NorCal Issue 124, November 2016

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NOVEMBER 2016 VOL. 7 ISSUE 124 NORCAL EDITION

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SportStars of the Week: Honoring the week’s top athletes

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Cal-Hi Sports strikes the Heisman pose PLUS exclusive state football Top 20

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St. Ignatius volleyball has decided it’s tired of being overlooked.

16 Lev Garcia

Carondelet grad Natalie Romeo went 3-on-3 to win some gold

in the magazine

Introducing 26

Campo

Campolindo is making another playoff push. So, you know, nothing unusual. But they’re doing it with a roster of nobodies out to prove they’re somebody. Game on. Page 20

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Cardinal Newman’s Jordon Brookshire has become a force

EXCLUSIVE: Check out our latest NorCal Football Top 20 Rankings

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Level Up: Mentally & physically, our experts get you primed

in the network

a look at the biggest stories from the Cal-Hi SportStars Network

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New NorCal VB Top 20 each Wednesday. Can Mitty stay No. 1?

New state football Top 25 every Monday. Can Folsom stay ranked?

Cordova High is at the forefront of concussion safety — and winning.

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Got Send your nominations to: Next? Editor@SportStarsOnline.com or tweet us using #SSOTW

Jonathan Pierce

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honorable mention

FREEDOM-OAKLEY - FOOTBALL - SENIOR In one the best games of the season, Pierce helped keep the Falcons’ perfect season in tact by leading them to a 41-38 victory at previously-unbeaten Pittsburg. Pierce’s 34-yard TD pass to Giles Jackson was the game-winning score with 1:35 left. It was Pierce’s sixth completion of the game for 30 yards or more. He finished with 220

BENNETT WILLIAMS: The St. Francis-Mountain View defensive back set his school’s career interception record at 17 with his sixth pick of the season in a gritty 13-10 overtime win over Valley Christian-San Jose on Oct. 28.

yards passing, with the one TD and one interception (just his second of the season). He also reached the end zone twice himself. He caught a touchdown pass from running back Ronnie Rivers for the first score of the game, and then rushed for a 12-yard score late in the first half. While Rivers has certainly grabbed most of the headlines

CEYENNA TILLMAN: Christian BrothersSacramento volleyball’s senior libero anchored the Falcons’ defense en route to an undefeated Capital Athletic League season. CBS finished the regular season with a 23-5 record that included just one loss to a Sac-Joaquin Section foe, and earned the No. 1 seed in the SJS Div. III playoffs.

with his 1,600 rushing yards and 27 total TDs through nine games, Pierce has been an underrated weapon for the team that’s already clinched at least a share of the Bay Valley Athletic League crown. Through nine games, Pierce has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,709 yards and 26 TDs. He’s also rushed for three scores.

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JOIN OUR TEAM PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 EDITORIAL Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writer Jim McCue • JimMcCue16@gmail.com Contributors Bill Kolb, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Dave Kiefer, Tim Rudd, Trevor Horn Copy Editor Bill Kruissink Photography Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler, Berry Evans, III Marketing/Events Ryan Arter CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT Mike Calamusa • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com

Jacqueline DiSanto of Menlo-Atherton

Drama Lurks

W

ell it’s November, which means we’ve reached the first postseason of the high school sporting year.

This one arrives with a bit of intrigue for a couple sports, actually. And of course, an accompanying amount of confusion and controversy.

Let’s talk about the good stuff first. At least we hope it will be good stuff. The California Interscholastic Federation Volleyball State Championships will debut its own Open Division, following in the footsteps of what the state basketball playoffs have had the last two seasons. Can it be a good thing? Yes. Could it negatively affect Northern California’s recent dominance at the state championships? Probably.

NorCal volleyball is coming off of a 2015 season in which it claimed four of the five possible state banners. Two of those state championship programs — Archbishop Mitty-San Jose and Notre Dame-Belmont — are among the top-ranked teams in the state and almost assured to be in the Open field. It goes without saying that as many as four or five of NorCal’s best volleyball teams will be cannibalized in the NorCal Open bracket. And without the depth of quality programs that SoCal has, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the state title pendulum swing the other way.

While it’s a little easier to see defending state champions eliminated in the Open bracket, we’d be bummed out to see a program like Menlo-Atherton-Atherton become a casualty. The Bears were the only NorCal team NOT to win a state final a year ago, having been swept by Redondo-Redondo Beach in the Div. I final. Each of the past two years, Menlo-Atherton has climbed one extra step: It reached its first NorCal final in 2014 and lost. It then won its first NorCal title in 2015. It should get a puncher’s chance to win that first state title without having to go through four-time defending Div. II state champion Mitty — just to get there.

Still, just like in hoops, there’s a good chance for some really dramatic volleyball to be played throughout all six divisions. And we look forward to that.

Football in the North Coast Section also debuts its Open Division, and expectations of who will make the fourteam field created some good conversation over the last few weeks of October. One odd thing has surfaced regarding De La Salle-Concord.

When the Spartans negotiated their separation from the East Bay Athletic League following the 2011 season, De La Salle agreed to play a largely independent schedule. It would not compete for the EBAL title, but the league agreed to let De La Salle lay claim to the league’s one automatic playoff berth each season. The team with the automatic berth is recognized as a league champion in the postseason, and is guaranteed hosting rights in first-round games.

The NCS has said that the Open Division semifinal games will be considered first-round games because it’s a four-team bracket. So there’s now a very real chance that any EBAL team (such as Monte Vista-Danville, who is 9-0 and ranked No. 10 in the state heading into November) to be added to the Open field would almost certainly be the only non-league champion and would be guaranteed a road game from the get-go. That’s tough.

We would hope that the NCS might re-think this and realize that it’s the section’s four best teams. They should all be on equal ground, pure-seeded one through four and the high seeds host. Seems simple. But it won’t be.

That being said, we hope you’re fired up for playoffs. The next six weeks will be pretty hard to beat. ✪

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TOP 5 POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL SPORTS MOMENTS Our long national nightmare is nearly behind us. That’s right. As the World Series fades into memory, and the highlight shows slowly taper off, the airwaves soon will be gloriously free of Joe Buck’s infernal commentary. Except for football. And golf. Well. At least the election is almost over. Then we can get on with the Top 5 Presidential Sports Interactions we have to look forward to under the new regime.

1. First Pitch — With either candidate, the ceremonial first pitch of the season as delivered by the Starter-in-Chief is gonna be interesting. Something tells us Hillary can bring the heat. Such a nasty… well. But Trump. With those tiny hands? Not likely.

2. Bracketology — If there’s one thing we’ve come to enjoy over the past eight March Madnesses, it’s been Barry’s Bracket. Here’s guessing Hillary goes chalk, and picks the top-ranked team to square off against the No. 2 team in the final. The Donald will show you his perfect bracket — “Lemme tellya, this thing is just great.” — just after the final buzzer of the championship game. But he’ll totally have filled it out in advance. He just, ah, misplaced it briefly. Oh, here it is. He wins!

3. White House Visits — We can imagine Hillary stiffly shaking hands with the Golden State Warriors after their second NBA championship in three seasons (that’s right, we said it. Shoulda been a threepeat — thanks terrible NBA officiating) and quipping awkwardly about Finals MVP Klay Thompson talking too much. Donald recounts his days as a shooting guard — “You have to believe me, I had the greatest outside shot. It was just tremendous.” — while Steph and Draymond duck behind Varejao to hide their snickers. With those tiny hands? …

4. Fantasy Football — Donald is obviously the guy who spends up the top picks so no one else can afford them, drops a ton of cash on his team, and then complains he got jobbed when Tony Romo’s back takes its annual hiatus. Hillary brings her laptop to the draft to do “research,” but you catch her sending emails. Again.

5. Wrestlemania 33 — If Hillary wins, can we arrange it so she shaves the Donald like he did to Vince McMahon? For the sake of our nation? We thought about suggesting a lucha libre matchup, but if Trump wins, no one will be able to get over The Wall to watch it.

— Bill “are we sure this whole two-party thing is working out for us?” Kolb

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YOU CALLED IT

TRENDING What’s hot in the world of stuff that’s hot

In this month’s Twitter poll (follow us @SportStarsMag and take part) we were curious about the same things all of college football is curious about.

