Digital Weekly Issue 47, July 13, 2016

JULY 13, 2016 DIGITAL WEEKLY 47

Darne Duckett Bay Area Warriors Gold/ St. Josepth Notre Dame HS

Dale Butler/Ceres Courier

CAL-HI SPORTS MS. SOFTBALL 2016

s e t a B e l o c i N

Ceres’ Senior Shortstop Becomes The Sac-Joaquin Section’s First Ms. Softball In More Than A Decade Ceres High infielder Nicole Bates nudged Gatorade National Player of the Year Madilyn Nickles of Merced for top local honor in Stanislaus/Merced County — and did the same for the state’s highest, longestrunning individual softball selection. It’s another tough choice in a sport that has seen several in recent years.

In some years, the area known in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section as the Stanislaus District does not even get one softball player up onto the 30-player list of the Cal-Hi Sports Super Elite All-State Team. This year, however, it’s not a stretch whatsoever to say the final top two players on the board to be the 2016 Ms. Softball State Player of the Year were both from the Stanislaus District, which basically covers Stanislaus and Merced counties and is the main coverage area of the Modesto Bee. When one of those two players, Merced infielder/pitcher Madilyn Nickles, was chosen as the Gatorade National Player of the Year, thoughts immediately turned to Bates. Nickles also was the popular choice on a Cal-Hi Sports twitter poll among nine statewide finalists, but the Modesto Bee voted Bates as its player of the year.

In the end, we agree with the Bee. Bates not only edged Nickles for the local honor, but she also edges out several other finalists — primarily Etiwanda senior Vanessa Taukeiaho and Mission Viejo junior Camryn Ybarra — and is the 2016 Ms. Softball State Player of the Year.

“Thank you so much,” Bates said on a late June evening while having dinner with her club team, the Rico Firecrackers, after playing two games at a tournament in Colorado. “It’s hard to believe.”

Bates is not the first-ever Ms. Softball winner from the SJS, but she’s the first from Stanislaus County. The last State Player of the Year from the section was Katie Cotta of Linden in 2005. Others have been Anjelica Selden of Vanden-Fairfield in (2004), Alicia Hollowell-Fairfield (2002), Andrea Vidlund of Casa Roble-Orangevale (1999), Karen Jackson of Roseville (1990) and Shawn Andaya of Lodi (1983).

The key for Bates, who will next play at Washington, is that she led Ceres to a section title in combination with being one of the top 10 national recruits in her class, according to FloSoftball.com. She also put her name into the state record book in numerous career and season categories.

In the team’s final series against Benicia for the SJS Division III title, Bates went 6-for-7 with two doubles and helped turn a double play that ended the deciding game. Ceres (23-5, No. 2 in final Div. III state rankings and No. 31 overall) won its first section title in 21 years and won in a bracket that included two other teams, East Union-Manteca and Oakdale, that were in the State Top 20 for most of the season.

“The whole thing (for being Ms. Softball) is because of our team,” Bates said. “It was a big accomplishment for us to win that title, and it was a lot of fun. A lot of the girls I’ve been playing with since we were a very young age. Our chemistry was really good and that really helped us out.”

For the season, Bates racked up a career-best batting average (.571) on 60 hits (a total that gets her into the record book). She also had 33 RBI, five homers and struck out just five times in 113 plate appearances.

It’s Bates’ career totals, however, that made more of a difference. Her career batting average in 114 games (.512) plus her career hits (205), doubles (31), triples (22) and runs (171) all gain entry into the state record book. Her runs also ranks in the top five in state history while her hits total is in the top 10.

Nickles made a strong case as well, leading a young Merced team that also only had one other senior with travel ball experience to the SJS Div. I semifinals. She also pitched for the Bears and despite splitting time as the starter in her freshman and sophomore seasons still had more than 800 career strikeouts. Nickles also had more doubles (56) and homers (25) in her career than Bates. Last summer, she was the only high school junior on the U.S.A. Junior National Team.

“Madilyn has been fun to play with when that’s happened,” said Bates, who played on a team with Nickles when they both were 10 and sometimes works out alongside Nickles at Bonsu Elite Athletics. “She’s a great player. She can do it all.”

