Sports
July 8, 2016
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
county times as “famous” and says swimming against them is “the coolest.” He keeps busy year-round by also playing in All Out Sports League basketball, MDSA soccer and Clayton Valley Little League (on the farm division baseball Yankees this spring). His younger brother Ethan is on the Orcas six and under squad, while sevenmonth-old sister Cora is a few years away from joining the Oakhurst Might Mini program. At home he loves to write and draw comics.
Athlete Spotlight
Connor White Age: 7
Team: Oakhurst Orcas Sport: Swimming
Connor White moved to Clayton from San Francisco with his family a couple years ago and the youngster, now seven, has demonstrated his “love of sports” by playing in local soccer, basketball, baseball and swimming programs. His Oakhurst Country Club
Orcas coaches love “his team spirit, positive attitude and hard work at practice.” His mom Christyna says her oldest son, who enters second grade at Mt. Diablo Elementary this fall, gets his swimming excitement by “being in the zone” and “beating my own [best] time” during Orca meets. He considers teammates and competitors who make
The Clayton Pioneer congratulates Connor 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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Pentathlon, from page 8
girls) on Sunday. Oakhurst Orcas have entered three dozen swimmers in the Pentathlon while Dana Hills will have more than 200 competing. The meet recognizes and rewards all of the kids who participate [everyone gets an “I survived the Devil Mountain Pentathlon” ribbon] plus heat and stroke awards. The awards are no different for A and B flights. As the host team DHST doesn’t count in the team standings. Admission is free for anyone wishing to come out and view the meet, which begins at 8:30 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday. The Dana Hills pool is located at 298 Mountaire Cir. in Clayton.
2 BIG MEETS In aUGUST Dana Hills will be seeking its 24th Concord City Meet championship in the last 25 years since the Otters won their first A Division title in 1992. The 50th city meet includes 11 teams with
Pleasant Hill Dolfins and Forest Hills Swim Team of Martinez joining nine Concord and Clayton teams in the competition. Bishop Estates, Dana Hills, Forest Park Flyers, Gehringer Gators, Oakhurst, Walnut Country, Springwood, Vista Diablo and Ygnacio Wood complete the field. DHST have been in the top five at county the past four years while 11-time county champs Crow Canyon Country Club heads the list of contenders in Lafayette again. The Otters finished third in the 2015 team standings, one position higher than their fourth place a year earlier. In 2012 and 2013 they were fifth. The Clayton team’s bestever finish at county was second in 1995 and 2011. Forest Park won the County Division II championship last year, which they also accomplished in 2012 and three times in the 1970s and 80s when it was called Community Division.
during the probation period there was one violation about a freshman boys basketball player failing to file a transfer waiver. The team forfeited a game and was penalized games the following basketball season. Lemmon wrote, “No other violations occurred and great effort was made to follow all eligibility processes concerning waivers and reporting of pre-enrollment contact. “The school has worked
very hard to adhere to all CIF and NCS policies. I thank Mr. [Executive Director Dave] Linzey and Mr. [Principal Jeff] Eben for their leadership. While compliance is a never ending process, based on the above I believe Clayton Valley Charter High School has met the conditions of probation established by the Section and commend the school on their efforts to comply with all CIF and NCS rules and regulations.”
