BA Issue 55, Nov. 1, 2012

fall's top 3 storylines to watch

vol. 3. issue 55

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november 1, 2012

bay area

inside:

the official program of the

sportstarsonline.com

regional:

rising stars

this postseason, east bay volleyball slams into spotlight Nov. 16-18, Alameda County Fairgrounds

• Vendor map, pg. 20 • products guide, pg. 30

Bentley’s Sydney Babiak is a big fish in a small pond

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end game: no stopping clayton valley’ s running attack Norcal playoffs: let’s get it started

rankings sportstars’ top football Teams

PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson. Ext. 104 • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writers Erik Stordahl, Jim McCue Contributors Bill Kolb, Mitch Stephens, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Bryant West, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Jonathan Okanes Photography Butch Noble, Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler Intern Ryan Arter Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco. Ext. 103 • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa. Ext. 106 • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising & Calendar/Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, (925) 566-8500 Account Executives Erik Stordahl • Erik@SportStars Online.com, Phillip Walton • PWalton@SportStarsOnline.com, Tommy Enriquez • Tommy@SportStarsOnline.com Sac Joaqin edition: Dave Rosales • DaveRosales64@gmail.com Reader Resources/Administration Ad Traffic, Subscription, Calendar & Classified Listings info@SportStarsOnline.com • Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Distribution/Delivery Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution Manager Butch Noble. Ext. 107 • Butch@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com Office Manager/Credit Services Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Deb@SportStarsOnline.com Board of advisors Dennis Erokan, CEO, Placemaking Group Roland Roos, CPA, Roland Roos & Co Susan Bonilla, State Assembly Drew Lawler, Managing Director, AJ Lawler Partners Brad Briegleb, Attorney At Law

big time: Sydney Babiak

stands tall in norcal golf. Pg. 26

First Pitch...........................................8 Locker Room..................................10 AAA SportStars of the Week......13 Behind the Clipboard....................14 Powered by Trucks.........................15 Impulse.............................................30 Training Time...................................40 Health Watch .................................41

Official program. Pg. 20

Camps + Clinics.............................42

hit the bench: It’s not just throwing up weight. You gotta do it right. Pg. 15 best shot: You may not always like it, but coaches have to play to strengths. Pg. 14. on the cover: Bentley-Lafayette’s Sydney Babiak.

Photo by Butch Noble.

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your ticket to bay area sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #3, November 2012 Whole No. 55 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 24 issues, U.S. 3rd class $42 (allow 3 weeks for delivery).

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FALLin IN LOVE: Three things we’re watching for as we welcome the postseason

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ship format as it stands (we’re not crazy ith all due respect to the about the Open Division game eliminating basketball state tournament one of the region’s top two teams from state and the state track and field consideration), we can at least admit that championships, when it comes to high it ought to add another notch to the usual school sports postseasons, it’s really hard postseason excitement and general scoreto top the fall. board watching across Northern California.

And it’s not all about football. Well, The games themselves ought to be pretty it’s mostly about football, but STILL. darn exciting as well.

Firstly, there are four state champion2 — NorCal Volleyball: For the past two ship sports in the fall — twice as many years, the state volleyball tournament has as either of the other seasons. A fifth been dominated by Northern California — a sport, water polo, doesn’t have a state stark and pleasant change after most of the tournament but each year has provided 2000’s were dominated by SoCal. more and more drama as the sport The North State has brought home four becomes more specialized. state titles each of the past years, and it’s And there’s football. not all one region doing the work either.

Even football goes on steroids this fall Last year the South Bay Area claimed a as another round of postseason has been pair of titles behind Palo Alto in Division I added with the CIF North and South and Presentation-San Jose in Div. II. Union Regional Bowl games.

Mine-El Dorado brought the Div. IV trophy So to say we’re a bit juiced to see back to the foothills of the Sac-Joaquin November roll around would be a bit of Section and Branson-Ross returned to the an understatement.

North Bay Area for the third straight year To celebrate the arrival of the school as Div. V champions. Albany had a pair of year’s first month of postseason play, match points that got away from them in the here’s the top five storylines we’ll be Div. III match, or it would’ve been a NorCal watching over the next seven weeks. sweep.

1 — De La Salle football: Quick, who Can NorCal programs possibly continue was the last California team to beat the this torrid pace? We’re looking forward to mighty Spartans? It’s been awhile. In finding out. fact, nearly four years. The state’s current 3 — Water polo: We admit it. We’re startNo.1-ranked team has lost just three ing to catch the fever. The 2011 postseason games since the end of 2008, two against delivered all kinds of drama, and we’re Florida opponents (Lakeland in 2009 banking on more of it this November. and St. Thomas Aquinas-Ft. Lauderdale The team we’ll be watching the closest in 2011) and one against the Jersey Boys will be the Alhambra-Martinez boys. The of Don Bosco Prep-Ramsey in 2009.

Bulldogs were on the bitter end of perhaps Figured it out yet? The correct answer the most dramatic finish of all last Novemwas Centennial-Corona which defeated ber. With 11 minutes to go in the Division II the Spartans 21-16 in the 2008 CIF Chace@ championship match, Alhambra held a 10-2 Division I Bowl Game. Since that time, SportStarsOnline.com advantage over Las Lomas-Walnut Creek.

De La Salle is 47-0 against California Then it all came crashing down. Las opponents.

(925) 566-8503 Lomas roared all the way back and won the Why are we talking about this? match on Mitch Pilgrim’s goal with 15.6 Because as much as we appreciate the Green and Silver, they’ve battled some injuries this season and seconds left in the match.

In the aftermath of the loss, Alhambra coach Mike Agostihaven’t quite enacted the same dominance over opponents as no told SportStars, “After a loss like that, things can go one of in recent years. Pulling off another state sweep is not out of two ways: The players can be too hurt and opt out, or they can the question, but it doesn’t feel as much like a lock this year. be hungry. It looks like everybody’s in, everybody’s hungry.

The Spartans’ season-finale against California-San Ramon on We’re going to keep getting better. We want more.”

Nov. 2 may just provide a glimpse into this storyline. No East The Bulldogs enter this year’s Division II tournament as Bay program has played De La Salle tougher in recent years, the No. 2 seed. Marin Catholic-Kentfield is the top seed. And and this year’s Grizzlies team will come in confident.

Las Lomas won’t be lurking. They are competing in Div. I this 1A — The Race for the Regional Football Bowl Games: year. ✪ While we aren’t completely sold on the Regional Champion-

First Pitch Chace Bryson Editor

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rapidFIRE 24 hours without food or your phone

Phone

James Bond or Jason Bourne

Jason Bourne

Given 20 for Jr. Pee-wees, stuck with it

Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger

Blue, Silver, Black; Honey Badgers

Deluxe Chicken Sandwich

James Bond

Wanted 11, but senior had it so took 12

Take You Out by Luther Vandross

Baby blue, silver; Pirates

Teriyaki chicken with rice

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count’EM

Kyra Holt, Albany Volleyball

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November 1, 2012

Build your own high school: Colors and mascot

Why did you pick your jersey number

Troy Knox, Folsom Football

Phone

First song to come to mind when we say ‘Oldie’

Undefeated football teams remaining in the state after 10 weeks. Exactly half come from Northern California schools.

Six remain in the Sac-Joaquin Section, including Folsom (and their wide receiver corp, right) which has used its high-flying spread offense to amass a 9-0 mark through Oct. 26. The North Coast Section also features six remaining unbeatens, and the Central Coast has four. Five teams among the overall 40 are from small school 8-man leagues.

Best thing to eat on campus

Doug Guler

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Top 5 ways high school football tops a presidential electiison important. Seri-

This Pay attention now, sports peoples. e of you who are at the thos , days t shor five just ous, even. In BEHOLDEN to determine age of majority will be allowed, nay, next four years). That’s the for t the fate of the nation (at leas national nightmare (aka, , long Our day. right, y’all, it’s election at an end (again, at least the presidential campaign) is nearly thinking. You know what’s for the next four years). But it got us ’s our list of the top five here So better than politics? Football. ter than anything grea is kin pigs ol scho ways in which high involving an elephant and a donkey. actual mud.

1. Mudslinging. In football, it involves are met with a yelthey all, footb In 2. Ad hominem attacks*. anlike conduct. In ortsm unsp for lty pena low flag and a 15-yard campaign commercials. a presidential election, they turn into all game is just over. The 3. Finality. After 48 minutes, a footb mander in Chief, Com the of winner wins. With the election da.

Flori in cially Espe . over well, nothing is ever gorgeous rotathat , thing tiful beau a it’s all, footb In 4. Spin. idents, it is the pres With tion that a quarterback puts on a ball. inable, usually imag n catio anifi expl most obnoxious, revisionist stuffy suits who wouldn’t executed by guys in crappy ties and even have sniffed the second string. e is NO BIAS in the 5. Journalism. Take it from us. Ther ‘em like we sees calls We all. coverage of high school footb News or MSNBC. Fox on ed start us get ‘em, folks. Don’t even Amateurs. ’. *Look it up. You might learn somethin — Bill Kolb

Pete Souza/The White House/ZumaPress.com

sayWHAT “I call him OG, the original guard.”

Casa Grande-Petaluma lineman and running back Elijah Qualls on former 49ers all-pro lineman Cas Banaszek, who at 67-years old is volunteering as a assistant coach for the Gauchos. Banaszek was drafted by San Francisco in 1967 and played 11 seasons, all with the 49ers. A feature story on how Banaszek is making an impact on a wide range of Petaluma youth will appear in our Nov. 22 issue.

Left to right: Allan Hernandez, Peter Parrick, Coach Frank Giammona, Brandon Jackson, Shane Reed, Cas Banaszek. On knee: Elijah Qualls.

Photo by Harold Abend

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It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that one of the most potent tandems in the Bay Area football landscape is the Brothers Protheroe. The elder one, Joe, a senior running back, is a catalyst for an Eagles squad that just captured its first league crown since 2008. He racked up 219 yards and three TDs against Concord (a 49-6 statement win on Oct. 19) and two more TDs to go with 172 yards against Northgate (a 41-21 DVAL-clinching victory on Oct. 26).

SportStars Magazine: Why are you guys so good this year?

Joe Protheroe: It has to do with our O-line and the new offense we run. Defensively, we were pretty weak in the beginning but (defensive coordinator Mitch McDuff) got us better every week.

He gets us prepared for each game.

SSM: You and your brother Mike combined for six TDs against Concord. How special was that night?

JP: It meant a lot to me. I know me and my brother get a lot of credit but everybody on the team wanted it as bad as us. Every year we get picked to lose to Concord, and finally my senior year we beat ‘em.

SSM: How does it feel being league champs?

JP: It feels great. Hopefully our team doesn’t get bigheaded. … Hopefully we take that NCS championship, too.

SSM: Favorite highlight of the

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joe protheroe clayton valley charter-concord . football . sr

honorable mention

annika jensen The Campolindo-Moraga junior scored seven goals combined in wins over Acalanes-Lafayette (65, Oct. 17) and Miramonte-Orinda (14-4, Oct. 24). Campo (23-1) is the No. 1 seed of the NCS Div. II playoffs.

monica chen Posting a 3-under 69, the Mission San Jose-Fremont golfer earned medalist honors and helped the Warriors win the NCS championship on Oct. 29.

jay yesin Butch Noble season?

