BA Issue 103 July 2015 by Sport Stars Magazine

FREE

NorCal vol. 6. issue 103 july 2015

Get the most out of your magazine

Subscribe for $35/year email for FREE Digital Subscription: info@SportStarsOnline.com

››› Like us on Facebook Facecbook.com/sportstars

on Twitter Twitter.com/SportStarsMag

7 locker

room: Lights! Camera! Action! It’s summer blockbuster time and as one of the Beautiful People (it’s true) we take you inside Hollywood.

The Fence: 35 Tryouts, sign-ups, fund-raisers and more!

38 Advertiser’s index 4

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

You’re all ranked out? We know what you want

five MORE! H oly smokes, this rankings stuff is hard work. When we first started the Bay Area 75 back in 2013, we wanted to create an elite, prestigious list that would represent the region’s best high school athletes regardless of grade, sport, etc. But rather than just stop at 75, we wanted to take it one step further, and rank each athlete. One would think after doing that for the first one, we’d get wise and say ‘You know, just picking 75 is difficult enough. Let’s stick with that.’ Nope. Now in our third year, the grind of counting down to the Bay Area’s top athlete remains a labor of love. And we believe it makes our ultimate honors list that much more special and fun to digest. But did I mention how it’s not easy? When you’re talking about a talent pool that exists across nine Bay Area counties and several hundred high schools, the biggest concern is missing somebody. It’s happened. For instance, we probably whiffed on Benicia baseball star Willie Calhoun in our first list back in 2013. He was recently drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth-round of the MLB Amateur Draft. Aside from an occasional miss or two, unquestionably the most difficult part begins when we begin to rank 1 to 75. Our staff weighs a number of things during the process. And while we try to give consideration to the potential of particular athletes to succeed beyond their prep careers, the list is really meant to stand solely on high school accomplishments during one particular school year. All of which makes it really hard to compare the one-sport superstar against the increasingly-rare multi-sport athlete who excels in whatever they do. With all that said, we’re proud to offer up and stand behind this year’s list. But as always, we want to hear your feedback. So please chime in by email or social media. We’re on Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #BA75 if you’re feeling saucy. For our Sac-Joaquin Section readers, we know you get left out of the fun a bit. You do, however, get the River Cats All-City Team Awards — which we had the exclusive duty of selecting this past May. But it’s a much bigger list and doesn’t have the ranking side to it. So, for fun, here’s the SJS5, if you will.

5. Kira McKechnie (Christian Brothers-Sacramento; Basketball, Softball; Sr.) — She’s going to Fresno State on a softball scholarship, so it’s darn impressive when she averages a double-double of 13.5 points and 11.2 rebounds on the hardwood. On the diamond she hit .462 with eight home runs and 40 RBI while also pitching her way to a 12-7 record and 195 strikeouts in 141 innings.

4. Kristian Heptner (Christian Brothers-Sacramento; Soccer, Baseball; Sr.) — The UC Davis-bound striker scored a Sac-Joaquin Section-best 44 goals in 2014 and scored both of the Falcons’ goals in the SJS Div. III final. In the spring, he batted. 256 and was 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in six pitching appearances. 3. Fiona O’Keeffe (Davis; Cross Country, Track; Jr.) — The Davis junior set the Willow Hill course record to claim a third Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I title in as many years. She then added a second straight CIF Div. I State Championship. In the spring she set the SJS Masters Meet record in the 3200 meters with a winning time of 10:00.85. She would silver medal in the event at state. 2. Justin Shelton-Mosley (Capital Christian-Sacramento; Football, Basketball; Sr.) — The Harvard-bound football star was the Cal-Hi Sports Grid-Hoop Player of the Year after rushing for 1,908 yards and 29 TD and posting 70 tackles and six interceptions during the fall. He then helped lead the basketball team to the CIF Div. IV state final averaging 12.3 points and 2.6 assists. 1. Jake Browning (Folsom; Football; Sr.) — The most prolific prep quarterback NorCal has ever seen, he set or equaled national marks for career TDs (239) and singleseason TDs (91) as well as the state mark for career yards (16,775). In 2014, he finished with 5,790 passing yards and led Folsom to a 16-0 record and a CIF Division I State Bowl Championship. ✪

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

Caliente!

LLC

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER IN USA

your ticket to california sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #6, July 2015 Whole No. 103 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 16 issues, U.S. 3rd class $35 (allow 3 weeks for delivery). 1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy for $6 total fo bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

Read Me. Recycle Me. 6

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

top 5 summer movie blockbusters

Trending What’s hot this week in the world of stuff that’s hot Diddy is back as Puff Daddy and has a new single out. So THAT’S why he was all over the news for trying to beat up a UCLA football coach. Gotta promote the single! Good and bad news this week. Good news if you want to marry somebody you love. Bad news if what you love is an old flag.

A year ago the New York Knicks gave Carmelo Anthony $124 million and it looks like they might be regretting it. Besides everybody on the planet, who could have seen that one coming? Golfer Phil Mickelson is tied to an alleged money laundering and gambling case. The worst gambling crime any golfer should be involved in is betting on Tiger Woods. Pressure on Paul Rudd to show he can carry a big tent-pole action movie (Marvel’s Ant-Man) and finally answer the question of why we keep having him foisted upon us 3-4 times a year.

Well, we’ve officially reached the heart of summer. Perhaps that sweltering heat tipped you off? We finally made it through that grueling non-rainy spring and can enjoy the sunshine that’s been around since oh, February. There’s another thing summer brings: Hollywood Blockbusters. Or, in the case of this year all the re’s, re-treads, re-cycles, and re-boots. Here’s our guide to the top five re-movies of the summer. 1. Ant-Man — It’s not that we’re having trouble buying Paul Rudd as a superhero. It’s just that .. we’re having trouble buying Paul Rudd as a superhero. Also. Really? In all the Marvel Universe? After Cap and Iron Man and Wolverine and (don’t say Electra, don’t say Electra, don’t say Electra…) Daredevil, next on the docket was re-habilitating (see what we did there?) Hank Pym’s re-putation? What in the name of Stan Lee is going on over there? We’re also not talking about the Fantastic Four because ... the Fantastic Four. Just. No. 2. Jurassic World — Like Jurassic Park and The Lost World all smooshed together. Only. Not really. With Chris Pratt! And a truly terrifying gigantic monster… But don’t worry kids: Vincent D’Onofrio won’t actually eat you. It’s just a movie. 3. Minions — Banana. BANANA! (We were going to go with “Pixels” here, but then we remembered: re-visiting imaginary yellow weirdos Kevin, Stuart, and Bob > re-surrecting the careers of Adam Sandler and Kevin James.) 4. Terminator Genisys — Because everythyng ys scaryer when you replace the ‘i’ with a ‘y.’ Y? We don’t know eyther. Whych ys also the answer to the questyon: Y dyd anyone decyde to make thys movye? 5. Re-verse Finger Roll — Steph freakin Curry, y’all. — Bill ‘nobody makes anything new anymore, and while we’re at it get off my lawn’ Kolb

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

Softball’s Super 7 NorCal has rich high school softball history & these seven teams may be the best we’ve seen

n last issue’s column for SportStars, we reflected back on the top teams in CIF North Coast Section history in baseball due to this year’s team at College Park of Pleasant Hill ending at No. 1 overall in the state. For this one, we’ll be fair and switch to softball, but instead of just the NCS we’ll do the greatest in NorCal history (including the CIF Central Coast Section and CIF Sac-Joaquin Section as well). Here is a look at seven of them:

allowed. She also had a streak of three straight perfect games. Freedom head coach Michele Moore obviously had a solid defense to go with its pitcher, too.

LINCOLN-STOCKTON 1987 (30-0)

AMADOR VALLEY-PLEASANTON 2014 (26-0) Although we had Mission Viejo of Southern California higher in the final state rankings, we consider both that team and the Dons to be among the best in state history. With Ms. Softball State Player of the Year Johanna Grauer leading the way, Amador Valley not only won the NCS Div. 1 title but also took on a top field at the Michelle Carew Classic in Southern California and came home with a title.

ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE 2009 (32-0) If doing rankings of these teams, this one would be No. 1. Not only were the Monarchs unbeaten and led by future NCAA Player of the Year Keilani Ricketts (she did that at Oklahoma), they had plenty of depth throughout the lineup. And as with any all-time great team, Mitty had the advantage of playing a significant opponent and winning. In its case, the opponent was Sheldon-Sacramento coming off a title triumph at a prestigious tourney in Southern California and led by two All-Americans (pitcher Jolene Henderson and catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt). Mitty beat Sheldon 5-3 in the finals of the Livermore Stampede and went on to complete a perfect season.