The duo will meet again in Pac-12 games with Nickles at UCLA and Bates at Washington.

“I’m just trying to work on perfecting the little things,” Bates said of her goals for the rest of the summer.

“I’d just like to go in there (to Washington) and help out in any way I can.”

While she’s doing that, Bates might just have a little extra bounce in her step as the Ms. Softball State Player of the Year. ✪ — Mark Tennis, Cal-Hi Sports This article previously appeared on CalHiSports.com. Be sure to visit the site throughout July as it releases its All-State Baseball and Softball selections.

ALL-TIME MS. SOFTBALL Players of the Year (NorCal selections in bold) 2016 — Nicole Bates, Ceres INF 2015 — Taylor McQuillin, Mission Viejo P 2014 — Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley-Pleasanton P-DH 2013 — Kylie Reed, Norco INF 2012 — Emily Lockman, Norco P 2011 — Lauren Sweet, Santiago-Corona C 2010 — Jessica Hall, Ayala-Chino Hills P 2009 — Keilani Ricketts, Archbishop Mitty-San Jose P-DH 2008 — Jessica Spigner, Valencia P-SS 2007 — Jordan Taylor, Valencia P 2006 — Amanda Williams, Freedom-Oakley P 2005 — Katie Cotta, Linden P-DH 2004 — Anjelica Selden, Vanden-Fairfield P 2003 — Lisa Dodd, University City-San Diego P-DH 2002 — Alicia Hollowell, Fairfield P 2001 — Marissa Marzan, Bullard-Fresno P 2000 — Jamie Southern, Clovis, P-INF 1999 — Andrea Vidlund, Casa Roble-Orangevale, P 1998 — Amanda Freed, Pacifica-Garden Grove, P 1997 — Amanda Freed, Pacifica-Garden Grove, P 1996 — Amanda Scott, Clovis P 1995 — Courtney Dale, Bullard-Fresno P (Jr.) 1994 — Sara Griffin, Simi Valley P 1993 — Sara Griffin, Simi Valley P 1992 — Leah O’Brien, Don Lugo-Chino P 1991 — Jennifer Brundage, Irvine P 1990 — Karen Jackson, Roseville P 1989 — Lisa Fernandez, St. Joseph-Lakewood P 1988 — Michele Granger, Valencia-Placentia P 1987 — Michele Granger, Valencia-Placentia P 1986 — Michele Granger, Valencia-Placentia P 1985 — Jackie Oakley, Ocean View-Huntington Beach P 1984 — Samantha Ford, Hart-Newhall P 1983 — Shawn Andaya, Lodi P 1982 — Kandy Foust, Righetti-Santa Maria P 1981 — Tracy Compton, Righetti-Santa Maria P 1980 — Tracy Compton, Righetti-Santa Maria P 1979 — Mary Lou Ramm, Hilltop-Chula Vista P 1978 — Teri Young, El Segundo P 1977 — Karen Andrews, Henry-San Diego P 1976 — Jan Jeffers, Lompoc P 1975 — Barbara Reinalda, Valley Christian-Cerritos P 1974 — Barbara Reinalda, Valley Christian-Cerritos P

Redding Soccer Park Plans For A Busy Late Summer And Fall Once the Northern California weather finally dips back into double digits, Redding Soccer Park will be the place to be this fall.

Competitive and recreational programs from throughout the western region, most specifically NorCal, Oregon and Nevada, will be sending teams to Redding for a pair of noteworthy tournaments on the Redding Soccer Park schedule.

First on the schedule is the Wonderland Tournament on Sept. 24-25. The Wonderland Tournament is for competitive boys and girls programs in divisions U10-U12, and recreation programs from division U10-U19. There will be five teams per division with each team playing at least four matches.

One month later, Redding Soccer Park plays host to the SMASH Cup — a tournament geared toward raising breast health awareness and the “Think Pink” movement. The tournament features divisions for competitive U12-U19 teams and donates its proceeds to selected breast cancer charities, including

Nor-Cal Think Pink and The Love and Light Foundation.

Information on both of these tournaments, including how clubs can register their team, can be found ReddingSoccerPark.com/Tournaments.

