Boys’ Football
After battling for the past few years, the UHS Football team found themselves in high hopes after a strong start to the 2023 season. The team sat with a 5-5 overall record and a 2-1 league record. The team was ranked second in the Pacific Hills League going into the final week of the season. The team’s last game of the regular season had them matched up against cross-town rival, Irvine High School, with some big implications. With a victory over Irvine, UHS would have earned a CIF playoff spot and a share of the Pacific Hills League first-place title. Unfortunately, the team lost to Irvine, destroying any real chance of going to the playoffs.
UHS has been led by their senior quarterback, Koa Saito, this season. However, a concussion left him sidelined for the final two games of the season. His leadership throughout the season has put the team in a position to succeed in the playoffs, something UHS Football hasn’t done in years.
“I feel like this is the first true Uni football team in the school’s recent history with a senior class that has stuck together for all four years and has created an unmatched bond that has led us to this point today,” Saito said.
Saito’s 19 touchdowns and 1,228 passing yards put him as the second-ranked quarterback in the Pacific Hills League this season. Saito and the team’s leaders are focused on “changing the culture” within the program and hope to create an environment that promotes hard work and passion for the game, which they believe will put the program in a better spot after this year’s seniors are gone.
Girls’ Flag Football
Following their playoff appearance in their inaugural season last fall, Girls’ Flag Football returned to UHS for its first year as an official CIF sport. Last year’s roster primarily consisted of seniors, but with the rising popularity of flag football, the newly revamped roster has players ranging from all grades. One of the senior returners, Riley Hertstein, is now a captain and a star player for the team. The team had a 6-4 league record and a 13-9 overall record for the 2023 season.
“I am so happy we were [able] to make a team of so many younger newcomers and I am excited to come back and see how they do in the future with more experience,” Hertstein said.
Pushing through the challenges of having a team filled mostly with underclassmen, Flag Football is making the most of its opportunities on the field and looking forward to next year.
Cross Country
Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country are both having strong seasons this fall and continue to compete in CIF Division II competitions under Coach Davies. Leading the boys’ team along with his co-captain is junior Tak Nishida. Nishida’s third year on the Boys’ Cross Country team has continued to supply great bonds among teammates and has proved to be a good experience for him and his teammates. His personal record of 17:53 in a three-mile race came in his sophomore season and he looks to improve on this with support from his team behind him.
“From the bus rides to team dinners and even just stretching out before we go on our runs, the dynamic we create is one of such positivity and encouragement,” Nishida said. “At the end of the day, we may each be running our own races, but when you know your team has supported you and wants to see you do well, that’s one of the most rewarding feelings there is.”
The bonds created among the boys’ team are strong and, when put together, provide a great team dynamic. The same spirit runs through the girls’ side of cross country. UHS Girls’ Cross Country is led by senior captain Kaitlyn Carmicheal, who recently committed to running at the NCAA Division I level with the University of California, San Diego. Carmichael and her team recently competed in an individual event at Mt. San Antonio College, where they had a great traveling experience. Carmichael, now a senior, ranks second in all-league and is a top-five long-distance runner in UHS history. Carmichael’s favorite moment came in her junior year when she and her teammates ran the 4x400m relay last year.
“We had a blast and it was so fun to share that moment with the girls,” Carmicheal said.
Both cross-country teams look forward to finishing this season strong as it nears its end and most participants will keep training for the UHS Varsity Track & Field season in the spring. Carmichael has made a large impact on the program and is looking forward to her future as a runner in college.
