Bay Area Issue 160, February 2019 by Sport Stars Magazine

BAY AREA EDITION FEBRUARY 2019 VOL. 10 ISSUE 160

Another Classic

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MLK Monday

etting out from behind the desk at SportStars HQ and taking in a game is always the best part of this job. Getting to watch the marquee match-ups on Martin Luther King Day is always a prime day that’s circled on the calendar. Covering MLK showcase events has been a favorite of mine since the first one I covered back in the 2002-03 season when a Leon Powe-led Oakland Tech team edged out a gritty and extremely-talented De La Salle at Saint Mary’s College. This year, I was excited early on by the opportunity to see SportStars’ No. 1-ranked boys and girls teams on the same day. On the girls side, that meant seeing No. 1 Archbishop Mitty-San Jose in a nonleague matinee at then-No. 4 Carondelet High. It also meant getting to see Haley Jones, who commands attention the same way Powe did. This MLK Day was my first time to see Jones in person this season. She did not disappoint. She had 21 points in the first half and finished with 28 to go with eight rebounds, four assists and six steals. My favorite part might have been watching her give time and autographs to more than a few young girls and boys in the wake of the Monarchs’ 80-58 victory. It reminded me of another selfless high school star I saw do that once, former Antioch High running back Najee Harris. From Carondelet, I motored up the hill to the same gymnasium at which I first saw Powe play. It was another No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup in our rankings at the time: undefeated No. 1 Salesian-Richmond against redhot challenger Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland. Down two starters due to injuries, Salesian didn’t grab its first lead of the game until there was less than three minutes to play. The Pride won by eight. Salesian coach Bill Mellis, whose teams I’ve covered for more than 15 years, clearly has something special with this group. After wins over Clark-Las Vegas on Jan. 26 and St. Patrick-St. Vincent on Jan. 29, Salesian was one win away from closing out a perfect 26-0 regular season. Even Mellis marvels a little bit. “The best teams on all levels still lose games,” Mellis said after the Pride’s MLK win. “I thought we’d be having a great year, but not necessarily undefeated. There’s plenty of games we played really well and still could’ve lost. Lot of those games could’ve gone either way, so for all of them to go our way is a little bit surprising.” I can’t say for certain that we’ll get to see these two teams again during the CIF Open Championship games at Golden 1 Arena on March 9. But I sure enjoyed them on Jan. 21, and I’m confident they’d represent NorCal quite well. ✪

ALL ACCESS See what’s in this issue quarterback Kaiden Bennet Liberty’s Sione 12 Folsom’s 10 Mr.-Do-Everything, headlined a powerhouse offense to be Vaki, is the SportStars NorCal Football Player Of The Year

La Salle’s Henry To’oto’o is our 14 De Defensive Player Of The Year

our Offensive Player Of The Year

girls basketball is up to its 18 Miramonte old tricks again — mainly winning

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Jovon MCClanahan SALESIAN-RICHMOND - BASKETBALL - SENIOR It’s been a dominant first two months of the season for nationallyranked Salesian, and McClanahan has been right at the center of it. He showed that again on Jan. 26 at Solano College in Fairfield. He accounted for 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals to help lead the Pride to convincing 65-41 victory over Nevada-power ClarkLas Vegas. The win improved Salesian to 24-0 and moved it into the Top 10 of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Rankings. It also kept the Pride firmly in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the Open Division of the CIF Northern Regional playoffs which begin in late February. McClanahan’s twin brother Jaden is also a starter and major contributor to the team’s success.

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Vivian Light of Pleasant GroveElk Grove and Northern California Volleyball Club

