With Homecoming on Oct. 22 and the fall sports season coming to an end, Beverly Hills High School (BHHS) athletes are gearing up to close out on a high note. Since August, BHHS high school varsity players have been competing in the Ocean League, a high school athletic conference in Los Angeles County affiliated with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section, for a chance at the CIF playoffs. Beverly is one of six schools in the league competing in football, girls’ volleyball, boys’ water polo, boys’ and girls’ cross country, and girls’ tennis.
Since winning their last regular league match on Oct.19 against El Segundo High School, the girls tennis team emerged at the top of the league. The team made headlines in May of 2020 by defeating Flintridge Prep in six straight matches and ultimately winning the CIF championship.
“It’s been a really awesome season,” Maya Goldkorn, a senior on the team, told the Courier. “I think we definitely carried over a lot of the enthusiasm from last year and the team got really close. We got a lot of brand-new players this year too that have been incredible, and it’s just been fun to play because I think we have a very solid lineup.” Ellis, too, remarked on the quality of players, saying, “they’re solid from top to bottom.”
According to Goldkorn, things are starting to feel “more normal” since the team can go compete at other schools and take the bus there wearing masks.
“I think part of the reason that we’ve been doing pretty well is because we have a lot of team spirit and our team is very bonded,” Goldkorn said. “Sometimes after games we go to In-N-Out on the way back and everyone’s always supporting each other and cheering for one another.”
While Goldkorn doesn’t plan to continue her tennis career in college, she said “but I think a lot of girls on the team definitely have what it takes.” The tennis CIF playoffs start the first week of November.
“We’re wrapping up a lot of our fall seasons right now,” Director of District Athletics, Tim Ellis, told the Courier. “The girls volleyball team finished up last week and they are the Ocean League champions. They did a great job, and they will start the CIF playoffs next weekend.” After defeating Leuzinger High School 3-2 on Oct. 11, the BHHS varsity girls’ volleyball team will compete in the CIF Los Angeles City Championship Finals on Nov. 5-6.
On Nov. 2, the girls and boys track will compete in their Ocean League cross country finals, where all six schools in the league get together and run.
“We got exciting young new coaches for cross country, and the team is doing very well,” Ellis told the Courier. “Danielle and Josh Hollander are both outstanding young cross-country runners. They are both very solid runners and they’ve been running since they were freshmen.” Danielle came in first in her division at the prestigious Woodbridge Invitational Cross County Classic presented by ASICS America a few weeks ago, and Josh and came in seventh.
“The boys’ water polo will not make the playoffs,” and the football team, said Ellis, “is struggling, but they’re there.”
