NorCal Issue 146, April 2018

NORCAL EDITION APRIL 2018 VOL. 9 ISSUE 147

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All-NorCal 8 Boys Hoops, Pg. 20 9

NorCal’s Jordan Brown tore up the McDonald’s All-American Game Cal-Hi Sports FINAL state Top 10 boys & girls basketball rankings

14

Las Lomas boys hoops welcomes back an old friend and returns to glory

15

EXCLUSIVE: SportStars FINAL boys basketball Top 20 rankings.

18

Sheldon boys hoops is asking itself ‘what if?’ once again despite NorCal title

24

West Campus girls hoops ran their way straight to a championship

All-NorCal Girls Hoops, 24 Pg. 30

in the magazine

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EXCLUSIVE: SportStars FINAL girls basketball Top 20 rankings.

32

Dougherty Valley keeps its turnaround going in second season with new coach

34

EXCLUSIVE: SportStars baseball Top 20 rankings.

36

Bella Vista softball has powerful bats and aren’t afraid to unleash them

38

EXCLUSIVE: SportStars sofball Top 20 rankings.

in the network

a look at the biggest stories from the Cal-Hi SportStars Network

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We’re jumping into spring w/ online exclusive baseball, softball features along with updated rankings each week.

All-State Basketball honors have started and will be updated throughout the month. See who makes the cut.

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Bo Leschly MENLO SCHOOL-ATHERTON | TENNIS | SENIOR The senior went 8-0, winning all of his singles and doubles matches for the Knights, who won the 19th Annual National Invitational at Palisades Tennis Club on March 23-24. The championship match against HarvardWestlake of North Hollywood came down to No. 4 singles, where Leschly rallied to defeat Sacha Pritzget 8-6 to clinch what would eventually be a 6-3 team victory and lead to Menlo’s first title in the event since 2012.

Leschly was named to the all-tournament team with Siddharth Chari and Andrei Volgin. Monta Vista-Cupertino also competed in the 16-team field and finished seventh.

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JOIN OUR TEAM PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 EDITORIAL Editor@SportStarsMag.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsMag.com Assistant Editor Mike Wood Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Clay Kallam, Tim Rudd, Mark Tennis, James G. Kane, Harold Abend, Jill Daniels, Anthony Trucks, Erika Westhoff, Ike Dodson, Steven Wilson Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography James K. Leash, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans III, Samuel Stringer, Jim Johnson, Dennis Lee, Dave Lawicka Interns Joshua Howser, Krishna Gomatam Marketing/Events Ryan Arter

Northern Triumph I

’ve written about growing up a son of two coaches before in this space, but today we’re going to focus specifically on my mom. Which seems particularly appropriate as Mother’s Day is just a month away.

While my dad primarily coached football and softball during my formative years, basketball was my mom’s sport. And it would become my sport as well. For most of my elementary and junior high years, she was coaching junior varsity girls basketball for Los Molinos High — a tiny little town nestled on Highway 99 between Chico and Red Bluff.

Once I reached fourth grade or so, the first Saturday in March became a special day for the two of us. That’s when we’d make the half-hour drive to Chico State to spend a whole day watching the CIF Northern Section Basketball Championships. Typically, that meant watching four or five consecutive games. My mom would always want to sit on the opposite side of the gym as the team benches, so she could watch the coaches react to the game.

(This is a habit I still follow at games, especially if I’m not working).

Sometimes my dad would tag along, but mostly this was a day I always remember sharing with Mom. Something that always stuck with me about those days — those games always carried the feel of THE big event. I’m not sure I even realized the winner of those section finals, and often the loser, still advanced to a state playoff.

As I grew even older, played a few years of high school basketball, and then began covering high school sports as a career, I further realized why those section finals seemed to carry so much weight. Quite simply, they were the ultimate goal for those teams. Northern Section schools rarely made deep state playoff runs, so the trophy that meant something came from the section final.

All of that is the backstory to me admitting how excited I was to watch two Northern Section teams, the boys and girls teams of Pleasant ValleyChico, each play in a state final on March 24. The girls came up shy in the Div. II final, but the Viking boys prevailed for a Div. III title — only the second Northern Section boys team to ever win a state championship, and the first since Colusa won one in 1990. Heck, it had been two decades since a Northern Section boys team had even reached a state final.

Pleasant Valley never trailed in its 70-65 win over Notre Dame-Riverside. The massive contentingent of student body and extended Chico community in attendance at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center would swell in excitement with every big play.

And in the press seating area, my phone would buzz with a new text every 10 minutes or so as Mom — watching from home in Los Molinos — would chime in on the action. It was a day long overdue for the Northern Section, and one I’m glad Mom and I were able to share in some capacity. ✪

Dennis Lee

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A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME Dear Friends & Readers,

The arrival of April ushered in an entire new era of SportStars Magazine — and boy are we excited to share the good news.

Beginning with the printing of our Camps & Clinics Resource Guide, we are now being printed and distributed by Hearst Communications. This change required us to take on a bit of a new look, and at the same time allowed us to make a giant leap forward in the ways that we can reach YOU, our trusted audience, along with many more NorCal sports enthusiasts.

GAME CHANGER: Among the most exciting ways we’re going to be able to do that is as a featured magazine within the Sunday Chronicle once a month. The Chronicle may be based in San Francisco, but it is the largest daily newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast.

Being included in its pages is a huge honor for us, and also provides us the opportunity to reach a much greater number of readers — as many as 70,000 more. (By the way, we’ll still plan to send magazines to your schools, as well as maintain our presence in select retail outlets that have served us well over the years.)

In between producing these NorCal print editions, we’re going to continue building a more robust and unique online product at SportStarsMag.com. So in the end, we’ll be able to offer the best of both worlds now: A more widely-distributed print version with the features you’ve come to expect from us, plus more exclusive content that can only be found on our website.

This partnership between us and the Chronicle is indeed a game changer for everyone involved. But you’ll only get the most of out of it if you’re reading us online as well. Join the thousands who subscribe to our newsletter for free right now by visiting our site and following the free subscription pop up.

Join the excitement with us as we take SportStars well into the future.

We’ll see you there!

Chace Bryson, Managing Editor

Big Mac IMPACT MOST POINTS BY A CALIFORNIA PLAYER IN THE MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICAN GAME 28 – Paul Pierce (Inglewood) 1995 27 – John Williams (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 1984 26 – Jordan Brown (Roseville Woodcreek/Prolific Prep) 2018 25 – DeShawn Stevenson (Washington, Easton) 2000 24 – Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 2013 22 – DeMarcus Nelson (Sheldon, Sacramento) 2004 22 – Casey Jacobson (Glendora) 1999 22 – Darren Daye (Kennedy, Granada Hills) 1979 19 – Darnell Robinson (Emery, Emeryville) 1993 19 – Charles O’Bannon (Artesia, Lakewood) 1993 17 – Corey Benjamin (Fontana) 1996

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April 2018

Brown Sets Regional Bar High At McDonald’s Game

J

ust because Jordan Brown didn’t play for a CIF school and left a CIF school to play his senior season at Prolific Prep of Napa, does that mean we should no longer care what he does?

No, of course not. Jordan will always be a NorCal player, just like Jason Kidd, Damian Lillard, Aaron Gordon or anyone else. It’s just that his official high school career ended after his junior season at Woodcreek-Roseville. He can’t be on the high school all-state team because Prolific Prep isn’t a CIF school and he can’t be Mr. Basketball, which he probably would have been had he not left Woodcreek in combination with Marvin Bagley leaving Sierra Canyon one year earlier than he could have left to check in at Duke.

Brown and others like him at Prolific Prep can be in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game, however, and in this year’s game played on March 28 in Atlanta the 6-foot-11 center impressed with 26 points and eight rebounds. He wasn’t MVP — that honor went to West teammate Nassir Little from Orlando Christian Prep of Florida, who scored 28 points for the West in a 131-128 win over the East — but Brown had many scrambling for the record books.

Brown, who led Woodcreek to the CIF Northern California Open Division title as a junior in 2017, scored the most points by a NorCal player in the McDonald’s game and had one of the top three totals by any California player since the event began in 1977.

The previous NorCal best in the McDonald’s game was 24 points

by Gordon, the Archbishop Mitty-San Jose Mr. Basketball who was MVP of the 2013 contest. That also depends on whether you count DeShawn Stevenson from Washington-Easton as a NorCal player.

Stevenson pumped in 25 points in the 2000 McDonald’s game. Washington is from the CIF Central Section, which currently has teams in both the NorCal and SoCal regional playoffs.

For the entire state, the best output in a McDonald’s game has been 28 points by former NBA All-Star Paul Pierce of Inglewood. Pierce, who played for most of his career with the Boston Celtics, did that in 1995.

Two other NorCal players who had 19 points or more in a McDonSubscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

ald’s game were DeMarcus Nelson of Sheldon-Sacramento (2004) and Darnell Robinson of Emery-Emeryville (1993). Nelson, still the state’s all-time career scoring leader who began his career at Vallejo, had 22 points. Robinson, still the state’s all-time career rebounding leader, had 19 points.

Kidd, the St. Joseph-Alameda two-time State Player of the Year who was officially named as an inductee for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame the day after the McDonald’s game, didn’t have that many points the year he played in the game. He had 12 points and six assists.

Brown was one of the few McDonald’s All-Americans who was unsigned and uncommitted.

He was one of three expected Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year candidates for the 2017-18 season who left the CIF ranks. In addition to himself and Bagley, junior guard LaMelo Ball of Chino Hills played overseas on a pro team with older brother LiAngelo.

It may become more common for a highly regarded player like Brown to head to a prep school by his senior year or even earlier, especially for a player like him as an athletic 6-foot-10 forward. Those schools can simply provide him with a lot of other big bodies to work with and compete against in games and practice. It’s nothing personal for a school like Woodcreek. It’s player development and for where Jordan eventually wants to go (the NBA), it makes sense.

The manner and class in which the Woodcreek program and head coach Paul Hayes reacted to Brown’s departure in August should be highly commended. Hayes, a successful coach in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section for many years, announced at the end of the current season that he would be retiring. Not many coaches get to win a NorCal Open title for their school, but Brown and Hayes did that for the Timberwolves last season. ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

BASKETBALL STATE TOP 10 BOYS BASKETBALL FINAL STATE TOP 10

GIRLS BASKETBALL FINAL STATE TOP 10

ALL RECORDS ARE FINAL 1.

ALL RECORDS ARE FINAL

Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth 27-4

1.