As February arrives, so does the heart of the girls volleyball club season. The Northern California Volleyball Association Power League kicked for hte 18U Division in December, but divisions 11U through 17U all get under way on Feb. 2-3 with Power League Qualifier Tournaments mostly being held at either San Mateo Events Center and Cal Expo of Sacramento. Some of Northern California’s top high school players finally begin their club season this weekend, including Marin CatholicKentfield junior Kari Geissberger. She’ll be leading Absolute Volleyball’s 17-Black, which will be aiming to improve on its thirdplace overall finish in 16s last spring. The Absolute 16’s finished 26 points back of first-place Northern California Volleyball Club 16-1 Asics, and 10 points back of Red Rock 16-1. Last season’s 16s champions from NCVC included Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove star Vivian Light as well as Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove standout Haley Burdo. The 17s Qualifier will take place at the San Mateo Events Center with play beginning as early as 8 a.m. on Feb. 2. The 16s Qualifier will take place at Cal Expo. Based on how tight the 15s point race was a year ago, there’s no telling who might emerge as the early favorite in 16s this season. Last year’s point standings finished with a tie at the top of the standings as SF Elite 15-Saga and NorCal Black 15-1 each finished with 2,230 points. And Red Rock 15-1 finished only 9.75 points back of them. Meanwhile, the 18U Division will have its third overall event this weekend with Power League #2 on Feb. 2 at the San Jose Convention Center. Five Starz Volleyball 18-1 out of Sacramento is the current points leader after topping Absolute Black 18-1 in the Power League #1 Tournament championship in early January. The Absolute team, which features Alhambra-Martinez star Sterling Parker, sits just two points back in the standings though. Vision Volleyball 18-1 Gold out of Los Gatos are the defending 17s champions from a year ago. That squad features Menlo School standouts Selina Xu and Sianna Broughton. To find out more about Girls Power League, see schedules or current point standings, visit NCVA.com. ✪

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POWER PLAY Here are the NCVA Girls Power League key dates for 2019 FEB. 2 — Power League #2 Tournament for 18s FEB. 2-3 — Power Leauge Qualifier for 11s-17s FEB. 23 — Power League #1 Tournament for 11s-14s FEB. 24 — Power League #1 Tournament for 15s-17s MARCH 10 — Power League #2 Tournament for 16s-17s MARCH 16 — Power League #2 Tournament for 12s, 14s MARCH 17 — Power League #2 Tournament for 11s, 13s, 15s MARCH 23 — Power League #3 Tournament for 11s, 13s MARCH 24 — Power League #3 Tournament for 12s, 14s MARCH 30 — Power League #3 Tournament for 15s-17s APRIL 6 — Power League #3 Tournament for 18s MAY 4-5 — Regional Championships for 11s-14s MAY 11-12 — Regional Championships for 15s-18s

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February 2019

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

BALANCE ON THE COURTS Our freshman boys basketball team would beat our girls varsity by 20 — at least. But the girls get better practice times and more publicity than our boys varsity even though they couldn’t even get the ball across half-court against us. It’s not fair — we’re so much better but we’re treated worse. E.G., Oakland

ou know I coach girls basketball, right? OK, I’m a little biased, I admit, but the whole boy/girl thing is an issue, and the question is legitimate – and it boils down to this: Just like the varsity team gets preference over the JVs because the varsity is better, shouldn’t the boys get preference over the girls because they’re better? Obviously, there’s enormous importance to give girls an equal opportunity to succeed, whether it be in STEM classes or in athletics. So giving girls an equal shot at good practice times is important. But do the boys really deserve better treatment because they’re bigger, stronger and faster? This question really hits home when the boys team is really good, and the girls are really bad, which may be the case at your school. But it’s important to remember that things change over time, and I’m willing to bet there was a season when your boys team, relatively speaking, was much worse than the girls. So that year, should the girls have gotten preferential treatment? I can hear the answer: Even the worst boys team would beat the best girls team, so that doesn’t matter. At one level, maybe so. But at the high school level, it’s a lot different than in the pros — and not just because of the money. First, athletics is an extracurricular activity, like drama or music, that has an educational component and an educational value. It’s part of the school’s tool kit to engage and teach young people how to live as adults. From that perspective, the

level of achievement is less important — much less important — than the process of learning. So looking at it that way, the time spent in practice is equally important for boys or girls, and so is the experience gained from playing interscholastic sports. Just because the boys can win more games and score 70 points, and the girls lose most of them and struggle to get to 30, doesn’t mean that the girls aren’t getting just as much from their participation as the boys. I could also argue that interscholastic sports are more valuable for girls than boys, because it exposes girls to competitive situations that are less familiar to them than to boys — and life after school is full of competitive situations, from trying to make a sale to standing up for yourself in a relationship. Boys, in general, start competing on the playground in elementary school while girls, in general, tend to shy away from that kind of aggression. So sports, then, is an opportunity for girls to fill in the gaps in their education, just as boys can use time spent in class to learn how to function in group activities and apply themselves academically. As for publicity, look at it this way: The worst junior college team would likely beat your varsity boys by 20 or more, but the next time you see a headline about JC basketball this year will likely be the first. In the end, all you can do is take care of your own business, and get the most out of your own basketball experience — all this other stuff really doesn’t matter once you take the court. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and has coached numerous sports at a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at claykallam@gmail.com.

