Sports
April 7, 2017
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Athlete Spotlight
Haley Darr Grade: Senior School: CVCHS
Sports: Swimming, Water Polo
Haley Darr has been swimming for the past 13 years, whether it was on her Ygnacio Wood summer rec team or over the past four years with CVCHS, and she won’t be stopping anytime soon. She has been on the Eagles varsity swim team specializing in her best and favorite stroke: breaststroke. Increasing her time in the pool she began playing water polo as a sophomore and proved to be a quick learner, moving up from JV to varsity during her junior season. Darr plays the holeD position, defending the hole set directly in front of the goal, as well as a driver/utility on offense. Growing up
she participated in multiple sports but decided to swim in high school because it is such a large part of her life. Darr enjoys being an athlete as it keeps her healthy and in good shape. She is also very competitive and feels proud to represent CVCHS. Darr enjoys the pressure to win for her school, saying “the pressure is exciting and helps fuel my love for each sport and the games/meets ahead.” Her final season on the CVCHS water polo team was the most successful, ending with the team winning a league title for the first time in 17 years. Darr was awarded team defensive MVP
and made first team all-league as well as all-East Bay. “Coaching is made easy when you have a student athlete like Haley who is very dedicated, passionate and happy to be playing her sport. She is always striving to be the best that she can while pushing her teammates to do the same,” says CVCHS girls water polo coach Kelsey Carrigan. Darr is also very involved in the Clayton Arts Academy, specializing in drama. She says juggling her athletics and academics have taught her many valuable lessons that she will use throughout her life. Darr plans to attend Diablo Valley College in the fall and continue to play water polo and swim and then transfer to a division one college to continue playing water polo. CVCHS student journalist Sydney Skow wrote this Spotlight.
The Clayton Pioneer congratulates Haley and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care Optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.com Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@claytonpioneer.com.
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Clayton Valley Little League opening ceremonies moved indoors for 49 teams
Jenn Ingersol photo courtesy Clayton Valley Little League
Inclement weather forced the recent Clayton Valley Little League opening ceremonies indoors to Clayton Valley Charter High School’s Dan Della Gym. The 49 teams and over 700 players in CVLL this spring enjoyed an inspirational talk by legendary local high school basketball coach Frank Allocco and officials and players from the Pittsburg Diamonds professional baseball team. All smiles with the start of the season drawing near for the 54th CVLL season were, from left, Minor A players Jack Lininger, Tanner Lustig, Wyatt Curran and Blake Ingersol.
Former CV wrestler Lakin national collegiate champion JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Photo by Brian Byllesby courtesy Menlo College Athletics
Troy Lakin completed his heralded high school wrestling career at Clayton Valley High by finishing fifth at the 2012 CIF State finals. That gave the former Eagle a chance to wrestle at Menlo College and last month he finished his collegiate career with the NAIA national championship in Kansas at 125 pounds.
Busy Terrapins place 3rd at Central Section Championships in Iowa City
Troy Lakin made it to North Coast Section at 103 pounds for four consecutive years and capped his time as a Clayton Valley High wrestler with a fifth-place finish at the 2012 CIF State finals. None of that matches his accomplishment last month when the Menlo College senior was crowned 125-pound NAIA national champion in Topeka, Kansas. Lakin went into the NAIA Nationals seeded third. His performance at NAIA was termed “absolutely dominating” as he had to defeat the No. 1 and 2 seeds on the final day to claim his championship. In his semi-final the Concord wrestler met West
Region champ Matthew Nguyen of Eastern Oregon. Nguyen held two wins this season over Lakin but the Menlo wrestler won 8-6 in overtime to gain his berth in the finals. In the finale he was matched with top seed Adrian Camposano of Campbellsville, KY. Lakin dominated the match from the start for a 15-6 major decision. Lakin finished the season 326. He’s the seventh national wrestling champ for Menlo and the first since 2008 for the Atherton college. Lakin was competing in his fourth NAIA Nationals. He was third as a junior. He was top three in the NAIA Western Region meet all four years, including a 2016 championship. At Clayton Valley Lakin
made it to NCS all four years at 103 pounds. When Lakin was a freshman, De La Salle’s Vinny Moita won NCS at the lowest weight class. The following year his brother Joe Moita was NCS champ. Lakin was third in his junior year at CV, losing his semi-final match in overtime. Then as a senior Lakin won the 2012 Section title with three pins and two major decisions helping coach Kyle Behmlander’s team to 10th place. Lakin’s NCS title was the third in four years for local wrestlers at 103. At 2012 State, his two losses were to the secondand third-place wrestlers as he finished in fifth place. After the State Meet he went to senior nationals in Virginia and placed fourth.