Windward-Los Angeles 27-3

Two of the first-time CIF Open Division state champs’ four

Every national ranking, human or computer, has Archbishop

losses were to out-of-state nationally ranked teams in over-

Mitty higher than Windward, but that wasn’t the Monarchs

time. The general improvement of junior point guard Scottie

celebrating with the CIF Open Division state title trophy on

Pippen Jr. was one of the major reasons the Trailblazers played

March 24 in Sacramento..

so well in their last three games.

2.

2.

Bishop Montgomery-Torrance 28-2

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 29-1

Yes, it stinks that questionable officials’ calls contributed to

“The 2017 CIF Open Div. champions suffered both of its losses

Haley Jones fouling out of the Monarchs’ triple-overtime

to No. 1 Sierra Canyon. One was in overtime after a Sierra

loss to Pinewood. Mitty certainly can be placed higher than

Canyon 3-pointer at the horn ended regulation. Bishop Mont-

Pinewood in the final rankings (with a win over the Panthers

gomery also beat Sierra Canyon 65-62 early in the season.

in the CCS Open finals), but ahead of the team that later beat

3.

Etiwanda

30-4

Pinewood to win the state title is extremely questionable.

The Eagles atoned for their CIF Southern Section Open semi-

3.

final loss to No. 6 Mater Dei by blitzing the Fairfax team Mater

A No. 3 overall finish in the state is the highest in school his-

Dei lost to in the first round of the SoCal Open playoffs, 62-34.

tory for the Panthers, who beat a higher-ranked St. Mary’s-

They also played Sierra Canyon within one possession.

Stockton team in the NorCal Open semifinals for the second

4.

Sheldon-Sacramento 29-6

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

27-3

time in three years.

The CIF NorCal Open Division banner is going up in the

4.

Huskies’ gym so they get to be ranked higher than either

The best win for the Rams turned out to be the one in January

Salesian, Bishop O’Dowd or Modesto Christian. They also

over Nevada No. 1 Centennial-Las Vegas, a team that earlier in

twice defeated the Folsom team that knocked off then state

the season beat Windward at the Nike TOC.

No. 1 Salesian.

5.

5.

Westchester-Los Angeles

29-6*

St. Mary’s-Stockton 27-3

Clovis West-Fresno 32-4

It wasn’t much of rebuilding season for the Golden Eagles. All

The Comets get final rankings credit for wins over No. 8

five starters were gone from the 2017 squad that beat Mitty in

Bishop O’Dowd and No. 9 Chino Hills, not to mention two

the CIF Open state final. This team still reached the CIF SoCal

wins (in three games) over the Fairfax club that knocked off

Open final where it lost to Windward.

No. 6 Mater Dei in the SoCal Open playoffs.

6.

Mater Dei-Santa Ana

6.

23-7

Led by Harvard-bound Spencer Freedman, Mater Dei captured the state’s toughest section playoff bracket (CIFSS Open with a win in the final over Sierra Canyon) before suffering an upset loss to Fairfax in the SoCal regionals.

7.

Salesian-Richmond

date James Akinjo, but Salesian was able to play at a slightly higher level than preseason expectations because of the emergence of senior Jermar Jefferson and sophomore banger Te’John Sawyer.

final rankings after Sheldon fell by a sizeable margin in the CIF Open title game. The duo of Elijah Hardy (Washington signee) and Naseem Gaskin (Utah) will be greatly missed next season.

Chino Hills

26-11

This is where the CIF Division I state champions check in. Most of the losses were early against top competition, but the Huskies also are from the same league as No. 3 Etiwanda.

10.

Windward early in the season and went to the finals of a national tournament. At the end, the team lost to Windward in the CIFSS Open Division final, then lost by one to Clovis West 7.

Salesian-Richmond 27-6

The Pride ended the 2017-18 season as CIF North Coast Section Division III champions (beat Cardinal Newman in the final) and then topped No. 10 Folsom in the CIF NorCal Open Division playoffs before losing on the road to Mitty in the NorCal Open semis.

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 27-6

Similar to Salesian, the Dragons had to drop slightly in the

9.

Head coach Melissa Hearlihy and her girls got a win over

in the SoCal Open semifinals.

30-2

Everybody knows about the exploits of big-time honors candi-

8.

Harvard-Westlake-North Hollywood 26-6

Modesto Christian

8.

Etiwanda

25-6

This team lost in the semifinals of the CIFSS Open Division (to Harvard-Westlake) and in the semifinals of the CIF SoCal Open Division (to Windward). Before losing to Windward, the Eagles rolled past CIF San Diego Section Open Division champ Mt. Miguel.

9.

Serra-Gardena 25-8

This is where the CIF Division I champions land in the final rankings. It’s still a few spots higher than some of the NorCal

29-4

The Crusaders won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D1 title, which is essentially becoming an Open Division other than its name, but then they lost to O’Dowd in the NorCal playoffs. * Record does not include a forfeit win

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Open Div. teams and two of the SoCal Open Div. teams.

10.

Folsom

27-5

Cal-bound McDonald’s All-American McKenzie Forbes and 6-foot-6 UCLA-bound post Shayley Harris led the Bulldogs to their most successful season in school history.

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Lincoln Potters Return For Summer Of Collegiate Baseball USA Ultimate Frisbee Is Back In Roseville

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The revival of the Lincoln Potters, a collegiate wooden-bat baseball team that is part of the Great West League (GWL), energized Placer Valley last summer and we are thrilled to report another summer season is just around the corner. In fact, single-game tickets just became available to purchase on April 1.

The Potters are scheduled to play 30 home games at the renovated Historic McBean Stadium throughout June and July against the other GWL teams that include the Chico Heat, Klamath Falls Gems, Medford Rogues, San Francisco Seals and Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox. “We are excited for what’s in store this season,” commented Matt Lundgren, Lincoln Potters General Manager. “We have worked to enhance the spectator experience with upgrades like permanent restrooms, moving the dugouts for better game-viewing, more food options and a new Kids Zone presented by El Camino Jumpers.”

The Potters will kick off their season in style with a free Fan Fest on Memorial Day Weekend on Sunday, May 27 at 6 p.m. This event will take place at the historic McBean Stadium, giving fans an opportunity to meet the new team, get autographs, enjoy good food, cold beer, live music and more!

The first home game will take place on Friday, June 1 at 6:35 p.m. against the San Francisco Seals. Please check out their website at www.lincolnpotters.com to view the full schedule, purchase tickets and for all other Potters news.

Placer Valley Tourism is looking forward to another sizzling summer of baseball! ✪

On April 14-15 the USA Ultimate NorCal Division I College Conference Championships for both Men’s and Women’s teams will be returning for the third time to Placer Valley. Taking place on the fields at Maidu Park in Roseville, Placer Valley Tourism is thrilled to be teaming up again with USA Ultimate to bring this exciting and unique sporting event back for our community to enjoy.

Ultimate is a fast-paced, action-driven sport that combines elements of several sports including soccer, football and basketball and is played between two teams using a flying disk. The object of the game is to score by catching a pass in the opponent’s end zone. Amazingly the sport uses no referees as it is a self-regulated game governed by the players who implement a fairplay system.

“Ultimate is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation and I believe this is largely due to the overall physicality of the sport,” stated Kerry Karter, the USA Ultimate Southwest Region Director. “As fun as it is to play, it is also a great spectator game, too!”

“We love coming up to Roseville and playing these conference championship games at Maidu,” added Karter. “We will have several college teams from throughout Northern California competing in hopes of making it to the next round, the Southwest Regional Championships that will take place down in San Luis Obispo at the end of April.”

Come see this ultimate action live! There are no fees for spectators and games will start at 9 a.m. on both Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15. Maidu Park is located at 1550 Maidu Drive in Roseville. ✪

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

Commitment Overload: How Much Is Too Much?

Our basketball team did pretty good this past year, and we have a lot of players coming back, so everyone’s excited — especially the coach.

He wants us to start lifting twice a week and have open gyms twice a week right now, then play in a tournament. Some of the guys don’t like the idea, but if we want to be good, don’t we need to start putting in the work right now?

R. J., Chico

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his is one of the real dilemmas of coaching, and there’s no easy answer.

On the one hand, there are athletes who thrive on work, and are dedicated to one sport. Their enthusiasm is essentially bottomless, and they gain incrementally and steadily from year-round effort.

On the other hand, there are athletes who need time off to recharge, both physically and mentally, with the latter maybe being the most important. (The best athletic director I ever worked for, Bob Wilson at Campolindo, now sadly passed on, once said “I want my kids beating down the door to get in the gym, not beating down the door to get out.”)

Personally, I fell into the category of needing time off. Mostly it was mental, but the physical aspect is important too. Not only do some people just need more time to recover physically from a long season, but the repetitive motions common to any sport can lead to specific injuries if the body doesn’t get a break.

So from the coaching perspective, that makes for difficult choices. If I decide, “OK, we’re going for it, and I want everyone in the weight room Tuesdays and Thursdays, at open gyms Wednesdays and Fridays, and at our tournaments every other weekend,” then some players are going to be really excited about the level of commitment I’m demanding. And though they might not be pumped up about every workout, overall they have a positive attitude about what this investment will mean for next year’s team.

April 2018

But then there will be a group who will pretty much hate the whole process, and as a result, may come to hate the sport as well. After all, if we’re playing 20 games in the spring, 40 games in the summer, and another 30 in the fall, that’s 90 games before we even start next season — and there’s a very real risk that our high school games will be looked at as just another game rather than the ones that really count.

Ideally, the coach would identify the group that wants and welcomes the year-round work, and let them go at it, while allowing the ones who need the time off to take it, but that just doesn’t fly. “Team” means “team,” and it’s either mandatory or it isn’t.

Voluntary? Doesn’t work, because then you get resentment and entitlement from the ones who show up every time because they feel the others are just being lazy and should be on the second team because of their lack of commitment. And maybe that group is lazy, but laziness now often pays off in enthusiasm later, and the impact of enthusiasm on a program and team can’t be underestimated.

So to answer your question, um, well, maybe. Or well, maybe not.

Glad I could help. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and has coached numerous sports at a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at claykallam@gmail.com.

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THECRE Las Lomas’ Brian Dietschy Returns To Coach Hometown School Back To Glory

T

he story starts on San Juan Avenue, a quiet side street a few blocks west of I-680. There, young Brian Dietschy went to Buena Vista Elementary School and started playing basketball on the outdoor courts.

His love for the game, and his talent, became even more apparent at Walnut Creek Intermediate, appropriately enough on Walnut Boulevard, and then it was off to Las Lomas.