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SportStars NorCal Player of the Year

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Sione Vaki, Liberty-Brentwood

ione Vaki simply wasn’t going to be denied his chance to make a difference for his teammates. After a regular season in which he was one of the East Bay’s most explosive offensive weapons — he scored at least one touchdown in each of his first 11 games — Vaki spent his final three games serving as Liberty-Brentwood’s most valuable defensive player. All the way down to the team’s final tackle of the season. With the Lions clinging to a 19-17 lead over Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth in the CIF Division 1-A State Bowl Championship game, the Trailblazers were driving to take the lead with less than four minutes to go. On a 4th-down-and-4 from the Liberty 37-yard line, Sierra Canyon handed the ball to junior running back Brendon Gamble. Vaki crashed down from his safety position and stuffed Gamble for no gain. It was his 14th tackle of the game. Liberty took over and converted a pair of first downs to run out the clock and win the program’s first CIF bowl title. In a historic season in which the Lions also won a league title for the first time since 1985, Vaki’s efforts on both sides of the ball made him SportStars’ choice for NorCal Player of the Year. “Such a humble kid. A blessing to coach,” Liberty coach Ryan Partridge said in a late January conversation with the magazine. “Extremely hard working. It’s always, ‘Yes, Coach.’ There’s never once been an argument. His teammates love him, every single one of my coaches loves him, the teachers and administration on campus love him.” Liberty quarterback Jay Butterfield marveled at Vaki’s work ethic during a late October interview. “He works harder than anyone else,” said Butterfield, who connected with Vaki for 20 of his 43 touchdown passes in 2018. “He comes out to the field and tries to perfect his craft every day. That’s just what makes him who he is.” Vaki’s overall season stats included 70 receptions for 1,394 yards and the 20 touchdowns. He also had a rushing TD, a kick return TD and an interception return for a score. Vaki finished second on the Lions defense with 97 tackles and added four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Those defensive numbers really spiked in the postseason, when he delivered 56 tackles over a four-game stretch. “We put him single-high and he cleans up anything that goes wrong,” Partridge said. “He had nothing below 10 tackles (per game) down the stretch. He was unbelievable on defense. On the offensive side of the ball, they definitely tried to take him out of the game, doubling him, taking angles on him and even tripling him sometimes.” Vaki is a member of the Mormon faith. He will serve his mission prior to playing college football, but that hasn’t stunted his recruitment. Utah, Tennessee, Washington State and USC are all programs hoping to earn a commitment from him this February. He’ll certainly get Partridge’s endorsement. “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime-type player and person.” ✪ — Chace Bryson

The People’s Player of the Year

Jean-Paul Toshiro/photo

TATUO MARTINSON, OL/DL, DEL ORO-LOOMIS From Jan. 11-25, we hosted a fan vote at SportStarsMag.com for our first annual People’s Player Of The Year Award. We identified eight nominees: Kaiden Bennett (QB, Folsom), Austin Jones (RB/DB, Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland), Tatuo Martinson (OL/DL, Del Oro-Loomis), Paul M. Rosa (RB/DB, Wilcox-Santa Clara), D’Marcus Ross (RB/DB, Capital Christian-Sacramento), Cameron Skattebo (RB/LB, Rio Linda), Henry To’oto’o (LB/RB, De La Salle-Concord) and Sione Vaki (WR/DB, Liberty-Brentwood). Over 17,500 votes were cast and Martinson received 7,336. And he needed just about every one to defeat Rosa, who wound up just 235 votes back. Martinson is no doubt deserving of the honor. The senior hybrid defender was equally stout against the run and the pass. Martinson recorded 71 tackles, Ike Dodson/photo including 20 for loss, had six sacks, an interception, fumble recovery and a eye-popping five blocked field goals. On offense, he helped pave the way for a rushing attack that averaged nearly seven yards per carry for an Eagles team which went 13-2 and reached the CIF 2-AA State Bowl final.

