NorCal Issue 118, June 16, 2016

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JUNE 16, 2016 VOL. 7 ISSUE 118

NORCAL EDITION

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove long jumper, Mia Daniels

Putting A Bow On 2015-16

H

appy summer, sports fans.

We all have approximately seven weeks before football teams hit the sleds again in mid-August. So, for now, while you’re catching rays and relaxing by the pool, we offer you this deluxe SportStars retrospective on the 2015-16 season of NorCal high school sports. It was a good one, and we think you’ll enjoy this look back.

For those who have enjoyed our Yearbook Issues in the past, I think you’ll find this one to be the best yet. For one, we’ve added our popular Bay Area 75 athlete rankings — which has traditionally run in July — to this year’s edition. We’ve also sought out new voices to provide insight on the biggest moments and stories of the past year.

This issue features two reflective essays by athletes, and we’d like to thank Campolindo-Moraga football’s Sterling Strother and Vacaville track and field’s Jurnee Woodward for doing an awesome job. Also, they hit their deadlines. So we’re big fans.

We also surveyed nine journalists who covered high school sports for various publications throughout the school year to gain their perspective. You’ll find their answers to some of our questions throughout the Year In Pictures section which begins on page 20. To get things started, I’ll provide my own answers to some of the questions we asked. ›› What was the most memorable game/contest you were in attendance for this school year?

I don’t think anything topped the North Coast Section Div. I football semifinal of Foothill-Pleasanton at Antioch.

The 55-54 Foothill victory was one for the ages as the teams’ two star running backs, Antioch’s Najee Harris (more on him later in this issue) and Foothill’s Isaiah Floyd, traded haymakers with big play after big play. And then the game-winning play was decided by an all 11-man defensive effort by Foothill to stop Harris inches shy of a game-tying 2-point conversion run with one minute remaining. ›› What team/athlete’s story was the most fun for you to tell this school year?

Former Berkeley boys basketball coach Mark DeLuca was one of the first boys basketball coaches in the East Bay to really bring me in when I started covering the boys hoops beat for the Contra Costa Times newspapers in 2003-04. He’s always told everything exactly how it is and his love and passion for his players is always evident. Covering Berkeley’s march to the CIF Div. I state final — the program’s first ever trip in the modern era — was a lot of fun. DeLuca stepped away from the program at the end of the season to search for an on-campus coaching position. Count me among the many that hope he lands somewhere. ›› Who is one graduating athlete you’ll miss covering?

De La Salle running back/defensive back/return specialist Antoine Custer. Custer, right, was a first-year varsity player back in 2013 when I chronicled the first game day of new coach Justin Alumbaugh. Custer was only a sophomore and not excessively high on the depth chart, but he got in the game that night and did some good things. In the coaches office after the game, Custer’s name came up and one of the coaches paid him the ultimate compliment, “He’s a football player.” Over the next three seasons, Custer was an incredible weapon for the Spartans as they won two of three CIF Open Division titles (He got hurt on the opening kickoff of the one De La Salle lost).

He was also humble and soft-spoken throughout. ›› Who is one athlete you’re already excited to cover in 2016-17?

Certainly Harris from Antioch. I’d also include Pioneer-San Jose softball pitcher Holly Azevedo. Look her up in the Bay Area 75 and you’ll know why.

Finally, I want to credit all of the SportStars photographers whose work is featured in this edition: Phillip Walton, James K. Leash, Berry Evans III, Dennis Lee, Jim Johnson and Johanthan Hawthorne. Awesome work, fellas. We think you’ll agree, sports fans. And we hope you enjoy. ✪ See several additional responses from our NorCal Media Survey that we didn’t have room for, including answers to a five-question rapid-fire segment.

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, Dave Kiefer, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter 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 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

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STRAIGHT UP! I

Take a glimpse inside the world of dirt bike hillclimbing competition

n April of 2015, Josh Williams, 11, and Josh Rogers, 14 (pictured below), competed at the Skip’s Hillclimb event at Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) in Tracy. Both of these young riders got on dirt bikes at a very young age, with Williams starting at age 5 and Rogers at age 4. Both began hillclimbing just two years after learning to ride.

Hillclimb competitions involve people of all ages riding up very steep hills to compete against the clock. It’s amazing how fast a dirt bike can be ridden up a nearly vertical hill.

Carnegie’s steepest hill in the hillclimb competition area is sometimes climbed in seventeen seconds. Younger riders, sometimes as young as 6, compete on a less-steep hill nearby.

“The wind feels good against you, and when you make it up the hill, it feels like you’re the winner,” Williams said when asked his favorite thing about competing in hillclimbing events.

Rogers, after careful thought, said he likes it because “It’s different

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than anything else. Going up the hill is like a short sprint. It’s not easy.”

Williams, who rides his Honda CRF 150R in the 125-250 stock class, also enjoys watching the hillclimbs. When Williams is not hillclimbing, he likes to ride the tracks and trails at Carnegie and Hollister Hills SVRAs and enter the pit bike races. His mom, who also rides dirt bikes, got him involved in the sport.

Rogers comes to all of the hillclimbs at Carnegie, and rode his Honda 450 to win second in the 250-450 altered stock event. He also enjoys the amateur races at Prairie City SVRA near Sacramento and riding at Hollister Hills SVRA. Hillclimbing is a motorsport that requires a lot of skill, strength and courage. Both of these young men are rising stars in the world of hillclimbing, and it will be fun to see what they do at future events.

Summer operationg hours at Carnegie SVRA are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

You can visit the park’s website at ohv.parks.ca.gov/page_id=1172 ✪ — All copy provided by California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation

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75. URIAH HOWARD

67. BENNETT WILLIAMS

Miramonte-Orinda, Basketball, Senior The Eastern Washington-commit was a force in the paint for the 32-1 Matadors. She averaged 13.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.5 steals for the CIF NorCal Open Division champs.

St. Francis-Mountain View, Football, Junior A true ballhawk, Williams was in on 25 pass defenses and had nine interceptions. He also racked up 81 tackles and three forced fumbles. His efforts landed him on the SportStars All-NorCal defense.

74. BUBBA GOMEZ

66. LIMAR’L THOMAS

Fremont Christian, Baseball, Freshman It was a brilliant two-way season for the frosh. He was 13-3 with three saves and a 0.55 ERA in 24 appearances (12 starts). He had 181 striekouts and three no-hitters in 89.1 innings of work. At the plate, he hit .500 with 55 RBI on 44 hits.

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F., Basketball, Junior Thomas scored 30 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked 3 shots in the CIF State Div. III final, which the Irish won 50-47. She averaged 23.3 points and 11.8 rebounds on the season.

73. MEGAN MCCANDLESS Granada-Livermore, Cross Country/Track, Senior She closed our her incredibly consistent career with a second-place finish in the CIF State Div. II race one week after winning the NCS Div. II title. Her state time was the fastest of any East Bay girl that day. In the spring, she was NCS runner-up in the 3200 meters and finished 7th at state.

72. NINA BESSOLO Castro Valley, Basketball, Senior The 5-foot, 11-inch, UC Davis-bound forward was a matchup nightmare for opponents. She averaged 17.7 points and 9.6 rebounds in leading the Trojans to an NCS Div. I title and CIF NorCal Div. I runner-up finish.

71. RASHAAN FONTENETTE Oak Grove-San Jose, Football, Senior He was named the San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year and was a SportStars All-NorCal selection after rushing for 2,538 yards, 36 total TDs and leading his team to a Central Coast Section title.

65. RYAN WERNER Bellarmine-San Jose, Water polo, Senior The Mercury News Boys Water Polo Player of the Year scored 87 goals on this season to help lift the Bells to a Central Coast Section Div. I championship.

64. JONATHAN HARVEY Welcome to the fourth annual Bay Area 75 — SportStars’ countdown of the top 75 Bay Area athletes from the 2015-16 school year.

The only criteria used in generating the list were that 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 or reached a national-level of success (i.e., won a national championship or been appointed to youth national team). Our list includes at least one athlete from each county and has 15 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. Tell us how we did. Reach out to us on on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #BA75.

Let the debate begin.

—Chace Bryson, Editor

61. ALBERT GWO

69. KAYLIE COLLINS

Los Altos, Swimming, Senior The Cal-bound sprinting talent won a pair of CCS titles before repeating as the 50 freestyle CIF state champion. He also added a state runner-up finish in the 100 freestyle.

Carondelet-Concord, Soccer, Senior When the Cougars top scorer was lost to injury, they put their faith in Collins and the defense. The USC-bound goalkeeper responded with just 10 goals allowed and 112 saves to lead Carondelet to the NCS Div. I final.