FREEDOM-OAKLEY 2006 (25-0) In a matchup of unbeaten teams in the NCS Class 3A final, pitcher Amanda Williams tossed a one-hitter and struck out 15 in a 6-0 romp past Newark Memorial-Newark. Williams was then later named as the Ms. Softball State Player of the Year. Her final pitching stats for the season were hard to believe: 23-0, 0.07 ERA, 365 strikeouts, six walks, 10 hits 8

SportStars™

July 2015

Johanna Grauer poses with Amador Valley’s 2015 hardware.

Going unbeaten would be a criteria to be on this list. So would representing an era of outstanding teams, which the Trojans clearly were in the 1980s and into the early 1990s. Lincoln softball, in fact, ended No. 1 in the state four times during those years — 1992, 1991, 1987 and 1984. The ’87 team was the only unbeaten team of the four and was led by pitcher Kim Regpala, who went 80-5 in her prep career. Kim’s father, Bob Regpala, coached the Trojans from 19871998 and also for two seasons (2001-02) at Brookside Christian-Stockton. He

ended with a 410-55 career record.

MONTGOMERY-SANTA ROSA 1979 (26-1) The Vikings won their second straight NCS Class 3A title, which also were the first two NCS softball playoffs ever held. They were later listed as the 1979 State Team of the Year.

ROSEVILLE 1990 (37-2) The Tigers won the SJS Div. 1 title, ended 37-2 and were selected State Team of the Year. They had one of the top pitchers in SJS history as well in Karen Jackson. She later went to be an All-American for three years at the University of Iowa and is currently as assistant coach at the University of Louisville.

SHELDON-SACRAMENTO 2008 (32-2) When the Huskies and head coach Mary Jo Truesdale had both Jolene Henderson and Lindsey Ziegenhirt at the same time, they won the SJS Div. 1 title as juniors in 2008 but were upset as seniors in 2009 by Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove. The 2008 team was dominating in all facets and ended No. 1 in the final state rankings. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com. Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Diamond DANDIES Holly Azevedo

Brian Govlart

It was a particularly strong year for NorCal baseball and softball teams, as highlighted by this list of state award honorees.

Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year Joe DeMers (College Park-Pleasant Hill) The University of Washington recruit became the first player from the East Bay to earn the state’s highest honor since Brian Johnson of Skyline-Oakland in 1986. DeMers, who led the Falcons to a 26-4 record and No. 1 state ranking with North Coast Section Div. I title, went 13-1 as a pitcher with 0.51 ERA while batting .447 with six homers and 44 RBI.

Baseball State Coach of the Year John Donohue (Lowell-San Francisco) One of the best coaches in any sport in San Francisco prep history, Donohue retires with a statewide honor plus three straight section titles and 20 in all. He also leaves with a 735-390-4 record in 33 seasons, which is seventh all-time on the Cal-Hi Sports state list.

Jeremy Ydens

Baseball Small School Coach of Year Nelson Randolph (Capital Christian-Sac.)

For the third straight year, Capital Christian won an SJS title and finished with 25 wins or more. Randolph also has won more than 250 games at Capital Christian since his first season in 2003.

Softball Junior of Year Mia Camuso (Shasta-Redding) If her name sounds familiar in the Bay Area, she’s a granddaughter of the late Chuck Camuso, one of the winningest baseball coaches in CIF Central Coast Section history and a well-known, almost legendary, referee. The Oregon-bound outfielder batted .604 with a CIF Northern Section-record 16 homers and 61 RBI.

Softball Sophomore of Year Holly Azevedo (Pioneer-San Jose) The San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year had a 0.03 ERA with 256 Ks in 177 innings for a team that was No. 2 in the nation when it lost to Archbishop Mitty 1-0 in the CCS Div. II championship. Azevedo also batted .383.

Baseball Junior of Year Jeremy Ydens (St. Francis-Mountain View) Softball State Freshman of the Year Pitching and hitting prowess by Ydens helped the Lancers to Danielle Williams CCS Open Div. crown and for him to get this honor. The UCLA(Amador Valley-Pleasanton) commit went 7-3 on the mound with 1.69 ERA. As a batter, Ydens hit for a .404 average with 44 hits and 22 RBI.

Baseball Small School Player of Year Nico Hoerner (Head-Royce-Oakland) The last player to repeat as State Small Schools Player of the Year was Ron Robinson of Woodlake in 1980. Hoerner, headed to Stanford, batted .517 with six homers and 30 RBI. He also capped his career with a .523 batting average and 10 homers in 80 games.

She came up big after the graduation of Johanna Grauer, posting a 24-3 pitching record plus 0.79 ERA and .532 batting average. Williams also led Amador to an NCS Div. I championship.

Softball Medium Schools Coach of Year Brian Goulart (East Union-Manteca) The Lancers’ coaching leader since 2003 guided them to a 30-3 record plus an SJS Div. III title. Goulart’s girls also were ranked higher than any other team in the section, regardless of division.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

My summer coach is really nice. She’s always positive and doesn’t yell very often. My high school coach, though, never seems happy. He just criticizes and it takes a lot of the fun out of it. Why does he act that way when the players don’t like it? -G.R., Milpitas

SportStars™

July 2015

hen you get to college, you can take psychology and maybe understand people a little better, but really, it’s just one of those things. For whatever reason, some people are never satisfied; others find it really hard to praise, even when they’re happy with someone; and others have unrealistic expectations of teenage athletes. But you’re a player, and in high school, you don’t get to pick your coach — you have to work with whoever the administration chooses, and “work” is an important word here. First, bear with me on a short digression: Ask your parents how many “good” bosses they’ve had? By “good,” I mean a boss who understood people, understood the job and got the most out of his workers without demeaning them. Sadly, if the answer is more than one, your parents have been lucky. Most adults have spent their lives working for less than perfect bosses, and the reason is simple: Being a leader is really, really hard. Here’s one reason: Leadership magnifies flaws. If a friend has a tendency to be vague about directions, say, it’s a minor annoyance. But if that person is a boss, and is vague about expectations, it’s worse — but it wouldn’t be an issue if that person weren’t in charge. And the same thing with coaches. A teammate who’s never satisfied is annoying, sure, and could be a problem for a few players. Make that teammate the coach, and

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

very likely everyone’s unhappy. (Of course, a coach or boss who’s too nice is a problem too. People take advantage of that good nature, and often teams and groups don’t work hard and/or reach their potential if the leader is always easygoing. Discipline and production don’t just come out of nowhere.) All this, however, doesn’t help you deal with your high school coach, but there is a benefit. Unless you’re very lucky, you will have a lot of different bosses in your life. (Even Steve Jobs had bosses, and even he got fired.) You don’t get to pick them, for the most part, which means you have to figure out how you can best work with them. Can you be productive when your boss leaves you alone? Can you put aside your annoyance when your boss is a micromanager? So look at your coaches as part of your education. They are teaching you how to work with different kinds of leaders, and trust me, that’s a skill you definitely need to acquire. And they are also teaching you about what kind of boss you might want to be — or not want to be. Just remember, this, though: Once you get in that position, it won’t be nearly as easy as it seems when you’re just following orders. ✪ Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@ fullcourt.com

Placer Valley is home to some of NorCal best soccer tourneys

ust ten years ago, the Junction City Silver Cup Soccer Tournament brought roughly 40 teams to Roseville. Later this month, the tournament will boast an impressive 155 teams competing in what can easily be described as one of the best competitive youth soccer tournaments in California. Currently in its 16th year, the Junction City Silver Cup will be held on July 18-19 in Roseville and is open to U9 through U19 boys and girls competitive teams from throughout California and parts of Nevada. Serving as the kick-off to the tournament season for Placer Valley, Roseville Youth Soccer Club (RYSC) and Placer Valley Tourism are excited to partner up to host this massive soccer event. John Cantlay, RYSC Tournament Director, has been at the helm of Junction City Silver Cup since 2005 and is proud of the growth and level of competition this tournament brings to Roseville. Every

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

team is guaranteed to play at least three to four games, and considering the fact that the tournament is at full capacity with both California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA) teams and U.S. Club teams participating, the competition will be fierce. The games will start early Saturday, July 18, with championship matches taking place in the afternoon on Sunday. Cantlay added that while several local teams will likely be top contenders for their age divisions, the Roseville U14 girls team Top-Notch will be heavy favorites in their age bracket. Games will take place at several parks throughout Roseville. There will be multiple vendors with refreshments and snacks for purchase and parking is free at all venues. Sports and soccer fans alike don’t forget to mark your calendars as this tournament is one you won’t want to miss! ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