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Kaiden Bennett, Folsom

o player was more potent in 2018 than Folsom High’s Kaiden Bennett. In his second year as the varsity starter, the dual-threat signal caller accounted for 75 touchdowns — second most in all of California — and completed a career-best 73 percent of his passes while posting for more than 4,000 yards in the air and 568 yards on the ground. Although he accounted for more rushing yards in his career than any other Folsom quarterback (2,137), he proved he could sling it with the best of them, too. He leaves the school as the second-leading passer all-time (11,049 yards) behind Jake Browning (16,775). Much of that success came in 2018. Bennett had his best season in the pocket as he threw for 62 touchdowns and had just five interceptions in 301 attempts. His 19.2 yards-per-completion topped his junior season mark of 16.8 and his 148.3 quarterback rating was 18 points higher in that same span. But beyond the stats and accolades, Bennett was most satisfied with his team’s final outcome as they claimed their second-straight state bowl championship. “I felt like I played a big part on one of, if not the best team in school history with our backto-back state championships,” Bennett said. “So I feel like that was a big accomplishment for me and that I left my mark on Folsom.” Bennett threw for 261 yards and two TDs and added 137 yards and a third score on the ground against Cathedral Catholic-San Diego in the CIF D1-AA State Bowl. His big night led to postgame recognition as he became the first player in CIF State history to earn MVP honors in two-straight state bowl games. “There were a lot of people that doubted us, and didn’t think we were as good as we knew we were,” Bennett acknowledged. “But I feel like at the end of the season people knew what type of team we were and what kind of players we had.” Bennett is one of a handful of Division I-bound players from this year’s Bulldogs’ squad as he joins the Boise State football program and continues his gridiron career at the next level. But Bennett is one of the few players whose journey is already underway. “I’m actually already here,” Bennett said in a phone interview from campus. “It’s a big jump, but I feel like it’s the right jump and the right decision for me.” A three-star recruit according to 247sports, Bennett had offers from 11 schools but signed with the Broncos just a few days after claiming his second state championship ring. The transition to Idaho takes Bennett back to his roots. Originally from Reno, Nevada, the young quarterback is used to snowy conditions and cold winters. Now he’s preparing for his future, training with his new team and getting set to play against a new level of competition. “I’m not focused on the roster or anything like that – I just want to see myself getting better,” he admitted. “That’s all I’m really concerned with right now – getting reps and preparing for spring practices.” ✪ — Steven Wilson

SportStars All-NorCal Offense STARTERS QB — Kaiden Bennett, Folsom, Sr. RB — Austin Jones, Bishop O’DowdOakland, Sr. RB — Cam Skattebo, Rio Linda, Jr. WR — Joe Ngata, Folsom, Sr. WR — Sione Vaki, Liberty, Sr. TE — Connor Barbato, Rancho Cotate, Sr. OL — Joey Capra, Placer-Auburn, Sr. OL — Justin Scrempos, Milpitas, Sr. OL — Zac Welch, Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills, Sr. OL — Zack Gieg, Valley Christian-San Jose, Sr. OL — Gunnar Rask, De La Salle-Concord, Sr. David Gerson/photo

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RESERVES QB — Jay Butterfield, Liberty-Brentwood, Jr. QB — Jackon Pavitt, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, Jr. RB — Daniyel Ngata, Folsom, Jr. RB — Jarmar Julien, McClymonds-Oakland, Sr. RB — Isaiah Newell, Las Lomas-Walnut Creek, Jr. RB — Tyerell Sturges-Cofer, Liberty, Sr. RB — Fresh Ison, Moreau Catholic-Hayward, Jr. WR — Jamir Shepard, Palo Alto, Jr. WR — Caleb Cooley, Pleasant Valley-Chico, Sr. WR — Elijah Badger, Folsom, Jr. WR — Jake Green, Colfax, Sr. OL — Frank Poso, Branham-San Jose, Jr. OL — George Becker, Gridley, Sr. OL — Isaac Duenas, Alisal-Salinas, Sr. K — Ronan Donnelly, Sacred Heart PrepAtherton, Jr.

