SJ Issue 101 June 2015

vol. 6. issue 101 sac-joaquin june 2015

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room: Late night has a void with the departure of David Letterman. We know just how to fill that void.

Hint: No Lenos allowed.

The Fence: 40 Tryouts, sign-ups, fund-raisers and more!

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It’s All Happening

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ncredibly, we’ve already reached the last nine days of the 2014-15 interscholastic sports season.

And what an action-filled nine days it will be. The spring sports season has always been a blessing and a curse for publications which focus on high school sports. It’s always reminded me of the AM/PM slogan, “Too much good stuff.”

Over the next week-plus, there will be two CIF State Championship events (track & field and boys golf), one CIF Northern Regional Championship event (boys volleyball) and section championships in baseball, softball and track.

Then if you take into account the previous two weeks: CIF State Swimming & Diving Championships, CIF/NCGA NorCal Boys Golf Tournament, CIF Male Athlete Northern Regional Boys Team Tennis of the Year, Championships along with section finals Kristian in boys and girls lacrosse, swimming, Heptner boys golf and boys volleyball. Well, you (Christian can see how our heads get to spinning.

Brothers soccer) Having so many championship events being decided at once makes the spring equally exciting and challenging on our end. But we wouldn’t change it. And we didn’t even grumble when the CIF added Swimming & Diving to its state championship roster. It made sense. And, from all accounts, it sounds like it was a smashing success.

Northern California and the Bay Area in particular has long been a region rich with swimming talent, and those swimmers have long deserved a chance to showcase it on a stage beyond the section meet. So it was nice to see that NorCal talent take its opportunity and swim with it.

“I thought (the CIF) did a pretty good job of making it special,” said Mason Tittle, who helped lead Northgate-Walnut Creek to the boys team title.

“It was a really big venue and it was probably the most spectators I’ve ever seen at a meet. The awards were awesome and it was a really fun experience overall.”

We’ve begrudged the CIF more than a time or two in this space, so this time we gladly give the thumbs up. Check out more of our swimming coverage beginning on Page 21.

This time of the year, in addition to constant playoffs and championships, also means awards season. On May 24, we helped the Sacramento River Cats honor more than 400 of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s top athletes as part of their AllCity Team Awards program. The turnout for the awards ceremony was great, and a good time was had by all.

However, when your job is to select more than 400 worthy athletes from a section as large as the SJS, there’s a chance for something to go haywire.

And we did have one goof brought to our attention.

During the selection process for the boys water polo players, we included two players from Rio Americano High who had previously graduated before the 2014 season. The Raiders had a fantastic season, winning a fifth straight SJS title, so we want to make sure we’re honoring the right guys behind that success. Following are the River Cats All-City Team bios for the deserving recipients who will receive certificates and patches to recognize their contributions to Rio Americano’s success this season: Ian Brady — Raiders’ senior was two-time Capital Athletic League MVP and highly-recruited utility that led the program to its fifth consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship.

Matt Shelby — Goalkeeper anchored a solid Raiders’ defense that shut down opponents en route to a fifth straight SJS Division II title.

Michael Burgess — Sophomore driver was a major offensive force during the Raiders’ run to a fifth consecutive section championship.

Our apologies, fellas! Congrats on the season. ✪

join our team PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Ben Enos, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Dean Coppola, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter Editorial Intern Mike Young Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, 925.566.8500 Account Executives Camps & Clinics: Ryan Arter • Camps@SportStarsOnline.com Alameda County: Berry Evans • Berry@foto-pros.com Central Valley, World Events: Anthony Grigsby • Area Director anthony.grigsby@worldeventssports.com Darin Wissner • JustAGameEvents@gmail.com Reader Resources/Administration Subscription, Calendar, Credit Services Angela Paradise • Info@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution/Delivery Phillip Walton • Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com community SportStars™ Magazine A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA 94521 • info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

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Samantha

Got Send your nominations to: Next? Editor@SportStarsOnline.com or tweet us using #SSOTW

Owen

East Union-Manteca - Softball - Junior The Lancers’ junior captain came up big on the biggest stage, going 7-for-7 with a home run and six RBI in a pair of victories that gave East Union its first Sac-Joaquin Section softball championship since 2004. Owen paced a 12-1 win over two-time defending champion Pioneer in the SJS Division III final with a 3-for-3 effort that included the homer, three runs and five RBI to force an additional game to determine the champion. In the second game, she was 4-for-4 as the Lancers routed the Patriots 17-3 to clinch the title. In the postseason, Owen batted an incredible .800 (20-for-25) as East Union outscored opponents 72-18 in seven games. She finished the season with a .643 batting average, nine home runs and 61 RBI. The final seven hits she collected on the last night of the season gave her a section-best 72 — in just 33 games.

IN HER OWN WORDS: “We were seeing the ball real well and I think that we really wanted it more,” Owen said of the team’s offensive outburst in the final two games. “We felt a little underestimated by them and, once we got started, we wanted to show no mercy.”

honorable mention Bryce Mefford: The Oak Ridge sophomore swimmer was a doublewinner at the Sac-Joaquin Section Finals with individual victories in both the 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke events.

Mikaela Lujan: The Nevada Union senior won her third consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Diving Championship with a score of 483.55. The South Carolina-signee earned a trip to the inaugural CIF State Swimming and Diving Championships in Clovis.

Steven Stockton: The Brookside Christian senior shortstop led the Knights to the program’s second SJS title by batting .527 and scoring a section-best 57 runs with five home runs, 29 RBI and 24 stolen bases.

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Rapid Fire

preston kilwien College Park Soccer

Ben Robinow Clayton Valley Charter Water Polo

Will the Warriors win the nba title Yes

Yes

upcoming movie you're most eagerly anticipating Entourage Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Trending What’s hot this week in the world of stuff that’s hot

favorite pregame snack

Kanye West may release his new album exclusively on iTunes. If that makes you smile, stop before a camera catches you smiling. You know Kanye hates when that happens.

Pancakes

Gatorade Gummies

whom would you most like to see in concert

Ireland voted to legalize gay marriage. So that’s what was at the end of the rainbow.

As part of their punishment for their latest cheating scandal, the New England Patriots were forced to admit that their earlier assertions that Tom Brady invented Thanksgiving was in fact fabricated by a junior employee, who was then fired.

A Russian woman reportedly shot herself in the head while taking a selfie. If only phones had an automatic self-destruct when it detects ‘duck face’ we could really thin out the selfie herd.

Kendrick Nirvana Lamar & J. Cole first thing i'm doing this summer is ...

Going to the beach in Florida

Surfing

Arnold Schwarzenegger will be reprising his role as Conan the Barbarian. The 67-year-old actor will hop back into this fur loin cloth in the upcoming ‘Conan The Barbarian vs.

Sagging Man-Boobs’.

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count 'em

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The number of individual titles (out of a possible 13) won by NorCal boys at the inaugural CIF State Swimming Championships on May 23. The NorCal boys dominance was also present in the team scores Northgate won the overall title and four more NorCal schools filled out the Top 5.

Say What top 5 sports personalities fit for late night It’s the end of an era, folks. No. Not the Spurs Dynasty (but we’ll admit to being pretty pleased that the Clips took care of The Big Fundamental and the boys in the first round). The Age of Letterman, ladies and gents, has come to a close. We figure late-night is in decent hands, what with Colbert and Fallon and of course… who is that guy taking over for Jon Stewart again? Riiiight. Anyway. The whole genre could use a bit of spicing up. Here’s our list of the top five sports figures we think should take over late-night TV. 1. Gregg Popovich: Let the Grump Who Stole Championships ask some questions for a change.

Either that or just stare piercingly at guests until they break down and confess their darkest sins.

Maybe he can get Tim Duncan to co-host. That’s the kind of sparkling repartee that is really lacking on the late-night scene.

2. Charles Barkley: If only so that he can be the first guy to interview Steve Kerr, Bob Myers, et. al., after that “jump shooting team” wins an NBA title. Suck on that, Chuck.

3. Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen: Get ready for him to just say, “First team. All Late Night.”

Over. And over. And over.

4. Tim Tebow: And then, after that, go ahead and gouge your eyes out with a melon-baller. Should feel about the same.

5. Stephen Curry: Pretty sure that kid can do anything. Added bonus: He comes with a pretty engaging 2-year-old co-host/scene-stealer.

— Bill “Shouldn’t This Have Been a Top 10?” Kolb

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“I would rather lose 40 games and play with these guys, than win all 40 games with another team.”

Deer Valley-Antioch boys volleyball standout Jordan Ewert, left, on the chemistry of his Wolverines team which won its third straight NCS Div. I Championship on May 23.

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600 & counting C

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Bay Area hub for softball coaching greatness

Butch Noble/SportStars file

alifornia has another softball coach who has reached the 600-win total after Teri Johnson from James Logan-Union City won her 600th with her team’s 10-0 triumph over American-Fremont on Tuesday, May 19.

