Riordan Athletics Update

Weekly wrap up of the events and action from Riordan Athletics

The Riordan Athletics Update is your weekly wrap up of the events and action from Riordan Athletics from the past week.

Crusaders Top Wildcats in All-Time Classic, Clinch Undefeated WCAL Title

SAN FRANCISCO - Two longtime San Francisco rivals playing for the West Catholic Athletic League title in a historic venue made last Tuesday's varsity boys basketball matchup between Archbishop Riordan and St. Ignatius easily one of the biggest games in recent memory for both programs. The quality of the game that was played under those conditions by the two teams made it perhaps the greatest in the history of San Francisco and the league.

Andrew Hilman '26 scored a career-high 33 points in his final regular season home game and Cole White '27 added 27 points, including critical baskets down the stretch of the second overtime after Hilman had fouled to lift the Crusaders to a 100-95 victory over the Wildcats in double overtime.

Most people in attendance were already calling it the best high school basketball game that they had ever seen not long after the final horn sounded. Former Archbishop Riordan Athletic Director and basketball coach Ron Isola summed up the gravity of the event best by giving the prospective of nearly 60 years of watching basketball games at the Crusader Forum, "I've been watching games in that gym for nearly 60 years and it's the greatest game in the history of the school."

The win clinched the Crusaders third consecutive undefeated WCAL season and their fourth consecutive league championship.

Archbishop Riordan and St. Ignatius could meet again in the Central Coast Section Open Division championship game scheduled for this Friday, February 27 at the University of San Francisco.

Both teams opened the CCS playoffs with victories last Friday and will need to win CCS pool play playoff games on Monday and Wednesday this week to secure their trip to the title game.

Varsity Girls Basketball Finishes Season Strong, Eyes Trip to CCS Title Game

SAN FRANCISCO - For the second consecutive season the Arcbishop Riordan varsity girls basketball team staked claim to the 2nd-place the West Catholic Athletic League. Now, the team hopes to make it to the Central Coast Section championship game for the first time in program history.

The Crusaders closed the regular season with three consecutive WCAL victories, including defeating St. Ignatius 48-39 in the regular season finale on Tuesday.

Archbishop Riordan was named the No. 3 seed in the CCS Open Division playoffs and opened playoff pool play last Friday with a 58-46 victory over Pinewood. It will now host Alisal on Monday at 6 pm and then travel to Priory on Wednesday for the final pool play contest at 7 pm. Victories in those two playoff games would clinch the program's first-ever trip to the CCS title game scheduled for Friday, February 27 at the University of San Francisco.

Georgia Michalchuk '26 Earns Trip to State Wrestling Championships

WATSONVILLE - The remarkable high school athletic career of Georgia Michalchuk '27 has added another chapter.

The Archbishop Riordan senior who has made her mark across multiple sports and multiple seasons over the last four school years achieved another accomplishment, this time in the sport of wrestling as she earned a trip to the CIF-State Championships for the second year in a row.

Michalchuk punched her ticket to the state finals thanks to her performance last Saturday at the Central Coast Section Masters Championships at Watsonville High School.

Michalchuk will compete in the three-day event at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield beginning on Thursday.

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