EVEN MORE SOCCER: Once the summer months have passed, there’s still more soccer to be played. Every October for the past 16 years the Placer United Girls Cup has not only been a highlight of the girls competitive soccer season, it is truly a Placer Valley soccer tradition. The only difference in 2015 is the tournament will be bigger and more competitive than ever. Placer Valley Tourism, in conjunction with Placer United Soccer Club, is thrilled to be hosting this event, which takes place October 23-25 at more than 12 different venues throughout Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln and Loomis. The deadline to enter is Sept. 15 and there are more than 220 teams expected in age groups U11 through U18. Teams will be coming from Northern California, Southern California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Minnesota to compete in this elite all-girls tournament. The Placer United Girls Cup has grown into the premier tournament of the fall season in Northern California, boasting numerous State Cup Champions, finalists, semifinalists and quarterfinalists. Placer United Club Administrator Jodi Tarr added that this tournament has grown so much they are starting games for some of the age brackets on the evening of Friday, Oct. 23 which will secure the three-game guarantee for this tournament. With Tarr at the helm bringing her impressive organizational skills required to run a tournament of this size, this event is continually a huge success. ✪

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

Andrew Cervantez, bottom, flips teammate Donovin Guerrero during a June 29 workout at the CYC.

FARGO AT A GLANCE

WHO: Community Youth Center wrestlers line up against the best grapplers in the nation in Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling at the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet and Junior Nationals. WHAT: Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling are the two disciplines featured in Olympic competition. Greco-Roman was contested at the first modern Olympic games in 1896 while Freestyle was added in 1904. These disciplines are contrasted with high school and college (folkstyle) wrestling. DIVISIONS: Cadet Men (Born 1999-2000), 17 weight classes between 88 and 205 pounds; Cadet Women (born 1999-2000), 12 weight classes between 84 and 198 pounds; Junior Men (born after 9/1/95 and currently enrolled in grades 9-12), 15 weight classes between 100 and 285 pounds; Junior Women (born after 9/1/95 and currently enrolled in grades 9-12), 12 weight classes between 97 and 198 pounds. WHEN: July 18-25. WHERE: FargoDome, Fargo, N.D.

SportStars™

July 2015

There’s no rest for the top wrestlers of Concord’s CYC as the Junior Nationals loom in mid-July

hen it comes to wins and losses, Mark Halvorson has done enough this year to justify taking an entire summer off. When he piloted his De La Salle High wrestling team to both a North Coast Section team and dual title in early February and late March, the Spartans’ longtime coach added to an already impressive resumé. That championship team featured plenty of young stars, ensuring that De La Salle will continue to be the section’s team to beat for the foreseeable future. But, on one particular summer morning, in which the heat index was climbing steadily in Concord, Halvorson found himself back on the familiar blue mat of the Community Youth Center. He watched as five of his best wrestlers went through their paces, some merely hours removed from a trip to the Cliff Keen West Regionals in Idaho where each got upwards of 20 matches. Occasionally, Halvorson stepped onto the mat to demonstrate a technique or correct a flaw he’d seen over the weekend, and the instruction took instantly. Whenever he spoke, each wrestler listened with eyes focused ahead before attempting to put that advice into practice. In just a few weeks, those lessons will help serve as a blueprint for CYC’s traveling band of

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Peyton Omania talks with coach Mark Halverson

Photos by Phillip Walton

mat men at one of the toughest tournaments in the nation. Those five wrestlers — brothers Nathan and Andrew Cervantez, Adrian Gomez, Donovin Guerrero and Peyton Omania — along with fellow high school standouts Darryl Aiello, Jordan Jimenez and perhaps Guerrero’s younger brother Dwayne, will represent the club at the ASICS/Vaughan Cadet and Junior Nationals from July 18-25 at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D. This isn’t just a trip to gain experience. After skipping the tournament last year, CYC heads back to Fargo with a strong team built to compete for podium spots. The lineup starts with Nathan Cervantez, who placed second at the California Interscholastic Federation state championships in March. Aiello placed third at the meet and Guerrero took fourth while Omania, Gomez and Jimenez all placed at the NCS individual championships. “We’ve got a pretty good group this year,” Halvorson said. “We haven’t been to Fargo in a couple years because the kids were a little young. Nate and Andrew went two years ago. Nate was third and Andrew was a match away. I think we’ve got a good shot to be pretty good and be successful back there.” Once the high school season ends, Halvorson’s group switches its focus. The wins that piled up while wrestling folkstyle (high school) are replaced by a heightened emphasis on close contact. Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling takes hold, and combatants suddenly have to shift their thinking back to the disciplines that have been featured on the Olympic level for years. “(It starts) right after state. You get about five days off and you get into Greco,” Guerrero said. “I like Greco. We mostly train Greco and coach (Halvorson) is a world Greco coach so that’s what we train.” If there is success to be had in Fargo, count on it being a group celebration. The group Halvorson is taking this year has been together for as long as each wrestler can remember. He estimates that Gomez started wrestling at the CYC when he was five, Omania started

when he was six. Nathan Cervantez tried wrestling when he was five but didn’t like it much, returned to the sport at age eight and has made it his life ever since. And, while familiarity in the room has played a part, so has the level of coaching. Former Alhambra High star Jordan Abed and De La Salle standout Steve Gee are instrumental on a day-to-day basis, but instruction comes not only from the daily grind but also the various international experiences that Halvorson works to create. Teams from Hungary and Scandinavia visited the CYC in May for the Junior Greco-Roman World Duals, giving the club a chance to perform against some of the world’s best. As CYC has grown in stature throughout Halvorson’s tenure, so has the roster of prominent alums. Proof of the club’s success is evident at the top of USA Wrestling’s national rankings, where former CYC pupil Robby Smith is the nation’s top-ranked Greco-Roman wrestler at 130 kilograms (286.6 pounds). Another former CYC standout, Orry Elor, ranks third at 98 kilos (216 lbs). “The way we’re going right now is great because it’s giving us the chance to fulfill dreams like becoming Olympic champs, World Team champs, World Team trials, everything,” Nathan Cervantez said. “Knowing someone who came from CYC is at that level now, that’s our role model and that’s where we want to get to.” Those long-term goals are common among CYC’s best, and that’s the reason summer vacation isn’t an option for those heading to Fargo. Instead, they remain focused and, for those who want to be best in the nation, the work put in on a hot summer morning in Concord could make the difference. “Going there for the first time was tough because I didn’t know anything about it,” Cervantez said. “(Coach) Halvorson told me it was a tough tournament and I just went out there and battled. Going back, I want to try and place higher and make it to the finals. If I don’t, I’ll still be happy with placing but my dream is to be a national champion.” ✪ — SportStars Staff

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

Celebrating the best athletes in the Bay Area What did we get right? What did we get wrong? TALK TO US!

Welcome to the third annual Bay Area 75 — SportStars’ countdown of the top 75 Bay Area athletes from the 2014-15 school year. This is the second and final installment to the two-part unveiling of our prestigious list, featuring the Top 50 athletes. The first 25 athletes, which were revealed online on June 25, are listed here as well. To see their full capsules, visit SportStarsOnline.com. The only criteria used in generating the list were the athletes must be from one of the nine Bay Area counties, and they must have played in a sport

which culminated in a sanctioned section title. Our list includes at least one athlete from each county and has 14 different sports represented.. All sports fans know rankings are an opinion, and certainly subjective. They also spark debate and conversation, which is why we love them. As you look through this list, we encourage you to share your thoughts on how we did or who we missed. Reach out to us on on Facebook or Twitter (#BA75). Let the debate begin. —Chace Bryson, Editor

Click here to read in-depth looks at 75-51 50. Kathleen Scavo

No. 75-51 75. NAJEE HARRIS Antioch, Football, Soph. 74. MASON TITTLE Northgate-Walnut Creek, Swimming, Senior 73. DESIREE SEVERANCE Archbishop MittySan Jose, Softball, Senior 72. JORDAN PARKER Pittsburg, Football/ Basketball, Junior 71. JURNEE WOODWARD Vacaville, Track, Sophomore 70. VANESSA TRIA James Logan-Union City, Wrestling, Senior 69. ALBERT MUNAÑTE Mt. Pleasant-San Jose, Soccer, Senior 68. MACKENZIE ALBRECHT Sonoma ValleySonoma, Volleyball, Senior 67. FRANNY CERNY Berkeley, Soccer, Senior 66. ISAIAH LANGLEY Foothill-Pleasanton, Football/Track, Senior 65. JUSTIN HOOPER De La Salle-Concord, Baseball, Senior 64. MALIK BLACKBURN Concord, Football, Senior 63. AIDEN FINCH Los Gatos, Baseball, Senior

