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Lions make early splash in water polo season
by Michael Dixon Correspondent
Liberty’s girls water polo program has enjoyed success in recent seasons. Each of the last three years have ended with the Lady Lions winning the Bay Valley Athletic League championship. In 2022, they’re hoping to make it four in a row, and the early signs show that they’ll be tough to beat.
While Liberty will not begin its BVAL season until Tuesday, Sept. 20 against Freedom, the season’s first two non-league matches were a success. Liberty started the year on Tuesday, Aug. 30 with an 18-6 win against James Logan. Then, on Thursday, Sept. 1, the Lions were again victorious, this time 18-4 over Vintage High School.
This season’s team has a lot of turnover from the team that won the BVAL championship last year. But thanks to the incoming players developing faster than expected and the continued strong play of returning players, coach Jack Doria has come away from the early season practices and matches feeling good about the look of the team.
“We had a roster of 13 last year, and between graduation and moves, only returning five girls with an addition of five,” Doria said. “It’s a thin team this year. But they all are hard-working, smart girls -- coachable kids.
The five returning players make up the core of the team. That group consists of seniors Olivia Sanchez, Jennie Volta, Faith Silman and Maddy Lasquete, as well as junior Athena Ayers. Volta is in her second season on the varsity team while the other four are in their third seasons on Liberty’s varsity squad.
Ayers has led the Lions early. She has 13 goals, seven assists and 12 steals on the young season, leading Liberty in every category. Doria expects to see that continue.
“Athena is an outstanding player -- an all-around really good player,” her coach said. “Her defense is stellar. She’s hyperaware of situations and has situational awareness that allows her to make plays that translate into positive outcomes for our team. I think she’ll be one of the top players not just in our league but one of the best in NCS.”
Following the 2-0 start, the Lions are now moving into one of the most difficult stretches of the season. On Thursday, Sept. 8, they host Las Lomas. Since they won’t play if the temperature is above 105 degrees, that game could get moved to Las Lomas or rescheduled. The Knights defeated the Lions in three matches last year and are also undefeated this year.
Then, on Saturday, Liberty will play a tournament against some of Northern California’s top teams.
“We’ll really find out where we stand when this weekend is concluded,” Doria said. And if we can go 2-2 in the tournament, I’d be happy with the result. If we’re 3-2 or even 2-3 in the next five games, I think it’s still successful. There’s a lot to draw on from any of those teams.”
As the rest of the season develops, Doria is confident that anyone who goes to see the Lady Lions in action will see a fun game.
“They’re going to see excitement,” he said. “This team is still trying to find an identity. That’s a challenge at the beginning of a year. Every team is different even when you bring kids back. But what you’re going to see is excitement.
“They know how to counterattack and use the defense to bolster the offense,” the coach added. “They are going to see athleticism, good play and kids that really want to play with grit, explosiveness and aggression. That always translates into exciting water polo.” To view a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia/slideshows
Photo by Angelo Garcia, Jr.
Liberty senior Maddy Lasquete, is one of five returning players on Liberty’s girl’s water polo team.
Freedom grad driving toward the top
by Michael Dixon Correspondent
When Oakley resident Clayton Williams was a student at Freedom High School, he knew he wanted to race cars. He did it while he was in school, and since his 2020 graduation, has focused even more time to driving, joining the TC America Series, a touring series around the United States.
Last year, he raced in the TCA series. This year, Williams, now 20, has moved up to the TC Series. He still races with his Mini Cooper team. The cars, though, have a wing, bigger tires and go significantly faster than what he raced in before. And the level of competition is stronger.
But in his first year in the TC Series, Williams has four wins. Part of that group is a pair of wins he recorded at the season’s most recent event in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin’s Road America Track. In addition to his four wins, Williams has earned a podium spot (top-three finish) at every event and is in second place overall in the TC Series standings. He’s been happy with the results so far.
“I think I surprised myself,” Williams said of his performance. “I thought it would be more challenging. But I think I adapted to the horsepower and bigger tire size well. But the competition is more competitive. That’s been a challenge, for sure. But it’s been awesome. We’ve had a great season so far.”
The 2022 season TC America season has two events left. The first will be at the Sebring International Raceway in Florida on Sept. 23-25. Then, two weeks later, the season will conclude in Indiana at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Oct. 7-9.
While Williams is in second place with 113 points, he’s well behind points leader Kevin Boehm, who has 183 points. Williams said he knows that the 70-point gap will be difficult to overcome but hopes to put himself in the best position possible to overtake the No. 1 if something goes wrong with Boehm’s races.
With the 2022 season near its end, Williams has some ideas for what he’ll want to do in 2023.
“Next year, I either want to compete again in the same class and car, or if the opportunity pops up, I’d like to move up to the GT4 series,” he said. “Those are faster and longer races. That all depends on sponsorship. Outside of racing, I’ve been working to get sponsors because of course, that’s what fuels it.”
Williams’ progress can be tracked at tcamerica.us or on his personal page: claytonwilliamsracing.com. Anyone interested in potentially sponsoring Williams can reach him via email at clay@claytonwilliamsracing.com.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net
Photo courtesy of Doug WIlliams
Oakley resident Clayton Williams, 20, has quickly made a name for himself on the race circuit, joining the TC American Series with his Mini Cooper team.