It’s now 1988, and Dietschy is a sophomore at the South Main Street campus, and Las Lomas finally has a basketball team the city can embrace. The Knights get all the way to the Division III NorCal finals before losing to Jefferson-Daly City — the eventual state champion.

After being the sixth man on that veteran team, Dietschy carries the load for Las Lomas the next two years, not only getting his school back to the North Coast Section semifinals, but also setting the school record in scoring, being named league MVP and earning All-Bay Area honors.

And though Dietschy loved the game, “when I was playing in college,” he says, “I told myself ‘I never want to coach’.”

But by then his freshman coach at Las Lomas, Rob Collins, had taken over at Acalanes-Lafayette and convinced the 22-year-old Dietschy to try coaching. It was hard at first, because Acalanes and Las Lomas are not the friendliest of rivals.

“I never liked Acalanes,” Dietschy said, even though he loved working with the Lafayette players (who cheered for Las Lomas this year). “I hated Acalanes as a kid.”

But he and Collins had a close bond, and Dietschy says, “I loved being in the gym and around the game. Rob really let me dive in.”

That Acalanes group was special, eventually losing to future NBA stalwart Drew Gooden and El Cerrito in postseason, but Dietschy was still a Walnut Creek boy at heart. So when another Las Lomas alum, Jeff Loving, the junior varsity coach at Acalanes, landed the job at their alma mater, the pair decamped in 2000.

“They had won like six games in three years,” recalls

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EEKCALLS Nathan Robinson passes around two Chino Hills defenders in the state final.

ALL RECORDS ARE FINAL 1. (4)

▲ Sheldon-Sacramento

29-6

2. (2)

—

27-6

3. (8)

▲ Folsom

26-6

4. (1)

▼ Salesian-Richmond

30-2

5. (3)

▼

Modesto Christian

29-4

6. (5)

▼

Bellarmine-San Jose

24-4

7. (7)

—

Capital Christian-Sacramento

22-9

8. (14)

▲

Las Lomas-Walnut Creek

31-4

9. (13)

▲

Palo Alto

26-4

10. (12) ▲ Heritage-Brentwood

29-3

11. (6)

▼ Dublin

26-6

12. (9)

▼

13. (NR) ▲

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

Clayton Valley-Concord

26-4

Pleasant Valley-Chico

32-2

14. (NR) ▲ Alameda

28-6

15. (20) ▲

St. Mary’s-Stockton

26-9

16. (16) —

Menlo School-Atherton

25-4

17. (17) —

St. Ignatius-S.F.

18-10

18. (11) ▼

St. Francis-Mountain View

19-8

19. (15) ▼

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

13-17

James K. Leash

20. (10) ▼ Berkeley

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23-7

DROPPED OUT: No. 18 De La Salle-Concord and No. 19 Moreau Catholic-Hayward.

FIVE TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): De La Salle-Concord (21-9), Grant-Sacramento (23-11), JesuitCarmichael (22-8), Moreau Catholic-Hayward (22-8) and University-S.F. (31-4).

FAST BREAKDOWN: Sheldon wasn’t the flashiest Top 5 team most of the season, but it was the most well-rounded — made evident with their run through the CIF NorCal Open Div. field. Modesto Christian, who beat Sheldon by four in the SJS Div. I final, was the hardest to place because of its convincing loss to Salesian and the fact that Salesian had to slot behind Folsom after the Bulldogs defeated the Pride on their home turf in the first round of the Open Div. tourney.

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April 2018

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15

Coach Brian Dietschy Samuel Stringer

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Dietschy, but he and Loving resurrected the program, winning the NCS title in 2008 and re-establishing Las Lomas as a basketball force.

But after the 2011 season, Dietschy’s wife Jennifer had their third child, and he stepped away. When Loving left shortly thereafter, the program regressed and the head job opened up in the spring of 2016. “I had been pretty close to the program,” he says, “and I knew the potential was there. I wouldn’t have coached anywhere but Las Lomas, but it was my old school.”

And that potential Dietschy saw had started coalescing at another old school, Walnut Creek Intermediate, where youngsters like Nathan Robinson, Devin Payne, Jason Holman, Robert Prince and others were playing on the same courts Dietschy had a generation before. But something was missing, something that Dietschy started fixing on day one.

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“First, it was togetherness,” says Prince. “It was family first, then basketball.”

The final record that first season was 22-7, with a firstround NorCal loss to San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno ending the season.

Though Las Lomas was a very good team, with a lot of talent returning, there was a piece missing. Sure, Payne was the league MVP, Holman could shoot like a mini-Steph Curry, and Prince ran the show like his musical namesake, but to get back to the glory days of 1988, something else was needed.

And that something was Robinson, who spent three years at WCI before deciding to return to San Francisco, where he had gone to elementary school, to play for Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Robinson “wasn’t afraid of change,” and after witnessing a

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raucous Bruce-Mahoney rivalry game at USF, a traditional game between SHC and St. Ignatius, he decided he wanted to be part of that excitement.

But what he also got to be a part of was the horde of commuters who trekked back and forth from Walnut Creek to San Francisco. What that meant was days that began before dawn, long rides on BART and buses, and a return trip after practice that often didn’t end until 10:30 or 11 p.m.

“The commute took a big toll,” says Robinson, and so he decided to come back to Walnut Creek for his senior year — and join a basketball team in need of a 6-4 do-everything talent to push them from being very good to elite.

Complicating the equation was Robinson’s commitment to international play with Great Britain’s Under-18 team — and he spent the summer halfway around the world from the gym on South Main where Dietschy and the other Walnut Creek kids were working on their games.

But once he returned, the adjustment was quick. Payne (the reigning league MVP), Prince, Holman and senior Homer Kravets “put their egos aside,” says Dietschy, and so did Robinson.

“He had to adjust also,” says Prince, “but he adjusted way quicker than a lot of people thought.”

Try a 17-0 quick adjustment, starting with a 17-point win over St. Ignatius. The victims mounted: Berkeley, El Cerrito, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, Northgate and Acalanes.

Then came a four-point loss to St. Patrick St. Vincent of Vallejo, followed by a 19-point spanking at the hands of Clayton Valley Charter-Concord.

“That was a wake-up call,” says Prince, a sentiment echoed by Robinson. “It added fuel to the fire,” he says. “It helped us as a team.”

“We took things a lot more seriously,” says Prince, and Las Lomas promptly ran off a 12game winning streak that carried them to the NCS title game against Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland — and stirred up an old memory for Dietschy.

“When Jeff and I first came to Las Lomas, we went out and tried to get sponsors,” recalls Dietschy, “and we got no support at all. Jeff said “Don’t worry – it’ll happen. Someday they’ll give us a parade’. We both laughed.”

So when Dietschy got on the bus to head to Saint Mary’s College for the NCS final, he was laughing for a different reason. Not only was there a police escort along Main Street, people were lining the streets, cheering for Las Lomas like it was 1988 all over again.

And even though Las Lomas lost to Bishop O’Dowd, McKeon Pavilion was packed with fans

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from Walnut Creek. And because O’Dowd was pulled up to the CIF Open Division, Las Lomas was the No. 2 seed in the Division I playoffs. And the fans kept coming — even to Santa Clara, where the Knights outlasted Palo Alto 44-41 to win that NorCal championship that had eluded Dietschy and Las Lomas 30 years before.

The trip to Sacramento for the state title game wasn’t too far for the horde of supporters wearing shirts that simply said “The Creek,” but unfortunately, Chino Hills (alma mater of Lonzo Ball and brothers), jumped out to a 22-point second quarter lead. Las Lomas cut the margin to five in the final minute, but Chino Hills held on for a 73-68 win.

“If we could have had a couple more minutes,” says Dietschy, “we would have got them,” but even so, “disappointment” was not the byword for a magical season. “We gave everybody something new to chase,” says Dietschy, but Prince may have put it best.

“It was the most fun I ever had playing basketball,” he says. “I wouldn’t trade this season for anything.”

Neither would Walnut Creek boy Brian Dietschy. ✪ — Story by Clay Kallam

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April 2018

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17

HUSKIES Hypothetical

W

hat if? That question has long been connected with the Sheldon High boys basketball program under head coach Joey Rollings, especially in recent years.

What if Rollings and the Huskies were not hit with sanctions by the Elk Grove Unified School District and Sac-Joaquin Section in 2014 to turn a four-time defending section champion into a sub-.500 team?

What if Woodcreek’s Jordan Brown did not draw a foul and make two free throws with one second left in the 2017 SJS Division I final?

What if Sheldon did not lose another close game to the Timberwolves in the NorCal Open Division championship two weeks later?

What if Modesto Christian’s Junior Ballard did not hit a game-winning 35-footer to beat the shot clock in the 2018 SJS Div. I final?

After the 2018 CIF State Boys Open Division title game at the Golden 1 Center on March 24, Rollings and his team had to face more what if’s.

“Just a couple plays…” Rollings trailed off with a cross between a grin and a grimace in the tunnel before heading in to the Huskies’ lockerroom to speak to, console and congratulate his players for a remarkable run that fell just short.

What if Sheldon stayed close until the closing seconds and tested Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth for the full 32 minutes? No one will know after the Trailblazers finished the game with a 14-2 run to turn a one-point game with about three minutes left into a 75-62 victory that allowed Rollings to give senior workhorses like Dale Currie and Chris Wriedt the opportunity to exit the game and receive hardearned appreciation and hugs.

“We had about a two-and-a-half minute spurt where we just kind of did the wrong things,” RollDale Currie Dennis Lee ings said. “Unfortunately, there’s got to be a loser.”

But the Huskies were far from losers, overcoming the heartbreaking section final loss to Modesto Christian and deficits in several NorCal games just to earn the trip to the Golden1 Center for a second shot at a state title.

“We did it by just grinding,” Rollings said of his team’s regional run following the gut-punch section finals loss. “We’re just junkyard dogs and get after it.”

The lead dog in 2018 was Currie, who first made the Sheldon varsity roster as a sophomore, two years after the sanctions plummeted the Huskies to an 8-18 record. In the state final, Currie made NBA-range three-pointers, ran the floor, and slashed his way to the hoop against the bigger Trailblazers for a team-high 20 points. The 6-foot-1 guard was big on leadership all season long, leading the Huskies in a different way on any given night.

“He leads our team in rebounding, steals, hustle points, everything, and sometimes even in scoring,” Rollings said of his unselfish point guard. “He’s just a grinder.”

