Sports

Girls basketball, boys basketball, boys soccer, girls soccer advance

With the winter sports season coming to a close, here is a recap of four teams who qualified for CIF-SS Playoffs.

Hudson Davis and Noah Schlosser • February 12, 2026

Olivia Elsokary ’28 dribbles past a defender on her way to the basket in a home game against Thousand Oaks High School on January 12.

Girls basketball

The WHS girls basketball team found their stride in the second of the Marmonte League season, winning four of their final five games in a late push for the CIF-SS playoffs. A key road victory over Marmonte League champions, Thousand Oaks High School, gave the Warriors the edge for a third place finish in league play.

The Warriors relied on senior guard Madison McDonald ‘26, who led the team in scoring in a standout performance with 17 points on the road over TOHS. Sophomore guard Livvie Elsokary ‘28 received national attention for breaking a 32-year-old national record, with 25 steals in one game to lead WHS to a win over Santa Barbara High School on Dec. 20. Elsokary was featured in a CBS news bit, recapping her historic performance that can be found on cbsnews.com. The Warriors first CIF-SS Division IV playoff game is set for Feb. 12 as they take on Hesperia Christian High School.

Boys basketball

The WHS boys basketball team finished their Marmonte League slate with a 6–4 record. After a strong start to league play, winning four of their first five games, the Warriors were in a position to claim a share of the Marmonte League crown for a second season in a row, until they fell short in their final game against Oaks Christian High School. Nonetheless, the Warriors still finished in a tie for second place, punching their ticket to the CIF–SS playoffs. WHS was led by 6’3 forward Axel Ostergard ‘26, who had a standout game with 16 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Agoura High School, and 6’0 guard Zach Kalinski ’27, who tallied 27 points in a loss against Calabasas High School. WHS will start their CIF–SS Division II playoff run in a match up against Burbank High School on Feb. 11.

Boys soccer

Propelled by a 4–0–2 start to the Marmonte League season, WHS boys soccer earned a second place finish in league. Despite the turmoil with the renovations of the WHS field, the Warriors defended their temporary home field, going undefeated in seven games at California Lutheran University. The defense proved key for WHS as they won or tied every match when they held their opponents under three goals this season. Though the Warriors only had two starting seniors this season, they displayed composure in their final match of the season with a key 3–1 victory over third place Oaks Christian High School. Forward Marco Hernandez ‘26 led the team in goals to lead the versatile WHS attack. Next up will be the first round of the CIF–SS Division V playoffs against Wilson High School on Feb 11.

Girls soccer

Fresh off of a semi–final run in the CIF–SS playoffs last season, the WHS girls soccer team only lost once in non–league matches this year. The Warriors carried this success into Marmonte League play, winning their first four games and ending up in second place with one game to go. Only trailing Oaks Christian High School, the Warriors and Oaks held a match which decided the league winner on Dec. 3. After falling behind in the first half, WHS pulled off a memorable comeback, scoring in the final minute to win the match 2–1 and claiming the Marmonte League crown. Led by standout Cayden Chowana ‘26, WHS ended their regular season with a record of 12–2–1. The Warriors are set to face Fairmont Prep on Feb. 12 in their first CIF–SS Division I playoffs match.

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About the Contributors

Hudson Davis, Staff Writer

Hi! My name is Hudson Davis and I am a staff writer for The Westlake Wire and I am looking forward to embracing different roles and positions with my wide variety of knowledge on various topics. Part of why I wanted to join The Westlake Wire is to help express the voice of the student body through writing and to inform my fellow students on major issues that happen throughout the world and in our community. Some of my hobbies include watching various sports, exploring new places and countries around the world and playing sports. This is my second year of being a member of the WHS Beach and Indoor Volleyball teams and have enjoyed both very much. I look forward to working with our wonderful staff to produce the best paper we can.

Noah Schlosser, Sports Editor

Hi, my name is Noah Schlosser. This is my second year on the Westlake Wire Staff and this is my second year as the sports section editor. I love being a part of this class because I love journalistic writing and I enjoy page design. In my opinion, the best parts about journalism are meeting new people during interviews and the feeling when you complete a story. If I am not playing some sport (likely soccer, basketball or golf) I am very likely watching my favorite teams (the Dodgers, Lakers, Chelsea FC just to name a few). I would say there is no better place to be than at a sporting event.

Scarlett Brisbin, Photo Editor

Hi! I’m Scarlett Brisbin and I am so happy to be the Westlake Wire’s 2025-26 photo editor. This is my third year on staff, but I have been in this specific position for two years. I joined the newspaper because I love all the visual aspects of the page and especially how visuals are incorporated to tell or contribute to a story. Also, my friends in the class are definitely a big factor! Outside of journalism, I usually am taking photos for the yearbook, listening to music, watching movies or driving to the beach. Thank you so much and I’m looking forward to this year!