Johnson, who is in her 30th season, became the 12th softball coach in state history to achieve the 600th win.

Earlier this season, Mike D’Amato from Garces-Bakersfield won his 600th game. Johnson also is the first on the list from the CIF North Coast Section.

“It’s exciting,” Johnson told the Contra Costa Times.

“I never thought we’d ever get to 600, that’s for sure. A big milestone.”

Johnson has that one constant of all great coaches: she helps the more average athlete become a very good player and she helps the very good ones become great.

The state’s winningest softball coach is also from the Bay Area: Jim Liggett from Carlmont-Belmont is still going strong.

Liggett, in fact, is in his 40th season coaching at Carlmont. Counting this year’s 21-5 record entering the CIF Central Coast Section playoffs, Liggett had a record of 985-210-4. His teams have won eight CCS titles and he’s been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame. Since no one else in California history has even gotten to 800, we think he belongs in another one: the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

The state’s second winningest softball coach for career wins is Ron Clarke of Fairfield, who unfortunately is no longer with us.

Clarke passed away on April 4 at age 72 in Stockton while preparing to coach the NorCal Tremors club team. He was more well-known by Cal-Hi Sports for his many years as the softball coach at Fairfield High. From 1978 to 2010, he guided the Falcons to a 732-256-5 record that included four CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championships. According to a story in the Stockton Record, Clarke was planning to return to high school coaching when a great-granddaughter was old enough to play.

In addition to his focused approach to coaching, what stood out about Clarke was that he lived in Stockton but made the commute through Lodi and over Highway 12 for all those years to Fairfield. In 2012, he was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame.

Clarke’s most famous player was pitcher Alicia Hollowell, who went on to star at the University of Arizona. Hollowell struck out a national record 2,328 batters in four seasons, with state records that included 131 wins and 43 no-hitters. ✪

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softball Rankings

baseball Rankings

After games of Saturday, May 23 1. (1) — Mission Viejo 27-0 Diablos looking to be No. 1 in the state and nation for second straight season.

2. (2) — Pioneer-San Jose 27-0 Standout soph Holly Azevedo has had tremendous senior leaders to rely on as Mustangs were headed to CCS Div. II semis.

3. (3) — Yucaipa 27-3 University of Nevada-bound Brook Bollinger has led the Thunderbirds to outstanding season.

4. (4) — Santiago-Corona 28-3 Since Mission Viejo, Pioneer and Yucaipa are all Div. II, the Sharks are state’s No. 1 team for Div. I. 5. (5) — Pacifica-Garden Grove 21-5-1 Two of Pacifica’s losses have come to Mission Viejo. The team won CIFSS Div. I title last year.

6. (8) ▲ Amador Valley-Pleasanton 21-3 Danielle Williams of the Dons may be state’s top freshman; great timing considering they had last year’s top senior.

7. (7) — Grand Terrace 23-3 This team is also No. 1 statewide in Div.III. 8. (10) ▲ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 25-3 Monarchs were hurt in the rankings for most of season due to loss to Heritage-Brentwood.

9. (11) ▲ Los Alamitos 24-6 Griffins have outstanding pitching depth for run at CIFSS Div. I title.

10. (12) ▲ Murrieta Valley-Murrieta 24-6 Nighthawks won another of the top leagues in SoCal. 11. (13) ▲ West Ranch-Valencia 23-5 After first round CIFSS Div. I win over Edison-Huntington Beach, this team had a 13-game win streak.

12. (14) ▲ Lutheran-Orange 25-3 Lancers didn’t quite win Trinity League title, but one-loss record outside of league earns high ranking.

13. (16) ▲ Norco 23-8 Head coach Rick Robinson always has Cougars ready for playoffs due to facing one of nation’s toughest schedules.

14. (19) ▲ Chino Hills 24-7 Tannon Snow entered second-round of CIFSS playoffs with state records of 28 HRs, 88 RBI. 15. (NR) ▲ Poway 23-6 Cal-bound Kourtney Shaw has set school record for career shutouts.

16. (17) ▲ Highland-Palmdale 25-2 UCLA-bound Rachel Garcia is one of nation’s top dual hittingpitching threats.

17. (9) ▼ Heritage-Brentwood 20-3 Loss to Freedom-Oakley in regular season finale caused a solid drop for the Patriots.

18. (20) ▲ Alhambra-Martinez 21-3 Slow start caused the Bulldogs to be unranked, but they entered NCS Div. II playoffs on 13-game win streak.

19. (NR) ▲ Etiwanda 23-8 Eagles are from the same league as No. 14 Chino Hills and beat Huskies the second time they played them.

20. (NR) ▲ East Union-Manteca 30-3 SJS Div. III champs are section’s best overall due to also having win over Central Section champ Clovis.

Dropped Out: Previous No. 6 Elk Grove; No. 15 Patrick Henry-San Diego and No. 18 Bonita Vista-Chula Vista.

After games of Saturday, May 23 1. (1) — San Dimas 29-0 If Saints were to end unbeaten with CIF Southern Section Div. III title, they’d be State Team of the Year.

2. (3) ▲ St. Francis-Mountain View 27-5 Since San Dimas is Div. III for state divisions, Lancers moved up to No. 1 for Div. I. 3. (4) ▲ JSerra-San Juan Capistrano 26-4-1 This was team St. Francis edged for Boras Classic title, a win that may pay off for Lancers in final rankings.

4. (5) ▲ Buchanan-Clovis 29-4 Bears bombed Clovis 15-1 in CIF Central Section Div. I championship to conclude season.

5. (6) ▲ College Park-Pleasant Hill 22-4 Falcons may come back to win NCS title, but may be one loss short to eventually be No. 1 in state for season.

6. (2) ▼ La Costa Canyon-Carlsbad 23-6 Top seed in San Diego Section Open Div. lost twice in final week of regular season.

7. (7) — Huntington Beach 22-8 Team also went 3-1 at National High School Invitational.

8. (11) ▲ Agoura-Agoura Hills 23-4 Yet another team to watch from the CIF Southern Section Div. I bracket.

9. (13) ▲ Los Gatos 29-5 Wildcats also moved up to No. 1 in state for Division II. 10. (15) ▲ Harvard-Westlake-North Hollywood 24-5 Outside of the Mission League, the Wolverines were the best team in the state for the regular season.

11. (12) ▲ San Clemente 23-7 If Los Gatos doesn’t win CCS title, Tritons would be next in line for the No. 1 Div. II state ranking.

12. (16) ▲ Heritage-Brentwood 20-4 Patriots weren’t seeded high by NCS, but entered playoffs with half as many losses as those seeded at the top.

13. (NR) ▲ El Camino Real-Woodland Hills 25-7 This team entered L.A. City Open Division semifinals with 22 wins in its last 24 games.

14. (9) ▼ Rancho Bernardo-San Diego 22-7 Perennial power earned No. 2 seed in San Diego Open Division behind La Costa Canyon.

15. (NR) ▲ Norco 22-5 UC Santa Barbara-bound Kyle Hatton has been lights out on the mound in recent weeks.

16. (NR) ▲ Arlington-Riverside 22-4 Owning three wins over J.W. North of Riverside pushes the Lions upward.

17. (NR) ▲ Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 20-8 School that had No. 1 pick in last year’s MLB Draft has another strong club.

18. (NR) ▲ De La Salle-Concord 16-8 Spartans split with Monte Vista in EBAL, but got wins over College Park and Elk Grove in regular season.

19. (19) — Monte Vista-Danville 16-8 A win over San Ramon Valley in regular season finale gave Mustangs a co-title in EBAL. 20. (NR) ▲ Torrey Pines-San Diego 21-8-1 Falcons are coached by former MLB pitcher Kirk McCaskill.

Dropped Out: Previous No. 8 Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills; No. 10 Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks; No. 14 Centennial-Bakersfield; No. 17 Valley Christian-San Jose; No. 19 Lutheran-Orange); No. 20 Dana Hills-Dana Point.

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Tough

Call When it comes to the pressure to choose between sports, a lot should be considered

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I play two sports, and both coaches have summer programs. I’m going to be a sophomore, but both coaches have said they definitely want me involved.

I really can’t do both because they overlap and I don’t have time — but if I tell a coach I’m not doing his sport, I probably won’t make varsity. How can I deal with this?

R.B., Antioch

ome people say that what getting older really means is that you just have fewer options. At age five, you can be a fireman or a cowboy or a rock star or president. At age 25, you can be an insurance salesman or a bartender or a carpenter. At 45, well, you can do what you’re doing or maybe one or two other things, and when you get to be my age, you’re just happy to be able to do anything.

But where you are, at 15, you’re just discovering this harsh truth about getting older. Sure, you’ve always wanted to be older because it looks like you’ll have more freedom, but really, what you have are harder choices.