He nearly led Sheldon to its first-ever boys basketball state championship. With support from senior big men, Wriedt and Ronald Agebsar, juniors Dom Johnson, Kaito Williams, and Justin Nguyen, and sophomore twins Xavion and Xavier Brown, Currie and the Huskies nearly toppled a Trailblazers squad featuring NBA offspring Scottie Pippen Jr. and Kenyon (KJ) Martin Jr. Junior Cassius Stanley scored a game-high 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 16 points in the first half, but Pippen and Martin carried the Trailblazers down the stretch. Martin scored 11 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds and Pippen filled the box score with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Sierra Canyon head coach Andre Chevalier was quick to praise Sheldon following the game.

“We knew that they were going to be a grinding, tough team. And they did that,” he said.

“We wanted to make the game fast and they actually smacked us in the face by playing fast early in the game.”

What if Sheldon gets another shot at glory in the future?

Don’t be surprised if Rollings and the Huskies are back on the biggest stage against the best teams sooner than expected. ✪ — Jim McCue

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April 2018

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All-NorCal Boys Basketball James Akinjo Salesian-Richmond Player of the Year

L

ongtime Salesian varsity boys basketball coach Bill Mellis has had his share of gym rats over the years.

Relentlessly dedicated, talented players who were

constantly working on their games.

All of them were merely a prelude to James Akinjo, a four-year varsity point guard who recently wrapped up his Pride career as the program’s fifth all-time scorer.

When Mellis literally closed the doors to the Salesian gym after a night of practice, Akinjo simply headed to the next gym.

“James literally lives in the gym,” Mellis said.

“Plenty of times he would leave practice — even the late practices that went until 9:30 at night — and he would go to 24 Hour Fitness and get another hour of shots up.”

That passion, drive and work ethic manifested into a splendid senior season in which Akinjo averaged 20.7 points, 5.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 2 steals over 32 games. He did this while leading Salesian to a 30-2 overall record, a third straight North Coast Section title (the second in Division III) and the state’s No. 1 overall ranking heading into the CIF Northern Regional Open Division playoffs.

All of which added up to being a relatively easy choice as the SportStars NorCal Player of The Year — despite the Pride being upset by Folsom in the opening round of the Open Div. tournament.

Akinjo, who will continue his playing career at the University of Connecticut next season, has been showcasing the same work ethic and competitive fire since Mellis placed him on varsity as a freshman.

“We knew he was going to be really good,” the coach said. “He won the starting point guard job halfway through his freshman year, and there haven’t been too many who have done that with us.”

Akinjo was one of just two seniors on Salesian’s roster this season, and made a point to rise as a leader.

“This happens to a lot of players, but his junior year was one where he kind of knew it all,” Mellis said. “His senior year he really grew in that area, and really matured. That maybe defined his senior year.

He really wanted to keep it a team thing.”

That team was nothing short of dominant for nearly the entire season. Its first loss to a California team was its last, a 75-70 home overtime loss to Folsom on March 9. Akinjo still posted 30 points in that defeat, and may have hit the game-winner had 6-foot-9 SportStars All-NorCal first-teamer Mason Forbes not partially blocked it at the end of regulation.

All of which means, his fire isn’t going out any time soon. Which is good news for UConn. ✪ — Chace Bryson

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All-NorCal Boys Basketball First Team JAMES AKINJO (SALESIAN-RICHMOND, SR.), 6-1, GUARD WHAT HE DID: Our NorCal Player Of The Year, the University of Connecticut-bound playmaker was the unquestioned leader on a 30-2 Pride team that spent the majority of the season as the NorCal’s No. 1-ranked team. In fact, Salesian entered the CIF Open Div. tournament ranked No. 1 in the state. Akinjo finished the year averaging 20.7 points and 5.2 assists per game.

MASON FORBES (FOLSOM, SR.), 6-8, FORWARD WHAT HE DID: Forbes was a dominant post presence on both ends of the floor, averaging 18 points, 13 rebounds and 3.5 blocks a game for a Bulldogs team that reached the CIF Open Div. regional semifinals after knocking out Salesian in the first round. Forbes will take his playing and academic career to Harvard in the fall.

NASEEM GASKIN (BISHOP O’DOWD-OAKLAND, SR.), 6-3, GUARD WHAT HE DID: The Utah-bound star finished his career ranked No. 3 on the Dragons’ all-time scoring list with 1,445 points. In his senior season he averaged 14.5 points and 6.7 rebounds while leading O’Dowd to the CIF Open Div. regional final. His 44-point night against Berkeley on Feb. 16 set the program’s single-game scoring record.

LOGAN JOHNSON (ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTIAN VIEW) 6-2, GUARD WHAT HE DID: After briefly considering transferring to a Florida school, Johnson stuck around to finish what he started with the Lancers and posted another phenomenal season, with pergame averages of 21 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists as St. Francis went 18-9. Johnson will continue his career at Cincinnati.

JAKE WOJCIK (BELLARMINE-SAN JOSE, SR.) 6-4, WING WHAT HE DID: Averaging 17 points per game, Wojcik was named West Catholic Athletic League Player Of The Year for the second straight year. The Siena-bound talent led the Bells to a 24-4 record, a WCAL title, a CCS Open Division title and a CIF Open Div. berth.

All-NorCal Boys Basketball Second Team JUNIOR BALLARD (MODESTO CHRISTIAN, SR.), 6-3, GUARD KEY STATS: Cal Poly-commit led his team in scoring by averaging 16.4 points to go with 5.5 rebounds, 3 assists and nearly 2 steals. His shot clock-beating 3-pointer clinched the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I title.

ZACH CHAPPELL (CAPITAL CHRISTIAN-SACRAMENTO, SR.), 6-3, GUARD KEY STATS: Unquestioned leader for a talented Cougars team which went 22-9 and earned a CIF Open Div. regional berth. He averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals.

ELIAS KING (JESUIT-CARMICHAEL, JR.), 6-9, CENTER KEY STATS: Averaged a double-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and shot over 50 percent from the field for the 22-8 Marauders. He also shot 85 percent from the free-throw line and 33 percent from beyond the arc.

GARRETT PASCOE (CLAYTON VALLEY-CONCORD,) 6-3, GUARD KEY STATS: The Boston University-commit averaged 14.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists.

He set the school’s single-game scoring record with a 49-point night, and he’ll graduate as the program’s single-season (212) and career (542) assists leader.

NATHAN ROBINSON (LAS LOMAS-WALNUT CREEK, SR.) 6-4, WING KEY STATS: Robinson’s arrival from Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F. provided the last piece of the puzzle for a veteran-heavy Knights team. He averaged 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as Las Lomas went 31-4 and reached the CIF Div. I state final.

All-NorCal Boys Basketball Third Team ELIJAH HARDY (BISHOP O’DOWD-OAKLAND, SR.), 6-2, GUARD KEY STATS: The four-year varsity point guard produced a stellar senior season, averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists. He’ll take his game to Washington this fall.

ANDRE KELLY (LINCOLN-STOCKTON, SR.), 6-7, FORWARD KEY STATS: Cal-bound big man had another dominant season in relative anonymity for the Trojans. Kelly averaged 20.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks.

KEVIN KREMER (PLEASANT VALLEY-CHICO, SR.), 6-5, WING KEY STATS: The well-rounded star led the Vikings to a CIF Div. III state title by averaging 18.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2 steals and 1.3 blocks over 34 games.

JONATHAN NED (HERITAGE-BRENTWOOD, SR.) 6-6, FORWARD KEY STATS: He led the Patriots to their first North Coast Section title while averaging 21.3 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. His 681 points set the program’s single-season record.

DALE CURRIE (SHELDON-SACRAMENTO, SR.) 6-1, GUARD KEY STATS: He was the unquestioned senior leader for a Huskies team that won the CIF Open Division Northern Regional championship. He averages 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals per game for the Huskies.

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April 2018

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21

ALL RECORDS ARE FINAL 1. (5)

▲

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

27-2

2. (1)

▼

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

29-1

3. (2)

▼

St. Mary’s-Stockton

27-3

West Campus-Sacramento

28-7

4. (NR) ▲ 5. (4)

▼ Salesian-Richmond

6. (NR) ▲

Sacred Heart Cath.-S.F.

7. (3)

▼ Folsom

8. (6)

▼

9. (7)

▼ Carondelet-Concord

10. (8)

▼

11. (9)

▼ Miramonte-Orinda

St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

12. (10) ▼

Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

13. (14) ▲

Pleasant Valley-Chico

14. (11) ▼ Heritage-Brentwood

27-6 15-15 27-5 28-5 22-8 19-11 28-6 27-6 25-4 23-8

15. (12) ▼

Eastside College Prep-E. Palo Alto 21-7

16. (13) ▼

Presentation-San Jose

23-6

17. (15) ▼

San Ramon Valley-Danville

27-6

18. (16) ▼ Edison-Stockton

23-8

19. (17) ▼ Dublin

25-6

20. (NR) ▲

17-15

Woodside Priory

DROPPED OUT: No. 18 Castro Valley, No. 19 Antelope and No. 20 Bear Creek-Stockton.

5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Antelope (26-6), Bear Creek-Stockton (28-4), Castro Valley (23-6), McClatchy-Sacramento (23-6) and Whitney-Rocklin (23-9).

FAST BREAKDOWN: Pinewood left little doubt as to the top team in Northern California by knocking the previous No. 2 and No. 1 in back-to-back games — and only a two-point loss to No. 5 Salesian marred the NorCal ledger. It’s hard to argue that the only NorCal state champ shouldn’t be in the top five, so West Campus’ quick ascension is justified, and NorCal Division I titlist Sacred Heart Cathedral lands at No. 6 (the loss to Salesian defines that order) despite a lot of losses.

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Y

ou might not expect to hear groans, gasps and cackles from a girls basketball team that just won its state championship game in lopsided fashion.

But memories of summertime workouts in 100-degree heat still sting in March. Especially for the West Campus High School-Sacramento girls basketball team when it was asked during a postgame news conference about its grueling offseason workouts.

The Warriors had just captured the CIF Division III state championship by handling Sunny Hills-Fullerton 75-47 on March 23 in front of a hometown crowd at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. For them, it’s been about running, running and more running. Even in the hot summer sun.

“They are committed and they come out,” coach John Langston said. “It could be 100 (degrees), it could be 90. It could be 110 and they realize that running is very imperative for their success.”

For senior forward Kiara Jefferson, who will be taking her game to UCLA, the players realized what the road would lead to. West Campus (29-7), which won the Division IV state championship one year before, was able to repeat. The Warriors were one of only two Northern California teams — the Pleasant Valley-Chico boys team being the other — to win a state championship on March 23-24 at Golden 1 Center.

