NorCal Issue 161, March 2019 by Sport Stars Magazine

NORCAL EDITION MARCH 2019 VOL. 10 ISSUE 161

SUNNY

SportStars Official Media Partners

WITH A CHANCE OF SPIKES

ari Geissberger doesn’t really walk across the Marin Catholic High campus. It’s more of a glide. That’s how quickly she and her 6-foot-5 frame seem to move. If the Kentfield skies weren’t shrouded in overcast gloom on this Feb. 12 afternoon, one could swear a ray of sunshine followed Geissberger’s path as she walked. After spending the greater part of nine hours following Geissberger throughout her day and into the evening, that’s the lasting impression I have of the Wildcats’ junior volleyball star. Striding, gliding along with friends at her side and a constant grin across her face. Which seems like the norm. “There’s this inner light that she has,” said LaShelle Rullan, a former coach of Geissberger’s at Absolute Volleyball Club in San Rafael. “I tell her all the time she’s my kid that’s the definition of sunshine. She loves her family and her friends first. She loves her teammates first. … She’ll remember the one play someone backed her up when she wasn’t there, as opposed to the one time she hit the ball straight down. That’s what makes her special.” SportStars videographer Derek Nguyen and I spent the day with Geissberger to film the second installment of our “Day In The Life” video series. She was one of two athletes — both volleyball players — who were voted on by fans to be our first subjects. We released our first video on St. Francis-Sacramento volleyball star Alexa Edwards back at the end of November. The holidays and a brief lull in volleyball activity following the end of the high school season forced us to push back our day with Geissberger. But we cleary still got to see Full Kari. Over the course of the day we observed her in a few of her classes, her first Marin Catholic offseason training session and her practice at Absolute Volleyball where she plays for 17 Black. It was a close contest as to who was more excited about our presence, Geissberger or every individual who got the chance to say something nice about her. “Are you guys here for Kari!?,” came a shout across the quad as students transitioned between classes. “Yep.” “I was her setter. She’s awesome!” We thought so too, and we’re excited to debut the new video Monday, Feb. 25, at SportStarsMag.com. Be sure to check it out. Also, we’re soliciting nominations for our next Day In The Life athlete. Email me your suggestion, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook and and tell us why the athlete your nominating should be next. ✪

SportStars

Premier Partners

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE

ALL ACCESS See what’s in this issue Preseason Baseball Top pitcher Max Nyrop finds 14 EXCLUSIVE: 10 Alameda 20 and top players to watch himself on the cusp of history as a new baseball season begins

senior-laden team is ready Preseason Softball Top 16 Heritage’s 20 EXCLUSIVE: to dominate area softball 20 and top players to watch

This Vol. #10, March 2019 Whole No. 161 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, PO Box 741, Clayton, CA 94517. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Receive FREE Digital Subscription in your inbox. Subscribe at SportStarsMag. com. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy, or $8 total for bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

Read Me. Recycle Me. 4

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

ricky torres OAKDALE - SENIOR - WRESTLING Torres put together one of the most impressive two-day efforts at the SacJoaquin Section Masters Wrestling Championships on Feb. 15-16. Torres advanced to the 138-pound final after defeating state stalwart and defending Masters champion Eli Blake of Del Oro-Loomis 3-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match, he cradled and pinned Kendall Frank of Elk Grove suddenly in the first round to claim his second Masters title. His first came at 132 pounds as a sophomore in 2017. He will join his freshman sibling Michael Torres (fifth at 113) at the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships on Feb. 21-23 in Bakersfield. JacketBack Embroidery Official Patch Supplier of SportStars Magazine

