NorCal Issue 110, December 2015

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10 CALIFORNIA

TOP 25: Mark Tennis and Cal-Hi Sports present the latest state-wide football rankings.

Who’s up, who’s down?

38 THE FENCE:

Tryouts, sign-ups, fund-raisers and more!

46 ADVERTISER’S INDEX

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December 2015

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A Few of Our Favorite Things

H

oly Holiday Hoops, 2015 is nearly over. Already.

This time of the year always sneaks up on a high school sports writer because between football ending and basketball hitting full stride, there’s only so much we can focus on. But yeah, end of another calendar. Just like that.

So, as we typically like to do, please indulge us while we point out what some of our favorite things about the 2015 year in Northern California high school sports. ›› BEST STATE BASKETBALL WEEKEND IN YEARS: It wasn’t just that so many games had thrilling finishes, and that so many new schools were crowned, it was atmosphere that Cal’s Haas Pavilion provided. Going back to Sleep Train Arena this March won’t feel the same. ›› IVAN RABB STAYS HOME: We’re not gonna lie.

When the Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland McDonald’s All-American announced he was going to Cal, we did a small fist pump. He looks good as a Golden Bear, doesn’t he? ›› GRAPPLING GOLD: Ponderosa-Shingle Springs senior Zack Velasquez finished a perfect 55-0 season by taking the CIF State Wrestling Championship at 152 pounds. Enochs junior Sariyah Jones captured the girls’ 106-pound title and earned a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team. ›› NORCAL’S NFL DRAFT WEEKEND: We smiled with pride as two former Sac-Joaquin Section football stars, and one former Oakland Athletic League standout were drafted in Round 1 of the NFL Draft: McClymonds-Oakland DB Marcus Peters (No. 18 to Kansas City), Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove DL Arik Armstead (No. 19 to S.F.) and Grant-Sacramento DB/RB Shaq Thompson (No. 25 to Carolina). ›› COLLEGE PARK BASEBALL CRUISES: Sometimes it’s just nice to see the team that’s supposed to win it all, actually win it all — and do it with humility and consistent effort. Having All-American and four-year star Joe DeMers, above right, on the mound to close out the North Coast Section Division I final just felt right too. ›› NOBODY PUTS EAST UNION SOFTBALL IN A CORNER: The Lancers needed to beat SJS-heavyweight Pioneer-Woodland in

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

back-to-back games to secure the SJS Div. III title. And did they ever.

East Union outscored the defending champ 29-4 combined in the doubleheader. ›› NO STOPPING NORCAL VOLLEYBALL: The days of Archbishop Mitty-San Jose being NorCal’s only hope at a state girls volleyball title seem like forever ago. The Monarchs were one of four NorCal teams to win state crowns earlier this month. Heck, the West Catholic Athletic League had THREE state champions as Valley Christian-San Jose and Notre Dame-Belmont also won titles.

Branson-Ross was the fourth NorCal state champ. ›› DE LA SALLE VS. CENTENNIAL, PART 5: We’re sure there are many who are tired of seeing the Spartans and Huskies face off for CIF State Bowl glory. Not us. And especially not this year. After the two traded haymakers for three full quarters in last year’s Open Division championship, with De La Salle finally pulling away to win 63-42, how could you not want to see what happens this time around? We’ll be there. That’s for sure.

Got a 2015 favorite, tell us about it on Twitter or Facebook. In the meantime, Happy Holidays, Sports Fans. We’ll see you in 2016. ✪

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Rapid FiRe TREY UDOFFIA Del Oro-Loomis Football

STERLING STROTHER Campolindo-Moraga Football

What is the top item on your Wish list Jordan 11’s legend Blues

time with my parents

What is your favorite holiday tradition going to my grandma’s house with family

playing Campo football through mid december

What is your least favorite Christmas Carol Can’t decide

oh, Christmas tree

Without googling, hoW many of santa’s reindeer Can you name vixen, Blitzen and donner dasher, dancer, donner, (3 of 9) Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, prancer, rupolph (8 of 9) What is your favorite holiday themed movie a Christmas story

TOp 5 OTher sTreAks 8

SportStars™

December 2015

a Charlie Brown Christmas

In the immortal words of Frank from Old School, “We’re going streaking!” Except. No. That would end badly for everyone. In much the same way that the Warriors’ intergalactic-record 24-game win streak to start the NBA season came stumbling to a halt in that 108-95 hiccup vs. the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 12. The night after the Celtics pushed Golden State to double overtime. On the last game of a seven-game road trip. Which concluded with a Boston-Milwaukee back-to-back. Because apparently the schedulers think that the NBA season isn’t grueling enough already. Nice one, guys. Anyway. We’re so disappointed with the not-all-that impressive streak that we decided to list things that we’ve done successfully more than 24 consecutive times, just to show the Dubs how it’s done. Here are our Top 5 24 Things.

1. Woken up on time to get to work — Since 2010. As far as our bosses know.

2. Been disappointed with the Heisman process — Every year since Elway didn’t win in 1982. #WildCaff!

3. Not hit someone with a car — 10,076 days and counting. Well. Technically 15,921, but we didn’t start driving until we turned 16, so that doesn’t seem fair.

4. Brushed teeth at least once — Every day this year so far!

5. Not made an egregious there-their-they’re error in print — 110 straight issues! Boom! Their it is! Oh. Damn.

—Record-setting Bill Kolb

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hail, Almazan-Cezar!

W

hen former McFarland boys cross country coach Jim White retired in 2001, and long before he was portrayed by Kevin Costner in the movie “McFarland USA,” he was No. 1 on the all-time state coaching list for most CIF state titles in a single sport with nine from 1987 to 2001.

According to the Cal-Hi Sports state record book, that list is currently led by recently retired Long Beach Poly track coach Don Norford, who is credited with an amazing 14 CIF state crowns for girls track plus another five for the boys. Norford retired after the 2013-14 school year.

Sitting at No. 2 on that list with 10 CIF state titles in girls cross country is the late Jim Tracy from University-San Francisco.

The manner in which Tracy’s girls performed for him, especially in the 2010 CIF state finals when he was in a wheelchair, is about the most inspiring effort one can ever hope to see.

The one coach coming up the fastest and showing no signs of slowing down, however, is Bret Almazan-Cezar from Archbishop Mitty-San Jose in girls volleyball. Almazan-Cezar began coaching girls volleyball at Lincoln-Stockton where he built the Trojans from 1993 to 1999 into a NorCal power and helped guide the career of future U.S. Olympian Nicole Davis.

After seven years at Lincoln, he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to lead the program at Mitty, which before he arrived in 2000 already had won three CIF state titles and produced such legendary players as three-time USA Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh.

And speaking of legendary, Almazan-Cezar is just about in that category as well. In this year’s CIF state finals on Dec. 5 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, his Archbishop Mitty squad topped Village Christian-Sun Valley in four sets (25-21, 22-25, 25-11, 25-16) in the CIF Division II state championship. That made it four straight state titles for the Monarchs, 12 in the history of the school and nine for Almazan-Cezar.

In addition to Mitty, the CIF Central Coast Section and the West Catholic Athletic League was as strongly represented at the state finals this year as ever before. Valley ChristianSan Jose (31-8) won its second CIF state crown by sweeping Olympian-Chula Vista in Division III while Notre Dame-Belmont (32-10) cruised past Laguna Blanca-Santa Barbara in Division IV. Menlo-Atherton of the CCS also

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December 2015

made it to the Division I final but lost in straight sets to Redondo-Redondo Beach.

Branson-Ross is from the North Coast Section and not the CCS, but added to Northern California’s CIF state volleyball title haul with an easy triumph in the Division V final over Upland Christian Academy.

No other girls volleyball coach in California has more CIF state titles than AlmazanCezar does, and for comparison he just moved one in front of Mater Dei-Santa Ana boys basketball coach Gary McKnight (who has eight state crowns) and two in front of St. Mary’s-Stockton girls basketball coach Tom Gonsalves (who has seven of the Rams’ total of eight).

This year’s team at Mitty finished 35-5 and wasn’t as highly ranked in the nation as some of Almazan-Cezar’s previous teams, such as last year’s 37-3 squad, or those that ended No. 1 in the nation, such as his 38-0 contingent from 2012.