“Usually we’re out there for an hour and 30 and we’re giving it our all,” Jefferson said. “It hurts during the process but we realize it will pay off in the end.”

That payoff was evident from the outset of the championship game. West Campus bolted to a 25-4 first-quarter lead, making 10 of 16 field goals (and 4 of 9 from 3-point range), while holding Sunny Hills (24-11) to just 1 of 13 in the opening quarter.

The Warriors were off to the races. Sort of like a track meet.

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Kiara Jefferson Nia Johnson, who is headed to Cal State Bakersfield, led the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Jefferson had 21 points and sophomore Gabby Rones scored 14.

“We have a great track coach (Hardy Slay) who is very animated about form, about condition, about structure,” Langs-

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ton said. “He’s everything for this team. He doesn’t get enough credit but he runs them three days a week. And he often tells them, ‘look, this is about form, this is about finishing, this is about the fourth quarter. This is about the beginning.’ And he says ‘you have to finish everything.’ And they have done that

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for the last four years.”

For freshman Simone Johnson, who led the team with 13 rebounds, the strenuous workouts from the outset were hard.

“We did a lot during the summer,” she said. “It was really, really hot. It was crazy.

But we worked together. And I think we got it done. We did!”

The early lead held for much of the game, even after the Lancers were able to get their offense going. Sunny Hills, making its first state finals appearance after winning their regional as the No. 6 seed, was led by Jessica Barrow and Kayli Arii with 15 points each.

“It’s frustrating because I thought we were getting looks offensively,” Lancers coach Jae Byun said. “I was telling the girls that offensively I was not worried, (but) defensively I was a little concerned because we were throwing everything at them.

We were throwing man, zone, different types of zones, but to no avail. They put up 75 and that’s the most we’ve given up all year.”

The Warriors kept the jets going, realizing their championship dream.

“It’s a state championship and we know it can go either way,” Jefferson said. “They are as good a team as we are. They had fought to get here just as we had. So I was comfortable, but not

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relaxed.”

All seven of West Campus’ losses came during a demanding December stretch that included a trip to the Nike Tournament of Champions and a stint in the West Coast Jamboree’s top division, the Platinum.

“I think it made us closer and made us grow as players, because we saw what we needed to work on,” Jefferson said.

For Langston, that stretch was a part of the journey to get to the Golden 1 Center and a second straight state championship.

“They’ve done it all year,” he said. “Yeah, we lost seven games. We played everyone that was ranked in the country.

Nia Johnson We didn’t care about that. This is what we care about.”

Because of the college preparatory school’s academic standards, it’s not easy to put together an elite sports team, Langston said.

“The school itself, we don’t get the cream of the crop,” Langston said. “Because everyone can’t get into this school (because of its academic standards). But what we do get are some kids who are willing to work their tails off on and off the court.” ✪ — Story by Mike Wood, Photos by James K. Leash

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April 2018

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GIANT OPPORTUNITY Concord Offers One Of Several Northern California Junior Giants Chapters

S

pring has officially arrived, and so has baseball season.

That means plenty of afternoons watching the Giants take the field in their orange and black. But what if your child wanted to play for the Giants? Guess what, he or she can!

Concord will once again be home to a chapter of the Junior Giants program — an extension of the Giants Community Fund — is a non-competitive co-ed baseball league for children ages 5-18 with more than 90 local chapters through California, Nevada and parts of Oregon. The Giants founded the organization as one that would serve as a positive alternative to unhealthy activities for at-risk youth. Junior Giants wants to offer more than just baseball, but a vehicle meant to further enrich a player’s experience. Players learn the Junior Giants Four Bases of Character Development: Confidence, Integrity, Leadership and Teamwork, as well as the importance of education, health and bullying prevention.

The program is now in its 26th year and serves over 25,000 youth annually.

Concord has been proud to play a role in that over the years, and it’s excited to do so again

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in 2018. Piloted by the Concord Police Athletic League, the Concord Junior Giants serves players from 6- to 13-years old. Games are played on the Junior Optimist Baseball Fields on Olivera Road.

Registration opened for the 2018 season on April 4 and can be accessed online at: sfrgmonument.siplay.com/site/ Families will need to create an account online to register their children. Once there, adults can also volunteer as a coach, assistant coach or a team parent. Several volunteers are needed to create a successful Junior Giants season. No experience is necessary to volunteer for such roles, training will be provided to all who are interested. However, all volunteers must submit to a background check.

For any questions regarding the league or registration, contact Ana Villalobos at 925-6035787 or concordjrgiants@gmail.com.

Now go oil up that glove and get the kid on the diamond. ✪

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April 2018

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All-NorCal Girls Basketball HALEY JONES Archbishop Mitty-San Jose Player of the Year

There’s not much Haley Jones can’t do on a basketball court.

At 6-1, she’s tall enough to post up — and when Archbishop Mitty’s starting center, Nicole Blakes, tore her ACL just before the start of the 2018 postseason, Jones became the first inside option for the team that wound up No. 3 in the nation.

As a 64-percent shooter from the field, Jones can operate from the wings, getting to the rim, dropping in runners and hitting mid-range jump shots.

As a 45-percent shooter from 3-point distance, Jones can switch to shooting guard, extending defenses and opening up the court for herself and her teammates.

And speaking of teammates, they need to be ready when Jones has the ball, because when the situation demands it, she’s going to get the ball to the player with the best available shot — and thus the 4.1 assists per game.

There aren’t numbers like the 21.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game on the other end of the floor, but Jones, a coach’s daughter, is a superb defender who uses her length and athleticism to guard whoever coach Sue Phillips needs guarded. And again, it could be a post or it could be a point guard, as one word that cannot be left out of any description of the way Haley Jones plays basketball is “versatile.”

Oh, did we mention she’s just a junior?

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Yes, Jones will be back for the 2018-19 season, and will be the unquestioned leader and focal point for Archbishop Mitty, which spent most of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. In fact, even after Mitty lost to Pinewood in triple overtime in the NorCal Open finals — a game in which Jones fouled out (on a very shaky call) with 1:31 left in regulation — the West Catholic Athletic League champion still finished the year ranked No. 3.

Jones herself is considered the fifth-best prospect in the country by ESPN’s Hoopgurlz, and since she has not yet committed to a college, her summer games for the Cal Stars’ EYBL team will feature bleachers packed with college coaches hoping to land a player to build a program around.

But even after she signs, don’t expect Jones to rest on her laurels during her senior season. In each of the last two years, Archbishop Mitty was considered a favorite to win the California Open Division title, only to fall short in 2017 in the state championship game, and, as mentioned, losing to Pinewood in 2018.

So with unfinished business, tremendous talent, the full package of physical gifts, and yes, versatility, don’t be surprised if Jones does even more for Mitty next season — and is the subject of this story again next year. ✪ — Clay Kallam

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All-NorCal Girls Basketball First Team AQUIRA DECOSTA (ST. MARY’S-STOCKTON, SR.), 6-2, POST WHAT SHE DID: DeCosta capped an amazing career with another superb season. She averaged 18.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game, and added 2.2 assists, 2.9 steals and 2.1 blocks a game for, once again, one of the top teams not only in California, but in the nation.

MCKENZIE FORBES (FOLSOM, SR.), 6-0, WING WHAT SHE DID: Forbes not only led Folsom to its best season ever, but then topped it all off by winning the 3-point shooting contest at the McDonald’s All-American Game – and outshot the boys’ winner as well. And locals will still get to watch her career, as she will play at Cal. ANGEL JACKSON (SALESIAN-RICHMOND, JR.), 6-4, POST WHAT SHE DID: Another great Salesian season – reaching the semifinals of the NorCal Open Division playoffs – was anchored on Jackson’s play in the paint. The numbers (14.6 ppg 10.5 rpg, 4.6 bpg) don’t tell the whole story of her impact on each game at both ends of the floor.

HALEY JONES (ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE, JR.), 6-1, WING WHAT SHE DID: There are those who claim that if Jones hadn’t fouled out with 1:31 to go in regulation in a triple-overtime loss to Pinewood, Mitty not only would have won the California Open championship, but also been the consensus No. 1 team in the nation.

HANNAH JUMP (PINEWOOD-LOS ALTOS HILLS, JR.), 5-11, WING WHAT SHE DID: Jump belies her name, as her 45-percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc is the basis of her elite-level game. She averaged 16.7 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Panthers. She’s also on track to become a mainstay on the national team for Great Britain.

All-NorCal Girls Basketball Second Team ALI BAMBERGER (CARONDELET-CONCORD, JR.), 6-2, POST KEY STATS: Bamberger led the Open qualifiers with 20 points and 11 rebounds a game, but her presence inside was the key in opening up the floor for her teammates.

KARISMA ORTIZ (ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE, SR.), 6-0, GUARD KEY STATS: Ortiz was sometimes overshadowed by Haley Jones, but opponents knew full well how good she was: 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game, plus 80 percent from the free-throw line.

ARIEL JOHNSON (ST. MARY’S-STOCKTON, SR.), 5-8, GUARD KEY STATS: Like Ortiz, Johnson had to battle for attention (in this case, because of Aquira DeCosta), but her 14.1 points and 4.5 assists a game were key in another great St. Mary’s season.

SIRENA TUITELE (PLEASANT VALLEY-CHICO, SR.) 6-1, POST KEY STATS: As with some others, the numbers are good — 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 1.6 blocks per game – but Tuitele was the engine that drove Pleasant Valley to a state championship game appearance.

HALEY VAN DYKE (CAMPOLINDO-MORAGA, SR.) 6-0, POST KEY STATS: How about a North Coast Section record 60 points in a 73-50 win over Moreau Catholic-Hayward? Or 29.8 points, 17.3 rebounds, 4.8 steals, 3.7 assists and 3.5 blocks a game?

Yet in a great year for NorCal talent, she has to settle for second-team honors.

All-NorCal Girls Basketball Third Team BRIANA CLAROS (PINEWOOD-LOS ALTOS HILLS, SR.), 5-5, GUARD KEY STATS: Though Claros had good numbers for Pinewood (11.2 points and 4.4 assists per game, plus a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio), her leadership was just as important.

MAIYA FLORES (CARDINAL NEWMAN-SANTA ROSA, SR.), 5-6, GUARD KEY STATS: Flores is the all-time leading scorer at Cardinal Newman, boys or girls, and led her team to the NorCal Open Division by scoring 14.1 points a game, and adding three rebounds and three assists.