60. JAKE PERALTA

68. OSCAR FRAYER

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Bellarmine-San Jose, Football, Senior The linchpin of the Bells defense, Bergstrom posted 103 tackles, three sacks and an interception — earning a spot on the SportStars All-NorCal Defense. The University of San Diego-bound talent was a major reason Bellarmine reached the CIF Div. I State Bowl.

Monte Vista-Danville, Lacrosse, Senior The University of Massachusetts-bound attacker had two goals and four assists in the Mustangs’ NCS Div. I final win over De La Salle. Monte Vista finished 22-1, but were undefeated on the field as the only loss was an early-season forfeit.

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, Volleyball, Junior The first-team All-Mercury News player led the Monarchs’ staunch defense and ballcontrol game with 492 digs (4.1 per set). Her pivotal play helped Mitty win CCS, NorCal and state titles.

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63. JAKE BERGSTROM

62. DEVIN SPENCER

70. KATE FORMICO

Moreau Catholic-Hayward, Basketball, Senior The Grand Canyon-signee averaged 15.8 points and 9.6 rebounds for the NCS Div. III champions. A four-year standout, he will go

De La Salle-Concord, Football/Track, Senior In the fall, Harvey caught 13 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns, including one in the Spartans’ CIF Open Div. State Bowl victory. In the spring, he swept the NCS Meet of Champions hurdles events.

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord, Football, Senior The wiry safety had 116 tackles, five interceptions and a whopping 19 pass breakups. In the CIF Div. II-AA State Bowl, he also served as the emergency starting QB for Clayton Valley’s run-heavy offense and rushed for 123 yards and a TD.

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59. MIRANDA HECKMAN

51. CHRIS TAYLOR-YAMANOHA

Granada-Livermore, Swimming, Freshman The Matadors next distance star won both the 200 and 500 freestyles in her first NCS Championship Meet. Then she set the CIF state meet record (4:46.13) during qualifying for the 500 freestyle.

She would win the 500 and finish third in the 200.

Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park, Football, Senior The Louisville-bound talent hauled in an impressive 82 catches for 1,473 yards and 23 touchdowns in helping lead the Cougars to a 8-4 season. Taylor-Yamanoha also rushed the ball eight times for 103 yards and three more scores.

58. ISAIAH HODGINS Berean Christian-Walnut Creek, Football, Junior The dynamic and long-framed wide receiver pledged to Washington State after setting Bay Area bests in 2015 with 94 catches and 1,483 yards. He had 29 total TDs and also added 36 tackles and six interceptions on defense.

57. JORDAN PARKER Pittsburg, Football, Senior The Oklahoma-bound cornerback was named to SportStars’ All-NorCal Defense for a second straight year after he battled through an early-season ankle injury to still produce 28 tackles and three interceptions. He also added 455 receiving yards and five TDs on offense.

56. CONNER ROBERTS De La Salle-Concord, Baseball, Senior The first of two Spartans lights-out aces on this list, Roberts went 10-0 with a 0.79 ERA in 14 appearances (10 starts). He struck out 82 and walked just 22 in 61.1 innings. He was the winning pitcher in the NCS Div. I championship game.

55. MADDY HOLLAND Archbishop Mitty-San Jose, Basketball, Junior She was named Mercury News Player of the Year and first-team All-NorCal after pacing a potent Monarchs team. She led the Central Coast Section Open Div. champs in scoring (10.8), rebounds (8.9) and assists (3.9).

54. GRACE ROBERTS-BURBANK

50. TAYLOR DIXON Liberty-Brentwood, Volleyball, Senior The CSU San Marcos-bound outside hitter delivered a remarkable 34-kill, 23-dig performance in a five-set playoff loss to eventual NorCal finalist Monte Vista. Dixon finished the season with 473 kills, 351 digs and 64 aces.

49. DONOVIN GUERRERO De La Salle-Concord, Wrestling, Senior Guerrero was the Bay Area News Group’s Wrestler of the Year after a season winning his third NCS title and was the highest East Bay finisher at the CIF State Tournament (2nd, 126 pounds). He finished his Spartans career with four EBAL titles, three NCS titles and two state medals.

48. MATA HINGANO California-San Ramon, Rugby, Senior The accomplished fullback for Danville Oaks Rugby Club was named as a high school AllAmerican and was a USA U20’s selection. She is a four-year Rugby NorCal All-Star and will be attending Army next year.

47. LUIS LOPEZ De Anza-Richmond, Soccer, Senior With his 10 goals and 29 assists, Lopez made everything go for a Dons program which won its first NCS championship with a 2-0 win over Campolindo-Moraga. De Anza’s historic season ended with a 21-4-1 record.

46. LEXI LIEBOWITZ

Branson-Ross, Volleyball, Senior Burbank was a second-team MaxPreps.com Small Schools All-American after averaging five kills per set and 93 percent serving (37 aces) for the CIF Div. V state champions. She will play for Harvard next fall.

San Ramon Valley-Danville, Girls Water Polo, Junior Despite playing for much of the season with a torn ligament in her shooting hand, she still scored 73 goals and dished out 72 assists, 37 steals and eight blocks in helping the Wolves win their fifth straight North Coast Section Div. I championship. She had 16 goals and 29 assists in the postseason.

53. JONAS SKULSTAD

45. DAMARI MILSTEAD

Monte Vista-Danville, Soccer, Senior A transfer from Egersund, Norway, Skulstad earned a rapid reputation as a major playmaker for the Mustangs. He finished the year with 10 goals and six assists and helped Monte Vista win the NCS Div. I title.

Moreau Catholic-Hayward, Basketball, Junior The versatile 6-foot guard was electric night-in and night-out, averaging 19.1 points and 5.4 assists to help the Mariners go 25-5 and win the North Coast Section Div. III title. He currently holds offers from Washington State, Oregon State, USC and Nevada, among others.

52. DAMON WILEY

44. ISAIAH FLOYD

De La Salle-Concord, Football/Rugby, Senior Wiley was the Bay Area News Group’s East Bay Player of the Year after leading the state champions in tackles (84), sacks (11) and tackles for loss (21). He was also an impact player in his first season of rugby, a sport he’ll play for Cal in the fall.

Foothill-Pleasanton, Football, Senior Long-time Foothill coach Matt Sweeney once called him “the perfect football player,” and Floyd did much to earn the praise. In addition to being the top cornerback on defense, he also rushed for 1,850 yards as the featured tailback. He scored 38 total TDs for the NCS Div. I finalists.

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43. KIRSTEN SIBLEY

37. JACK NEWMAN

Carondelet-Concord, Volleyball, Senior The Hawaii-bound outside hitter wasn’t just a kill machine for the NCS Div. III runners-up. Sibley was named the Bay Area News Group’s East Bay Volleyball Player of the Year after a well-rounded season of 325 kills, 241 digs, 73 blocks and 68 aces.

Analy-Sebatasopol, Football/Baseball, Junior Newman was one of three QBs on the SportStars All-NorCal Team after throwing for 4,091 yards and 50 TDs — both Bay Area-bests. In spring, Newman hit .286 with 14 RBI for a 23-7 Tigers baseball team that reached the NCS Div. III final.

36. JAMES KELBERT Leland-San Jose, Water Polo/Swimming, Senior In addition to being a lights-out keeper for water polo, Kelbert also shined in basketball for the second straight winter. He was on the SportStars All-NorCal team after averaged 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for the CCS Div. II champs.

42. NICK SPARKS De La Salle-Concord, Baseball, Senior The other half of the Spartans’ one-two pitching punch, the Saint Mary’s-bound lefty went 11-0 with a 0.36 ERA in 13 appearances (10 starts). He struck out 62 and walked just 20 over 58.2 innings pitched for the NCS Div. I champs.

41. AARON BANKS El Cerrito, Basketball, Junior The litany of football offers for this 6-foot-7, 305-pound, fourstar recruit include Arkansas, Baylor, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA and USC, — and that’s not even close to being the full list. In hoops, Banks averaged 10.2 points and six rebounds a game for a team that reached the CIF NorCal Div. II final.

40. MADELYN MURPHY Cardondelet-Concord, Swimming, Senior On her final day swimming for Cardondelet, she set four NCS records (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 free relay) in her final NCS Championships appearance. She closed out her career with her name on five NCS marks.

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34 39. KEVIN MILAM Heritage-Brentwood, Baseball, Senior The Saint Mary’s College commit is one of the area’s top pitchers who also happened to lead his team in nearly every offensive category. He hit .468 with 36 hits, 25 RBI and 17 extra-base hits. On the hill, he went 11-0 with one save and a 0.76 ERA in 13 appearances (11 starts). He struck out 78 and walked 18 over 73.1 innings.

