Looking back at the top stories from the Ventura County sports scene for 2024

Posted by Admin January 1, 2025 Sports

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Taking a look back at 2024, a year when the stars shined in Ventura County sports.

Olympic dreams

Tara Davis-Woodhall won the gold medal in the women’s high jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics in August, leaping more than 23 feet on her fourth attempt of the night.

It was a moment of redemption for the 25-year-old Agoura High graduate, The Star’s 2017 All-County Girls Track Athlete of the Year, who finished second at the 2023 world championships.

Davis-Woodhall was one of eight locals who competed in Paris.

Nico Young became the first Ventura County runner to compete in the 10k at the Olympics. The 21-year-old running phenom from Newbury Park High graduate finished 12th at the Stade de France, finishing with a time that bettered the previous Olympic record.

Oaks Christian graduate Adrian Weinberg and Westlake Village native Ben Hallock led the U.S. men’s water polo team to a bronze medal.

Goalkeeper Weinberg, The Star’s 2018 Boys Water Polo Player of the Year, shut out Hungary in the decisive shootout in the bronze-medal match.

Buena High graduate Sami Whitcomb led Australia to a bronze medal in women’s basketball.

Jaquez returns home

Jaime Jaquez Jr. proved he belonged in the NBA by averaging 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in his first season with the Miami Heat.

The Camarillo High graduate finished fourth in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting behind winner Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio, Chet Holmgren of Oklahoma City, and Brandon Miller of Charlotte.

In January, Jaquez returned home to play the Los Angeles teams for the first time in Southern California.

Jaquez had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and added four rebounds, two assists and four steals in a 121-104 loss to the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on Jan. 1.

Two days later, Jaquez scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting with eight assists, one steal and one block in a 110-96 win against the Lakers.

Boston’s breakout party

After leading Camarillo High to the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 championship, Camarillo High senior Boston Bateman was drafted in the MLB Draft.

The 18-year-old left-hander was taken 52nd overall by the San Diego Padres on July 15. He later signed for an above-slot $2.5 million.

The Star’s All-County Baseball Player of the Year allowed one hit and one run over six innings and Trotter Enright’s double plated Nate Tostado with the game-deciding run in the top of the seventh inning as the Scorpions came from behind to beat La Cañada Flintridge-St. Francis, 2-1, the title game May 18 at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore.

The win came one day after Moorpark High lost the Division 2 final in one of the wildest endings ever seen.

The Musketeers fell 7-6 to Newhall-Hart after Taylor Busch’s championship-winning, walk-off two-run home run was overruled by an umpire as the Musketeers celebrated winning the title.

The Brady and Shane Show

Childhood friends Brady Smigiel and Shane Rosenthal led Newbury Park to one of the finest seasons in Ventura County football history.

The Panthers went 14-1, winning the CIF-SS Division 2 championship and were named CalHiSports.com’s Medium-sized School of the Year.

Smigiel broke Keith Smith’s 31-year-old Ventura County passing record, becoming the county’s first 10,000-yard passer.

Rosenthal became California’s all-time leading receiver, setting county records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs.

Smigiel committed to Florida State in July. Rosenthal is committed to Princeton. Although both recently took a recruiting trip to the University of Washington.

Pacifica held off St. Bonaventure in an all-Marmonte League CIF-SS Division 4 championship game and reached the CIF-State Division 2-AA championship bowl.

Sadie signs off

Ventura High’s Sadie Engelhardt was surprised with the 2023-24 Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Player of the Year Award at Larrabee Stadium in June.

In July, she was named “Best Female Player of the Year” at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

The junior had set national federation records for the girls 1,600 and the outdoor mile in April. She won her fourth CIF-State track title in May. She won her third CIF-State cross country title in December. In between, she competed at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

She broke her own meet record at the at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in June. She set the course record at the Clovis Invitational in October.

The North Carolina State commit recently announced she was forgoing her final high school track season to compete unattached against professionals.

Hello and goodbye

The Los Angeles Galaxy rebranded its reserve team and moved Galaxy II to Rolland Stadium in Thousand Oaks

Ventura County F.C. debuted to an overflow crowd in May and made the playoffs in MLS Next Pro.

In stunning local education news, La Reina High School closed its doors in Thousand Oaks at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

Before it ended, Brianna Bergstrom and the Regents ended the girls soccer team’s 12-year drought without a playoff win.

The Ventura County All-Star Football Game ended its 50-year tradition in February, making way for the first National Football Foundation Senior All-Star flag and tackle games in December.

Joe Curley is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcspreps on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.