And you’re faced with one. At 10, you probably could do both sports. You had the energy, the time and the demands of each weren’t so great. But now, you’re getting to the point where you have to make a choice — in short, you’re running headlong into being an adult.

Sometimes, the joy of sport is forgetting the real world for a while and losing yourself in the game, but sometimes the reality of sport is that you can’t always get what you want.

Now maybe, just maybe, if you’re a superior athlete, you can manage to play two varsity sports at the high school

S

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level and excel at each. But more likely, even at a smaller school, one sport will be your priority and another will be secondary — and the only one who can decide which is which is you.

Some people will tell you to focus on the sport you’re better at, which might be the right call, but don’t trust yourself to determine what you’re better at, and certainly not the two coaches involved.

Look around in your life and try to find someone who a) will tell you what they think, regardless of what you want to hear, and b) knows something about high school sports.

But should you play the sport you’re better at if you enjoy the other sport more? Now maybe if you’re scholarship material, you should focus on the one you excel in, and on the other end, if playing time is going to be an issue, maybe you should go with your strength. But all things being equal, there’s a lot to be said for doing what makes you happiest.

Your sports career is going to be over in the wink of a young girl’s eye, as Bruce Springsteen once sang, and you should try to enjoy every minute as best you can. Spending a lot of time on one thing when you’d rather be doing something else generally isn’t the best choice — but sometimes it is.

So there’s no easy answer here. It’s up to you to make a hard decision, and then, as adults always do, hope that it turns out to be the right one. ✪ Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@fullcourt.com

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FUN in the SUN Oceano Dunes SVRA gears up for its popular Junior Lifeguard Program

A

s the school year ends, junior lifeguard programs start up along the California coast and inland waterways. Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), located adjacent to Pismo Beach on the central coast, will offer its third season of the Junior Lifeguard Program with an action packed program.

The California State Parks Junior Lifeguard Program emphasizes teamwork, leadership and aquatic safety. The aquatic course is fun and physically challenging to help teach youth about ocean awareness, first-aid techniques and water safety, that includes self-rescue and how to rescue others. The four-week program is open to youth, ages 9-17, and runs from July 6 through July 31.

Each program day, Monday through Friday, starts off with a morning briefing before warm-ups for athletic events which include running, beach games and swimming. The instructors teach safety through activities such as open water swimming, paddle boarding, body surfing, surfboarding and skin diving. As a bonus activity to water sports, the Junior Lifeguards take a four-hour all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety training course that teaches the students to ride safely and responsibly on the dunes.

Participants build self-confidence through improving their physical conditioning, skill building and personal accomplishments.

Through daily physical contact with the environment and team building activities, Junior Lifeguards learn first-hand about the coastal environment. Knowledge of coastal currents, riptides, swells and aquatic life helps students make informed decisions about their safety. During lunch breaks, participants learn about cultural history, natural resources and

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conservation topics to broaden their knowledge of the park environment and its resources.

Junior Lifeguards gain respect of the environment and each other during team building extracurricular activities.

Junior Lifeguards at Oceano Dunes SVRA will attend competitions at Pismo Beach, Carpinteria Beach and Santa Barbara. The competitions involve a total of 15 events, such as running, swimming and paddling. It’s like a track meet, but for the beach.

During the Junior Lifeguard program, the kids have the time of their life building new friendships and learning skills from aquatic safety to leadership. For further information about the program and tryout dates, visit www.ohv.parks.ca/?page_id=27359 or call (805) 602-2372.

California State Parks currently offers Junior Lifeguard Programs at state beaches in the Los Angeles, Ventura, Monterey, Orange County, San Diego, Santa Barbara County, and Santa Cruz areas and at Lake Perris, San Luis Reservoir, and Folsom Lake State Recreation Areas. Remember, the friends you make at Junior Lifeguards are Friends for Life. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by California State Parks

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East Union softball doesn’t take its foot off the gas en route to section title

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he East Union softball team was clear in its intentions before the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship night even began, and the intentions were bad—at least for two-time defending DIII champion Pioneer.

“The captains had a players-only meeting where they said ‘we are going to be an iron fist’ and ‘we are not going to be denied tonight,’” East Union coach Brian Goulart said. “They decided that everything we do is going to be all out, sell out with reckless abandon.”

The Lancers (30-3) took an energy from that meeting that helped to deliver a pair of resounding wins over the defending champs. East Union forced a second and deciding game with a 12-1, six-inning rout before finishing off the Patriots with a 17-3 drubbing that claimed the program’s first section title since 2004 and third overall.

Just one day earlier, the Lancers suffered a disappointing 4-2 defeat at the hands of Pioneer that sent them into the loser’s bracket. It was the second time in 2015 that East Union was dealt a narrow loss by Pioneer—the Patriots won an eight-inning game 6-5 on March 28.

“We did not want to be in a close game with them because we had done that twice and lost both times,” Goulart said. “So, we gave them a heavyweight fighter’s punch because if you want to beat the champ, you have to knock them out.”

Goulart and the Lancers knew that they could hit even the best pitching, and knew that they had the legs to circle the bases as many times as needed despite playing an extra game the night before. The challenge would be making the energy created by the bitterness and disappointment of another close loss last more than just a few innings.

“Fatigue was not the issue, but rather can you sustain the energy?” Goulart said. “From the first pitch, the hollering and hustling was magical. My only concern was sustaining that energy and not going flat.”

After the impressive first-game performance, East Union batted around in the top of the first inning of game two to jump to a 7-0 lead. While it might have been easy for the Lancers to exhale and let up, the players remained determined to not let up.

“No mercy,” junior captain Samantha Owen. “We felt that we were underestimated by them, and we knew that we could not show any mercy.”

Owen, who had a phenomenal postseason at the plate, was perfect against Pioneer in the playoffs, including a 7-for-7 per-

LEFT: Cherish Burks awaits a pitch during the SJS finals. Burks had five hits and scored six runs in the Lancers’ two wins over Pioneer. ABOVE: Alexis Erich slides safely into home during the first game. formance with six runs scored, six RBI, and two home runs on the final night. Sophomore Alexis Erich, who led the team with a .644 batting average during the season, was 4-for-6 with four runs and seven RBI. Cherish Burks, the team’s lone senior, was 5-for-6 and scored six runs, including a pair of doubles in the Lancers’ seven-run first inning of game two. Sophomore pitchers Delaney Pamplin and Mikayla Bongi, who each won 15 games in 2015, each picked up complete game wins.

Some of East Union’s determination may have been rooted in past defeats. The Lancers entered the 2015 section final with a 2-10 record with a section championship on the line, including a loss to Oakdale in the 2014 Division IV final.

“Losing that championship game is painful,” Goulart said.

“Every time that we have had to shake hands, say congratulations, and go home heartbroken is painful.

“This is going to go far for so many former players and coaches, the community, but most importantly for the current players. I am very proud of our accomplishments.” ✪

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Sac-Joaquin Softball Finals Roundup

James K. Leash photo

Sheldon celebrates their Sac-Joaquin Division I section title

Sheldon: A new dynasty?

Sheldon softball has established itself as a perennial power in Division I, and head coach Mary Jo Truesdale’s latest dynasty may have been born in the 2015 playoffs. The Huskies (24-7) played beyond their years to secure a 4-0 victory over defending champion Vacaville in the final.

“The 2002 team was pretty young, also, so they remind me of that group because they are the young and the restless,” Truesdale said of the 2015 roster that featured just two seniors.

“We had our ups and down during the season and made a lot of errors, but in the playoffs we played mostly errorless and that’s what carried us through (the postseason).”

It didn’t hurt that the young Sheldon players bought in to the veteran coach’s philosophy of playing until the final out. Truesdale believes that most runs are scored with two outs, and encourages her players to remain enthusiastic and optimistic, even when difficult situations arise.

In the winner’s bracket final, the Huskies faced a four-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning against Vacaville before rallying to tie the game. In the first extra inning, Sheldon capped its comeback with a walk-off single to advance to the final.

“They were really fired up,” Truesdale said.

“They believe in my philosophy that you just have to keep battling and battling and stay loose. That’s just what you do. You never give up, but you just come back and win.”

The young Huskies rode the momentum of their comeback win to keep the Bulldogs at bay throughout the championship game. But Sheldon was scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Jaciana Vasquez, a junior outfielder, knocked in the game-winning runs with a hard shot back up the middle that scored two, before youth and coaching expertise combined

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to put the game out of reach.

With Vasquez on base, the Sheldon coaching staff inserted sophomore Taliyah Miles to pinchhit, and the JV call-up responded by depositing a 3-2 pitch over the fence.

“We knew that she can put a lot of bat on the ball and she sees the ball well because she is a pitcher,” Truesdale said of the Huskies’ nextin-line pitcher who played on the junior varsity team to pitch in preparation for her final two years. “We though that she would have a good opportunity to hit the ball well.”