What will Najee Harris decide. Alabama sits there smug as the nation’s No. 1-ranked team hoping Harris’ verbal commitment will stick. Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is wearing Antioch gear and announcing the school’s Homecoming King and Queen. This is serious, people. Here’s what you said.

Antioch High football star and the nation’s top recruit, Najee Harris, will eventually choose what school?

50% Michigan 36% Alabama 14% Other

247 votes from Oct. 31-Nov. 1

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? TYLER METEER

If you wait a few days to read this you’ll either a) know who the president is or b) be using this to start a fire to feed your family after the apocalypse. Either way, may the odds be ever in your favor.

US Special Operations Command says it could have an Iron Man-like suit ready to go by 2018. But the second and third versions will probably suck.

Guys, if we survive this election we all get to see a new Star Wars movie. Do not burn down the country until after Star Wars. Can we all just agree to this?

The former two-way Del Oro-Loomis football star appeared on two different SportStars covers during the fall of 2013. He was on our Issue #74 cover (Oct. 17) along with Malik Hutchings of Deer Valley-Antioch, and then had the Sac-Joaquin cover for Issue #78 (Dec. 19) all to himself. Since helping lead Del Oro to a CIF Northern Regional Bowl title during that 2013 senior season, Meteer is now in his third year at Sacramento State where he’s starting at linebacker. While the Hornets have struggled to just a 1-8 season, Meteer has shined for the defense. He’s the team’s second-leading tackler with 81, and he’s added an interception, a fumble recovery and 1.5 sacks.

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Kanye West is in trouble for adopting three emus and trying to check into a New York City hotel with them. It didn’t happen, but it seems like a thing that could, right?

The Raiders might be good.

Like actually good. As a Broncos fan this just hurts too much to joke about.

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Heisman Hopeful Folsom Grad Jake Browning Has Chance To Join Very Short List Of NorCal Heisman Winners

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orthern California didn’t have much of a connection to the Heisman Trophy for the first 30 years in which college football’s most prestigious award was handed out, but then hit the gold mine three times in four years.

Before 1967, when UCLA quarterback Gary Beban (a graduate of Sequoia-Redwood City) finished first and USC junior running back O.J. Simpson (from Galileo-San Francisco) was second, the highest NorCal finisher in Heisman voting that began in 1936 was Notre Dame running back Nick Eddy (he’s from Tracy) with a third-place total in 1966.

Then in the following year (1968) after Beban’s victory, Simpson was a runaway winner. In fact, Simpson’s margin of votes between first and second is still the most in the history of the Heisman.

Without dwelling on Simpson for obvious reasons, it only took one more year until 1970 when NorCal made it three Heismans in four years. That one was won by Stanford quarterback Jim Plunkett, who went to high school at James Lick-San Jose.

The only other Heisman winner from Northern California is Gino Torretta, who is from Pinole Valley-Pinole. He won in a controversial, close vote in 1992 over San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk.

So why bring up the Heisman now? That’s because the Heisman hype is well under way right now for the University of Washington’s Jake Browning, a player many of us at Cal-Hi Sports and SportStars watched for three seasons not that long ago at Folsom.

While Browning’s seemingly unreachable state and national career records actually may be within reach of Mater Dei-Santa Ana’s J.T. Daniels (because he’s going to have four varsity seasons not just three), his success for the Huskies is not surprising.

If Browning were to finish even second in this year’s Heisman voting, he’d be the highest finisher ever among anyone from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. The highest so far is Roseville’s Robbie Bosco, a quarterback at BYU who was third in 1984 and 1985.

Browning would only have to finish higher than fifth to be the best Heisman vote getter from Northern California since 2007 when Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon (San Leandro grad) was fifth.

The only players to get Heisman votes since Dixon was fifth have been USC linebacker Rey Maualuga (Eureka) in 2008, Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick (Pitman-Turlock) in 2010 and Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright (Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa) in 2014.

The highest finishers since Torretta in 1992 have been UCLA quarterback Cade McNown of San Benito-Hollister (third in 1998) and Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey of Miramonte-Orinda (third in 2001).

McNown also was the one who was more highly-regarded as a high school prospect in his senior year and who was picked in the NFL Draft of 1999 a lot higher than another quarterback from Northern California named Tom Brady (Serra-San Mateo).

While the Heisman hype and Heisman itself is great, as Brady has proved, it’s still just one of several starting points for any player. It’s always what one does every day, every week and every season to get better that counts most in the end. ✪ Mark Tennis is the co-founder of Cal-Hi Sports, and publisher of CalHiSports.com.

Contact him at markjtennis@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @CalHiSports.

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TOP 20 STATE RANKINGS

Ronnie Rivers of No. 13 Freedom.

After games of Saturday, Oct. 29 1. (1)

—

11. (10) ▼

Mater Dei-Santa Ana 9-0

Head coach Bruce Rollinson’s squad moved up to No. 1 in the state after its 26-21 win against St. John Bosco on Oct. 21.

2. (2)

—

Centennial-Corona 8-1

Bosco in CIFSS Div. I playoffs, and have the pieces to be in CIF Open Div. state final for fourth time in five years.

3. (3)

—

St. John Bosco-Bellflower

6-2

Losses by the Braves are to Mater Dei and to Bishop GormanLas Vegas, the consensus No. 1 team in the nation.

4. (4)

—

Mission Viejo 9-0

Bellarmine-San Jose got first-hand look at how good some of Mission Viejo’s players are in last year’s CIF Div. I-AA state bowl final.

5. (5)

—

Nighthawks are the top team this year in same league with Vista Murrieta and have a win over Oaks Christian.

12. (12) —

Huskies still look like major threat to Mater Dei and St. John

Rancho Cucamonga 9-0

Murrieta Valley-Murrieta 7-2

Calabasas 9-0

QB Tristan Gebbia and WR Keyshawn Johnson Jr. are trying to talk WR/DB Darnay Holmes into joining them as Nebraska commits. Holmes is the one who was State Sophomore of the Year two years ago in close call over Antioch’s Najee Harris.

13. (14) ▲

Freedom-Oakley 9-0

Coach Kevin Hartwig and squad made big move upward after their win against Antioch and went from No. 13 to No. 14 after an Oct. 28 victory vs. previous-No. 13 Pittsburg.

14. (15) ▲

Oaks Christian-Westlake Village 7-2

With USC-commit Matt Corral (a junior) at QB, Lions have one of the most prolific offenses in the state.

15. (17.) ▲

St. Mary’s-Stockton 8-1

Cougars have one of the top secondaries in the nation and re-

Easy wins have come as expected for the Rams once they got

cently moved up to No. 5 since they figure to be the No. 5 seed

back from their loss to St. John Bosco and they’ve now maneu-

in CIFSS Div. I playoffs.

vered back to No. 15.

6. (6)

—

Narbonne-Harbor City

9-0

16. (18.) ▲

Helix-La Mesa 7-2

L.A. City Section powerhouse is getting huge games from junior

We give the Highlanders a lot more credit for their win over

QB Jalen Chatman.

Clayton Valley-Concord than they get in the San Diego Section

7. (7)

—

Cathedral Catholic-San Diego 9-0

media poll.

Folsom 8-1

Dons just crushed arch-rival St. Augustine 35-0 before 10,000

17. (19.) ▲

fans at San Diego Mesa College.

Yes, we know the Bulldogs have a loss to Sacramento, but

8. (8)

—

De La Salle-Concord 8-1

After their one-point win over San Ramon Valley-Danville, the Spartans dropped from sixth to eighth in the Cal-Hi state rank-

to JSerra-San Juan Capistrano that can’t be overcome until the playoffs.

18. (20) ▲

ings.

9. (9)

they’ve got a lot of quality wins and Sacramento has 35-7 loss

—

Serra-Gardena

6-3

In recent weeks, the Cavs have emerged as the top team from

Clayton Valley-Concord 8-1

Only loss is still the one to Helix-La Mesa and win over Reed (Sparks, Nev.) is looking even better than it did last month.

Pittsburg 8-1

the Mission League, probably the second-best league in South-

19. (13) ▼

ern California.

We dropped the Pirates behind Clayton Valley after loss to Free-

10. (11) ▲

Monte Vista-Danville 9-0

dom, but a big win over Antioch could change things.

