Matt Carlino, who guided Santa Fe Christian to a 44-17 record and a pair of Coastal League championships in two seasons as head boys basketball coach, is leaving coaching and San Diego.
Carlino and his wife Mandi are moving back to Texas, where he will work in the insurance industry.
SFC was 23-8 this season and 7-1 in league play. The team was 21-9 last season and 11-1 in league play.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Matt for his dedication to SFC and our team,” said SFC athletic director Doug Miller.
Carlino played at BYU and Marquette, in Europe and in the G League. He earned a Master’s degree from TCU, where he served as an assistant coach.
Miller said SFC is “committed to finding someone who possesses the necessary coaching ability and embodies the values we hold dear as a team and organization at SFC.”
“The bar for this program has been set high,” he said, “and that will not change.”
Zuber honored
Adrianna Zuber, a multi-sport athlete at Tri-City Christian, has been named a recipient of the State CIF Spirit of Sports Award.
She is one of six athletes statewide to be honored. The award winners receive a $2,500 scholarship and will be honored on April 4 at the spring CIF Federated Council luncheon in Oakland.
Zuber is captain of the track and field team at TCC. She has also participated in flag football, soccer, cross county and volleyball.
She is a member of the CIF San Diego Section Advisory Council, is president of the National Honor Society, and editor-in-chief of the school yearbook.
She has also served as junior lifeguard captain.
Save a Life
The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation will host a free heart screening for youth ages 12-25 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at El Capitan High School.
Sudden cardiac arrest was the leading cause of death among youth baseball players in 2024.
EP Save A Life aims to help youth detect abnormalities before they get sidelined or worse.
The event includes a cardiac risk assessment, electrocardiogram, consultation with a physician and if indicated, a limited echocardiogram. All this typically takes less than an hour.
EP Save A Life does not charge for the screenings, which cost the organization $25 per person. To donate visit, epasavealife.org/donate or text ericslegacy to 44-321. The organization is named after Paredes, a Steele Canyon High School sophomore who died suddenly from sudden cardiac arrest in 2009.
Petco preps
The John Baumgarten High School Baseball Games at Petco Park, sponsored by the CIF San Diego Section with cooperation of the Padres, are set for April 17 and 19, with three games both days.
Borrego Springs faces Vincent Memorial at 1 p.m. Thursday in the first game, followed by Valley Center vs. Ramona at 4 p.m. and Brawley vs. Holtville at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule is La Jolla vs. San Diego at 10 a.m., Grossmont vs. Steele Canyon at 1 p.m. and The Rock Academy vs. Calvin Christian at 4 p.m.
Schools are required to sell 400 tickets with tickets for sale at the schools. A ticket to the high school game also includes a ticket to a Padres game.
Spirit of the Eagle
Brad and Donna Burton have established the William Burton Spirit of the Eagle Scholarship as a memorial to honor their son William, who was killed in a 2017 car crash on his way home from a Granite Hills High School team banquet.
The Burtons have awarded a $1,000 scholarship to a Granite Hills senior each of the last six years.
In conjunction with the Grossmont Union High School District, a website has been set up at www.williamburtonspiritoftheeagle.com for donations.
State hoops
Southern California teams went 5-5 at the state basketball championships in Sacramento.The boys went 3-2, with Eastvale Roosevelt winning the Open Division, Sierra Canyon winning Division 1 and San Gabriel Academy taking Division 3.
The girls went 2-3, with Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda winning the Open Division and Whitney taking Division 4.
Rancho Bernardo lost to Caruthers in Division 2 and Mater Dei Catholic fell to Kentfield Marin Catholic in Division 3.
Spring seedings
The San Diego Section will use the CIF Power Rankings for baseball, softball and boys volleyball playoff seedings. Lax Numbers will provide the seedings for the boys and girls lacrosse brackets.