JP: Our first TD against Concord. Coach (Tim) Murphy, he usually never even moves, but that’s the only play I’ve seen him run down the sideline. There was just so much emotion and he just let it out on that play.

JOE’S QUICK HITS Favorite athlete: Eric Weddle Favorite NFL team: Raiders Favorite energy drink: Rockstar

The Concord senior scored five TDs against Mt. Diablo on Oct. 26, two receiving, two punt returns and one interception return during a 68-12 victory.

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Acknowledging overall imperfection, coaches play to their strengths Questions like that let me wander off into the realms of Eastern philosophy, which my players have learned to love (if it’s been a really hard practice and they’d like to rest) or hate (“Oh my God, he’s talking about Zen again”).

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Our football team is pretty good but the coach doesn’t seem to care about anything but defense. He puts the best players on defense, he tells us that we can’t lose if the other team doesn’t score and he never seems to say much about our offense. I like offense – I think it’s fun, and people like to watch it. Is there a way to get our coach to think about more than defense?

-F.G., Lodi

et’s start with a question: Have you ever seen a perfect football team?

Maybe you think those De La Salle teams that won all those games in a row were perfect, but you know, I saw the Spartans play a lot, and perfect they were not. They fumbled too much and they had a knack for the untimely penalty, and that was just what I saw from the sidelines. I guarantee you coach Bob Ladouceur never felt he coached a perfect team — and I guarantee you no college or pro coach ever did either.

So if the perfect team is unattainable, then what’s left? Questions like that let me wander off into the realms of Eastern philosophy, which my players have learned to love (if it’s been a really hard practice and they’d like to rest) or hate

L

November 1, 2012

(“Oh my God, he’s talking about Zen again”).

In Japan, there’s something known as wabi-sabi, which is tied to the tea ceremony and Japanese esthetics in general. (The tea ceremony and football? Well, yes – Japanese samurai warriors were represented by two emblems: their swords and cherry blossoms.) The aspect of wabi-sabi that comes into play here is not only the acceptance of imperfection, but the embrace of imperfection.

So what could this possibly have to do with a football coach who loves defense?

Most coaches realize fairly quickly that there’s not enough time, especially at the high school level, to get even close to perfect at all phases of the game. They know they have to emphasize some things, and let some other things slide — in short, they have to embrace the imperfection of their teams. They have to acknowledge that yes, the offense isn’t what it should be, or that the basketball team can’t really press very well, or that the baseball team is bad at stealing bases.

But that doesn’t mean the team can’t be successful. The imperfection doesn’t mean that losses are inevitable because, after all, the op-

Behind the Clipboard Clay Kallam

ponents are imperfect too.

Given that reality, there are several paths to take. One is to try and be pretty good at a bunch of things, so that no matter what the other team isn’t good at, you have a chance to attack that weakness. The risk there is that by trying to be good at everything, you wind up really being mediocre at everything and not having a chance to win.

Another option is the one your coach took: Be really good at one thing, even if it means being not very good at something else. So your team is imperfect, especially offensively – so what?

You still can have a very good team despite your flaws, and your imperfection can still lead to success.

Now I doubt your coach spent a lot of time studying the tea ceremony, and he probably thinks wabi-sabi is something that goes on sushi, but he grasped an essential point: There’s no perfect path available, so learn to love the imperfect.

And for you, that means learning to love defense. ✪ 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 Coach Kallam at clayk@ fullcourt.com.

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Make your bench lifts more imPRESSive

he bench press is one of the most widely performed lifts in the world.

If you walk into any gym in America you will most likely find that there is a line just to use the bench press. It’s all about who can press the most weight. Now if you stand there long enough watching all the lifters take turns on the bench then you’ll see what I see, HORRIBLE form and technique.

There is your old school lifter who is stuck in his ways and scoffs at any new information that studies provide, all the way to your new school lifter who thinks he knows everything there is to know about lifting because he’s never read a single study in his life, or he’s read too many yet he isn’t qualified to even understand what he’s reading.

There are many basic coaching points that are necessary to successfully complete this lift, as well as some basic principles that many are unaware of when trying to increase their bench press strength. Below you will find my simple, yet crucial, coaching points and principles that many people are not aware of.

count unless it touches the chest. So stop doing quarter press’ and grunting like a yeti. No one likes that.

■ In order to increase your strength you must apply a periodized program for progression. If you always bench heavy you’ll simply fry your nervous system and be counterproductive into gaining strength. So have a plan to build up OVER TIME. Nothing happens overnight. Every day is NOT max day.

■ To increase strength, use less reps and heavier weight, don’t just keep banging out sets of 10 until the cows come home.

■ When pressing, keep in mind that the shoulders and triceps are very important muscles when benching and must be trained for strength similarly to aid in the motion.

■ The bench press is a free weight lift, so train it that way.

So many guys try to use the chest press machines and load tons of weight thinking it will fully transfer. The problem is that once you go from an exercise where the machine maintains stability, to an exercise where your body maintains stability, the overall ability to produce strength diminishes.

Moral of the story, use free weights more often to increase bench press strength.

Powered by Trucks

Anthony Trucks

Basic Principles ■ It IS ok for the bar to touch your chest without tearing your chest muscles. In bench competitions the rep does not

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Coaching Points ■ Strengthen your upper back: A strong upper back stabilizes the upper torso region making it easier to press through the chest muscles.

■ Think about pulling the bar apart when pressing up: This engages the pressing muscles to help throughout the pressing movement.

■ Tuck your feet to stabilize your body which allows you to push through the hips. Yes it is possible.

■ Incorporate stability presses into your regimen. Simply stabilizing your pressing muscles will allow you to press more. When your arms start wiggling the muscles do more work trying to balance than they’re doing pressing.

■ WARM UP to heavy weight. JUST DO IT, you know you should.

Apply these techniques, and use these principles and start to see your bench press climb. This is only about 50 percent of what you need to know, but it is the most important. ✪ Anthony Trucks was a decorated football player for Antioch High and the University of Oregon before spending time on multiple NFL rosters. His Trucks Training facility has been operating since 2008. Powered By Trucks runs once a month in the magazine and will include additional content at SportStarsOnline.com. Send your weight training questions to Anthony at Contact@TrucksTraining.com.

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STRIKINGB Redwood Empire schools dominated NCS Division II volleyball playoffs for several years — this year the East Bay rises against

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By matt smith | Contributor

hen it comes to North Coast Section volleyball in the East Bay, the focus is always on Division I and Division III, and for good reason.

Teams like Bishop O’Dowd, Campolindo, Albany, Foothill, San Ramon Valley and California have represented the East Bay quite well in recent years.

In what can possibly be considered as sort of an abnormality, the teams in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties don’t seem to fare as well in Division II. But that might be about to change.

Since 2005, only one East Bay team has won a Div. II title, and that was only because of a technicality, really. In 2010, O’Dowd was forced to move up from Div. III after three straight titles — and promptly won.

Other than that, none of the true Div. II East Bay teams have won a title since Carondelet in 2004.

But 2012 brings new hope for the region’s teams. Teams from the list of usual contenders have become stronger, and in the shadows lie a few upstarts who might surprise when the postseason begins on Nov. 7.

Las Lomas and Northgate each seem improved this season after both reaching the semifinals a year ago, while Carondelet is always in the mix.

The latter was the No. 4 seed in the Div. II field a year ago, and is typically very battle-tested after playing in the East Bay Athletic League against top Div. I teams.

It was foreseeable that these three teams would be in the mix, but not many could’ve expected Newark Memorial getting an invitation to the Contenders Party.

The Cougars made the playoffs last season for the first time in a decade, doing so as the No. 10 seed, finishing with a 13-15 overall record and a 4-8 mark in the Mission Valley Athletic League — good enough for a mere fifthplace finish. However, this year’s installment of the Cougars is one to be reckoned with.

The Cougars will surely be a top eight seed, probably in the top 5-6, as they will have rolled up over 20 wins, and perhaps an MVAL title, heading into the post-season. They pretty much put a bow on the league crown by beating second-place Moreau Catholic on Oct. 23, to stay undefeated in league.

“We have a great group of hardworking athletic girls,” Newark Memorial coach Lindsay Simeone said. “Our offense is growing stronger every day and 16

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BACK

LEFT: Newark Memorial offensive tandem, Carley Ward (left) and Ni’Yesha Brown. right: Michelle Lawrence, Northgate Photos by Phillip Walton

they work hard defensively as a team. Every girl is becoming a threat offensively, giving us options. Last year we got our first taste of NCS and the girls are eager to advance farther this year.”

After a fairly slow start that saw them go 3-4 after seven matches, the Cougars just got better, winning seven in a row, and 15 of 16.

“The girls’ confidence is growing stronger with each match, but they also know how hard they need to work to get better with the rest of the division,” Simeone said. “The confidence has helped the girls fight through the tough times and come up on top in tight situations.”

Balance is the key for the Cougars, and if they are going to make a deep postseason run, sophomore middle Carley Ward, outside hitters Ni’Yesha Brown and Bailey Gamez along with setter Brooke Hadfield and libero Marissa Angeja will be leading the way.

One can’t forget about the Northgate Broncos, though. The No. 3 seed last year might be the favorite this season for a number of reasons.

One of those reasons, perhaps the top reason, is Michelle Lawrence.

The Colorado Statebound outside hitter might possibly be the best player in the East Bay and is a force for any team to deal with. She is only getting stronger after starting the season battling illness.

“Michelle is a complete player, and I think one of the best in the Bay Area,” Northgate coach Dave Weiland said. “She is strong in any position on the court. Yes she has been sick and has not been able to be showcased more, but as the season progresses she will just get stronger and better.

She understands the game and has a ton of volleyball I.Q. already. She will be an asset to Colorado State, whose coach wants her to be that outside hitter who plays all the way around.”

And Lawrence is a microcosm for the rest of the team. The Broncos may have been looked at as slow starters, but the schedule actually is set up to have them playing more matches as the season progresses.

They only played 13 matches through Oct. 9, but have since gone to the Nor Cal Invitational in Sacramento, the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix and hosted their own tournament.

“We are contenders for running the table because we keep getting better

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every game,” Weiland said. “We are playing in the tournaments that give us the best advantage to learn and grow. The goal is not the wins and losses but on peaking at the right time. The team understands this and strives to complete the journey.”

And though Lawrence is such a great player, Weiland (just like Simeone) knows it will take balance. Fortunately for the Broncos coach, he has it.

“We not only have the best all-around player in the East Bay, but a team that has many standouts and weapons,” Weiland said. “This makes us dangerous.

“Also, our younger players are developing into the players needed. We just need to play within ourselves, play relaxed and play with confidence.”

Weiland knows that the team across town is also in the mix for Division II’s top seed. Las Lomas, coached by former longtime Northgate coach Jim Changaris, has Weiland on alert. He knows the Knights aren’t to be taken lightly.

“Las Lomas is a contender as well. They have a strong set of returners in all positions,” Weiland said. “They have tough servers and play well as a team.

They can come at you from anywhere on the court and teams have to be ready for both a strong offense and defense from them.”