38. MADDY JOHNSTON Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, Water Polo, Senior Johnston was undoubtedly the best player on the best CCS team. The San Jose Mercury News Player of the Year scored 97 goals with 66 steals to lead Sacred Heart to the CCS Div. II title.

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35. JILLIENNE AGULEIRA Woodside-Priory, Soccer, Senior Aguleira scored a Central Coast Section-best 39 goals this season to bring her career total to 105. Woodside won the CCS Open Div. title to finish 18-1-2. She’ll play at Arizona.

34. KATHERINE CLAYBAUGH San Ramon Valley-Danville, Volleyball, Senior Her 450 kills (5.7 per set) were the most in NCS among teams on MaxPreps. She powered the Wolves to third in the ultracompetitive EBAL but was injured leading up to the playoffs.

33. KEANU ANDRADE De La Salle-Concord, Football/Rugby, Senior The Spartans’ linebacker tied for the team lead with 84 tackles.

He had nine tackles-for-loss, four sacks, two passes defended and two fumble recoveries. In rugby, the fly-half is a four-year Rugby NorCal All-Star and a three-year High School All-American. He will play for rugby Cal in the fall.

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32 32. MAX FLOWER Campolindo-Moraga, Football/Baseball, Senior The Cougars’ two-sport star makes his second straight appearance in the Bay Area 75. He caught 59 passes for 985 yards and 14 touchdowns in the fall and then hit .345 in the spring while leading Campolindo in runs (23). The Cal Baseballpledge had 29 hits and 17 RBI with a team-best 7 doubles.

31. JAKE HAENER Monte Vista-Danville, Football, Junior He’s established himself as the Bay Area’s top QB to watch for 2016. Haener completed 208 of 321 passes for a 65 percent completion rate. He racked up 3,005 passing yards, 35 TDs and just six interceptions. In May, he advanced to the finals of the Elite 11 national quarterback camp/competition.

30. JAKE KILLINGSWORTH Serra-San Mateo, Basketball, Senior The Mercury News Basketball Player of the Year was also a SportStars’ first-team All-NorCal selection after averaging a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds for the CIF Div. II state champions. He scored 15 points and grabbed 16 boards in the state final.

29. GILLIAN MEEKS Gunn-Palo Alto, Cross Country/Track, Senior Her winning time of 17 minutes, 16 seconds in the CIF Div. II state championship race was the Bay Area’s fastest girls time across all divisions on the Woodward Park course in Fresno.

She was also the CCS champion in the 1600 meters and placed fifth in the event at the state meet.

28. JACK CASSIDY Campolindo-Moraga, Football/Baseball, Senior The defensive leader for the Cougars football team, Cassidy was the leading tackler and had a team-best nine sacks. He also had one interception, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery. On offense he rushed for 448 yards and 13 TD and caught 16 passes for three more TDs. During the spring, Cassidy hit .376 and led the team in hits (32) and RBI (24).

21 26. DARIUS CARBIN Mt. Pleasant-San Jose, Track, Senior In addition to winning the CCS title in the triple jump with a leap of 48 feet, 1.75 inches, Carbin then won the high jump in grand fashion. Carbin cleared each of his three attempts at the CIF State Meet, and eventually won at 7 feet, 0 inches.

25. BRIANA PEREZ Alhambra-Martinez, Softball, Junior Perez returns to the Bay Area 75 after another phenomenal season at the plate. She hit .613 with a team-best 56 runs and six triples. Her season totals included 46 hits, 40 RBI, 6 doubles and 6 HR. She was also 21-for-21 in stolen base attempts.

24. COOPER TEARE St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda, Cross Country/Track, Junior Teare notched state championships victories six months apart, both in photo finishes. He won the Div. V state race in 15:06.4, which was also the fastest time of any Bay Area boy at the state tournament. In the spring, he won the 3,200 state finals race by two-thousandths of a second.

23. JACQUELINE DISANTO Menlo-Atherton-Atherton, Volleyball, Senior Disanto’s all-around game was very difficult to defend against.

She finished with 310 kills, 56 aces, 355 digs and a 94 percent serve receive efficiency in 484 attempts; she led her team to a 27-8 record and its first CIF NorCal title.

22. SARA CHOY Saratoga, Tennis, Sophomore Choy has been nothing short of dominant the past two seasons. She won her second consecutive CCS singles title this year. She also won three national age-group tournament championships. Choy has gone undefeated with a record of 59-0 in her two years at SHP

27. ALEX LIANG

21. DANIELLE WILLIAMS

Palo Alto, Swimming, Junior The CCS champion in both events, Liang swam the 200 freestyle in a state-meet-record 1 minute, 36.65 seconds. He then went on to win the 500 freestyle in another state meet record, 4:23.41.

Amador Valley-Pleasanton, Softball, Sophomore She went 20-4 in regular season with a 0.40 ERA and batted a team-best .477. She would lead the team with 31 hits, three triples, and two home runs. The Missouri-commit had 245 strikeouts through 144 IP.

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20. JARED HORN Vintage-Napa, Football/Baseball, Senior Headed to Cal on a baseball scholarship, the right-hander went 9-2 with two saves and a 0.67 ERA in 15 appearances.

He struck out 124 and walked just 17 in 73.2 innings of work. He was drafted by the Brewers in the 20th round of the MLB Draft, but will likely choose school. Horn also started at quarterback for the Vintage football team, throwing for 1,345 yards and nine TDs.

19. KARLEE SPARACINO

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Alhambra-Martinez, Softball, Junior It’s hard to stand out as a hitter in the loaded Bulldogs lineup, but the Oregon-commit did just that with a phenomenal season. She hit .620 and led the team in hits (49), RBI (57), extra-base hits (20) and home runs (7). She also scored 51 runs, had 10 doubles, three triples and was 22-for-23 in stolen base attempts.

18. ALEXIS DIRIGE Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F., Volleyball, Senior The Washington State-bound Dirige is a 5-foot-2 ball vacuum.

She was a MaxPreps.com Medium Schools All-American after recording 687 digs, serving with 90.9 percent efficiency with 52 aces, and returning 555 serves for an Irish team which went 30-9 and were CIF NorCal Div. III runners-up.

17. JULLEN ISON Moreau Catholic-Hayward, Football/Basketball, Junior Ison may be small in stature (5-foot-8), but he’s got big game on both sides of the football. His stats were video-game like in 2015, including 3,044 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns on offense, and 70 tackles, two sacks and an interception on defense. He also provided athleticism off the bench for the Mariners’ section-title-winning hoops team.

16. MINYON MOORE Salesian-Richmond, Basketball, Senior The USC-bound Moore averaged 21 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 5.2 steals for a 27-win Pride team. She was a Cal-Hi Sports All-State Elite selection, as well as a SportStars 1st-Team All-NorCal selection. She scored 40 in a CIF Open Div. first-round upset of favored Archbishop Mitty-San Jose.

15. HOLLY AZEVEDO Pioneer-San Jose, Softball, Junior Landing in the Top 15 for the second straight year, the UCLAcommit has all but proven herself as the Bay Area’s most dominant pitcher. She went 25-3 in the circle with a 0.18 ERA, three perfect games and 17 shutouts. In 191 innings, she struck out 334 and walked just 16. She also hit .482 with 40 hits and 20 RBI.

14. JEREMY YDENS St. Francis-Mountain View, Baseball, Senior Another UCLA-bound talent, Ydens lands in the Top 20 for the second straight year after batting .453, with 38 runs, 48 hits, 14 RBI and 21 stolen bases. The gifted outfielder also took on a top pitching role this season and went 8-0 with a 0.96 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 65.2 innings as he helped lead the Lancers to back-to-back CCS Open titles.

13. JORDAN RATINHO De La Salle-Concord, Basketball, Senior The USF-bound guard delivered whatever the Spartans needed on their way to 31 wins and a CIF NorCal Open Div. title.

He was bestowed Player of the Year honors from multiple Bay Area publications as the best player for the region’s best team.

He was also a 1st-Team SportStars All-NorCal selection.

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9 12. JOEL SCHNEIDMILLER Saratoga, Volleyball/Basketball, Junior The 6-foot-5 UC Irvine-commit was easily the Bay Area’s most feared outside hitter during the spring. He led the Falcons to a 33-6 record and the CIF NorCal Div. II title behind a staggering 770 kills (6.8/set), 73 aces, 148 blocks and 295 digs. In two varsity seasons, he’s totaled 1,202 kills and converted on 65.2 percent of his attempts. During basketball season, he was a key contributor as a scorer and rebounder.

