Aragon’s badminton season is off to a strong start (1-0 overall), following a CCS championship qualification in the 2023 season.

The badminton team has a new coach this season, Martin Chan, who has shaken things up a bit for the team. The team this year experienced significant cuts and a unique team makeup, with the majority of the team being underclassmen.

“It’s a meritocracy for me,” Chan said. “You do well, you’re gonna be playing.”

While this system plays to the disadvantage of some upperclassmen, some players appreciate the merit-based selection process.

“This year is especially harsh because we don’t have a JV,” said senior Aidan Ogasawara.”So that’s going around and making a lot of people upset because they won’t have a second chance, but I feel that for varsity it should really depend on skill.” 

You can do push-ups at home. You can do squats at home. But really to maximize our [time] understanding how to play, that’s important.

Furthermore, Chan states that another factor in why he chose so many underclassmen over upperclassmen is because of his heavy emphasis on potential.

“Some of the seniors are really good and those are the hardest to cut,” Chan said. “Because the problem is that unless the senior is going to start or be actively playing, we can’t keep them because they’re not going to be improving for next year.”

In regards to training, Chan says that he places more of an emphasis on strategy than physicality, since physicality can be trained at home. 

“Learning tactics, how to read the birdie, that’s something we can do during the practice sessions,” Chan said. “You can do push-ups at home. You can do squats at home. But really to maximize our [time] understanding how to play, that’s important.”

Singles one [grade] Allison Hsu enjoys this less intense training regiment, since Hsu also plays in a club outside of school. 

“You can just rally most of the time,” Hsu said. “When I’m outside of school in my club, we have to do drills and a lot of physical exercise and it’s pretty set. So this is a nice way to practice.”

The team’s next match will be against Capuchino on March 14 at 4:30 p.m.

The Aragon swim team finished off their 2023 season with a record number of players winning CCS titles. Although there is room for improvement, a major problem Aragon faces is losing some of their top tier athletes who graduated. Also, a key factor towards their success this year will be hitting the weight room and staying consistent.

“I think we just got to swim more and hit the weight room. It’s also about being repetitive, sometimes you can get burnt out and we can’t afford to think like that,” said sophomore Tyler Gin.

A lot of swim team members show high levels of dedication to their sport, finding ways to ensure they improve. Sophomore Noah Miller, missed out on several meets last year because of an ear infection. 

“I couldn’t go to a lot of meets last year because of my injury,” Miller said. “Right now, I am looking at ways to work around that roadblock. I have the goal of improving my swim form this year, and overall staying consistent.” 

Other members of the team are itching to shatter their personal records from last year. Also, to make sure the team is successful, the swim team has been grinding during the pre-season practicing up to four times a week. 

“It’s difficult to get up that early,” Miller said. “Especially when you know you have to go to practice.” 

Most swimmers prefer the afternoon practices over the morning ones, but since the pool got a new upgrade the morning practices are more bearable. 

“The new heaters are nice, sometimes our coach has to turn down the heat because it gets too hot,” Miller said. 

Another big factor in winning meets is being supportive. The Dons swim team makes it a priority to cheer on each other to ensure wins.

“We have a cheer team or team chant that we do at the start of our meet,” Gin said. “When someone is racing I’m always there yelling and cheering them on.” 

Ultimately, with the new season beginning, the future looks bright with the Aragon swim team.

With 138 members, this year’s Track and Field team overshadows last year’s total of 120. 

Since the season is only at its beginning, a lot of the workouts focus on building up athletes’ conditions. For the distance runners, a typical week consists of a medium to long run on Mondays and Fridays, track workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays, hills on Wednesdays, and an extra long run on Saturday or Sunday. 

“Coach seems to have us on a lower mileage program but with more speed workouts,” said senior runner Toby Harris. “I’m interested in seeing how that will help our times.”

Athletes from different events train to improve the aspects most crucial to their respective event: sprinters train for speed on the track, while throwers spend more time in the weight room, often working to perfect their form. Pole vaulters work on strengthening their upper body, and jumpers work on their jumps and approaches.

The team has high hopes for succeeding in this year’s CCS championships. Historically, Aragon has been extremely competitive at the event, winning the title twice and placing third the other time in the last three years.

“We have a lot of veteran runners and jumpers and throwers who are returning and bringing a lot of skill and experience to the team,” Harris said. “We have a lot of very good juniors who were previously sophomores and help give us a very good [freshman] offseason and now they’re going to help us have a great varsity season. And there’s a lot of really promising freshmen and new faces … [to] continue leading the team into the future.”