Miles will take over next year because senior Gabbie Montaie was the Huskies’ workhorse, and was going to pitch to the end of the season, even with soreness. Despite innings catching up with the lone healthy senior on the playoff roster, Montaie scattered hits and coaxed outs until the final pitch.

That type of transition and continuity was evident all season long, and may go a long way toward the Huskies using this section title as the start of the latest Sheldon run.

“They all performed and believed in the concept of ‘team first,’” Truesdale said. “It was a diverse group from seniors to freshmen that jelled well, and that was the difference.”

Division II Benicia 8, Elk Grove 2 Benicia knew it was good. The Panthers were defending Division II champions and started 2015 off with an impressive run to the championship of the Elk Grove Victory Tournament in March. But it took four losses in five games to get the motivation necessary to repeat as section champs.

The Panthers (28-4) finished with a 15-game winning streak and a solid run through a deep playoff field to win the program’s second SJS title in as many years. Junior Shelby Thomp-

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son was 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in the championship game victory, and was dominant throughout the postseason. The shortstop batted .667 (10-for-15) with three home runs and 11 RBI to finish the season with a .597 average, 10 homers, 39 runs scored and 38 RBI. Division IV Sierra-Manteca 9, Lindhurst 2 The reign of the Timberwolves and Walljaspers may not be over. After two Sac-Joaquin Section titles led by pitcher Allie Walljasper, who is now at LSU on scholarship, Sierra returned to the top with the help of Lindsey Walljasper.

Just a freshman, Walljasper compiled a 14-5 record, which included a perfect 4-0 run through the postseason. Junior Devi Coglio had a hot bat for the Timberwolves (22-5) in the postseason, which included a 4-for-5 performance from the leadoff spot in the championship game with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI. Junior Kendelle Messersmith led the team with a .576 batting average in the regular season, and contributed a double, two runs, scored and two RBI in the final.

Tayler Moss batted .517 during the regular season for Sierra and is one of just two seniors on a team that could be ready for another run at a dynasty with a Walljasper pitching.

Division V Hughson 7, Ripon 2 The top-seeded Huskies (22-1) missed out on a perfect season, but did not miss out on a fifth consecutive section championship. Despite dropping a 3-1 decision to Ripon that forced a final game, Hughson recovered to slug its way to the title.

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Senior Courtney Thornhill finished the season with a .565 batting average after going 4-for-7 in the final two games while scoring a pair of runs in the deciding contest. She also struck out seven Ripon batters in each game to end with a 21-1 record, 0.98 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 128 innings. Fellow senior Mackenzie Babbitt led the Huskies with a .571 batting average, team-best 40 hits and 25 RBI. Division VI Mariposa 2, Waterford 0 The Grizzlies (25-4) won their fifth SJS title and third Division VI crown in four years with a shutout win. Sophomore Leah Lafata pitched a one-hitter and struck out six to earn her eighth shutout. She finished 19-2 with a 0.93 ERA. Senior outfielder Ginny Kelsey led the offense to finish with teambests in average (.507), hits (38) and RBI (26).

Kelsey was 6-for-9 in the playoffs, including 2-for-2 in the final, driving in one run.

Division VII Woodland Christian 7, Elliott Christian 6 Freshman Lizzy Diaz singled home Sara Miller for a come-from-behind, walk-off victory that claimed the first Sac-Joaquin Section softball title for the Cardinals (20-1-1). Seniors Miller and Jersey Johnson led off the bottom of the seventh with singles and executed a double steal before turning a 6-5 deficit into a thrilling 7-6 victory. Diaz, who was 11-1 with a 1.62 ERA in the regular season, gave herself the victory in the circle with her walk-off hit. ✪ — Jim McCue

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Sheldon’s Gabby Montaie

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Northgate’s Eric VanBrocklin

NorCal boys take inaugural CIF event by storm The Northgate-Walnut Creek boys relay teams seconds. made a memorable bookend to start something the “I am just really happy. It’s cool, for the first year, CIF hopes is an annual event for years to come. to be here,” Mefford said. “I want to be here next On May 23, the Broncos’ 200-yard medley relay year, I want to be here the year after that. It’s excitteam of Calvin Kirkpatrick, Mason Tittle, Stanley ing.”

Wu and Maxwell Bottene won the first boys swimMefford was the lone champion from the Sierra ming final at the inaugural CIF State Swimming and Foothill League and the Sac-Joaquin Section. A Diving Championships at Clovis Olympic Swim competitor, Mefford had winning, and just that, on Complex at Clovis West High School in Fresno. his mind going into the finals.

Kirkpatrick, Tittle, Bottene and Eric VanBroklin Bryce Mefford “I didn’t want to lose,” Mefford said. “I hate to ended the two-day event with a second title in the lose. More than liking to win.”

400 freestyle relay in front of a crowd of over 3,000.

Also coming away a double-champion was SaraWith the championships long overdue, many of the state toga junior Xiangefei Xie, who won the boys 200 IM (1:46.04) swimming dignitaries found a cool spot on a seasonably mild and the 100 fly (46.75). San Ramon Valley’s Hank Poppe day with perfect conditions for a spectacular event. claimed gold in the 100 breaststroke by a mere three one-hun“Look at this venue. They made it look like an Olympic dredths of a second.

Trials-like venue for these kids. It’s spectacular,” CIF executive Tittle, who came away golden in the two relay events for director Roger Blake said.

Northgate, was a scoring machine for the state-champion “I’m not sure there is another high school facility like this in Broncos as he also scored a bronze in the 50 freestyle and finCalifornia that we could do this.” ished fifth in the 100 butterfly. In the 50 free, it was another For Northgate, it was an event to remember. In a monumen- NorCal boy — Los Altos junior Albert Gwo — who took the tal day for NorCal boys, the Broncos won the state team title gold in a time of 19.90. Tittle’s time of 20.45 missed out on going away. Northgate’s 192 points was 59 points better than silver by two one-hundredths of a second. second place, fellow North Coast Section foe San Ramon ValIt wasn’t quite as big of a banner day for the NorCal girls, ley-Danville (133). NorCal teams swept the top five spots as but there were a few bright spots. Carondelet-Concord’s Madthe Wolves were followed by Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills (123), elyn Murphy and Acalanes-Lafayette’s Brittany Usinger finDe La Salle-Concord (119) and Campolindo-Moraga (102). ished 1-2, respectively, in the 100 butterfly. Also, Palo Alto’s Oak Ridge sophomore Bryce Mefford began the day with 200 freestyle relay team of Grace Zhao, Kayleigh Svensson, a title in the 200 freestyle at one minute, 37.08 seconds. Mef- Zoe Lusk and Claire Lin took gold. ✪ ford came back to the pool to win the 100 backstroke at 48.13 — Trevor Horn Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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Capital Christian’s Kiarra Houston, right, was part of a stingy Cougars defense that was the backbone of a section title winning team.

Story by Jim McCue Photos by James K. Leash 22

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wins

DEFENSE

championships

Allowing just 16 goals over 24 matches, Capital Christian repeated as SJS champs

D

efending can be a challenging task.

The Capital Christian girls’ soccer team understands the difficulty of defending and used it to their advantage to win the program’s second consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship on May 16.

With a target on their backs all season, the Cougars (203-1) faced the challenge of defending the championship pedestal that every opponent wanted to knock them from.

Knowing how tough defending can be, Capital Christian employed a diverse attack that brought waves of capable attackers rather than one primary scorer for opponents to mark. That strength in numbers broke down most foes and resulted in 17 different players finding the back of the net and a 118-16 scoring differential for the season.

“The reason that we have been so successful is because we don’t depend on one or two players,” said senior Paige Florio, who led the Cougars with 19 goals and 11 assists.

“Our style of play works because every person out there Paige Florio is strong.”

Head coach Greg Armbrust preaches a possession game that relies upon players having the ability to both defend and attack. Forwards and midfielders must help defenders slow opponents’ attacks and take possession, and defenders are free to make runs and bring the ball upfield to initiate counterattacks. “You play the way you face,” Armbrust said. “If you can turn, then turn and go. It’s not dictated by what position you play.”

The concept is simple, but not necessarily easy to get all 10 field players to buy into and coordinate seamlessly. Fortunately, Armbrust had five captains to help synchronize the team and lead by example, including seniors Florio, Brenna Lombardi, Gabby Rodarte and Lizzie Merrill.

But leadership, defense and scoring was not accomplished solely by the seniors. Junior captain Maddie Brenton was a key contributor in the midfield and sophomore forward Korri Armbrust was a potent offensive threat. In her two years playing for her father, Korri scored the Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

game-winning goal in both section finals. As a freshman, she tallied the Cougars’ lone goal in a 1-0 shutout of Amador, and she broke a 1-1 tie in Capital Christian’s 2-1 win over Modesto Christian this season.

“We got goals from freshmen to seniors and everyone in between,” the coach said.