11. JURNEE WOODWARD Vacaville, Track, Junior Woodward continues to carry on the tradition of elite Vacaville hurdlers, and has a chance to potentially finish as the most accomplished of them all. She was the state champ in the 300-meter hurdles title after falling in her qualifying heat but still managing to recover and finish third. In the finals, she ran the nation’s second-fastest time this season in 40.62 seconds to capture the victory. She also finished third in the 100 meter hurdles.

10. DEVIN ASIASI De La Salle-Concord, Football, Senior A two-way, four-star talent, the Michigan-commit was a dominant force on both sides of the ball for the CIF Open Division State Bowl champs. As a quick-twitch defensive end, Asiasi had 49 tackles (11 for loss) and four sacks despite drawing constant double teams. He also led the Spartans in all three major receiving categories with 17 catches for 311 yards and five TDs.

9. ELENA BRUCKNER Valley Christian-San Jose, Track/Volleyball, Senior Her 54-feet, 7-inch throw in the girls shot put in the WCAL finals on May 13 was just three inches off the national record.

At the state meet, the Texas-bound star threw 49-5.75 to repeat as champion. She finished second in the discus. She owns the CCS record in both events, and held the state‘s top marks throughout much of the year. She also provided 118 kills and 116 digs for the Warriors’ state-champion volleyball team.

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8. ANTOINE CUSTER De La Salle-Concord, Football, Senior It’s Custer’s second year in the Top 10 after an outstanding two-way season for the state-champion Spartans. He rushed for 1,340 yards and 16 TDs. Defensively he had 37 tackles and three interceptions (two returned for TDs). He had over 2,000 all-purpose yards and had 21 total TDs, including three return TDs on special teams.

7. SOLIN PIEARCY Cupertino, Wrestling/Field Hockey/Track, Senior Forget being the best girls wrestler in the Bay Area, she was arguably the region’s best wrestler period for 2015-16. She was a perfect 33-0 with 32 wins by pin and claimed the CIF state 143-pound title, then Piearcy traveled to the Girls National Folkstyle Championships in Oklahoma City and came back a national champion. She also played field hockey in the fall and competed in multiple track and field events in the spring.

She finished runner-up in the high jump at the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League Championships.

6. BOSS TAGALOA De La Salle-Concord, Football, Senior SportStars’ NorCal Defensive Player of the Year closed out his four-year varsity career ranked among Rivals.com’s Top 15 defensive tackles in the nation and then fielded offers from SEC, Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 12 schools before choosing UCLA. He had 48 tackles (15 for loss) and 6.5 sacks in 2015, but was at his absolute best in the Open Div. State Bowl where he had 10 tackles (three for loss). He was the storied programs’ first four-year player.

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David Hood, Cal Sports Media/Zuma Press

4. ANDREW DASCHBACH 5. RONIKA STONE Valley Christian-San Jose, Volleyball, Senior The Oregon-bound outside hitter was a MaxPreps.com first-team All-American as well as the site’s National Medium Schools Player of the Year after leading the Warriors to a second CIF State Division III championship in three years. The daughter of former NFL lineman Ron Stone, she used her high pedigree of athleticism to post 498 kills (an average of 5.6 per set), 25 aces, 46 blocks and 331 digs (3.8 average). This is Stone’s third year making the Bay Area 75, and her highest placement.

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Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, Baseball/Basketball/Football, Senior Daschbach easily gets the award for the Bay Area’s finest multi-sport athlete of 2015-16. He began the school year as one of the state’s best tight ends. His 1,286 receiving yards was tops for Northern California tight ends according to stats reported to MaxPreps.com. He had 62 catches, 15 which went for touchdowns. He also had 57 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions on defense. During the winter, he started and averaged 8.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2 steals over 19 games for a Gators basketball team which went 15-11. In the spring, he starred at third base and was among the top hitters for the Gators baseball team. Baseball is the sport he’s committed to for college, and has chosen Stanford.

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3. MAXIME ROONEY Granada-Livermore, Swimming, Senior The University of Florida-bound senior won the 200-yard freestyle final at the NCS Championships in 1 minute, 33.7 seconds. The time set a national high school record that would stand for only a handful of hours. Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita swimmer Grant Shouls won the Southern Section 200 freestyle final in 1:33.26 later that night. Shouls owns the overall and private school record with the time, and Rooney’s swim remains the public schools record.

Rooney also set new NCS marks in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. He will graduate as the NCS record holder in four individual events and one relay. His last ever swim for Granada set a CIF State Meet record in the 100 freestyle, doing so as the lead leg for the Matadors’ 400 freestyle relay.

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2. SABRINA IONESCU Miramonte-Orinda, Basketball, Senior It’s Ionescu’s third straight year on this list, and her second straight year occupying the No. 2 spot. It didn’t seem like she could top her junior season, but she absolutely did — and then some. She averaged 25.9 points, 8.8 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 4.5 steals to propel her team to a 32-1 record and a CIF NorCal Open Div. title. She was the MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game, the USA Today National Player of the Year and took State Player of the Year honors from both Cal-Hi Sports and Gatorade. And obviously, she was the SportStars NorCal Girls Player of the Year. As of June 14, she was reportedly days away from choosing between Oregon and Washington.

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BAY AREA 75

NO. 1 NAJEE HARRIS ANTIOCH, FOOTBALL, JUNIOR

N

ajee Harris had this spot locked up before the calendar even turned to 2016.

The No. 1-ranked football recruit in the country for the Class of 2017, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound freight train of a running back has almost single-handedly made Friday nights at Eells Field matter again.

It was a standing-room-only crowd in Antioch when the Panthers’ season came to an end in a scintillating 55-54 North Coast Section Division I semfinal loss to Foothill-Pleasanton. That night Harris rushed for 390 yards, six touchdowns and a pair of 2-point conversion runs.

In his postgame comments, a victorious Foothill coach Matt Sweeney may have best summed up Najee Harris’ 2015 season in two simple sentences.

“The thing I like most about him is that he’s 100 percent committed to Antioch football,” Sweeney said in obvious admiration. “Players like him can get caught up looking ahead to bigger things, but he’s giving every ounce of his effort to this team, and I think that’s awesome.”

And what happened when the Alabama-commit poured every ounce of his talent and effort into his football team? A lot of really good things. He rushed for 2,744 yards, 36 touchdowns and 33 two-point conversions as he helped lead a long-since-dominant program back to glory.

Antioch went 11-1, won its first league title since 1984 and completed its first undefeated regular season sine 1977.

It was a season to solidify all the hype and was deserving of the many postseason accolades, which included Cal-Hi Sports’ Mr. State Football, San Francisco Chronicle Metro Player of the Year and the SportStars NorCal Player of the Year.

What will 100 percent of Najee Harris look like for Antioch in 2016? Opposing East Bay coaches may be the only individuals who don’t want to find out.

“It’s hard to imagine Najee Harris doing any more for a team, a school or community than he has over the last three seasons,” MaxPreps.com national columnist Mitch Stephens said. “But knowing his drive, work ethic and of course, once-in-a-generation talent, he’ll find a way to give more. Can’t wait to watch all of it.”

Neither can we, Mitch. Neither can we. ✪

NAJEE HARRIS CAREER STATS Year

GP

CAR

YDS

AVG Y/G

LONG 100+

TD

2013-14 (JV)

2

17

132

7.8

66.0

25

—

1

2013-14 (V)

5

33

165

5.0

33.0

—

—

1

2014-15

11

271

2263

8.4

205.7

68

10

23

2015-16

12

243

2744

11.3

228.7

80

12

36

TOTALS

28 547 5172 9.5 184.7 80 22 60 Source: MaxPreps.com

"The thing I like most about him is that he's 100 percent committed to Antioch football.

Players like him can get caught up looking ahead to bigger things, but he's giving every ounce of his effort to this team, and I think that's awesome."

— Foothill coach Matt Sweeney 16

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Looking for a quick summer getaway, and some time amongst the great outdoors? The Greater Redding Area is home to two extremely bountiful lake-centered recreation areas. This issue we invite you check out all that Shasta Lake and Whiskytown Lake can offer.

SHASTA LAKE The keystone of the Central Valley Water Project, this lake is the largest man-made reservoir in California, offering more than 360 miles of shoreline. The rugged country, varied shoreline and sheer size of Shasta Lake tend to break the lake into different areas, each with its own opportunities, moods and settings. As you drive to and from Redding you’ll see what appear to be several lakes, but Shasta Lake is actually a series of fingers that connect at big, deep spots and then collect at the dam. Several fingers are actually rivers that feed the reservoir. To create this mammoth lake, five towns were covered, the remains of which are still submerged, most so deep that even scuba divers cannot explore them.

Surrounding the lake are marinas, campgrounds, resorts, cabins, restaurants and everything necessary for hundreds of people to enjoy lakeside vacations. All manner of boats are available on Shasta Lake, from rowboats to powerboats, floating mansions to pontoons.

