Anzar head boys basketball coach Ed Cecena admittedly doesn’t
know much about the competition in the Coastal Athletic League,
which this year will include teams like York, Pacific Collegiate
and Anchorpoint Christian.
It’s the first season the Hawks will be featured in the CAL
— a supplemental division of the Mission Trail Athletic League —
one year after the team battled through the MTAL with a 1-13
record.
HOLLISTER
Anzar head boys basketball coach Ed Cecena admittedly doesn’t know much about the competition in the Coastal Athletic League, which this year will include teams like York, Pacific Collegiate and Anchorpoint Christian.
It’s the first season the Hawks will be featured in the CAL — a supplemental division of the Mission Trail Athletic League — one year after the team battled through the MTAL with a 1-13 record.
But what is known is the success the Anzar girls team has had since they joined the CAL two years ago, despite initially struggling through their non-conference schedule each season.
Whether that translates to the boys side remains to be seen, but the idea itself is enough to breed confidence into a team that has lost six games in a row.
“They’re really looking forward to league,” Cecena said of his Hawks, who currently own a 2-12 record. “They know the situation and they know the success the girls have had.”
Although Anzar’s preseason mark might not suggest a strong future in league play this season, the Anzar girls have proven otherwise two years in a row.
Despite early-season struggles, the Lady Hawks have won back-to-back league titles in the CAL, each year qualifying toward the Central Coast Section Division V playoffs.
“And that’s been the motivation — to get to league and see what damage we can do and maybe salvage some success,” Cecena said.
Anchored by post players Andres Gomez and Mark Rania, the Hawks will look to the interior against their CAL competition, which also includes Oakwood, Santa Cruz Waldorf and Georgiana Bruce Kirby.
Anzar will open league play on Wednesday night against visiting Oakwood. The girls will tip-off at 5:30 p.m., the boys at 7 p.m.
“The focal point for us will be our two inside guys,” Cecena said of Gomez and Rania. “Hopefully, we’ll have a little bit of a size advantage.”
Gomez and Rania have averaged double-digits this season in scoring, and will be Anzar’s key pieces to its inside-out attack.
The senior-heavy squad also includes Devon Parish, Niko Hebert, Izzy Parra and Dylan Doty, while sophomore Nick Salgado and freshman Alex Valles round out the varsity roster.
“I think it’s a good move for us this year,” Cecena said of the CAL. “Hopefully, we’ll be more competitive there.”
The Anzar girls, meanwhile, will look to make it three league titles in a row this season, but it won’t be easy.
While the team will renew its rivalry with Pacific Collegiate on Friday in Santa Cruz, the Hawks have experienced a drastic makeover from one year ago. Anzar lost players to graduation, grades, other sports and injury this season, while head coach Aaron Netzel stepped down for personal reasons in December.
New head coach Mike Bonomi, who had been coaching the junior varsity team at Anzar, has been at the varsity helm the last four games for the Hawks, who own a 2-7 overall record.
“It’s a totally different team,” said Bonomi, who will rely upon point guard Melissa Weckerle and post player Kelsey Robledo this season. Robledo, who is averaging more than 16 points per game, is Anzar’s lone returning varsity member.
“With them and good defense,” Bonomi said, “I think we have a chance in every game.
“I think we have a competitive team that brings energy.”
Bonomi said each game will be a “dogfight,” though, with the team’s first test coming Friday night against Pacific Collegiate. The Pumas have finished runner-up to Anzar in the CAL two years in a row.
The Hawks have topped Pacific Collegiate in three of their previous four meetings, however.