Clayton Valley Charter frosh baseball rally for incredible tournament title
JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Terrapins Swim Team placed third overall at the recent Central Section Championships at the University of Iowa in Iowa City finishing behind Fort Collins Swim Team of Colorado and Edina Swim Club from Minnesota. The local Terrapins men’s team was led by Alexei Sancov of Northgate High, who won five events. Sancov won his five events swimming unrested and unshaved. He won the 50 freestyle (20.29), 100 free (43.57), 200 free (1:35.60), 500 free (4:24.88) and 100 butterfly (48.31), His 100, 200 and 500 free times were all Central Section meet records. He also combined with Nate Barsanti, Tyler James and Andrew Rodriguez to break the 800 free relay Central Section record. Other top 8 finals swims were by Nate Barsanti, Tyler James, Andrew Rodriguez and Skyler Liu. The meet concluded with an exciting wire-to-wire race in the men’s 400 free relay event between Fort Collins and Ter-
Photo courtesy Terrapins Swim Team
Terrapins Swim Team sent its senior swimmers to the Central Section Championships at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, finishing third in the team standings. The men’s team was led by Alexei Sancov of Northgate High, who won five events.
rapins. The Terrapin men edged out the win with a fast 3:02.80 swim, anchored by Rodriguez. Overall, the Terrapins posted 48 new lifetime best swims, highlighted by Jessica Larson, Connor Seip, Will Nagle, Stephie Backlund, Anthony Vizental, Adrian Dulay, Charlotte Meier, Maya Price, Remy Gordillo, Rylee Gordillo, Adonis Thomas and Delanie Gearing. The club also hosted the recent Pacific 14 & under short course Spring Junior Olympic
Championships at Concord Community Pool earlier. Among the top Terrapin performers were: 10-unders: Lily Streumpf (high point), Nikki Kannan, Davidka Skov. 11-12: Amelia Bodenstab, Diana Chan,Sofie Curran, Angeline Masongsong, Sophia Pedersoli, AJ Fong, Asim Sami, Lawrence Thomas. 13-14: Maile Andresen, Abby Dulski, Sophia Miller, Devin Masongsong, Zack Chau, Damien Donado.
Photo courtesy Clayton Valley Charter High School baseball
Clayton Valley Charter High School’s baseball program has a long and distinguished history yet during the nearly 60 years of Ugly Eagles baseball it’s doubtful any of their teams ever pulled off what coach Chris Snyder’s freshman team did in the championship game of the recent Freedom High Easter Tournament in Oakley. The young CVCHS squad was in the finals against Granada of Livermore and went into the seventh and last inning of the finale trailing 9-1. Then the local team exploded for 13 consecutive hits, scoring 11 runs and winning the championship game 12-9. Tournament MVP Chase Graves hit .667 with five runs and four RBI for the undefeated Eagles. Eddie Curley was the game MVP with two doubles, three RBI and pitched two key innings. The champion CVCHS frosh are, front row from left, Jason Drollinger, Joey Wheeler, Ryan Watada, Jose Ruiz, Xavier Nelson, Aiden Reinwald, Jack Saylor; back row, Graves, Jacob Guardiancic, Jayson Downs, Curley, Logan Taylor, Mason Covalt, Pedro Alday, Joey Soberon and coach Snyder. All three Clayton Valley Charter baseball teams are off to hot starts in preparation for the inaugural Diablo Athletic League season that begins April 18.