OCTOBER 13, 2016 DIGITAL WEEKLY 50
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SERRA-SAN MATEO - FOOTBALL - SENIOR The Padres’ dual-threat quarterback was at his best in leading host Serra to a thrilling 41-40 overtime upset of previously-unbeaten St. Francis-Mountain View on Oct. 9. It was Nunn’s 2-point conversion pass to Shane Villaroman that provided the final score on Serra’s first OT possession. That play followed the quarterback’s second rushing touchdown of the game, a 5-yard scramble that cut St. Francis’ lead to 40-39. Nunn accounted for six total touchdowns in the game. He threw for 231 yards and four scores, and rushed 20 times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Serra, which began its season 0-4 due to a staggeringly tough nonleague schedule, is now 2-1 in West Catholic Athletic League action and sits just one game back of Valley Christian-San Jose (6-0, 3-0 WCAL). The Padres lost to the Warriors 35-28 on Sept. 23. Valley Christian still must play Bellarmine-San Jose on Oct. 15 and St. Francis on Oct. 28, though.
MIDDLE
SCHOOL MAULERS
Placer Valley To Host West Region Of FBU National Championships Placer Valley has been selected as a host region for the West bracket of the Football University (FBU) National Championship. Twenty-four all-star youth teams showcasing 6th, 7th and 8th grade football stars will take to the fields on Dec. 2-5 in hopes of moving onto the National Championships in Naples, Florida, starting Dec. 17. The Path to Naples is the theme of this year’s FBU National Championship, and stand-out youth football players from coast to coast will be vying to reach that path. The first three rounds take place across four regional locales — Midwest, West, South and East — with a total of 192 teams battling it out. “We are thrilled Placer Valley is West Region host,” said Douglas Berman, Chairman of All-American Games (AAG), the organization that owns and produces the FBU National Championships. “We know that our youth athletes and their families will have an amazing time there, and the facilities and venues available are worldclass.” Teams from San Diego, the Central Valley, the Bay Area, Sacramento, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are slated for the West bracket. Games in Placer Valley will be played at both the Ostrom Football Stadium at Sierra College in Rocklin and Mahany Park All-Weather Field in Roseville. Serving as the perfect ending to the youth football season, this is one event you truly won’t want to miss. So mark your calendars and come watch the country’s football stars of the future take the fields in Placer Valley! ✪
IT’S A BONANZA Traditionally a hugely popular sport on the East Coast, lacrosse has been inching its way west over the past few decades and is now one of the fastest growing sports on the West Coast. Tenacity Project, a premier all-girls lacrosse club with four separate locations that specialize in competitive programs and camps, has been a driving force in helping this sport grow in the Sacramento region. Currently Tenacity Project is gearing up to host its 5th Annual Bonanza Tournament in Placer Valley on Nov. 5-6. Seventy teams are expected to compete, and the players will be coming from California, Oregon, Washington, Utah and possibly even a few more states. There will be six different divisions ranging from U9 through elite level high school players. “The top division is made up of elite college prospects and players who have already committed to playing at some level in college,” said Chelsea Randel, the East Bay Program & Event Coordinator for Tenacity Project. “We will have many college coaches in attendance this year looking at possible recruits.” Bonanza has earned a reputation as the most competitive fall tournament in the West for both high school and middle school clubs. All teams will have a four-game guarantee and the tournament will follow a championship format. “We are thrilled to be hosting Bonanza in Placer Valley, at Cherry Island Soccer Complex,” Tenacity Project office coordinator, Carlin Ober said. “It is a great exhibition of West Coast girls lacrosse. Placer Valley has been a great host for us and our partners Nike, STX, SlingIt Lacrosse, Muscle Milk and the One Love Foundation, all who are working to support our mission to empower girls through sports.” ✪ — All copy and photos provided by Placer Valley Tourism
It took the end of a 50-game win streak over section opponents for the Folsom defense to find itself Story by Jim McCue Photos by James K. Leash At left, Folsom’s Braeden Anderson closes in as teammate Devon Serzynski puts the big hit on a Del Oro runner.