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

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

NorCal’s Super Sunday A nyone watching the Super Bowl this year may have wondered at how the San Francisco Bay Area was so special at developing great football players. Not only were the two quarterbacks in the game from the region — Tom Brady of the New England Patriots from Serra-San Mateo and Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams from Marin Catholic-Kentfield — but after the Patriots won 13-3, there was Woodside High grad Julian Edelman of the Patriots holding the MVP trophy. Edelman, a mainstay in recent seasons as the Patriots have improved their number of Super Bowl wins to six (all with Brady as the starting quarterback), emerged as an MVP candidate by catching clutch third-down passes. He finished with 10 catches for 141 yards in a game that featured mostly defense. Edelman returned to the Super Bowl after being on injured reserve for last year’s game vs. the Eagles. When he was last in the game, Edelman’s shoe-top catch with 2:21 left helped the Patriots drive for the game-tying touchdown. He was on an undefeated team at Woodside, showing all of that versatility as a quarterback and defensive back. Edelman’s Super Bowl MVP performance also should serve as inspiration for any high school football player who did not sign a national letter of intent with a major college. Edelman didn’t during his senior year at Woodside, eventually going the JC route and then to Kent State in Ohio before finally getting his chance as a free agent with the Patriots. Brady and Goff became the first two quarterbacks from California high schools to oppose each other as starters in the Super Bowl. It might have happened first in Super Bowl XX between the Chicago Bears and Patriots with Jim McMahon and Tony Eason, but McMahon moved to Utah after his sophomore year at Andrew Hill-San Jose. Eason is from DeltaClarksburg. This year’s Super Bowl also featured two former teammates from Lincoln-Stockton who were both on the roster of the Rams — wide receiver Brandin Cooks and running back Justin Davis. Although Davis was inactive for the game, Cooks had a strong outing for the Rams with eight catches for 120 yards. Having the two former Trojan teammates in the Super Bowl sparked some research into the Cal-Hi Sports archives of Super Bowl alums, which showed that this is the seventh time there have been former teammates playing in it. The only other time it happened for a NorCal school was for 2002 when Berkeley High teammates Je’Rod Cherry (Patriots) and defensive lineman Chidi Ahanotu (Rams) were both in the Super Bowl but for different teams. A year like 2008 for De La Salle-Concord, which counted backup quarterback Matt Gutierrez (Patriots) and receiver Amani Toomer (New York Giants), would not have counted because those two weren’t actually teammates in high school. In addition to Brady, Goff, Edelman, Cooks and Davis, others from NorCal schools in this year’s Super Bowl were running back C.J. Anderson (Bethel-Vallejo), tight end Stephen Anderson (Piedmont Hills-San Jose), backup quarterback Sean Mannion (Foothill-Pleasanton), tight end Johnny Mundt (Central Catholic-Modesto), defensive back Marcus Peters (McClymonds-Oakland) and defensive end Ethan Westbrooks (Franklin-Elk Grove). Peters is the son of current McClymonds head coach Michael Peters, who has guided the Warriors to three straight CIF state titles and has been honored as the 2018 Cal-Hi Sports State Coach of the Year. California’s overall total of 17 former prep players in the Super Bowl this year is five more than last year, and edged Texas and Florida for the state with the most Super Bowl alums. Texas had the most last year with 13 (compared to 12 for California and Florida each). Texas still came close this year with one of its highest totals ever (16) while Florida had more than last year (13) but still not enough to catch California and Texas. ✪

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 at @CalHiSports

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

Alameda Senior Pitcher Max Nyrop Opens Season Eyeing The State Record For Scoreless Innings Streak