What Las Lomas has going for it, other than a very good overall record, is a very good group of seniors hungry to end the season strong after falling just short as juniors.

Led by senior middle Maddie Borch, setter Rachel Linden and hitters Rachel Nieto and Geneva Duffy, the Knights have the type of balance most teams envy.

Carondelet is a much trickier team to figure out. The Cougars are easily one of the top teams in Division II, but the schedule sometimes makes it hard to finish over .500 in one of the NCS-qualifying categories (overall, league or division record).

That is the problem that Carondelet is facing this year.

“The trick is getting in. If we get in, I think we will be ready to compete with other D-II schools,” Carondelet coach Jerry Mix said. “Playing in the EBAL gets any team ready for playoffs. Every match is a battle in our league. It’s tough having to battle night after night, but that is what makes us stronger through the year.” ✪

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Ncs Playoffs At a Glance

Division I

■ TOP CONTENDERS: California-San Ramon, San Ramon Valley-Danville, Monte Vista-Danville, Amador Valley-Pleasanton, Foothill-Pleasanton.

■ FAVORITE: California has established itself as the team to beat, not an easy thing to do when playing in the East Bay Athletic League. But with two wins over San Ramon Valley, and Santa Clara-bound outside hitter Sabrina Clayton leading the way, Cal looks dangerous and hungry.

■ BRACKETBUSTER: Not that it’s a surprise if they make a run, but with the spotlight being on Cal, look for San Ramon Valley to possibly repeat as Div. I champs. They have a bad taste in their mouth after two losses to Cal. They have a very good hitter in Emily Reder and Nicole Powers is getting better in her first full season at setter.

■ TOP STORYLINE: It’s Amador Valley. A year after missing the playoffs, head coach Rich Cortez took the very young team (which is still young this year) and put them back in contention. The team stayed in the top three of the EBAL all year, beat Cal and has shown the ability to beat any team any given day.

■ CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION: California d. San Ramon Valley 3-2.

Sabrina Clayton, a three year standout for Cal, delivers a block during an early season tournament at Deer Valley.

Phillip Walton

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Ncs Playoffs At a Glance

Division II

■ TOP CONTENDERS: Northgate-Walnut Creek, Las Lomas-Walnut Creek, CarondeletConcord, Newark Memorial-Newark, Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa.

■ FAVORITE: Among East Bay teams, the favorite is Northgate, which has arguably the best player in the area in Colorado State-bound outside hitter Michelle Lawrence. Kelsey LaCour is a nice complement to Lawrence, giving them the balance it takes to win it all. Outside the East Bay, the contenders are Maria Carrillo and Redwood-Larkspur.

■ BRACKETBUSTER: Las Lomas wouldn’t surprise anybody if it won the crown, but it would be a small tremor in the volleyball world. The Knights have the depth and balance it takes to go deep in the playoffs. Rachel Linden and Maddie Borch lead a key core of four returning seniors.

■ TOP STORYLINE: Newark Memorial is an incredible story as a dark horse in this division.

Last year, the Cougars made the playoffs for the first time ever, earning a No. 10 seed with 13 wins. This year, the team will probably be a top six seed and eager to put last year’s playoff experience to use.

■ CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION: Maria Carrillo d. Northgate 3-2.

Division III

■ TOP CONTENDERS: Campolindo-Moraga, Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland, Albany, Analy-Sebastopol, Drake-San Anselmo.

■ FAVORITE: Campolindo has established itself as the top team in this division, hands down. They have three holdovers from the 2010 state championship team in Sophie Seiberth, Annie Shurtz and Cassidy Abel. Shurtz established herself as possibly the most feared hitter in the area, and has this team rolling.

■ BRACKETBUSTER: Albany will probably be seeded third behind Campo and Bishop O’Dowd, but this team came within two points of winning a state title last year. They also have a ferocious hitter in Kyra Holt who can take over a game.

■ TOP STORYLINE: Campolindo will be the team to follow. The Cougars seek a second state title in three years, and a third overall. A new coaching staff has taken this team over effortlessly, and they appear to be a team to be reckoned with.

■ CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION: Campolindo d. Albany 3-1.

Division IV

■ TOP CONTENDERS: St. Patrick-St. VincentVallejo, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, Moreau Catholic-Hayward, Marin Catholic-Kentfield.

■ FAVORITE: St. Patrick has established itself as the team to beat, rolling up 30 wins without a loss to a team below Div. III. The rest of this division is playing catch up to the Bruins, and it will take a major upset to oust them.

■ BRACKETBUSTER: Moreau Catholic has competed all year for a Mission Valley Athletic League title, doing so against Div. I and Div. II competition. The Mariners are a team unafraid of competition — making them very dangerous.

■ TOP STORYLINE: Newark. We’d put Moreau Catholic here as well. They lost Jade Santos, Asha Smith and Jessica Marin and have not missed a beat. A 20-win season and a top five seed are virtually assured.

■ CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION: St. Patrick-St. Vincent d. Cardinal Newman 3-1. ✪

Phillip Walton (top), Butch Noble

TOP: Sophie Seiberth, right, and Annie Shurtz were both sophomores when Campolindo won the state title in 2010.

BOTTOM: Paige Reed leads the way for St. Patrick-St. Vincent.

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Vendor Booth Assignments

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elcome to the Bay Area Golf Show official guide! On behalf of Varsity Communications, Inc., we thank you for making this event the most exciting fall consumer golf show to hit the Bay Area.

More than 80 exhibit spaces displaying the latest in golf products, services and travel will be on hand throughout the three-day event.

Various interactive areas will also be set up around the show for all our consumers to enjoy. They include: ■ The Tri Valley CVB Main Stage where visitors can get tips and instruction from top PGA professionals.

■ The Golfsmith Demo Line allows attendees to try before they buy from several top manufacturers.

■ The Golfsmith Fall Sale is going to be hot! Over 4,000 square feet of amazing deals on equipment and apparel.

■ At the Firestone Long Drive Challenge powered by Trugolf visitors can win twosomes of golf for hitting the longest drive in their division.

■ Attendees can take a chip shot at our Short Game Challenge and win various golfrelated prizes for making it through one of the holes in our airborne sign.

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BAY AREA GOLF SHOW

■ WHEN: November 16-18

■ WHERE: Alameda County Fairgrounds, Building A, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton ■ SHOW HOURS: Friday, Nov. 16th, 11am–5pm; Saturday, Nov. 17, 9am– 5pm; Sunday, Nov. 18, 9am–5pm.

■ TICKET PRICES: Adults $11, Senior (62+) $9, Kids Under 12: FREE ■ DISCOUNT OFFERS: $1 off coupon available at BayAreaGolfShow.com; $2 off for NCGA members

■ Get some complimentary instruction at the La Quinta Resort & Spa / PGA West Free Lesson Area.

■ At the American Golf Putting Challenge attendees can win rounds of golf for sinking a putt.

We hope everyone who attends has an enjoyable experience.

— Bay Area Golf Show and Varsity Communications, Inc.

5-Hour Energy..........................................426 Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs................509 Best Western Plus Villa Del Lago Inn...... 511 Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited................410 Butler Golf - Doctor Grip...........................202 Caremore Health Plan.............................531 Carson Valley Inn.....................................212 Custom Travel Designers........................525 Danmer Custom Shutters........................537 Efx Performance.......................................527 Forever Putting Greens............................208 Haque Chiropractic, Inc...........................515 Golf Gear Usa.................................. 518-520 Golf Gruva........................................ 532-534 Lifeaid Bev Co.........................................523 golfSark.....................................................522 La Quinta Resort & Club.................. 434-436 Little Rivers Inn Golf Course....................535 Los Cabos Conv. & Visitors Bureau........422 Ncga........................................... Bulk Space Prato Eyewear..........................................210 Renewal By Andersen.............................516 Ridgemark Golf & Country Club..............409 Sohl Chiropractic......................................432 Summer Winds Resorts.................................

The First Tee.............................................312 The Reversible Golf Shirt.........................206 TruGolf Inc................................... Bulk Space Yocha Dehe Golf Club............................. 311 Black Oak Casino.......................................31 Bridges Golf Club, The.............................303 California Golf News................................513 Callippe Preserve G.C.............................413 Divine Nine/Carson City Cvb..................214

Evergoing Products Group/ Iamcaddieusa.com...................................320 Fusion92/At&T.........................................424 Golf Mesquite Nevada.............................407 Golfing Oregon/Golfing NVRogue 5 Media, Inc.......................... 418-524 Golfswitch, Inc..........................................414 Greenhorn Creek GC...............................529 Half Moon Bay Gl.....................................318 Hiddenbrooke Golf Club..........................305 Hilton Pleasanton.....................................420 Iq Massager/Kinetic Technologies...........427 Molhimawk................................................322 Nakoma Golf Resort................................310 Non-Surgical Spine Care Center.............313 Ob Sports Las Vegas...............................416 Paradise Valley & Ranch Solano GCs.....307 Psp Golf....................................... Bulk Space Puerto Rico Tourism................................. 411 Putting Alley/Outside The Leather...........417 R-Mac Properties.....................................425 Safe Circuit Electrical, Inc........................526 Stockton City Golf Course.......................309 Visit Tri-Valley...........................................415 West Coast Golf.......................................308 American Golf................................... 419-423 BirdieBall...................................... Bulk Space Firestone Complete Auto Care.... Bulk Space Fisher Touch Putters................... Bulk Space Nick’s Net Works......................... Bulk Space Nk Products Inc............................... 321-323 Orange Whip Swing Trainer............ 324-326 The Net Return Llc......................... 528-530 Hammerhead Golf....................... Bulk Space

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Holidays come early for Northern California golfers

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ou may not know it, but golfers in most of the United States are casting envious looks in our direction.

While much of the country is blanketed with snow, rain and temperatures that rarely creep above 50 in the winter months, golfers in the Bay Area enjoy much milder winter weather. Thus, unlike players in most parts of the country, Bay Area golfers never have to put their clubs away for winter.

They still, however, get the benefit of wintertime rates at local courses, and end-of-year discounts on the 2011 and 2012 model golf clubs when retailers clear out inventory in preparation for the new product releases in January and February.

All of which makes it, quite possibly, one of the best times of the year for Bay Area golfers — and a perfect scenario for the annual Bay Area Golf Show.

One of the largest fall golf expos in the country, the Bay Area Golf Show — coming to Pleasanton’s Alameda County Fairgrounds, Nov. 16-18 — has been helping local golfers capitalize on those end-of-year values for the last six years. With over 100 golf exhibitors under one roof — including golf courses, resorts, country clubs, retailers and almost every training gizmo you can imagine — it’s heaven for Bay Area golfers.

Any why not? Show attendees get the chance to take advantage of trying out the latest clubs from the game’s biggest manufacturers for free on an indoor driving range; purchase new clubs and equipment for 2013 at the lowest prices of the year; pocket significant savings on greens fees and golf vacations; play fun skills contests to win rounds of golf, clubs and

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more; receive free lessons from PGA professionals; and take home free goodies including rounds of golf, golf balls, magazine subscriptions and more.