Cathedral-Los Angeles 9-0

After their 32-20 win over San Ramon Valley, the Mustangs

20. (24) ▲

moved up from No. 11 to No. 10 so their matchup vs. DLS

Phantoms just beat St. Francis-La Canada in matchup of two 8-0

could feature two top 10 teams.

teams and has win over Loyola-Los Angeles.

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Young Mackenzie Caverhill Is Making A Name For Herself Dirt Bike Racing

F

inding things to do in a small mountain town can be tough for kids, but that was not the case for a young girl named Mackenzie Caverhill. She discovered one of the best things to do in her rural area was the sport of dirt bike riding.

Ever since she was 2 years old, Mackenzie — who is now 9 — has been riding at her local off-highway vehicle (OHV) park, Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), which is located in the Tejon Pass, north of Los Angeles. She started out riding a small 50cc motorcycle with training wheels and now has graduated to a Yamaha 85cc dirt bike.

Mackenzie’s passion has taken her far during the seven years that she’s been riding. At the age of 5, Mackenzie started competing in motocross and won a handful of achievements. During 2016 alone, she won two qualifying races and made her way to the AMSOIL’s 35th Annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships.

So how did her love for dirt bikes begin?

She first practiced on the Pee-Wee Track at Hungry Valley. After building her skills on the beginner’s course, she then graduated to the Quail Canyon Motocross Track, riding with her friends to practice and improve their dirt bike skills. Now that she is an experienced rider, she rides on the adult track at Hungry Valley, where she is able to practice on terrain similar to many of the competition tracks used for races.

Caverhill’s favorite areas of Hungry Valley SVRA are the sand washes.

“You can hammer down on the throttle and go for it,” she told SVRA staff recently in an interview following a recent race in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. She continued to describe her love for getting airborne. “The jumps are scary, but the flying feeling is really fun!”

Mackenzie’s passion has taken her far in the seven years that she has been riding. Her future goal is to one day compete in the Supercross and meet some of her role models, such as Motocross Champion Cooper Webb.

When asked where she saw herself in 10 years, Caverhill was matter of fact.

“Probably in college, but I really hope to have a championship of my own by then!” ✪ — Story and photo provided by Aubrey Mollenauer, Hungry Valley SVRA staff, California State Parks 12

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COME AND PLAY Visitors to California’s nine State Vehicular Recreation Areas will find a variety of trails and courses for many types of off-highway vehicles.

The SVRAs give riders a chance to explore new areas and enjoy the thrill of the ride. Hungry Valley SVRA is a 20,000 acre OHV park with over 130 miles of trails with diverse terrain, a motocross track, several training/practice tracks and a 4x4 course to test the limits and skills of vehicles and drivers. Up-to-date park information can be found on Facebook and the Hungry Valley website at http://ohv.parks.ca.gov. Hungry Valley SVRA is located at 5301 Ralphs Ranch Road (also known as Peace Valley Road), Gorman, CA 93243. Park fees are $5 for day use and $10 for overnight camping. Call (661) 248-7007 for more information.

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XC: No Pain, No Gain I’ve played all sorts of sports: Football, baseball, basketball, and I just don’t get cross country. It doesn’t even seem like a sport at all. You get out there and you don’t even run fast — you just jog. What kind of athletic skill does it take to jog for 2.5 miles? I get that I wouldn’t want to do it, but it just doesn’t seem that hard to me.

– M. T., Gilroy

I

have to admit that if you think of what an athlete should look like, long-distance runners usually don’t quite measure up. Especially in high school. They’re skinny and they have no muscles.

That said, though, there are many different athletic skills. Take golf, for example — it really doesn’t involve a whole lot of physical activity. You take a swing about 90 times in a four-hour span. How hard is that?

Well, I know just how hard it is because I could never play the bloody game. (I took 90 swings in about nine holes.)

There’s also the issue of having someone try to stop you. In many sports, there is a human being trying to keep you from doing what you want to do; in other sports, like track, the competition is primarily with yourself.

But there is one thing common to all sports: the ability to push yourself beyond what you think your limits are. A lot of times this involves pain, and I would argue that cross-country runners have to suffer more pain than almost any other high school athlete. The idea, after all, is to go as fast as you possibly can for a long time, and if you’re not pushing yourself to the point that it hurts, you’re not doing it right.

On top of that, many cross-country runners have to deal with shin splints, blisters, hip pain, and all sorts of nagging ailments that come from constant

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pounding on pavement and fields.

So at its most basic level, cross-country is survival of the fittest. You have to be tough, in a certain way, to avoid getting those repetitive stress injuries, and you have to have a high tolerance for pain. (Have you ever thought that a cross country runner is having fun while running a race? They all look like they’re getting injected with a particularly excruciating poison and are just hoping the pain will end soon.)

Then, of course there is talent. The ability to run fast is a skill, and though it’s easy to appreciate Usain Bolt in the 100-yard dash, it’s really only a difference of degree, not of kind, for long distance runners. Successful crosscountry runners have a certain economy of style, and the best seem to just glide — so many joggers plod along, seeming to pound the earth with their entire body weight at every step.

The phrase “light on your feet” definitely applies to quality cross-country runners, and not everyone can make that claim.

Speaking of claims, I’m not going to make one that suggests that crosscountry runners are the best athletes around. But what they do is a combination of mental toughness and physical skill that deserves all the praise it earns.

I notice, for example, that you didn’t list cross-country as one of your sports, and I can say it was never one of mine. It just hurt too much, and I quickly moved on to a sport where the pain wasn’t nearly as great. I wasn’t very good at that either, but at least it didn’t hurt so much. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and coached multiple sports and a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at clayk@fullcourt.com

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Rancho Cordova Once Again to Be California Youth Rugby Hub

O

n the heels of the Rio Summer Games featuring rugby as an Olympic medal sport for the first time since 1924, interest in the sport has never been higher.

It’s with great anticipation that the Sacramento Valley Rugby Foundation and Rugby NorCal will kick off the high school rugby season by hosting the 33rd Annual Sacramento Kick-Off Tournament at Cordova High on Jan. 21-22.

The KOT, as it’s referred to in rugby circles, is one of the largest youth and high school rugby tournaments in the Western Hemisphere. The event acts not only as a top tournament, but it’s also considered a pre-season development tournament for both players and officials.

While first-year players are able to learn on the fly in the forgiving structure of the 30-minute matches, more experienced teams can work on sharpening skills and execution. Aspiring referees can take part in a free Friday night training session with some of the top match officials from the western United States.

The KOT is open to several levels of play. There will be boys and girls competitions in the following divisions: U-10, U-12, U-14 (two levels), U-17 (two levels) and U-19 (six levels). The tournament is open to both club teams and single high school teams. Many clubs and schools have been known to travel in from states such as Oregon and Washington, among others.

For the high school teams, varsity and JV competition will be available on both days of the event. And tournament directors make every effort to minimize teams from playing in-season rivals. Playing schedules are often not set until one week prior to the tournament.

For more information about the event, or to sign up your team. You’re encouraged to check out the KOT website at www.kickofftournament.com. ✪

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wild transformation With A New Coach And Attitude, St. Ignatius Has Evolved From Also-Rans To Title Threats

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A

nne Crouch spikes the ball down the line on the right side, the ball spinning like the filthiest slider you ever saw, landing just inside the corner. Isabella Legarza blocks the ball perfectly on a spike attempt and follows it up with a pair of soft punch spikes for points. Mallen Bischoff slams a monster spike down the middle. Later, Bischoff serves an ace, causing Keely McCarthy to jump up off the bench and wave her hands in the air like she just don’t care. The girls on the bench cheer her on.

And Megan Lewis blasts spike after spike for the kill.

Meet the St. Ignatius High girls volleyball team. Under first-year coach David Huan, the Wildcats are getting ready for the Central Coast Section playoffs coming off of a second-place finish in the West Catholic Athletic League behind the nation’s No. 1 team, Archbishop Mitty-San Jose. St. Ignatius will be a formidable opponent for anyone in the playoffs.

And the Wildcats will enjoy the journey no matter what.

“The chemistry last year wasn’t very good,” Lewis says. “The chemistry this year, it’s incredible. It’s really fun. Everyone’s having a good

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time.”

Says Crouch, “It starts with practice, the way (Huan) talks to us, the way he coaches us. When we’re on the court, we’re so much more positive to each other. We’re playing together, we know it‘s not individual.