SportStars™

July 2015

62. LAVANCE WARREN McClymonds-Oakland, Football/Track, Senior 61. GRACE ZHAO Palo Alto, Swimming, Sophomore 60. SHELBY THOMPSON Benicia, Softball, Junior 59. RICKI LIANG Benicia, Wrestling, Senior 58. NATHAN CERVANTEZ De La Salle, Wrestling, Senior 57. TYLER PETITE Campolindo-Moraga, Football, Senior 56. DAKARI MONROE Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, Football/Basketball, Senior 55. DEVIN ASIASI De La Salle-Concord, Football, Junior 54. CHRIS HANSEN Campolindo-Moraga, Basketball, Senior 53. JOEY MATULOVICH San Ramon ValleyDanville, Baseball, Senior 52. JACEY PEDERSON Palo Alto, Soccer, Senior 51. KELLEY WIRTH Campolindo-Moraga, Volleyball, Senior

Justin-Siena-Napa, Golf, SR. Been one of the North Coast Section’s mostdecorated golfers past four years, and makes her second BA75 list (No. 68 in 2013) after a dominant senior year. She was medalist in both NCS Div. II tournament (2-under 70) and NCS Div. I Tournament of Champions (2-under 70). She then shot a 1-under 71 to tie for third at NorCals, and an even-72 for a solo-2nd at the state championships.

49. Sabrina Nunez

Redwood-Larkspur, Softball, SR. The Cal-bound Nunez posted some just plain silly offensive numbers. She hit .644 (67-for104) and only struck out once on her way to a .675 on base percentage. She also scored 50 runs, stole 25 bases, raked 16 doubles, nine triples and had 21 RBI.

48. Mallory Hromatko

Monte Vista-Danville, Soccer, Sr. The do-everything midfielder returns to the BA75 for the second year after another standout season for the nationally-ranked Mustangs. The UC Santa Barbara-commit had 29 points (13 goals, 3 assists) in leading Monte Vista to a 23-1 record and being named the Bay Area News Groups’ East Bay Player of the Year for a second straight season.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

47. Ben Kone

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, Basketball, JR. The San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year and a Cal-Hi Sports’ 2nd-Team Elite All-State selection averaged 20.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Mitty went 20-11 and reached the CIF Div. II State final, where Kone had 22 points and 14 rebounds in a double-overtime loss.

46. Katherine Claybaugh

San Ramon Valley-Danville, Volleyball, JR. A year after being MaxPreps.com National Sophomore of the Year, Claybaugh delivered another dynamite season for the Wolves. She was again a MaxPreps All-American and a Division I All-State selection after posting 655 kills, 69 aces, 425 digs and 18 blocks for the NCS Div. I runner-up and NorCal semifinalists.

45. Carmen Annevelink

Los Altos, Volleyball, SR. The Cal-bound hitter was the San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year after a dominant year at the net. She posted 635 kills, a kill percentage of 44 percent, 222 digs, 35 blocks, 67 aces for a 34-7 team which reached Central Coast Section and CIF NorCal Div. II finals (losing to eventual state-champ Archbishop Mitty in each).

44. Danielle Williams

Amador Valley-Pleasanton, Softball, FR. Williams is one of just two freshmen to make our rankings this year. She burst onto the East Bay softball scene by immediately impacting a Dons teams which had lost much to graduation. Williams went 24-3 in the circle with a 0.79 ERA. She also led the Dons with 42 hits and a .532 batting average. Amador Valley went 24-3 and repeated as NCS Div. I champs.

43. Milan Moses

Dublin, Basketball/Soccer, SR. Moses will play collegiate soccer for San Diego State this fall, but her big impact as a Gael in 2014-15 was on the hardwood. Moses averaged a teamleading 15.7 points per game and added 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.3 steals per contest. Dublin went 28-4 and were the NCS Div. II champions and NorCal finalists.

42. Nick Stinn

St. Ignatius-S.F., Lacrosse, SR. A Laxpower.com All-American and the West Catholic Athletic League MVP, Stinn was the linchpin to a St. Ignatius team that went 18-1 and closed the year ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 22 in the nation by Laxpower.com. He will continue his lacrosse career at Notre Dame.

41. Sarah Choy

Sacred Heart Prep,-atherton Tennis, FR. Choy took the Central Coast Section by storm in 2014. Ranked as one of the top 25 freshmen in the nation by TennisRecruiting.net, Choy went a perfect 31-0 on the season and won the CCS Singles Championship. She dropped just one set in the tournament and won the final 6-2, 6-0 over Mariko Iinuma of Hillsdale.

40. Maxime Rooney

Granada-Livermore, Swimming, JR. Committed to the University of Florida, Rooney makes this list for the second straight year after setting a new North Coast Section Championships record in the 200 freestyle (1 minutes, 34.58 seconds) while defending his title in the same event and the 500 freestyle. Rooney will enter his senior year holding the record for all three NCS freestyle distances.

39. Jordan Ewert

Deer Valley-Antioch, Volleyball, SR. Ewert is the first Wolverines’ player to ever earn a full-ride scholarship for boys volleyball — and to Stanford, no less. It’s his second straight year in these rankings, which he earned by posting 632 kills with 89 aces, 56 blocks and 285 digs. He led Deer Valley to a 41-2 record, a North Coast Section Div. I championship and a CIF NorCal Div. I finals appearance.

38. James Outman

Serra-San Mateo, Baseball/ Football, SR. A legitimate two-sport star for the Padres, Outman began his school year as a SportStars All-NorCal football selection after compiling 80 tackles (60 solo) and being named Co-MVP of the West Catholic Athletic League. In baseball, which he’ll continue to play at Sacramento State next spring, Outman hit .287 with 25 hits, 19 runs, 14 RBI, eight stolen bases, four doubles, two triples and three home runs.

37. Addison Escobar

Richmond, Soccer, SR. His hat trick in the North Coast Section Div. II final lifted the Oilers to their first section championship in 21 years. He finished the season with 27 goals and 11 assists and was bestowed multiple honors, including Bay Area News Group’s East Bay Player of the Year.

36. Joelle Krist

Petaluma, Softball/Basketball/ Volleyball, SR. The lone legit three-sport talent on this year’s list. She contributed to a 23-11 Trojans volleyball team, was a first-team All-Sonoma County Athletic League selection on the 21-7 girls basketball team, and led a 24-4 softball team by hitting .529 with 46 hits, 40 runs, 46 RBI, 11 doubles and six home runs. She’ll play softball collegiately for Arizona.

35. Danielle Bowers

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, Softball, SR. Yet another softball standout headed for Cal. Bowers was the most consistent and prolific hitter for the CCS Div. II-champion Monarchs. She hit .426 and had team-bests in hits (40), runs (31), RBI (30) and stolen bases (12). She also had seven doubles, three triples and four home runs.

34. David Kessler

Las Lomas-Walnut Creek, Water Polo, SR. Kessler competed for the U.S. Youth National Team in Turkey during the summer of 2014, and then dominated the pool for Las Lomas in the fall. The Bay Area News Group named him its East Bay Player of the Year after he scored 109 goals with 60 steals and 45 assists for a 17-8 Knights team.

33. Lo Utchen

Monte Vista-Danville, Volleyball, SR. It was a banner year for Utchen and the Mustangs. Utchen was named Bay Area News Group’s East Bay Player of the Year after leading Monte Vista to a 30-7 record and its first NCS championship since 1995 and first East Bay Athletic League title since 1996. The San Diego Statecommit had 946 assists, 77 kills, 213 digs, 69 aces and 77 blocks.

32. Ma’Ane Mosley

St. Mary’s-Berkeley, Basketball/ Track, SR. Mosley earned 2nd-Team All-State Elite honors from Cal-Hi Sports after a dominant season for the 23-9 Panthers. The 5-foot-11 Cal-bound post averaged 18.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.2 steals and a little more than one block a game. In the spring, she won North Coast Section track titles in the long jump and the 4x100 relay.