D Records are through Oct. 8 1. (1) — De La Salle-Concord 5-1 2. (4) ▲ Clayton Valley Chrtr-Con. 5-1 3. (5) ▲ St. Mary’s-Stockton 5-1 4. (6) ▲ Monte Vista-Danville 6-0 5. (7) ▲ Pittsburg 6-0 6. (9) ▲ Valley Christian-San Jose 6-0 7. (8) ▲ Folsom 5-1 8. (3) ▼ St. Francis-Mountian View 5-1 9. (2) ▼ Del Oro-Loomis 6-1 10. (10) — Bellarmine-San Jose 4-2 11. (11) — Oak Ridge-El Dorado HIlls 5-1 12. (12) — Elk Grove 5-1 13. (14) ▲ Freedom-Oakley 6-0 14. (15) ▲ Sacramento 5-1 15. (NR) ▲ American Canyon 6-0 16. (16) — California-San Ramon 5-1 17. (13) ▼ Antioch 3-3 18. (NR) ▲ Grant-Sacramento 5-1 19. (18) ▼ Sutter 6-0 20. (NR) ▲ Antelope 6-0 DROPPED OUT: No. 17 Milpitas, No. 19 Jesuit-Carmichael and No. 20 MiramonteOrinda 5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (5-1), Heritage-Brentwood (6-0), Manteca (6-0), SerraSan Mateo (2-4) and San Benito-Hollister (7-0). TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 13
o your job. Nothing more and nothing less. That is paramount to playing defense in high school football. And defense wins championships — even at an offensive powerhouse like Folsom. “Our focus is just on playing sound defense and everyone doing their job,” said senior linebacker and captain Brad Jenner of the Bulldogs’ defensive philosophy. “If we do that, then we know that we will be efficient, effective and successful.” Folsom is hitting its stride on defense in the midst of the challenging Sierra Foothill League schedule, and another Sac-Joaquin Section playoff run on the notso-distant horizon. Since suffering a 32-27 upset loss to Sacramento High in their final nonleague game on Sept. 16, the Bulldogs have regrouped and raised their game on defense. Folsom (6-1, 3-0 SFL) allowed 32 points in three quarters in the loss to the Dragons, but have surrendered just 28 points in 12 quarters of league play, including a convincing 42-7 victory over league rival and defending CIF State Bowl champion Del OroLoomis. That victory followed a shutout of perennial power Granite Bay, and would have been a second consecutive blanking of an SFL foe except for a lastminute touchdown scored by the Golden Eagles. “It really was some of the intangibles that we were missing earlier in the season,” defensive coordinator Sam Cole said of the recent defensive improvement. “There wasn’t a change in scheme, but the guys began to believe in each other more and trust that everyone is doing their job. That was the most positive change.” According to Cole, the Bulldogs were trying to do too much on defense and were concerned with other players’ assignments in addition to their own. Cole, in his first season of solely leading his alma mater’s defense, is a former defensive back who played at American River College and Division II Tarleton College in Texas. He was mentored by former Folsom defensive coordinators Max Miller and Lou Baiz. In 2014, he and Val Laolagi co-coordinated a Bulldogs’ defense that allowed just 10.3 points per game en route to the program’s second CIF State Bowl championship. Cole served as a defensive intern at Montana State University last year before returning to Folsom with a goal of leading the defense to the elite level that could increase the team’s chance to advance to another state final. The Bulldogs allowed 64 points in the first two games, but Folsom tallied 97 points in those contests to comfortably open the season 2-0. In the third week, Cole’s defense recorded a shutout of Pleasant GroveElk Grove before the fateful Week 4 loss to Sac High. “I definitely looked at it as a wake up call,” Jenner said of the program’s first regular-season loss since 2011. “Just because we have ‘Folsom’ on our jersey does not mean that we are going to win without put-
ting in the work. I think that we were humbled.” Along with humility came the start of the SFL schedule when Folsom began to assert itself defensively. A 42-21 win over Woodcreek-Roseville started the process before the transformation was complete in the victories over Granite Bay and Del Oro. “We are finally getting healthy on that side of the ball,” head coach Kris Richardson said. “Ariel Ngata was basically playing on one leg for most of the early part of the season, and we have been able to move some pieces around. “It’s about having your best players on the field and to play with confidence.” Confidence and speed have been key, according to Cole, who wants his defenders to be fast and never stop. “We’re not big, but we are fast and play with a lot of intensity,” Cole said. “We have linebackers playing on the defensive line, but even if they get blocked or double-teamed, their motor does not stop.” Along with Jenner, Shawn Johnson, Drew Holt and Devon Serzynski have been solid at linebacker while Drew Rupchock, Austin Alvarez, Maurice Gaines and Tanner Ward have played key roles in the secondary. But the success stems from the play of the defensive line, according to Jenner. “I think that the line has really stepped it up and put it into gear,” Jenner said. “When they are on their game, they are very hard to deal with and that sets the rest of the defense up for success.” The University of Washington-commit, Ngata, gets plenty of attention as a speed rusher on the edge, but Micah Iverson, Cruz Lara, and Keoni Zagata-Vera have helped anchor the unit. Zagata-Vera leads the team with 9.5 sacks and the front four have steadily slowed opposing