SRHS strives for another title
By Hector Trujillo
With only seven games left in the regular season, the Scripps Ranch High School roller hockey team looks to harness some of the early energy it enjoyed under new head coach Jonathon Gauthier.
After suffering back to back losses to start the season against Del Norte High School and Westview High School, the Falcons managed to turn things around by going on a three-game winning streak beating Cathedral Catholic High, Escondido Charter High and Poway High.
“It’s been pretty fun so far,” Gauthier said. “The kids are good and they work hard. I like it.”
Scripps Ranch High is once again competing in the Metro Conference made up of six schools that play each other three times in the regular season.
Scripps Ranch is also looking to make another trip to the championship just like they did last year as the team continues to be led by the efforts of standout forward Garion Barber and the great defensive play of Julien Thibault.
“I really want to see the improvement from game to game,” Gauthier said. “We got some new faces. As long as we can get better every game and, as long as the kids are having fun while continuing to learn, that is really all that matters.”
Gauthier served as an assistant to Greg Friedman for six seasons before taking over the helm this year.
Scripps Ranch High will play its next game on Jan. 24 against Escondido Charter High, followed by a match versus Poway High School on Jan. 25 before taking on Del Norte High on Jan. 31 when they will look to avenge the loss from Jan. 8 suffered at the hands of the Nighthawks.
The Falcons will then close out the season with a match against Westview High School on Feb. 1, Cathedral Catholic High on Feb. 7, Escondido Charter High on Feb. 8 and the finale versus Poway High on Feb. 15.
The five-time champion Falcons won back to back championships in 2019-20, with a 41-1 record over that span that culminated with a 7-4 victory over Westview in the Metro Conference championship at the Escondido Sports Center. Scripps Ranch High fell just short of another title last season, falling to Del Norte High in the final.