31. James Kelbert

Leland-San Jose, Basketball/ Water Polo, JR. Kelbert was a 1st-Team All-Mercury News selection in basketball after averaging 19 points and 11.8 rebounds with 25 double-doubles in 27 games. During the fall, he was a standout goalie for 19-8 Chargers team and was named the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Junior of the Year.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

30. J.J. Koski

San Ramon Valley-Danville, Football/Basketball, SR. Koski’s two-sport prowess was recently recognized with a 3rd-Team selection to Cal-Hi Sports’ All-State Grid-Hoop team. The Cal-bound wide reciever caught 56 passes for 881 yards and 15 TDs during the fall. He then spent his winter as the defensive stopper and key role player on the Wolves’ CIF Div. I State Championship hoops team.

29. Jacob Solomon

Dublin, Golf, SR. The Auburn-bound Solomon saved his best for last during the boys golf postseason. He shot a marvelous 3-under 68 to win the CIF State Championship tournament outright at Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach. It concluded a postseason run in which he carded a 2-over 74 to tie for fourth at the NCS Meet of Champions, and a 1-over 73 (tie for 16th) at the CIF NorCal championships.

28. Paris Austin

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, Basketball, SR. Austin may have played in national-recruit Ivan Rabb’s shadow, but he was just as big a part of the Dragons’ CIF Open Div. Championship season. The Boise State-commit averaged 17 points, and 4 assists while shooting 43 percent (72-of-168) from 3-point range. In a mid-season game he set the school single-game points record at 43. In the state final, he scored 18 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and OT.

27. Alexa Dreyer

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, Volleyball, SR. The 6-foot-4 middle blocker was named SportStars’ Bay Area Female Athlete of the Fall after she helped lead Mitty to a 39-3 record and a CIF Div. II State Champion. The UCLA-bound Dreyer had 286 kills and her 48-percent hitting percentage was tops among the Monarchs‘ primary attackers. She also contributed 61 blocks and provided 26 aces among 125 service points.

July 2015

SportStars™

26. Trevor Reinhart

Marin Academy, Cross Country, SR. One of the Bay Area’s most-decorated distance runners over the past four years added his second state title by winning the CIF Div. V State Championship race. More impressively, his time of 14 minutes, 59 seconds missed being the fastest time across all divisions by just one second. It was, however, the fastest Bay Area time of any competitor at the state meet.

25. Jackie Gilbert

24. Aisia Robertson

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, Basketball, SR. The Kansas-bound Robertson was the senior leader and go-to star the CIF Div. III State Championship. Robertson was a 1st-Team All-State Elite selection after averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for the Dragons. In the state final, she scored a team-high 16 points and added eight rebounds, five assists and two steals.

23. Sydney Raggio

Amador Valley-Pleasanton, Lacrosse, SR. Recently featured on the cover of Lacrosse Magazine, Gilbert is the first California player to ever be selected to a US Women’s National Team — playing this July for U-19 World Championship Team in Scotland. Her senior year included 83 goals, 57 assists, 56 ground balls, 32 takeaways and 159 draws won.

SportStars™

July 2015

St. Igantius-S.F., Basketball, Basketball Raggio was the West Catholic Athletic League MVP, and a 2nd-Team All-State Elite selection as she led the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding with 13.1 points and 11.6 rebounds a team which finished 22-7 and reached the CIF Open Div. semifinals. Raggio will continue her career at Saint Mary’s.

22. Elena Bruckner

Valley Christian-San Jose, Track/ Volleyball, SR. Bruckner’s dominant track season concluded with a CIF State title in the shot put and third-place finish in discus. She was the CCS champion in both events and her WCALChampionships discus throw of 182 feet, 8 inches was the fourth-best throw in the world for juniors under 20-years old this season. Her volleyball season included 225 kills, 21 blocks, 98 digs and a team-leading 52 aces.

21. Albert Gwo

Los Altos, Swimming, JR. Gwo was one of two Central Coast Section swimmers to win double gold at the inaugural CIF State Swimming Championships. He was the fastest swimmer at the meet, winning both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. One week earlier he swam through flu-like symptoms to win the 50 free and take second in the 100.

20. Jack Xie

Saratoga, Swimming, JR. A transfer-student from China, Xie made the most of his chance to swim in a state championship meet, taking gold in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 butterfly. He also won both of the events at the CCS Swim Championships, the only boy to do so at the meet.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

19. Jeremy Ydens

St. Francis-Mountain View, Baseball, JR. The UCLA-commit was named the Cal-Hi Sports’ State Junior of the Year after helping lead the Lancers to the CCS Open Div. title by hitting .404 across 34 games. He led the team in hits (44), runs (35), RBI (22), stolen bases (25) and triples (5). He also had eight doubles and two home runs. He also went 7-3 on the mound with a 1.69 ERA in 12 starts.

18. Kat Klass

San Ramon Valley-Danville, Water Polo, SR. The Stanford-bound Klass completed her fouryear Wolves career with a fourth-straight NCS title. She scored 127 goals and finished with a school-best 492 for her career. Her many postseason accolades included being named the All-North Coast Section Div. I MVP and Bay Area News Group East Bay Player of the Year. This is her third BA 75 selection.

17. Miles Harrison

15. Kennedy Jones

16. Jason Scrempos

14. Holly Azevedo

Clayton Valley CharterConcord, Football, SR. While we don’t condone his poor off-field decisions which led to criminal charges, Harrison belongs on this list for his onfield efforts in 2014. He was a 1st-Team All-State selection after he rushed for 2,709 yards and a total of 34 TDs as he led the Eagles to the CIF Div. II State Bowl (where he rushed for 323 yards and scored 5 TDs in a 34-33 loss). Milpitas, Football/Basketball, SR. Headed to Washington on a football scholarship, Scrempos was the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s Most Outstanding Lineman and was named to the SportStars All-NorCal Defense after 55 tackles and seven sacks for the 12-1 Trojans. During the winter, he was a starting post player for a Milpitas team which came within one point of reaching the CCS Div. I final.

Castro Valley, Track, SR. Jones left no doubt that she was the state’s top triple jumper in 2015. With her last jump at the CIF State Championships, Jones went 42 feet, 5 1/4 inches — breaking her personal record by 20 inches — to win the title. She also won the event at the Sacramento Meet of Champions and the NCS Meet of Champions. She was also third in the long jump at NCS. Pioneer-San Jose, Softball, SOPH. Central Coast Section batters can not be happy that Azevedo still has two more seasons in the circle for the Mustangs. Azevedo allowed just one earned run in 177 innings of work (a 0.03 ERA) and finished with more than 250 strikeouts. She went 28-1 with one save. She also batted .381 with 18 RBI.

13. Briana Perez

Alhambra-Martinez, Softball, SOPH. Already committed to UCLA, the young shortstop hit a team-best .608 while also leading Alhambra in runs (55), hits (48), extra-base hits (26), home runs (14), triples (6), walks (27), stolen bases (26) and on-base percentage (.721). She did this while leading Alhambra to a 25-3 record and a second consecutive NCS Div. II championship.

12. Max Flower

Campolindo-Moraga, Baseball/ Football, SR. Committed to Cal for baseball, Flower spent the fall as a two-way standout for a 16-0 CIF Div. III State Bowl-champion football team. He caught 56 passes for 1,052 yards and 13 TD. Defensively, he had two interceptions including a gameclinching pick-six in the NCS playoffs. On the diamond, he batted .349 and led the team in hits (30), runs (27), extra-base hits (15) and doubles (8). His 21 RBI ranked second on the team.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

11. Ben Burr-Kirven

Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, Football, SR. Nobody on this list did more with less. Limited to just eight games because of an injury, the Washington-bound two-way player still managed to total 116 tackles (14.5 per game) from his linebacker position. He also was able to rush 106 times for 862 yards on offense. He scored a total of 19 TDs for 13-0 CCS Open Div. champs. In addition, he was a First-Team All-State selection and the SportStars All-NorCal Defensive Player of the Year.

10. Jake Foscalina

Livermore, Soccer/Baseball, SR. Foscalina was the East Bay Athletic League Co-MVP in soccer after leading the league with 28 goals for a Cowboys team which went 174-3 overall. During the spring, he led Livermore baseball with 38 hits and added team-bests in average (.409), on base percentage (.509), runs (33), stolen bases (8), extra-base hits (16) and doubles (10). He also had 16 RBI for the NCS Div. II runners-up.

