Championships highlighted ’05‑’06 prep sports season
by Jason Stone

Maybe 20 years from now, students, parents and administrators at Cactus Shadows High School will fully appreciate what their school’s sports teams accomplished in 2005‑06.

Then again, maybe the just‑completed sports season will turn out to be the year the Falcons began to dominate sports in the North Valley.

Cactus Shadows accomplished a major feat, winning five state championships. Coming into the year, the Falcons’ sports teams only had three total.

But when the dust settled, Cactus Shadows could say it was the best in 4A‑Division II in girls volleyball, girls golf, boys soccer, baseball and boys tennis.

Sandra Day O’Connor and Boulder Creek, meanwhile, emerged on the 5A scene in a handful of sports. The Eagles’ football team made the playoffs for the first time, and Boulder Creek showed better‑than‑expected success for a first‑year varsity school. In fact, the Jaguars nearly won the 5A‑Division II  state championship in boys golf.

Population shifts mean more talent will be coming into the area over the next few years. Chances are, this year will seem like nothing.