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Henry To’oto’o, De La Salle

enry To’oto’o spent 12 games of 2018 cementing his stature as Northern California’s best linebacker — for the second year in a row. His standing as one of De La SalleConcord’s all-time best defensive talents was a given. In his 13th game, he took it a step further. If one could imagine the storied program’s history as a giant quilt, To’oto’o’s final game as a Spartan would’ve earned its own square. All for a game in which he managed just six tackles in a 35-21 loss to Mater Dei-Santa Ana in the CIF Open Division State Bowl Championship game. He played the game on a broken foot. An injury that was barely 24 hours old. “It never occurred to him that he wasn’t going to play,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said in a late January interview. “We had a lot of young guys playing in that game, and he showed a lot of them what it means to be a Spartan. “That will always stick with me. He kind of displayed himself as the alpha dog. Grit and determination and toughness. Those aren’t easy qualities for a young athlete to exhibit, and it was on full display for all those guys.” None of it was an act. To’oto’o spent the better part of the past three seasons becoming the rock of the De La Salle defense. As a senior, especially, he not only represented the physicality of the Spartans’ defense, but served as its emotional core as well. He’s the first player to win the SportStars Defensive Player of the Year Award in consecutive seasons. “He was always smiling. Always competing,” Alumbaugh said. “It was a unique mix. There are a lot of players who like being out there with their guys. And there are players who also just like hitting. You don’t always get both in the same guy.” Following his lead, the De La Salle defense was easily NorCal’s best. Prior to surrendering a season-high 35 points to Mater Dei, the Spartans had allowed opponents to eclipse 20 just twice in their previous 12 games. Folsom and Liberty-Brentwood, the two NorCal teams which won CIF Division 1-AA and 1-A State Bowl championships one week after De La Salle’s loss, combined to score just seven points against De La Salle in 2018. Division 1-AA champ Folsom was shut out 14-0 in a Week Zero blockbuster in Concord. Liberty was a 42-7 victim in the NCS Open Division championship after the Spartans defense forced five turnovers. To’oto’o finished his senior season with 76 tackles (17 for loss), 42 solo tackles, four sacks and two fumble recoveries. He also rushed for more than 500 yards and scored five touchdowns. He entered February as the nation’s No. 1 uncommited defensive recruit. Alabama and Tennessee are considered the top contenders for his services. “I love the kid,” Alumbaugh said. “I’m gonna miss him and miss coaching him. He was simply one of those kids who was fun to coach. He loved his teammates and he loved his coaches.” Those teammates and coaches who stay behind will be sure To’oto’o’s legacy is sewn into the fabric of De La Salle football. ✪ — Chace Bryson

SportStars All-NorCal Defense

Berry Evans III/photo

DL — Noa Ngalu, Menlo-Atherton-Atherotn, Sr. DL — Isaiah Foskey, De La Salle-Concord, Sr. DL — Jacob Bandes, Pittsburg, Sr. LB — Henry To’oto’o, De La Salle, Sr. LB — Daniel Heimuli, Menlo-Atherton, Sr. LB — Joshua Pakola, St. Francis-Mountain View, Sr. LB — Tristan Sinclair, San Ramon ValleyDanville, Sr. DB — Amir Wallace, De La Salle, Sr. AP — D’Marcus Ross, Capital ChristianSacramento, Sr. AP — Shamar Garrett, De La Salle, Sr. AP — Evan Williams, St. Francis-Mountain View, Sr.

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RESERVES DL — Dejon Benton, Pittsburg, Sr. DL — Sione Liku, Oakland, Sr. DL — Garrett Fountain, Turlock, Sr. DL — Tatuo Martinston, Del Oro-Loomis, Sr. DL — Jamar Sekona, Marin CatholicKentfield, Jr. LB — Tyce Mullins, Eureka, Sr. LB — Nicky Einess, Liberty-Brentwood, Sr. LB — Laiatu Latu, Jesuit-Carmichael, Sr. DB — Daniel Roanhorse, Freedom-Oakley, Sr. DB — Lovelace Rufus, Moreau CatholicHayward, Sr. DB — Johnny Serrano, Rio Linda, Jr. AP — Paul M. Rosa, Wilcox-Santa Clara, Jr. AP — Bailey Sulzer, West Valley-Cottonwood, Sr. AP — Zach Larrier, Monterey Trail-Elk Grove, Sr. AP — Giles Jackson, Freedom, Sr.