9. Anthony Gordon

Terra Nova-Pacifica, Football/ Baseball, SR. Gordon was the Bay Area’s most prolific quarterback in 2014. He was a SportStars All-NorCal selection and was named All-State Medium Schools Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports after passing for 4,899 yards and 49 TDs. During baseball season he hit .355 in 26 games with 27 hits, 17 runs, 12 RBI and six doubles. He also went 2-2 with a 1.32 ERA and two saves in 11 pitching appearances.

8. Anthony Hernandez

Vacaville, Wrestling, SR. In the span of two days in early March, Hernandez turned a good senior season into an exceptional one. Hernandez defeated Nathan Cervantez 3-1 in overtime of the 126-pound final at the CIF State Wrestling Championships to bring home gold. He finished with a 40-3 record on the season and was the only Bay Area wrestler to bring home a state title.

7. Lindsay Rood

Monte Vista-Danville, Soccer/ Softball, SR. Rood led the 23-1 nationally-ranked Mustangs soccer team in points with 32, tying for teambest with 13 goals while adding six assists. She then matriculated to her primary sport in the spring and hit .529 on 46 hits, with 36 runs, 19 RBI, eight doubles, four triples, five home runs and a perfect 20-for-20 in stolen base attempts. Monte Vista went 18-9 and reached the NCS Div. I semis.

6. Steve Dinneen

St. Francis-Mountain View, Football/Volleyball, SR. Dinneen was arguably his school’s best player in two sports. Committed to Air Force as an outside linebacker, Dinneen was a force on defense for the Lancers in 2014. He racked up 99 tackles, 14 sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He was a SportStars All-NorCal selection and the West Catholic Athletic League Co-MVP. In volleyball he posted 440 kills, 84 blocks, 152 digs and 37 aces for the CCS and CIF NorCal Div. I Champions. He was the San Jose Mercury News Male Athlete of the Year.

Join in the conversation! Tweet us at @sportstarsmag using the hashtag #ba75 or hit us up at Facebook at Facebook.com/SportStars 20

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Three Years of Rabb’s Major Postseason Honors 2012-13 ›› Cal-Hi Sports State Sophomore of the Year ›› SportStars Bay Area 75, No. 25

2013-14 ›› Cal-Hi Sports State Junior of the Year ›› SportStars Bay Area Athlete of the Winter ›› Bay Area News Group East Bay Player of Year ›› S.F. Chronicle All-Metro Player of the Year ›› SportStars Bay Area 75, No. 3

2014-15 ›› McDonald’s All-American ›› Cal-Hi Sports Mr. State Basketball ›› SportStars Bay Area Athlete of the Winter ›› Bay Area News Group East Bay Player of Year ›› S.F. Chronicle All-Metro Co-Player of the Year (w/ teammate Paris Austin) ›› SportStars Bay Area 75, No. 1

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

After years of serving the Coast Guard, Jim Rue has found a new home serving the state’s young ATV riders

ehind every young quad racer star who earns a place as a podium finisher, stands a team of individuals who have coached and supported that youth in the quest for that moment of fame. There is one team member, however, who is seldom recognized for his role in the success of the podium finishers of the youth divisions of the AMA/ATVA racing world. This is his story. When Jim Rue retired after years spent patrolling the Colorado River with the U.S. Coast Guard, he never envisioned that he was about to embark upon an equally rewarding second career. In fact, he had fully intended to spend his golden years camping and fishing. Access to the best fishing spots frequently proved to be challenging for his truck, let alone an RV. That’s when Jim purchased his first ATV. His enthusiasm for outdoor adventures and off-roading soon rubbed off on his grandkids, and it wasn’t long before he discovered that his garage was filled with several ATVs. Jim’s first priority was getting everyone trained to ride safely and responsibly. He had witnessed many young riders who had misjudged a berm or attempted some whoops and cased it. He also felt that kids usually listen and learn better if an adult outside the family does the teaching. Locating such a person became a big problem because — in 2005 — there were no ATV training classes in the San Diego area. Thus, began Jim Rue’s second career: ATV instructor and off-road advocate. Jim stepped up to the plate and volunteered. It wasn’t long before Jim found himself teaching ATV safety classes, making presentations to off-road clubs, and manning booths at local events and state fairs — all weekend every weekend — from Ocotillo Wells to Glamis and beyond. Today, Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and Golden Acorn maintain permanent ATV training sites, and both San Diego and Imperial Counties have regularly scheduled ATV training classes available. All thanks to Jim Rue’s dedication. Furthermore, hundreds of aspiring quad racing sports stars have completed the ASI ATV Safety Course under Jim’s tutelage. Some of those students might have even become podium finishers. All of them, though, know what active riding is, what it looks like, and why it’s important no matter where they ride. They’ve become safer quad riders and better competitors because of the support team member they didn’t even know they had. Note: Jim Rue is a certified ASI ATV Safety Instructor and a volunteer ATV Safety Instructor at Heber Dunes SVRA, part of the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, California State Parks. ✪ — Jaime Mendez, State Park Interpreter/Heber Dunes SVRA

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

Pioneer-Woodland goalie Alexis Mata set the bar high when she wrote her future self a letter By Daniel Herberholz Photos by James K. Leash 26

SportStars™

July 2015

s a sixth grader, Alexis Mata set a goal. Six years later, she’s achieved it by blocking them. Mata wrote a letter to her 18-year-old self — like a lot of kids are instructed to do — while attending Holy Rosary School in Woodland. In it, she detailed her ambitions of attending college on a soccer scholarship. I hope I’m still playing soccer, she wrote, because I just love it. UCLA was her ideal destination but, really, the point was to play into her 20s. So she kept practicing hard with Woodland Soccer Club and, come freshman year at Pioneer High, Mata began training with the more competitive San Juan Academy. She also played for Pioneer, and would be minding the net as the school earned its first playoff victory, a 3-2 win over Christian BrothersSacramento in the first round of the 2015 Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs. Now, the goalkeeper is going to University of Hawaii to play women’s soccer. There was one hiccup, however. Basketball nearly drew her away. Mata started shooting hoops in middle school and, by midway through her sophomore year at Pioneer, she preferred hardwood to the green grass of futbol. She played with San Juan Academy as a freshman and knew she’d have to choose between the sports in club competition. Once she settled on basketball, Mata feared telling her parents, Marco and Anna Lucia Medina. “They love watching me play soccer,” Mata said. “I thought about it for two, three weeks before I could actually say it to them.” First she shared over the phone, then again on the way to her San Juan tryout. “My mom, it devastated her,” Mata said. “You’re a natural at this,” Medina told Mata. “How do you not think about that?” Medina made Mata take even more time to ponder. “You need to be doing this,” Mata recalled her mom saying, “This has been your dream for a long time.”

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Medina remembers standing at the San Juan tryout and thinking it might be Mata’s last day dedicated to soccer. “I was in tears,” Medina said. Maybe Mata ran across that letter to herself, or remembered how she set the same goal for herself when given the same assignment as a freshman. Maybe Mata was swayed by how quickly San Juan coach Billy Wiskel whisked her onto the roster — Medina’s theory, since, as she recalled, “the coach automatically said, ‘Lex, you’re in.’” Mata, though, completely credits Medina. “She knew this is what I had to do,” the daughter said. “After thinking about it, I decided to stick with it. If it wasn’t for her, who knows?” One thing’s for sure: The Aloha State wouldn’t be beckoning. Hawaii assistant coach Marc Fournier first saw Mata play in a workshop she attended, which he was helping to run, at the San Diego Surf Cup. Again zeroed in on soccer, Mata impressed Fournier enough to stay on his radar until her junior year, when he phoned to start recruiting the keeper. Hawaii head coach Michele Nagamine said Fournier “was just very, very impressed with her athleticism and her shot-stopping ability.” Medina was similarly impressed with Nagamine, calling her “a coach slash mother figure,” and happily allowed Mata to go on an official visit to Hawaii’s campus. “The chemistry with the coaches and the team, that’s what sold me,” Mata said of her trip there. “Like, wow, they’re really like a family here. I want to be part of this.” Also enticing was Fournier, who played two seasons at University of Hawaii at Hilo and was once named second-team PacWest Conference. A coach’s insight can really push a player, as Mata knows. She praised the help of Woodland Soccer Club coach Ramon Hernandez. Hernandez doesn’t get paid by the club, “but a girl like Mata going there, that’s enough for me” — Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