defenses, especially in SFL action. Jenner credits Cole for his energy as well as his football acumen for re-igniting the fire on defense heading into the home stretch. “He is more energetic than other coaches that I have played for, but he also has all of the knowledge and wisdom as any coach that I have ever had,” Jenner said. “He is always coaching.” Cole’s next lesson plan will be to prepare for upstart Nevada Union-Grass Valley, a young team that has stretched SFL foes to the limit this season despite failing to record a league victory in 2016 as of Oct. 8. To close out the season, Folsom will travel to Rocklin and host neighboring Oak Ridge. “I still want to see us take the ball away more, to get the ball back to our offense, and we can get better at stopping the run,” Cole said. “But we are making strides in the right direction and can continue to move forward if we stay true to our identity.” That’s the job Folsom’s defense will be asked to do. Nothing more and nothing less. ✪
COME & RIDE! Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area 1300 White Rock Road Rancho Cordova, CA 95742 www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/ prairiecity
State Vehicle Recreation Areas A Perfect Place To Discover, Use Newest Eco-Friendly Motorcycles Turn the key to start the motor. Do you hear it? Shockingly, you will hear only the sound of silence. Imagine seeing riders on motorcycles but hearing no engine. Electric vehicles create the sound of silence in your neighborhood, on the streets, and at off-highway vehicle (OHV) parks. Electric vehicles, such as Zero Motorcycles, are making this possible. Through technology, people can enjoy off-highway vehicle recreation in OHV parks while reducing the use of fossil fuels or greenhouse gas emissions to protect the environment. One goal of California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division is to reduce the use of carbon fuels for sustainability of parks so future generations can continue to enjoy recreating on spectacular public lands. With the goal of creating a sustainable future for OHV recreation in mind, the staff at Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) purchased two Zero electric motorcycles in 2015 that rangers ride to patrol the park. The Zero motorcycles get plenty of notice from park visitors. With dual sport tires, Zero motorcycles can operate on dirt and paved roads. It’s
easy to ride, with no clutch to reduce fatigue. Better yet, no gasoline or oil. With its sleek, sporty design, the bike features Bluetooth compatibility which allows the rider to control the torque and speed directly from their smartphone. To fuel the bike, all the rider has to do is simply plug into an electrical outlet. The company, Zero, strives “to produce high performance electric motorcycles that are lightweight, efficient, fast off the line and fun to ride.” The Zero motorcycles used by Prairie City SVRA Rangers have a different look than the typical motocross bike. However, another company is taking it up a notch. Alta Motors offers an electric motocross bike. This bike is meant to meet the needs of the motocross community and maybe one day you will see it on Prairie City’s motocross professional track. Both of these bikes show how future generations of OHV users can reduce their CO2 footprint and global warming. By using technology such as zero emission vehicles, California State Parks is helping to create a more sustainable and quiet world. So, turn the key on a zero emission dirt bike and electrify your fun! ✪ — Copy and photo provided by Prairie City SVRA staff, California State Parks
Foothill’s Kellie Hughes
STRONGER TOGETHER An team meeting early in the season helped forge a path and attitude that has Foothill playing some of the best volleyball in the East Bay
J
ust two weeks and three games into its season, the Foothill High volleyball team felt a need to re-focus. A year removed from a 31-win season that included a trip to the North Coast Section Division I final, the Falcons — despite a talented roster that featured the defending East Bay Athletic League MVP, setter Kellie Hughes — had begun 2016 going 1-2 after dropping a fiveset match to Dublin in its EBAL opener on Sept. 6. “We had a sit-down after that one,” said Dusty Collins, who is in his 20th season of leading both volleyball programs at the Pleasanton school. “We asked each other ‘What do we want to do?’ and ‘Where do we want to go from here?’ What came out of those questions was a feeling that the girls wanted to play for each other and be present for each other.” Foothill followed that pow-wow with a stretch of winning 10 of 11 matches. In the 10 wins, they dropped just three total sets. The team’s only loss during that stretch was a three-set tournament loss to Marin Catholic-Kentfield at the East County Gold Invitational on Sept. 17. The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 9 in the NorCal Top 20 rankings compiled by SportStars, one spot above the Falcons. The team’s 10 of 11 stretch set the stage for a weekend in Southern California for the Royal Classic Tournament in Simi Valley. It’s a trip that Collins’ teams have taken for several seasons, with mixed results. “Traditionally, we’ve gone and enjoyed the weekend together, and it’s been great for team building. But we haven’t always played that great,” Collins said. “This year we got the best of everything.”