We know that if we’re going to make a mistake that coach is going to have our back.”

Huan says his priority wasn’t necessarily hitting, passing and defense, although the team obviously works on that.

“The biggest improvement we wanted to make was to change the culture a little bit,” Huan says. “They were a good program, but they were maybe not the most successful in league, or so we felt like we could be in our league. With three state champs from last year‘s league, we know how incredibly tough it is.

“The first thing we wanted to do was just say, ‘Hey. We can compete.’”

Compete they have — the Wildcats went 4-1 in the WCAL, losing only to nationally-ranked Mitty. That after winning just one WCAL match in each of the three previous seasons. Overall, the Wildcats en-

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Story By Damin Esper Photos By Norbert von der Groeben Wildcats outside hitter Anne Crouch drives the ball into the Archbishop Mitty defense during the WCAL championship match, which was won by Mitty.

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Records are through Oct. 29 1. (1)

—

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

31-4

2. (2)

—

St. Ignatius-S.F.

28-7

3. (3)

—

Menlo-Atherton-Atherton

26-4

4. (4)

—

Notre Dame-Belmont

31-9

5. (5)

—

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

32-7

6. (6)

—

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

26-7

7. (7)

—

Marin Catholic-Kentfield

25-6

8. (8)

—

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

28-7

9. (9)

—

Campolindo-Moraga

26-10

10. (10)

—

Christian Brothers-Sacramento

23-5

11. (12)

▲

Monte Vista-Danville

20-6

12. (17)

▲

Pitman-Turlock

24-7

13. (13)

—

Turlock

23-10

14. (11)

▼

Foothill-Pleasanton

30-6

15. (14)

▼

St. Francis-Mtn. View

21-13

16. (15)

▼

Valley Chrstian-San Jose

18-13

17. (16)

▼

Tracy

33-3

18. (18)

—

Branson-Ross

17-11

19. (19)

—

Whitney-Rocklin

25-10

20. (20)

—

Elk Grove

34-6

DROPPED OUT: None

BIGGEST MOVERS: Pitman-Turlock made the biggest climb, jumping five spots to No. 12 after avenging an earlier season loss to cross-town rival Turlock, who managed to remain at No. 13 following the 3-1 loss. Monte Vista-Danville also avenged an early-season loss by beating then-No. 11 FoothillPleasanton 3-0 in the East Bay Athletic League finals. By doing so, the Mustangs took the Falcons spot in the rankings, sending them down three spots to No. 14.

5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Carlmont-Belmont (28-7), Dublin (25-5), Del Oro-Loomis (22-8), PresentationSan Jose (20-13) and San Benito-Hollister (31-5).

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tered this year’s WCAL playoffs with a 27-6 record and could get the second-seed in the CCS Open Division. If they don‘t make that bracket, they would probably be the favorite in Div. II. Says Crouch, “This has been a great positive change. Just getting in the (WCAL) playoffs, making it out of first round, being in the championship, it‘s all new to us. But I think we’re so ready for it. We‘ve been so prepared this whole season. And I think the coaching especially has taken us to so many new places.”

Huan has been a director at Red Rock Volleyball Club in Redwood City. He brought his fellow director and wife Marietta Flynn-Huan along to St. Ignatius. He was already coaching Bischoff and Legarza at Red Rock and when he heard about the coaching vacancy at St. Ignatius in June, he decided to try his hand at coaching high school.

So far, so good.

Crouch is the team’s leader in many ways. She prowls the court with a serious look on her face most of the time, her long wavy brown hair tied up in a ponytail, flopping around and obscuring the number five on her blue uniform top. She’s a team captain, leads St. Ignatius in kills and is also the top receiver. During the match, when she‘s in the back row, she is constantly talking to her teammates, passing on information even when the ball is on its way from the opposing team‘s serve. After losing points, she’s clapping her hands, saying, “C’mon, you guys, let’s go! Keep talking!” After missing on a dig, she takes responsibility to a teammate, then sticks her tongue out in disgust.

“We rely on her most consistently,” Huan says. “When she plays poorly, we probably don’t do as well. We struggle as a team. When she plays well, everybody else seems to play really well so I think the team kind of feeds and draws off of that.”

Adds Lewis, “We all kind of count on (Crouch). She’s just all-around good on offense, defense. She‘s a good captain, a good senior.”

Crouch hasn’t had to be the focus of the offense this year, which has allowed her to work on other areas of her game.

“Passing and defense has really been my focus this year,” she says. “I think we have a great front row. Hitting, getting all of the kills has been lifted off of my shoulders this season so I‘ve been working on my back row, getting my setters great passes. Anyone on the front row can put the ball away.”

One of those who puts the ball away is Lewis, who had 20 kills in a WCAL semifinal win over St. Francis-Mountain View. She recently committed to UC Santa Barbara.

“Tonight she lit it up,” Huan says after the match. “She was just unbelievable tonight, she just could not be stopped and we couldn‘t be happier. It’s not anything new or different than we’ve seen all season. But I think tonight was just one of those special games for her.”

Lewis gives credit to the way the team works together.

“The communication is really good from our defense behind us,” Lewis says. “You’ll be up and you won’t be able to see very much and you’ll hear them say, ‘Cross.’ It’s really helpful.”

Crouch has been through a lot in her four years on varsity. The Wildcats were a combined 66-44 and 3-15 in WCAL play her first three seasons. The new coaching staff, the success, the better team chemistry have made this season much more enjoyable. Although she sometimes has to work on it.

“I definitely take it more seriously but I‘m working on it,” she says. “I have a great time with these girls. They can bring out the funny side in me.”

How far can the Wildcats go? It depends, says Huan.

“I feel like there isn’t any one team we can’t beat,” he says. “But there’s also not any one team we can’t lose to either. We have enough talent, if we put it together, I think we’ll be just fine.

“Obviously, we don’t want to lose. We want to be the last team standing. We don’t want to lose that last match of the season. But, usually, there’s only one team that’s left standing. With Mitty being currently the No. 1 team in the nation, that’ll be a tough hurdle for us.”

Either way, the Wildcats will be fun to watch. But you won’t have as much fun as the girls do on the court. ✪ Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

Top: Captains Mallen Bischoff (10) and Isabella Legarza go up for a block against Mitty.

Below: The team celebrates a hard-earned point.

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In What’s Become A November Tradition, Campolindo Is Poised For Another Postseason Run With A Roster Full Of Unknowns And Overachievers

T

o look at the players on Campolindo High’s football team is to see something so absurd as to be comical. Ask ’em. They’ll tell you.

Take the quarterback, a clean-cut kid with a demeanor beyond his years and eyes that can turn chaos into order in seconds. Senior Jacob Westphal will tell you he’s just happy he can see over the offensive line.

Then there’s the junior wide receiver whose dad played quarterback at Cal and once engineered a Big Game victory over John Elway and Stanford. Junior John Torchio admits there’s nothing overly speedy or imposing about his team’s receiving crew.

Then again, the receivers are more intimidating than the Cougars’ offensive line, a unit that’s always as unsteady as a house of cards. They poke fun of themselves by wearing hand-made signs showing their respective (small) height and (light) weight around their neck.

“It’s fun to walk off the field when you have a team that might have 500 pounds of defensive lineman between a couple of guys, and we get positive plays on every play and succeed,” guard Logan Macdonald said. “It’s a good feeling.”

“Yeah,” tackle Tomie Vega said. “It’s like ‘How’d we lose to that pee-wee team?’ It’s funny.”

Yes, the Cougars look so absurd up close as to be comical. But they are deadly intense about how they play, and they’re doing some serious winning — again.

A 38-0 humiliation of Concord on Oct. 21 marked Campolindo’s third straight win in the Diablo Valley Athletic League, leaving them tied atop the standings with charter school power Clayton Valley Charter. The two face each other Nov. 4 in the regular-season finale.

How is a program that is a regular North Coast Section contender — and one that won a CIF State Bowl title as recently as 2014 and were runners-up in one a year ago — doing it again? Not even their coach of 26 seasons is entirely sure.

“We definitely have areas we have to camouflage,” Kevin Macy said. “We seem to be lacking in some areas as a result of the natural dynamic of the community. It’s a demographic thing and might be a trend, so we are constantly looking for ways to make ourselves viable.”