Sophomore runner Dylan Lee echoes Harris’s expectations.

“We have a really good team,” Lee said. “The people that come every day work really hard, [and] I feel like we all have a good mentality.”

The team’s next meet will be the Saint Francis Invitational on March 16.

After going 5-5 in the Peninsula Athletic League last year, Aragon boys lacrosse is gearing up for their upcoming season and hopes to improve on last year’s performance.

“Something that we could have done better [last year] was passing the ball more and talking,” said junior Harry Gurr. 

To achieve this, Gurr thinks the team will put more time and energy into building communication and chemistry this season.

“[We need to] do more team activities, instead of focusing on individual skill activities, ” Gurr said. ”Just making sure we are bonding with each other.”

In terms of goals, Gurr thinks it’s simple: win as many games as possible, as there are no playoffs, and do so by working together. 

We beat Hillsdale the last few years, so the Hillsdale game is always fun because they want to win

However, after losing over 10 seniors who graduated out of the program, most of whom started, the players work on developing a fairly young and new team. After a tough first scrimmage against Carlmont, sophomore Aidan Schneider is confident the team will find success as they continue to grow and develop.

“A lot of people are coming into new roles that they didn’t really have last year,” Schneider said. “We’re just bringing everyone up to speed and eventually, after a few games, we will become more comfortable and able to compete.”

To do this, sophomore Simon LaCarruba thinks training will look slightly different from last year to fill the gaps of those lost players. 

“This year we will probably work on basic skills, since we lost a lot of good players,” LaCarruba said. “We’ll do a lot more like skill training, more than going over plays, just to get fundamentals down so we can improve and start building up to what we had last year.” 

In addition to skill training, the team also throws in some more fun games on recovery days.

“Sometimes for fun we play dodgeball with tennis balls to work on our shot, power and accuracy,” Schneider said. “It’s a good way to wind down after a game but also a good way to practice shooting.” 

Two big games for the team this season will be against Carlmont and Hillsdale.

“We beat Hillsdale the last few years, so the Hillsdale game is always fun because they want to win,” Gurr said. “Carlmont too, because we lost to them by a lot last year and they have lost a lot of core players since then.”

The team’s next league game will be at Sequoia High School on March 19 at 7 p.m.

The Dons are looking to rebound off a disappointing 2023 season in which they went 1-18, struggling on the defensive side of the field. Like most varsity teams, the Dons lost a few key seniors to graduation, but this team is a little different. The roster consists of a majority of juniors with only five active seniors. Although the team has few seniors, the leadership from the seniors is strong, as a couple of them have been playing varsity all four years of their Aragon careers.

Through a shared struggle last season, the Dons bonded over a sheer love for the game. 

“You need a strong mindset,” said senior Analysa Ossio. “You are going to lose. [But] from those losses you need to learn. Learning those lessons is an important part of building a successful team, and learning together helped us build a bond on and off the field.” 

Through the Dons’ defensive struggles last year they learned the necessity of communication on the field. 

“In practices we try to talk a lot so we remember to talk in games,” said junior Layla Adle. 

The Dons believe that their close bond off the field will help them improve their communication on the field this year. The team is a close knit community, and most members of the team are friends away from the game. 

“We’ve built a very strong bond off of the field which translates to chemistry in the field,” said Ossio. 

The Dons expect to build off of their slow season last year, and with a few senior leaders and a strong junior class, they look to take this season one game at a time with aspirations of competing for a winning record and maybe their first playoff berth since 2018. 

Their next game is at Notre Dame High School on March 13 at 4:30 p.m.

The Aragon softball season is underway, as the team starts their preseason with a 1-1-1 record. The softball team looks a bit different this year, as head coach Liz Roscoe re-introduced a junior varsity team to the program after increased interest from underclassmen and large attendance at tryouts. 

With the addition of a JV team, some underclassmen have the opportunity to play up and down with both teams, allowing players more playing time, as well as developing young athletes who will go on to replace the current upperclassmen. 

The JV team is not the only change to Aragon’s softball program, as the varsity squad begins their season without their star pitcher Brooke Tran, who currently plays at the University of New Mexico after graduating last spring. 

“I think Brooke really brought the team together last year,” said sophomore Madison Ketcham. “The season definitely feels kind of weird not having her on the team because she was a good team leader”. 

