Athlete Spotlight

two years at Mt. Diablo High and even served as a sophomore on the committee that determined school colors, song and mascot for the new Clayton Valley High that opened in the fall of 1958. Along with another Hall of Famer, Frank Snyder, Henderson was one of the first two recipients of the CV White Letter Sweater. He was allDVAL in three sports during his high school career. His first high school team was freshman football at Mt. Diablo coached by future legendary CV basketball coach Bruce Iversen. As a senior he was selected to the 20-30 Club East Bay All-Star football game. He was also chosen to the 1950s All-Decade Basketball Team by the Concord Transcript. His third all-league accolade came in tennis. He returned to his alma mater teaching English and journalism and coaching tennis, baseball and track.

Gene Montori (1964 football, baseball and wrestling) earned nine varsity letters along with being student body president as a senior. He was a threeyear starter for the Eagles football team and was twice given all-DVAL honors as a

Alana Sevier

School: Concord High

Grade: Senior

Sports: Cross Country & Track

Concord High cross country and track coach Lanette

Stanziano has come to rely on Sevier after coaching her all four years on the school’s cross country and track teams. This year the senior is showing her versatility in running the 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 as well as on the 4x400 relay. Her coach said, “Alana has been working really hard this year without complaint. She has run multiple races in many meets to help our varsity girls defeat Diablo Athletic League Valley Division schools Alhambra, Berean Christian, College Park, Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley.” Entering their final meet this week against Benicia, the varsity girls were looking to maintain an undefeated record in their division. Stanziano adds, “Alana is an integral part of the scoring as well as an integral part of the team spirit.”

Besides completing her final track season, Sevier is looking forward to graduating with her class. She says, “Running for Concord High has made me fall in love with racing. Freshman year is when I knew I wanted to run in college. After every season, all I wanted was for the next one to start. My life wouldn’t be the same without running; the sport makes me feel complete. The friendships and bonds I created over the past four years is something I couldn’t be more grateful for. I’m exited to see where running takes me.” Sevier went to San Jose State on a recruiting visit, but decided she wants to go to Diablo Valley College in the fall and run there for two years with her sights set on transferring to San Diego State where she wants to major in Kinesiology and become a trainer or coach.

The Pioneer congratulates Alana and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry. laceyandruicka.com lineman. Montori made his biggest noise on the wrestling mat including a North Coast Section outstanding wrestler award as a senior when he also was third at the Northern California wrestling tournament at 194 pounds. The Eagles finished in the top five teams in 1963 and 64. He was awarded the prestigious Leadership Altair

Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.

Award in his graduating class.

Brian Strock (1977 wrestling and football) came to Clayton Valley from Pacifica High as a senior and became the school’s first-ever all-State champion which capped an undefeated season in 34 matches. His junior year he tied for seventh at State, the best finish ever for a Pacifica wrestler. That senior year as team captain he won four invitational tournaments plus the DVAL and North Coast titles before capping the season as California State champ. He was named Winter Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Northern California Wrestler for the league, section and state championship 1977 CVHS Hall of Fame team. He received a full scholarship to San Jose State and was a four-year scholar athlete for the Spartans.

Suzanne Boehner Miladin (1977 track and field and fencing) has been called the “Queen of CVHS Track and Field” as she shined when girls were first getting a chance to compete at the North Coast and CIF State level. She was third in the high jump as a freshman in

1974, the first year girls competed at the State Meet. Six times she was first or second at NCS in the high jump and long jump and as a senior she set school records in both events at the State Meet. She won 10 league championships. Boehner was also two-time team captain and four-year varsity fencer for the Eagles. Her accomplishments led to three years on the Cal Poly Pomona track team where she still is in the school record book for the high jump. She competed in the pentathlon at the collegiate national championships.

Kip Yaughn (1988 baseball) went down as one of the greatest pitchers in the rich history of CVHS baseball. As a junior he threw the only perfect game in Eagles annals against Northgate in the Diablo Valley Easter Tournament. He pitched 228 innings with 360 strikeouts in his three years on varsity, setting a slew of school records for season and career including four no-hitters, 16 strikeouts in a game and 161 strikeouts in a season. He was league MVP and all-East Bay his senior year and

Four local schools honor Class of 2023 athletes formally committing to college

Carondelet, Northgate, Clayton Valley Charter and De La Salle high schools celebrated 17 senior student athletes this spring who signed their National Letters of Intent to play their sport starting in the fall at 16 colleges from coast to coast.

The signees will be playing 11 different sports in college including soccer, acrobatics and tumbling, swimming, basketball, competitive cheer, water polo, rugby, wrestling, volleyball, track and cross country.

Besides Northern and Southern California, college signees are headed for Massachusetts, Washington, Mon- tana, Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey and Michigan to further their academic and athletic pursuits.

SPRING NLI SIGNEES (SPORT ANDCOLLEGE ):

Carondelet

Mariana Aiello (Acrobatics & Tumbling, Caldwell University)

Jenna Davis (Swimming, Chapman University)

Macy Lehrer (Soccer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Lara Meeks (Competitive Cheer and Stunt, Davenport University)

Clayton Valley Charter

Emily Beeson (Soccer, Adams State University)

Laura Fribley (Soccer, Thomas College)

Jake King (Basketball, William Jessup University

Isabelle Ruff (Cross Country and Track, Carroll College)

Adrian Salamasidis (Volleyball, St. Andrews University)

De La Salle

Ryan Cesmat (Swimming, Seattle University)

Atri Feizi (Wrestling, Menlo College)

Ben Gronbach (Water Polo, University of the Pacific)

Billy Haggerty (Basketball, UC San Diego)

Joey Manzone (Rugby, Saint Mary’s College)

Tommy Rainsford (Rugby, Cal Berkeley)

Northgate Megan Malloy (Cross Country and Track, Chico State)

Emilio Pucci (Football, Chapman University) Visit pioneerpublishers.com for more photos and information.