So where does viability start? Normally, quarterback is a good place to begin, and Westphal’s ability can’t be understated. In Campolindo’s first eight games, he succeeded on 58.7 percent of his passes, and his 111 completions went to 11 receivers. The two TDs he tossed against Concord brought Westphal’s season total to 12.

But in this case, the most unimpressive looking unit on the field is Campolindo’s most important. The five offensive lineman who start — guards Cole Berzins (6-foot-2, 197 pounds) and Alex Capurro (6-0, 179); tackles Macdonald (6-2, 206) and Vega (6-0, 202); and center Bobby Poole (5-8, 195) — are backed up by a sixth, Travis Brainerd (5-8, 182). There is no seventh.

“The five players we have this year, two have never played on the line,” said Macy, who lost all five 2015 offensive line starters to graduation. “We just had no choice. Everyone is undersized, and inexperienced, so you think about Jacob lining up behind these lineman, and it puts him in another category.”

Macy’s words may seem harsh, but this group doesn’t dispute them.

“We don’t even worry about trying to hold ground or opening big holes,” Macdonald said. “We just try to get positive yardage every play on the ground, and on passing plays, we try to steer the (defensive) lineman away from the QB. We use angles and technique. We’re not going to blow anybody off the ball or win one-on-one battles.”

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Campo’s Jacob Westphal Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

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21

However it looks, the Cou“We spent a lot of days (on gars line makes it work. Camthe field) during the summer, polindo allowed three sacks a lot of Sunday’s, just running against Concord, but not even routes,” receiver Matt Ringquist one running play went for negsaid. “The whole group. Repative yardage. Westphal mostly etition, repetition. ... It makes stood unscathed in the pocket, it easier to do the hard work hitting receiver after receiver when you enjoy hanging out (seven in all) on his way to a with the people you’re putting 370-yard passing night. in the work with.”

About those receivers ...

For Macy, the Cougars’ “We don’t throw to one worth ethic is the last thing specific kid,” Macy said. “You worth questioning. What is fair watch us, and you’ll see that. to wonder is just how far this Campolindo Football winning concoction can take Again, we need every one of As a joke, the Cougars’ undersized offensive line decided them. them to be viable.” to take a picture highlighting the less-than-intimidating They are, but more in the The 2014 team set an abdimensions of each player. From left to right, they are fashion of gnats than mosquisurdly high standard when it Cole Berzins, Alex Capurro, Travis Brainerd, Logan toes. Four or five dart, sprint won the CCCIF Division III Macdonald, Bobby Poole and Tomie Vega. or zig-zag down the field, and state title with a 35-28 victory that swarm of chaos has a way over El Capitan-Lakeside. The of confusing defenses. Combine that with Westphal’s ability to 2011 team made that dream conceivable by reaching the state find the receiver in the open space created by the confusion, and title game that year. you have a passing offense that averaged 230.3 yards in its first But Macy is not like conventional coaches — against Coneight contests. cord, he walked the sidelines without a headset, hardly raised his “It’s kind of read and react,” Westphal said. “We know our line voice and didn’t exchange even a whisper with a ref — and this has limitations, so we need to get the ball out fast and accurate, program doesn’t view success or failure in a conventional way. and we have a lot of options.”

“We always hope that we’re playing (in the NCS playoffs) on Such an attack requires pinpoint timing, too, and this is where Thanksgiving weekend,” Mcdonald said. “The alumni come Campolindo stands taller than most. The Cougars aren’t afraid home, they come out to practice and watch us. It’s the most to work, feeding off a culture established by Macy and carried amazing week of the year. We all do the work to experience that.” out by alumni that players say blends a sense of purpose on the All things considered, it’s not an absurd thought at all. ✪ field with growing friendship off it.

— Story By James G. Kane, Photo By Dennis Lee

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Wrestling, Basketball Set To Take Center Stage

O

n Dec. 17-18 the Women’s West Coast Tournament of Champions returns to Hardwood Palace in Rocklin for the second consecutive year and there are several new features this year to this all-female premier wrestling event. Placer Valley Tourism will once again be teaming up with Sacramento Area Wrestling Association (SAWA) along with the prestigious Cliff Keen Wrestling, who signed on as the WWCTOC title sponsor.

The high school competition for both varsity and junior varsity wrestlers will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17, and currently more than 40 teams have already registered to participate. There will be 14 different weight divisions ranging from 101 to 235 pounds.

That same day, a high school showcase will take place and provide these female athletes with an incredible opportunity to be seen by college recruits. Several college scouts have al-

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November 2016

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ready committed to attending including: Simon Fraser University, Eastern Oregon University, Menlo College, University of the Cumberlands, Grays Harbor College, Warner Pacific College and Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Sunday the tournament features an open college division that promises outstanding competition from remarkable female athletes. Colleges that currently signed on to attend are: Simon Fraser University, Eastern Oregon University, Menlo, Grays Harbor, Warner Pacific and Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Mike Jones, who serves as the head coach for women’s wrestling at the Canadian college Simon Fraser University, is thrilled to be bringing some of his top wrestlers to this firsttime collegiate competition.

“Simon Fraser is currently ranked the number one dual meet team in the country and the overall second team in the Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

WHITNEY CLASSIC TURNS NINE

As The Seasons Change nation,” Simon Fraser women’s wrestling coach Mike Jones said.

“Along with Woodcreek Alum Lauren Mason, we have two other Californians, Dominique Parrish from Scotts Valley and Mallory Velte from Christian Brothers in Sacramento who will attend the competition.

“We will also have the number-three-ranked Iber Fran Giorgio of Pennsylvania in the 136 weight class, Payten Smith who is the number two-ranked athlete in the 190 weight class and Abby Lloyd, the number two-ranked athlete in the 116 weight division.”

Champions in both the high school and college competitions will receive a Cliff Keen backpack, singlets for finalist, medals for top placer and most outstanding wrestler and team awards. Go to www.wwctoc.ocm for more information or to get your team signed up today! ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook!

In hosting the Whitney Winter Classic, Whitney High of Rocklin knows how to start the basketball season with a bang. Now in its ninth year, this varsity boy’s tournament will take place starting on Thursday, Dec. 1 and ending on Saturday, Dec. 3.

“All of us in the Whitney Basketball Program are very excited to once again host our Winter Classic, and we feel that we have assembled one of the best tournament fields in Northern California,” Whitney coach Nick French said.

“Chico High School from the Northern Section is coming off a section championship season,” French said. “El Diamante High School from Visalia is representing the Central Section and they are coming off a very successful 2015-2016 season as well.

“Then we have first time participant Amador Valley High School from the North Coast Section and we are also very happy to have back perennial state power Crenshaw High School, which will be returning for the second time.”

Having a SoCal team like Crenshaw in the mix makes for some great basketball. The Cougars have numerous state basketball titles and most recently a L.A. City Section Championship in 2016.

Local teams competing are Davis, Franklin-Elk Grove and Laguna Creek-Elk Grove.

French promises it will be great basketball and fondly recalls the final game in last year’s tournament, “Whitney beat Crenshaw in a back-and-forth game that saw Whitney junior Josh Ohara hit a game-winning 3-pointer with only seven seconds remaining.”

All games are at Whitney High School, located at 701 Wildcat Blvd., in Rocklin. So mark those calendars and come watch some heart-pounding basketball! ✪ — Copy, photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism Subscribe to S360 at SportStarsOnline.com

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half-court

HERO Carondelet-Concord Grad Earns Bronze in FIBA 3-on-3 World Championships

E

veryone’s played 3-on-3. Old guys really like it because you don’t have to run up and down quite as much, but you still get to shoot the ball and do all the other fun stuff.

But did you know that you can win a gold medal playing 3-on-3 (or 3x3 as FIBA calls it)? Natalie Romeo, the former Carondelet-Concord star who is now at the University of Washington, got that chance with the United States team in China last month, and came away with the bronze.

“It was amazing,” said Romeo. “It was magical.”

It also took some getting used to. Unlike down at the park, these games have a shot clock (12 seconds), and a game clock (10 minutes). Scoring is by ones and twos, rather than twos and threes, so the value of the shot beyond the arc is twice as much as a shot inside the arc, which makes it even more fun for a shooter like Romeo.