The Redding Soccer Park is a jewel in the sports crown in Redding. The oneof-a-kind, “state-of-the-sport” 22-acre soccer facility boasts four all-weather synthetic turf NCAA regulation-sized lighted fields. The park is fully landscaped and features a half mile of concrete walkways, covered areas, misters and spectator seating, full concessions, clean restrooms and children play areas.

And if that’s not convincing enough, teams will be playing their tournament at a vacation destination. With mountains all around, miles of hiking and bik-

ing trails, a river running through it, and national parks nearby, Redding is an outdoor paradise for young and old alike. Cradled by Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, Redding has 300-plus sunny days per year.

Want a list of possibilities? Time magazine called Redding the Unofficial Capital of Kayaking for its “weird obsession“ with all things paddling. With temperate weather, nearby lakes and that river in the middle of town, it would be weird to not get out and enjoy it all! Let the good times flow with a visit to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, a great place to kayak, sail or just float on your back. So bring your team to Redding and enjoy the outdoors. ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Redding Soccer Park

Caldwell Park Triathalon

Get active with the Caldwell Park Triathlon!

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

Redding Soccer Park HUNTER TROY CLEGG MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT: Sept. 24-25, Competitive U10, U11, U12 and Recreation U10-U19 soccer tournament. Five teams max per division, guarantee of four games. $425 per team. www.

ReddingSoccerPark.com CHALLENGER SOCCER CAMP: July 25-29. Soccer camps for all ages. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com CHALLENGER SPORTS TETRA BRAZIL CAMP: July 11-15. www.ReddingSoccerPark.com

VIEW FROM

Tavian Henderson

M THE TOP With NCAA Viewing Period Underway, NorCal Boys Got A Head Start

SAN FRANCISCO – The one and only Northern California-certified event during the July NCAA viewing period — where Division I college coaches can observe players in-person — came off like a charm at the NorCal Summer Tip-Off held July 9-10 at City College of San Francisco.

The 7th Annual event produced

by Gerry Freitas showcased some of the top talent not just from Northern California but Oregon and Nevada as well.

There are no brackets or divisional winners, but unlike other certified events, every team is guaranteed four games. The top teams are preparing for the remainder of the NCAA viewing period at events in Los Angeles and Las Vegas later this month. To get at least four games in those events, winning is a key to advancing in tournaments that have divisional winners.

“Because Gerry’s event guarantees us four games, it gives us a chance BJ Shaw to get our feet back wet again after not playing for a month,” Oakland STORY BY HAROLD ABEND | Soldiers Elite Blue 17 head coach Raymond Thomas said. “It’s about trying to figure out stuff and lineups, plus we hadn’t had Tavian Henderson and (Brian) BJ Shaw with us. Both were coming off injuries and didn’t play with us when we won Gerry’s Memorial Day event.”

Henderson, a 6-4 wing from St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo, showed why he is one of Northern California’s solid incoming senior prospects. He doesn’t have any offers but does have interest from Air Force and UC Davis among others.

Thomas played Henderson sparingly over the weekend and tried to use him in several different lineups of the 11 players he used in each game. Henderson had 11 points and six rebounds with two assists in a 68-63 Saturday win over Chuck Hayes Basketball 17U comprised of players from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. On Sunday he had 10 points (two 3-pointers), four rebounds, three assists and two steals against Team West Coast from Las Vegas. He showed a good inside/out game and is a tough match-up for most guards and some forwards.

“My goal in this first event was to get better heading into LA and Vegas,” Hen-

derson said. “I feel like I was able to showcase some of my skills but I’m always working on improving.”

Shaw, a 6-5 incoming senior forward from Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland and the son of former O’Dowd standout, NBA player and newly-named Lakers assistant coach Brain Shaw, had a good showing himself. He had 10 points (two 3-pointers) and four rebounds against Chuck Hayes Basketball 17U and eight points and three rebounds against Team West Coast.

Shaw also has no offers but interest from San Francisco, UC Irvine and Sacramento State plus a few others according to Thomas.

Chuck Hayes Basketball featured incoming 6-1 senior guard Darrian Grays of Modesto Christian. Besides having a strong move to the basket, he is an exceptional shooter. He had a game-high 18 points against the Oakland Soldiers that included four 3-pointers. The Chuck Hayes squad also featured 5-11 guard Jared Rice, who is also an outstanding running PHOTOS BY BERRY EVANS III back at defending CIF Small School Open Division State Bowl champion Central Catholic-Modesto. He had 11 points and three steals against the Oakland Soldiers.

