Now that we’re into the Spring sports season, it’s time to reflect on the Winter Sports. LJCDS has many outstanding teams who have had tons of success so far. From a nationally famous women’s basketball team to men’s basketball and soccer teams coming off CIF championship victories last season, Country Day winter sports have quite the success stories. After interviewing some talented student-athletes from our soccer and basketball teams, I was able to gain insight into how their seasons are going so far and spotlight those two sports.

Chris Carrillo ‘25, Men’s Basketball

I interviewed Junior Chris Carrillo, captain of the men’s basketball game. Chris has been playing basketball for almost 14 years, and when he started playing at age four, he fell in love with the sport and has played ever since. He shared that the team has had a pretty solid season, with a record of 22 wins and only 5 losses. Chris is most looking forward to CIF playoffs, as well as rematching their rivals, Santa Fe Christian, to whom they lost in a close overtime game earlier this season. A highlight of Chris’s season is when the team beat Cathedral Catholic at Cathedral’s home court, with Chris leading the team by scoring 44 points. When asked what advice he would give to someone in the future, he said, “Keep working hard and be persistent. Our team is really fun and such an amazing group to play with. I love the way we play an open and fast offense; it’s so much fun to be a part of.” The team works extremely hard to maintain a positive team culture, and they are all close friends off the court. Chris explained that they meet with Coach Grasso, who helps them with leadership, and they do lots of team bonding. The most recent activity the team enjoyed was going bowling together. Chris’s main goal for the season is to make open division playoffs and “have a solid run.” The only suggestion Chris has to improve their season is to reserve more time for watching game films since it helps them prepare for the specific teams they play against.

Jojo Criado ‘25, Women’s Soccer

Junior Jojo Criado is a part of the LJCDS women’s soccer team. She has been playing soccer for ten years, and because of her experience, she decided to play for the school team. Jojo shared that their season has been very successful, with their current record being ten wins, four losses, and one tie. Jojo is most looking forward to bonding and playing games with her teammates for the remainder of the season. The highlight of her season so far is when they won the Winter Jubilee Tournament. She also shared that she enjoyed beating a strong opponent, Escondido Charter, with a score of 3-0. When I asked Jojo’s advice for anyone interested in joining in the future, she noted that the team is inclusive for any skill level, and she highly recommends joining because it is a great way to meet new people in different grades. Women’s soccer has been very successful this year both on and off the field by having great team leaders who work hard to include everyone and maintain a positive team culture. Jojo’s main goal for the season is to score a goal in an upcoming game, and she looks forward to helping the team continue their winning streak.

Erin Sicari ‘25, Women’s Basketball

I talked to junior Erin Sicari about how the women’s basketball team’s season is going. Erin has been playing basketball since she was 8, and she came to Country Day primarily to play basketball since she knew LJCDS has an amazing program. Their current record stands at an impressive 22 wins and 6 losses. She shared that this year, their season has been a very different experience than past years, but she has enjoyed spending time with her team and has had so many incredible opportunities to travel to different places. She is most looking forward to hopefully winning another CIF championship and said that the highlight of her season so far was the tournament in Arizona they participated in. Erin advises anyone interested in playing to give it a chance since you meet so many new people and gain great basketball experience with a phenomenal coach. She is confident that her team can maintain their high skill level and go undefeated through league play this season. 

Junobi Ree ‘25, Men’s Soccer

Junobi Ree, Class of ‘25, shares his experience with the men’s soccer team. Junobi has been playing soccer for ten years, and he played club when he was younger, but due to injuries, this is the first season in four years that he was able to play. The men’s soccer team had a great season, with a record of 13 wins, 4 losses, and 1tie. Junobi says he is very happy with the personal progress he has made in his soccer skills this season. He is most looking forward to hopefully winning league and CIF games. The highlights of his season so far include making new friends and beating Parker in a very enjoyable game 5-1. Junobis advises anyone interested in joining the team to definitely give it a shot because all the boys are super welcoming, and the coaches are fantastic. Junobi says the team is very close and has a great team culture formed by many bonding days and lunches. His favorite memory is when they played poker together. Junobi’s main goal for the season is to score his first goal and continue winning games.

All of our winter sports have had amazing seasons, and they hope to gain everyone’s support during the playoffs! In order to see the upcoming playoff brackets and game schedules, be sure to check out the Torrey athletics social media or take a look at the LJCDS Torreys app.