Not really sure that's a fair assessment of the Jr Sharks 04's last year. They definitely had a tough first half but by the end of the year they were doing better. They took first place in the Dallas T1EHL showcase, beating both the Kings and the Stars on the way, then lost a close game in semi finals in the Vegas showcase to the Jr Blues.
The state championships were a bit of a disaster, but losing their top player to injury definitely hurt them, particularly given they played all year with a short bench.
They ended up mid-pack in the national rankings, which is probably what they deserved. The good news is they have picked up a couple of significant pieces this year and look to be improved.
California hockey at the AAA level is tough to judge when you only have 3 teams.