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SportStars NorCal Coach of the Year Ryan Partridge, Liberty-Brentwood

David Graham/photo

n just two seasons at the helm of the Liberty High football team, history is starting to make a habit of following head coach Ryan Partridge at nearly every turn. After leading the Lions to their first North Coast Section title in 2017, Partridge moved the team’s goals one step higher in 2018. Expectations from the outside rose, but so did the feeling that if everything went according to plan, the month of December might offer another opportunity to rewrite the Liberty record books. When that opportunity did arrive, Partridge and the Lions didn’t shrink from the challenge. A trip to Cerritos College in Norwalk offered its share of obstacles, both on the field and off, but Liberty kept right on going to cap an unforgettable season with a 19-17 victory over Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth in the CIF Division 1-A State Bowl title game. For all the talent on the field, and Liberty certainly didn’t lack in that department, a culture of unselfishness made all the difference as Partridge guided his squad through a month-long hiatus due to devastating wildfires in Northern California, the NCS Open Division playoffs and a CIF NorCal road victory over Valley Christian-San Jose. “The number one thing with this team, I’ve never seen it in my life, is the lack of egos,” Partridge said. “We had some big time football players and everyone was about the team. There was not one kid on this team, not one coach on this team that was ego-centric. We set the goal as a state championship early in the summer and that was the focus.” To take the final step in Southern California, Partridge had to lean less on his typical preparation methods and more on the resolve of his team. As Liberty’s athletic director, the secondyear coach was charged not only with game planning but also with the logistical challenge of making sure his team had hotel rooms, busses and food along the way. Sticking to a script that had worked time and time again proved critical. Once the first half nerves subsided, Liberty got to work and Tyerell Sturges-Cofer’s 11-yard touchdown run, his third trip to paydirt of the evening, provided the eventual winning points. The Lions earned their first bowl title despite the absence of leading tackler Nicky Einess, out due to injury, and a Sierra Canyon defense that limited a potent Liberty passing attack to just 117 yards through the air. “We thought we had a solid game plan and we were definitely going to do what we do on offense and on defense,” Partridge said. “But Sierra Canyon just did a great job of confusing us and sending some pressures we’d never seen from them before. “The bottom line is the kids kept believing the whole entire time, persevered through and made some big plays.” ✪ — Ben Enos

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Gilroy, Vacaville Wrestling Poised For Big Postseasons It’s not a perfect science, but sometimes it feels like rocket science. This week, 37 scoresheets from the Sac-Joaquin Section Team Dual Championships were scrutinized, alongside 154 combined brackets from 11 tournaments at Mission San JoseFremont, Gilroy, Mission Oak-tulare, Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa, Pitman-Turlock, Overfelt-San Jose, Eureka, Rodriguez-Fairfield, Albany, Corning and Morro Bay. Finishes, weight changes and head-to-head results shifted 156 wrestlers into new spots on our rankings, and 25 wrestlers cracked the lists after missing designation two weeks ago. Following are the newest team rankings. Visit SportStarsMag. com to see our 14 weight class rankings. Rankings through matches on Jan. 27. Previous rank in parenthesis Gabe Martinez, Oakdale 1. (1) Gilroy (13 ranked, 152 power points) The Mustangs didn’t have their full THE SYSTEM lineup at the last elite tournament Our team rankings are calculated by the cumulaof the regular season (MidCals), tive “power points” of each ranked wrestler from but still scored 247.5 points in our weight-by-weight Top 15s — viewable on the fourth place, behind only Tuttle Wrestling page of SportStarsMag.com — with 15 (Oklahoma), Buchanan-Clovis and points awarded to the top wrestler in each weight Poway. Eleven of Gilroy’s 13 ranked and one point given to the wrestler at No. 15. wrestlers competed, and nine Only one wrestler can earn “power points” in each placed in the top five. bracket, but we will rank multiple wrestlers from 2. (2) Vacaville (12-109) the same team, if necessary. Freshmen Ethan Birch (138) and Eric Almarinez (113) debut in the top 15 of their weight class after dominating performances at the SJS Duals. The Bulldogs won Division I in a landslide by outpointing Edison-Stockton, Folsom and Elk Grove by a combined 180-30 margin. Almarinez beat Folsom’s Daniel Lopez (No. 7 at 106) 21-6 while Birch edged Kendall Frank of Elk Grove (No. 9 at 138) 8-7. 3. (4) Oakdale (9-91) Oakdale is tougher as a unit with Henry Porter at 132, and looked tough at the SJS duals, beating Pitman-Turlock 47-23 in the Div. II finale. The Mustangs will look to bring a high-scoring squad to Masters to challenge Vacaville, now the section’s heavy favorite. Oakdale has five wrestlers ranked in the top three of Northern California in their weight classes. Gilroy is the only team with more. 4. (3) De La Salle-Concord (10-86) Big gains by wrestlers in key weight classes shifted a few Spartans down the ranks, but De La Salle still maintains a solid position in our top five. De La Salle has nine ranked wrestlers, seven of them listed in the top eight. Senior Kyle Parco, No. 1 at 132 pounds, has never won a state medal. 5. (5) Del Oro-Loomis (6-76) The Golden Eagles were bested by Pitman in SJS Duals, but are much better in tournament format. The squad welcomes back previously injured freshman standout Damion Elliott, who jumped into the No. 9 spot at 113 pounds. THE NEXT 10 6. (6) Pitman-Turlock (5-54) 7. (7) Franklin-Elk Grove (5-48) 8. (8) Sutter (5-42) 9. (10) Turlock (4-39) 10. (9) Folsom (4-38) 11. (11) Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills (3-32)