“What separated this group from others is that it was a true team,” said Almazan-Cezar. “We had six kids who averaged two kills per game and two Division I college-bound setters who split time.

“We had 10 returners from last season so we knew had a lot of kids who knew the system and we knew we had the pieces.

We didn’t realize we’d be that balanced.”

At Mitty, Almazan-Cezar also knows his girls volleyball teams are just part of what has been called the greatest girls sports program at any high school in America. The Monarchs also have been No. 1 in the nation in softball, they’ve been unbeaten before in girls basketball (with six CIF state titles) and they’ve been among the best in the nation in girls soccer and girls swimming.

“The idea of being great is just what we try to do here,” Almazan-Cezar said.

“Everybody works hard to be great. And we’ve created a culture here where you’ll see that in a game or if you were to come to a school play.”

Since college volleyball is not exactly a major revenue sport, Almazan-Cezar seems more than content to keep on working toward building great teams at Mitty.

He also enjoys teaching in the math department, which happens to include several other Mitty coaches who’ve won state titles or who’ve been State Coach of the Year, including Sue Phillips (girls basketball), Tim Kennedy (boys basketball) and Bill Hutton (baseball).

And like all good math teachers at Mitty, the numbers just keep adding up. ✪

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California football top 25 Through Dec. 12

Bellarmine’s Kyle Macauley

1. (1) — De La Salle-Concord 12-1 After winning 24th straight NCS title, the Spartans were easy choice to represent NorCal for the seventh straight year in the CIF Open Division state bowl game.

Photo by James K. Leash

2. (2) — Centennial-Corona 14-0 The Huskies beat St. John Bosco 62-52 to win second consecutive CIFSS Pac-5 Division crown. They’ve lost in three of four state bowl meetings against DLS. 3. (3) — St. John Bosco-Bellflower 13-1 After giving up 55 points in first half to Centennial, Bosco’s defense did not resemble anything close to being worthy of a team ranked No. 1 in the nation.

4. (5) ▲ Mission Viejo 15-0 Head coach Bob Johnson hopes to direct grandson, QB Brock Johnson, to a state title in game vs. Bellarmine. He’s also tutored many NFL QBs, including Carson Palmer.

5. (6) ▲ Mater Dei-Santa Ana 10-3 The Monarchs only lost 36-29 to Centennial in CIFSS Pac-5 semifinals. They beat Serra-Gardena in quarterfinals.

6. (8) ▲ Bellarmine-San Jose 13-1 Knocking off Folsom in NorCal D1AA bowl game probably was biggest win for Bells since they were No. 1 in the state in 1981.

17. (17) — Oaks Christian-Westlake Village 11-1 We continue to rank the Lions in front of Camarillo due to strength of schedule. Both are Ventura County squads.

7. (4) ▼ Folsom 14-1 Losing to the Bells 42-35 ended a 30-game win streak by the Bulldogs, which was longest in the state. A 43-game home win streak was also snapped.

18. (18) — Camarillo 15-0 In the first-ever CIF state regional bowl game ever played in Ventura County, the Scorpions maintained their dizzying offensive show with a 63-49 win over previous No. 19 La Habra.

8. (10) ▲ Serra-Gardena 9-3 Cavs own a head-to-head win over CIF D2AA finalist Narbonne and lost to Mater Dei by just one point in CIFSS Pac-5 playoffs.

19. (23) ▲ Loyola-Los Angeles 9-3 Now that teams such as La Habra, Ridgeview and Calabasas have had their seasons end, some of the top-ranked CIFSS Pac-5 Div. teams can rise up or return to rankings.

9. (7) ▼ Helix-La Mesa 11-2 The CIF San Diego Section Open Division champs probably would have beaten Mission Viejo in SoCal D1AA bowl game were it not for a late fumble.

10. (11) ▲ Clayton Valley-Concord 13-1 Heading into the CIF D2AA state bowl game vs. No. 12 Narbonne, team’s only loss still the 27-26 Week 1 defeat at Folsom.

11. (9) ▼ Elk Grove 13-1 The Thundering Herd dropped two spots in the rankings due to Folsom’s loss to Bellarmine. They lost to Bulldogs in SJS Div. I final.

12. (12) — Narbonne-Harbor City 13-2 We had thought that the Gauchos were too low on the CIF bowl board, and they proved it with their 35-20 win over RidgeviewBakersfield in the D2AA South bowl.

13. (13) — Bishop Amat-La Puente 10-3 Had one of the state’s top receivers in USC-bound Tyler Vaughns.

14. (14) — Foothill-Pleasanton 12-1 After beating Antioch in matchup of 11-0 teams in NCS Div. I semis, Falcons as high as No. 10 before losing to De La Salle.

15. (15) — Long Beach Poly-Long Beach 8-2** Only two losses were to De La Salle and Bishop Gorman, both of which could finish among the Top 5 in the nation.

16. (16) — Antioch 11-1 A few more inches on two-point conversion attempt and Panthers would have probably beaten Foothill 56-55 instead of losing 55-54 in memorable NCS semifinal.

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20. (NR) ▲ Lutheran-Orange 6-6 With the losses vs. tough schedule, you can call the Lancers the Del Oro of the south.

21. (21) — Vista Murrieta-Murrieta 12-2 Head coach Coley Candaele’s team lost just 21-14 to Mission Viejo in CIFSS West Valley Div. final.

22. (NR) ▲ Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 10-3 Having a head-to-head win over Del Oro will keep Trojans ranked higher no matter what happens in D2AA state bowl game.

23. (24) ▲ St. Augustine-San Diego 10-3 Pounding previously unbeaten Mission Hills in the CIF San Diego Open Div. semifinals was key win for Saints.

24. (NR) ▲ Del Oro-Loomis 9-6 If one were to look back through all of Del Oro’s history, you’d be amazed how often its teams surge at the end of a season.

It’s in the school’s DNA. 25. (NR) ▲ Central Catholic-Modesto 15-0 Wins over Oakdale (twice), Marin Catholic and St. Mary’sStockton all help pushed the small school Raiders this high in our overall rankings.

Dropped Out: No. 19 La Habra; No. 20 Ridgeview-Bakersfield; No. 22 Calabasas; No. 25 Oak Grove-San Jose. **Record does not include forfeits.

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December 2015

SportStars™

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GET SCHOOLED You might be wondering where to receive this valuable training. ATV hands-on safety training courses are offered for free to youth ages 6-17 at eight State Vehicular Recreation Areas (SVRAs) and various sites throughout Cali. Here’s a list of the SVRAs with ATV training locations:

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›› Clay Pit, Oroville ›› Prairie City, Rancho Cordova ›› Carnegie, Tracy ›› Hollister Hills, Hollister ›› Hungry Valley, Gorman ›› Oceano Dunes, Oceano ›› Ocotillo Wells, Borrego Springs ›› Heber Dunes, Heber

December 2015

hen it comes to enjoying off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation, there’s no shortage of motorized options. The list includes dirt bikes, All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs), four-wheel drive vehicles, and snowmobiles. These capable vehicles provide fun for the whole family to explore new destinations and enjoy California’s spectacular landscape.

Among the popular options continues to be ATVs. These four-wheel vehicles are among one of the most exciting and challenging recreational activities. And it’s obvious why. Just look …ATVs are awesome riding machines! And they are exciting and fun to ride!

ATVs travel on low-pressure tires for insane traction, have a straddled seat and handlebars for steering its way through all manner of terrain from dirt and sand, to mud and snow. As with any motorized vehicle, riders should always operate ATVs safely and responsibly.

ATV riders should always wear proper protective gear including a Department of Transportation (DOT) approved helmet, goggles, gloves, long sleeves, long pants and over-the-ankle boots. Along with your protective gear, riders should follow the ATV Safety Institutes Golden Rules: 1. Stay away from paved roads except while crossing. ATVs are designed to be operated off-highway.

2. Never ride under the influence!

3. Never carry a passenger on a single-rider ATV, and no more than one passenger on an ATV specifically designed for two people.