TALO LI-UPERESA (SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL-S.F., JR.), 5-10, POST KEY STATS: Li-Uperesa set the tone for Sacred Heart Cathedral’s physical style of play, a style that earned them a NorCal Division I title. Along the way, she averaged 13.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.

ZAKIYA MAHONEY (BISHOP O’DOWD-OAKLAND, SR.), 5-9, WING KEY STATS: The intense, physical and talented Mahoney supplied the interior presence for the North Coast Section Division II champs, averaging 13.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

KIARA JEFFERSON (WEST CAMPUS-SACRAMENTO, SR.), 5-9, GUARD KEY STATS: The top player on NorCal’s only state title team, Jefferson averaged 14.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals for a team that won not just one, but two, California titles in a row.

CLAIR STEELE (MIRAMONTE-ORINDA, SR.), 5-5 , GUARD KEY STATS: Though Steele averaged 16.9 points per game, 5.3 assist per game and a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio, her most impressive stat might be the 225 free-throw attempts for the diminutive point guard. And she made 78 percent of them. ✪

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he Dougherty Valley High-San Ramon baseball team had just completed a loss to Monte Vista-Danville, one of its few this young season. The 11-4 defeat was easily its worst in what’s mainly been a season of promise.

The Wildcats didn’t sulk, walk around dejectedly or go straight into a team meeting to dissect the game. That would come later. Instead, they went right to work on their next task. Working and grooming their home field.

“We gotta take care of our own field,” said Brian Nichols, in his second year as Dougherty Valley’s coach. “Gotta make sure it’s ready for practice tomorrow. Lot of stuff to work on. Every day is another opportunity to get better.”

It’s an example of how single-minded and focused the team has become under the direction of Nichols, who has been coaching for over two decades, including a long stint at El Cerrito High.

One task — the game — is done. On to the next one — the field.

Dougherty Valley (7-3) has cultivated some impressive wins this year as the program is trending toward a big turnaround.

The messages and lessons from Nichols and assistant Jim Giblin — a longtime coach at Albany High — are clear and concise.

“I teach baseball a little bit different than most guys,” Nichols said.

“We do a lot of small-ball things. We’re getting better at that. My whole philosophy is throw strikes and play defense.”

The school has been open just over a decade, but the baseball proCoach gram saw some success in its short existence, with the high mark Brian being a 21-7 record in 2012 that saw the Wildcats reach the NCS Nichols Division II championship game. Wins eventually became quite elutalks to sive: five in 2015, three in 2016 and eight in Nichols’ first year at the his team school, 2017.

“The guys who are seniors are used to getting beat up a little bit,” Nichols said. “But all of the seniors are doing a great job. They understand that we are doing the things necessary to compete at a high level.”

Nichols knows about the high level, having played at USC and then the Cincinnati Reds organization. Meanwhile, Giblin carries an extensive baseball résumé as well.

“They have a lot of knowledge, and they are really strict on right and wrong things to do,” said senior outfielder Ryan Grove, who is batting .375 with six RBI. “They will just nail us, all the little things we need to do correctly. (Nichols) is constantly getting on us about making mistakes, making sure we don’t make the same mistake twice.”

That Nichols’ know-how is fostering pride and determination in his players. “He is also pretty confident in himself, so that definitely rubs off on us a lot,” senior infielder Will Brega said. Brega is hitting at a .389 clip and leads the team in RBI with 11.

The transformation hasn’t been overnight. Along with a new coaching staff last season, the Wildcats were making the leap from the old Diablo Foot-

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Records are through March 31 1. (1)

—

Valley Christian-San Jose

13-1-1

2. (2)

—

Elk Grove

4-2-2

3. (4)

▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

11-3

4. (5)

▲

Bellarmine-San Jose

12-2

5. (3)

▼ Foothill-Pleasanton

6. (7)

▲

St. Francis-Mountain View

10-4

7. (6)

▼

Serra-San Mateo

8-3

8. (10)

▲

De La Salle-Concord

7-3

9. (12)

▲ Acalanes-Lafayette

8-1

9-1

10. (19) ▲

Franklin-Elk Grove

9-2

11. (11) —

St. Mary’s-Stockton

4-4-1

12. (NR) ▲

Los Gatos

10-4

13. (NR) ▲ Tracy

6-2

14. (NR) ▲ Berkeley

9-1

15. (17) ▲ Heritage-Brentwood

7-1

16. (8)

▼ Davis

4-5

17. (9)

▼

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

8-5

18. (13) ▼

Palo Alto

10-5

19. (16) ▼

Monte Vista-Danville

5-4

20. (18) ▼ Rocklin

8-2

DROPPED OUT: No. 14 San Ramon Valley-Danville, No. 15 Redwood-Larkspur and No. 20 Northgate-Walnut Creek.

THE NEXT FIVE: 21. San Ramon Valley (5-1), 22. Northgate-Walnut Creek (7-0), 23. Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton (10-2), 24. Vacaville (5-4) and 25. Campolindo-Moraga (5-1).

BIGGEST MOVERS: Honors go to Franklin-Elk Grove, which jumped nine spots to get into the Top 10 after a week that included wins over No. 11 St. Mary’s-Stockton and a very good Woodcreek team. The Wildcats only loss during the week was a one-run, extra-inning loss to No. 4 Bellarmine. We didn’t ding No. 1 Valley Christian for it’s one-run loss to No. 7 Serra, as the overall resume is still deserving of the top spot.

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Matthieu Robillard hill Athletic League to the East Bay Athletic League.

“A lot better pitchers, better hitters. We had to step up for ourselves,” Brega said.

It all was a lot to absorb. Things are settling into place in Year 2.

“Last year with the new coach, everyone was still a little unsure,” senior infielder Matt Jew said. “And this year people have bought in a little bit more. Obviously it’s been paying off. Winning the first couple games has given us a lot more confidence and have allowed us to believe in ourselves. ... We can do this.”

Jew has shown that himself, leading every-day starters with a .458 batting average and four doubles.

This season opened with a 2-1 win over Clayton Valley Charter-Concord, which had put together an impressive 23-3 record in 2017. The league campaign began with a 7-0 win over California-San Ramon, before back-to-back losses to Monte Vista and then San Ramon Valley-Danville served as a reminder how tough life is in the EBAL. Even with the one-sided final score against Monte Vista, Nichols was able to point out what his team has been doing well. That begins with defense.

“We didn’t make any errors today; they just won with the bat,” he said. “Defensively, we’re fantastic. We usually throw strikes, though we didn’t do a good job of doing that today. We’ve been really disciplined at the plate. Those combinations will make us be in every game.”

A penchant for walks against Monte Vista took them out of that equation, but there will be more opportunities.

“Usually pitching is our biggest key. If we are throwing strikes, it gives ourselves a chance, because we can score runs,” Grove said.

That’s where the small ball approach comes in.

“We also have to know who we are,” said Jew, who had his team’s lone home run through the end of March. “We are not one of those teams with a lot of big hitters who are going to put balls over the fence. We just have got to play our game.” ✪ — Story By Mike Wood | Photos By Chace Bryson Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Bella Vista’s Sluggers, Like Katelyn Snow, Are Posting Staggering Numbers

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S

peak softly and carry a big stick.

It’s the unspoken motto of the Bella Vista-Fair Oaks softball team, one of the best hitting squads in Northern California.

The Broncos also sport one of the top power-hitting duos in the state.

In their first 10 games, senior Katelyn Snow and junior Kelsey Hall combined for eight home runs, two grand slams, four triples, 26 RBIs and 27 runs scored.

Snow, a Sacramento State signee, sports a .520 batting average. Hall, once poised to play at Oregon before decommitting, is hitting an even .500.

If not for tournament games played without an outfield fence, or a mishap when one of them failed to touch third base on an expected grand slam, coach Jim Bennett estimates the duo would be responsible for at least 11 four-baggers.

“They are both tearing it up,” Bennett said. “They are much more aggressive, but disciplined this year.

“It wasn’t until I was entering stats on their last game that I even realized how good they were hitting.”

It’s rare that Bella Vista’s aptitude for stick-swinging surprises Bennett.

On March 30, he calmly watched his team get behind 5-1 against Laguna Creek in the top of the third inning, as the Cardinals shelled his No. 3 pitcher. After giving her a chance to escape trouble, Bennett called in his ace — returning first-team All-Capital Valley Conference arm Kristina Cavalli — and watched his offense go to work.

Cavalli stopped the bleeding with movement and speed to the mitt, while his lineup etched up the scorebook with 14 unanswered runs to force a shortened game via the 10-run mercy rule.

“This year we are doing a good job of not panicking when we are down,” Bennett said.

“We just aren’t worried,” Snow said. “We encourage each other a lot, pump each other up and have a lot of confidence in ourselves.”

The confidence is well-earned. Bella Vista (8-3) is hitting over .420 as a team, despite injuries.

The squad’s defeats came against Casa Roble-Orangevale (10-2), Rodriguez-Fairfield (9-3) and Roseville (9-3-1), and the team hasn’t legged out its potential, considering Cavalli — a 2.51 ERA ace last year — has struggled to a 5.03 ERA in 2018.

But Bella Vista’s hitting has been downright stellar, and bash sisters Hall and Snow are

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slugging better than any duo in the section — outside of undefeated Oakdale’s Grace Green (six home runs, three triples, 20 RBIs) and Lexi Webb (five home runs, four triples, 21 RBIs).

Hall and Snow have been aided by the ultimate table-setters.

Leadoff Maia Rader, a senior Oregon State commit, has a staggering .647 on-base percentage, and had 17 runs, 15 hits, six RBIs, six stolen bases, three doubles and two triples in her first nine games.

“I just tell myself to not think so much, and take things one hit, one run at a time,” Rader said. “My girls will back me up, and I back them up as well.”

No. 2 in the order, national travel-ball sensation Serena Shine, a freshman, leads the Broncos in hits (22) and batting average (.647). She’s one of only six freshmen in California to

hit over .600 in at least 30 at-bats, and has been caught stealing just once in nine attempts.

“I know we have a good core group of girls, that we have a good team, and have potential,” Bennett said. “Defensively we are pretty strong, but pitching is my worrisome part.

“Our No. 1 pitcher has had two bad outings, and some good performances, and I’m not sure which pitcher I am going to get.”

Bella Vista has a short window to get right. A showdown with the reigning CVC champs and Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II runner-up, Del Campo-Fair Oaks (5-1), looms April 10.