One question mark heading into the season was in goal. With the graduation of goalkeeper Ashley Klein, there was a void at the back of the lineup. Junior Maddie Powell stepped up to assume the role despite having little experience at the position. She adapted to her new surroundings and helped the Cougars record 16 shutouts in 2015.

One title that Capital Christian had not defended under Armbrust during his six years as head coach was a Golden Empire League title. West CampusSacramento had owned the league for several years and had been the monkey on the Cougars’ backs despite winning a section championship in 2014. Capital Lizzie Merrill Christian had not earned a league crown since 2008 and had not defeated the Warriors since they joined the GEL in 2011, making winning a league title a priority nearly as high as defending the section title.

Capital Christian dropped a 3-1 decision to West Campus on the road in the teams’ first meeting, but defeated the Warriors 4-1 at home to claim a share of the league crown.

“Honestly, it was almost more exciting to beat West Campus and win league than it was to win sections again,” Florio said.

That victory came in the middle of 12 consecutive wins to end the season, and was part of an impressive 11-1 mark in an improved GEL that added Natomas this season.

“If you don’t have competition, then you don’t have a measuring stick,” Armbrust said. “You want to be able to play a good brand of soccer and learn to prepare for the playoffs.”

Armbrust and the Cougars can count on plenty of heated competition to challenge their brand as they prepare to defend back-to-back section championships in 2016. ✪

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Sac-Joaquin Girls

soccer

Championships

Woodland will raise its first banner; Del Oro wins in a defensive thriller The Woodland High girls soccer team had a formula for winning that proved successful all season long. And the Wolves (18-3) refined and perfected the formula en route to winning the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV Championship with a 3-0 win over Placer at Cosumnes Oaks High School on May 16.

The title was the program’s first, and it came in its first appearance in a section final. The formula — a balance with a potent offense and suffocating defense — was tried and true, and worked to perfection in the championship game. Leading scorers Kristen Ward and Ariana Coronado recorded goals, and freshman goalkeeper Mackenzie Hatanaka posted her 14th shutout of the season.

Ward, a senior, and Coronado, a freshman, finished their seasons with 22 and 20 goals respectively. Senior Emily King led the Wolves with 15 assists, which included four helpers in the postseason. Hatanaka did not allow a goal in the team’s final five matches.

DIVISION I Franklin 2, St. Francis 0: The Wildcats (19-2) won their second title in three years by knocking out the defending Div. I champion Troubadours (19-3-2). Senior Lauren Williams, who missed much of her junior year with a knee injury, scored twice in the final and the UC Santa Barbara-bound star found the net in each of Franklin’s four playoff wins. Goalkeeper Lauren Padilla recorded her third shutout of the playoffs and seniors Aleah Kelley and Kyra Taylor provided steady leadership while collecting the second section titles of their high school careers.

DIVISION III

DIVISION II Del Oro d. Rocklin (3-1 Penalty Kicks): The Golden Eagles (13-2-4) outlasted the Thunder (11-8) in a game that featured stellar goalkeeping, 80 minutes of regulation, and two 10-minute overtime periods. Del Oro finally prevailed in penalty kicks, winning the shootout 3-1.

Rocklin junior Jaime Goodwin made numerous saves over the 100 minutes of play, but Del Oro freshman Ailey Collins stood strong in the shootout by blocking three of the four shots she faced.

The victory marked the second consecutive SJS Div. II title for head coach Ron Benjamin’s team, which will return a large portion of the roster to play for dynasty status in 2016. Freshman Sylvia Sloss, sophomore Rachel Gensch and junior Emily Curry buried their penalty kicks with Curry delivering the game-winning blow on the Golden Eagles’ fourth penalty kick.

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Woodland’s Kristen Ward controls the ball at the center of the pitch during the championship match.

June 2015

East Union 2, Manteca 0: The Lancers concluded their second straight 20-0 season to claim their second consecutive SJS championship and first in Div. III. East Union claimed the Division IV crown in 2014, and are now a perfect 40-0 under head coach Victor Polanco.

This year’s victory came over crosstown rival Manteca, which finished its season with a 22-5-1 record and three of the losses coming against East Union. Lancers sophomore Ilena Rivera scored both goals in the final and finished the season with 35 goals to up her career total to 64 goals. East Union was dominant all year, outscoring opponents 88-5 while posting 15 shutouts.

DIVISION V

DIVISION VII

Amador 2, Ripon 0: Junior Alyssa Holmes and sophomore Camille Strazzo scored to lead the Buffaloes (20-4-1) past the top-seeded Indians (18-2-1) at Lincoln High School in Stockton. Holmes was the team’s leading goal-scorer with 29 goals in the regular season and sophomore Mikayla Smith added 22 goals and a team-best 13 assists before the playoffs. The section championship was the Buffaloes’ second in four trips to the finals with their other title coming in 2013 in Division VI.

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Ripon Christian 1, Forest Lake Christian 0: The Knights (19-6-1) won their second consecutive Div. VII title as the section’s leading goal scorer Abby Buitrago recorded an assist on the game’s lone goal scored by junior Sam Carvalho. In two seasons, Buitrago has led the section in goals and collected a pair of section crowns. In her first two seasons, Buitrago has scored 94 goals and added 22 helpers. ✪

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Woodland’s Emily King, left, helped her school win its first section championship in its first trip to the finals.

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Records are through May 23 1. (1)

— Pioneer-San Jose

28-0

2. (2)

— Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

25-3

3. (5)

▲

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

21-3

4. (3)

▼

East Union-Manteca

30-3

5. (6)

▲

Alhambra-Martinez

21-3

6. (12)

▲

Benicia

28-4

7. (4)

▼

Heritage-Brentwood

20-3

8. (7)

▼

Pioneer-Woodland

26-4

9. (8)

▼

Elk Grove

28-4

10. (13) ▲

Sheldon-Sacramento

24-7

11. (15) ▲

San Benito-Hollister

22-5

12. (14) ▲

Notre Dame-Salinas

23-5

13. (19) ▲

Carlmont-Belmont

22-5

14. (NR) ▲

Newark Memorial

22-5

We Meet Again

15. (11) ▼

James Logan-Union City

21-2-1

16. (NR) ▲

Vacaville

21-10

Elk Grove, St. Mary’s to clash for SJS Division I baseball supremacy for fourth time in nine seasons

17. (9)

Woodcreek-Roseville

25-3-1

18. (NR) ▲

Freedom-Oakley

16-7

19. (NR) ▲

Petaluma

22-3

▼

Nick Madrigal

By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

20. (10) ▼ Castro Valley 21-5 DROPPED OUT: No. 16 Livermore, No. 17 Del CampoFair Oaks, No. 18 Redwood-Larkspur and No. 20 River City-West Sacramento BIGGEST MOVERS: The biggest jump belonged to Benicia, which has a chance to finish inside the Top 5 depending on how No. 5 Alhambra does in the NCS Div. II playoffs. The Panthers moved from No. 12 all the way up to No. 6 as they closed the year on a 15-game winning streak and handed previous No. 8 Elk Grove two losses on their way to winning the SJS Div. II title for the second straight year. Newark Memorial was also a big mover, debuting at No. 14 after defeating previous No. 11 James Logan for a second time this season.

TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 13

Brooks Day 30

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A familiar scene is about to be played out at the ballpark. Perennial baseball powers Elk Grove and St. Mary’s will face off again for the SacJoaquin Section Division I Championship in a best-of-three series on May 29-30 at Sacramento City College.

Since 2005, the North-South championship series has featured one or both programs every year except for 2008 when Jesuit and Buhach Colony met for the title. St. Mary’s is making its seventh consecutive trip to the Div. I finals, and this year will be the fourth time in nine years that the Thundering Herd has lined up opposite of the Rams.

“We have seen them three or four times this year, so we have some intel on them and we know what they can do,” said Elk Grove head coach Jeff Carlson, whose background on St. Mary’s includes a 1-0 victory in the teams’ lone meeting in 2015. “We know each other pretty well, but you still have to execute and make the right adjustments to win.”

The Thundering Herd (22-10) hold a 2-1 advantage in championship series showdowns, including a 2-0 sweep of the Rams in the 2012 title series. Carlson, the longtime coach at Elk Grove, and four-year starter Nick Madrigal participated in the 2012 matchup, but most of the Herd roster’s championship series experience came as spectators.

In contrast, many of the Rams have participated in the Div. I championship series. Some of the St. Mary’s seniors have played in each of the last three title matchups. Unfortunately, those players have not won a finals series. But second-year Rams coach Rob Selna is hoping the experience could prove beneficial this time around.