Skiing and wakeboarding are popular, and the lake boasts the largest commercial houseboat fleet in the world. Wooded flats, steep, rocky hillsides, secluded creeks, an occasional waterfall and thousands of acres of mountainous country surround the lake. With literally hundreds of coves to claim for an afternoon (or two), you may never leave the boat again.

Shasta Lake is located approximately 20 minutes from most Redding-area lodging properties.

WHISKEYTOWN NATIONAL RECREATION AREA This place has more than just a great name. Eight miles west of Redding, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is located at the juncture of the Klamath Mountain range and the northern edge of the Sacramento Valley, making it home to a special collection of plant and animal life and year-round beauty. The park features Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta Bally mountain (6,209 ft.), and numerous waterfalls, providing outdoor enthusiasts opportunities for water recreation, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

Lake-based recreation is popular during the drier summer months; Whiskeytown Lake is always full and provides 36 miles of shoreline and 3,200 surface acres for recreation. Its placid surface is excellent for swimming, scuba diving and fishing. Rangerled kayak tours are popular, and paddleboard yoga can be found on the water most weekends. Whiskeytown’s beaches and campsites beckon families and groups, and open-water swimmers often take to the water for training. Generations of sailors have enjoyed the quiet lake for sailing, and the Whiskeytown Memorial Regatta has celebrated 50 years of racing.

The California Gold Rush made its stamp on this part of Northern California, and the park offers historical tours of the Camden House and orchards, where Charles Camden established a successful mining and sawmill operation. Visitors can still pan for gold in the clear waters, but it’s best not to expect much in the way of fortune. Situated on the south shore of the lake is a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, commemorating his dedication of the dam in 1963, shortly before his assassination. Whiskeytown’s proximity to Redding, approoximately 15 minutes from most Redding-area lodging, makes it a local favorite and visitors are invited to discover the 42,000 acres of beauty for themselves. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by VisitRedding.com

Caldwell Park Triathalon

Get active with the Caldwell Park Triathlon! All participants receive a T-shirt and a gift bag, medals to the top three finishers in each division (ages 5-8, 9-12, 13-16 and 17-and-older). Separate divisions for boys & girls. August 13 at Redding Aquatic Center, 9 a.m. www.visitredding. com/eventdetail/1628/caldwell-park-triathlon

Ultimate Frisbee Camp

Boys and girls ages 10-14, June 23-27, 9 a.m.-noon. $30 for the week. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

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Redding Soccer Park HUNTER TROY CLEGG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT: Sept. 24-25, Competitive U10, U11, U12 and Recreation U10-U19 soccer tournament. Five teams max per division, guarantee of four games. $425 per team. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com CHALLENGER SOCCER CAMP: July 25-29. Soccer camps for all ages. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com CHALLENGER SPORTS TETRA BRAZIL CAMP: July 11-15. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

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AS WE SAW IT

A SportStars survey of NorCal media on the 2015-16 year in high school sports 1. What was the most memorable game/ contest you were in attendance for this school year? Why? ›› Bellarmine at Folsom, NorCal Division I-A Football Championship: After a slow, but even first half, the two teams exploded in the second half with the final 15 minutes of action providing some of the best back-and-forth scoring that left fans and media members shaking their heads in amazement. To top it off, the Bells’ unexpected victory was the underdog cherry on top of the prep football playoff sundae.

— JIM McCUE, SportStars ›› Watching Del Oro football on the brink of collapse — a bewildered, battered bunch at 2-6 — and then regrouping was one of the great storylines in my 28 years at The Sacramento Bee. Del Oro had infighting with players at the end of that 2-6 start, and that normally spells doom.

Not this time. The Golden Eagles came together, rallied and rolled to win their last eight games, including Sac-Joaquin Section, NorCal and CIF State Division II championships, beating a 15-0 team in the finals. And the bulk of the Del Oro team returns for 2016. — JOE DAVIDSON, Sacramento Bee ›› The Central Catholic football team’s 21-7 victory over Oakdale in the SacJoaquin Section Division III championship game. The rematch of their Valley Oak League title game delivered on all levels.

The game was tied at 7-7 at the half and there was reason to believe the Mustangs would exact revenge and spoil the Raiders’ bid at a fourth straight state title. Instead, Central Catholic’s defense stiffened and heralded stars Hunter Petlansky and Justin Rice created the margin of victory.

The defining play was a roll-out by Petlansky, who threw off-balance to brother Cole Petlanksy to convert a crucial fourth down inside the Mustang 10-yard line.

Moments later, Hunter Petlansky scored on a goal-line keeper. — JAMES BURNS, Modesto Bee ›› Chino Hills finishing up historic 35-0 record in boys basketball with win over De La Salle in the final basketball game to be played inside the old ARCO Arena. — MARK TENNIS, Cal-Hi Sports

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Moreau Catholic 3,000-yard tailback Jullen Ison flashes his best Heisman pose during a SportStars photo shoot; Fans of the Davis girls water polo team cheer for the Blue Devils during the SJS Div. I final; The Rocklin girls volleyball team raises its hands following the national anthem prior to its match against rival Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills; Art on the wall on the Grant-Sacramento campus honors slain football player J.J. Clavo; All-NorCal defensive back Jordan Parker hypes up his Pittsburg teammates before the Pirates take the field in early September.

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Bellarmine-San Jose football players join in celebration afer their upset win at Folsom in the CIF Div. I-AA NorCal bowl game.

1. (1)

De La Salle-Concord

13-1

2. (6)

Bellarmine-San Jose

13-2

2. (3)

Folsom

14-1

4. (11)

Central Catholic-Modesto

16-0

5. (4)

Elk Grove

13-1

6. (3)

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord

13-2

7. (5)

Foothill-Pleasanton

12-1

8. (8)

St. Francis-Mountain View

12-3

9. (9)

Antioch

11-1

10. (12) Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

10-3

11. (NR) Del Oro-Loomis

10-6

12. (NR) Oak Grove-San Jose

11-3

13. (13) Pittsburg

10-3

14. (NR) St. Mary’s-Stockton

10-3

15. (15) Napa

11-1

16. (16) Campolindo-Moraga

14-2

17. (7)

10-2

Grant-Sacramento

18. (18) Serra-San Mateo

6-4

19. (10) Valley Christian-San Jose

8-4

20. (NR) Oakdale

12-2

Teams Remaining From Preseason Rankings: 15

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Saint Francis-Sacramento girls water polo team celebrates its SJS Div. I water polo title after beating powerhouse Davis in the final; Grant-Sacramento lineman Soape Topou cools himself off on a hot September night; Antioch receiver Antoine Tanner breaks away for a big gain that helped the Panthers win their first Big Little Game Rivalry over Pittsburg since 2006.

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AS WE SAW IT

Sterling Strother holds the championship banner following Campolindo’s NCS championship win over Analy.

PIECES OF GLASS

BY STERLING STROTHER, CAMPOLINDO FOOTBALL

“T

hat’s what I love about football; you really just got to have every right little piece, every color, of the kaleidoscope.”

I’m sitting at a restaurant in Walnut Creek with two of my best friends from the Campolindo High football team, Jonathan Hughes and Logan MacDonald, glancing at each of them with a small grin as Coach Kevin Macy rambles on about why football is the greatest sport known to mankind (which, of course, it is). Logan, Jonathan, myself, and anybody affiliated with Campolindo football has undoubtedly been subjected to many an impromptu speech by Coach Macy.

While these speeches are occasionally a little bit repetitive, they’re never boring, and everyone in Moraga can tell you that being in the audience for a tirade of Macyisms will always leave you with a new perspective on the sport, our team, our league, our section or the government. Today I came away from dinner knowing that Campolindo football succeeds because of its similarity to a toy with pretty colors and patterns.

Anyone who is familiar with Campolindo football knows, to be frank, that we win games we have no business winning. Our offensive and defensive lines are generally small in stature and numbers, our receivers relatively average in speed and leaping ability, our quarterbacks with funky arm slots. If someone were to look at the players on our team individually, they would see the individual pieces of glass that are placed in a kaleidoscope: unremarkable, nothing special.

Standing alone, a tiny piece of glass is pretty worthless, its potential untapped. But, all kaleidoscopes are made by someone who can find potential for beauty in the seemingly irrelevant shards of glass, someone with enough attention to detail and patience to slowly fit each individual piece of glass into place. These people are Kevin Macy, Bill Levey, Matt Macy, Chris Schofield, Matt Keeperman, Mike Ahr, and the rest of the coaches in the Campo program. Fitting these pieces together is a tedious job, and one impure, blemished piece of glass can destroy everything the assemblers have intended to create. Coach Macy’s knowledge of this possibility, and his team-building strategies, have allowed him to create extremely tight, trusting teams that have proven that individuals who appear mediocre can band together and exceed expectations year in and year out.