The Broncos also have back-to-back conference games against Antelope and Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove (a combined 7-5-1) April 3-4, before opening the highly touted NorCal Classic in

Records are through March 31 1. (2)

▲ Foothill-Pleasanton

2. (3)

▲

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

7-0 7-0-1

3. (4)

▲ Carlmont-Belmont

11-0

4. (1)

▼ Sheldon-Sacramento

4-1

5. (11)

▲ Oakdale

10-0

6. (13)

▲ Freedom-Oakley

6-0

7. (5)

▼

James Logan-Union City

8. (14)

▲ Watsonville

9. (6)

▼

10. (10) — 11. (8)

7-2 9-0

St. Francis-Mountian View

9-2

East Union-Manteca

8-2

▼ Concord

4-2

12. (12) —

Tracy

8-3

13. (NR) ▲

Elk Grove

5-3

14. (NR) ▲ Napa

7-1

15. (15) —

6-0

16. (7)

San Marin-Novato

▼ Benicia

3-1-1

17. (16) ▼

St. Mary’s-Stockton

4-1

18. (9)

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

3-3

19. (19) —

St. Ignatius-S.F.

11-1

20. (20) —

Casa Roble-Orangevale

10-2

▼

DROPPED OUT: No. 17 Livermore and No. 18 HeritageBrentwood.

THE NEXT FIVE: 21. Livermore (7-2), 22. Del Campo-Fair Oaks (5-1), 23. Hillsdale-San Mateo (11-2), No. 24 Notre Dame-Belmont (7-1) and No. 25 California-San Ramon (7-1).

BIGGEST MOVERS: The two Pleasanton rivals move to the top two spots, making their first East Bay Athletic League meeting on April 10 a must-see. The biggest mover overall is Freedom-Oakley, which hopped seven spots up to No. 6 after knocking off No. 5 James Logan-Union City en route to winning the Reno Tournament. Both Napa and Elk Grove, who owns the win over former-No. 1 Sheldon, return to the ranks after previously dropping out.

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Tracy a day later. Bella Vista has a great shot at winning the Gold bracket, which also includes Utah’s 5-1 Bingham (the returning Class 5A state runner-up), 10-1 Dos Palos (Central Section Div. IV semifinalist), 6-1 Salinas, 9-1 Ripon (SJS Div. V semifinalist), 4-2 Concord (North Coast Section Div. II champion), 7-1 Pinole Valley and 10-2-1 Pitman-Turlock.

Bella Vista opens the tournament against 10-0 Calaveras, the returning SJS Div. IV runnerup.

The Broncos were the No. 9 seed in last year’s SJS Div. II bracket, but fell 6-0 to eventual tournament champion Napa in the opening round.

Incredibly, Bella Vista’s postseason runs were thwarted by the eventual section champion in each of the last four seasons. The Broncos were runner-up to Rocklin in 2016. Bella Vista was also Div. I runner-ups in the second and third section title games (1977, 1978) in SJS history.

The Broncos have never won a blue banner.

If Cavalli finds her way, and the team keeps slugging, that could all change. ✪ — Story and Photos By Ike Dodson

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the

sanct of sport

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tuary t

Sophia Niehage at a recent practice for her 13U Afterschock volleyball team.

One Affected Family Recounts How NCVA Participation Helped It Through North Bay Wildfires Aftermath

I

t was a relaxing Sunday on Oct. 8, 2017; the weather was beautiful as Jessica Niehage bought a gallon of glue that would never be used. At 10:08 that night, Jessica made the call to the police: she could see fire.

The authorities assured her she was safe; she wasn’t in any danger, and the fire she was seeing was on Mark West Station Road. That didn’t sit right. “There’s no way I could see that from my house off Riebli Road” Jessica explained. Her husband left in an attempt to find the source of smoke, but not finding it, went back to bed. Jessica too went back to bed, but her dog kept going outside — upset.

Taking pictures of the ashes, Jessica said two conflicting thoughts gnawed inside her mind that night: Her intuition telling her something wasn’t right, and the fire department’s assurance of safety. At 11:30 p.m., the neighbors came to her door and said they were leaving. Unsure of the path before her, she started grabbing things — hard drives and photos — as daughter Sophia packed her clothes, swimsuit and yearbooks.

Not before long, two of their four cars were packed and just about to leave with two parents, two children, two cats and one dog. But Sophia dashed back inside to grab her medals and Aftershock Volleyball jerseys. She said her medals were “irreplaceable” and that they “remind me of my accomplishments; I worked hard for them.”

Now 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, the family was evacuating to Bennett Valley.

They drove through Fountain Grove’s flaming mountaintops — kids and dog all screaming. They made it to grandma’s house, but they weren’t safe. They fled the blaze once more to Burnside Ridge in Sebastopol and stayed there for the next week. At this point, Sophia said “I felt like I hit a wall, trapped. I got sick from the ashes. I was hoping the house made it, but that’s when we found out it didn’t.”

Now faced with the loss of their home, it was time to start talking business with the insurance company. Jessica said the insurance company angered her: “Who would make a child recount what she had lost for the sake of inventory?” She could see her daughter shutting down — but Jessica knew the antidote: volleyball.

“I knew I had to get her to volleyball practice,” Jessica said.

She was right. As Sophia played with the other children and adults, Jessica described her daughter as “100 percent changed.” Sophia, smiling, said that practice was like “stepping into another world; it’s my happy place.”

She further described volleyball as “my comfort zone. It was the only thing that felt normal and it is my safe place.” Her mother echoed this sentiment: “NCVA events have been our escape, you can’t tell that the fire ever happened; the fire didn’t change anything at all. We all go — me, my husband, the kids. It’s the normalcy in our lives.”

NCVA events remind Sophia and her family of how things used to be, providing a comforting passageway to the past. However, Sophia reaches toward the future both as a player and coach.

“I want to go to Cal and play,” she said. “I don’t know who I will teach, but I want to help them develop and see them grow, as long as they focus.”

With NCVA club volleyball as her starting place, she said she wants to see more of the volleyball world, its venues and people. ✪ — Kim Lampi for NCVA

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BADMINTON East Bay Badminton Spring Camp Elite. Intermediate. Beginner? I doesn’t matter. If you are interested in badminton, you have to come to our spring camps! We have age groupings from 19 and under to adult classes. Badminton is a sport for the masses Info: (510) 655-8989 or info@eastbaybadminton.com BASEBALL Headfirst Baseball Academy & Summer Camps Headfirst camps are known throughout Northern California for player development. Players will learn the correct mechanics of each position to achieve more success on the diamond. They will also focus on hitting, pitching and much more!

Most importantly, they will have a great time! Info: Coach Michael, MJi0209@aol.com; Coach Mario, Mario74iglesias@aol.com San Ramon Slammers Baseball The Slammers are a highly competitive program that competes against some of the Bay Area’s top programs. We have been around since 2003 and are a 680 Diablo League (680diabloleague.com) participant.

Our objective is to develop fundamentally sound baseball players who will compete at the high school levels and beyond. Info: Marco Cartagena, 925.209.1564 TPC Baseball & Softball Camps Spring-Winter Camps feature skills, drills and competitions in all areas of major areas of the game (hitting, pitching, throwing, fielding). Players will have blast while improving their skills with our TPC staff and often guest appearances from former and current professional baseball players. Info: 925-416-1600 info@ thepitchingcenter.com BASKETBALL Acalanes LBBA Future Stars Summer Basketball Camp Take advantage of elite coaching with Acalanes High School Varsity Basketball Coach Sol Henik and his staff. This camp is designed to give you the attention & coaching you need. Boys & girls will be split by gender within their grade levels for more targeted training. (925) 3603352, solhenik@yahoo.com East Bay Bulldogs Basketball We will run spring, summer, fall and winter sessions. The spring and summer sessions will both be three months long. Spring runs MarchMay. Summer runs June-August. Fall

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Expanded Listings at SportStarsMag.com The following schools/clubs have multiple camp offerings over a wide variety of sports. For full listings of individual camps, plus hundreds more, click over to our website and make this summer one you’ll never forget!

BENTLEY SCHOOL: Baseball, Basketball CITY OF WALNUT CREEK: Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Multi-Sports, Soccer, Tennis DE LA SALLE HS: Baseball, Basketball, Bob Ladouceur Football Camp, Lacrosse, Soccer, Advanced Training Soccer, Varsity Water Polo, Age Group Water Polo, Strength/Conditioning, Volleyball, Track & Field, Wrestling MOREAU CATHOLIC HS: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Volleyball UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: Girls Basketball, Boys Lacrosse, Swimming, Volleyball will only be 2 months, SeptemberOctober. Info: 925-570-1334; leaguelineup.com/ebbulldogs Modesto Magic Basketball Association Let us help you take your game to the next level. If you are a girl (ages 4-17) and you love basketball, then you’re at the right place. We offer leagues, camps, clinics, tournaments, private lessons and AAU traveling teams. If your just beginning your basketball experience or if your a very skilled player, we have something for you. Info: Stan Silva, 209-765-5107; ssilva1920@aol.com Level Up Select Basketball Camps At Level Up Select Basketball Camps (LevelUpBasketball.org) we focus on the most important Athletes will learn the (1.) 5 biggest mistakes that keep players from shooting consistently. (2.) An simple technique that allows athletes to quickly dominate on defense. (3.) A steady stream of fundamentals. Info: Coach Bill Flitter (415) 286-5606, billflitter@gmail.com William Jessup University Nike Girls Basketball Camp Provides a fantastic opportunity for players of all abilities to improve skills and enhance their fundamentals. Open to ages 8-18. Work on the fundamentals, develop proper mechanics and gain valuable game experience. All aspect of the game is covered, giving you a solid skill foundation. Visit jessupathletics. com/camps or 1-800-NIKE CAMP William Jessup University Warrior Nike Boys Basketball Camps Offering both a complete skills camp and shooting camp. Open to ages 8-18, camps are overnight and include breakfast, lunch and dinner.

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ATHLETICS: Baseball, Basketball, Flag Football, Lacrosse, All-Sports, S occer, Volleyball ST. PATRICK-ST. VINCENT HS: Baseball/Softball, Intro to Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boy Basketball, Cheerleading, Football, Aquatics, Tennis, Volleyball NIKE: Baseball,Basketball, Lacrosse, Multi-Sports, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball ST. FRANCIS-SACRAMENTO HS: Basketball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball OLYMPUS SPORTS COLISEUM: Multi-Sports, Soccer, Volleyball

All camps run Monday-Thursday. To register visit jessupathletics.com/ camps or call 1-800-NIKE CAMP Fastbreak Basketball Camps With us, your daughter will learn the fundamentals of basketball, gain valuable game experience and work with some of the area’s most knowledgeable female basketball players.