Despite losing their pitcher, the varsity team hopes that as the program grows bigger, they will grow stronger as well. After finishing fifth out of eight last season with a 5-9 record in the Bay division, the team aims for more success in 2024. 

Practices are always a lot of fun and there’s always so much energy. Before games we always have music playing and everyone gets super hyped up

However, staying at the top of their league will not be easy, as the team is already working to overcome challenges. 

“Our focus right now is on remaining focused throughout all seven innings,” said senior Aré Makropoulos. “We always start off so strong and so focused, and then we just lose that completely through the end of the game”. 

Luckily, the team knows what they need to work on going into the start of the regular season. 

“We need to stay more focused in practice, but also during our games. We just need to have the right mindset,” Makropoulos said. 

Makropoulos, who returned to softball this season after not playing for several years, is now one of the team’s two pitchers, and has been more than willing to step into the role despite having big shoes to fill. 

Despite working hard at practice, the team still manages to have fun during training and at games. 

“My favorite part about the team is definitely the community that we’ve created,” Ketcham said. “Practices are always a lot of fun and there’s always so much energy. Before games we always have music playing and everyone gets super hyped up”. 

The girls also give credit to their coaches for the supportive environment, as they push their athletes to be the best players they can be.

“The coaches really love the game and I think they provide a really nice, warm, supportive atmosphere for the girls to really thrive,” Makropoulos said. “I think they create a safe space for everyone to do their best and really get after it because that’s what we’re here to do”. 

With their season just beginning, the Dons have over twenty games left to play, and hope to end with a winning record and at the top of the Bay division.

The Aragon baseball season has begun, however, this season looks a lot different from the last. The baseball field has been under construction since the beginning of the school year, after school administrators decided to change the traditional dirt infield and grass outfield to artificial turf. Although the field was scheduled to be completed before the start of the baseball season, construction is still underway, meaning that the baseball team has no choice but to practice, and play their home games at Mills and San Mateo. 

“The field closure has made our practice schedule day to day,” said senior Jacob Orton. “Sometimes we get kicked off the field and we have to practice at Los Prados Park or at Starting LineUp batting cages.”

The team is especially disappointed as they were told that the remodel would be done by the beginning of the baseball season. 

“It’s definitely frustrating because they told us it’d be done before the season started,” said senior Nolan Rivera. “And then as time progressed they kept moving it back and moving it back. So as of right now, it’s supposed to be done at the beginning of May.”

We have a lot of veterans on the team and even a couple of juniors [who] are starting to take the role of a leader. So I’m very confident in the direction that we’re headed

Despite not having a home field, the team continues to work hard in hopes of having a more successful season than the last. After ending last year’s season with a league record of 4-10, the team was moved from the Bay division to the Ocean division. With the incentive to move back up to the Bay, the team is more motivated than ever to win. 

It’s definitely frustrating because they told us it’d be done before the season started. And then as time progressed they kept moving it back and moving it back.

“Coming off of an unsuccessful season last year, we’re really focused on getting back into the swing of things,” Rivera said. “Getting wins under our belt, and getting everybody energized for the games.”

Luckily, head coach Don Hahn says that he is confident in his team’s ability to win their league, as he has already noticed an improvement in the team’s dynamic. 

“I think the seniors this year are much more in the leadership role than last year seniors,” Hahn said. “We have a lot of veterans on the team and even a couple of juniors [who] are starting to take the role of a leader. So I’m very confident in the direction that we’re headed”. 

As the season gets underway, the team is hopeful that they will end their season at the top of the Bay division, and be able to play their last few home games at Aragon on their newly renovated field. 

Their next game is at Branham high school March 15 at 4 p.m.

After an extremely strong showing last year and a 15-year legacy of Central Coast Section playoff qualifications to uphold, the boys tennis team hopes to build on their success going 5-1 overall this season and 4-0 in Peninsula Athletic League. 

The starting lineup has won 37 out of 42 matches this season, sweeping 7-0 in all league games without dropping a set. This streak includes wins against top teams like Carlmont and Burlingame.

Losing only a few seniors from last year, junior Thomas Nie feels optimistic about the upcoming season as new talent joins the team. 

“I think we have really good potential, especially because [nobody left] our starting lineup,” Nie said. “We can continue to improve and we don’t have to replace [players] as much. We also gained a new number one.”

Our bond is also getting closer because no one really left, so we’ve all known each other for at least a year

With the players in singles being ranked from one to four, gaining a new top player to compete at the highest level is a valuable asset. In addition to individual talent, Nie feels the high number of returning players is beneficial to the team dynamic. 