4. Ride an ATV that’s right for your age.

5. Supervise riders younger than 16; ATVs are not toys.

6. Ride only on designated trails and at a safe speed.

7. Take a hands-on ATV RiderCourseSM and the free online E-Course. Visit ATVsafety.org or call 800.887.2887.

It is also important to act responsibly toward the environment. In order to minimize your impact, stay on the trails, avoid wet areas and try to leave the area better than you found it. By doing your part, you will help maintain the delicate balance between outdoor recreation and a healthy environment. Acting responsibly will help ensure long-term or sustainable OHV recreation.

Now, with your protective gear and ATV safety certificate, come out and play!

For more information about ATV hands-on safety training, visit ohv.parks.ca.gov. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by California State Parks

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New showcase to highlight Oakland hoops

Records through Dec. 12 1. (2)

▲

Moreau Catholic-Hayward

3-0

2. (5)

▲

Sacramento

6-0

3. (3)

—

De La Salle-Concord

3-0

4. (6)

▲

Folsom

5-0

5. (1)

▼

Modesto Christian

5-1

6. (10)

▲

Sheldon-Sacramento

3-1

7. (4)

▼

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

2-2

8. (8)

—

Capital Christian-Sacramento

2-1

9. (7)

▼

St. Francis-Mountain View

3-1

10. (12) ▲

Monte Vista-Danville

4-0

11. (13) ▲

Manteca

3-0

12. (NR) ▲

Weston Ranch-Stockton

4-0

13. (17) ▲

Serra-San Mateo

2-1

14. (NR) ▲

Newark Memorial

4-0

15. (16) ▲

Woodcreek-Roseville

6-1

16. (9)

Salesian-Richmond

3-2

17. (20) ▲

Jesuit-Carmichael

5-1

18. (NR) ▲

Dublin

4-0

19. (15) ▼

El Cerrito

1-3

20. (11) ▼

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

1-2

▼

With tournament season halfway gone, many of the NorCal boys basketball teams are proving to be who we thought they were.

Moreau Catholic-Hayward, Modesto Christian, Sacramento, De La Salle-Concord and Folsom have all got out to strong starts. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, which began the season ranked No. 4 in our NorCal Top 20, has dipped slightly after losses to both Modesto Christian and Sheldon-Sacramento.

The Monarchs have a chance to storm back, however, as they get to play in the finale of a brand new showcase event being spearheaded by the Oakland Athletic League and Oakland Unified School District.

The Oakland Legends Basketball Classic is a two-day event on Dec. 22-23, with the first day featuring two games at Oakland High and the second day bringing seven games to Haas Pavilion in Berkeley.

What’s most interesting about the day at Haas, is that it will include five schools from Chicago. Four of the matchups will be Oakland vs. Chicago, as Oakland High will play Kenwood, Skyline will play Von Steuben, McClymonds will play Curie and Bishop O’Dowd will face Whitney Young. Mitty will tip at 8:30 p.m. against Simeon, which is the highest rated of the five teams from Illinois, according to the preseason regional rankings

at GrassRootHoops.net. Simeon begins its season ranked No. 6 in the Midwest Region.

Speaking of big games at Haas, it’s never too early to start thinking about the MLK Jr. Classic hosted by De La Salle. This year’s event is January 18 with key matchups including Moreau Catholic facing El Cerrito, De La Salle facing Lutheran-Orange and Sacramento squaring off against Bishop O’Dowd. ✪ — SportStars Staff

DROPPED OUT: Preseason No. 14 Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F., No. 18 Campolindo-Moraga and No. 19 Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa BIGGEST MOVER: In the first set of rankings since our 2015-16 Basketball Preview issue on Nov. 19, there was bound to be some shakeup. However, only three of those first 20 teams dropped out. The biggest mover among the previously-ranked teams was Sheldon-Sacramento jumping four spots to No. 6 due in large part to a 7976 win over previous No. 4 Mitty. The biggest jumper among new teams is Weston Ranch-Stockton, which debuts at No. 12 boasting strong wins over Salesian and McClymonds-Oakland.

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Bishop O’Dowd’s Mylah Andrade

Records through Dec. 12 1. (1)

—

St. Mary’s-Stockton

6-0

2. (2)

—

Miramonte-Orinda

4-0

3. (3)

—

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

4-0

4. (6)

▲

Vanden-Fairfield

3-0

5. (4)

▼

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

4-1

6. (7)

▲

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

3-1

7. (10)

▲

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

3-2

8. (9)

▲

Salesian-Richmond

5-1

9. (5)

▼

McClatchy-Sacramento

3-2

10. (13) ▲

St. Francis-Mountain View

5-0

11. (11) —

Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

5-1

12. (14) ▲

St. Mary’s-Berkeley

2-1

13. (15) ▲

Antelope

6-0

14. (17) ▲

Carondelet-Concord

3-1

15. (NR) ▲

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

6-1

16. (8)

Brookside Christian-Stockton

3-3

17. (16) ▼

Berkeley

4-2

18. (NR) ▲

Folsom

6-1

19. (12) ▼

Sacramento

2-1

20. (20) —

Enterprise-Redding

4-1

▼

DROPPED OUT: Preseason No. 18 Inderkum-Sacramento and No. 19 Lincoln-Stockton BIGGEST MOVER: In the month since we published our Preseason NorCal Top 20, only two teams fell out of the rankings. And the top 3? Forget about it. Safe to say they’ll be there for at least a few more months. No team which was previously ranked jumped more than three spots.

Pinewood moved the highest with its three-spot climb, reaching No. 7. Neither of the Panthers’ two losses are to NorCal teams, and they recently picked up a win over No. 8 Salesian.

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Taking a look at the top three division of the 16th annual West Coast Jamboree girls basketball tournament arriving in the East Bay Dec. 28-30

T

he marquee division of this year’s West Coast Jamboree does not have as many of the nationally-ranked teams of some years past, but it should be one of the more competitive fields in the 16-year history of the tournament.

The top local teams are defending CIF Division III state champion Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, and CIF Central Coast Section Open Division champion Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco.

Bishop O’Dowd was ranked No. 10 in the Cal-Hi Sports preseason rankings and is coming off a runner-up finish in the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. The Dragons are led by junior wing Myah Pace.

Sacred Heart Cathedral was No. 13 in the preseason rankings and won the Cardinal Newman Classic but since has a loss to a Vanden-Fairfield team that will be one of the Diamond Division favorites. Junior IImar’I Thomas is the top returner for the Irish girls.

Long Beach Poly returns to the Jamboree after last playing in 2010 when it was Platinum Division champions. Ayanna Clark is back at Poly but missed two weeks with a concussion, and the preseason No. 4 Jackrabbits lost in her absence. Coach Carl Buggs will have his team at full strength for the Nike TOC in Phoenix, and then the Jamboree where Clark and her teammates will be one of the favorites.

Another strong favorite will be preseason No. 9 Oaks Christian-Westlake Village. The Lions will be playing in their first Jamboree, and prior to opening against Bishop O’Dowd in the

Jamboree, they go into the Nike TOC already owning a loss to a very good Cajon-San Bernardino team. First-year coach Kristy Hopkins leads a team starring Washington State-committed senior Katie Campbell.

A very young Salesian-Richmond (No. 23) team moves up to the Platinum Division after playing in the Gold bracket last year.

Coach Stephen Pezzola and his Pride girls are led by USC-bound senior guard Minyon Moore.

Preseason No. 22 and CIF Div. IV state runner-up Brookside Christian-Stockton moves up to the Platinum Division after winning the Gold Division last year.

The Knights are off to a bit of a rough start against some topnotch teams but they have one of California’s top players in Washington-committed senior point guard Aarion McDonald.

Sacramento is back in the Platinum Division after playing in the Diamond Division last year. Coach Michele Massari has a young team that could start to gel at the Nike TOC and possibly turn some heads at the Jamboree. The Dragons are led

by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior Aliceah Hernandez. The only out-of-state team in the Platinum Division is Lynnwood of Bothell, Washington. At press time coach Everett Edwards and his defending Washington 3A state championship girls are the only nationally-ranked team in the field at No. 19 in the Maxpreps Xcellent 25 and are currently No. 2 in Washington after finishing No. 1 last season. ✪ — Harold Abend

plATiNum DivisiON

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osted at Bentley High in Lafayette, the Diamond Division has eight strong teams with good guard players and post presences.

