Cypress players celebrate after winning the CIF Division 1 title a year ago. (File photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
A year ago, Cypress High’s baseball players set out what they tried to accomplish: they brought home a CIF Division 1 title.
The Centurions defeated Harvard Westlake 2-0 to win the title on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at Dodger Stadium. Cypress finished 31-3, much to the delight of a large following of fans from the school and the community.
On Monday, Coach John Weber looked back at the school’s third CIF baseball title.
“They played as team, they played for each other, they played for each other, they didn’t care who got the credit …. they honestly and truly felt like they were going to win every game and they competed and practiced very hard almost everyday,” Weber told OC Sports Zone in an email.
“It was a special group with a bunch of special players, not uber talented, as only Cameron (Repetti) got drafted, but a group that did everything the coaching staff asked, they trusted the staff to the fullest, they followed the plan and they believed.”
Weber is also looking to the future but realizes much is up in the air because of the coronavirus pandemic. High school sports around the state are currently on hold.
Since no CIF baseball playoffs were held this past season, Cypress is still the defending champion in Division 1. The Centurions started the season 7-5 and did not play any Empire League games before the season was cancelled.
“I honestly have never been so uncertain about anything as much as I am about the high school sports in general,” Weber said. “This covid virus has flipped the entire world upside down. Anyway, my hope would be that we can first off, run our fall program; meaning practice and playing games, at least for a couple of months or so. Then we all get to start the season as normal.”
Here’s a look back at OC Sports Zone’s coverage of the CIF finals with photos by Fernando M. Donado and story by Tom Connolly.
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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