“I think we’re gonna do better this year, our players are growing older and they’re getting more experienced at the game,” Nie said. “Our bond is also getting closer because no one really left, so we’ve all known each other for at least a year.”

Despite being a highly individual sport, freshman MJ Ke really values this tight dynamic and the support he feels from his teammates.

“Everyone’s really supportive and helps each other out when we make mistakes,” Ke said. “We help each other improve because … we want to all do better.”

In a typical practice, the team starts off with some dynamic stretching and other warm-ups, before transitioning to match play. The team focuses on one main goal during practice.

“I want to try and get into the individual CCS, and try to have a perfect record,” said sophomore Veraaz Khan. “As a team, we also want to get into CCS as we did last year, and try to advance into the quarterfinals.”

The team’s next match is at home against Hillsdale on March 21 at 4 p.m.

The Dons are fresh off of a bittersweet season, one in which the Dons ended with a 21-9 record but failed to make the Central Coast Section playoffs. They managed to achieve a great record in the thirty games they played, but the failure to make the playoffs left a blemish on the season and provided motivation for this year’s squad. 

Last year, the Dons boasted a junior-heavy lineup, and with those juniors becoming seniors this year, the Dons have an advantage in terms of maturity and leadership. Leadership is an important aspect in volleyball because of how mentally demanding the game is. 

“Each point is like a game in itself, so dwelling on mistakes puts you and your team at a disadvantage,” said junior Jasper Caffo. 

That sense of community has helped us bond off the court and thrive together on the court

The game is brutal mentally and demanding physically, but the Dons show up day in and day out bonded by a single goal. 

“We all want to make CCS,” said senior Cameron Sears. “Having one common goal bonding us is really a beautiful thing.” 

The Dons’ large senior class is led by seniors James Diaz, Luke Phillips and Cameron Sears.

A playoff berth in the sport is obviously difficult, judging by the results of last season, ending with such a great record and still coming up short. Though difficult, a playoff appearance and maybe even a playoff run seems plausible for the Dons who in preseason are off to a hot 4-0 start as of March 4. They attribute their success to the community aspect of their team and their clear-cut goals for the season. 

“Our team is really close knit on and off the court,” said Sears. “That sense of community has helped us bond off the court and thrive together on the court.” 

Whether a playoff appearance is in the cards for the Dons or not, the team looks primed for a successful season. Led by a core group of dedicated seniors, the Dons look to repeat their successes from last year, hoping that this journey will follow through to CCS playoffs.

After a strong season last year, Aragon’s boys varsity golf team prepares for a championship contention in the 2024 season. 

Last year, the team finished second in the Peninsula Athletic League with a record of 11-2-1, and senior Sam Higaki took home PAL’s individual championship.

This year will be fun. We have a lot of good players, a lot of seniors

Now that Higaki has graduated, head coach Guy Oling looks for a potential replacement to fill his spot; 

“We have a lot of experienced golfers,” Oling said. “We have three to five guys who lead the team and I’m looking at a couple of new golfers that can potentially jump into the starting lineup.”

Oling mentioned a couple players who will take the step up to lead the team. One of those is senior Leo Bartlett. Bartlett had a strong season last year and has proven himself to be a player that can lead the team.

“This year will be fun. We have a lot of good players, a lot of seniors,” Bartlett said. “[Sam Higaki] was a core member of our team from last year and playing without him will definitely be difficult.”

To prepare for the upcoming season, Oling highlights the three different practice styles that will be put into full effect for the 2024 season. 

“We are [doing] three sections of practice,” Oling said. “Which include practice on the golf course, working on strategy and technique, and what we call course management.”

Golf courses are varied in length and varied in terrain and difficulty so you really have to play the different courses

As it was one of their weaknesses from last season, the team looks to improve their familiarity with each of the golf courses that they visit over the course of the season. 

“Golf courses are varied in length and varied in terrain and difficulty so you really have to play the different courses,” Oling said. 

As much of a struggle as it is to learn a variety of golf courses, the players themselves have to deal with balancing school and golf. PAL plays at a variety of different courses, presenting other challenges. However, not all of the courses are local, so transportation for players can be a struggle at times. 

“We sometimes play in Half Moon Bay, which we have to leave around lunch time just to make it there in time,” said Bartlett, “but I’m normally leaving my sixth period about twenty to thirty minutes in.”

With the finals cuts being made, Aragon’s boys golf team looks forward to starting off their 2024 season strong.