Vanden-Fairfield has star power at the top of its roster, including Utah-bound point guard Kiana Moore and nationally-ranked junior Julia Blackshell-Fair. It also brings back senior guard Brittany Livingston, who is bound for Stanislaus State. The Vikings were ranked No. 4 in NorCalPreps.com’s NorCal rankings at press time and were the NorCal Division III runner-ups in 2015.

St. Mary’s-Berkeley has a new head coach this season in long time assistant Samuel Sims. The Panthers bring back post Layla Ybarra-Harvey, who is headed to UC San Diego, and junior guard Carolyn Gill. They have been a participant in the CIF Open Division state playoffs each of the last three years, earning at least one regional win in two of those three years.

Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa is emerging as a NorCal power after reaching the NorCal Division IV semifinals in just its fourth year of being a co-ed school. The Cardinals have a pair of talented junior posts in Hailey Vice-Nice and Lauren Walker. Sophomore Maiya Flores and freshman Avery Cargill are also players to watch.

Carondelet-Concord features a balanced group as coach Elgin DiAmOND DivisiON Leslie begins his second season, but keep a look out for guard Vanessa Cruz and talented sophomore Maaeva Dwiggins. Carondelet was 3-0 at press time with an early season win over Berkeley.

McClatchy-Sacramento, the defending CIF Div. I state champions, are without Washington-bound power forward Gigi Garcia due to injury. However, the Lions have one of the top juniors in Northern California in Jordan Cruz. Also from Sacramento, Inderkum is coming off a 24-win season and boasts senior point guard Kaliya Griffin who has signed to Tennessee State.

Coming up from Southern California is CIF Div. III state runner-up Brea-Olinda and Palisades-Pacific Palisades. Reili Richardson is the lone senior for Brea-Olinda and is signed to Arizona State. She is ranked No. 46 nationally by ESPN. Another player to watch for the Ladycats is Tyiona Watkins. Palisades is coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 20 wins, including a Los Angeles City Section title last season. The title bumped them up to the Southern California Open Division bracket.

A Bay Area matchup seen in the past (Carondelet-St. Mary’s Berkeley) highlights the first day of action. ✪ — Doug Benton

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Carondelet’s Vanessa Cruz

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his division, hosted at Las Positas College, brings teams from the Greater Sacramento Area, the Bay Area, Southern California and Nevada.

Antelope returns all but one player from last year’s team, which won 27 games. Players to watch for the Titans are guards Angelica Baylon, Nia Johnson and Nadia Johnson. Also watch for 6-foot freshman Arianna Spann to give Antelope some needed size.

West Campus-Sacramento will bring two Division I prospects in the backcourt to the Jamboree. Junior Namiko Adams is one of the top guards regionally in her class while sophomore Kiara Jefferson is one of the top sophomore point guards in the country.

Elk Grove is 2-1 as of press time and boast an underthe-radar junior who is quickly becoming known in Mira Shulman. She is a three-year varsity player averaging nearly 20 points per game this season.

Pittsburg took the Bay Valley Athletic League title last year in a league usually controlled by Deer Valley-Antioch and Heritage-Brentwood, two teams which will both be in the Gold Division. Linsey Bailey is the new head coach for the Wolverines after gOlD DivisiON Mark Hurtado took over the boys program. Heritage also has a new coach in Rob Ocon, who is taking over for Dan Swan. The Patriots will boast a young squad with just three seniors on the opening roster.

Oakland Tech has a new head coach this year in Leroy Hurt, which has just two seniors on the roster. Hurt runs the very competitive CA Ballaz club program.

Bishop Manogue-Reno (Nev.) welcomes in new head coach Carlnel Wiley, who is taking over for Craig Holt. Last year, the Miners reached the finals of the Diamond Division before falling to Carondelet. They are led by Hannah Bingham, Malia Holt and Tawni Hamilton, but graduated current Cal Poly player Breezi Holt. Narbonne-Harbor City has just one senior on the roster as it looks for its seventh straight season of at least 22 wins. The two out of area programs meet in the first round with the winner potentially meeting Antelope in the championship game. ✪ — Doug Benton

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Best of Sharpened in one of state’s toughest leagues, Bellarmine heads to state bowl final with one of its strongest teams in years

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he road to state for Bellarmine was long and rough at times. A lengthy Friday evening commute from San Jose to Folsom for the CIF Northern California Division I-AA Championship was no pleasant drive, but the Bells were driven to play their best game and prove detractors wrong.

The Bells’ challenging early season schedule against top NorCal competition included a road game at State Division II-AA qualifier, Del Oro-Loomis, in addition to the West Catholic Athletic League gauntlet. But it was exactly what Bellarmine (13-1) needed to take on the task of earning a return trip to Sacramento for the CIF Div. I-AA State Football bowl game on Dec. 18.

“It hasn’t been easy,” senior running back Antonio Garcia said immediately following the team’s 42-35 upset of Folsom. “I think we play in the best league in Northern California, and I feel like we proved that tonight.

“Everyone online was saying how we were going to have a long bus ride

Vincent Fernandez

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the Bells home and we took that as motivation.”

Garcia played a large role in the thrilling road victory at Folsom, scoring the tying and winning touchdowns on fourth-quarter runs to set up a comfortable bus ride home and one final road trip to Sacramento State. After being used primarily as a blocker for most of the game, Bells coach Mike Janda finally called on Garcia to carry the ball in crunch time.

Janda, who became the winningest coach in Central Coast Section history with the NorCal bowl win, noticed Folsom was defending the pass more in the second half. So the coach spread his receivers out wide to open up the middle for the 5-foot-9, 175-pound back to go right up the gut of the Bulldogs’ defense. The game-winning score came on a 31-yard burst with just 0:58 seconds remaining, and the ensuing defensive stand ended Folsom’s 30-game winning streak and a streak of 43 straight home wins.

But, as it has been for the Bells all season, the victory was a complete team effort.

Senior quarterback Troy Martig was efficient with his passes that included scoring strikes of 43 and 71 yards in the first half while senior Vincent Fernandez turned in an impressive two-way effort that will not soon be forgotten. On offense, the 5-foot-8 running back was able to grind out key yardage on the ground and made some big catches, including a game-extending 24-yard reception in the fourth quarter when Bellarmine faced a 4th-and-12 on Folsom’s 39-yard line. He would later set up Garcia’s game-winner with an interception and 54-yard return in the game’s final minute.

“He had a fabulous game,” Janda said of one of the game’s heroes. “He’s not a very big guy and not all that fast, but he plays with a great heart. He plays huge.”

Said Fernandez of his big game, “It doesn’t get better than this. This is the greatest game I have ever had and I am going to remember it for the rest of my life.”

The game will be remembered by many more than just Fernandez because it sends Bellarmine to its third CIF State Bowl game. The Bells are 0-2 after five-point losses to Oceanside in 2009 and Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita in 2011. The game’s wild fourth quarter made the 2015 NorCal final an instant classic.

The game was tied at 21, 28 and 35, and Folsom took its first lead (35-28) when Tre Green scored on a 24-yard run with 4:19 left in the game. The deficit for the Bells came after they controlled the first half and built a 21-7 lead in the third quarter, but no one on Bellarmine panicked when momentum apparently shifted to the home side.

“We didn’t say anything,” Janda said. “The guys, within themselves, knew that they had to make some plays. It was internal. They knew it. They came through.”

Janda credited his team for facing adversity and responding to the challenge, and pointed to the journey through the WCAL as a reason for his team answering the call late in the game.

Antonio Garcia “Every week (in the WCAL) is a grinder,” he said. “It helps us to be in the middle of tough, tight games for these kinds of situations.”

The situation only gets bigger and tougher when Bellarmine faces another undefeated foe. The Bells play Mission Viejo (15-0), which also came from behind to win their regional bowl game, taking down Helix-La Mesa. The Diablos’ offense is much different than the Folsom offense Bellarmine held off. Mission Viejo features a work horse running back in Colin Schooler who carried the ball 38 times for 160 yards in the regional final.

Mission Viejo trailed Helix 28-20 with less than five minutes remaining in the game before Schooler scored the second of two late touchdowns with 1:59 left in the game. Like Bellarmine, the Diablos’ deciding score was set up by a turnover, and their defense held off Helix with an interception to seal the victory.