12. (13) Elk Grove (4-31) T13. (12) Liberty-Brentwood (4-27) T13. (NR) St. Francis-Mountain View (3-27) 15. (NR) Calaveras (26) ✪

— Ike Dodson

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February 2019

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MAX

MATS Miramonte Girls Basketball Mixes Its Traditional Pursuit Of Excellence With An Independent Schedule To Net National Ranking 18

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February 2019

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Rebecca Welsh Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

story by Mike Wood photos by Dennis Lee

February 2019

SportStars™

n the iconic movie Jaws, Chief Brody needed a bigger boat. At Miramonte High in Orinda, the girls basketball team needs a bigger trophy case. The current cabinet of championship hardware is near full capacity. Yet the Matadors look to be in line to add to their lofty collection. At 21-2 amid one of the most demanding schedules around, Miramonte appears primed for another deep postseason run. All the typical characteristics of previous great Matadors teams are present with this group. ›› Intense defensive pressure. ›› A relentlessly fast-paced offense that shows no fear in shooting 3-pointers. ›› A deep crew of contributors. Yet there is one difference this time. This season Miramonte, currently fourth in SportStars’ NorCal rankings, is playing as an independent. So instead of packing big-time competition and road trips into the first half of the season, the Matadors can continue that arduous December schedule pace all the way until playoff time. They still play area rivals like Campolindo-Moraga and Acalanes-Lafayette, but are cleared from league-play obligations. “It’s awesome,” said Miramonte coach Kelly Sopak, in his 10th season running the elite program. “I think that is the wave of the future. I think more teams need to do it.” As an independent, the Matadors have packed up plenty of quality wins, beating 2018 Open Division teams like Clovis North-Fresno, Harvard-Westlake-Studio City and Folsom and fellow Division I competitors from a year ago such as Mission Hills-San Marcos, La Jolla Country Day, Presentation-San Jose and Chaminade-West Hills. They just avenged last year’s 69-48 NorCal Division I championship loss to Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco with a 98-68 win on Jan. 21 at the Bishop O’Dowd MLK Classic. Miramonte’s losses have been 72-49 to Highlands Ranch — the No. 1 ranked team in Colorado — and 70-66 to fellow NorCal-power Carondelet-Concord. Ranked 16th in the nation in the mostrecent (Jan. 25) MaxPreps rankings, the Matadors are the third-highest nationally ranked NorCal team, after Central Coast Section powers Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (fourth) and Pinewood-Los Altos Hills (sixth). This is the seventh time in the past eight seasons that Miramonte has been nationally ranked. The Matadors won four straight North Coast Section titles from 2014-17, winning at least 30 games each of those seasons. The Matadors reached the CIF Open Division state championship game in the 2015-16 season, falling 80-71 to ChaminadeWest Hills. They made the NorCal finals two straight years before that. They have had great leaders during those seasons. There was the phenomenal Sabrina Ionescu, now at Oregon. She recently set the NCAA record for triple-doubles with 13 in her career, better than any women’s or men’s player. There was Clair Steele, who played in every game all four of her years at Miramonte. She’s now at Lehigh. Now that leadership role belongs to Emily Huston, the only senior who has played varsity all four years. She emerged as a starter her junior year after a front-row seat to the earlier successes. She knows what it takes. “I got to watch on the sidelines for a while, which was nice,” she said. “It allowed me to see exactly what was going to be expected of me, when I was going to go in. The level of play we had to live up to in this program.” And she has learned what Sopak expects. “She embodies what Miramonte basketball is about,” Sopak said. “Her effort; she plays hard every second she is out there.” And what the Matadors seek are more players able lead, being vocal on the court and while on the

