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Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
May 9, 2014
Sports High school titles awarded, on the line this month JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
The high school year is rapidly approaching its conclusion but for spring sports athletes and teams they need to remain focused on the task at hand as league, section and state honors are at stake. This is definitely no time for coaches to detect any senioritis. Northgate and Clayton Valley Charter high schools are in the thick of many battles as the Diablo Valley Athletic League baseball, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, tennis, volleyball and golf seasons run their course and North Coast Section playoffs and tournaments take over. BASEBALL The new DVAL baseball playoffs are next week. The top seed was determined this week when Clayton Valley and College Park battled in a home and home series. The Falcons had one league loss heading into the matchups with CVCHS and needed to win both games to claim the No. 1 post over the 21-1 Eagles whose only loss came in the championship game of the Elite 8 tournament in Mountain View against topranked St. Francis. The winner of the DVAL playoffs will get the automatic bid to the NCS playoffs but both teams are assured post-season play, the 16th year in a row for the Eagles. Northgate will also be in the DVAL playoffs with semifinals (#1 vs. #4 and #2 vs. #3) on Tuesday and the
David Chin photo
CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SET A SCHOOL RECORD with 19 consecutive victories to open the season and it doesn’t take a sabermetrician to see how the Eagles pitching has been critical to the team’s success. The staff had an earned run average under 1.30 with a pair of righthanders, Austin Cannedy (left) and Riley Smith [see photo, page 12], doing yeoman work. Cannedy won his first eight decisions as a starter while Smith has a glossy 0.50 ERA in nine relief appearances. A third senior, Gabe Taylor, playing second base here, is also undefeated as half of the starting rotation with Cannedy.
finals on Thursday. Games will be played on the home field of the higher seeded team. NCS playoffs begin May 2021 and conclude May 30-31. SOFTBALL A surprise 6-5 loss to Berean Christian last week stopped Clayton Valley Charter from clinching a DVAL playoff berth
Sports Shorts MDSA FALL SOCCER REGISTRATION OPEN THROUGH MAY 31 Boys and girls 4-18 years of age wanting to play in Mt. Diablo Soccer Association fall league can register for guaranteed placement until May 31. After that date players will be placed on wait-list. Fall league play begins in August. Families are requested to sign up for volunteer duties to help the organization offer its AYSO program. For complete information visit mdsoccer.org.
DANA HILLS SWIM TEAM REGISTRATION ONGOING Dana Hills Swim Team is still accepting online registrations for the summer recreation season. New members are given the option to sign up for the team on a free, one-week “trial” basis. Dana Hills has won 21 of the past 22 Concord Swim Championships. The Otters time trials are Sunday, May 18, and their first Tri-Meet Saturday, May 31, in Clayton. For additional info and to register, visit danahillsotters.com.
so that the Eagles needed one win in their two games this week with College Park to ensure them a spot in the playoffs where the other teams will be trying to unseat undefeated Concord High. The softball playoffs for both DVAL and NCS mirror those of baseball. The softball playoffs area also new to the
league and add a twist to the season. CVCHS coach Kristin Morley has a relatively young team following in the footsteps of their senior-laden 2013 squad that lost to Concord in the NCS finals. She hopes the full season’s experience will prepare the Eagles for a potential rematch with Concord since the teams met in the opening
UGLY EAGLES BASKETBALL CAMP COMING IN JUNE Head coach Eric Bamberger and his Clayton Valley Charter High School coaches and players are offering a pair of Ugly Eagles Basketball Camps in June for boys and girls. The two sessions for incoming third through ninth graders are June 16-20 and 23-27. Sessions run from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. with the gym open an hour before and after the formal camp for pickup play. The camp includes offensive and defensive instruction and games. For more information and to register contact coach Bamberger by phone (925) 726-9999 or email ericbamberger@sbcglobal.net.
DIABLO FC SOCCER PLAYER EVALUATIONS CONTINUE Tryouts for U9-U19 players with Diablo FC are complete but players who missed formal tryouts can contact the club for an individual evaluation and possible placement on a competitive team for the 2014 season. Visit diablofc.org to register for free tryouts in all age groups.