hen a pitcher in baseball doesn’t give up a run and posts a shutout, the manager or coach is never questioned about poor sportsmanship. A run is a run and any batter can run into a fastball at any time and launch one over the fence for a round-tripper. During the California high school season in 2018, the longtime state record of not allowing a run for consecutive innings by a pitcher came under assault, at first by two players, and then a third. The crux of this story is that the third player, Alameda High’s Max Nyrop, was only a junior and he is taking his still-active streak into the 2019 season. According to the Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac, the state record until last season for most consecutive scoreless innings was set at 59 in 1970 by small school pitcher Jerry Jordan of Avenal (CIF Central Section). In the CIF San Diego Section, Jordan’s record first came into focus last May when pitcher Joe Magrisi from Torrey Pines-San Diego surpassed that section’s record of 42 set in 1982 by future major leaguer David Wells of Point Loma-San Diego. Magrisi, who later would be named Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year, extended his record into the postseason but it was halted at 54.2 innings in the first round of the section playoffs. One week later, it was reported in Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley newspapers that junior pitcher Dawson Netz from Maranatha-Sierra Madre was piling up the shutouts. Although his team won a Southern Section Division III title, Netz’ streak was snapped in a playoff game against Palos Verdes-Palos Verdes Estates. The reported total of 59.1 innings was above Jerry Jordan’s state record, but more info was needed because in many record books one-third or two-thirds of an inning isn’t counted. It reverts to the total from the previous inning. In the case of Jerry Jordan, due to the information stored in the office of Central Section historian Bob Barnett, it was determined that his scoreless streak did indeed end squarely at 59 innings. And thus, Netz was given credit for a new state record at 59.1 innings. This is where Alameda’s Nyrop comes in. According to Alameda statistician Jim Quilici, Nyrop had only zeroes over his final 41 innings of the regular season. Max then pitched consecutive shutouts for the Hornets 10

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

ZEROING IN

Most Consecutive Scoreless Innings (California High Schools) Source: Cal-Hi Sports State Record Book & Almanac 59.1 — Dawson Netz, MaranathaPasadena, 2018 (Jr.) 59 — Jerry Jordan, Avenal, 1970 57— Steven Perry, Maxwell, 2010-2011 55 — Wayne Nix, Monroe-Sepulveda, 1995 55 — Max Nyrop, Alameda, 2018 (Jr.)* 54.2 — Joe Magrisi,Torrey Pines- San Diego, 2018 54 — Mike Welker, Pleasant Valley-Chico, 1967 53 — Denny LeMaster, Oxnard, 1958 52 —Scott McGregor, El Segundo, 1972 52 — Jason Codiroli, Archbishop MittySan Jose, 2005 44 — Wayne Qualls, Exeter, 1967 42 — David Wells,Point Loma-San Diego, 1982 *Current streak entering 2019 season

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

in the North Coast Section Division II playoffs — a four-hitter in a 7-0 win over Newark Memorial and a three-hitter in a 1-0 victory against Drake-San Anselmo. He didn’t pitch in the NCS title game, so his consecutive innings streak didn’t end at 55 and can therefore be started up again this season. Nyrop only needs to notch 4.2 scoreless innings to start this spring for him to get to 59.2 innings and break the record Netz established last year. It’s a unique way to start a season, but Nyrop has a mature way of looking at it. “Of course, there’s some added pressure, but I just got to get out on the bump and approach it the same way as before,” said Nyrop during a phone interview on Presidents Day weekend after he returned from a trip to Minnesota to visit colleges. “It’s got to be pitch by pitch, stop by stop, and get outs. If (the record) comes, it comes. I’m not going to worry about it too much.”