She and her teammates, Linnae Harper, Alexis Jennings and Chatrice White, actually had never played together until tryouts in Colorado Springs. The four were thrown together because all four are transfers (Romeo having

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departed Nebraska), and may or may not be eligible for the upcoming college season — so it was thought that if they had to go to China and miss some preseason practice, it would be less damaging than for a college player who was definitely going to be a starter.

The timing also meant that no WNBA players would be involved, so the tournament didn’t have the star power of the Olympics or the World Championships.

Still, Romeo and her teammates had a great time in Guangzhou, China, and lost by three to the much older Czech Republic team in the semifinals, before avenging their only other loss, to Spain, in the bronze medal game.

And like many 3-on-3 games at the gym — er, 3x3 — it was extremely physical. “It was the most physical game I’ve ever been a part of,” said Romeo. “The refs didn’t call much.”

Romeo also earned a bronze in the Shoot-Out skill competition, which included both men and women.

The Shoot-Out is essentially a three-point shooting contest with some halfcourt shots added for extra spice (and no, she didn’t make any).

Now, however, Romeo is back in Seattle, hoping the NCAA grants her eligibility this year for Washington, as otherwise she’ll have to sit out a season. But even if she does have to watch her teammates play, she can wear her bronze medal from China — and challenge them to 3-on-3 games after practice. ✪

“It was amazing.

It was magical.”

— Carondelet graduate Natalie Romeo

NORTHERN REGIONALS UPDATE Somewhere around 90 teams will qualify for the CIF Northern Regional tournaments this year, so changes are of interest to a significant percentage of schools — and changes are in the works.

The most far-reaching of the changes is that no longer will the section commissioners determine which teams go into the Open Division, which teams qualify for the other brackets, or even do the seeding. Instead, a new committee, for girls basketball only, will make all the NorCal decisions.

This is an excellent move, as expecting the section commissioners to keep up on girls basketball all throughout Northern California was really asking too much. It also created horsetrading opportunities, along the lines of “Well, if I can get my boys Div. IV team in this bracket then I’ll look at your girls Div. III team for this other one.”

Now, presumably, a committee that will be familiar with girls basketball in all divisions throughout Northern California will call the shots. That doesn’t mean they won’t be wrong, or won’t do things that no one understands, but at least they have a better chance to get it right.

And speaking of getting it right, the disparity in the number of schools in the Southern California branch of CIF as opposed to Northern California is huge. For years, the Central Section (Fresno, Bakersfield, etc.) has been agitating to get moved into the Northern California region.

That hasn’t happened yet, but it seems more and more likely that the best team in the Central Section — read: Clovis West — will wind up in the NorCal Open Division, assuming they win the Division I title.

This leads to some interesting consequences. First and obviously, it makes the NorCal Open much more competitive, as Clovis West is one of the top teams in the state and on the fringes of the national rankings. Second, it would mean only seven teams from the traditional NorCal sections would qualify for the Open, bumping one team back into its “natural” division.

It may seem odd that a team from Fresno would travel to Santa Rosa to play Cardinal Newman. But in terms of travel time, that’s probably a shorter trip than driving from Clovis to San Diego.

In any event, things will be different, and hopefully better. In the end, though, what matters most is what happens on the court, and the more that teams accomplish there, the less likely a committee decision will create a controversy. ✪ — Clay Kallam

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SecretWEAPON Unheralded Outside Of The Redwood Empire, Jordon Brookshire Is Instituting Cardinal Rule

A

fter hearing what Jordon Brookshire has accomplished at Cardinal Newman High, it might be a bit surprising the 6-foot-2, 205-pound senior dual-threat quarterback is not more well known outside of Santa Rosa and the Redwood Empire portion of the North Coast Section.

Recently, that region has had its share of top quarterbacks — with NFL No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff of Marin Catholic-Kentfield, and now the Los Angeles Rams via Cal, topping the list.

Goff was the prototypical pocket passer with a shotgun arm and a gazelle-like style when he took off running.

Brookshire, on the other hand, did not really develop his arm strength until last season, but as a runner he’s as punishing as a fullback. His drive and leg strength is phenomenal, which is probably why as a junior last season he qualified for the NCS championships in both the triple jump and long jump.

He also plays a mean, hard-hitting safety on defense.

Folks in the Stockton area know about Brookshire. The Cardinals only defeat this season was a 49-32 loss to state-ranked St. Mary’s-Stockton. Newman scored more points against the Rams than anyone other than nationally-ranked St. John Bosco-Bellflower, and Brookshire was 19-for-25 for 205 yards passing and rushed 20 times for 115 yards and four touchdowns.

In a 42-26 win over Analy-Sebastopol, Brookshire carried 40 times for 340 yards and five TDs, and was 13-for-14 passing for

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120 yards.

“He’s a true dual-threat guy,” said Newman coach Paul Cronin.

“As a sophomore he didn’t throw the ball well, but he’s matured and developed, and his numbers speak for themselves.”

In most of the North Bay League games, Brookshire has been pulled before the end of the third quarter. That didn’t stop him from passing for 356 yards and one TD in a 50-7 shellacking of Ukiah. He also rushed for 69 yards and three more scores.

Against Montgomery-Santa Rosa he was done at the half of another 50-7 victory. Before leaving, Brookshire passed for 265 yards and three TDs and rushed for two more tallies.

After a 42-7 victory over Santa Rosa on Oct. 28, with Brookshire rushing for 139 yards and three TDs and passing for 79 yards in a little more the a half ’s worth, he entered the last week of the regular season with 1,935 yards and 16 touchdowns through the air, and 121 carries for 978 yards and 21 TDs on the ground.

By the time Brookshire hangs up his cleats as a Cardinal for the last time, he will probably have more than 10,000 total yards of offense and 100 touchdowns.

“I don’t worry about stats,” Brookshire said. “What concerns me is the team and fulfilling our weekly goals.”

Besides his prowess on the field Brookshire carries a 3.4 GPA and he sees himself pursuing a career in business.

“Jordon is a great kid and a good student. He’s in the 89-per-

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centile,” said Brookshire’s economics teacher and Cardinal Newman boys basketball coach Tom Bonfigli.

With Brookshire under center, the Cardinals are clear favorites to win a North Coast Section Division IV title, and that would make them eligible for a CIF Northern Regional Bowl. According to Cronin, this team is the best he’s had since 2008.

“The 2008 team had Randy Wright and he was a sheer drop-back passer,” Cronin said. “Jordon brings a lot of tools to the table, plus he has better receivers around him.”

Besides Brookshire’s lifelong friend, Damian Wallace (70 catches, 1,100 yards, 24 TDs last season), the other options for Brookshire are sophomore Chauncy LeBerthon and running backs Tanner Mendoza, Mark Boschetti and Irvin Mann.

Last season the Cardinals made it to the NCS Div. IV title game, where they lost 38-21 to Marin Catholic. The Wildcats won’t be there to spoil the party this year after moving to Div. III as part of the NCS competitive equity rules.

“From the very beginning our goal as a team was to go farther than last season,” Brookshire said. “Of course we’d love to play in a bowl game but right now we’re just taking it week by week.”

With what seems like a complete package it’s a bit of a head-scratcher as to why Brookshire still has no major college offers.

Eastern Washington, with former Folsom coach and Cal quarterback Troy Taylor as the new quarterbacks coach, is showing solid interest. Other schools expressing interest are Portland State, Sacramento State, UC Davis, San Diego State and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

“It surprises me the offers have been slow to come. He’s definitely a Div. I guy,” Cronin said, and he has had some good ones, including Cleveland Browns linebacker Scooby Wright.

Brookshire looked very solid but admittedly not outstanding at some camps this summer, and being from the Redwood Empire might mean he’s a bit under the radar.

