were amazing. On any given night, the team may have had 6-7 guys lead in scoring.
“It’s really cool knowing that it’s the first Pioneer League title for the school,” Senior Captain Alonzo Gonzalez said. “We’ve worked hard throughout the whole season and it’s cool to see that work pay off. We’ve gotten better throughout the season, and when we play our game and play for each other, we’re a tough team to compete with.”
The team is moving to the Bay League next year, and that is due to current and past success.
“Wiseburn Da Vinci is a special place to go to school and play hoops,” said Boys Varsity Head Coach for Basketball Jeff Amaral. “It’s an honor to have had the success to move up, and play in the best public school league in the South Bay. We are inviting incoming 9th graders into our high school basketball camp this summer, and look forward to seeing future Wolves at our youth summer camp for incoming 4th-8th graders as well,” he said.
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Our WDV Junior Varsity Boys Basketball team also had a very strong 2023-24 season. And similar to our varsity team, they were also Pioneer League Champions, making it the first time that both levels accomplished this feat in the same season!
The WDV Junior Varsity team’s season ended with an 18-7 record.
“This was my second season leading the JV team as well as our second season in the Pioneer League,” said Ahmed Holmes, head coach of the WDV junior varsity boys’ basketball team. “We were outright champions of the Pioneer League with an extremely young basketball team. Our team was made up of eight freshmen, and we are by far the youngest team in our league. I am extremely proud of our young men. I am most proud of the way we competed all season and how we were battling to the last whistle in each and every game,” he continued.
When asked if there were any words of encouragement Coach Ahmed wanted to share, he had this to say: “Never underestimate the little guy and the heart of a champion. You can never count somebody out for their size or age because they may just surprise you and prove you wrong. As a school, WDV is always overlooked because we may not have the number of students other schools or sports have, but we’re coming for you with grit and hard work.”
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Our WDV Girls Varsity Soccer team ended their season with a whole host of noteworthy achievements, including recruitment sessions for seniors with interested college programs; media kits that were created and shared with college coaches to market our WDV student-athletes; partnerships with UCLA EXOS to support strength building, conditioning and nutrition education; and our WDV Girls Soccer Team was the only high school program to be selected as a demonstration team at the annual global United Soccer Coaches Convention in Anaheim, CA attended by tens of thousands of coaches from around the world. (We have been asked to attend again next year in Chicago.)
“As a staff, we are most proud of our team and the girls’ courage to change, the mindset they have to grow, and the newfound sense of self-efficacy they have,” said Head Coach Mimi, a former Division I soccer player, FIFA World Cup soccer player, and championship youth soccer coach. “We have collective clarity, power, and purpose, and we’re looking forward to bringing it to the pitch for next season,” she continued.
Coach Mimi Nartey joined the team at the start of the 2023-24 season and helped the girls to end the season not just with their heads held high, but with a powerful knowing of what they are capable of achieving.
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Our WDV Boys Varsity Soccer team started the season with Rafael Carranza taking over as head coach, and in the ultra competitive Pioneer League with teams that play well above our division.
Coach Rafa recognized the team’s potential for greatness at the start of the season due to the composition of the team and their motivation to succeed.
“Since our very first practice, we had one goal in mind and that was to make a deep playoff run,” said Coach Rafa. “We knew it was a tough task but every preseason game made this team believe we were about to have a special season,” he continued.
And the team did just what they’d set out to do: they clinched a playoff spot and gave the WDV Wolves community an exciting postseason with a lot to come out and cheer about.
The boys finished out the season in third place in the Pioneer League.
“With our heads held high and the odds always against us, our Wolves displayed passion, leadership and created countless great memories for everyone who was able to watch how special this team was,” said Coach Rafa. “I can’t thank each and every player enough for making my first year as coach one I’ll never forget. We fought hard and set the bar high for every team to come. Every year we will come back stronger and ready to bring success to our community. Today, tomorrow and for every season to come, GO WOLVES!”
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The WDV Wolves Archery team’s season officially opened this month, but their training began back in November 2023 when 82 athletes signed up to learn how to shoot archery, and try out for the award-winning team.
At tryouts, 30 student-athletes were selected to make the team based on ranking scores and practices have been underway ever since.
The WDV Archery team is currently 3rd in the state and 7th in the nation, and they have their sights set on 1st place!
“This season, each student is shooting for their personal record and we are already seeing huge growth,” said Sarah Nitsos, head WDV archery coach. “The WDV Wolves Archery team is very strong this year and are looking to take down long-time champions Beaumont High School.”
Archery’s upcoming matches are:
Regionals: March 20th 8am start time, Cherry Valley Bowhunters, 9610 Kehl Canyon Rd, Cherry Valley, CA 92223
State: April 20th 8 am start time, Olympic Training Facility, 2800 Olympic Parkway, Chula Vista, CA 91915
State Finals: April 27th 8 am start time or 11:30 start TBD, Olympic Training Facility, 2800 Olympic Parkway, Chula Vista, CA 91915
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Our WDV Boys Volleyball season started February 15, and with the addition of a couple of basketball players to the current championship team, the team is predicted to be an even more formidable team this season. Almost all of the starters from last year’s championship team are back and the team has moved up two divisions after winning the CIF-SS Division 5 last year.
The team played in the pre-season Garden Grove Winter Spikefest tournament earlier this month and looks forward to the challenge of playing in the Division 3 playoffs this year!
In addition to archery and boys volleyball, the season is just getting underway for some of our other WDV Spring CIF-sanctioned sports, which includes baseball, softball, swim, track, and girls beach volleyball.
If you’d like to come out and support, here’s our upcoming schedule.
Thank you to all our WDV student-athletes, our WDV coaches, and all the fans who come out to support.
Go WDV Wolves!