Two golf tournaments to raise money for charity
Hope Hospice in Pleasanton Sept. 19; Pillars of Hope in Antioch Sept. 23
by Rene De Amaral Staff Writer
Two East Bay golf tournaments this month are raising money for charity.
Hope Hospice has opened registration for their exclusive charity fundraising event – the 2022 Hope 100 Golf Marathon. The event returns to Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton on Sept. 19 from 6 a.m.- 6 p.m.
The Hope 100 is based on a quick pace of play, starting at sunrise, with most participants completing 18 holes every two hours to finish by the 5 p.m. cutoff. The Hope 100 Golf Marathon has only 36 available player spots with each of them playing 100 holes in one day, to symbolize the challenges dementia patients and their families face at the end of life.
Proceeds support patient care services and their grief support center, as well as free educational programs, including grief support services, dementia care education, and family caregiver resources.
“The 2021 event brought in $155,000, which broke a fundraising record,” says Marc Rovetti, Hope’s Director of Philanthropy and event chairperson. “Although the Hope 100 is designed to be a fun, entertaining experience for the participants, the reason we gather is to raise critical support for our programs. Our veteran players have always acknowledged that mission and have been very generous. We can’t express enough gratitude for their support.”
A prize of $75,000 is offered to the winner of the Hole-in-One competition towards their choice of a vehicle from the FH Dailey Chevrolet Dealership in San Leandro.
Registration is $2,500 and participants can register as a single or as a twosome. For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://bit. ly/3cJ5LBP.
Pillars of Hope
Another nonprofit, Pillars of Hope, is hosting their first golf tournament at Lone Tree Golf Course and Event Center on Sept. 23.
Pillars of Hope mission is to provide awareness, intervention, restoration, transition and reintegration for victims of human trafficking. Additional support is provided via the Victim’s Assistance Program, funded by events like the golf tournament.
Debra Brown, founder and executive director of Pillars of Hope, says that they hope to have one hundred golfers registered, and that the goal of the event is to raise $50,000 to fund their Victim’s Assistance Program. The program offers a wide variety of support to victims across the country, with a focus in Contra Costa County, “when victims reach out to us for help, or the DA offices reach out for help with victims they encounter if they are going to court to testify against a trafficker, travel expenses home or to restoration programs, it’s a whole myriad of different expenses we encounter.”
The tournament is not only meant to raise funds to help survivors but also to raise public awareness. “The joy comes from helping victims, but also from community involvement, it just really warms my heart when people want to help,” Brown said.
The event will begin with in-person registration and a putting competition at 11 a.m. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. where players start at different holes across the course so play can be conducted in a timely manner. A buffet dinner and awards ceremony for the putting competition, closest to the pin, longest drive and hole in one, will take place once the tournament ends.
Registration is $150 per golfer, and players can register as a single, twosome, or foursome. To register for the Pillars of Hope tournament, visit: https://pillarsofhope.us/pillars-of-hope-events/
Photo courtesy of Metro Creative
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Residents urged to remember 9/11
On Sunday, Sept. 11, the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America is calling on all Americans to wave the American flag in their own communities to commemorate the 21st anniversary of 9/11.
At 8:46 a.m. Eastern time, on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, five hijackers took control of American Airlines Flight 11 and flew it into New York City and the northern facade of the World Trade Center’s north tower.
At 9:03 a.m., five other hijackers flew United Airlines Flight 175 into the southern facade of the south tower.
At 9:37 a.m., another five hijackers flew American Airlines flight 77 into the western facade of the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.
At 10:03 a.m., passengers forced four hijackers to crash United Airlines Flight 93 into a field in Stonycreek Township near
Shanksville, Pennsylvania after they figured the hijackers had steered the plane toward either the Capitol or the White House. Members of Wreaths Across America, Gold Star and Blue Star families, and veterans will join forces to share in the patriotic act of waving the flag, and sharing the stories of those who raised their hand to serve following the events of that day. You too can join by tuning in to the organization’s Facebook page, to share pictures and videos from your own community flag waving. Participants are encouraged to take video and pictures of their participation in the national flag waving and share them withWreaths Across America, their family, and their friends to help remember, honor and teach the generation born after 9/11, how hard times can strengthen the nation. Delta Gallery uncorks two new art shows
Uncorked!, a multi-media exhibit with a wine theme, opened Sept. 8 at The Delta Gallery Community Arts Center.
Painters, photographers, sculptors, ceramic, glass and jewelry artists will celebrate the East Contra Costa wine industry with interpretations of wine, grapes, vineyards and more in this colorful, eclectic show “Uncorked!”
The show will continue through Sept. 30. The following local wineries will be participating: Bloomfield Vineyards, Hannah Nicole Vineyards, Nunn Vineyards, and Viano Vineyards. The wineries will be providing tastings and awarding prizes to selected artists. The Uncorked show will be juried by Artist of the Year, Nancy Roberts.
Also on display will be the regular thirdquarter art show, a new collection of work by local artist members of the Art Guild of the Delta, through Sept. 30, said Robert Ashin, gallery director. The exhibit showcases original fine art in a variety of media and styles. Work by several new artists will be featured along with continuing exhibitors.
A free public reception is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10, from 6-8 p.m. where residents can meet the artists, enjoy light refreshments and chat with fellow art lovers about both shows.
Delta Gallery is at 2485 Sand Creek Road, Suite 128, in The Streets of Brentwood. For more information visit www.DeltaGallery.com or call 916-599-2557.
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