CLAYTON VALLEY FOOTBALL CAMP JULY 21-24 Two-time DVAL champion Clayton Valley Charter High School hosts its Future Champions Full-Pad Youth Football Camp July 2124 from 1-5 p.m. at the Concord school for players in second
The Heat is on for MDSA U12 girls soccer team
week of the league schedule. TRACK & FIELD Clayton Valley has hopes that the familiar surrounds of Gonsalves Stadium facilities will be the magic touch to bring the Eagles their first DVAL championship in over a decade this Thursday and Saturday. The Eagles edged Northgate in the
boys dual meet last week while the Broncos won the girls dual. In the closely contested boys meet the CVCHS 4x100 meter relay team was led off by sophomore Jordan Velasquez. He had just returned from two weeks on the sidelines due to hip pain. He slowed at about the 60-meter mark and started to hobble with an injury to his right hip. Velasquez continued with a severe limp for the remaining 40 meters to get the baton hand off to Nate Ewing. Coaches estimate the Eagles were at least 30 meters behind Northgate at the first exchange. Ewing made up a sizable portion of the gap and Alex King’s third leg closed the gap. Anchor runner and senior Xavier Crawford not only caught the final runner from Northgate, he ended up winning the race by five meters. Velasquez suffered a season-ending injury but his courage will serve as inspiration to his team in the league and section meets. NCS meets are May 24 and 30-31 before the CIF State finals June 6-7 in Bakersfield. SWIMMING & DIVING The DVAL swimming and diving meet is this Friday and Saturday at College Park. In the final dual meets of the season Northgate swept the boys and girls dual meet with Clayton Valley. The teams will renew their battle at the league met and finally May 15-17 at Concord Community Pool for the NCS championships, which is among
See Titles, page 12
through eighth grades. Camp Director Michael Dominquez and Eagles head coach Tim Murphy explain that the camp has individual and group instruction and team competition with fundamentals and techniques of football taught by the CVCHS staff. To register, email coach.dmngz@gmail.com or call (925) 726-1503 for an application.
CONCORD CUP XXI SOCCER RETURNS MAY 17-18 The 20th anniversary edition of Concord Cup youth soccer tournament which began in 1994 returns to many local fields May 17-18. Concord Cup is a rare tournament that includes both AYSO and club teams in the under 10 through U19 age groups for boys and girls. Diablo FC, MDSA and Concord AYSO are the host leagues. For the tournament schedule and more information visit concordcup.com. AT
3 BASEBALL CAMP SESSIONS CLAYTON VALLEY THIS SUMMER
Clayton Valley Charter High School coach Casey Coakley has put together a staff of current CVCHS coaches and players as well as Eagle alumni to provide baseball instruction to youngsters 6-13 years of age at the school. Summer baseball school sessions will be held June 16-19, June 23-26 and June 30-July 3. Each daily session runs 9 a.m.– 12 noon. Fee is $120 for one session with discounts for multiple weeks. To reserve a baseball school spot or to get more information email casey.coakley@claytonvalley.org.
WALNUT COUNTRY SWIM TEAM READIES FOR NEW SEASON
Boys and girls up to 18 years of age (as of June 15) are still being accepted for the Walnut Country Swim Team online at wcstingrays.com. Team time trials are Saturday, May 31. The annual Blue-Orange meet is June 4 and the Stingrays then host Gehringer Gators June 7 in Concord.
SUMMER PROGRAMS REGISTRATION OPEN FOR ALL OUT SPORTS LEAGUES Signups are still available for All Out Sports League summer programs at Clayton Gym. Youth basketball (May 31-July 26) and volleyball (May 17-July 12), flag football league (June 21-Aug. 9), football academy camp (June 24-26) and weekly basketball camps (June 30-July 4 and July 7-11) have various registration deadlines in May and June. For complete information on all the Clayton programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.
FOOTBALL, CHEER SIGNUPS FOR CLAYTON VALLEY FALCONS JUNE 7 Registration is open for Clayton Valley Youth football and cheer. Football is for ages 7-14 while cheer accepts ages 5-14. The next inperson registration day for the CVAA Falcons is Saturday, June 7, 12 noon-3 p.m. at Mountain Mike’s Pizza by Clayton Bowl. The season starts July 28. For more information and online registration visit CVAAFalcons.com.
Photo courtesy MDSA
THE MDSA HEAT U12 GIRLS HAVE PLACED IN THE TOP THREE at five tournaments this year including titles in the Area 2C/2D Select, Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper and El Palo Alto events. The team includes, front row from left, Samantha Schauman, Lauren Wickham, Micaela Davis, Alana Young, Reagan Bowerbank, Anne Patterson, Leilani Fabriquer; back row, coach Mark Kelly, Alaina Lindsey, Kailee Rice, Caleigh Olgeirson, Morgan Kelly, Giselle Lange and coach Marvin Davis. Not pictured, Farah Anwar. The heat was also second at the PHMSA SoccerFest and third at the San Jose Presidents Cup.
OAKHURST ORCAS SIGNUPS FOR UPCOMING SEASON STILL ACCEPTED Oakhurst Orcas summer recreation swim team is getting ready for team time trials on May 31 and the first dual meet of the season a week later at Springwood in Concord. Registration and information is available at oakhurstorcas.com.