However, if he leads Cardinal Newman to a NorCal Bowl, it’s likely a lot more colleges will be knocking on his door. ✪ — Harold Abend

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Photos by Jim Rael

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Brookside’s Lee Maximizing Second Chance

Records are through Oct. 29 1. (1)

—

De La Salle-Concord

8-1

2. (2)

—

Clayton Valley Charter-Concord

8-1

3. (3)

—

St. Mary’s-Stockton

8-1

4. (9)

▲

Freedom-Oakley

9-0

5. (4)

▼

Monte Vista-Danville

9-0

6. (7)

▲

Folsom

8-1

7. (5)

▼ Pittsburg

8-1

8. (8)

—

St. Francis-Mountian View

8-1

9. (6)

▼

Valley Christian-San Jose

8-1

10. (10)

—

Oak Ridge-El Dorado HIlls

8-1

11. (11)

—

Sacramento

8-1

12. (12)

—

Del Oro-Loomis

7-2

13. (13)

—

Elk Grove

8-1

14. (14)

—

Bellarmine-San Jose

6-3

15. (15)

—

Central Catholic-Modesto

8-1

16. (16)

—

Sutter

9-0

17. (17)

—

Antelope

9-0

18. (18)

— Antioch

6-3

19. (19)

—

California-San Ramon

7-2

20. (20)

—

Campolindo-Moraga

7-2

DROPPED OUT: None.

5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Cardinal NewmanSanta Rosa (8-1), Manteca (8-1), San Benito-Hollister (9-0), Serra-San Mateo (5-4) and Sonora (9-0).

BIGGEST MOVER: There was no movement in the bottom 10, but plenty to watch and talk about Friday night and Saturday morning. Freedom pushed itself up 5 spots to become the new No. 4. They did so by outlasting previous-No. 4 Pittsburg 41-38 on the Pirates Stadium turf. No. 5 Monte Vista-Danville at No. 1 De La Salle will headline the Bay Area high school slate for Nov. 4.

In football, as in life, a second effort can be the difference between success and failure. It can be the difference between a first down and a loss of yardage, a touchdown or turnover on downs, or a victory and defeat.

Reuben Lee, a Brookside Christian-Stockton junior, has put forth a second effort in the classroom and on the football field that is yielding great success for himself and the Knights. “He is one of the most explosive runners that I have ever seen,” Brookside Christian head coach Jordan McGowan said. “He is hungry, motivated, and he feels that this is his second chance.”

Lee sought a second chance and a new start in the latter part of his sophomore year when he transferred from Lincoln-Stockton to nearby Brookside Christian. The change from a large Sac-Joaquin Section Division I power to a small school has created a closer connection with academics and athletics. “It’s been great,” Lee said. “I get along with all of the guys on the team, and even found out that two of my teammates (senior WR Justin Williams and sophomore WR/SS Jalen Williams) are cousins of mine.

“I talk to all of my teachers after class and make sure that I am understanding everything and doing well in my classes.”

Lee was able to build relationships in the classroom and on the field while he sat out the Knights’ first five games during the section’s mandatory transfer sitting period. While he saw his grades rise — he boasts a 4.0 grade-point average this year, according to McGowan — he also had to watch his teammates struggle to a 1-4 start with him on the sideline.

With as few as 14 players on the roster each game, Brookside Christian opened up strong before succumbing to exhaustion, cramping and opponents with simply more depth.

“We were losing the war of attrition,” McGowan said of several close losses that featured the Knights actually leading at halftime. “We took our lumps, but I think that we can be better for it.”

Getting Lee onto the field certainly has made the Brookside better. The powerful 5-foot-9, 160-pound back has rushed for at least 210 yards in four starts while Brookside Christian is undefeated and averaging 60 points per game. Lee has been efficient, carrying the ball no more than 17 times in a game while averaging 17.4 yards per carry and 221.5 yards per game.

McGowan credits Lee’s explosiveness and ability to “hit the early home run” for opening up the offense and forcing opponents to change game plans and make adjustments to keep pace. Sophomore quarterback Quincy Glasper has benefited from Lee’s arrival in the backfield as the signal caller has thrown for 15 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions in the last four games after having 12 scores and 12 picks in his first five.

With Lee running, Glasper passing, and opposing defenses reeling, the Knights (5-4, 3-1) can be a legitimate playoff contender in the SJS playoffs and beyond.

“His vision is crazy and he is an elusive runner with excellent stop-andstart explosiveness,” McGowan said. “When it is time to hit the postseason, he may be just hitting his stride.”

And, in the playoffs, opponents won’t have a second chance to stop Reuben Lee and Brookside Christian.

RUNNING RIVERS

TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 13

Photo by Cynthia Schaftlein

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Freedom-Oakley entered its regular season finale with rival Liberty-Brentwood with a good chance to close out its first undefeated regular season in program history. And a large part of that is due to the senior season being delivered by running back Ronnie Rivers.

The son of former NFL running back, Ron Rivers, Ronnie Rivers has been at his very best in what’s his third year as the starting varsity tailback. Through his first nine games, Rivers rushed for 1,606 yards and 25 touchdowns. He saved his best all-around game for a thrilling 41-38 win in an Oct. 28 showdown with Pittsburg. Rivers rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a 9-yard touchdown pass and scored on a key 97-yard kick return after the Falcons had fallen behind 24-14 early in the third quarter. The win was just Freedom’s second in its last 10 meetings with Pittsburg (including two playoff games) since 2008. ✪ — Jim McCue & Chace Bryson

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Festival of Trees and “A Cascade Christmas” Headline The Many Redding Area Holiday Events

F

ifteen designer-decorated Christmas Trees are the centerpiece to the Festival Of Trees event, a lavish fundraising event which returns on Nov. 12 for its fourth year.

Redding’s jewel of a park, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, will once again be transformed into a winter wonderland for a night of drinking, dancing and donating. The Festival of Trees is the principal fundraiser for Mercy Hospice and the services it renders in Tehama, Shasta and southern Siskiyou counties.

Those services include hospice nurses and volunteers who provide comfort to more than 1,000 patients a year with lifelimiting illnesses or injuries.

Admission to the formal event is $75 and each of the 15 designer trees are sponsored by local businesses. Through the tickets and sponsorships, Mercy has set a fundraising goal of $100,000.

The event itself features lots of fun and festivities. It does not include dinner, but instead will have filling hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Wes Matthews of Redding’s Market Street Steakhouse. Among the other unique touches from this event are a hot cocoa lounge, a s’mores bar and an event-only signature cocktail. Previous festivals have featured a horse-drawn carriage, carols performed by a bell choir and plenty more.

There are also plans to include a DJ and dancing. This event, which takes place from 7 p.m.-10 p.m., sells advance tickets only and includes a reservation deadline of Nov.7. For more information visit www.supportmercynorth.org or call Michelle Martin Streeby at (530) 247-3420 or contact her by

email at michelle.martinstrreeby@dignityhealth.org.

CASCADE CHRISTMAS RETURNS A favorite Shasta County holiday tradition will be returning to the historic Cascade Theatre this November and December as Jefferson Public Radio and the Cascade present a two week run of “A Cascade Christmas”.

Beginning on Nov. 25 and running on select dates through Dec. 4, seven public performances of “A Cascade Christmas” are scheduled, beginning Friday, Nov. 25th and Saturday, November 26th at 7pm, with additional evening performances Thursday, December 1st; Friday, December 2nd and Saturday,

Dec. 3rd, also at 7pm. Matinees are scheduled on Saturday, November 26th and Saturday, December 3rd and Sunday, Dec 4th, at 2 p.m. each.

Celebrate the season with this all-new Christmas showcase, presented by the Cascade Theatre. Experience the joy and magic of the giving season as toys from Santa’s workshop and holiday marionettes spring to life while the elves get everything ready for Santa’s big day.

“A Cascade Christmas” features more than 30 of Redding’s finest dancers, singers and actors who, year after year, give the community an inspirational gift that lasts long after the holidays end. This year’s production will feature live musicians on stage, including saxophonist Dave Short; new hand-painted backdrops from local artist David Fraser, and some eye-popping video effects with the help of the Cascade Theatre’s new HD video projector. The program also features the talents of Rhapsody Violetti, who has danced professionally with Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Jay Z, and has been featured on the Grammy Awards, the MTV Music Awards and Dancing With The Stars. Redding native Cal Hunter will bring the role of Santa to life once again. Don’t miss this touching, highspirited holiday spectacle for the whole family!

Tickets can be purchased online at www.cascadetheatre.org or by phone at 530-243-8877. ✪ Copy and photos provided by SupportMercyNorth.org, VisitRedding.com and CascadeTheatre.org.

Redding Youth Lacrosse Registration Now Open! September-December: Register individual team(s) with a $50 deposit. RSVP now to avoid a wait list. Visit team registration page for more information.

November-January: Once the game schedule is published in late November or early December teams must pay balance of their registration fees and may pre-order Jamboree Apparel through our online store.