Depth is a strong point for both teams with Elk Grove having a distinct

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Records through May 23 1. (1)

— College Park-Pleasant Hill

22-4

2. (2)

— St. Francis-Mountain View

27-5

3. (8)

▲

De La Salle-Concord

16-8

4. (5)

▲

Los Gatos

21-2

5. (10)

▲

Elk Grove

22-10

6. (4)

▼

Valley Christian-San Jose

22-8

7. (13)

▲

Monte Vista-Danville

16-8

8. (6)

▼

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

20-11

9. (12)

▲

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

25-6

10. (3)

▼

Serra-San Mateo

18-10

11. (7)

▼

San Ramon Valley-Danville

15-9

12. (11) ▼

Franklin-Elk Grove

22-7

13. (9)

Bellarmine-San Jose

17-11

14. (15) ▲

St. Mary’s-Stockton

21-12

15. (NR) ▲

Granite Bay

19-11

16. (NR) ▲

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

15-9

17. (NR) ▲

Soquel

24-6

18. (NR) ▲

Redwood-Larkspur

23-3

19. (16) ▼

Jesuit-Carmichael

17-5

▼

20. (18) ▼ Vintage-Napa

23-7

DROPPED OUT: No. 14 Davis, No. 17 Maria CarrilloSanta Rosa, No. 19 Pitman-Turlock and No. 20 LincolnStockton.

BIGGEST MOVER: These were our first baseball rankings since May 2, so there was bound to be some movement.

Elk Grove, which won yet another SJS Div. I North title, jumped five spots to return to the Top 5. Monte Vista, which went 5-1 over its last three weeks to claim a share of the East Bay Athletic League title, jumped six spots to reach No. 7. Granite Bay debuts at No. 15 after a very strong playoff run saw them Grizzlies reach the SJS Div. I North finals before losing to Elk Grove.

TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 11

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edge in pitching depth, The Thundering Herd struggled early in the year as its top two returning starters, senior Chris Martin and junior Austin Del Chiaro, missed much of the season. Senior left-hander Ty Madrigal assumed the role of staff ace and compiled an 8-3 record and 1.72 ERA in 65 innings of work. Madrigal combined with junior Dylan Carlson to throw a no-hitter in a 2-0 victory over Granite Bay that punched Elk Grove’s ticket to the final series.

Martin, also a southpaw, suffered a pair of early losses in April before he was shelved with an arm injury. He entered the season with a varsity record of 11-2 — including a 7-2 mark and 0.87 ERA in 2014 — but had not shown his top form in 2015 until tossing a complete game in a 4-2 win over Granite Bay that forced a deciding game in the Division I North finals.

Del Chiaro has recently returned to the mound as well, giving Elk Grove as many as five quality starters to throw at the Rams.

Ty Madrigal is expected to start Game 1 on May 29 and Martin will likely get the ball in Game 2. That leaves juniors Dylan Carlson, Del Chiaro, Kevin Kyle, and Alex Zalasky to see action in relief in any game or to start a decisive third game, if necessary.

Nick Madrigal will lead the offense from the top spot in the order to set the table for batters that have stepped up in the postseason.

Senior third baseman Brooks Day has swung a hot bat and Carlson has been clutch at the plate as well, including a walk-off double in a first-round victory over Vacaville.

“We are still not completely healthy, but we have been playing better baseball of late,” coach Carlson said. “Any time that you are still playing at the end is a good thing.”

The Rams (21-11) counter Elk Grove’s arms with a potent offense that features six batters hitting .300 or better. Cade Peters leads the way with a .378 average and 35 RBI while fellow seniors Evan Fagundes (.327, 5 HR, 39 RBI) and Joey Cortopassi (.330) provide consistency up and down the lineup. Junior outfielder Jarron Silva has stepped up his game this season, collecting a team-best 40 hits and scoring nine runs to go with his .374 batting average.

Fagundes is also capable of silencing opponents’ bats as he was a perfect 5-0 in 44.2 innings pitched. Senior hurler Karsten Lee is the ace of the St. Mary’s staff, posting an 8-1 record and 1.77 ERA in 67.1 innings of action.

Dueling depth will provide championshipcaliber action while execution and adjustments will determine who will conclude the season with the greater championship pediCapital Christian junior Tiegen Jones followed up a stellar basketball gree. And of course bragging rights, until the season with a big year on the mound for the baseball team. powers might face off again in the final series.

“Nick (Madrigal) is a four-year starter that has won a championship, but we also have a lot of three-year starters and other seniors on this team,” Carlson said. “We really want to send those guys out the right way with a championship.”

YEAR OF THE COUGAR

The Capital Christian baseball team put an exclamation point on the most successful athletics year in the school’s history. With the Cougars’ 9-2 victory over Dixon in the Division V section final, the school earned its seventh section championship of the 2014-15 campaign.

Seniors Taylor Garcia and Blair Lewis led a balanced attack as the Cougars finished with a 27-5 mark to make school history. Garcia led the SJS in hits and finished the season with a .520 batting average while swiping 35 bases.

Lewis batted .400, scored 32 runs and knocked in 27. Sophomore Jacob Norville and junior Tiegen Jones were the team’s top pitchers on a deep and talented staff.

Jones was one of several Capital Christian athletes who won multiple section titles. He was also a member of the boys’ basketball team that won the Division V hoops crown and advanced to the CIF State Championships.

In addition to baseball, the Cougars won section titles in football, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball and girls golf. ✪

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Oak Creek BMX in Roseville is gearing up for an action-packed weekend at the end of June with its Double Points State Qualifier Race, taking place June 27, and the Race for Life event that benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on June 28.

They are slated to have nearly 450 riders coming in from all over California and Nevada.

Locally there are several riders expected to be at the top of the leaderboard in their age divisions. Breanna Winter, a 10-year old standout rider from Antelope and goes by the name “Monster B”, has been riding since she was five. She won the Grand Nationals in 2013 and placed in the top 10 nationally the last four years.

Nick Adams, a 12-year-old from Orangevale, is another rider to watch. He has been a force to be reckoned with since he started competing at the age of four and has won more than 120 national competitions.

Bruce Minton, who has owned Oak Creek BMX with his wife Linda for 30-plus years, is looking forward to an exciting state qualifier and the benefit race that always brings top contenders to Placer Valley. The track is not just popular with the local BMX community as Oak Creek BMX is ranked nationally as one of the very best.

This is largely due to the Minton’s commitment to excellence and safety for the riders, and the pride they take in maintaining an outstanding facility.

We are sure the excitement and competition will be at an all-time high as the BMX racers take to the track.

Placer Valley Tourism is delighted to partner with Oak Creek BMX for these great events. Come on down to the track at 648 Riverside Ave in Roseville and check it out! ✪

ULTIMATE EXCITEMENT

The USA Ultimate Southwest Regional Division I College Championships were held for the first time ever in Placer Valley on May 2-3. The setting for this exciting event was the beautiful Maidu Park in Roseville where park-goers, family members and fellow athletes all turned out to watch the intense, action-filled games that this dynamic sport delivers.

There were 28 college teams from the Southwest Region — which boundaries include Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Western Mexico — hoping to advance to the National Championships. One men’s team and two women’s teams were granted advancement to those coveted spots.

In the Men’s Division, Stanford almost pulled off a major upset, but in the end UC Santa Barbara pulled through with a 12-10 victory in the final game. As for the Women’s Division, the number one spot went to topranked Stanford. Finishing a close second was UCLA, which secured the second National Championships berth.

“The games and competition were at an all-time high and great fun to watch,” stated Kerry Karter, Southwest Division I Men’s College Conference Coordinator and director for this event.

Karter explained that the exciting aspect of Ultimate is that it combines skills from several sports including soccer, basketball and football and it is considered to be one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. “We get very strong, top-notch athletes,” he added.

Placer Valley Tourism was honored to be able to help bring this type of event to Placer Valley and we look forward to partnering with USA Ultimate again.

Karter was pleased as well.

“The location gave us great exposure for the sport and it was all-around well done,” he said. “The hotels PVT set us up with were great and we hope to come back next year.” ✪ All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism.

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Danville’s Varsity Gold Girls Premier Champions

Granite Bay, Danville close out strong year for NorCal

T

he 2015 Northern California High School XVs rugby season is in the books, and it will surely be recognized as one of the most competitive seasons to date. The Northern California Invitational Tournament (NCIT) played host to the High School Playoffs, and a handful of Championship matches, with the remaining Championship matches being played the following weekend at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga.

Here’s a look back at how each of our high school divisions played out in 2015.

Boys Varsity Gold Division: It seemed everyone was eagerly anticipating a matchup of two of the top three ranked teams in the country, Granite Bay (#3), and Danville (#1). To get there, Danville dispatched Pen Green in a very entertaining and skillfully played match, while Granite Bay easily took care of North Bay and Hayward. The scene was Mark Carney set and the game did not disappoint.

Both teams started hot, but Granite Bay pulled away late in the first half and secured a twotry advantage. Danville, which looked tired and a little shocked, came out firing in the second and regained the lead. More back and forth, with tries and penalties exchanged, delivered a frenetic final five minutes. Granite Bay had an opportunity with time expiring to take the lead and likely claim the match, but came up short. Danville emerged victorious, 34-31. The match was arguably one of the best displays of high school rugby in this region, and around the country, in a very long time. Granite Bay would attend the National Invitational Tournament and finish as the runner-up to Royal Irish Rugby Club of Indianapolis.