Both Nyrop and Alameda coach Ken Arnerich love the fact that a record like consecutive scoreless innings by a pitcher is clearly a reflection of the team. In addition to one swing of the bat creating a run to score, so can a hard-hit grounder that isn’t fielded cleanly, allowing a run to score on an error. Such a streak requires almost perfect defense. “First, the defense we had last season was the best I’ve ever had,” said Arnerich, who is beginning his 17th season with the Hornets. “It takes defense like that to do something like that. Second, as a pitcher, Max just paints the zone. In five or six of his games last season, he won on 65 pitches or less. He doesn’t walk anyone and pitches to contact.” For the season, in earning all-state underclass honors, Nyrop had a 9-0 record on the mound with a 0.85 ERA. He doesn’t throw with the velocity that generates Division I college offers or MLB Draft talk, but both the pitcher and coach are working on that. “I would like to play (in college) as long as I can,” Nyrop said. “I’m definitely working on that velo plus change-up. Deception is my major tool and I do all I can to keep batters off balance.” “We went through all of his games on tape and no one really barreled him up on any swing all season,” Arnerich said. “I think we will be able to get him up to 85 or 86 (mph) and that’s perfect for high school and I think he’ll start to get Div. II looks.” The improvement since last season may also come for Nyrop with bat in hand. He was one of the team leaders as a junior with a .341 batting average with 18 RBI. While he didn’t pitch in that NCS final, Max came up in a tie game with Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa in the bottom of the seventh inning and rapped out a base hit. Not known for his speed, he made it to third base on a throwing error and then watched as a pinch runner scored on a game-winning single by KW Quilici. The 4-3 win capped a 27-2-1 season for the Hornets, who were later named Division II State Team of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports. With Nyrop and senior teammate Bryan Woo (as much of a pitching ace as Nyrop), they helped Alameda post 15 shutouts as a team on the season. That isn’t a state record, but is on the all-time state list. Five other starting players off of that team besides Woo also have graduated, so it may be difficult for similar success. Regardless, Nyrop thinks there will be no limitations. Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

“It’s going to be hard to fill their shoes,” Nyrop said of the graduation losses. “But I have full confidence the younger players are going to step up. We may not have the initial talent when you first look at us, but I think we can do some damage.” The team’s first game is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23 at a tournament in Tracy. Arnerich’s tentative plan is not to use Nyrop on the mound until the team plays Northgate-Walnut Creek the following week. As any manager or coach knows, however, that can always change as a game goes into the later innings tied or when a team is trailing. Nyrop certainly knows Arnerich will always have his best interests and the team’s best interests first and foremost in mind. “It’s great to play in a place like Alameda,” Nyrop said. “Baseball is so important and the Arnerich family is known by everyone. Our coach is a legend and just to be coached by him is such an honor.” Many of Nyrop’s teammates from this year and last year have played together since they were 5 or 6 years old in the Alameda Little League. Some of them also were on a World Little League team that played in Japan when Max was 13. The city of Alameda’s high school history is more famous at rival Encinal, which is where MLB Hall of Fame slugger Willie Stargell attended and it’s where recently retired Encinal coach Jim Saunders had some great teams over the years led by players such as Jimmy Rollins, Dontrelle Willis and Osiris Johnson, the 53rd pick in last year’s MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins. Alameda High and a certain pitcher hope to add a little bit more history to the baseball fabric of the town just a few games into this upcoming season. ✪ — Story By Mark Tennis | Photos By Berry Evans III 14

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Cole Bringham, Valley Christian

1. VALLEY CHRISTIAN-SAN JOSE (29-3-1 IN 2018)

7. VACAVILLE (26-8)

CalHiSports.com’s 2018 State Team Of The Year begins this season as back-to-back Central Coast Section champions (Open Division last season, and Division I in 2017). The Warriors lost a handful of key seniors, but still return a slew of talent. That includes Stanford-commit Eddie Park (OF/P), Santa Clara-bound Coleman Brigman (OF), Nick Marinconz (IF), Steven Zobac (P/1B) and 2018 CalHiSports’ State Freshman Of The Year, Jonathan Cymrot (IF/P)

Seniors Devereaux Harrison (Long Beach State) and Hunter Dorraugh (Sacramento State) will lead the Bulldogs in their attempt to defend the SJS Division I title. Pitching ace Brandon Chalk also returns.

2. DE LA SALLE-CONCORD (26-4)

The three-time defending North Coast Section Div. I champs return three hitters who had at least 30 hits and 20 RBI. They will also bring All-State pitcher Kyle Harrison back to the fold. Harrison went 9-1 with a 1.17 ERA as a sophomore last season.

3. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (22-8)

Junior infielder Nick Yorke is the returning West Catholic Athletic League Player Of The Year after hitting .494 with 18 doubles a year ago. He should lead a very strong lineup for the Monarchs. Mitty also has good experience back on the hill, including Andrew McCann (3-1, 1.70 ERA) and Dominic Quinones (2-2, 1.82).