Several other Soldiers played well. Incoming senior guard Bryant “BJ” Stanley Jr. from St. Patrick-St. Vincent, who has interest from UC Davis as well as some Div. II schools, had six points and four assists against Chuck Hayes Basketball and five points and five assists against Team West Coast.

Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco incoming 6-7 senior forward Ramzi Carter Jr. played very well on both ends of the floor for the Soldiers during the Team West Coast game. He finished with a team-high 11 points and six rebounds.

Rodriguez-Fairfield incoming senior 6-5 forward Zavier Lucero had nine points and 10 points in the two games, respectively. St. Patrick-St. Vincent incoming senior 6-6 wing Romeo Mays had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists against Chuck Hayes Basketball.

Another player for Chuck Hayes Basketball that made a favorable impression

was incoming 6-4 junior guard Wesley WilliamsBurse from Enochs-Modesto.

Romeo Mays

DUCKETT TO THE BUCKET In a bit of an upset on Saturday, the Bay Area Warriors Gold jumped all over the NorCal Renegades and its 6-7 senior forward Tydus Verhoeven from defending state-champion Manteca. Even with 2016 Manteca grad Anand Hundal, a 6-10 center, playing to try and get a scholarship, the boys from the SJS could not overcome the quickness of the Bay Area Warriors backcourt, and in particular Darne Duckett. Whether he was going to the bucket, hitting the mid-range jumper or playing solid defense, the 6-1 guard of St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. He’s still awaiting his first official offer.

Another player to look for in the future is Tony Covington, a lightning-like quick guard who can get to the rack or pull up and shoot the 3. He missed last season after transferring to Hayward-Mt. Eden from De La Salle-Concord. He had 13 points with three 3-pointers against the NorCal Renegades.

On Sunday, the Bay Area Warriors Gold were simply overmatched in an 89-50 loss to a Fly Select team featuring players from the Portland area. Duckett still had a solid game and finished with 14 points (two 3-pointers), three assists and three steals. Tyler Hillman, a 6-4 wing from Sacred Heart Cathedral, had a team-high 18 points including two 3-pointers.

MAKING A SPLASH Due to other commitments the McClanahan twins from Salesian-Richmond, incoming sophomore guards Jaden and Jovon, did not play for Splash City 15. However, another incoming sophomore, 6-3 Will Chavarin of Bishop O’Dowd and some incoming freshmen looked very good in two games observed on Sunday.

Chavarin had three 3-pointers en route to 10 points and six rebounds, but the kid that really turned heads was Dublin incoming freshman Robbie Beasley.

His high-energy game helped the 6-3 guard to 15 points, five steals, five rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots in a win over Salt Lake Metro of Utah.

“Beasley will be one of the top incoming freshmen in Northern California,” said California Preps Rivals. com/Yahoo Sports analyst Brandon Tatera.

In a 68-63 loss to 1Team 1Dream from Modesto, Beasley had 14 points including three 3-pointers.

“I want to try and show I can make the right basketball plays, and not just for me but by moving the ball around to create for my teammates,” Beasley said.

Another Splash City incoming frosh that impressed scouts and coaches was 6-7, Salesian-bound Tyler Brinkman. He had no fear against older boys in the paint. ✪ For an expanded version of this report, including more notes and more players to watch, visit CalHiSports.com.

Bryant Stanley Jr. Tyler Brinkman

Zavier Lucero

Summer Sanders Swim Meet Completes Its 19th Year With Great Success The Roseville Aquatics Complex was literally swimming with hundreds of Olympic hopefuls from June 9-12 due to the Summer Sanders Long Course JR+Swim Meet.

This year the incredible four-day event was dubbed, “The Last Chance U.S. Olympic Trials” because of it being an Olympic year and it was many swimmers’ final opportunity to achieve a qualifying time for the official trials which took place in Omaha, Neb., from June 26 to July 3.