Celebrated coach, Margaret Gartner will expose your daughter to the same drills she has used throughout her 24 years of coaching at the high school level. Info: fastbreak_club@ icloud.com. or (925) 933-9115 CHEER National Academy of Athletics High Spirit Cheer Camps The National Academy of Athletics prides itself on providing Cheer and Dance programs that are not ordinary, they are extraordinary!

Our HIGH SPIRIT Cheer and Dance programs are designed to help girls & boys learn the individual skills to become more confident leading cheers and performing in front of crowds. Info: 866-90-SPORT FOOTBALL Jesse Sapolu Men In The Trenches Academy One of the premier camps in the nation dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of the offensive and defensive line positions. Gives young athletes opportunity to learn all the nuances about the offensive and defensive line while getting to compete against other top linemen in the country. Camps are open for all players grades 5th-12th in various cities. Info: jrprepsportsca.com California Football Academy Contact and non-contact camps are available for players ages 6-14 during single weeks in both March

and June. The camps take place in Oakley. CFA offers flag football leagues and tournaments also. Oakley, Concord and San Ramon. Info and registration: see our website or call 925-625-2222; email californiafootballacademy@hotmail.com Ygnacio Valley HS NIKE Future Warriors Youth Football Camp The Future Warriors Football Camp is for any students entering 5th thru 8th grade. It is a FREE camp to help educate and enhance our community with the basic knowledge to be prepared to be successful. The Camp is held at Ygnacio Valley HS in June. Info: byrdc@mdusd.org; 510-812-9181 Acalanes High School The Football Academy will take place at Acalanes High, July 9-12 and is open to all athletes entering 5th-9th grade in the Fall of 2018. The goal of the DONS Youth Football Academy is to teach fundamentals, develop skills and help kids with the transition to tackle football in a fun, fast-paced and non-contact environment. Contact: 925-2803970; acalanesdonsfootball.com Campolindo Cougar Camps Full Gear Youth Football Camp The goal is to develop fundamentals and techniques associated with tackle football. Quantity of contact based on skill level or readiness.

Grades 4-8, separated by gradeincluding incoming freshman.

Instructor Kevin Macy, Campolindo High School’s head football coach, has been conducting camps in Moraga for more than a decade.

Camp staffed with a experienced coaches and a certified trainer. Info: (925) 280-3950 X 5163; kmacy@ acalanes.k12.ca.us

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LACROSSE Booth Lacrosse Camps Booth Lacrosse Camps uses a comprehensive training system to build a player’s individual skills and lacrosse IQ. With 10+ years of experience training players on the finer points of the game, we have helped countless players reach their playing goals. Our practices feature high tempo, exciting drills and game play. Our goal is to make sure that every player on the field is engaged, involved and having fun. info: (415) 699-2497 tylerjsimms21@gmail.com MULTI-SPORT Renaissance Clubsport Camps When school’s out, camp’s in!

Renaissance ClubSport camps keep your child active and engaged during school breaks in the spring, summer, fall and winter. Sports camps, specialty camps and themed camps provide fun ways for kids to strengthen their bodies and minds through physical activities, critical thinking exercises and creative projects. All camps incorporate learning and add to the fun. Info: (925) 4787571, info_rcswc@clubsports.com OUTDOOR / ADVENTURE East Bay Regional Park Park’n It Day Camp The East Bay Regional Park District offers fun and affordable outdoor day camps for youth at a number of convenient locations. Park’N It Day Camp takes place in a different Regional Park each week and offers hiking, fishing, arts & crafts, sports, environmental education and swimming. This camp is designed for children ages 5 to 12. Info: (510) 544-2566 or MEAvery@ebparks.org Friends of Camp Concord Camp Concord gives young people one of the most meaningful camp experiences available and does so in one of the most beautiful settings in the world—Lake Tahoe. Through Friends of Camp Concord, kids who otherwise couldn’t afford it get the same chance to enjoy a week in the wilderness as anyone else. Every child should have the opportunity to spend a week at a camp like this. info: 925-671-2267; youthcamp@ friendsofcampconcord.org RUGBY Danville Oaks “Try On Rugby” Try On Rugby is a focused initiative dedicated to growing the number of girls and women participating in rugby. Try on Rugby uses comprehensive, educational materials for

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introducing rugby from U8 to Middle School for young girls and involves inter-squad flag rugby with the possibility to play other girls flag rugby teams in the East Bay in tournament play. Info: 925-368-5689 SOCCER Walnut Creek Soccer Club Development Days/Skills Clinics Summer camps and clinics for players entering 1st-8th grades. We offer camps and clinics at Arbolado for players in elementary and middle school. Each fun week will include new objectives to improve the technical and tactical skills of all players. Camps are run by WCSC Professional Training Staff and are fun and engaging. Info: wcsc_info@wcsc.org Diablo Futbol Club Camps & Clinics Diablo FC is committed to instilling passion and enjoyment of soccer in a positive, safe, competitive environment. Our comprehensive club program and professional staff train players and teams in the mental, physical, technical and tactical aspects of soccer in order to reach their individual potential and compete at the highest level of play. Info: diablofc.org; 925-7988-GOAL Heritage Soccer Clinics & Player I.D. Camp Summer is a beautiful time to play the game with the Heritage and FC Wolverhampton Wanderers North America. Their 2018 Player ID Camp is overseen by senior members of the Wolverhampton Wanderers American Academy coaching staff. June 18-20 at Tesoro Fields in Concord, CA. Info: info@HeritageSC.com SOFTBALL San Ramon Slammers Softball Clinics Collegiate player/coaches teach strength and conditioning, hitting, defense, pitching and catching and hold scrimmages to get you ready for spring softball. Classes held at Slammers training facility on Camino Tassajara.

Info: Marco Cartagena-925.209.1564; coachmtraining@gmail.com SWIMMING / AQUATICS Santa Clara Aquamaids Come learn synchronized swimming from the World Renowned Santa Clara Aquamaids!

Our staff, led by 3-time Olympic Coach Chris Carver, includes Olympic medalists, National Champions and current athletes. Includes conditioning, flexibility training, synchronized swimming skills and performance techniques.

Info: info@aquamaids.org, 408-727-8496 Sherman Swim & Diving School Sherman Swim School has taught more than 39,000 students to swim and turned out numerous diving champions. Our teachers love to work with children and receive extensive in-water training. One-on-one instruction with patient, encouraging teachers and extremely comfortable water, create an ideal learning environment. Voted “Best of East Bay”, Diablo Magazine. Info: Website: Shermanswim.com Phone: 925-283-2100.

TENNIS Tompkins Tennis Located at Ohlone College, ClubSport San Ramon, Livermore Valley Tennis Club and Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey we produce more nationally ranked juniors than any other program! Info: (510)-573-4025 sandy@tompkinssport.com TRAINING / FITNESS Muir Orthopedic Specialists Pass To Play Pass to Play: Annual Sports Physical Event for Youth Athletes. Muir Orthopeadic Specialists annual event provides pre-participation evaluation and optional baseline concussion screenings to area youth. Optional cardiac screenings provided in collaboration with American Medical Response (AMR) and the Darius Jones Foundation. Info: 925-210-8539 Kenion Training Coach Nathan Kenion leads multiple programs, all geared to help athletes achieve. He works with everyone to make sure you have the right motivation, skills and knowledge to take your game to the next level. Info: 707704-8003, nathan@keniontraining.com VOLLEYBALL Diablo Valley Volleyball Club Founded to provide junior boys and girls the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills. The majority of our players have shown incredible dedication to the sport as well as to Diablo VBC – the players are wonderful and things seem to be getting better every year!

Info: diablovbc@yahoo.com or 925 451-6581 Bay Area Volleyball Club Skills Clinics Bay Area Volleyball Club is a communitybased organization which provides a place for players of all ages and levels to develop their volleyball skills. Our primary goal is to build character and develop sportsmanship among players all while putting competitive teams on the court. Info: tracyfeldmann@gmail.com Core Volleyball Club Clinics At Core we want to offer you and your daughter a quality experience. We offer a competitive and fun environment where your daughter will enjoy competing at a high level not only in games, but in practices as well. Info: info@ teamcvc.com; Phone: 925-230-9795 City Beach Volleyball Club Our training and management structure helps coaches collaborate and ensures each player is being provided the highest level of coaching. We teach players how to learn, apply themselves fully, develop habits that will make them successful and how to play the game of volleyball. Info: info@citybeach.com U.S. Youth Volleyball League The United States Youth Volleyball League is the leader in developing and maintaining youth leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15.

The USYVL will be hosting a series of camps this summer in several NorCal and SoCal. Info: 1-888-988-7985 or email questions@usyvl. org ✪

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5

to revive

The Five Phases To Proper Ankle Sprain Rehabilitation health watch: jamie faison One of the most common injuries we see at the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes is ankle sprains. When rehabilitating a sprained ankle it is important to use a gradual and progressive program to return to full activity. These are the steps we use at the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes to get athletes safely back to playing their sport after an ankle injury.

PHASE 1: RANGE OF MOTION In order to walk normally, you need to have good range of motion of the ankle, especially calf flexibility. To optimize ankle range of motion we often use massage and mobility techniques to normalize ankle mobility.

PHASE 2: STRENGTH Building strength is very important after an ankle sprain. When strengthening the ankle we often use an exercise band and work in all four directions. Once pain has decreased we can focus on calf strengthening with heel raises. In addition to ankle strengthening, we also build a foundation of strength in the legs, hips and abdominals with weight-bearing exercises.

PHASE 3: BALANCE A crucial component of ankle sprain rehabilitation is developing good balance. Being able to stand on one foot without rolling your foot and swaying your trunk is the key to improving stability of the ankle and returning to sports.

Once the athlete is able to stand on the floor on one foot, we incorporate a variety of unstable surfaces and balance pads to improve dynamic foot and ankle stability.

PHASE 4: POWER Once range of motion, strength and balance have been improved and pain has decreased; then power exercises can be initiated. Power exercises include jumping and hopping. These exercises should always be performed with low reps and perfect form especially with regard to landing.

PHASE 5: AGILITY The last phase before full return to activity is developing agility. Being able to run and move in multiple directions quickly should be done gradually and with emphasis on good mechanics.

This is the step-wise progression with use at the Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes to get injured athletes back to sports fit, fast and strong! If you have any questions about injury rehabilitation or strength training programs please call (925) 979-3430 or email at SportsMedicine@mail.cho.org. ✪ Jamie Faison is a Physical Therapist Asst, Certified Athletic Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at the Walnut Creek Campus of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

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