The St. Anthony Saints avenged an early-season loss and won the CIF-Southern Section Division 6 softball title by defeating Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth, 3-2, on June 3 at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

Junior Chloe Malau’ulu, one of the “veteran” mainstays on a team that featured eight freshmen, drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Saints withstood a late Sierra Canyon rally to earn their first-ever CIF championship.

Led by eight freshmen and a sprinkling of “veterans,” the Saints ended the year on a 17-game winning streak, finishing 24-8 overall and capturing their third straight Camino Real League championship with a perfect 12-0 league mark.

They ended the regular season ranked third in Division 6, with Sierra Canyon (25-6) at No. 1. Back on Feb. 25, Sierra Canyon blanked the Saints 2-0 in an early-season tournament game.

Coached by Adrian Ponce, St. Anthony’s championship team includes seniors Fiona Mutu, Nicole Penaloza and Cassandra Rodriguez; juniors Chloe Malau’ulu, Ari Santana and Angela Younger; sophomore Fayth McQueary; and freshmen Tiare Jennings, Jalene Kapu, Thessa Malau’ulu, Miranda Ponce. Zaida Puni, Morgan Smith, Viviana Tamayo and Brooke Townsend.

Over the past year, St. Anthony has won CIF championships in girls’ basketball and volleyball, and in football.

Track & Field

Damien’s Zachary Shinnick capped a stellar season by winning the boys’ 400-meter run at the State High School Track and Field Championships in Clovis June 3, with a career-best time of 46.12 seconds.

Serra of Gardena captured the girls’ 4x100-meter relay in a time of 46.04 seconds, with Santa Margarita third (46.71). Serra finished third in the girls’ team scoring race, led by senior Jasmin Reed, second in the girls’ 100 (11.6, just .02 from first), and third in the 200 meters (23.65); her sophomore teammate, Jazmyne Frost, was eighth in the 100.

Other notable performances in the girls’ events included Louisville senior Allaida Patterson, fourth in girls’ shot put (45’3¬º”) and tenth in discus; Santa Margarita pole vaulting seniors McKenna Caskey and Kate Thomas (tied for third) and Erin Gerardo (ninth); Malina Yago, Marymount junior, seventh in the 800 meters; and the Santa Margarita 4x400-meter relay team, fifth.

In boys’ events, Alemany senior Earnest Sears was third (6’7”) and J.Serra sophomore Parker McDonald tied for seventh (6’5”) in the high jump; Notre Dame senior Kylan Wilborn, sixth in shot put (59’7”); Blake Hennesay, Santa Margarita junior, ninth in the 100 meters; the

Paraclete 4x100-meter relay team, fifth (41.57); and the Loyola, 4x400-meter relay team, eighth.

Golf

Servite’s Jack Rahon shot a 2-over par 73, tying for 17th, at the CIF Boys High School State Golf Championships, held May 25 at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Monterey. Rahon was the top finisher among Los Angeles and Orange Catholic high school players in the tournament, won by Matt Lloyd of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose with a 6-under par 65.