PHOTO GALLERY INTRO:?Presidio Sports shares its favorite photos from 2013 in a collection of images that covers some of the best moments from the year in local sports.
All photos by John Dvorak unless credited otherwise.
This sequence comes from the Santa Barbara International Marathon, as Stepan Paul demonstrates the joy of running.
Conner Coffin’s signature moment while winning his first pro division title at the Rincon Classic was this big front-side air that won his semifinal heat.
Run or Dye turned the thousands of participants into colorful canvases.
Bishop Diego High School students out in force
Westmont’s women’s soccer team enjoyed an incredibly successful season, ultimately making it all the way to the NAIA National Championship game in Alabama. In Westmont’s lone NAIA Tournament game played in Santa Barbara, Kaci Mexico shakes off a cut suffered on a corner kick to help the Warriors advance in a penalty-kick shootout.
A spikeball player leaps high during a point at West Beach in July.
Vaqueros head coach Craig Moropoulos celebrates a last-second victory in September that had SBCC undefeated after five games, the program’s best start since 1991.
Reigning 5x national champion USC came to Santa Barbara in October and upended the Gauchos 16-10. Here Kostas Genidounias and UCSB’s Eric Van de Mortel meet for a jump ball to start the second half. USC went on to defeat Pacific in December for another national title.
American Tyler Farrar of Garmin-Sharp wins Stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California as hundreds of spectators lined the final stretch to see the professional cyclists stream into town. Santa Barbara was a host city for the first time since 2008 for North America’s largest cycling race.
Madison Hale and Santa Barbara High’s girls tennis team won another Channel League championship in 2013, extending their incredible streak to 35 years.
Jake Clinton takes a bite out a cake made to celebrate Nite Moves’ 25th Anniversary.
Santa Barbara City College is the only community college in California to host a cross country race with part of the course on the beach.
Dos Pueblos’ Zachary Shugart throws down a memorable one-handed dunk against Santa Barbara High in a Channel League game during the second week of 2013. (James Crosby Photo)
Opening Day for the Santa Barbara Foresters summer-league baseball team in 2013.
Santa Barbara High’s baseball season began on a somber note as the family of Simon Chavez threw out the first pitch. With Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Over the Rainbow” playing on the loud speakers, dozens of balloons were released over Eddie Mathews Field in honor of Chavez, who passed away in January.
Dos Pueblos’ Gabe Speier attracted a host of baseball scouts and their radar guns for his spring pitching debut. Speier went on to sign with the Boston Red Sox in June.
Presidio Sports and Santa Barbara Running Company began the High School Runner of the Month series in 2013, recognizing 17 local student-athletes for their leadership and excellence in running.
