DECEMBER 2, 2016
THEPRESS.NET
HOMETOWN SPORTS
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15A
HIGH SCHOOLS, RECREATION & SIGN-UPS
Runners finish off season at state championships Several Bay Valley Athletic League cross-country stars finished off their season at the California Interscholastic Federation state cross-country championships. Freedom Sophomore Jiana Cortero, the school’s first state qualifier since 2012, finished off her impressive season in 163rd, in 20:48. Throughout the season, she had a series of impressive finishes, winning the 5,000-meter dual against Pittsburg, finishing second in the dual against Antioch, fifth in the 2-mile Pacific Tiger Invitational, seventh in the 3-mile league championship race and ninth at the North Coast Section meet. “Jiana possesses a work ethic and sense of team that any coach dreams to have on their team,” said Freedom head coach Elisa Onstott. “I am more than proud of her and blessed to be able to know her and coach her.” Fellow Falcon Nicole Kwasny also had a fine season, coming up 0.6 seconds short in her quest to reach the state meet. Liberty The league-champion Lions sent three girls and a boy to the state meet. Senior Kai Bohannon, winner of three league championships in four years, led the pack to finish 24th, in 18:18.7. Senior Julia Gonzalez ended the day in 54th, in 18:58.8. Madison MacPherson crossed 74th, in 19:13.4. The lone male competitor, Elliott Portillo, finished 46th, in 16:03.3. Bohannon, who has committed to San Jose State, won three races this season and finished second in three others. Her highlights included winning the 3-mile league championship race; the 5,000-meter, doubledual race – featuring Freedom, Liberty and Heritage; and the 3,200-meter Liberty time trials. She also finished second in the 3-mile Mariner Invitational and the 5,000-meter Pacific Tiger Invitational, as well as fifth in the 3-mile De La Salle/Carondelet NIKE Cross Country Invitational. Gonzalez, a junior, had a series of nice performances this season, including finishing third at the league championship, fourth in the double dual between Liberty, Heritage and Freedom and ninth in the 3-mile Mariner Invitational and North Coast Section championship races. MacPherson finished second in the double-dual and league-championship races, as well as third at the Mariner Invitational. She also finished fourth in the 2-mile Monte Vista Invitational. Portillo, who won his first league championship race this season, also won the Liberty Time Trials and the 5,000-meter
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Winning rollers
Photo courtesy of Olivia Alvarez
T
he City of Brentwood Fall Bocce League recently came to a grand conclusion when the Bocce Buddies team won the title, garnering 28 wins and 400 points. The Country Waffles team finished second, with 27 wins and 425 points. The Sticky Chicken and Ribs team finished in third, picking up 27 wins and 397 points. The end of the season luncheon was catered by Sticky Chicken and Ribs, at the Senior Activity Center, on Oct. 27. The Bocce Buddies squad is comprised of Fred Critchfield, Terry Damico, Rosemary Fernandes, Mary Ann Garcia, Mary Hershberger, Jerry Marshall, Bert Vegara, Art Solomon and Mary Yates.
Wrestling coach succeeds on world stage by Michael Dixon Correspondent
Photo by Tony Kukulich
Liberty’s Elliott Portillo, seen here at the North Coast Section championships, was one of several Bay Valley Athletic League runners to compete at the state meet. Pacific Tiger Invitational and double dual. He also won a 5,000-meter scrimmage with Freedom High School and finished third in the 3-mile Mariner Invitational. Heritage Heritage junior Jett Charvet crossed 81st in the state competition. Leading up to the prestigious event, he won the two-mile Monte Vista Invitational and 3-mile Mariner Invitational. He also finished second at the 3-mile Apache Invitational and at the 5,000-meter double dual and third in the Pacific Tiger Invitational and at a scrimmage featuring Heritage, Castro Valley, De La Salle and Northgate high schools.. To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
November was a busy month for Liberty wrestling coach Tony Uchytil. Participating in the World Jiu-Jitsu NoGi Championships at the Cow Palace, Uchytil took third place in the Blue Belt Master 1 light division. In the same tournament, Deer Valley junior wrestler Emiliano Alvarez took third in the Blue Belt Juvenile 1 medium heavy division. Both were competing for Gracie Fighter and train with Andre Dumdumaya of Team Dumdumaya. “I really want to thank (Dumdumaya) and my teammates,” Uchytil said. “I had my teammates from Gracie Fighter Lodi, San Francisco, Pleasant Hill and my own Team Dumdumaya coming out and supporting me. I just really want to thank the whole team and the Gracie Fighter family.” Shortly thereafter, Uchytil traveled to Long Beach to take part in the SJJIF World Championships, competing in the Men, NoGi, Blue Belt, Master, Middle Group – consisting of people who weigh between 163.6 and 177 pounds. Competing for Gracie Fighter again, Uchytil bettered his performance from the Cow Palace, claiming first place. While Uchytil was the man who took the championship, he felt that his coach, Dumdumaya, deserved the praise. “That man does not miss a practice,” Uchytil said of his coach. “He has five kids
Photo courtesy of Tony Uchytil
Wrestling coach Tony Uchytil, second from the right, recently emerged victorious in the Men, NoGi, Blue Belt, Master, Middle Group at the Sport Jiu-Jitsu International Federation World Championships in Long Beach. and still finds time for all of his students. My coach drove all way the down by himself, sick as a dog, to come coach me. With a new child, two other high school age kids living in the house and a business to run, this man still made it down. We finished at almost 9 p.m., and then he hopped back in his car and drove back to Brentwood.” To comment, visit www.thepress.net.