Janda and his team understand the competition will be strong and the road doesn’t end with just making the trip to Sacramento State as a state-bowl finalist. The Bells will face the challenge with the same preparation, work ethic and deep roster of weapons that has carried them during their long journey. “(Assistant) Coach (Mike) Henry always says ‘We fear no one because we outwork them,’” Garcia said. “And that couldn’t be more true. No one except for the guys in our locker room know how hard we work from January 2 all the way until now.” ✪

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Campolindo senior receiver Max Flower holds the championship plaque as Sterling Strother follows with the banner after Campolindo defeated Analy-Sebastopol in the NCS final on Dec. 11.

Photo by Dennis Lee

Not even its 20-year coach has an explanation for his team’s success

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early 40 minutes had passed since the Campolindo High football team had won its second CIF Northern California Regional Bowl game in as many years — beating a visiting Milpitas team from a school with three times as many students, and qualifying for the CIF Division III-AA State Bowl against La Mirada on Dec. 19.

The mass of Campolindo players, students, parents and supporters that typically gathers near the south end zone had dissipated to a mere few. Among them was Cougars coach, Kevin Macy, who was doing the same thing he’d been doing for the last half hour: accepting hugs and consistently trying to answer the question of ‘How?’ How does his team keep finding ways to win games like these, against bigger, stronger athletes from much larger schools? How has he got so much out of a roster that had so many key losses following its CIF Div. III State Bowl championship a season ago? How? As Macy begins his walk back down the Moraga hillside that provides the setting for the school’s football field, he tries to answer ‘how’ once more. As many times as he’s answered, nothing about his response feels canned or filled with cliché.

“Week to week, we just morph into some new weird type of a team,” said Macy, who is in his 20th season with the Cougars. “It’s hard to peg this team. Every week we seem to frustrate ourselves. But I always tell the kids, week in week out, we play hard and we compete.

“It hasn’t been easy. Nothing is ever pretty with this team.”

That last point may be debatable for some. Especially to outside coaches who must marvel at Campolindo’s consistency to rise to the occasion. And perhaps even more impressive, is that it’s never the same players who lead the way.

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SPORTSTARSONLINE EXTRA Photographers Dennis Lee and Phillip Walton went behind the scenes with Campolindo for both the North Coast Section final and the CIF NorCal bowl game. To see a gallery of their images, visit SportStarsOnline.com/Campo2015

The biggest moment of the team’s 27-24 regional bowl win over Milpitas came with a little more than a minute left in the game, the score tied, and Milpitas driving for the winning score. That’s when Trojans quarterback Oliver Svirsky was attempting to convert a 3rd-and-long and overthrew his receiver who had stumbled on the play.

Dante DeLuca, one of just 12 seniors for the Cougars, was positioned perfectly to intercept the pass and returned it 40 yards down the right sideline. The return, plus a Milpitas penalty, moved Campolindo into field goal position for Matt Blair, who confidently nailed a 32-yard game-winning kick with 26 seconds left.

That the game-changing play came from DeLuca was perfectly Campolindo. DeLuca began the year as a starting safety and struggled a bit in the early season. “I wanted to simplify his world by putting him at corner and use his (6-foot-2) height,” Macy explained. “We made the decision as we were going up to play Napa (on Sept. 18) and Dante didn’t like that idea. He’s a lovable, good-hearted kid, but has a stubbornness to him. ... And he chose not to go in that night. He didn’t play.”

Napa won the game 21-14 and remains the only loss for the Cougars through 15 games in 2015.

Macy and the staff worked with DeLuca and he bought in, sacrificed his desires for the team, and has fortified a defen-

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sive secondary that is among the best in the East Bay. He also had a big interception in the North Coast Section championship game the week prior to playing Milpitas.

“It’s awesome what he’s doing,” said fellow senior defensive back Devin Regan, who leads the team with six interceptions.

“Dante had some problems on and off the field earlier this year and Coach Macy and a few others took him under their wing and he’s turned into an incredible person now. Everything is going well for him.”

DeLuca, who was overcome with emotion while hugging family after the game, deflected a lot of the credit.

“I’m so shocked right now,” he said. “I had all of my buddies there blocking for me on the return. I couldn’t have done any of this without my team, and I was doing it for them.”

Much of the lead-up to the Milpitas game centered around the rhetoric of how the new CIF State Bowl divisions led to a matchup that seemed so lopsided in terms of school size. But Macy narrowed the focus of his team as the week went on.

“We emphasized that it wasn’t about Milpitas. We wanted to use the week to focus on us,” Macy said.

For perhaps the first time this season, a program that hasn’t lost a Diablo Foothill Athletic League since 2010 and a team which was a defending NCS and CIF State Bowl champ, got to play the underdog role. “Heart,” senior Yale-bound lineman Sterling Strother said. “I think we were playing for something greater than other high school teams play for. The foundation and the traditions that Coach Macy has established and built over the last 20 years is just incredible.

“Everybody buys in, and when it comes to crunch time we just know to strap it up and play for each other.” ✪ — By Chace Bryson, Editor

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plACer vAlley’s

Perfect 10 Byer’s Roseville Invitational prepares for its 20th year of as one of the area’s best gymnastics tournaments

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or many young gymnasts their dreams of earning an Olympic gold medal are what motivate them to practice harder and longer each day, knowing the only way to get closer to those big dreams is by competing in big meets that not only give them more experience but improve their skills as well. The Byer’s Roseville Invitational is one of those meets.

With a 20-year history, this invitational brings hundreds of youth athletes ranging in ages from 6-to-18 who compete in Levels 3-10. It all takes place on Jan. 30-31 when the Mahany Sports Complex in Roseville is transformed into an amazing gymnastics venue equipped with floor mats, vault apparatus, uneven bars and balance beams. Placer Valley Tourism is thrilled to be teaming up with Byer’s Roseville to bring such a phenomenal event to our area.

“We are expecting around 500 gymnasts or so on both days,” meet director Dawn Plise said. “The events will begin at 8 a.m. and go until nearly 10 o’clock at night.”

The competition is intense but friendly. A local Roseville gymnast, Alex Irvine, age 10, has competed for Byer’s Gymnastics since she was in kindergarten and is now a Level 8 gymnast. She loves the camaraderie with her teammates and coaches especially at the meets.

“We all cheer for each other and get each other pumped up,” Irvine said. “And then if you win... that’s pretty great too.”

Clearly, if you are a gymnastics fan, this is one meet you do not want to miss. Mahany Sports Complex is located at 1545 Pleasant Grove Blvd. in Roseville. Spectator prices are $12 for adults and $7 for seniors and children. ✪

lacrosse for a cause Swashbuckler Lacrosse and Placer Valley Tourism are ringing in 2016 with the Camo Classic, an incredible two-day lacrosse tournament that benefits the Wounded Warrior Project. This exciting event will take place on Jan. 9-10 at Foskett Park in Lincoln and will feature both boys and girls junior high and high school teams.

Nearly 40 teams are expected to attend which equates to approximately 700 players coming from as far north as Portland, Oregon, to as far south as San Diego and everywhere in between. All teams will play five games with a 50-minute running clock. They will also have a parent lounge hosted by a local brewery for spectators over 21-

years-old to enjoy.

President of Swashbuckler Lacrosse Kevin Van Patten explained that all of their tournaments have a charitable element to them as they are committed to promoting awareness and fundraising for those in need.

“The Wounded Warrior Project will have Veterans on-site at the Camo Classic and we will have special side events and contests that will help raise money for their cause,” Van Patten said.

It’s not too late to register your team or as an independent, just go to www.camoclassiclacrosse.com to sign-up today! Registra cause, the Camo Classic is the tournament for you. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism

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grAND

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entral Catholic-Modesto playing in the CIF State Football Championships Bowl Games has become a regular occurrence. With the Raiders (15-0) making their fifth appearance in the state finals, their presence is almost expected in mid-December.

The key to reaching the top and remaining there, according to coach Roger Canepa, is the work put in by everyone in the program the other 11 months of the year.

“It’s the overall commitment from the players and coaches. Everybody puts the time and effort in,” he said. “The coaches work hard and the kids work hard because we want to get back every year.”