as well as Pioneer coach Anibal Morales and, most importantly, Wiskel. Medina believes that Wiskel, who moved to Seattle midway through Mata’s four-year stint with San Juan, had a big impact on her. Mata added that Wiskel “broke me out of my shell.” Mata is still the same soft-spoken gal off the field. She’s just a lot louder when she’s in net. That might also be because of Pioneer basketball coach Mark Rocha, who encouraged her to be a vocal leader last season. In her junior campaign, Mata’s inside presence and ability to get to the free-throw line helped the Patriots’ turnaround from a two-win campaign to the school’s first playoff berth in girls hoops. Pioneer was knocked out in its opener, but Mata returned to the postseason as a senior with soccer. The goalie called the win over Christian Brothers and the ensuing quarterfinal loss to eventual runner-up Manteca “probably the best games I’ve played for Pioneer.” The opener included a save against Nici Lopez, her teammate with San Juan who is also headed to Hawaii. On a corner kick, Lopez got her head on the ball — but Mata blocked it. “We both fell on the ground,” Mata said, “and she’s like, ‘Really Lex?’ I tapped her on the head, like, nice try.” Skill and swagger are two reasons why Lopez said Mata will compete with two juniors for the starting spot this fall at Hawaii. “Lex is a very, very good shot-stopper,” Lopez said. “We love her competitive spirit and we think she’s going to be a contributor her freshman year.” It seems the sky’s the limit for Mata. She is intently following this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada and sometimes finds herself daydreaming about succeeding Hope Solo. In the meantime, starting this summer, she’ll be spending tons of time in a paradise beyond her dreams. And she deserves it, Medina said. “She has the biggest heart,” Mata’s mom said. “She’s hungry to get where she needs to be. I know she has a lot of passion and drive. I’m so proud of her.” Her sixth-grade self would be too. ✪

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

edding has home run venues for your upcoming tournaments, close enough to arrive for a weekend getaway, and far enough to completely change the scenery and competition. Baseball and softball tournaments are played at Big League Dreams park, which features replica versions of famous Major League Baseball venues such as Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. Many of the soccer and lacrosse tournaments are played at the four-field, all-weather Redding Soccer Park complex. And when it comes to swimming, Redding Aquatic Center hosts all your 50-meter needs. Coming up, Big League Dreams will be hosting a series of youth baseball and fastpitch tournaments by National Softball Association, Hardball North and USSSA. Which replica field will you be on, Wrigley, Fenway, or maybe Yankee Stadium? You can also keep an eye out for sand volleyball, bocce ball and kickball tournaments at this complex. The Redding Soccer Park will be home to soccer’s S*M*A*S*H Cup, Oct. 24-25. This event has a mission to bring breast health awareness to all who attend, furthering the “Think Pink” movement in the community while bringing in about 60 competitive teams. The park is a safe, gated facility with indoor restrooms, concessions and a play structure for the little ones. You can also register on the website for the Hunter Troy Clegg Memorial Soccer Tournament in September. Keep a lookout for upcoming dates for lacrosse tournaments too, or find the latest lacrosse information visit

reddinglacrosse.com. Surrounded by mountains, miles of hiking and biking trails, a river running through town, nine State Park designations and five National Park designations nearby, the excellent tournament destination of Redding is the place to compete. Cradled by Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, Redding averages 300+ sunny days per year, the sunniest city in California. Have time between games for some other recreation? Time Magazine called Redding the Unofficial Capital of Kayaking for its “weird obsession” with all things paddling. With temperate weather, nearby lakes and that gorgeous river in the middle of town, it would be “weird” to not get out and enjoy it all. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is one of the few full lakes in California and a great place to kayak, sail or just float on your back. Redding is also home to the famous Sundial Bridge, world-class fishing and 200 miles of hiking and biking trails. Head out on a day-trip to see the bubbling

Big League Dreams 20155 Viking Way 530-223-1177 August 15-16: Youth Baseball: All World Baseball Tournament September 26-27: Youth Fastpitch: NSA Fastpitch October 17-18: Youth Baseball: ll World Baseball October 24-25: Youth Fastpitch: USSSA Fastpitch November 7-8: Youth Fastpitch: NSA Fastpitch November 21-22: Youth Baseball: Hardball North March 2016: High School Baseball and Softball: Dates TBD

mud pots and boiling lakes in Lassen Volcanic National Park, or get refreshed by the waterfall at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. This 129-foot gusher is considered one of the most beautiful in the state. Also, be sure to find out what fun events are happening — like the upcoming Give Me Wings Century bicycle ride (one of the most challenging in the state) and the Salmon Festival (Forbes ranks Redding as the only West Coast city among the Top 10 fishing destinations in North America). To keep up to speed on events, tournaments, things to do or to learn more about Redding, call 530-225-4105 or email Chad@VisitRedding.com. ✪ — Copy and photos provided by Visit Redding

Redding Soccer Park www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

September 26-27: Youth Soccer: Hunter Troy Clegg Memorial Tournament

October 24-25: Boys and Girls Competitive Youth Soccer Tournament U12-U19 Charities supported Nor-Cal Think Pink and The Love and Light Foundation. Lacrosse: www.ReddingLacrosse.com

February: Lacrosse Opening weekend Redding Boys Jamboree U13High School.

redding.bigleaguedreams.com/

Swimming September 13: Open Water Swim Whiskeytown Masters US Sanctioned November 8-9: Veteran’s Memorial Championship at Shasta College

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

Tristeps: liz elliott

Whether one is a triathlete or recreational rider, the key to becoming a more efficient bicyclist starts with the pedal stroke Liz Elliott is the head coach at Tri-Valley Triathlon Club and also works as a National Academy of Science and Medicine-certified Elite Level personal coach at Crunch! Fitness in Blackhawk.

SportStars™

July 2015

I often say to my aspiring triathletes, “Your form begins in the swim.” Just like there are parts of a swimming stroke, there are parts of a pedal stroke: start, power, finish, lift and recovery. The better you master each part, the more efficient your pedal stroke will be. The more efficient your pedal stroke, the more energy you will save on every stroke, which will add up over the course of the bike portion of a triathlon. Just like in swimming, you should do drills when cycling. Practice drills every time you ride. The best cyclists in the world practice correct form every ride. Bicycling pedal stroke is a motor skill. It is said it takes 5,000 times of performing a motor skill for it to become muscle memory. In swimming and cycling, if you’ve been performing a drill or a part of the stroke incorrectly, it will take time to retrain your body. Perform drills on each part of the pedal stroke. When doing drills, focus on three things: Do each drill slowly. Do each drill correctly. Focus only on the drill you are practicing. Perform each drill a short period each ride until it becomes your muscle memory. For example, focus on the lift for 20 strokes on the left leg, followed by the lift for 20 strokes on the right leg, then 20 strokes on both legs. Take a break from the drill, then repeat the pattern a few more times. The two most common mistakes new riders make are always “mashing” or focusing only on the downward push of the stroke, and “toeing” or pushing only with the front of your foot and not driving down with the heel. Toeing results in muscle imbalances, as well as can lead to knee or hip joint injuries. Also since you are only using half of you leg power, and never getting rest for your legs, this wears down your quads and never really engages your hamstrings. In the end, it may lead to a slower run. Here are two drills to get you started in the right direction: Power Phase: focus on the heel down. When pedaling, you will always push down, the power of every rotation. Adding power is the part that most do automatically. When you push down avoid “toeing.” Push down and make sure the heel comes down on every stroke. If you need to think about the heel coming down on every pedal stroke, a change in your bike fit is necessary, most likely an adjustment in your cleat placement is needed. Recovery Phase: Focus on the lift. Again, you will always add the power. The most overlooked part of the pedal stroke is the lift. It’s crucial in giving your lower quads and hamstrings a rest. Spend time focus on “lifting” from the upper thigh on each stroke. You’ll notice the contact and power on your pedal will be later in the stroke, and the leg lifting gets a rest on each stroke. This rest adds up, and you can save energy for later in the bike or on the run. ✪

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

health watch: cindy j. chang, m.d.