4. FRANKLIN-ELK GROVE (23-8)

The Wildcats lost SportStars NorCal Player Of The Year, Evan Gibbons, to graduation. But several standouts remain, including Nevada-commit Zach Meddings, a two-way threat who hit .348 and also went 7-2 with a 1.90 ERA. Junior outfielder Chase Davis is also a name to note.

5. JESUIT-CARMICHAEL (21-11)

Coach Joe Potulny has returning talent pretty much everywhere in 2019. There’s Washingtonbound senior pitcher Carter Benbrook and Oregon State commit, junior infielder/catcher Daniel Susac. Anthony Susac (Daniel’s cousin) is a rising sophomore infielder/pitcher, and senior pitcher Cade Pilchard is committed to CSU Northridge.

6. LOS GATOS (23-9)

Plenty of CCS coaches point to the Wildcats as a major threat this season. Not surprising considering they reached the CCS Open finals in 2018. They return Stanford-committed junior Tommy Troy (IF/P) and San Jose State-bound senior Trevor Allen (P/UTIL).

8. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (24-8)

The starting lineup lost a sizeable group of seniors, but there’s enough talent in the cupboard for the Lancers to hold their own in the WCAL. Junior pitcher Gianluca Shinn returns after going 9-1 with a 2.00 ERA last season.

9. DAVIS (19-13)

All-NorCal outfielder Nick Vogt (.432, 48 hits and 18 doubles last season) takes the leadership reins after the graduation of two-way star Ryan Holgate. Senior Jonah Henrickson and sophomore Josh Catacutan will also be big contributors for the Blue Devils.

10. ALAMEDA (27-2-1)

It all starts with All-State arm Max Nyrop for the Hornets. The senior opens the season five innings shy of the state record for consecutive scoreless innings. His supporting cast should be enough to challenge for a second straight NCS Div. II crown.

THE NEXT 10 11. Drake-San Anselmo (22-7) 12. Foothill-Pleasanton (23-6) 13. Monte Vista-Danville (15-13) 14. Elk Grove (19-7-2) 15. Santa Cruz (22-6) 16. Maria Carrillo-Santa Rosa (23-7) 17. Freedom-Oakley (17-10) 18. Marin Catholic-Kentfield (16-10) 19. Del Campo-Fair Oaks (26-6-1) 20. Acalanes-Lafayette (16-9) ✪

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

“I’ll always remember that day — I went to clean my plate and put it in the dishwasher and my dad comes over and asked about Felix. I asked what happened and he told me he died of a heart attack. I was stunned. I talked to him earlier that day and I didn’t realize that was going to be the last time I would talk to him. That was really hard.” — Cooper Hjerpe