Show producers have already announced that this year’s goody bag will include a coupon for $100 off a round at prestigious Half Moon Bay Golf Links — not a bad value for a ticket that tops out at just $11. In addition, major national retailer Golfsmith has joined the fold, packing an on-site store with hundreds of golf clubs, bags, shoes and more from the golf world’s biggest names, including brand-new products from TaylorMade and Titleist.

“Our goal with the Bay Area Golf Show each year is to make it easier for people to play more golf,” says show producer Dick Stephens. “Most golfers cite time and money as the two main obstacles to playing more golf, so we try to address that head-on by first bringing the entire golf industry under one roof, saving time, and then by working with our sponsors and exhibitors to generate a unparalleled value for attendees in the form of front-door giveaways, prizes for our interactive contests and games, and show-only savings on the products and services being showcased.”

Six years in, it’s proved to be a winning combination. The show has grown steadily throughout its run, prompting organizers to combine operations of their annual spring show with the fall expo in Pleasanton, while moving the latter back one month from its usual October date to the third weekend in November — a perfect time for golfers to get the jump on the holiday shopping season while avoiding the Black Friday rush of the following weekend.

In addition, producers have secured free parking for all attendees at the show, and have made a ticket for any one day good for all three days. The Bay Area Golf Show is also marketing a joint ticket with the first-annual Tri-Valley Wine & Food Festival being held at the fairgrounds on the same weekend, allowing golfers into both the golf show and the wine and food festival. ✪ — Brian Beaky for Cascade Golfer Magazine/ Varsity Communications, Inc.

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Ka’anapali Golf Courses Celebrates 50 Years of History in 2012 Ka’anapali Golf Courses, managed by Billy Casper Golf, announces the celebration of 50 years of tournament history at its facility in 2012.

Opening in 1962, Ka’anapali Beach Resort was the first planned resort in the state of Hawaii. Now, home to 11 different hotel properties, 40 restaurants, three spas, an openair shopping center and 36 holes of championship golf, Ka’anapali truly is Where the World Comes to Play.

The Royal Ka’anapali Course, a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design, opened in 1962 and continues to test the skills of professional and amateur golfers. A par-71, 6,700-yard layout, the Royal Course combines wide fairways and undulating greens, making it distinctive, demanding and exciting, hole-tohole. With 50 years of tournament history, and most recently the Wendy’s Champions Skins Game (2008-2011), the Royal Course has hosted many of golf ’s greatest legends, including Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Billy Casper, Amy Alcott, Jan Stephenson and Nancy Lopez.

The Ka’anapali Kai Course — a par-70, 6,400-yard gem — places an emphasis on proper club selection and placement off the tee, allowing for better approach shots into the large, bunker-protected greens. The facility underwent a $13 million renovation in 2005-2006 and earned a 4.5-star rating (of five)

by Golf Digest in its “Best Places to Play” guide. Ka’anapali was also selected by The Golf Channel to host “Big Break Ka’anapali” in 2008.

The courses not only offer astounding views of the Pacific Ocean and neighboring islands, but also offers guests a lesson

in Hawaiian history throughout the golf course. Each hole is named after a Hawaiian word or phrase, with a story describing the significance to the area.

Roy’s Restaurants conducted an island-wide search for the ideal location for its new restaurant, selecting the Ka’anapali Golf Courses’ clubhouse. The restaurant will occupy approximately 5,000 square feet and the menu will feature many of Roy Yamaguchi’s famed dishes, including the Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish and Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé.

Based on childhood memories of the feelings and flavors of Hawaii, Roy invented what he refers to as “Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine” — a tempting combination of exotic flavors and spices mixed with the freshest of local ingredients, always with an emphasis on seafood.

“We couldn’t be more excited about our new Maui location” says Roy Yamaguchi. “We think the clubhouse at the Ka’anapali Golf Courses is a perfect fit for us, and we look forward to continuing to serve the west Maui community and visitors for years to come.”

Roy’s Restaurant will be open to the public, catering to Ka’anapali golfers, resort guests, Island residents and private parties.

“The entire Roy’s Restaurant experience is in sync with both golf and social experiences at Ka’anapali,” says Ed Kageyama, PGA General Manager of Ka’anapali Golf Courses. “We are very excited about the new partnership with Roy and his team; they bring a great reputation and following.” ✪ — Buffalo Communication

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Barely 5 feet tall, Sydney Babiak may be hard to spot on her school’s tiny campus, but that’s not the case on the golf course

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alk through the Bentley School campus at lunch, and you’ll see most of the 300 or so students wandering around the grassy quad, eating, chatting and laughing.

Bentley’s Division V sports teams earn their share of NCS berths, and there are more than a few tall and athletic boys and girls enjoying the fall sunshine of Lafayette.

But the most accomplished athlete in the student body isn’t one that will catch your eye. She’s barely over five feet tall, hair pulled back, with dark-rimmed glasses. She looks like the excellent student that she is, with her three honors courses and 4.2 GPA. That’s Sydney Babiak, and you wouldn’t look twice – until she picked up a golf club.

“We had a hard time realizing she’s as good as she is,” says senior golfer Max Klein, who plays with Babiak on the Bentley boys’ golf team in the spring. (The Phoenix don’t have a girls’ team, so Babiak is eligible for the boys’ team.) “It took even longer for the other teams. One guy from Head-Royce was in disbelief that she beat him.”

As a freshman in 2011, Babiak played No. 3 for Bentley behind now-graduated Daron McClennan-Colon and Klein, two long hitters and skilled golfers. McClennan-Colon went on to shoot a 75 at the NCS Division II qualifier and moved on to the Tournament of Champions, and Klein shot an 85 at the same event.

But Babiak was far from intimidated by playing with two stronger, more experienced golfers. After all, she had introduced herself to the high school golfing world by shooting a 77 in the fall 2011 Division I girls’ TOC, just two strokes behind the winner.

Babiak, though, didn’t miss playing high school girls’ golf.

“I love playing on a boys’ team,” she says. “Guys are more competitive, and we play harder courses.”

She’s also noticed one other thing about high school boys: “They’re a little more immature.”

Much as Klein might like to disagree, he acknowledges that uncomfortable truth. “When Sydney would play with Daron and me, we’d just be ourselves, acting like six-year-olds,” he says – and when Babiak hears that comment, she can’t help but lower her head and laugh behind her hand.

“It was a way to force myself to focus,” she says diplomatically.

“Sydney just played,” Klein says, “never smiling, never frowning. She’s unflappable. As a teammate, having her there is a very calming presence. I’m an emotional player and it helps me.”

Babiak’s focus, and even disposition, are two of the several keys to her success. “She’s sunshine all the time,” says her coach, Jenny Park-Choi, an Acalanes grad and former LPGA player. “She’s very positive.”

And Choi agrees with Babiak that playing with the guys is a good thing. “It’s a bonus for her to play on a boys’ team,” says Choi. “Boys tend to be better golfers and when you put yourself out there with better players, it helps you.”

Choi started working with Babiak just a couple years ago, not long after Babiak had taken up the game. “My mom didn’t have anyone to practice with,” says Babiak, so she gave the game a try at age 11. Now, four years later, she carries a two handicap and keeps adding to her resume.

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girls’ tournament by 29 strokes.

Yes, 29 strokes, as in one more than 28. She shot a 76, and her next closest competitor came in at 105.

OK, maybe there was no pressure, no competition, so maybe it was easy. The next week, Babiak became the first-ever Division V athlete to win the NCS Division II championship, shooting a three-over par 74 — making her Bentley’s first NCS champion, in any sport, and qualifying her for the Division I TOC that was played Oct. 29.

So what makes her so good?

“The first hole I saw her play,” says Klein, “she got up and down from a spot where a pro would have had to make good shots. Her short game and putting are unreal.

“She doesn’t get a lot of spin on the ball, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wind up more than 15 (feet) from the pin from inside 50 yards. She always has a sense of where the ball is going to go.”

Babiak, though, doesn’t think her short game is that good. She feels putting is her strength, so much so that she doesn’t work on it that much. “I hardly ever practice putting,” she says. “It’s so much about confidence, and it’s the simplest stroke in the game. I don’t want to overthink my putting.”

And even though Babiak isn’t that physically prepossessing, she can still get some distance off the tee. “That little body generates about 90 miles per hour of swing speed,” says Choi, “which is LPGA-tour average. She has become quite strong.”

Of course, when Babiak plays with guys she’s playing from the white tees, and is usually 20 yards or so behind her competitors.

“I’m used to playing a different game,” says Klein. “It’s a stark contrast – she’s hitting four and five irons into the greens while the others are using eight and nine irons.”

So at first, other teams aren’t impressed when Babiak steps on the course for Bentley.

“Most of them are thinking ‘That’s their No. 28

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3?’” says Klein.

Even though Babiak more than held her own, and will be one of the top golfers in the Bay Counties League-East this spring, she wasn’t happy with her first year in high school golf.

“I didn’t perform score-wise where I wanted to,” she says, but then again she was only a freshman.

“It’s definitely steady progress,” says Choi of her pupil, “but part of the danger is that in the desire to see improvement, you get frustrated. When you first start, and you improve, you go from 100 to 90. Then you go from 90 to 80 – but once your handicap gets low, improvement isn’t as visible.”

And the margin for error is less.

“If you hit the ball to within six feet of the pin as opposed to a tap-in, that’s half a stroke,” says Choi, and Babiak now must focus on the finer details, on just a few feet, as she looks to make the jump from local and regional tournaments.

“She is starting to expose herself to national tournaments,” says Choi, who points out that the Korean golfers who now dominate the LPGA are not much bigger than Babiak.

“You don’t have to be 6-5 like in basketball,” says Choi. “The sky’s the limit for Sydney.”

In the meantime, though, Babiak will focus on more mundane goals and objectives than the LPGA. She has those three honors classes to worry about, finding a way to get in enough practice time, and preparing for the expectations that will follow her around this spring in the BCL-East.

“It’s a different kind of pressure,” she says, but she enjoys it when the guys try to intimidate her or make her feel she doesn’t belong.

“I like having it that way because then I can show them up.”

Klein just watches and enjoys. “She has a good swing and she knows what she’s doing,” he says. “She’s not what you expect from that little body.” ✪

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Golf is golden at Greenhorn Creek

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f you’re traveling east along CA Highway 4 and can avoid blinking at approximately 20 miles from Stockton, you’ll catch a glimpse of Farmington. At the intersection is a refurbished covered wagon doubling as a billboard directing cars to Greenhorn Creek Resort in Angels Camp, another half hour ride through undeveloped rural farmlands heading into the Sierra Nevada Gold Country.

Edging the historic town of Angels Camp, a place immortalized not so much by its golden fame but rather by jumping frogs, Mark Twain, and prospectors with golf clubs in lieu of gold pans who find the pristine Greenhorn Creek Resort filled with plenty of its own history.

Prior to the turn of the century, Bardon Stevenot, a fifth-generation member of a pioneer Gold Rush family, pushed forward his vision to build what has now become an idyllic country residential community and golf course on land once occupied by the Native American Miwoks. With respect to the sacred grounds, golf course architect Don Boos weaved Greenhorn Creek GC (opened in 1996) through the rolling meadow hills and majestic oaks to feature plenty of variety while keeping intact certain archeological artifacts, such as a stone wall built

by Chinese laborers during the mid-1800s that divides the par-4 downhill fourth hole.