Balancing Act A closer look at the Female Athlete Triad & its inherent dangers to female athletes

Driven by her desire for gold, U.S. National Team gymnast Christy Henrich practiced diligently for hours each day while maintaining a disciplined diet in hopes of becoming the best. But by the age of 22-years old, she weighed less than 50 pounds, and her tragic death illuminated the importance of protecting the female athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body image and health. Female athletes became empowered to step forward and discuss the challenges and increasing demands of competition. By the early 1990s, the Female Athlete Triad received international recognition as a health concern. The Female Athlete Triad involves three distinct but interrelated conditions: energy deficiency caused by disordered eating, irregular menstrual cycle and low bone-mineral density. A female athlete can have none, one, two or all three parts of the triad. While the demands of competition may drive some athletes to diet or to adopt unhealthy eating behaviors, many may not realize the increased caloric intake that is required to achieve adequate energy. The imbalance of low intake and high expenditure results in low energy availability. A deficit in energy

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

leads the body to suppress physiological functions that are essential for development, health and athletic performance. As a result of low energy availability, athletes may experience menstrual dysfunction, e.g., irregular, absent or loss of menstrual periods. In addition, low energy availability can lead to poor bone health. Low bone mineral density may cause injuries such as stress fractures and result in negative long-term effects. Awareness and prevention of the Female Athlete Triad will help to maximize athletic performance. Proper nutrition and health education is essential in the development of young athletes. Recognizing signs of any part of the triad is important in protecting the health of athletes. â&#x153;Ş Alexandra Tee, a graduate of UC Berkeley who is currently in medical school at VCU, contributed to this article. She is working with Dr. Chang on a research project exploring knowledge of the Female Athlete Triad. If you are an athletic director, PE teacher, or coach and would like more information or can connect us with your colleagues, please contact teea@vcu.edu.

Elite athletes can only reach full potential through an elite support structure training time: tim rudd

Parents of young athletes have it tough. As youth sports become increasingly more complex and competitive, parents are tasked with nurturing, teaching, motivating and training their athletes. I believe parents have the best intentions for their children’s pursuit of reaching their highest level of performance. But far too often their young athletes are not cultivated properly; parents (and coaches) mistakenly push their athletes too far, too soon! The end result is an athlete who grows to despise the very sport or activity that they used to love. In theory, reaching for the stars sounds great, but putting it into practice is very difficult. How often have you heard stories of children and adolescents who dominated their sport at an early age, only to drop out due to exhaustion and burnout? How about all of the stress-related injuries that stop young athletes from pursuing their dreams? This leaves coaches and parents wondering what happened. How did such a talented young player drop out of the game or just become average after so much time on the court or field? The toll this takes on the ambitious parents is also devastating, as they have been the ones grooming the athlete for elite status since their first game. So the question becomes, how can children thrive throughout their sports development? And, how can parents support that performance status in sports and life? The reality is that elite performance takes much more than year-round training and extraordinary talent. Elite athletes possess a support structure that cultivates success in the elite zone for extended periods of time. This support structure must grow as the level of the athlete grows. As the athlete continues to go up each competitive level, the more solid the foundation must be in resisting the toppling of the Elite Performer Pyramid — a wide base of training, nutrition, mindset, drive AND positive environment must support it. The responsibility falls on parent and coaches to fosterv the lower base elements of the Elite Performer Pyramid by allowing our athletes to achieve elite performance. At the base is a positive environment and mindset. As you stack the pyramid, nutrition and training become building blocks. Only then can one begin to see how important each component is and how they all work together in support of grooming our young athletes. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

Water On The Knee

injury prevention: mari ball

Thinking of taking up swimming because you heard the activity would be easier on your joints? Although most aquatic sports are considered nonweight bearing, knee injuries are the most common (after shoulder injuries) with swimmers, water polo players and synchronized swimmers. The injury rates increase based on the length of the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitive career, technique, age, strength and flexibility. Approximately one-fourth of aquatic athletes will have knee pain at some time during their competitive career. Knee problems are more commonly seen in breast strokers, water polo players and synchronized swimmers. With competitive swimmers, the long hours dedicated to practicing the repetitive motion of the breast stroke whip kick can increase medial and lateral knee pain. The knee is a hinge joint, designed primarily to move forward and backward. With the rotational motion of the whip kick, up to 86 percent of breast strokers may experience knee pain due to increased medial stress to the joint. Close to half of these swimmers will complain of knee pain at least once a week at the higher levels of competition. Water polo players need a remarkable amount of stamina and strength as they utilize the egg beater kick to tread water forward, back-

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

wards and vertically to block or throw the ball over an opponent. Unlike other athletes who can push off the ground with their legs to sprint forwards, backwards or to throw a ball, water polo players, as well as synchronized swimmers, do not have a stable base of support to push off from. Instead, they depend on core stability and leg strength, which can be stressful to the knees. The longer the competitive career, the more likely the athlete may experience some type of knee dysfunction. Loss of flexibility or strength imbalances can cause an increase in the tension or stress to one side of the joint. Over time, this can cause irritation under the knee cap or any of the structures (ligaments, tendons, meniscus) of the knee. Assessing strength and range-of-motion imbalances of the knee musculature, correcting faulty kick biomechanics and coming up with a well-designed strength and stretching program are strategies to prevent knee pain with aquatic sports. Cross-training with other strokes to reduce medial stress to the knees and overall conditioning is important. Cross-training should also utilize an exercise program that emphasizes core stability, such as pilates. Strengthening core muscles is extremely important for aquatic athletes to increase power and to prevent future injuries. â&#x153;Ş Mari Ball is a physical therapist at the Center for Sports Medicine in Walnut Creek.

DIP

DO THE

Want to improve your bench press efficiency and maximum lift? powered by trucks: anthony trucks In my many years of strength training, there have been three predominant lifts that tower above all in the weight room as the pillars. The squat, deadlift, and the bench press. Then if you were to narrow it down to the most performed exercise you would be left with the bench press. Hence the reason there are so many chicken leg lifters in most weight rooms. Lets be honest, it’s a sad truth. The goal of this lift is to be able to do the most weight possible. For nonathletes it’s usually a masculinity and/or strength thing. For athletes it actually aids in sprints and pressing opponents off of your body. So I have spent years extensively trying to find out how to best improve this lift. I happened upon one amazing addition to my workouts, and my clients workouts, that elicited amazing gains. The tricep dip. This exercise has amazing benefits because of the following: ›› It’s a free weight exercise so it forces the muscle to stay strong and balanced through a FULL range of motion. ›› It helps build the triceps, which are paramount in the

ability to lock the bar out and not get stuck midway during the bench press lift. ›› The stability gained during this exercise transfers to the ability to control the bar during bench press, which increases the maximum weight able to be pressed. I have seen people’s max increase as much as 50 pounds in 6-8 weeks just by incorporating this lift correctly. So don’t be a dip. Start dipping. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

July 2015

SportStars™

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

SportStars™

July 2015

Subscribe to s360 at SportStarsOnline.com

A G: Guidance For Your Football Future.............................................................................36 All Sports Training Center.................................................................................................37 Bay Area Equestrian Vet Camp..........................................................................................35 Big O Tires Northern California/ Nevada.............................................................................2 Bigfoot Hoops....................................................................................................................5 Blankenship Baseball.......................................................................................................37 Cal Athletic Camps...........................................................................................................38 California Football Academy3.............................................................................................6 Capitol City Driving School...............................................................................................36 Championship Athletic Fundraising.................................................................................23 Club Sport........................................................................................................................40 Core Performance.............................................................................................................37 Core Volleyball Club..........................................................................................................37 Diablo Futbol Club............................................................................................................21 Diablo Trophies & Awards.................................................................................................36 East Bay Badminton Assn.................................................................................................37 East Bay Parks..................................................................................................................38 Eden Medical Center Super Safety Sunday Health & Safety Expo......................................20 Excellence In Sport Performance......................................................................................19 Garaventa Enterprises......................................................................................................14 Halo Headband................................................................................................................38 Head First Baseball West Coast.........................................................................................18 Jumbo Sunflower Seeds...................................................................................................27 Kneed-A- Brace................................................................................................................27 Muir Orthopaedic Specialists............................................................................................34 My Game Ball Photo.........................................................................................................37 National Scouting Report.................................................................................................35 Next Level College Advisors..............................................................................................38 Off- Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division...............................................................24 Pinole Youth Center’s Summer Adventures Program........................................................36 Placer Valley Tourism Board........................................................................................12, 13 Renaissance Club Sport....................................................................................................10 Rugby Nor Cal...................................................................................................................15 San Ramon Golf Club........................................................................................................39 San Ramon Slammers Baseball........................................................................................35 Sherman Swim School.....................................................................................................19 Special Olympics Northern California...............................................................................35 Stevens Creek Toyota........................................................................................................29 Sutter Urgent Care..............................................................................................................3 Tpc / The Pitching Center..................................................................................................15 Tricityeliteallstars.Com.....................................................................................................19 U C S F Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland......................................................................33 U S Sports Mike Allen Sports Camps.................................................................................36 United States Youth Volleyball League.............................................................................11 Visitredding.Com........................................................................................................30, 31 Walnut Creek Soccer Club.................................................................................................28 West Coast Training Center...............................................................................................38