SANTA ROSA — Reaching the Class 3A regional tournament was a goal the Santa Rosa Warriors set before the season even began.
Long playoff runs have become more of an expectation than a goal for Santa Rosa over the years. And even with a new coach and all the challenges that come with playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Warriors kept their standards the same.
Santa Rosa reached that goal of returning to the Sweet 16 after defeating San Diego 66-58 in a regional quarterfinal game Saturday. The Warriors will face the Jourdanton Indians in a regional semifinal at 8 p.m. today at Northside Sports Gym in San Antonio. A win will advance the Warriors to the regional final, set for 6 p.m. at the same location against the winner of the semifinal between Corpus Christi London and San Antonio Cole.
“We talked at the first team meeting, and they said, ‘We want to go to regionals,’” Warriors coach Adrian Trevino said. “That’s not coming from the community or administration, that’s coming from the kids. I’m from Santa Rosa. I understand Warrior basketball, been there to watch, been part of it in high school, and I knew I needed to meet their expectations.
“We use the words Warrior basketball a lot. That means tradition, that means being a team that’s going to fight it out every time,” Trevino said. “It’s rewarding when I see that these guys set a goal and they accomplished it. I just want these guys to be successful, and put in their best effort every single time and show their talent. That’s turned into wins, it’s turned into a trip to regionals, and I’m happy with that.”
The student body and members of the community had a sendoff for the Warriors when they left the school Thursday morning. Celebration aside, Trevino said his team knows this is a business trip. The players are proud of reaching the Sweet 16, but it isn’t the end goal. The Warriors are eyeing a trip to the state tournament, and their experience playing on a big stage will be an advantage as they take on the final barriers.
“I’m proud of my team for making it to the Sweet 16 with all the stuff that’s been going on. It’s a really big accomplishment for all of us, and we’re very proud of ourselves,” Rey Davila said. “It takes a lot of guts and a lot of hustle. We’re feeling pretty confident. Trying to make it to the very top, all the way to state, that’s our goal. We feel like we can keep going.”
Trevino said there are a lot of similarities between Jourdanton and Santa Rosa. He said it’s hard to find a weakness watching the Indians’ film, but that’s expected when teams come this far. The Warriors are focusing more on things they do well, and a good, hard week of practice has them feeling prepared for the big game.
CJ Olivarez, the undisputed leader for the Warriors, called this team and season more special than some he’s been part of in the past. Davila, Chris Vela, David Bazaldua, Jarren Jimenez and Adrian Zamora are a few of the players Olivarez credited for impacting the team. Bazaldua and Vela are keys to the defense and rebounding, Jimenez and Davila can knock down 3s, and he called Zamora “a paint beast.”
“I really hope to get this team to state,” Olivarez said. “Everybody contributes and knows their role and doesn’t complain. They come in and contribute as much as they can. We work so hard, and if you’re in the locker room you see how much we want it. We don’t want to lose. I feel really good about winning this game and winning the whole region.”
Vela called it a “great opportunity” to play for Santa Rosa, and he and his teammates are determined to continue building on the success of the program. He said this season taught the Warriors that their bond and work ethic are strong enough to get them through anything, including the regional tournament.
“We’re not going to be scared of the big stage. We’ve been here before, and we’re just going to do our job,” Vela said. “It means a lot to have so much support. Even through COVID we have our fans there supporting us through our journey. We’re feeling good. I believe our defense and our press, running plays and doing what we need to do, getting more rebounds and not getting into foul trouble (will help us win.)”