Boys Varsity Silver Division: Bishop O’Dowd claimed the title after battling its way through an extremely competitive field. The Dragons’ road to the title included a one-point victory over Buchanan-Clovis, a tough win over Elsie Allen-Santa Rosa in the semifinals and a victory over the North Sac Warriors in the championship.

Girls Varsity Silver Division: With fewer teams playing in this bracket, the championships were held at the NCIT, and saw some fantastic running rugby from a short-handed Alameda team as it claimed the title against Silicon Valley.

Girls Varsity Gold Premier Division: This extremely-competitive division saw three teams vying for the top spot all year. The Sacramento Amazons came on very strong at the end of the year and edged Pleasanton for a spot in the final where they faced up against Danville.

The game went down to the wire with Danville just edging the Amazons to claim their first ever NorCal title. Danville went on to the National Invitational tournament where it secured third place in the Country; a fantastic achievement.

Boys JV Division: Some great rugby throughout the NCIT weekend ended up pitting Mother Lode against Granite Bay, setting up a replay of an earlier game in the year that Mother Lode won by a mere three points. In the championship match, Mother Lode capitalized on some mental errors by Granite Bay in the first half before Granite Bay stormed back in the second half to come within four points of the lead. A strong defensive stand late in the contest allowed Mother Lode to hold on and capture the title.

All our varsity and JV teams and players now look ahead to All-Star participation and to another exciting Sevens season, which begins in early June. ✪ Mark Carney is the executive director of the Northern California Youth Rugby Association.

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training time: tim rudd for iyca

Exposure camps and tournaments or extensive training?

The choice shouldn’t be that hard really It seems nowadays more and more parents of athletes are coming to my gym in hopes of getting their athletes healthy again, playing at the level they once were capable. After years of struggling through pain and injury, the athletes just can’t push through the pain anymore.

More often than not, this is a result of playing year-round. Gone are the years where your athletes solely played high school season sports. Now we have clubs and tournaments year-round, leaving no time for athletes to train and prepare for the season ahead.

Too often young athletes spend the summer in countless camps and tournaments with the promise of further developing athleticism and be noticed by colleges for recruitment. The fact is that your athlete will not get better in a one-week camp or in X amount of tournaments during the summer. Unfortunately, quite the opposite usually happens: performance and health both decrease as more time playing equals more stress to a body that is ill-prepared.

Here is a quote from Mike Boyle, a strength and conditioning expert out of Boston with over 30-plus years experience: “Parents make a critical error at the wrong time. The most critical time in a young athlete’s career is the summer. This is when a young player needs to train to prepare to have a great season. However, instead of preparation, parents of athletes with potential often choose exposure. The result is usually the same. The athlete goes to 5-6 “exposure” camps to be “seen” by college coaches. ... The final result is that the athlete is not physically prepared for the season and ends up either getting injured or having a sub-par year. Coaches that might have had interest suddenly disappear. Sure things turn into maybes. Suddenly all the time spent on exposure seems wasted as there is no “product” to expose.”

The reality is that the road to sports success for any athlete should go straight through the weight room. It seems so obvious, yet you would be surprised how little importance many parents and athletes put on getting stronger and more athletic in the limited offseason that is now available to athletes of this generation. If your athlete’s goal is to make varsity next year, or better yet, play college sports, then he or she should get ready to play by spending the summer getting better.

Your best option is to choose one or two exposure camps or tournaments if they provide value, and then spend the majority of the summer training. The results will always be superior, and the improvement will be noticeable.

Even though both sport performance centers and organizers of tournaments, camps and clubs have a vested financial interest in you and your child, sports performance centers help your athletes do exactly what professional and collegiate athletes do in the offseason — train to get better.

Many sport performance centers have modeled their programs around proven principles that have helped athletes from high school, college and the elite level succeed.

This summer your athletes have a choice: they can try to impress coaches at camps and tournaments, or they can spend the majority of their time training, getting better and being better prepared for the seasons that really matter. ✪

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Standing

Dilemma 36

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health watch: caron Bush

Relatively new disorder can affect the heart of children and teenagers Ever have a racing heart when you stand up?

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is an increase in a child’s or adolescent’s heart rate by 40 beats or more a minute when transitioning from lying down to standing.

This will occur within the first 10 minutes of standing. Symptoms that are often associated with POTS include, but are not limited to: drop in blood pressure (BP) when standing, but may also have an increase in BP, fatigue, headaches, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, exercise intolerance, nausea, diminished concentration, shaking, fainting, cold extremities, chest pain and shortness of breath.

The symptoms can vary significantly between patients. Some patients may have mild symptoms and are able to sustain normal activities during the day. Other patients can be completely disabled and are barely able to perform daily self-care. These patients need to spend considerable time lying down due to symptoms.

POTS is a relatively new diagnosis. It was discovered by the Mayo Clinic in 1993. Before 1993 POTS had been classified as a variety of different diagnoses. The cause of POTS is currently unknown. If you feel like you, or someone you know, suffers from the listed symptoms it would be recommended to follow-up with your pediatrician. The Tilt Table Test is considered the gold standard for diagnosing POTS. UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland has been implementing a protocol for treatment of POTS developed by Dr. Levine and his team at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas.

Dr. Levine’s POTS training program was developed during a National Institute of Health-funded research project. The protocol consists of seven months of training calendars dedicated to POTS patients.

The estimated number of Americans with dysautonomia (POTS) ranges from one million to three million.

This diagnosis is worldwide and gaining more awareness as new information is being released to public. ✪ Caron Bush is a physical therapist for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and its Sports Medicine Center for Young Athletes.

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Playoffs?!?

Simple tips to keep from psyching yourself out this postseason

get mental: erika carlson For many teams and athletes, it’s the postseason that matters most. With championships on the line, your mental game can become especially tricky. It’s easy to get sucked into believing that because it’s the “BIG GAME” we need to do more, try harder and be better than we’ve been all season. After all, we’re COMPETITIVE and we want to WIN. Of course you do. And so does your opponent.

Ironically, when you focus on winning, some devastating things happen to your mental game. Here’s the problem… ›› We become focused on the outcome of the game, not the game itself. We lose a sense of control over our performance. This causes us to feel especially nervous. ›› Our thinking jumps into the future (“What if we win?”

“What if I blow it?”) which then triggers more nerves and negative emotions. ›› Once nerves are triggered, muscle tension increases

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(jitters, stiffness, feeling tired) and fine motor skills disappear (technical skills). Plus, more distracting symptoms appear such as a sick stomach or needing to urinate.

Battling these symptoms is well within your control … with some dedicated practice. Here are a few solutions to practice now so they are useful at game time.

STAY FOCUSED ON YOUR PEFORMANCE — Write out a prioritized list of three performance goals that you want to focus on during the game. Examples include tasks such as increasing communication, staying low, follow through, looking ahead. Simple, important and controllable performance goals are key to staying mentally strong.

STAY PRESENT — Futuristic thinking opens the door to nervousness and past thinking often focuses on mistakes and invites frustration. Staying present allows you to focus on your performance goals and minimizes the

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chance that emotions will get triggered.

TENSE UP ... THEN RELAX — Seriously!! One of the most effective muscle relaxing exercises you can do is tense up a muscle group, hold it for 3-5 seconds, then release and repeat. Try it now! Your muscles will naturally let go of tension with this exercise. Start this early and do it often, systematically going through every major muscle group. And don’t forget to breathe deep and slow.

Never under estimate the value of simple solutions for complicated problems. A solid mental game boils down to knowing what to do, then being able to consistently do it under a variety of situations. Postseason is simply another, more pressure-filled situation to practice your mental skills for your best technical and tactical performance. ✪ Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer and owner of Excellence in Sports Performance in Pleasanton.

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knee pain: hunter greene, m.d.

Osgood-Schlatter disease isn’t as menacing as it sounds, and while painful, should only be temporary Osgood-Schlatter disease is one of the most common causes of f knee pain in growing adolescents. Though its name sounds ominous, Osgood-Schlatter is not actually a disease, but an overuse injury. It can be quite painful, but usually resolves itself within 12-24 months.

Osgood-Schlatter disease is an inflammation of the bone, cartilage and/or tendon at the top of the shinbone (tibia), where the tendon from the kneecap (patella) attaches.

OSD usually strikes active adolescents experiencing growth spurts during puberty. The disease occurs most often in children who participate in sports that involve running, jumping and swift changes in direction, such as soccer, basketball, figure skating and ballet. During activity, your child’s thigh muscles (quadriceps) pull on the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone.

