It was an eventful year for sports in San Juan Capistrano. It was filled with so many championships, record-breaking performances and singular achievements by JSerra, San Juan Hills and St. Margaret’s student-athletes that San Juan Capistrano is becoming known as the “City of Champions.”
In the spring alone, five San Juan teams won CIF team titles: the girls track and field team, girls lacrosse team and boys tennis team at JSerra Catholic High, as well as the boys volleyball team and boys lacrosse team at St. Margaret’s. JSerra individuals also won individual titles in the girls 800 meters and the girls 3,200 meters to go along with a title by its girls 4X400-meter relay team.
In the fall, the San Juan Hills football team won the inaugural Bravo League title; the JSerra boys water polo team spoiled Newport Harbor’s bid for an undefeated season by winning the CIF State SoCal Division 1 Regional title; the JSerra girls cross country team won its fourth consecutive state title in Division 4; and the St. Margaret’s girls team repeated as state champion in Division 5.
If you count winter sports that ended in the 2024 calendar year, such as the JSerra girls basketball team defeating St. Margaret’s in an all-San Juan final to win the CIF-SS Division 2 title, there are more championships to add to the city’s impressive list.
We present some of the many Top Moments in San Juan Capistrano Sports that made headlines in 2024:
JSERRA GIRLS WINS 4TH CONSECUTIVE C-C STATE TITLE: In what is becoming a South Orange County dynasty, JSerra’s girls cross country team won its fourth consecutive Division 4 state title in impressive fashion to highlight the 2024 CIF State Cross Championships on Saturday, Nov. 30, at Woodward Park in Fresno.
With its first five runners all placing in the top 20, the Lady Lions won their seventh state title in program history in a literal runaway with 34 points, more than 100 points ahead of runner-up Harvard Westlake with 143 points. JSerra’s top five finishers were Chloe Elbaz (second), Sophie Polay (third), Reese Holley (seventh), Kaia Streadbeck (16th) and Hayden Kroger (17th).
The JSerra boys cross country team also distinguished itself with a second-place finish at the state championships, led by Bradley Arrey (sixth), Taye Newman (11th), Alden Morales (18th) and Luke Friedl (30th). The Lions previously won the Orange Country Cross Country Championships and finished second in the CIF-SS Championships.