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Get Fit, Get Tough — Mentally

get mental: erika carlson

The mental side of the game seems to be getting more attention than ever. Olympic athletes, NFL teams and Major League Baseball have all strongly embraced sport psychology professionals as core members of their athlete development staffs. Coaches, managers, strength and conditioning coaches are learning that when mental performance improves, athletes are more prepared and more coachable. I often tell the coaches of the athletes I work with, “If I’m doing my job, your job should get easier.”

There are many reasons why athletes, clubs, coaches and parents seek out mental training services.

1. Lack of confidence — Inevitably, athletes go through tough developmental phases, for a variety of reasons. Common ones can be attributed to adolescent brain development. Athletes experience a sudden drop in confidence and tend to overthink, and often feel overwhelmed by pressure.

2. Excessive nerves — In today’s pressure-filled youth sport culture, athletes feel tremendous pressure to get it right. As valuable as this can be, there’s a very fine line between pushing to get it right, and fearing failure. Fear of failure is caring more about not making a mistake, than being willing to take a risk and try to make something great happen.

3. Seeking a competitive edge — More and more athletes, coaches, teams and organizations are adding mental training to their training proactively to avoid some of the pitfalls associated with weak mental performance, such as being focused and an inability to let go of mistakes.

4. Recovering from injury — Overuse injuries are happening in epidemic numbers in youth sports. Ask any athlete who has suffered an ACL tear or severe concussion and they will tell you that recovering and returning to your sport with confidence is both a physical and mental process.

Despite all the growing attention on mental development on the sports field, there are still myths that persist about doing the work.

MYTH Mental training is for “athletes with mental problems.” Truth: While there are clinical services specifically for athletes with mental health problems, the vast majority of athlete and team needs fall under non-clinical mental training services. The focus here is skill development to learn how to manage and leverage your mental performance.

MYTH Mental training is for “weak” athletes. Truth: Mental training is for athletes who seek to gain every advantage. Because our mental performance controls our ability to access our physical, technical and tactical performance, mental training is an excellent investment.

MYTH We don’t have time for metal training. Truth: Like all training, mental training does take time, effort and a strong commitment. However, since it has the potential to positively impact every other aspect of your training, mental training is an excellent use of time, energy and money.

What does being mentally fit “look like?” Mentally fit is calm. Even for sports or positions that require very high intensity (offensive lineman), the mentally fit still have a calm mind.

Mentally fit is confident. Whether it’s a good day out or a tough day, confidence remains. Lessons are learned quickly and mistakes are deleted from memory.

Mentally fit is care-free. The athlete is able to let go of worry, comparisons and stay present and focused.

Mentally fit is motivated. Athletes who value mental fitness are driven to explore every method to develop themselves.

Mentally fit is focused. Being able to control your field (court, course) vision and make quick, correct decisions come from well-developed focus skills.

It’s time for you to reap all the great benefits that the pros do. With the help of technology, mental skills are well within reach for most athletes. ✪ Erika Carlson is a CEO and certified mental trainer at Mental Training, Inc. in Pleasanton.

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Reviewing Reconstruction New Take On ACL Surgery Gaining Positive Traction health watch: dr. nirav k. pandya With the increase in organized youth participation in sports, there has been a parallel increase in the number of patients who suffer injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Without a solid ACL, the knee can become unstable and arthritic. As a result, when an athlete tears his or her ACL, the most common decision is to elect to undergo surgery.

Currently, the ACL is reconstructed — meaning that a piece of tissue from another part of the body is used to create a new ACL. This piece of tissue is placed through small holes in the thigh bone and the shin bone, and fully incorporates into the body around nine months after surgery.

Typically, the tissue utilized is either the hamstring tendon or a bone-patellar-tendon graft (using tissue and bone from the front of the knee) from the patient’s operative leg.

Although the use of cadaver tissue rather than one’s own tissue may be appealing, large studies have shown that the re-injury rate in young patients with cadaver graft is several-fold higher than using one’s own tissue.

While the success rates of ACL reconstruction have improved over the past decade in young athletes, there are secondary downsides. Patients may experience temporary (and sometimes even permanent) pain, decreased strength and flexibility with the use of their own tissue. In addition, the rate of re-injury can still be as high as 15-20 percent.

In fact, some studies suggest that up to 80 percent of patients will develop some form of arthritis 15-20 years after surgery To help decrease this rate of re-injury and degenerative changes, there are exciting new surgical techniques being developed which can help to maintain the patient’s own ACL tissue. A procedure is now being developed called the bridge-enhanced ACL repair. This procedure allows an athlete to maintain their remaining ACL tissue with a bridging scaffold (a sponge injected with a patient’s blood) placed in the area where the ACL is torn. No other tissue is needed (i.e. hamstring or patellar tendon).

This technique is in its initial stages of investigation at Boston Children’s Hospital, and has shown early promising results. Longterm studies are necessary to determine how this procedure performs in the long run, but it may represent a huge change in the manner in which ACL surgery is performed.

Yet, the most important component, regardless of the technology and techniques being developed, is the athlete’s dedication to rehabilitation after surgery. There is no science that can replace hard work, and it will always be the most important component of a successful surgery. ✪ Dr. Nirav K. Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric sports injuries at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. He sees patients and operates in Oakland, Walnut Creek and their facility in San Francisco.

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IRON KIDS Young Athletes Can Start Lifting Earlier Than You Think

POWERED BY TRUCKS: ANTHONY TRUCKS I get a question a lot, one that comes with an answer that sparks tons of praise or anger: “When should my child start to lift?”

My typical responses is, “as early as possible.” At first read that answer seems odd, right?

It‘s in fact the correct answer though. With a heavy assumption that you‘re teaching the child to lift correctly.

Keep in mind that when I say lift I‘m also talking about lifting things as simple as their own body weight. You see that is where many people drop the ball. They don‘t realize that lifting can be something as light as a shoe or resistance bands.

What usually happens is that kids turn 14 or 15 and then mom, dad, or coach think it‘s all of a sudden OK to put them under heavy weights because they‘ve come of age.

They‘re then forced to lift weights being unstable, weak and inexperienced. It‘s a perfect recipe for disaster. The reason I say as early as possible is to counter those exact problems, allowing the young athlete to be competent and ready to take on a heavier load by the time they progress into heavier weights.

This equates to less injuries, and in time, much stronger and more coordinated athletes because they will have been preparing for years. They‘ll understand how their bodies move, and will be more coachable on mechanics than athletes who haven‘t done any prep.

So get your kid started now with body weight and proper biomechanics of movement, and you‘ll have a powerhouse of an athlete later when it really starts to count. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers weight training for SportStars.

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37

IF YOU GET STRONGER THEN YOU’LL BE

FASTER training time: tim rudd

If athletes want to get faster then they must focus on intensity. Trying harder, getting stronger and getting more powerful than they are now is going to determine whether or not they get faster.

This is a fact I believe most coaches, parents and athletes just don’t understand. Athletes can run with perfect form, perform agility drills, etc. — but if they have no horsepower, they have no speed. Becoming stronger and more powerful will make all their speed and running skills easier to learn and perform well.

If an athlete get stronger and more powerful in the weight room, they he or she have an easier time maintaining optimal acceleration angles and balance, but only through building strength and power.

The skills necessary for optimizing speed such as arm drive; front side/back side mechanics, posture, core strength and multi-directional control, will all improve with more strength and power. It really is intensity that drives athletes to greater strength and power. Intensity can also improve technique due to increases in the stability of joints and greater muscle recruitment throughout the body for muscles which produce and resist force. The higher degree of voluntary tension throughout the muscles of the body also reduces the types of joint stress which can often lead to a higher injury potential. This means more time playing and less time injured.

Maximizing one’s strength and intensity will always result the highest output of power and athletic ability. It’s simple; if athletes want to maximize their power and explosiveness, then they have to be able to generate the highest amount of strength in the shortest period of time. This simply is the definition of speed: How fast an athletes can produce force (strength).

The bottom line is that stronger and more powerful athletes will always dominate on the field and court of play. This is one of the most important reasons for investing time in the weight room during the season and throughout the offseason. The result is an athlete who will simply be faster, more athletic — and most importantly — more resistant to injury. ✪ Tim Rudd is an IYCA specialist in youth conditioning and owner of Fit2TheCore.

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