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February 2019

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Emily Huston, right, rises for a block against Folsom.

bench. “I was telling someone earlier, that is probably our biggest area of growth,” Sopak said. “We can’t wait until next year to have other people step up and be vocal and be a leader. We have got to get more of that this year.” Sopak owns a career mark of 274-38 at Miramonte heading into February. Because he holds the bar of achievement high, he sees there is room for improvement this season. The Matadors closed out the Lamorinda Classic on Jan. 26 with a 84-57 win over Whitney-Rocklin that was somewhat of a mixed bag, considering the current season’s catalog of success stories. “We have a lot of work to do,” Sopak said after that game. “For us to be successful, we are not just going to show up and beat anyone. We are not that good. We have got to play 32 minutes.” The Matadors have had to adjust after starting point guard Amerika De Los Santos suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Jan. 5 win over Chaminade at the Matt Denning Nike Hoops Classic at Mater Dei. Rebecca Welsh, among the Matadors’ most brazen 3-point shooters, has moved into that role from the No. 2 guard slot. “Rebecca is a natural point guard anyway, so it’s a pretty smooth transition,” Sopak said. “But we miss Amerika’s toughness and her leadership.” Added Huston: “It was hard for us to watch because we care about her as a teammate. Nobody wants to go through that, especially not a second time. Especially someone who loves basketball as much as Amerika does.” As the transition continues from older stars to newer ones, Miramonte has continued to thrive. “I am definitely learning from Emily Huston and I did from Clair Steele,” said sophomore Mia Mastrov, who is in the midst of a breakout season. “Clair was a really great leader for our team. And so is Emily right now. More people definitely need to step up, I think. Because losing Clair as a really great point guard and leader is hard on us, but Emily is really taking the (mantle) on that and stepping up.” Don’t ask the Matadors to look ahead when asked about any postseason aspirations or predictions. “We don’t like to set too many goals for ourselves; we just like to play our games as it goes,” Huston said. “We don’t like to look too far into the future and try to plan that far ahead. “We live in the moment. ... It will happen if we just work hard and play our game.” ✪

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February 2019

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training

TIRED Wondering If You Need To Drag Your Fatigued Self To The Gym? Let Your Goals Be Your Guide powered by trucks: Anthony trucks Have you ever felt that feeling where you KNOW you need to go to the gym and train, but your body just doesn’t feel like moving? Yeah, me too. In fact, I get that feeling more times throughout a month than I’d like nowadays. The big question that we all have to answer in that moment is, “What should I do?” Well the answer is both simple and complicated. Why? Because it depends on your goal and the reason why you’re training. When you train tired you put yourself at a little more of an increased risk, not to mention that you may not get the most out of your workout if you’re unable to perform at the level you need or want to. If your goal is to be an elite level athlete like I was in the NFL, then you will need to learn to prime your system and “turn on” even when you’re tired — because working when tired is an opportunity to get an edge on your competition. When they’re sleeping, you can still be working. On the flip side, if you’re just looking to be healthy then you may not have an immediate need to push through the fatigue and tired. Overall, the goal should be to avoid injury at all cost so you will want to look into taking time to recover properly so you don’t put yourself at risk. It’s not going to kill you to take a day off and get a moment to rest. When you do, you may in fact come back stronger than before. Make sure you listen to and take care of the one tool you can’t replace by giving it rest when needed. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

SportStars™

February 2019

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