Another mark on Greenhorn’s historical timeline took place in 1997, when Stocktonbased developer Fritz Grupe purchased the property and immediately brought in his longtime friend, Robert Trent Jones II, to redesign the course. What exists today is a 6,749-yard layout that employs some of Jones’ trademark demanding short par 4s that add just enough challenge to make playing any of

the seven sets of tees fun.

Rich Cathcart, former athletic director of the local Bret Harte High School, can attest to these challenges. As coach of the boys and girls golf teams and having Greenhorn Creek as their home course, his teams have been very successful in most of their matches.

Greenhorn Creek Resort has also been molded into, perhaps, the finest golf retreat experience in the gold country. In addition to the golf, pools, tennis courts and fitness center, guests staying here are only minutes from a wide selection of outdoor adventure throughout the Calaveras County region, such as biking, boating, fishing, hiking, and wine tasting at the 27 local wineries. Plus, it’s less than two hours from Yosemite Valley.

Greenhorn Creek offers hotel and cottage accommodation on-site. The newest lodging retreat is the Caddy Shack, a converted maintenance shed that includes five bedrooms, BBQ area, horseshoe pit, full kitchen, bathrooms, 55-inch HDTV and a fireplace. All these amenities make for a perfect buddies getaway, family vacation or business destination for groups up to 12.

If nobody is up to cooking, CAMPS Restaurant, overlooking the 18th green, serves a variety of plates made from fresh local ingredients and wines made by some of the Greenhorn Creek member vintners.

Had this gold county golf resort existed when Twain was around in 1865 penning “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” I doubt he would have had any basis for complaining that “golf is nothing more than a good walk spoiled.” ✪ — Robert Kaufman, Greenhorn Creek

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Welcome to Impulse, your one-stop shop for gadgets, gizmos and gear. Compiled by staff writer Erik Stordahl, Impulse provides you with the latest and greatest and what’s currently hot on the market.

Have a look and take in all the golf gear that may or may not keep you out of the sandtrap. Enjoy.

OptiShot

Who says you have to go to an actual course to get a round of 18 in? With OptiShot you don’t have to drive anywhere. The golf course is now in your garage! Just have your buds come to your place and play a simulated 18 holes. All you need are your clubs and you can play with real or foam golf balls, or no ball at all! This award-winning, in-home, super duper golf system can be yours by going to www.OptiShotGolf. com

SkyCaddie SG5 This looks like it came straight from a sci-fi golf movie starring a cyber

Tiger Woods and a robot version of Rory McIlroy. Add in a little drama, a little romance and we’ve got an Oscar winner here, folks! The SG5

is a GPS that lets you track how far you are from tee to green. It also lets you know how close you are to water hazards and sandtraps.

Definitely a must-have.

Evolve golf Epoch golf tees At $7 for 50 it would be wise to grab these now and add them to your

dad’s stocking stuffer six weeks later. More durable and cooler sounding than regular, boring golf tees. Get yours now.

Nike Dri-FIT UV Blocked Polo You’ll probably still finish last in your foursome, but at least you won’t

get a sunburn! That’s something, right? As a fair-skin sufferer, I wholeheartedly endorse this shirt.

SwingSmart Stop slicing and hooking the ball all over the place. Get your swing right with

SwingSmart. It works with your iPad, iPhone and Android devices. Swing-

Smart tweaks and corrects every nook and cranny with your swing so you’re sure to stay out of the sandtrap and water hazards. Hit up www.swingsmart.com for more info.

Adidas Golf

You’ve seen the pros use this gear, now it’s your turn to get some Adidas Golf goodies. If you like what you see, get more info at www.taylormadegolf.com.

Have a look…

Crossflex shoes

Wear these shoes and you’ll be a scratch golfer for the rest of your life. That’s a complete lie. But seriously, these shoes are money.

It’s like Adidas made shoes using only the materials from a feather pillow (feathers + cotton minus the warranty tag). Get a pair now.

Do it!

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SwingTIP

Ladies and gentleman, we present to you a gamechanger in the world of golf. Perfect everything there is to perfect with your swing with the SwingTIP. The SwingTIP is a sensor that attaches to your club and contains software which uploads to your iPhone or computer. It details club head speed, swing path, club face angle, and lots more. It’s got that Silicon Valley touch so you know it’s state-of-the-art and crazy hi-tech. David Butler is the only custom golf club fitter to offer SwingTIP. And guess what? He’s gonna be at the Bay Area Golf Show this month (booth #202). This is your chance to try one of these on for size. It’s even endorsed by The Walrus, Craig Stadler, himself. What’s not to love about this thing? Can’t make it to the show? Then what are you waiting for? You know you’re not gonna fix your swing on your own. Don’t make us LOL at you. Get yours now by going to shop.miuragolf.us

Tour pro sunglasses

Put these on and we’re sure people will think you’re a major celeb. It’s always fun to play along. “Of COURSE I’m Justin Bieber!” Wear ‘em on the golf course and we think you’ll get a special kind of x-ray vision that details how to hit a holein-one. We actually can’t prove any of this so you’ll have to contact Adidas if you have any questions.

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golfSark

We at SSM can’t get enough of creativity and originality. That’s why we can get behind our friends at golfSark who are waking up the golf attire game and they want your help. Go to their website, www.golfsark.com and submit your idea for a cool T-shirt.

Like SSM, golfSark will be at the Bay Area Golf Show. Take a gander at their booth (#522) and vote to win yourself a FREE Tshirt. Seriously, who doesn’t like free stuff? You can also vote online on their website: wwww.golfsark.com.

Energy Athletic Golf

Hey, if you know you’re gonna get creamed on the golf course, you might as well be comfortable. Pick up one of these shirts and be ready to take on all desert climates. Get yours by going to www.wearenergy.com

CHAMP Zarma My Hite FLYTee

For increased distance and improved accuracy, you gotta go with “My Hite”. My Hite tees have a colored band around the stem so you can always place the ball at a consistent height. Get a 30 pack for only $7.99. Go to www. champspikes.com

Trophy belt

Normally, we like our trophy belts bigger, flashier, more colorful with a library of catchy nicknames.

But we dig this toned-down, subtle approach too. It’s made with full-grained leather with the signature three-line logo. Wear one and show your foursome who the real champ is.

Tin Cup Golf Ball Marking Stencil

Now you can make sure your ball is YOUR ball.

You can put any logo you want on there. Show your school pride, get a logo of your favorite team, or slap the American flag on there. It’s up to you! Hit up www. tin-cup.com for more info.

ECCO

When it comes to golf fashion, ECCO is at the top of the cool chain. They’ve added style and pizazz to a sport that desperately needed it (sorry, just about every golfer out there). But ECCO also understands the physical demands of the golfer.

They know it’s a taxing sport, one that requires a whole lotta stamina. That’s why their gear is not only stylish but it’s comfortable too. Take a look at their latest line of shoes: BIOM, golf’s first-ever Natural Motion shoe. Skipping all the science-y stuff, these shoes make sure you’re playing your A game even in the thickest of conditions. They’re worn by ‘92 Masters champ Fred Couples and Graeme McDowell, one of the top moneymakers on the tour. Choose between the BIOM and the BIOM Hybrid. And make sure to hit up the ECCO stores in Walnut Creek and San Francisco.

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HIDDENBROOKE GOLF CLUB

The Bay Area’s hidden gem

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his golf course is one of the better kept secrets in the Bay Area. Located in Vallejo, Hiddenbrooke is a premier 18-hole Arnold Palmer signature designed golf course that offers both challenging par 4 and 5 holes while providing breathtaking views. It’s a destination course, as it draws foursomes from all over Northern California.

It’s a great opportunity to get away from it all without having to go that far. Once on the course the hustle and bustle of the city dissipates, leaving foursomes with the peace and serenity every golfer deserves.

This is a perfect course to test the skills of even scratch golfers. Each hole presents a new challenge, whether it’s the narrow 539-yard par 5 fifth hole or the tricky par 4 eighth lined with water hazards.

Golfers would be wise to sharpen their skills by playing a round or two here.

Hiddenbrooke was rated 4.5 out of five stars by Golf Digest’s Places to Play and ranked as the ninth Best Public Golf Course in the nation in the 2010 Golf World Readers’ Choice Awards.

In addition to a great golf getaway, Hiddenbrooke is also ideal for company events, tournaments, fundraisers and weddings. Visit their website at www.hiddenbrookegolf.com for more info. ✪

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California Dreamin’ There’s more to the NorCal golf landscape than Pebble Beach; your wallet may like the alternatives

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Half Moon Bay

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rowing up in the Bay Area, there was really just one dream golf destination that was ever discussed in our household … Pebble Beach.

Sometimes, on the weekends, we’d make the two-hour drive from our East Bay home to Carmel-By-The-Sea, and make the brief walk north up the beach from the end of Ocean Avenue to the foot of the most famous peninsula in all of golf. We would walk as far north as we could before running into a cliff wall, just below the ninth green at Pebble Beach, and stare upward at the golfers hitting their approach shots to some of the most photographed greens in the world.

To me and my Dad, standing below on the beach with our faces turned upward towards the heavens, the golfers above us were like gods, the turf on which they trod as fitting an image of heaven as any television or movie had ever shown us.

We’d stay for 20-30 minutes before slowly trudging back to the car, glancing over our shoulders as we walked to catch one last glimpse of the sea waves crashing against the cliffs below the feathery-soft fairways — the framed images from our living room walls come to life.

Scotland, Hawaii, Ireland … those were pipe dreams.

Pebble was one we could see, hear and smell. It was the holy ground of Northern California golf — no other course could ever be a realistic substitute.

Now, this is the point in the story where I am supposed to tell you how that glorious day finally came, and my Dad and I bonded like never before while walking Pebble’s hallowed fairways. There should be a poignant scene where we stand on

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Golf course developers began to realize that Northern California didn’t have to be all about Pebble.

Around 1990, a building boom began in and around the Bay Area that led to the opening of literally dozens of incredible tracks, courses that while maybe not possessing Pebble’s mystique, provided a fantastic round at a significantly lower cost. the ninth hole and look down at the people below us on the beach, seeing ourselves in a father and son standing together, staring back up at us.

The trouble is, we never made it. I grew up and went off to college and a career, and Dad eventually relocated to Sacramento.

What also happened was that golf course developers began to realize that Northern California didn’t have to be all about Pebble. Around 1990, a building boom began in and around the Bay Area that led to the opening of literally dozens of incredible tracks, courses that while maybe not possessing Pebble’s mystique, provided a fantastic round at a significantly lower cost.

One of the most successful attempts to replicate the Pebble Beach experience for Nor Cal golfers has been at Half Moon Bay, which over the last 15 years has shed its reputation as a haven for surfers and art gallery owners to become what the New York Times called “the Pebble Beach experience just up the coast.”

With two courses of varying styles on either side of the stunningly beautiful Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the award-winning Half Moon Bay Golf Links offers a Pebble Beach experience at less than half the price.