I truly believe the staff at Campolindo can gameplan and adjust as well as any coaching staff in the state. Once a kaleidoscope is assembled with all of the pieces of glass and mirrors in place, the manipulator of the toy must rotate the two disks at the end of the toy until a satisfactory pattern is reached.

Each and every week, without fail, the coaching staff adjusts the team kaleidoscope to form a perfect pattern, trusting that the alignment of their glass pieces will yield a beautiful result. As Coach Macy spends more time with each year’s kaleidoscope, his chemistry with the disks of glass he is manipulating grows stronger, which explains my belief that Campo plays our best ball at the end of the year, in the playoffs.

By the time this article is published, I will have graduated from Campo, but I will forever be grateful for my time as one of Coach Macy’s small pieces of glass. ✪ 24

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2. What team/athlete’s story was the most fun for you to tell this school year? ›› Antonio Garcia’s “miracle” comeback from a mysterious spinal condition that put the Bellarmine football and baseball standout in the intensive care unit at Stanford for three weeks. Garcia, pictured right, had no movement on his left side and needed an apparatus to breathe.

As he told me for a story that we ran in the Mercury News, “It was a question to whether or not I was going to live, to where I am now — it’s a miracle.

I’m just so grateful that I can do what I can do now. I can move in a wheelchair. I can talk to my friends. I can do all this stuff. I know it’s just going to get better every day. I can’t wait to get back to normal.” — DARREN SABEDRA, San Jose Mercury News ›› East Nicolaus Football’s State Bowl title: It doesn’t get any more enduring and fun than small-school football pride. This unfolded beautifully at East Nicolaus, northeast of Sacramento, where the tenor on campus and in town is often set by the success of the farming crops and the football team. It was a fabulous fall for the Spartans, who won the CIF State Division VI championship with 267 students, beating 1,200-enrollment Coronado. — JOE DAVIDSON, Sacramento Bee ›› Tanner Peterson of the Sierra High baseball team. Peterson was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December, but chose an aggressive treatment plan to give himself a chance to play for the defending Valley Oak League champions in the spring. Peterson, an honor roll student, devout Mormon and sure-handed shortstop, finished his senior year as a second-team all-VOL selection. His was a story of youth, determination in the face of adversity, the power of sport and modern medicine. — JAMES BURNS, Modesto Bee ›› Calaveras football senior Kyle Chaboya, an 18-year-old with cerebral palsy, who scored his first touchdown against rival Bret Harte in September. What an emotional week it was for Calaveras High fans, citizens of San Andreas, and members of that county and area in general, after suffering through, or witnessing friends and family suffer through, the Butte Fire. While in the area, I put together a story on the community rallying together, in large part through the football team and fundraising efforts, after the tragedy.

Chaboya, vastly intelligent and aware of what his team had done for him after carrying him across the goal line at the end of the first half, was wonderful to meet with and speak to. — THOMAS LAWRENCE, Stockton Record ›› There’s something quite refreshing and delightful covering Campolindo’s football “shrimp” squad every year. Every season coach Kevin Macy gives an “Ah shucks, we’re a bunch of ugly ducklings” and every year they look like a beautiful swan all the way to the end of the season. The smallish Cougars defeating gigantic Milpitas 27-24 in the North Region Division 3-A championship game left most just scratching their heads. Just didn’t seem possible. That sort of result and resiliency is always fun to watch and cover. — MITCH STEPHENS, MaxPreps.com

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: De La Salle quarterback Anthony Sweeney scrambles to score the game-winning TD in the CIF Open Div. State Bowl game; Rocklin’s Boise State-bound lineman Chase Hatada during a mid-season national anthem; Taylor Dixon (14), Ashley Dixon (12) and Kaitlynn Zdroik of LibertyBrentwood volleyball share a laugh; The Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills volleyball team celebrates a big point against Rocklin; The Pittsburg High Marching Show Band has some fun in the stands.

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AS WE SAW IT

3. Who is one graduating athlete you’ll miss covering? ›› The hoops trio of Jordan Ford (Folsom), Solomon Young, and Chrstian Terrell (both from Sacramento High): Not only did the three of them play at an extremely high level and advance to face off in the CIF NorCal Open Division semifinals, but they did so as worthy competitors and friends that could embrace after the game and appreciate each other’s athletic gifts and achievements as model student-athletes. — JIM McCUE, SportStars ›› Too many to pick, but here’s a few with the same theme of class, charisma and incredible results: Scotty Henrichs of Granite Bay football, basketball and baseball; Tiegen Jones of Capital Christian basketball and baseball; Ryan Kreidler of Davis basketball and baseball; Matt Manning of Sheldon basketball and baseball; Ben Purcell of Del Campo football and baseball and Ryan Robards of Elk Grove football and baseball. A common theme is they multisport in an era where many don’t, and all of these guys were exceptional students, role models and champions by every measure.

— JOE DAVIDSON, Sacramento Bee ›› Christian Ellis of the Modesto Christian boys basketball team.

There was no better competitor in the Stanislaus District, regardless of sport. The senior point guard put the Crusaders, one of the top programs in all the state, on his back. He guarded much taller players and navigated full-court presses by his lonesome, utilizing speed, strength and sublime ball-handling. He rebounded as well as 6-foot-10 teammate Robinson Idehen, and set up a fleet of shooters with his ability to drive. As captivating as he was to watch, Ellis was even better after the final buzzer. He was eloquent and honest, team-oriented and completely committed to the pursuit of a state title. — JAMES BURNS, Modesto Bee ›› Kat Tudor, pictured below, of St. Mary’s (Stockton) girls basketball has been a class act all four years and her parents also have been fun to get to know. Great people. She’ll do well at Oregon State. — MARK TENNIS, Cal-Hi Sports ›› Dylan Carlson of Elk Grove baseball. Carlson followed in the footsteps of past Elk Grove leaders in helping the Thundering Herd win a third Sac-Joaquin Section title in four years. He did a little bit of everything for Elk Grove and stayed grounded through the draft process.

— DOUG BENTON, NorCalPreps.com ›› Jarron Silva, a UCLA-bound outfielder on the St. Mary’s-Stockton baseball team, seems like a 30-year-old trapped in a teenager’s body. And not just because of his precocious, unbelievable play for the Rams. Silva hits for power and for average, has the patience to draw walk-after-walk, is a terror on the base paths and his center-field speed changes the game on defense. In every critical moment Silva was at the plate, he delivered in one way or another. — THOMAS LAWRENCE, Stockton Record ›› Unquestionably De La Salle quarterback Anthony Sweeney. Warm, funny, compassionate, fearless, the lad is well beyond his years and undoubtedly one of the best leaders I’ve ever witnessed at the high school level. Respectful. Honest to the bone. Always a twinkle in his eye. And a superlative football player, dynamic runner and gamer. Fitting he scored the game-winner on a scintillating run to take home the state title. — MITCH STEPHENS, MaxPreps.com

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BOYS BASKETBALL 1. (2)

De La Salle-Concord

31-3

2. (1)

Modesto Christian

32-2

3. (3)

Sacramento

30-2

4. (4)

St. Francis-Mountain View

25-3

5. (7)

Sheldon-Sacramento

23-6

6. (5)

Moreau Catholic-Hayward

25-5

7. (6)

Folsom

27-5

8. (9)

Salesian-Richmond

18-4

9. (10)

Serra-San Mateo

28-5

10. (8)

Weston Ranch-Stockton

27-5

11. (15)

Manteca

29-6

12. (NR)

Berkeley

24-9

13. (12)

Monte Vista-Danville

24-8

14. (11)

Jesuit-Carmichael

25-6

15. (14)

Oakland Tech

28-4

16. (13)

Capital Christian-Sacramento

19-10

17. (NR)

West Campus-Sacramento

29-6

18. (17)

Half Moon Bay

29-4

19. (16)

Palma-Salinas

26-5

20. (NR)

St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda

26-9

GIRLS BASKETBALL

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Del Oro freshman wrestler Noah Blake turns to the crowd after defeating his opponent from rival Folsom; Modesto Christian’s All-NorCal forward Robinson Idehen throws down a dunk in SJS playoff action against Folsom; Serra-San Mateo forward Jake Killingsworth takes a jumper during the Padres’ CIF Div. II state championship victory over Long Beach Poly; MiramonteOrinda All-American Sabrina Ionescu celebrates her 30-foot buzzer-beater to end the first of the CIF Open Div. state final.