Only De La Salle has more state titles than Central Catholic, and the Raiders are attempting to match the Spartans by winning a fourth consecutive CIF State Bowl Championship when they represent the North in the Small School Open Bowl Championship at 4 p.m. on Dec. 19 at Sacramento State. De La Salle won four straight from 2009-2012 and have won six championships in nine appearances. Central Catholic got its first taste of the state finals in 2007 when their trip to Southern California ended with a 35-21 defeat at the hands of St. Bonaventure-Ventura.

Since returning to the bowl games in 2012, the Raiders have experienced only victory, defeating Santa Fe Christian, Bakersfield Christian and St. Margaret’s-San Juan Capistrano. Canepa expects that experience to be an advantage for his 2015 group, but emphasizes that nothing should be taken for granted.

“We’re blessed to be going back to state again,” Canepa said. “The kids have been there and done that, but they know that it still is a big deal. We have played the big games on the big stage, and that should help us.”

Central Catholic’s opponent, San Marino, will be making its first appearance in the state football championships. Furthermore, they will have to make the long trek to the other end of the state — just like the Raiders have done in each of their state finals appearances when the games were played in Carson.

While most of the latest postseason run is familiar to Central Catholic, the Raiders enter the state final with an unblemished record for the first time. No previous state champion from Central Catholic has finished undefeated.

The Raiders have accomplished perfection in the win column with a simple power running

Central’s Catholic’s Justin Rice 28

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CeNTrAl attack that every opponent knows is coming, but have not been able to stop. As a team, the Raiders have rushed for 4,981 yards and 74 touchdowns to account for 76 percent of the team’s total yards (6,580) and TDs (98).

Senior running back Justin Rice has again been the dominant force out of the backfield, rushing for 2,482 yards and 30 TDs this season. In five playoff games, he has pounded opponents into submission with 1,115 yards and 16 TDs, including a pair of 300-yard, five-TD efforts in the last three games. In 2014, Rice also led the team with more than 2,000 yards, including a 300-yard performance in the NorCal final.

However, he suffered an injury in the regional final that limited him to just 50 yards on seven carries in the state final.

A fully healthy Justin Rice gives Central Catholic a better chance at a four-peat and the running back an opportunity to put up big numbers in the biggest game. But while Rice has been running though playoff foes, Canepa pointed to the play of the Raiders’ defense as the biggest catalyst for the 5-0 postseason run thus far.

Central Catholic shut out its first two playoff opponents, and has allowed just 35 points in the five games. Led by senior linebackers Kekupaa Freehauf and Austin Escobar, the defense gave up just seven second-half points this postseason—a harmless touchdown to Valley Oak League-rival Oakdale in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III final.

“The defense has been great,” Canepa said. “They help us to control the tempo of the game and have been able to shut down very good offensive teams.”

San Marino (15-0) may be the most prolific offense the

Modesto’s Central Catholic can join truly elite company with a fourth straight CIF State Bowl win

Raiders have faced this season. Senior quarterback Carson Glazier is third in the state with 4,119 yards passing, and he could finish as California’s top passer since the two players ahead of him have finished their seasons. Glazier has tossed 47 TD passes against a mere three interceptions. Senior receiver J.P. Shohfi leads the state with 2,267 receiving yards, and 29 of his 113 catches have ended in the end zone.

The final test for Central Catholic will be tough, and the quest for a fourth consecutive CIF State Football Championship will be far from routine for the Raiders. But Canepa hopes his team will finish what it started many months ago.

“We’ve been working since January to get here, and we just want to keep ‘er going.” ✪ — Story by Jim McCue | Photos by Jim Johnson

BOWLING ‘EM OVER Following are the final scores from Central Catholic’s first four trips to the CIF State Bowl games.

2007 — St. Bonaventure-Ventura 35, Central Catholic 21 2012 — Central Catholic 66, Santa Fe Christian-Solana Beach 7 2013 — Central Catholic 36, Bakersfield Christian 23 2014 — Central Catholic 31, St. Margaret’s-San Juan Capistrano 19

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Del Oro’s Justin Burrage 30

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oach Casey Taylor and his Del Oro-Loomis football team has been playing elimination football since October, so it seemed quite fitting that the Golden Eagles would make the most of the 300-mile trip to Bakersfield with a shot at a state title game on the line.

In the CIF Northern California Division 2AA regional game at Liberty-Bakersfield, Del Oro, which never led the entire game, scored the game-winning touchdown on a four-yard quarterback keeper by Stone Smartt with just 22 seconds left in regulation of a 28-24 win. Del Oro —despite a pedestrian record of 9-6 — advances to play Camarillo (150) for the CIF Div. 2AA State Bowl title at 4 p.m. on Dec. 18 at Sacramento State.

It will be the second state-bowl title game appearance in the last three years for the Golden Eagues. It was fitting that the team punched its ticket in Bakersfield, since Del Oro lost to the famed Bakersfield High Drillers in the 2013 Div. I state bowl game just two years ago.

“Our kids just played hard all night,” Taylor said. “Liberty is a great team, one of the best we’ve played all year. Guys just kept fighting and we knew we had to play 48 minutes and believe in it.”

That’s saying a lot of the Patriots, the Central Section Div. I champions, after the schedule the Golden Eagles played this season.

Three of Del Oro’s six losses this season came to teams which qualified for regional bowls, two of which advanced to a state bowl. First it was a heartbreaking 34-31 loss to Bellarmine-San Jose on Sept. 11, followed by a loss to Folsom the first week of October. Then came the 41-3 loss to De La Salle-Concord on Oct. 23. Bellarmine will represent the North in the CIF Div. I State Bowl and De La Salle will be

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Del Oro’s Stone Smartt playing in the Open Division tilt.

That loss to the Spartans left Del Oro with a 2-6 record heading into the final two Sierra Foothill League games needing to win out or go home.

The Golden Eagles decided on the former.

Winners of seven consecutive games, including a 30-20 win over Rocklin — a team that beat Del Oro 28-3 in league play — for the SJS Div. II title, Del Oro will prep for its third state bowl title game in the past eight seasons under Taylor.

Early on in the regional game, that shot didn’t seem so realistic. Liberty led 21-7 midway through the third quarter on a 41-yard touchdown strike from Jordan Love to Quincy Jountti that felt like a driving force for the Patriots. Jountti was able to run over two Del Oro defenders into the end zone for the score.

Then the script flipped.

Smartt, 18 of 31 passing for 222 yards, scored his first of

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two rushing touchdowns later in the third before Camiron Davis scooted through the Liberty defense for a 17-yard scoring run and just like that, the game was tied 21-21 with momentum on Del Oro’s side for the first time in the game.

“When we get ahead, a lot of teams realize they are outmatched,” Liberty receiver Matthew Hubble said. “But they kept fighting. I tip my hat to them.”

Liberty took a 24-21 lead on a Ronnie Ochoa field goal with six minutes left in the game. After both teams traded punts, Del Oro took over with 2:19 left and 84 yards to go.

That is when Smartt, who threw two interceptions in the game, turned into legendary mode.

The junior and first-year starter for Del Oro went 6-for7 for 66 yards on the final drive. Smartt continued to toss pin-point passes to Mason Hurst and Justin Burrage for 10 yards here, 11 yards there, all while Colorado-commit Trey Udoffia was limited in action with an ankle sprain. Hurst finished with a game-high 104 receiving yards and caught a highlight-reel one-handed touchdown pass in the second quarter.

“Stone made some great throws and runs,” Taylor said.

“That was a great quality team right there. We had a hard time and I’m proud of our guys for not quitting.”

Smartt’s touchdown saved the season once again, something that seems like the norm for the Golden Eagles.

Udoffia did have an interception earlier in the game and was emotional following the final whistle.

“I don’t know what to say,” Udoffia said. “Me and Stone are like brothers. For him to do something like that and for us to (start) 2-6 and we are going to state now, it’s why I love this school. People doubted us.” ✪ — Story by Trevor Horn | Photos by James K. Leash

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26.2 WiTh A vieW When it comes to marathons, it’s hard to top the scenery and landmarks offered by the Redding Marathon On January 17, 2016, several distance running enthusiasts will line up near the Shasta Dam for the start of the Redding Marathon, an event that features a breathtaking 26.2 mile jaunt across some of Northern California’s finest landscape.