Story by CHACE BRYSON | Photos by PHILLIP WALTON
Records are through Oct. 8 1. (1)
— Archbishop Mitty-SJ
20-3
2. (2)
— Notre Dame-Belmont
19-7
3. (3)
— St. Ignatius
23-4
4. (4)
— Oak Ridge-El Drdo Hills 21-4
5. (5)
— Sacred Heart Cath-S.F.
6. (6)
— Valley Chrstian-San Jose 15-8
7. (8)
^ Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove 21-2
8. (7)
▼ Menlo-Atherton-Atherton 14-4
9. (9)
— Marin Catholic-Kentfield 17-4
16-4
10. (13) ▲ Foothill-Pleasanton
20-4
11. (NR) ▲ St. Francis-Mtn. View
18-8
12. (10) ▼ Presentation-San Jose
19-7
13. (14) ▲ Monte Vista-Danville
14-4
14. (NR) ▲ Whitney-Rocklin
19-5
15. (15) — Campolindo-Moraga
17-8
16. (16) — Tracy
28-3
17. (12) ▼ Christian Brothers-Sac.
14-4
18. (11) ▼ Pitman-Turlock
16-2
19. (17) ▼ Menlo School-Atherton 16-5 20. (19) ▼ Dublin
18-2
DROPPED OUT: No. 18 Del Oro-Loomis and No. 20 Rocklin 5 TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): Branson-Ross (13-5), Carlmont-Belmont (21-4), Del Oro-Loomis (18-6), Elk Grove (22-4) and Turlock (15-4).
Amal Peermohammed
Sydney West
The team went 5-1 and took home the championship trophy, beating Notre Dame Academy-Los Angeles in the championship match and avenging a pool play loss to the Regal Gryphons earlier in the day. “I feel like that was a real turning point for our team,” Collins said. “We really gained some confidence and came out of there with a better team concept.” The Falcons returned home to win five straight EBAL matches, including three-set sweeps of both Dublin and defending league and NCS Div. I champion Monte Vista-Danville. Through Oct. 11, Foothill and Monte Vista were tied atop the league standings with 9-1 records. However, if both teams win out the rest of the way, the Falcons will hold the tie-breaker for the top seed in the league playoffs due to that head-to-head win in the only regular season meeting. Foothill’s roster features just five seniors, but those seniors have been incredibly impactful, starting with Hughes. She’s in her third full season as Collins’ starting setter, and will be playing in her fourth varsity postseason when the EBAL tournament arrives on Oct. 25 and the NCS playoffs follow on Nov. 2. “She’s probably even more of a leader this season,” Collins said of Hughes. “She’s very steady, and doesn’t go up or down emotionally. As a setter, it’s critical to have a player like that. Her ball location, where she can place hittable balls, is exceptional. She’s just a steady leader who has done a great job for us the whole time.” Hughes has the luxury of feeding a pair of hitters in senior Kate Goto and junior Andrea Paduraru. The 6-foot Goto and 6-1 Paduraru give Falcons opponents a very difficult time deciding who to key their defense on. “They’re our two best terminators by far,” Collins said. “They can both hit with force from a lot of different places Emily Haskell on the floor.” The team’s focus on defense and passing is anchored by first-year starting libero and senior-captain, Amal Peermohammed. Fellow senior Diana Guerrero has also made an impact as Collins’ standout utility player. He’s plugged the 5-3 dynamo in as defensive specialist and used her on the attack as well. Should Foothill keep up its pace and close out a league championship, they would be a mere lock for the top seed in the NCS Div. I field — a tournament which has been won by an EBAL team for each of the past 10 seasons. The Falcons’ two NCS titles have come during that stretch, in 2006 and 2010. “Our girls just need to continue that commitment they made to each other early in the season, and build off of what they learned in SoCal,” Collins concluded. “We all bought into that (mentality), and that’s the way we’re going to go.” ✪
Rancho Cordova Is A Prime Destination For Gymnastics Events This Fall And Winter
