UCHS girls lacrosse: Rebuilding for a better future

Mei Hanaki, a 5 feet 4 inches tall senior midfielder and captain on the UCHS girls lacrosse team, describes the experience of graduating this month — after having attended in-person for only two of her class’ four years because of COVID — and the Centurions’ going to the CIF quarterfinals after losing the entire coaching staff two years ago as “surreal.”“I love how cutting-edge the field of bio-engineering is,” says the engaging, articulate Hanaki, who will pursue her studies at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland in the fall. “There are a lot of opportunities in health and medicine, also genetics. And I love creating things.”Hanaki and her three fellow senior captains, defender Alyssa Parinas, attack player Joelle Fineman, and defender Bri Gonzalez, have helped new coach Lizzy Desenfants create a whole lot of new stuff in the way of the girls lacrosse program. The Cents went undefeated in the Eastern League; they unexpectedly downed Mt. Carmel in a non-league match; they did the same against Mission Hills, which had a “lot of pushing and shoving,” in Fineman’s description.Gonzalez: “We had a few moments when we underestimated how good we were, as far as believing how far we could go.” Desenfants, assistant Cory Cardwell, and the rest of the coaching staff made them believe, to the point UC reached the Div. II quarterfinals before falling.Parinas, who leads the defense, is heading to Grand Canyon University in the fall to play lacrosse and take nursing: “Everyone on this team is so eager to learn and grow and push us together. We have a lot of younger players. They truly are growing on the team.”Alyssa, a 5 feet 4 inches tall energy cell herself, says, “Our coaches get our name out there” (by scheduling tough non-league opponents). “Challenging ourselves has definitely helped us grow this year.”Gonzalez plans to enter USD in the fall to study chemistry on a full ride. “Ever since I was little, I was putting Mentos in the Coke bottle” (to watch the reaction blow up). “With chemistry, I’m going to go into forensics, also data and DNA.” In response to a question, she said, “I think it will make the world better because I’ll be doing something to make it better; for example (in forensics) helping a family member to understand when someone has done wrong.”On defense, Bri emphasized the importance of defending the “X” — directly next to the goal on each side — and the “crease” — the route right around the back of the goal where the opponent tries to set up. “No one can step in,” she said.Cardwell, the assistant, affirms, “It was a good first season, for sure,” with the brand new coaching staff. “The girls played with passion. Everyone had that drive this year. If we face Santa Fe Christian, who defeated us in the quarterfinals and went on to win the division title, again, we’ll beat them.”PHOTO BY ED PIPERThe post UCHS girls lacrosse: Rebuilding for a better future appeared first on SDNews.com.

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19-year-old driver facing second-degree murder charges

A 19-year-old driver learned on May 18 that he is facing two second-degree murder charges in the deaths of his two passengers while he was allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs in Torrey Pines.Christopher Ray Schmittel, who is recovering from injuries in the April 25 incident, appeared on a video screen from jail while seated in a chair and wearing jail clothes and a white mask as his lawyer spoke.He pleaded not guilty to the deaths of Johnny Punzalan, 19, and Joshua Manzanares, also 19, who are both from Lake Elsinore. Schmittel is also charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the two deaths.Schmittel is also charged with driving under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol in the injuries to two other teen-age passengers when his Subaru WRX crashed through a guardrail at 13000 N. Torrey Pines Road and went off a ledge. The vehicle rolled down an embankment and landed on the beach below. He was believed to be driving at a high rate of speed.Schmittel was arrested on May 15 by the Fugitive Task Force at his home in Moreno Valley in Riverside County after his release from the hospital.Schmittel’s lawyer said he wanted a bail review on June 1, so no discussion on bail was heard Wednesday. San Diego Superior Court Judge Laura Halgren kept the no bail figure and Schmittel remains at the Vista Detention Facility.An Oct. 5 preliminary hearing was set. If he’s ordered to stand trial for murder, a jury would have the option to convict either of second-degree murder or vehicular manslaughter. Two second-degree murder convictions would carry terms of 30 years to life in prison.Afterward, Deputy District Attorney Hailey Williams said “the investigation is still ongoing” when asked about what other drugs may have been in Schmittel’s system. Not all of the lab work is finished.The families of the two deceased victims and Schmittel attended the arraignment.“I want to get the message out there: Don’t drink and drive,” said Angeliena Rosales, the sister of Johnny Punzalan, to reporters afterward.“Maybe other teenagers will learn from this,” said Rosales, adding that some of the victims in the car were also not wearing seat belts.When asked about the second-degree murder charges, Rosales said, “I feel they are strong charges.“He was my baby brother…He wanted to be a teacher,” said Rosales. “Then after COVID, he wanted to be a nurse.” The post 19-year-old driver facing second-degree murder charges appeared first on SDNews.com.

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