Last week marked the official end for the Los Gatos High School winter sports teams. The Wildcats boys and girls basketball teams—along with the girls soccer team—all suffered season-ending losses in the CIF State playoffs.
The three squads had terrific seasons, highlighted by stellar performances, resolve and teamwork. Here’s a final rundown for their 2025-2026 seasons:
Boys basketball
As if facing No. 2 seed Willow Glen in a Division III second-round regional contest wasn’t tough enough, the No. 7 seed Wildcats had to do it short-handed after losing starting center Will Campbell in pregame warm-ups.
The senior stalwart rolled his ankle and was unable to play in the game, a huge blow considering Campbell’s ability to rebound and defend the paint. Los Gatos hung on for as long as it could but didn’t have nearly enough firepower to stay close with the Rams, who cruised to a 59-48 home win on March 5.
The Wildcats finished the season with a record of 22-7, recording quality wins over Soquel (twice), Leland, Sacred Heart Cathedral and Carlmont. Willow Glen’s quick hands and athleticism allowed it to corral a dozen offensive rebounds and turn second-chance opportunities into points while disrupting Los Gatos offensively.
On the offensive end, the Rams were equally devastating. They converted nine—count ’em, nine—three-pointers, using a 19-5 second-quarter run to take control of the game. They poured it on in the third quarter, extending a lead that eventually ballooned to as many as 25 points—Los Gatos’ largest deficit of the season.
Freshman point guard Milos Grabovac led the Wildcats with 11 points, while senior wing Dionysis Maroudas had 10. In the team’s opening-round CIF State playoff win over Brave Christian two days prior, Campbell had 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Maroudas had a team-high 19 points while Oliver Evans—another freshman—finished with 13 points.
Los Gatos is in solid shape to contend for another league championship next season. Evans and Grabovac will return along with Ryan Jamieson, Wyatt Robinson and Jack Siri.
Girls Basketball
The Wildcats saw their season end in a 45-43 defeat to Valley Christian in a CIF State Division III second-round contest on March 5. They finished the season 21-8 and won a fourth consecutive Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division championship, the longest current streak among ‘A’-league teams in the CCS.
For its opening-round CIF State playoff game on March 3, Los Gatos had to hit the road for a three-hour trip to play at No. 5 seed Foothill of Palo Cedro. The No. 12 seed Wildcats were rather clinical in a 69-54 victory, utilizing their superior ball movement and athleticism to take control in the second half. It was another tremendous season for the Wildcats, who relied on strong guard play from the likes of Lola Cuevas, Rita Zhou, Sophie Riese, and Jenna Webb—combined with solid post play from Hanna Behnami—to earn several quality wins.
Girls soccer
Playing in the loaded CIF State Division I bracket, the No. 3 seed Wildcats showed well in a 2-1 regional semifinal loss to No. 2 seed Bishop O’Dowd on March 5. The Dragons, who are 19-0 and ranked No. 15 nationally, easily beat Rocklin in the opening round and Buchanan in the regional final, both by 4-0 scores.
Wildcats standout Abby Nelson scored the lone Los Gatos goal, her 41st of the season. Los Gatos had one of its best seasons in program history, repeating as SCVAL De Anza Division champions and winning a Central Coast Section Division I title over three-time defending champion St. Francis.
Wrestling
Senior Joseph Pavlov-Ramirez ended his prep career with a superb performance, finishing on the podium—the only LGHS wrestler to do so—in the CIF State Championships in Bakersfield on Feb. 28. Competing in the 138-pound division, Pavlov-Ramirez finished in eighth place, improving two spots on his No. 10 seeding.
Pavlov-Ramirez won his opening match but lost in the next round to No. 7 seed Zaydrien Hernandez. Then the hard work began. Forced into the consolation bracket, Pavlov-Ramirez won his next three matches, the last of which was a clutch 7-5 decision over No. 5 seed Justin Torres. That victory guaranteed Pavlov-Ramirez eighth place and medalist honors.