Competitors can take a free bus to the start of the Redding Marathon. Enjoy the warmth of the Visitor’s Center located near the start of the race and be ready for an 8 a.m. start.

Runners will enjoy a scenic journey downstream along the Sacramento River on paved running trails. Watch for bald eagles, osprey and other wildlife. Athletes competing in the Redding Marathon will cross over the Shasta Dam, through an old railroad tunnel and across the historic Diestelhorst Bridge, the Ribbon Suspension Bridge and to the finish line located on the famous Sundial Bridge.

The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay crosses the Sacramento River in the heart of Redding. Opened on July 4, 2004, the bridge links the north and south campuses of the Turtle Bay Exploration Park and serves as access to Redding’s Sacramento River Trail system Competitors can register online right now at reddingmarathon.org ✪

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Redding Soccer Park will take a break from soccer and make way for the lacrosse world this February.

The 6th Annual Redding Lacrosse Boys Kickoff Jamboree will take place from Feb. 26-28 and feature

over a weekend is big. It’s also a chance to play multiple league games at one location and avoid travel later in the season.”

Additional attractions to the event include a vendor

the age groups of U13 to U18. The Jamboree typically

fair featuring some of the top lacrosse companies in

hosts between 35 to 40 teams from predominantly

the country. Coaches and players can check out the

Northern California and Nevada.

newest gear in between games.

The event isn’t tournament-structured, but more of

Teams can register at www.reddinglacrossejam-

a multiple-game set-up that provides teams a chance

boree.com with a $50 deposit. The balance will be

to fit three or four games into one weekend. The

due once the game schedule is published in early

schedule is worked out between the organizers and

December. Once the game schedule is complete, cost

registered teams so competitive equity is observed and

for teams will measure out at $95 per contest.

teams aren’t playing clubs they face during league.

For players who aren’t currently on a team, the

“Typically, teams are only able to play 12 to 15

event is exploring a new “House” option in which

games during a regular season,” Jamboree director

individual players can register to play. Keep an eye on

Lewis Chamberlain said. “So getting three to four in

the website for more information on this option. ✪

Big league Dreams

Redding Soccer Park

20155 VIKING WAY 530-223-1177 March 2016: High School Baseball and Softball: Dates TBD

WWW.REDDINGSOCCERPARK.COM Lacrosse: www.ReddingLacrosse.com

REDDING.BIGLEAGUEDREAMS.COM

February: Lacrosse Opening weekend Redding Boys Jamboree U13-High School.

Redding Marathon

Feb. 18-20: Take your bass fishing to the next level! www.flwfishing.com

Rayovac flw Series

26.2 WITH A VIEW! January 17, 2016. Register Online Now! WWW.REDDINGMARATHON.COM

Redding winterfest When you visit Redding, be sure to enjoy all we offer at WinterFest Redding! Arts, culture and the beautiful outdoors! Great food, great music, great scenery and great activities. Join us!

WinterFestRedding.org

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FiNDiNg The ZONe GET MENTAL: ERIKA CARLSON

Attaining optimal performance begins with staying in the moment In the world of athletics, “The Zone” (or ‘flow,’ as it’s referred to in research literature) is, “the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.”

It may feel as if it’s a magical or mystical mindset that is unattainable — until you experience it for yourself.

The athletic zone is a very real and deeply personal experience which includes the following: ›› Present focus with a sense of calmness ›› Simple execution ›› Little or no thinking ›› Effortless exertion ›› Extraordinary ability to feel your body in motion ›› Extraordinarily detailed recall of experience It’s tough to articulate how powerful a true zone experience is.

When you reach the zone, it is truly the pinnacle of performance.

Although zone experiences are the pinnacle of performance, there are many barriers that keep us from having these experiences more often. Emotions are, for most of us, the biggest barrier we must overcome. Emotional barriers often look something like this: ›› Futuristic thoughts (i.e. “What if I blow it?”) create nervous feelings and increase muscle tension. ›› Nerves and tension increase the likelihood of mistakes and

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poor decisions. ›› Muscle tension continues to increase, technical control deteriorates ›› Athlete becomes more anxious about making more mistakes (the cycle starts again) Yep, we’ve all been there. Most of us spend more time battling these barriers then we do experiencing the zone. The good news is, there is a solution. Emotion control is the key. Controlling emotions is surprisingly simple, although not easy. As you may have noticed, the example above demonstrates how athletes slip into focusing on the future (anxious) and past (frustration). The solution? Stay present.

“Stay in the moment!”; “One pitch at a time.” These are all examples of reminders to stay present. The challenge is HOW to stay present when you’re feeling nervous and/or frustrated — especially since many of us have strong habits of responding emotionally to mistakes and adding unrelenting pressure to our performances.

The first step, and most difficult, is recognizing what’s happening. Have your thoughts and emotions drifted away from the present? Once you’ve recognized thoughts and emotions, now you can do something about it. I like to think of this as “emotionless problem-solving mindset.” Here’s the step-by-step break down:

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1. Breathe — So simple, and so incredibly helpful. Your best tool for getting present…fast!

2. Visualize — Review what you need to execute in perfect detail 3. Change self-talk — Give yourself super simple instructions to execute 4. Let go of results — One of the biggest ironies in sport is the more you focus on results, the worse your results are likely to be.

Why? Because this type of focus generates more emotion and more thinking.

Zone experiences are incredibly rewarding in and of themselves, but also help us to clarify what we are striving towards everyday in our mental performance. If you’d like to explore more about your zone experiences, write a paragraph or two detailing your best performance. What were you thinking? What were you feeling, both emotionally and physically? Where was your focus? What was unique about this experience? How does it compare to your typical performances? This is a huge step in starting to recognize where you need to make changes in your mental performance.

Good luck out there and remember to breathe deep. ✪ Erika Carlson is a certified mental trainer who works for Mental Training, Inc. in Pleasanton.

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offseason

gAme plAN TRAINING TIME: TIM RUDD

A good offseason program should include these three goals If athletes want to improve as a player, they need to improve their athletic capacity. Becoming the best player possible requires you improve upon these three qualities in the offseason: GOAL #1 — Improve Movement Quality No matter the age or experience, virtually every athlete can get better by improving movement quality. A physical preparation facility is great to teach athletes in a slow and controlled environment what good movement looks and feels like. This will have a huge impact on their performance and health.

GOAL #2 - Get Stronger One of the biggest predictors of injury is when athletes fail to strength train in the offseason. In order to become faster or more powerful in their respective sports they must get stronger. As I’ve mentioned, getting stronger has a direct impact on performance, while increasing the athlete’s potential to be faster, more powerful and explosive.

GOAL #3 — Improve Conditioning Conditioning or testing your athletes in most sports, and

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using tests that have the athletes going 25, 30 or 35 or more seconds per bout, is a huge mistake.

The scientific literature clearly shows how misguided this is, showing that the average sprint in most team sports takes 2-6 seconds, followed by up to 30-90 seconds of down time. If athletes want to be prepared for the actual demands of their sport, they should begin with low-intensity, higher-volume methods building a sufficient aerobic base.

Once that’s been improved, shorter explosive bouts of running can be utilized, which better simulates what really happens on the field or court of play The off-season is the ideal time to give your athletes the physical tools necessary to succeed, and if they don’t take the time to be physically prepared for the demands of their sports in the off-season, then when will they? ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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Breakfast of Champions nutrition: jill daniels

No excuses, athletes shouldn’t be skipping their morning meal

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We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But often I hear my clients tell me reasons they don’t eat it. Here are some of their dilemmas, along with some solutions.

1. “I’m not hungry!”

This is one time of the day to eat even if you’re not hungry. Your body and brain need some calories and nutrients to help you focus better while in school. It’s also helpful for refilling depleted carbohydrate stores which will help energize your next workout. Keep it simple, and eat at least 100 calories (glass of milk or some fruit or a ½ bagel) and plan to follow up with a mid-morning snack.

2. “I’m trying to lose weight.”

Eating within an hour of waking gets your metabolism revved up early in the morning, which will help you burn more calories during those first few hours. Also, studies show that people who skip breakfast end up eating more calories throughout the day, which can lead to weight gain. Eating breakfast is a smart part of any weight-loss plan.