Clayton Valley Charter finishes NCS probation JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
North Coast Section commissioner Gil Lemmon informed Clayton Valley Charter High School officials the school completed its twoyear NCS probation as of the end of the 2015-16 school year. The issue first arose in June 2014 when the football team held practices for the fall season before the 2013-14 NCS
season had finished, causing the school to be placed on one year’s probation. Later that year the eligibility of six athletes who transferred to the school and joined the football team was challenged. Eventually three of the players were ruled ineligible including highly-touted lineman Kahlil McKenzie who transferred from De La Salle. NCS then imposed an additional year’s probation through the end of this most recent
school year. The school appointed new co-athletic directors early in 2015. In Lemmon’s letter ending the probation he said, in part, “The school hired coathletic directors to better comply with the challenges of transfers and state mandated enrollment policies outlined for charter schools. The athletic administration met with the NCS Commissioner on multiple occasions to review eligibility rules and processes,
as well as other NCS policies. There have been countless phones calls and emails to and from the NCS Office to discuss eligibility situations. CVCHS co-athletic directors Tom Sparks and Eric Bamberger have done an excellent job.” The commissioner further noted numerous meetings and workshops attended by the school’s staff and coaches concerning transfer and eligibility policies. He added that
Clayton Valley Little League crowns 5 champions
Photos courtesy Clayton Valley little league
MINOR A DODGERS won the regular season and post-season baseball tournament for the CVll championship and then reached the AAA semi-finals of the District 4 Tournament of Champions. The team is, front row from left, Jack Dress, zachary Claunch, Nate luehs; middle row, Diego Navas, Jackson Huffman, ryder Bartholomew, ethan Alden, Aidan Hendricks, Benjamin Garner, Benjamin Hosler, luke Dress; back row, coach lou luehs, manager Andy Hosler and coach Tony Dress. Not pictured, Josh Sandy.
MINOR B BROOKLYN DODGERS finished 10-3 riding the team’s defense and excellent hitting to the title. The success of the post-season playoffs was anchored by strong pitching by Dominc Tanyag, evan lomax and Marc “MJ” lopez, who pitched 4 1/3 innings of no-hit ball in the championship game. The team includes, front row from left, lomax, Kaleb Caldwell, Kieran Schmitt, Aidan Cooper, Tanyag, logan remington; middle row, Trento Schweiger, Kaiden ramirez, Blayne Ballard, lopez, Adam Sokolowski, Morgan Masterson; back row, coach Ben Ballard, coach Jesse Schweiger, manager Marc lopez and coach eric Schmitt.
EL DIABLOS WON THE CLAYTON VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE MAJOR DIVISION PLAYOFFS with a 9-4 win over the Cubs in the championship game after earlier taking down the regular-season champion Coyotes. Backed by strong defense Gabe lauricella didn’t give up a run in the final four innings of the finals en route to a complete-game victory. Drew warner, zak rath and Noah robinow combined for seven rBIs. The team includes, front row from left, James Canclini, ethan Cline, Cody DeMartini, lauricella, Jake Solis, Bobby lattin, Corbin Clifton; back row, coach eric warner, robinow, Ben Juarez, rath, coach Ken Solis, Jesse Burns, warner, coach Mike Clifton and manager Mike lauricella.
THE MINOR DIVISION SOFTBALL HURRICANES capped a 16-0 record by beating the Blaze and Vipers in the CVll playoffs. The team was anchored by strong pitching and excellent hitting throughout the spring season all the way to the finals of the District 4 Tournament of Champions before losing the AAA title game to Martinez. The Hurricanes included, bottom row from left, coach Aaron Baker, Cassidy Baker, Sofia Carmichael; standing, manager Dave Scolini, Isabella Scolini, Anja Perreira, Madison Tuohey, lizbeth rios, Sofia weber, Gianna orozco, Antionette wirth, Abigail McCormick, Camille Cherepy, coach Danielle Carmichael, liana Pursche and ruby Bartholomew.
CV DUCKS ARE CVLL MAJOR DIVISION SOFTBALL CHAMPS after winning the double-elimination season-ending tournament. The mound duties were handled by Karlie Seastrand, Sophia Miller and Taylor Nunez. The CV Ducks are, front row from left, Grace Baker, Francesca Stolarz, Nicki Campton, Nunez, Alyssa Ferrari, manager Manny Nunez; back row, coach Marty Miller, eliana Goldstein, Sarah Graff, Seastrand, emily Storn, Miller, Natalie Pursche, Cassidy Gunter, coach ron Storn and coach Kerry Seastrand.