John Zant

MR. SPORTS WRITER: When asked which sport was his favorite, Indy sports writer John Zant said, “I enjoy just about every sport. Give me football in November, basketball in March, baseball on a summer evening.

I love horses racing at Santa Anita and humans at the Olympic Trials, the Rose Bowl game ….” It’s fitting that Zant is passionate about athletics of all kinds — he has been covering the sports scene here in Santa Barbara for the past 43 years. In this week’s cover story, starting here, he takes a peek at a handful of the myriad school sports teams — from Bishop Diego to UCSB — in play this spring. On the cover is Jessica Escalante of Dos Pueblos High basketball, tennis, and track fame, photographed by Paul Wellman.