3. “I’m bored with my breakfast foods.”

Mix and match these three food groups so you end up with some variety in the morning. Keep in mind that breakfast can be any food you like, even leftovers from the night before.

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Team up a...

CARBOHYDRATE for body and brain energy, fiber, vitamins and minerals (English muffin, corn or flour tortilla, granola, toast, cereal, waffles, granola bar, oatmeal, grits, brown rice) ...with a PROTIEN for muscle repair & maintenance, healthy immune system and increased satisfaction (almond butter, Canadian bacon, string cheese, hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese, walnuts, tofu, cottage cheese, black beans, chicken sausage, yogurt, skim or 1% milk) ... and a FRUIT for fiber, antioxidants and natural sweetness (strawberries, cherries, applesauce, pineapple, mango, figs, currants, kiwi, blueberries, pear, peach, apricot, watermelon).

4. “I don’t have time to eat breakfast.”

Grab some of the faster options listed above, such as a Greek yogurt with granola and berries. Or apple slices and peanut butter wrapped up in a tortilla. You can also keep granola bars, energy bars or bags of trail mix handy for days you have to grab and go. ✪ Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD is a Registered Dietitian in the Bay Area of Northern California who specializes in sports nutrition and weight management.

She works with people of all ages. Visit her at Ji llDanielsRD.com

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Balancing hoops & Ankle sprains health watch: ryan sargent

Looking at ways to combat ankle injuries on the hardwood

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Basketball is in full swing, and with this sport comes the high incidence of ankle injuries due to the game’s dynamic nature. The demands of basketball require an athlete to have good strength, flexibility and dynamic balance control in the lower extremities to allow for running, jumping and cutting maneuvers.

The ankle is a common site for injury, and sprains are the most common musculoskeletal injury in athletes, and account for 75 percent of all ankle injuries While ankle injuries do account for 25 percent of all musculoskeletal injuries, there are things you can do to work on preventing such injuries. The following are just a few tips for you to keep in mind when lacing up those sneakers!

Preseason conditioning: How in shape am I? Dynamic warm-up prior to activity Pay attention to surfaces (slippery, dirty or cracked) Wear supportive shoes Daily static stretching routine after activity Strengthening and balance program Monitor game time and fatigue to prevent injury When turning on the television to your favorite sports channel, you will most likely be bombarded with a slew of commercials for the latest and greatest footwear. Many questions seem to pop-up regarding footwear, especially after an ankle injury. So, regarding shoes: ›› 1. High-top shoes alone do NOT decrease risk for ankle sprain.

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›› 2. There is no strong relationship between shoe type and ankle sprains. ›› 3. Shoes with air cells in the heels are four times more likely to allow ankle sprains.

After deciding what shoes to pull out of the closet, you then wonder if you should wear a brace or get taped. Here are some facts regarding both taping and bracing. Taping can prevent injury, but it loosens within 10 minutes. Within 30 minutes, it may provide little or no measurable support to inverting the ankle.

As for bracing, it provides external support, may enhance proprioception, and it’s more adjustable than tape. It may limit range of motion and mobility which may lead to compensations at other joints, especially the knee. However, there is little evidence to support definitive recommendations.

One of the most important components to preventing an ankle injury is incorporating a balance program. Balance training is a great way to restore proprioception, to regain stability in the ankle and orientation to both static and dynamic activities. The goal of balance training is to improve your reaction time and improve the awareness of an injured joint. Studies have shown a 38 percent reduction rate in ankle injuries in high school basketball players with a balance program. ✪ Ryan Sargent is a certified athletic trainer for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland and its Sports Medicine for Young Athletes division.

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›››››

moving Back To

›››››

mOve FOrWArD My coach insists that I play in the back for our soccer team and I don’t get it. I’m the best goal scorer on the team, or one of the best. But how can I score goals as a defender? You have to score to win and it’s hard for us to score right now.

G.C., Danville

here’s a lot going on in this question, but let’s start with this: Human beings tend to overestimate their own abilities – or, to put it another way, we all are likely to think we’re better at something than we really are. Consider how many of your friends think they can rap or sing or dance, and then think about if they have as much talent as they think they do. Then look in the mirror.

Now, it could be that you are the best goal-scorer on the team, or maybe the second-best, so perhaps that above disclaimer does not apply.

For the sake of argument, then, let’s say if you played up top, you would improve the team’s offense.

What would happen to the defense? Often, a skilled goal-scorer is a good allaround player and has a feel for the game around the net. That means they might also make a pretty good defender. Your coach seems to feel that you probably are.

Which brings us to the second part of the equation: The coach’s style and how the present personnel fit into that style.

T

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Many coaches preach defense first. They believe you can’t lose if the other team doesn’t score, and so they start from that. Such coaches will then put their best players on defense, because that’s their strategic priority. Of course, I don’t know your coach or their style, but that’s something to think about. It might actually be a compliment that you’re playing defense because the coach may feel you’re just too valuable to put at forward.

Then there’s always the difference between how the coach perceives your ability, how you perceive your ability and what your actual ability is. Coaches are human – a shocking concept, I know – and have biases and preconceived notions that affect their decisions. So it’s possible your coach is wrong, and you are right. It’s also possible, of course, that you are wrong and the coach is right.

So let’s think about that a little. Who has more experience, you or the coach? Who has a more unbiased view of your abilities, you or the coach? Who has a better grasp of the overall structure and strategy of the team, you or the coach?

This is not to say you shouldn’t ask the coach why you are playing where you are – as long as you do so in a respectful, what’s-best-for-the-team manner – but in the end, the coach’s job is to make decisions and your job is to execute those decisions as best you can.

Even if you disagree with them. ✪

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Absorber, The ........................................................................32 All Sports Training Center ......................................................39 Army National Guard Recruiter ..............................................5 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada .................................2 Bigfoot Hoops .......................................................................33 Blankenship Baseball ............................................................38 California Football Academy .................................................42 Catchflame.Com ...................................................................42 Championship Athletic Fundraising.......................................31 Club Sport.............................................................................48 Community Youth Center ......................................................16 Concord American Little League ...........................................39 Concord American Little League Girls Softball ......................38 Cushman & Wakefield ..........................................................29 Diablo Futbol Club ...............................................................30 Diablo Trophies & Awards .....................................................46 Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union .......................................25 East Bay Badminton Assn. .....................................................39 East Bay Bulldogs Basketball .................................................39 Excellence In Sport Performance ...........................................46 Fast Break Basketball Camps .................................................21 Garaventa Enterprises............................................................23 Halo Headband ....................................................................46 Heads Up Sports ...................................................................38 Heritage Soccer Club ............................................................44 Jr. Optimist Baseball / Softball League ( JOBL) .......................40 Jumbo Sunflower Seeds .........................................................19 Kepler’s Golf Repair ..............................................................43 Kings Next Youth Basketball Clinics ......................................36 Kneed-A- Brace .....................................................................21 Krossover ..............................................................................19 Modesto Magic .....................................................................40 Mother Lode Rugby ..............................................................39 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists ................................................41 My Goal Mine ........................................................................9 National Scouting Report ........................................................9 Next Level College Advisors ..................................................46 Oakland Legends Basketball Classic .....................................17 Oakland Police Department Recruiting .................................12 Off- Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division ..................15 Placer Valley Tourism Board ............................................26, 27 Renaissance Club Sport.........................................................22 Rocco’s Pizza ........................................................................21 Rugby Nor Cal ......................................................................19 San Ramon Slammers Baseball .............................................40 Special Olympics Northern California...................................16 Speed 4 Your Sport ................................................................38 Sport Form Elite Baseball.......................................................40 Stat Med ...............................................................................47 State Farm Lisa Truesdell Agent .............................................28 Stevens Creek Toyota...............................................................7 Sutter Urgent Care ..................................................................3 Tpc / The Pitching Center ......................................................20 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland ........................37 Visitredding.Com ............................................................34, 35 Walnut Creek Convention & Visitors Bureau .........................45 Walnut Creek Soccer Club ....................................................24 West Coast Jamboree ............................................................13 Willie Davenport Olympian Track & Field Clinic...................28 Win Anyway & All For Kids ...................................................28

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