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1. (2)

Miramonte-Orinda

32-1

2. (1)

St. Mary’s-Stockton

28-1

3. (3)

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

23-4

4. (6)

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills

24-6

5. (5)

Salesian-Richmond

27-6

6. (8)

Carondelet-Concord

23-7

7. (16)

St. Francis-Sacramento

29-6

8. (7)

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland

24-7

9. (4)

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

29-3

10. (11)

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

21-9

11. (15)

Castro Valley

33-3

12. (13)

Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

31-5

13. (9)

Vanden-Fairfield

24-9

14. (10)

McClatchy-Sacramento

23-6

15. (14)

Antelope

29-3

16. (NR)

Elk Grove

24-11

17. (17)

Brookside Christian-Stockton

23-9

18. (12)

Sacramento

24-10

19. (18)

Menlo-Atherton-Atherton

27-5

20. (NR)

Eastside College Prep-Palo Alto

20-11

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Dublin soccer standouts (from left), Navid Khamush, Suliman Khorami, Stefon Dillon and Dylan Laranang; Members of the Serra basketball team storm the floor upon winning a state title; Folsom’s Jordan Ford drives to the hoop against Modesto Christian; A Sacramento High cheerleader urges on the boys basketball team during a section final; Beyer-Modesto’s Georgie Dancer leads the Patriots onto the floor.

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31

Carondelet’s Madeline Duncan prepares to fire a penalty kick during a mid-season match against Monte Vista-Danville.

AS WE SAW IT 4. Who is one athlete you’re already excited to cover in 2016-17? ›› Jurnee Woodward (Vacaville): The state champion hurdler posted top-10 state and national times in both the 100 and 300 hurdles, and won state in the 300 after recovering from a fall dur-

›› Kane Rodgers of the Sonora football team. Rodgers was named to Cal-Hi Sports’ All-State sophomore team after tying for the state lead with 11 interceptions. He was an explosive player on both sides of the ball for the Wildcats, a Sac-Joaquin Section champion, and should see an increased workload offensively in the fall. — JAMES BURNS, Modesto Bee ›› Najee Harris of Antioch football is obvious, but QB Jake Haener of Monte Vista has been

ing a qualifying heat. She has the potential to be a double state champ in 2017 and could threaten national high school records in the process.

— JIM McCUE, SportStars ›› St. Francis-Mountain View running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio. The Washington State commit had a big junior season for a team that won a regional bowl game. I anticipate an even bigger year for him this fall as an experienced St. Francis team aims for another WCAL title (it shared the title with Bellarmine last season) and to end its 11-game losing streak to Bellarmine. — DARREN SABEDRA, San Jose Mercury News ›› Tucker Fisk of Davis is a unique fellow, a terrific scholar, a monstrous

great in the Elite 11 events. Can’t wait to see how he looks in a game this fall along some of the other top returning players from Monte Vista.

— MARK TENNIS, Cal-Hi Sports ›› Najee Harris of Antioch football. It is rare to see a player of his level in this area, especially at a non-traditional power. What kind of numbers will he put up this year? Will it mean a section finals appearances for Antioch? — DOUG BENTON, NorCalPreps.com ›› It’s too tough to choose one, so here’s three. First, St. Mary’s-Stockton girls basketball’s Aquira DeCosta, a 6-foot-2, incoming junior forward who’s playing for Team USA for the second consecutive summer. Sec-

football player and a superb swimmer. Ever hear of that sort of athletic

ond, is the underrated Cutrell Haywood, a two-way senior star on the

versatility? He’s a national recruit tight end who has committed to Stan-

Stagg-Stockton football team. Haywood could be akin to former Stock-

ford, where his father, Jason Fisk, played yeas ago before a strong 12-

ton products like Edison’s Trumaine Johnson or Lincoln’s Brandin Cooks,

year NFL career as a defensive tackle. Jason Fisk is an assistant coach at

who don’t truly prove how talented they are until they surge into college

Davis High, where he excelled in 1988 and ‘89. I covered the old man’s

and the NFL. Finally, there’s Tracy baseball’s Lee Brewer, pictured left,

games in the late 1980s and now I’m chronicling the feats of the kid,

who will be a senior third baseman and is one homer away from tying

making me the really old man. — JOE DAVIDSON, Sacramento Bee

the school record. — THOMAS LAWRENCE, Stockton Record

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June 16, 2016

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Mi’Cole Cayton of St. Mary’sStockton looks for a foul while securing a rebound in the SJS Div. I final against St. FrancisSacramento; Benicia wrestler Tyler Kay (right) holds American Canyon’s Jimmy Hoang during their 170-pound match in the SJS Div. II Championships; De Anza forward Luis Lopez (11) goes after a loose ball in a section championship match with Campolindo-Moraga; The St. Francis-Sacramento girls teams holds hands during the national anthem prior to the CIF Div. I NorCal final; Berkeley boys basketball coach Mark DeLuca shouts in excitement after a big play in its CIF Div. I NorCal Championship victory (the program’s first).

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35

All Records Are Final 1. (1)

— De La Salle-Concord

2. (3)

▲

St. Francis-Mountain View

26-8

25-3

3. (4)

▲

Elk Grove

24-9

4. (2)

▼

Serra-San Mateo

25-6-1

5. (8)

▲

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

24-7

6. (7)

▲

Heritage-Brentwood

21-4

7. (9)

▲

Acalanes-Lafayette

24-2

8. (16)

▲

Woodcreek-Roseville

23-9

9. (NR) ▲

San Benito-Hollister

19-8

10. (5)

▼

Jesuit-Carmichael

22-9

11. (6)

▼

Davis

21-8

12. (10) ▼

Bellarmine-San Jose

21-11

13. (18) ▲

Tracy

25-7

14. (14) — Casa Grande-Petaluma

21-6

15. (15) — Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa

19-9

16. (NR) — St. Mary’s-Stockton

19-13

17. (NR) ▲ Chico

21-3

18. (13) ▼

Vintage-Napa

18-8-1

19. (NR) ▲

Livermore

15-13

20. (NR) ▲ Northgate-Walnut Creek

18-7

DROPPED OUT: No. 11 Valley Christian-San Jose, No. 12 Palo Alto, No. 17 Marin Catholic-Kentfield, No. 19 Redwood-Larkspur and No. 20 Archbishop Mitty-San Jose BIGGEST MOVERS: Five new teams jump into the rankings after a wild postseason. The biggest jump belonged to San Benito, which closed the year really strong with wins over Palma-Salinas, Los Gatos and former No. 10 BellarmineSan Jose before falling to No. 2 St. Francis-Mountain View 1-0. Chico is the first Northern Section team to crack the rankings this year after winning its section title. Livermore got hot at the right time and stormed to the NCS Div. II title and crack the rankings at No. 19.

TOP: Carondelet-Concord star swimmer Madelyn Murphy stretches during a photo shoot just days before setting four NCS Championship Meet records; Benicia junior Annika Johnson is tagged while diving into third base during a SJS Div. III softball semifinal against Ceres.

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All Records Are Final

FALLING INTO GREATNESS

BY JURNEE WOODWARD, VACAVILLE TRACK & FIELD

E

ver since I was in middle school, I wanted to win a state meet title in the 300-meter hurdles. As I watched the best athletes in California line up against each other, I told myself, ‘One day, I’m going to be down there with them.’ And so began my quest to become the CIF State 300m hurdle champion.

That is where the 2016 state meet really started for me. It started with watching my high school teammates compete at a high level, and seeing my hurdle idols on a television screen. It started when I decided I was not going to be just great. I was going to be one of the greats. There I stood, a little girl with glasses, a hearing aid and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — with a vision of stepping on the track and becoming a superhero.

That vision led me to the CIF state meet two years in a row, and both times I lost the opportunity to claim the championship title. But I was a junior now, and I was tired of losing. “This year is my year,” I said.

The stadium was loud. That was the first thing I thought as I took the back entrance into the warm-up area. The cacophony of sounds I met heading into the stadium at Buchanan High made it hard to focus.

Combine that with my ADHD and hearing aid and I was totally distracted!

Nonetheless, I warmed-up for the 100m hurdle prelims, headed down to the check-in, stripped down to my uniform, watched Heats 1 and 2 finish, and then prayed The Flash’s “speed-force” was with me.

And, sure enough, it was. Because in 13.62 seconds, I solidified myself a lane in the finals.

Back to the warm-up area I went to cool down and refocus on my next event, the 300m hurdles. I followed my same warm-up routine and felt ready to go. As I stood behind my blocks I felt more ready than ever.

So imagine my surprise when I hit the second hurdle — and fell.

