Senior Matisse Pickett, in the down position,
keeps her eye on the referee
to attempt an escape or reversal
against Miriam Metcalf of Mission Bay
at the D3 CIF Finals Sat., Feb. 8.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
In the late 1990's, Malaika Underwood matriculated at La Jolla High, and over the span of her high school career, she starred in girls' volleyball, girls' basketball, and--what set her apart--baseball.
Not softball, which is only played by girls in California high schools. Baseball. "Boys' baseball," we might say. Actually, it's baseball.
But Malaika played for the Viking varsity, second base, and did well, from all reports. (I'm still trying to find any statistics people might have from that era.)
She was named the CIF Female Athlete of the Year her senior year in 1999, and has gone on to star for the U.S. Women's National Team--in baseball. (She is a staff member of the program, working out of Florida.)
I'm reviewing all of this for you, because when thinking of barrier-breakers, the Vikings' Matisse Pickett, a wrestler, is establishing a wide path for herself and those that follow her.
Building on an outstanding winter season as a senior, Pickett decisioned Reese Ramirez of Clairemont 10-4 to take third place at 120 pounds in the CIF Division 3 girls' championship Sat., Feb. 8, at Lincoln High.
To get there, Matisse pinned three straight opponents, fighting her way back to the championship through the consolation bracket. This was after she won her initial bout Saturday morning with a fall (pin) of Miriam Metcalf of Mission Bay, then lost her second match. That sent her into consolation.
I have been there for each of Pickett's bouts this winter, when she wrestled on the La Jolla varsity team in Eastern League dual meets against Madison, Christian, and the rest. Not the "girls'" team--the varsity, which is boys, and for those who are selected by their coaches, girls as well.
She has carried herself well in this final season in high school as the overall team captain. More than that, Matisse has forged a wide path and taken up a lot of space for other girls who may follow her path.
It's much easier, for example, for a Julianna Barron, a freshman, new to wrestling, to join the La Jolla program and work out with team members--when Pickett has already done that. Not the first, but one of the most recent.
Her path and demeanor also make it easier for teammates Maddie Quach, a junior who had a pin at the D3 finals Saturday, and transfer Becca Durst, another junior, who placed fifth. Jacqueline Long also came out in November.
These events come when girls' and women's sports are having a moment nationally, with Caitlan Clark starring in WNBA basketball and drawing a lot of attention to women's sports.
Another dimension is that Underwood, the star Viking in 1999 who went on to play women's volleyball, her number-one sport, at the University of North Carolina for a full college career on a scholarship, also has a family with two kids. (Her younger daughter accompanied her when she was inducted into the Viking Baseball Hall of Fame last year.) Women can have it all--career, kids, family.
She serves as a coach for the USWNT, and takes on speaking engagements, as well.
Ed Piper, Jr. has reported for the Chico (CA) Enterprise-Record, The News (Mexico City), the Goleta (CA) Today, the La Jolla Light, and currently for the La Jolla Village News, in addition to his blog, The Pipeline. He studied journalism at Chico State.
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