The mark of a good athletic program is making the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Under the direction of athletic director Tom Salter Culver City continues to produce teams that make it to the big dance and this season three fall teams are in the CIF playoffs.
The football, girls’ volleyball and boys’ water polo teams will battle some the best teams in southern California for the right to be called CIF Champions. The volleyball and water polo teams won their first round games Tuesday and the football team plays at home Friday at 7 p.m. in their first round match up against Pacifica of Oxnard. Both teams are 7-3 overall.
The volleyball and water polo teams will play their second round games today. The 17-11 volleyball team will face a strong 30-8 Elsinore team at a neutral site and the water polo team will play Crescenta Valley. The time and sites for both games were not announced at press time.
The Ocean league champion football team will be playing a team from the Oxnard area for the second time this season. They beat Channel Islands earlier this season and now they face Pacifica from the same Pacific View league. “It feels good being league champions but I still feel bad for Lawndale who had to forfeit those games,” said head coach Jahmal Wrigh after their win over Beverly Hills last Friday. “Don’t get me wrong. I am very happy for our players, parents, coaches and the entire Culver City community. I am also happy to have a home game in the first round.”
Wright has played in and coached enough playoffs games to know the stakes are high. “We know that every team in the playoffs is going to be good, so we need to come ready to play at the beginning of the game. We have to stop these slow starts and cut down on our penalties.”
Wright will look to the senior class to help the team stay focused. “I can’t say enough about the senior class,” said. “They are the main reason that we were able to turn this program around after we were 2-8 last year. The character and leadership of the seniors helped change the culture of the program.”
One senior that really let his actions speak louder than his words is Mason Mulvihill. Mulvihill is Culver City’s best receiver, one of their best defensive players and he also plays on special teams. “It’s amazing to be league champions,” said Mulvihill after the Beverly Hills game. “I have been a part of this program my whole life. Our senior leadership really took control this year and laid down the law. We told the younger players that we did not want the same thing to happen like last year and they understood. Everyone sacrificed a lot. Now we have to stay humble.”
When the water polo team defeated Brentwood in their first round game last Tuesday they also presented long time coach, Nestor Dordoni Sr. with one of the best birth day presents he could have received. “It was a great birth day present,” Dordoni Sr. said last Tuesday. “It’s been a long season but I think the kids played their best game of the year today. Our defense was outstanding today.”