For the 19th year in a row, California Capital Aquatics, Roseville’s year-round premier USA Swimming Olympic development team, hosted this event which showcased talented swimmers from 57 different teams from the West Coast. CCA Board Advisor and Executive Director for Sierra Nevada Swimming Denna Culpepper said this year was a tremendous success on multiple levels.

“We had more than 800 swimmers each day and several records were broken,” Culpepper said.

Junction City Silver Cup Nears Roseville Youth Soccer Club is ready to kick-off the competitive tournament season with the Junction City Silver Cup on July 16-17. “This year we will hold our largest and hopefully most successful tournament on record,” Roseville Youth Soccer Club’s President, John Sommercamp said. “We plan to have 180 teams competing from ages 8 to 18.”

Every team is guaranteed at least three games and the competition will be fierce. Both California Youth Soccer Association teams as well as U.S. Club teams will participate, and many age divisions have two brackets to accommodate the most competitive play.

Nine parks in Roseville will be utilized for this two-day tournament including Maidu, Kaseberg, Veteran’s Memorial and Wanish Park. There is no fee for parking or spectators; however there will be vendors at several of the parks with snacks and refreshments for purchase. Go to rosevillesoccer.com for more information, or to sign up to receive text messages on your phone with the final scores on your favorite teams. ✪ All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism

“I know we had 15 Olympic Trials cuts total from nine swimmers, as some made more than one cut. You could just feel the excitement in the air.”

Besides the Olympic magic that was unfolding, another highlight was former Olympic swimmer and Roseville native Summer Sanders made an appearance. Not only did she lend encouragement, but was also there to support the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in their “Block the Blaze” campaign that is designed to educate the public about skin cancer prevention.

“Since joining the CCA family four years ago and being involved in this event, I can say that at each and every one Summer Sanders has taken the time out of her busy schedule to drop by during one day of the meet to sign autographs, take pictures and talk to and encourage the swimmers,” CCA Meet Director Alex Oncago said. “It makes me feel proud to be part of this team and part of this wonderful sport; it is an honor to have one of Roseville‘s beloved come back and show support for her sport and her hometown.” ✪

SUMMER NOTEBOOK SWIMMING & DIVING

Ewert Helps U.S. Spike Cuba Another summer, another former Northern California high school standout helping a junior national team win an international competition.

Behind the dominant outside hitting of 2015 Deer Valley High graduate, Jordan Ewert, the USA Men’s Volleyball Junior National Team swept its way to gold at the NORCECA Under-21 Continental Championships in Quebec, Canada, on July 9 — a win which qualified it for the 2017 FIVB U21 World Championships next summer.

The U.S. defeated Barbados, St. Vincent and host Canada in straight sets to reach the finals where they matched up against Cuba. Against Cuba, the U.S. jumped out to an early lead by taking the first sets 25-17 and 29-27. Cuba responded by winning the third set 25-19, but the U.S. closed the door 25-22 in the fourth frame.

Ewert, who just completed his first year at Stanford, had a team-best 18 kills in the final and was awarded Best Spiker of the tournament. Setter Josh Tuaniga, a Long Beach native, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. In addition to Ewert, the U.S. roster included a pair of other Bay Area natives in middle blocker Jake Cole (Campolindo-Moraga/Pepperdine) and setter Joe Worsley (Campolindo/Hawaii).

GIRLS BASKETBALL The Cal Stars Nike Elite girls basketball team run by Miramonte-Orinda coach Kelly Sopak went 7-0 to wrap up its second consecutive End of the Oregon Trail title in Oregon City, Oregon, from July 5-8. The star-studded roster includes Aquira DeCosta, Naje’ Murray and Ariel Johnson (St. Mary’s-Stockton), Loretta Kakala (Manteca), Elle Louie (Miramonte) and Jordan Cruz (McClatchy-Sacramento)

While CarondeletConcord graduate and 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin failed to qualify for her fourth Olympics, the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team roster for the Rio Games will still include a North Coast Section record-holder.

Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa graduate Maya DiRado, whose NCS Championship Meet record in the 200-yard individual medley still stands, will be headed to South America in August to compete in both the 200- and 400-meter IMs. Only two NCS Championship Meet records predate DiRado’s 200yard IM mark of 1 minute, 56.17 seconds which she set as a senior in 2010.