I actually did not realize that I was falling until I saw the black sky and treetops. Then, I was back on my feet and running for my life. All I could think was: “I can’t lose. Not again.”

I finished in third and stepped off the track to take deep breaths as I waited for the next two heats to finish. I silently prayed my time was fast enough to qualify for the finals; then I heard the announcer say I had advanced. I heard a roar of cheers in my head, and that’s when I realized it wasn’t me. It was the support of the stadium cheering and clapping for me.

The next evening, as I lined up against some of the fastest hurdlers in California for the 100m hurdle final, I felt so alive. Not my strongest event, but when I placed third to Tara Davis and Kaylah Robinson, I was exhilarated!

It was my turn to realize my vision in the 300 hurdles. From Lane 2, I ran as fast as I could until I crossed the finish. The lights, the crowd, my fall — my win. It all culminated in that moment. I pointed to my temples to thank God and acknowledge the little girl inside me who was screaming, “I told you we could do it!” ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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1. (3)

▲

Sheldon-Sacramento 30-2

2. (5)

▲

Alhambra-Martinez

24-2

3. (13)

▲

Freedom-Oakley

19-3

4. (12)

▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

21-4

5. (1)

▼

Pioneer-San Jose

25-3

6. (4)

▼

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

21-5

7. (6)

▼

Foothill-Pleasanton

21-4

8. (NR) ▲

Ceres

23-5

9. (2)

East Union-Manteca

23-3

10. (11) ▲

Rocklin

24-3

11. (15) ▲

San Benito-Hollister

26-3

12. (NR) ▲

Tracy

24-7

▼ Oakdale

22-3

13. (7)

▼

14. (NR) ▲

Casa Roble-Orangevale

22-8

15. (8)

Heritage-Brentwood

19-4

16. (14) ▼

Carlmont-Belmont

24-5

17. (16) ▼

Benicia

23-7

18. (9)

▼

Newark Memorial

22-5

19. (10) ▼

Castro Valley

21-5

20. (18) ▼

Mt. Pleasant-San Jose

19-6

▼

DROPPED OUT: No. 17 Woodcreek-Roseville, No. 19 Bear River-Grass Valley and No. 20 Del Campo-Fair Oaks.

BIGGEST MOVERS: Since the rankings go on hiatus during the playoffs, there’s always a flurry of movement in the final compilation. Ceres was the biggest mover after winning the very tough SJS Div. III field that included former No. 2 East Union and former No. 7 Oakdale. Freedom-Oakley lept 10 spots to finish in the Top 3 after taking the NCS Div. I tournament and knocking off former No. 4 Amador Valley in the process. Sheldon’s 30-win season and SJS Div. I crown made the Huskies a no-brainer No. 1.

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TOP TO BOTTOM: Annie Clements, left, of Woodcreek-Roseville, and Juila Curtis of Davis, go head-to-head for a loose ball during the SJS Div. I playoffs; OakmontRoseville track star Isaiah Holmes celebrates his 7-foot, 1-inch high jumnp with his coach at the SJS Masters Meet; The Foothill-Pleasanton softball battery of catcher Regan Lacy, left, and Nalani Scates share a moment during the NCS Div. I softball final.

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AS WE SAW IT

5. Who is one coach you believe deserves extra recognition for his/her efforts in 2015-16? ›› Mary Jo Truesdale (Sheldon softball): Coaching her 19th team at Sheldon, she collected her seventh Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship. Truesdale has built a softball dynasty and has placed countless players at top national programs like Cal. And she does it with a smile on her face and a passion to teach and inspire her players. Plus, I am hoping that she might give me a marble if you print this. — JIM McCUE, SportStars ›› Serra basketball coach Chuck Rapp. Rapp did a marvelous job with the Serra basketball team this season, guiding the boys to a Division II state championship. — DARREN SABEDRA, San Jose Mercury News ›› Elk Grove girls basketball coach Larry Price has a unique gift and skill of bonding teams. In his first season with a Thundering Herd program that had been fair to average for the better part of 40 years, Price elevated expecations and play. Without any 5-star, 4-star, 3-star players, but with a team of 5-star effort and high-character kids, Elk Grove won the NorCal Division II championship in one of the amazing playoff runs in regional history. Price works as a probation officer in

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corrections, dealing with a lot of troubled bad dudes. Coaching girls basketball? “It’s my release, my worth,” he said.

— JOE DAVIDSON, Sacramento Bee ›› Mike Oakland of Mountain View St. Francis baseball has now won back-to-back CCS Open Division titles and has kept the Lancers among state’s best for many years now after the legendary Chris Bradford retired.

— MARK TENNIS, Cal-Hi Sports ›› I thought AJ Kuhle did a really nice job with De La Salle basketball. Granted, he inherited a very good team in his first year at his alma mater, but he guided them to the NorCal Open Division title in his first year as a high school coach. That is something that deserved more attention.

— DOUG BENTON, NorCalPreps.com ›› While he didn’t have the chance to coach for most of the season, you have to give the nod to Calaveras boys basketball coach Kraig Clifton. Clifton, a beloved figure in the San Andreas community, discovered that he has Stage IV pancreatic cancer in December.The community has shown a massive outpouring of support, whether it be through his online “Go Fund Me” account or through the large fund-raising dinner they held. Clifton, a father of four, still watched his boys play as often as possible, and his fight continues.

— THOMAS LAWRENCE, Stockton Record

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LEFT TO RIGHT: De La Salle baseball coach David Jeans gets the bucket treatment after the Spartans’ 7-3 win in the NCS Div. I title game; Linden pole vaulter Max Nicol is fired up after clearing his height at the SJS Masters Meet; Castro Valley speedster Christian Merriweather rounds the bases during the NCS Div. I final.

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LEFT TO RIGHT: The East Union-Manteca softball team dons its rally caps during an SJS Div. III playoff game; Elk Grove infielder Aaron Wong makes a back-handed play in a mid-season game against Davis; Monte VistaDanville senior Devin Spencer enjoys the moment in the wake of the Mustangs’ NCS Div. I championship victory.

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SYNCHRO STARS On May 13-15 the Region B Synchronized Swimming Championship, hosted by Sacramento Synchronized Swim Team (SSST) and Placer Valley Tourism (PVT), took place at the Rusch Park Pool in Citrus Heights.

Approximately 150 girls came from throughout Northern California to compete in this exciting regional competition where swimmers were vying for a spot at the upcoming National Junior Olympics.

SSST had an impressive nine synchronized swimmers advance onto the Junior Olympics that will be held on June 24 through July 2 in Long Island, New York. Sophia Susac advanced in the 16-17 age group as a soloist and will also be competing with Noelle Song in the duet category. MJ Schoel and Aubrie Rutan will be competing in the 13-15 age division for duet.

Susac, Song, Schoel and Rutan as well as Kylie Beloian and Marissa Kwong will be representing SSST in the 16-and-over Team category. Dyeon Maeng and Mia Rebensdorf will join all of the girls previously mentioned for the 16-and-over Combo Team competition at the 2016 Junior Olympics.

“We are hoping to take first place in the 16-and-over duet, team and combo competition,” SSST coach Robin Mizell said. “With 300-plus girls competing from all over the United States in 10 days of competition in New York, we are thrilled to have such strong representation.”

Here at PVT, we would like to congratulate all of these talented, amazing youth athletes and wish them good luck at their upcoming national competition in New York! Go SSST! — All copy and images provided by Placer Valley Tourism 44

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Quarry Blast & Quarry Classic Tournaments Set To Sizzle Rocklin Youth Soccer in August

R

ocklin Youth Soccer is turning up the heat in August with two incredible tournament opportunities for competitive soccer teams, the Rocklin Quarry Blast and the Debbie Patterson Quarry Classic.

First up is the Rocklin Quarry Blast on August 19-21 and will showcase U9 through U12 boys and girls teams. All teams have a three game guarantee and there will be a championship as well as consolation games.

“We expect over 60 teams will be competing in this exciting event that will be hosted by the club at the city’s premier soccer location, Margaret Azevedo Park,” said Rocklin Youth Soccer President, Bart Paduveris.

The second event is the newly renamed Debbie Patterson Quarry Classic and takes place August 26-28. More than 100 teams from the U13- U19 level are expected to compete and will be playing at multiple locations throughout the City of Rocklin for this three-day tournament. Both boys and girls bronze, silver, gold and premier teams are welcome.

“This tournament is presented in honor of our late, beloved coach and board member Debbie Patterson,” Paduveris said. “It is a wonderful way to honor Patterson and celebrate the talented youth of our community.”

The Rocklin Quarry Blast is only $450 per team and the Debbie Patterson Quarry Classic is $595 per team. For more information and to get your team registered today go to www.rocklinsoccer.org. ✪

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

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