Fresh off of the United States’ dominant effort at the Summer Olympics in Rio, interest in youth girls gymnastics is undoubtedly spiking. With the rising interest, it seems worth pointing out that some of the best run youth gymnastics events happen right here in Northern California. Rancho Cordova Tourism is proud to help facilitate a number of classics, invitational and championship events put on by Gymnastics and Acro of Fair Oaks (GAFO) and Technique Gymnastics. The schedule for 2016-17 is out and there are a number of events being hosted by Technique Gymnastics at its 38,000-square-foot facility — an ideal venue for elite competitions for both boys and girls of all ages. The Disco-Tech Invitational is set for Oct. 22-23 for compulsory Levels 2-5. The event is full and registration is closed, but spectators are still encouraged to come to try to spot a future Olympian. There will be five sessions on Saturday and six sessions on Sunday. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. each day and admission is $10 for adults, $7 for ages 6-16 and seniors 62 or over, and kids 5 and under are free. If your club or gymnast will be competing, be sure to check the Rancho Cordova Tourism website to find discounted hotel deals for competitors and families. The Golden State Classic will be the next big competition. The Classic will host girls from Levels 2 through 10 as well as competitors in divisions of the Xcel program run by USA Gymastics. The Golden State Classic takes place Jan. 6-8 and will feature two Friday sessions, and six sessions on both Saturday and Sunday. Registration is still open for the event which will feature nationally recognized judges, a modified capitol cup format, age group awards at each level, medals for all events, team banners awarded for each session and much, much more. Spectators are welcome as well. Get all the necessary information by visiting http://www.goldenstateclassic.com/. See the entire event calendar and more by visiting http://www.visitranchocordova.com/gafo-technique-gymnastics/ Technique Gymnastics is located at 11345 Folsom Boulevard in Rancho Cordova. ✪
Get Stronger Get 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 gets stronger and more powerful in the weight room, then he or she will 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 in 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 athlete 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.
Popular Superhero Run Returns To Redding For Fourth Year
Because who doesn’t just want to put on their favorite superhero costume and run around? That’s the thinking behind the CASA Superhero Run, a benefit event for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children programs located in Shasta and Tehama Counties. The Superhero run is returning to Redding for its fourth year and will once again offer the Little Heroes Dash (which includes a cape and a pancake breakfast), the Superhero 5K run/walk and Superhero 10K run. This year’s run will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5, and begin at the Redding Civic Auditorium. Registration is open now at Run4Casa.com. Registration fees are $10 for Little Heroes, $20 for the 5K and $30 for the 10K. For those who can’t run, but still want to support the cause, a virtual runner’s entry can be purchased for $25. CASA is a national program which provides quality court advocacy services to abused and neglected children under the jurisdiction of the Dependency Court. Since its inception in 1977, the program has helped more than two million children across the country. ✪ — Photos provided by Run4Casa.com
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.
Sac River Trail Marathon, 15K, 5K October 22: 9 a.m.: Sac River Trail Marathon, 15K & 5K
Big League Dreams
November-January: Once the game schedule is published in late
MONSTER MASH: October 22-23. A great All Star
November or early December teams must pay balance of their
Tourhnament brings fast-pitch softball to Redding.
registration fees and may pre-order Jamboree Apparel through our
U10, U12, U14, U16. Bring your team or come
online store.
watch the action. www.allstartournaments.com
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