Designed by Arnold Palmer and Francis Duane in 1973, and remodeled in 1990, the original course – the Old Course – winds inland through narrow chutes of cypress and sycamore trees for much of its first 16 holes, before revealing the Pacific Ocean in all its glory on one of the most memorable finishing holes in the world.

The tee box at the par-4 18th offers a near-panoramic view of the ocean to the west and mountains to the east, following the curve of the white-rock cliffs to a green framed on two sides by Northern California’s most luxurious hotel. Most golfers stop to take a picture on the tee, but it’s not really necessary — the image will last in your mind far longer than the photo will last in a frame.

The Ocean Course, meanwhile, boasts sweeping Pacific views on every hole, with a Scottishlinks design that makes a perfect companion to its older sibling. Pelicans and red-tailed hawks circle the fairways, while seals bark up from the beaches below. If the Old Course is a test of shotmaking, the Ocean Course is a test of survival — man versus the elements.

Both courses earned four stars in Golf Digest’s most recent rating of Bay Area tracks, while the property’s most impressive bit of eye candy — the epic Ritz-Carlton — earns every bit of its five-star rating. Stay-and-play packages combine a night at the Ritz with unlimited golf on both Half Moon Bay courses. Stay just one night, play three total rounds, and you’re essentially staying at the Ritz for free — not to mention enjoying a close-to-home weekend getaway you’ll never forget.

Of course, world-class Bay Area golf isn’t limited to just Half Moon Bay. There’s also TPC Harding Park, San Francisco’s most esteemed public course and the home to the 2009 President’s Cup; The Bridges, tucked tightly among steep-sloping hills in San Ramon; The Course at Wente Vineyards, a scenic 18-hole track that winds its way through Livermore’s endless vineyard acres; and its neighbor, Poppy Ridge Golf Course, the sister course to Pebble’s Poppy Hills.

That’s why I say that these days, there is an abundance of outstanding golf courses in Northern California that are accessible to the average Joe Five-Iron, and don’t require a year’s worth of greens fee savings to play. Does that mean that you shouldn’t still dream about Pebble? Of course not. But it does mean that saving up for that dream isn’t necessary to enjoy a spectacular round of golf.

I spoke with my Dad just the other day and we talked about Pebble. We’ve decided to make this the year we go that last 80 feet from beach to course and live the dream. Let’s hope it’s still everything we ever imagined it could be. ✪ — Brian Beaky, Cascade Golfer Magazine 34

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Butch Noble photos

Clayton Valley quarterback Michael Protheroe takes the ball upfield in an Oct. 19 game against Concord.

Running Downhill: Eagles flourish under new run-first offense

By Chace Bryson | Editor Over the summer of 2012, in his first month as the new football coach at Clayton Valley Charter High, Tim Murphy had a lot of catching up to do.

He had to learn names and assess players’ skill sets.

And while he may have spotted a good deal of talent, it was something else that caught his eye and instilled in him some excitement about the coming season.

“Over the summer I started seeing some things from them.

I saw the chip on their shoulder,” said Murphy, who with the job at Clayton Valley began his second East Bay coaching stint. His first included a very successful run with Ygnacio Valley-Concord before heading south to start the Clovis East program and staying there for 11 seasons. “When I went to Ygnacio Valley for the first time, and at Clovis, they were both programs that had a chip, and I saw the same kind of chip.”

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clayton valley-concord That chip has played itself into an outright swagger as the Eagles improved to 8-1 with a 41-21 over Northgate on Oct. 26 — a win that clinched the program’s first Diablo Valley Athletic League title since 2008 and the league’s automatic berth to the North Coast Section Division II playoffs which begin on Nov. 9.

“It feels great,” senior running back Joe Protheroe said after his team’s victory on Oct. 19, a 49-6 pummeling of rival Concord on Oct. 19. “I’ve been waiting for this week and this feeling since summer.”

Protheroe is a major factor in the team’s success as the leader of a rushing attack that was averaging more than 400

rushing yards a game through the Eagles’ first nine games.

Murphy’s teams have always been physical run teams which work out of the double-wing offense.

However, Murphy has added a noticeable wrinkle to the offense since East Bay coaches and fans last saw it at Ygnacio Valley. He now runs it from the shotgun.

“It’s really made it a high-flying offense,” said LibertyBrentwood coach Nate Smith, whose team got an up close and personal look at the Eagles in a 58-19 nonleague loss on Sept. 21. “One of the things that (going shotgun) has done is really given them a downhill running approach to that offense. ... Everybody is coming downhill. It’s also enabled the quarterback to be more of a running threat. And when he does throw, he has more time to see downfield and have his eyes on the safety.”

Make no mistake, though. Protheroe is what makes it all go.

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GROUNDGAME

Murphy went as far as to name Protheroe among the top two most-talented tailbacks he’s ever coached, the other being 2006 Clovis East grad Tracy Slocum who spent time with Cal and Fresno State. Protheroe checks in at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds and hits the running hole at full speed.

Through nine games Protheroe was averaging a mind-blowing 14.9 yards per carry. Following the Northgate game he had 1,953 yards on just 131 carries. His two touchdowns in the game raised his season total to 20 (19 rushing).

“One thing that he has that is really amazing about a kid that good, is that he’s got character,” Murphy said of his star back. “He loves his teammates and he does not separate himself from anybody. Usually with kids who are that good, it’s a nightmare trying to bring them back to reality. But (Joe), he’s leveled and it’s amazing.”

He’s not the only Protheroe in the backfield, either.

Joe’s younger brother Michael, a junior, runs the offense. And while Murphy’s offense statistically doesn’t favor quarterbacks, If there’s one thing Clayton Valley can do, it’s run Michael has been the football. The numbers don’t lie. (Stats through 10/26) extremely productive. He’s passed Name, grade Carries Yards Avg. TD for a very efficient Joe Protheroe, Sr. 131 1,953 14.9 19 822 yards with eight Jesse Medrano, Sr. 22 432 19.6 7 touchdowns and just one interception.

Cesar Lunegas 44 298 6.8 2 He’s also run the team totals ball 42 times for just less than 200 yards

Carries Yards Avg. TD and 12 scores.

347 3,663 10.6 50 Most importantly, though, Michael has game by game totals been a stabilizing Opponent Carries Yards Avg TD force for the team.

“Mikey has kind Pittsburg 52 309 5.9 3 of been that kid who Montgomery 33 452 13.7 6 could’ve gone either way,” Murphy said.

Vintage 37 547 14.8 6 “He could’ve been a Liberty 46 374 8.1 6 little bitter and all this Hayward 39 381 9.8 8 because of Joe, and all he does is keep Ygnacio Valley 20 525 26.3 8 showing Joe love College Park 39 368 12.3 7 and he promotes Joe as much as Concord 43 403 9.4 7 anybody else. It’s Northgate 47 304 6.5 6 pretty cool to see.”

Source: MaxPreps.com The brothers have been playing football together since they were 6-years old and regardless of the offense, things just fall into place for them.

“This is my last year with my brother, so I’m trying to make the most of it,” Michael said.

“When I’m on the field with him, we both have a trust in each other and that’s all I need.”

Trust is something that’s felt throughout an Eagles team which has really bought into the family concept.

“Play as a family,” the Eagles quarterback said. “Don’t quit no matter what happens. Go 100 percent from snap to whistle. That’s what Coach Murph says.”

Murphy said it from Day One of the team’s summer workouts, but it took some time before he got the ultimate buy-in. Naturally, that came once the wins started coming. However, even the team’s season-opening loss at Pittsburg on Aug. 24 opened the eyes and minds of several players.

Pittsburg scored on the game’s opening kickoff, but Clayton Valley would answer the score on their following possession and hang in the game before eventually falling 40-27.

“We came away from that game realizing that this offense is pretty hard to stop,” Joe Protheroe said.

And it hasn’t got any easier.

“By the time we played them (three weeks later) you could tell they were real comfortable

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doing what they were doing,” Smith said. “When you get to a point where you’re comfortable doing what you’re doing and you have the athletes to do it. It’s a good mix.”

Murphy’s only (mild) concern at this point is where the team takes it from here.

“The three schools I’ve been at has been the same thing. They have a big high and sometimes they can’t handle it,” Murphy said following the Oct. 19 win over Concord. “Suddenly they’re the big man on campus and they can’t handle it. They have to treat opponents with more respect, and have a little more of a lower head. That’s really hard to do for 17 year old kids. Especially kids who have really wanted not to be the stepchild.

“I’ve learned that. I didn’t know that my first couple times, especially the first time. I kind of know how to handle it, so I just hope what I have to say to them works.”

It worked prior to the Northgate game, which was a much closer game then the 20-point margin would suggest. Clayton Valley held a 27-21 lead in the fourth quarter and fended off Northgate’s go-ahead effort with a goal line stand — highlighting a defense that has been overlooked by the team’s gaudy offensive numbers this season.

“If the defense is falling into place, look out,” Smith concluded. ✪

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Michael Protheroe hands off to older brother Joe on Oct. 19. Joe Protheroe is the Eagles’ leading rusher at more than 1,950 yards.

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Revisionist History 10 weeks later we re-evaluate our section champ predictions

By the time SportStars publishes again, the football postseason will already be approaching the section semifinals stage.

Therefore, it seemed like an appropriate time to take a look back at our comprehensive 2012 Football Preview and see if we needed to call “Do over!” on any of our section championship predicitions.

Here we go.

CENTRAL COAST SECTION

The CCS is always tricky to predict ahead of time because the teams aren’t placed into their division until the end of the regular season. That’s why we’ll probably just play this game for the top two divisions.

Here’s what we had, though.

■ OPEN: Serra-San Mateo over Palma-Salinas — We still feel pretty good about Serra potentially being in the final, but Palma (which is 6-2 as of Oct. 26) may opt for a lower division now. REVISED CHAMP: Bellarmine Prep-San Jose, who hasn’t blinked since a season-opening loss to De La Salle.

■ DIVISION I: Milpitas over Mountain View — We’re sticking with Milpitas, but if Oak Grove-San Jose is in the mix it could get interesting.

Trevon Lampley and the FranklinElk Grove Wildcats have convinced us that they are the team to beat when the SJS Division I tournament begins.

NORTH COAST SECTION

■ DIVISION I: De La Salle-Concord over James LoganUnion City — No changes here. Despite the fact that Spartans haven’t looked as dominant as they have the past couple of seasons. But even in the program’s “off” years, they always rise to the occasion in this game.

■ DIVISION II: Concord over Casa Grande-Petaluma — This isn’t looking so hot. Clayton Valley Charter-Concord has climbed to the top of the contenders list here, along with Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park. REVISED CHAMP: Clayton Valley, which seems like a runaway train at this point.

■ DIVISION III: Marin Catholic-Kentfield over Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa: This looks good. Both teams were 8-1 as of Oct. 26, and we still feel pretty strongly about Marin Catholic getting the title. We caution them about El Cerrito, however.

■ DIVISION IV: Salesian-Richmond over St. Helena — Much like Division III, we feel OK here. Both teams each only have one loss through the first nine games, and Salesian just knows how to win playoff games.

■ DIVISION V: Tomales over St. Bernard-Eureka — With all due respect to Tomales, we’re changing course on this one. REVISED CHAMP: California School for the Deaf-Fremont, which is 8-1 through the first nine weeks and even had Sports Illustrated writing about the program. We’ll bite.

SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION

■ DIVISION I: Lincoln-Stockton over Grant — Ouch! While the season has been repsectable for Lincoln it has not lived

Photo by James K. Leash

up to the hype. And Grant is just scraping to keep it’s playoff streak alive. REVISED CHAMP: Franklin-Elk Grove, which has earned every bit of it’s No. 1 ranking in the Greater Sacramento area.

■ DIVISION II: Elk Grove over Vacaville — The Thundering Herd’s only blemish through nine weeks is a loss to FranklinElk Grove on Oct. 19, so there’s no reason to sway here.

■ DIVISION III: Del Oro-Loomis over Placer-Auburn — Injuries and a grueling schedule derailed Del Oro early in the season. The Golden Eagles are fighting their way back, but this one needs a chance. REVISED CHAMP: Placer, which is 9-0 through Oct. 26 and has won by blowout, by shootout and by the nail-biter.

■ DIVISION IV: Colfax over Central Catholic — This looks like it may need a switch as well. REVISED CHAMP: Central Catholic, which lost to Placer-Auburn but has a very impressive win over St. Mary’s-Stockton.

■ DIVISION V: LeGrand over Highlands-North Highlands — LeGrand remains the team to beat here. ✪ — Chace Bryson

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SportStars NorCal Top 20 All records through Oct. 26 Rank (Last Wk.) School

Record

1 (1)

De La Salle-Concord

9-0

2 (3)

Bellarmine-San Jose

7-1

3 (4)

Franklin-Elk Grove

9-0

4 (5)

Folsom

9-0

5 (6)

Serra-San Mateo

7-1

6 (2)

Elk Grove

8-1

7 (7)

Placer-Auburn

9-0

8 (8)

Marin Catholic-Kentfield

8-1

9 (9)

St. Mary’s-Stockton

7-2

10 (10)

Burbank-Sacramento

9-0

11 (14)

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 8-1

12 (15)

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 6-2

13 (17)

California-San Ramon

8-1

14 (17)

Buhach Colony-Atwater

7-2

15 (12)

Oakdale

8-1

16 (16)

Oak Grove-San Jose

8-0

17 (19)

James Logan-Union City

8-1

18 (NR)

Freedom

7-2

19 (20)

El Cerrito

9-0

20 (NR)

Clayton Valley-Concord

8-1

Top 20 Facts-Figures-Fallout ■ DROPPED OUT: Monte Vista-Danville (6-3), Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (8-1) ■ BIGGEST MOVER: California-San Ramon jumped four spots to No. 13 and as its reward, they get to face No. 1 De La Salle-Concord.

■ TOP 20 MATCHUPS: There are no other direct Top 20 matchups besides the East Bay Athletic League matchup between No. 1 De La Salle and No. 13 California-San Ramon. However, No. 4 Folsom will face a formidable test in its season-finale against Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove (6-3). No. 5 Serra-San Mateo also has a tough matchup against St. Ignatius-St. Francisco (6-2).

All three games are on Nov. 2.

■ TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 10 ■ KNOCKING AT THE DOOR: Granite Bay (6-3), Palo Alto (6-2), Sutter (9-0), Yuba CIty (8-1), Central CatholicModesto (7-2), Seaside (8-0), Monte Vista-Danville (6-3), Pittsburg (6-3)

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Build your way to being the best athlete you can be

ast week I discussed what plyometrics are ■ Week 5-8, low-to-medium intensity — and why the majority of high school athletes Goal: continue to teach landing while increase deare wasting their time if they jump right celerative forces by adding more gravity. Continue into a high intensity plyometric program. to condition muscles and tendons while increasing Now it doesn’t mean that the only thing a eccentric strength. In this phase we would have beginning athlete should do is strength train. It the athlete jump over a six-inch or smaller hurdle, should be a focus, but a well-rounded program which will add more gravity and decelerative incorporating some level of rate-of-force developforces to overcome, improving eccentric strength. ment work via plyometrics and other methods If the athlete cannot jump over the hurdle meeting will be superior to a program which only includes the same criteria as the previous phase, they will strength training. be regressed.

So in this issue I’ll give an example of how to ■ Week 9-12, medium intensity — Goal: Add Tim Rudd for IYCA progress an athlete from a jumping program to a an elastic component, teaching the athletes to store plyometric program. Keep in mind this is only an and release energy more efficiently. The beginning example and the assumption is this athlete has been of using the strength they have more quickly. In this phase we assessed and ready to participate in this program. Also keep in stay with the same hurdle and add a bounce in between. This mind that other qualities are focused on concurrently such as is still a low to medium level intensity movement, but now we mobility, flexibility, strength, speed, total body power, etc. are adding a bounce, which is a low level stretch shortening Let’s use jumps (2 Legs) as an example for a basketball response of the musculotendon complex. We are teaching the athlete: athlete to produce a low level of force very quickly which helps ■ Week 1-4, low intensity — Goal: teach landing concepts the athlete to improve coordination and condition the musfirst. Develop eccentric strength while conditioning muscle culotendon complex to stretch and shorten more efficiently, and tendons to store energy efficiently and safely. First we preparing the athlete for the next phase. assess the athlete’s vertical jump to pick the appropriate box ■ Weeks 13-16, medium-to-high intensity — Goal: height. If the athlete cannot land on the box quietly on the Enhance the ability to more rapidly express their current level of strength, develop reactive rebound type strength balls of their feet in the same position they jumped out of, and improve the capacity to use their tendons as movement then we would go with a shorter box. Once the athlete has generators. This is where we truly will enhance the efficiency shown consistent proficiency in this phase then we progress.

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of the entire absorption, stabilization and release of force in a sport-specific manner. This can be considered a true plyometric activity. At this point the athlete has gained strength, movement proficiency, mobility and stability throughout the joints of the body and ample time to groove the patterns taught in the previous phases. The athlete has also developed an appropriate base of strength from the previous phases.

Staying with the same hurdle the athlete goes over the hurdles continuously without stopping. The athlete will jump over each hurdle with as little ground contact time as possible. This is where we are trying to develop that quick stretch shortening cycle of the musculotendon complex, which will improve how fast the athlete can produce force.

This is a 16 week progression, and just the beginning for a high school athlete, as the athlete gets stronger we continually progress to higher boxes and hurdles starting over with the same 16 week progression as long as the athlete continues to show proficiency. The fact is more advanced progressions require more strength from your athletes, and you simply can’t waste their time trying to improve the rate of something they don’t have. So knowing where your athletes are now is the key to getting them where they need to be. ✪ Tim Rudd is an International Youth Conditioning Association specialist in youth conditioning (level 3), speed and agility (level 2), and nutrition specialist (level 1). For more information on anything you read in Training Time, email him at tim@ fit2thecore.com.

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Taking a closer look at elbow injures in young pitchers

W

ith the baseball postseason coming to end, it’s perhaps no better time to talk about elbow injuries in our young athletes who play baseball, particularly pitchers.

There has been increasing talk about elbow injuries, particularly after the Washington Nationals decided to shut down Stephen Strasburg for the season after he underwent successful ulnar collateral ligament surgery. The elbow is quite injuryprone as it experiences a tremendous amount of repetitive force during pitching. As a result, even the smallest biomechanical flaws performed repetitively can lead to significant elbow injury.

In patients under the age of 18, there are generally three types of serious elbow injuries seen; all of which find their roots in over-use and poor mechanics: 1) medial epicondyle apophysitis (a.k.a. Little League elbow), 2) capitellar osteochondral lesions (a.k.a. OCD’s), and 3) ulnar collateral ligament tears (a.k.a. Tommy John injury).

Medial epicondyle apophysitis is a condition in which inflammation develops on the inside of the elbow in the space between the apophysis (an outgrowth of bone where muscles attach) and the humerus (the long bone of the arm). When you near adulthood, this space closes and the apophysis “fuses” with the rest of the elbow.

Unfortunately, when you are young (particularly between 10-13 years of age), the muscles which are used in pitching pull on the apophysis and can cause micro-separation of this

bone from the rest of the humerus. This leads to pain, and in severe cases, complete fractures of the inside of the elbow.

As this injury is almost always due to poor pitching motion or throwing too many and/or the wrong kind of pitches (i.e. breaking balls) at a young age, this injury can be avoided. Treatment generally consists of six weeks of physical therapy with absolutely no throwing followed by six weeks of a graduated return to throw program.

The second injury commonly seen is a capitellar osteochondral (OCD) lesion. An osteochondral lesion is a when a piece of cartilage and underlying bone becomes weakened, and can even become detached. The capitellum is the outside part of the humerus bone. Patients generally present with pain over the outside of their elbow with throwing. Patients may also complain that they feel as if there elbow is locking or stuck.

This OCD injury generally occurs with repetitive compression of the outside of the elbow joint when the forearm moves away from the body with the elbow fixed. If left untreated, this can lead to the end of one’s throwing career and severe arthritis. If a patient is quite young with a tremendous amount of growth remaining (i.e. 8-10 years of age), these injuries can be at many times treated with rest, physical therapy, and cessation from throwing. If the disease has advanced significantly, surgical intervention may be necessary to fix the piece back to bone or utilize certain techniques to

Health Watch Nirav K. Pandya

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stimulate the piece to heal so it does not become detached.

The final injury involves tearing of the ulnar collateral ligament. This typically occurs in older patients at the end of their high school/early college careers (in addition to major league pitchers). As with capitellar OCD’s, it develops due to repeated valgus force on the elbow from poor mechanics as well as having thrown a high number of pitches without appropriate rest. A tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow can be career threatening for the pitcher as it acts as the primary stabilizer of the elbow (it prevents the bones in the elbow from moving beyond what they are intended to do).

The majority of injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament have to be repaired surgically. The ligament is reconstructed with a piece of tissue from another part of the body (i.e.

Tommy John surgery). The rehab can be a long and arduous process for a pitcher. Even though surgical techniques have improved, it can also represent a career threatening injury.

The key to preventing elbow injuries in our young athletes is to learn proper mechanics, take the appropriate rest, and remember that more pitches is definitely not always better. ✪ Dr. Nirav K. Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric sports injuries at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. He sees patients and operates in Oakland and our facility at Walnut Creek. If you have any questions or comments regarding the “Health Watch” column, write the Sports Medicine for Young Athletes staff at Health@SportsStars Online.com.

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BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

Blankenship Baseball We are a year-round competitive baseball program based in Danville. The Camp focuses on teamwork, hustle and sportsmanship. We also offer small group training as well as one-on-one training.

Info: lancerblankenship@sbcglobal.net or 925-7083173.

Cabernet Baseball Club The Livermore-based club hosts baseball and softball camps for players ages 8-14. Lil’ Baseball also offered for ages 3-7. 925-416-1600, http:// cabernet.thepitchingcenter.com.

EJ Sports EJ Sports provides individual, group, team, coaching and manager clinics in many levels of

baseball. Among the numerous different services offered, the Spring Clinic, Summer Clinic and the Fall League for children of Little League age has proven to be successful, instructional and most of all fun for the kids. Contact EJ Sports for a list of upcoming clinics, or contact your local little league to see if they participate in our coaches and managers training program. Info: 925-866-7199, www.ejsports.com.