Those records belong to Las Lomas-Walnut Creek grad Kasey Carlson, who set the 100-yard breaststroke mark as a junior in 2009, and Coughlin, whose 100-yard backstroke record has stood since 1999.

De La Salle-Concord 2011 graduate Kristian Ipsen has secured a roster spot for his second Olympic games. He paired with Troy Dumais to win a bronze in 3-meter synchro diving at the London Games in 2012. In Rio, he will get his first chance to compete as an individual.

Fueling For Success nutrition: jill daniels

Nutrition habits before practice just as vital as before a game Eating well before practice is just as important as eating well before competition. If you are well fueled, you’ll be better able to train hard, which means that you’ll have an edge over the competition. Many athletes show up to practice without appropriate fuel on board, which results in muscle fatigue, inability to focus, lack of energy and difficulty working at higher intensities.

Fueling properly before practice can provide these benefits: ›› Increased energy ›› Improved mental focus ›› Greater endurance and strength ›› Hunger prevention ›› Improved mood and attitude ›› Decreased risk of injury One key component is to eat carbohydrates before you train. Carbohydrates are your body’s main energy source and preferred fuel, especially for working at higher intensities. Protein and fat are also important, but since they take longer for your body to digest, make sure to allow time for that. Depending on your schedule, you

may choose to eat four hours before practice, one hour before, or somewhere in between. The closer you get to your practice time, the less food you want to eat. This way, food isn’t sitting in your stomach weighing you down as you’re training.

Every athlete’s body is unique, and each athlete has individual goals and challenges. Customize these suggestions and portion sizes so that you’re not hungry during practice, but you’re also not too full with food jostling around in your stomach while training.

On competition day, stick with the foods, portions and meal timing that you’re familiar with. Once you’ve found something that works for you on training days, implement that for days you compete. Avoid trying new foods on these days since you don’t know how your body will react. You don’t want to risk being sidelined for stomach distress.

Eat well, play hard and have fun! ✪ Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD is a Registered Dietitian in the Bay Area of Northern California who specializes in sports nutrition and weight management. She works with people of all ages. Visit her on the web at JillDanielsRD.com

WHEN TO EAT WHAT Hours Before Activity

1 2 3 4

Calories Examples 100-200

Banana or granola bar or smoothie

200-400 Yogurt &

graham crackers 400-600

Tuna sandwich & pretzels

600-800

Chicken with pasta & veggies

What can you build with a 40-ton pile-of-rock and a quarter-mile walkway in the desert? A wicked Radio-Controlled Rock Crawler Adventure Trail.

In the spring, Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area proudly unveiled its new RC rock crawler trail. This new park feature provides RC enthusiasts countless obstacles to maneuver while traveling along a trail that is engineered to test their skills while practicing the Tread Lightly principles of trail etiquette and responsible recreation practices.

While traversing the trail, operators encounter numerous obstacles including bridges, tunnels, canyons, the mountain of doom, a teeter-totter, and of course, plenty of rocks to challenge their patience and route planning. The new RC trail has something for everyone — easier routes for those still wet behind the ears, moderate routes for those with a little more confidence, and difficult to extreme routes for those highly skilled trail bosses.

As gnarly as the obstacles are on the trail, the RC vehicles found maneuvering them are just as legit as those found in the park’s full-sized 4x4 vehicle obstacle course. Today’s RC vehicles have evolved to be more authentic and functional than the first offroad RC vehicles that appeared in the late 1970s.

In fact, crawlers today are built with fully functional off-road suspension systems, rebuildable and exchangeable engines, operating LED lighting and winches, a wide selection of tires to choose from, as well as upgraded grille and body kits to aggrandize your ride. The wide-range of gearing options and add-on accessories allow today’s crawlers to not only conquer a wide-variety of terrain, but look awesome.

So, grab your rock crawler and head out to Ocotillo Wells SVRA to test your crawlin‘ skills along its new one-of-a-kind RC trail. See you there! ✪ — Copy and photo provided by Ocotillo Wells SVRA staff, California State Parks

OCOTILLO WELLS STATE VEHICULAR RECREATION AREA 5172 Highway 78 Borrego Springs, CA 92004

www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/ocotillowells