The repeated stress can cause the tendon to pull away from the shinbone a bit, resulting in the pain and swelling associated with OsgoodSchlatter disease. In some cases, your child’s body may try to close that gap with new bone growth, which can result in a bony lump at that spot.

While there is no cure for Osgood-Schlatter, the key to pain relief is rest. In mild cases your child’s doctor may advise him or her to limit activities that cause the pain. They may be able to continue their sports as long as the pain remains mild. When symptoms flare up, a short break from sports may be necessary.

Over-the-counter pain relievers and applying ice to the knee may be helpful. A physical therapist may prescribe exercises to stretch the thigh’s quadriceps and hamstring muscles, which may reduce tension on the spot where the kneecap’s tendon attaches to the shinbone.

Strengthening exercises for the quadriceps can help stabilize the knee joint.

Most symptoms will disappear when a child completes the adolescent growth spurt, usually around age 14 for girls and age 16 for boys. ✪ Hunter Greene, M.D., is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with Summit Orthopedic Specialists in Carmichael. He specializes in adult and pediatric sports medicine.

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39

R I SE A G A I NST T H E

MACHINES

powered by trucks: anthony trucks For anyone who’s spent any time around weight rooms, you know there is a consistent discussion between the use of free weights or machines when training. I hope I can bring some clarity to the discussion.

The biggest factor when deciding what to use is the goal. If you want to be a muscle-bound body builder then your smartest option is a machine-based regimen.

The reason is because machines allow you to isolate a muscle group and focus solely on that muscle without the hindrances of having to engage other musculature to provide the correct posture to target the muscle you want to isolate.

This means that when using a machine you forego the stability muscles that are typically needed, and used, during an exercise to allow the body to have strength and stability in an all-encompassing way. You also limit the true strength of the muscle, because instead of using your own movement pattern, you are forced to use the movement range of the machine. Last time I checked, we are all different and have different bodies. Therefore, we have different ranges of motion: not one size fits all.

When you use free weights you get massive benefits.

You learn how your body moves and you gain better motor control. You activate and engage your stability

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and core muscles much more, which leads to great joint health when exercises are done correctly. You increase calories burned during your workout. You engrain proper bio-mechanic movement patterns which become safer for your body when you’re physically active. You can increase your power output in a more relative and functional way.

The bottom line is this: If you’re an athlete, you need to spend a great deal more time using free weight exercises in your workout routines. The transfer over from the weight room to your chosen sport will be much greater return than if you use machines.

You’ll get functionally stronger in your entire body and be able to control your body in ways you didn’t know you could.

So next time you go to a training session, step away from the machines and go grab some free weights.

Once you learn how to use them correctly, you’ll take your game to a whole new level.

You’ll become the “Machine” ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

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mentally strong: Tyson Qualls

The MyTH of specialization Being elite, as an athlete or a parent, means knowing what will aid you most in the long run Early specialization is an increasingly dangerous trend that has negatively impacted youth sports across the country. The concept of encouraging a child to pick one sport at a young age and focus entirely in that area without having other opportunities is a misguided practice.

Children learn and grow from being in malleable environments that allow for varied interactions and experiences.

Take a moment to consider what it takes to be a pro athlete. The various physical and mental skills necessary to succeed must be nurtured and supported to reach their maximum potential. The cultivating of these skills is rarely, if ever, done through forced one-dimensional athletics.

In fact, if you take the time to think of a favorite athlete, it is highly likely that they played multiple sports throughout their high school and collegiate careers. Instantly the names of

Russell Wilson, Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson come to mind. These professional athletes were able to utilize skills from various sports to improve their ability in their chosen career.

Dr. James Andrews, a world- renowned surgeon who has operated on countless professional athletes, does not support the concept of early specialization.

“We recommend you don’t specialize in a sport until you’re a senior in high school.

That’s what a number of our professional athletes who have been very successful have followed.”

Another misconception that has led youth athletes down the wrong path is the 10,000-hour rule, popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. This theory is centered upon the notion that with 10,000 hours of effort you can achieve greatness in your sport. This is simply not true.

For example, Washington Post writer Christie

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Aschwanden points out a specific circumstance related to Swedish athlete Stefan Holm. Holm devoted most of his life to the high jump, only to lose the gold medal to an athlete who had taken up the sport 18 months prior.

Contact KPA Elite atwww.kpaelite.com/eliteparent; Instagram: @kpaeliteperformance; Facebook: facebook.com/kpaeliteperformance; or Twitter: @kpaelite

The key to elite parenting is being able to identify ways to draw out your child’s maximum potential, not drive them away from their sport by believing that hours spent is directly proportional to success.

Being an elite parent is not a simple task, yet it is one that KPA Elite Performance is prepared to help with. KPA takes cutting edge knowledge and tactfully integrates it into every elite parent’s skill set.

The early specialization epidemic that has plagued youth sports in recent years can be contained, but only if parents are willing to take the steps necessary to truly become “elite”. ✪

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41

Money Matters Most O

n a recruiting visit to Southern California, I quickly understood that the process is not personal. During that spring football practice, I observed the head coach talking to a 6-foot-7, 260-pound, 17-year-old offensive lineman.

During that conversation, the coach seemed really interested in what the kid was saying and couldn’t stop laughing and patting the recruit on the back. The head coach sincerely seemed to like the kid. He hung on the recruits every word. About 30 minutes later I witnessed the same recruit talking in a similar situation with one of the school’s big-time boosters. Again, everything the kid said appeared to be the most fascinating thing the booster had ever heard.

Not surprisingly, it turned out both Scott Mayo conversations were complete sales jobs.

Not long after, with practice nearing its end, the head coach was walking past with a graduate assistant. They were apparently looking for the lineman prospect’s mom in order to recruit her as well. “What’s the mother’s name?” asked the head coach. “I have no idea but I can check the database” was the assistant’s bland reply.

I knew then that nothing about college recruiting is personal. It’s about the money.

The money that 6-7 kid can make the school by helping them get into bowl games and attracting fans who will spend money. And the money that kid can make the coaches, who get to keep their jobs because they are winning games.

As a freshman in college, my daughter Brooke had a soccer teammate named Teresa. In high school, Teresa had been on a state all-star team. But it turned out that state was Montana, where the competition isn’t nearly as strong as California or Texas. The bottom line was the girl was just not very good.

As the season went on, Teresa got plenty of playing time.

We couldn’t figure it out. It turned out, the coach saw dollar signs. We later discovered Teresa’s father was a retired Hollywood agent who had plenty of money to donate. After that first season, one in which Teresa struggled while playing in most of the games, the father made a generous donation to help pay for the team’s trip to Europe the following year.

Whether it’s making money through bowl games, or making money for coaches who win and subsequently keep their jobs, or making money for the program through donations, the bottom line is it is about money.

Keep that in mind as you go through the recruiting process. Ask yourself, “What education from a school has the most value?” ✪

❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒ ❒❒

Scott Mayo and his wife Jennifer are the founders of Next Level College Advisors, a consultation and support service for aspiring college athletes and their families. To learn more about NLCA, visit NextLevelCollegeAdvisors.com.

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Alameda County Fair........................................................................................................47 Aspire Summer Core Intensive For Athletes......................................................................13 Bentley School Lafayette..................................................................................................27 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada.............................................................................2 Bigfoot Hoops..................................................................................................................25 Blankenship Baseball.......................................................................................................43 Cal Athletic Camps...........................................................................................................44 California Football Academy.............................................................................................42 Capitol 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Center........................................................................................................41 Diablo Futbol Club............................................................................................................33 Diablo Trophies & Awards.................................................................................................41 East Bay Parks..................................................................................................................44 East Bay Sports Academy.................................................................................................24 Excellence In Sport Performance......................................................................................42 Garaventa Enterprises......................................................................................................21 Halo Headband................................................................................................................29 Jumbo Sunflower Seeds...................................................................................................36 Kneed-A- Brace................................................................................................................23 Mountain Mike’s Pizza......................................................................................................19 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists............................................................................................40 Northgate High School ....................................................................................................28 Off- Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division...............................................................15 Placer Valley Tourism Board........................................................................................34, 35 Renaissance Club Sport....................................................................................................12 Rugby Nor Cal...................................................................................................................36 Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School..............................................................................18 San Ramon Golf Club........................................................................................................46 San Ramon Slammers Baseball........................................................................................42 Santa Clara Aquamaids Bingo Fundraising.......................................................................43 Sports Gallery Authenticated...........................................................................................43 Stevens Creek Toyota..........................................................................................................5 Sutter Urgent Care..............................................................................................................3 Tpc / The Pitching Center..................................................................................................23 Tri Valley Quarter Midget Racing......................................................................................43 Tricityeliteallstars.Com.....................................................................................................31 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland......................................................................39 U S Sports Mike Allen Sports Camps.................................................................................42 United States Youth Volleyball League.............................................................................45 Walnut Creek Soccer Club.................................................................................................20 West Coast Training Center...............................................................................................29

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