The Pitching Center In an effort to develop baseball players to their full potential, The Pitching Center has become the Total Player Center (TPC), a full-service baseball/softball training academy. We provide comprehensive, fullyintegrated training programs that evolve based on the best research and information available in areas from health/safety, peak performance, education techniques and more. Age- and skill-specific programs available for students age 8-High School.

Info: 925-416-1600, www.thepitchingcenter.com.

CHEER

East Bay Sports Academy East Bay Sports Academy offers the best in gymnastics and cheerleading training. Our top of the line recreational and competitive programs earned us the exclusive “Best in the East Bay” award for Best Gymnastics Classes 2011. You can bring your team to be a part of the excitement, as our talented & motivated staff becomes your team’s best support system. All of our team camps are custom-built to complement your coaching needs and team goals.

Info: 925-680-9999, www.EastBaySportsAcademy. com.

FITNESS

Fit 2 The Core As a Youth Conditioning, Speed/Agility and Nutrition Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, Fit-2-The-Core Training

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Systems offers an innovative approach to getting your young athletes back on the field of play postrehabilitation (which gets your athletes to normal function), continuing the process by progressing their bodies to handle what they must endure on the field or court. For F2C’s Back to Sports programs we offer training weekdays, with 2 days/week or 3 days/week program options. Bottom line: Our program gets your athletes back on the field. Sign up today for your two-week free pass at www. fasteryoungathletes.com, or call 925-639-0907 for more information.

FOOTBALL

Football University From the creators of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl comes a one-of-a-kind football training experience exclusively for the nation’s most elite youth and high school players. Born out of the appreciation that the most successful and skilled football players have mastered great technique, and that for many younger players this level of coaching is simply not available, the Football University (FBU) experience focuses on intense position-specific technique training taught by our expert faculty of former and current NFL coaches. See our list of 2013 camps now www.footballuniversity.org.

NorCal Football Camps Space is available in all of this year’s camps & Flag Football leagues. Led by Ken Peralta, Norcal Football Camps are focused on serving youth ages 7-14. Norcal Flag Football Leagues serve kids entering grades 2-6. Info/registration: Ken, 650-2453608, norcalyouthfootballcamp@yahoo.com; www. norcalfootballcamps.com.

GOLF

The First Tee-Contra Costa The First Tee is a youth development Golf program for boys and girls ages 7-18. Participants will

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learn about golf and the life skills and values inherent to the game. In addition to golf skills, rules and etiquette, participants are introduced to The First Tee Nine Core Values - honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. Fee assistance available. Info: Angela Paradise, 925686-6262, Ext. 0, angela@thefirstteecontracosta.org; www. thefirstteecontracosta.org. See you on The First Tee! The First Tee-Oakland The First Tee of Oakland participants receive a minimum of 12 hours of instruction over an eight-week period. Instruction is conducted at three City of Oakland affiliate golf courses. Each of the golf courses donates their range, golf course and classroom use. We introduce the game of golf in a way that allows participants to progress with the mechanics required, and that teaches the values of the game, celebrates the fitness aspect of playing, and is offered at little or no cost. Info: 510352-2002, info@thefirstteeoakland.org; www.thefirstteeoakland.org.

The First Tee-Silicon Valley The First Tee of Silicon Valley develops youth through the game of golf throughout Silicon Valley. We impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill lifeenhancing values and promote healthy choices though the game of golf. Participants learn to appreciate diversity, resolve conflicts, build confidence and set goals for their future. Seasonal classes are offered at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course (San Jose) and Palo Alto Golf Course. We welcome participants ranging from second to twelfth grade. Scholarships are available upon request. www. thefirstteesanjose.org.

The First Tee-Tri-Valley We’re a youth development organization using golf and its etiquette to teach important life skills and core values. We offer seasonal The First Tee Life Skills Experience Classes and Summer Camps for youth ages 7-17, held at the Pleasanton Golf Center on the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Info: Call our office, 925-462-7201; www.

TheFirstTeeTriValley.org.

Atherton Lacrosse T-shirt. Every camper needs a lacrosse stick - we have partnered with Sling It! Lacrosse to bring the best value possible.

Go to www.athertonlacrosse.com for more info. We serve the entire Bay Area! Go to www.vitalitylacrosse.com for more info.

Atherton/Vitality Lacrosse Join Atherton Lacrosse and learn the basics of the game in their fall camps. Every camper receives access to the best high school, college and professional lacrosse coaches in the Bay Area in a setting with an extremely low coach to camper ratio. Every camper receives a free

Sherman Swim School Our year-round schedule allows children and adults to learn, retain and improve their swim skills with little interruption. Lessons are usually offered in sessions of 3-4 weeks. (During the slower months of Fall, Winter and Spring, schedules can be more flexible, such as M-W, W-F, or only one day/week.) We teach from age 9-months to adults, from non-swimmers to competitive levels. Since our lessons are private, they are tailored to each student’s age, ability and readiness.

We also offer beginning and competitive diving classes. Beginning sessions typically have three students and are 30 minutes long.

Classes are taught in three-week sessions. Info: 925-283-2100, www.

ShermanSwim.com.

LACROSSE

MARTIAL ARTS

USKS Adult and children’s programs, kick box fitness, mixed martial arts.

Providing excellence in martial arts instruction and services for the entire family. 925-682-9517; www.usksmartialarts.com.

SOCCER

Diablo FC With a history that goes back two decades, the Diablo Futbol Club has proved to be the premier training ground for youth soccer players in the area. Headquartered in Concord, Diablo FC offers training to boys and girls from levels U6 to U23, and has premier, gold, silver and bronze level teams with players from throughout Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda counties. For complete info, call (925) 798-GOAL or visit www.diablofc.org.

Walnut Creek Soccer Club The Walnut Creek Soccer Club uses all the resources available to provide the proper coaching and playing environment for all members.

Our goal is for every member of our club to learn and grow as a soccer player and person. We will promote a positive learning environment for our players and families as we work to provide the highest level of coaching and coach’s education. Info: wcsc_info@wcsc.org; www. wcsc.org.

West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League Our program caters to competitive youth players ages 8-9 regardless of race, creed, gender or religion. The main focus of our program is not on winning, but on the development of the total soccer player within the framework of a team. We also offer specialized training for strikers and goalkeepers. We desire to promote personal responsibility, fitness, sportsmanship and teamwork. 510-758-5288, http://wccysl.com.

SWIMMING-DIVING

TENNIS

ClubSport Valley Vista ClubSport Valley Vista has successfully teaching tennis in the Walnut Creek area for 33 years, with expert instruction. Tennis pro Dale Miller and his team of seasoned professionals will teach your children the fundamentals of tennis or help them improve their skills for recreation or competition. Programs are available for young players of all ages and varying skill levels. ClubSport Valley Vista members receive discounted rates. Info: 925-934-4050.

VOLLEYBALL

Pacific Rim Volleyball Through private lessons, and the opportunity for year-round skills classes, athletes of any age or level can learn and improve the skills needed to gain a competitive edge. Our advanced training, for junior levels (12th grade & below), will provide athletes the opportunity to excel at becoming elite players in preparation for high school and/or collegiate volleyball. Info: www.pacificrimvolleyball.com.

U.S. Youth Volleyball League The USYVL is the leader in developing and maintaining youth volleyball leagues for boys and girls ages 7-15. Info: 888-988-7985, www.USYVL.org.

WRESTLING

Community Youth Center The CYC wrestling program offers young athletes the opportunity to participate and excel in one of the world’s oldest sports. The program trains and challenges wrestlers at all age groups from kindergarten through high school, and all experience levels from beginner to champion. The program is nationally recognized under the guidance of Head Coach Mark Halvorson. Info: 925-671-7070, Ext. 229, www. communityyouthcenter.com.

MULTI-SPORT

Velocity Sports Velocty Sports Performance in Dublin offers a variety of fall programs to check out. For info: 925-833-0100, velocitydublin.com. ✪

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A A A No. California, Nevada & Utah......... 12 Army National Guard Recruiter................... 5 Back Forty B B Q....................................... 19 Bay Area Golf Show.................................. 48 Big O Tires.................................................. 2 Blaze Volleyball........................................ 42 Butler Golf / Miura Golf U S A................... 25 Butler Golf / Swing Tip............................. 24 Cal Bears.................................................. 37 Championship Athletic Fundraising......... 38 Cheergyms.Com......................................... 8 Children’s Hospital And Research Center... 15 Club Sport................................................ 14 Community Youth Center......................... 43 Core Volleyball Club.................................. 41 Crowne Plaza........................................... 43 Diablo Car Wash & Detail Center............... 43 Diablo Rock Gym...................................... 45 Diablo Trophies & Awards......................... 42 E J Sports Elite Baseball Services.............. 41 E Teamsponsor......................................... 40 East Bay Sports Academy................... 18, 41 Epic Indoor Skatepark.............................. 43 Excellence In Sport Performance.............. 43 Fit 2 The Core............................................ 19 Golf Gear U S A......................................... 32 golfSark.Com........................................... 22 Greenhorn Creek Golf Club....................... 29 Halo Headband........................................ 43 Heavenly Greens...................................... 35 Hiddenbrooke Golf Club........................... 32 Home Team Sports Photography.............. 37

❒❒ Image Imprint.......................................... 44 ❒❒ Kaanapali Golf Resort / Tee It Up Hawaii.. 23 ❒❒ Kinders B B Q.............................................. 4 ❒❒ Metropolitan Golf Links............................ 34 ❒❒ Midway Paintball Park............................. 40 ❒❒ Mountain Mike’s Pizza................................ 9 ❒❒ Paradise Valley Golf Course....................... 34 ❒❒ Passthaball............................................... 43 ❒❒ Rocco’s Pizza............................................. 42 ❒❒ Rockin Jump....................................... 42, 47 ❒❒ Roddy Ranch............................................ 28 ❒❒ San Ramon Slammers Baseball................ 40 ❒❒ Sheldon Jr. Huskies Youth FB & Cheer....... 41 ❒❒ Sky High Sports........................................ 42 ❒❒ Sports Stars Magazine.............................. 44 ❒❒ State Farm Andrew Amstrup Agent.......... 33 ❒❒ State Farm Jimmy Harrington Agent........ 17 ❒❒ Stevens Creek Toyota................................ 21 ❒❒ Sutter Delta................................................ 3 ❒❒ The Bridges Golf Club............................... 28 ❒❒ The Ecco Store............................................ 7 ❒❒ The First Tee Of Contra Costa..................... 33 ❒❒ The Golf Club At Roddy Ranch.................. 28 ❒❒ Trucks Training......................................... 45 ❒❒ U S K S Martial Arts.................................. 43 ❒❒ Velocity Sports Performance.............. 42, 45 ❒❒ Wingstop Restaurants.............................. 27

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Hannah Gregg of Placer-Auburn fires a shot out of a green side bunker during the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament at The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton on Oct. 29.

Photo by Butch Noble

Want to submit your pic for Photo Finish? Send it to us at editor@SportStarsOnline.com. Photos must be 300 dpi and at least 10 inches wide in the jpeg format.

Please identify every person in the photo and include your contact information.

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