t’s become part of his pregame routine. Just before digging his foot in the dirt at the top of the mound and throwing that first pitch, Woodland High senior Cooper Hjerpe pauses a few moments to remember his former coach, Felix Castillo. The left-handed pitcher says he saves a spot on the field every time he plays for one of the most influential baseball figures in his life. It was two and a half years ago when the program experienced tragedy with Castillo’s sudden passing at the age of 48. “I’ll always remember that day — I went to clean my plate and put it in the dishwasher and my dad comes over and asked about Felix,” Hjerpe recalled. “I asked what happened and he told me he died of a heart attack. I was stunned. I talked to him earlier that day and I didn’t realize that was going to be the last time I would talk to him. That was really hard.” Memorialized now by a parking spot in the student lot and a black and orange sign on the ballpark fence, Castillo’s legacy lives on at Woodland High. “There’s always a spot for him when I play out there on the field,” Hjerpe said. “We have a sign out there (dedicating the field to him) and I look at that and think, ‘We have to show out for you.’ “He was the one who wanted me to come (to Woodland) and it’s paid off really well. Who knows what would have happened if I went to Davis — maybe not as much playing time or exposure.” Picking the smaller Woodland High over Davis gave Hjerpe the necessary playing time to hone his craft and develop into a player that could compete at the highest levels of baseball. This past summer, Hjerpe’s NorCal travel team experience parlayed into a spot on the Oakland Athletics’ sponsored Area Code team, which played against top teams in Southern California. Hjerpe may not have had that shot had he been stuck down in a deep rotation at Davis, but he’s pretty sure his former coach would have been proud of his accomplishments. “It’s tough because it fades sooner or later, but it’s always in the back of my mind that we have to memorialize him and make him proud,” Hjerpe confessed.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Castillo’s presence in the Woodland community continues to loom large. From the grassy baseball fields and into the quaint community off I-5, people all around recall his service to the area’s youth. His successor, coach Joe Whitehead, chokes up a bit when he thinks of his mentor and friend. “I went into it not trying to fill his shoes because he was an overall great community guy — every single person had great things to say about him,” Whitehead said. “He was a great teacher, a great role model and a fatherly presence for the kids. They really looked up to him.” More than a decade before his passing, Castillo was an assistant at Woodland and took Whitehead under his wing. That led to All-Tri-County 18

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Adam Walker player honors for Whitehead prior to his graduation in 2008. Whitehead spent his next two seasons at American River College, playing and learning under coach Doug Jumelet, before transferring to Cal State Stanislaus in 2010. He returned to Woodland shortly after graduating from college to become a coach with Castillo again. Whitehead spent three years working under his former mentor as an assistant. But Castillo’s sudden passing led to the unexpected progression to head coach. “It’s been a tough transition,” Whitehead said, pausing a moment to gather his thoughts. “But the boys — I believe they trust me, and believe in me. They know I want what’s best for them.” Beyond this prep season, Whitehead would love to see each of his kids find success in college — on and off the field. He knows that was an important step in his journey and wants that for his players.

A STAR IN THE MAKING

Hjerpe (pronounced Jur-pee) will be one of those college-bound players after this season. Born in Davis and raised in the little town of Capay, California — population 500 — Hjerpe will be headed for another small town post-graduation as he joins Oregon State in the fall of 2019. “The campus was amazing — it wasn’t like the University of Oregon where the campus is really spread out and you have to drive from class to class,” Hjerpe recalled. “Oregon State is compact and you can walk from one end to the other. Plus, their fanbase is amazing.” Although his initial college recruitment journey took him south to CSU Fullerton and USC, Hjerpe committed at the start of his junior season following a trip to Corvallis to attend a baseball camp. And it was his father Carl who thought a small-town university would better suit him. “My dad said, ‘I don’t think you’re going to want to deal with all that traffic down there,’” Cooper recalled. “So our family took a vacation up there over summer break and I pitched there and they liked what they saw,” Hjerpe explained. Scholarship talks ensued and he committed a few weeks later. By happenstance, Cooper’s father Carl runs the ideal small business for baseball players. Carl is a sunflower producer and self-employed business owner and provides seeds for his son during harvest time. The seeds came in handy for the team’s deep playoff run in 2018. As a junior, Hjerpe earned the conference Defensive Player of the Year award as he posted an 8-0 record from the mound with a 0.78 ERA. He added 128 strikeouts in just over 53 innings of work. “Coop gives us a great opportunity to win every time he toes the rubber,” Whitehead said. Despite posting solid numbers last year, Hjerpe says he has even more in store for 2019. “I’ve really tried to improve defensively,” Hjerpe stated. “As a pitcher, you’re going up there to throw strikes, but at the same time you have to be ready to react and field your position like everyone else.” Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

NEW LEAGUE, SAME GOAL

Following the 2018-19 realignment, Woodland will join the Golden Empire League. “Due to our school population, we dropped down, but you can’t take anything for granted,” Whitehead said. “You gotta go play day-in and day-out because anything can happen on any given day. We’re going to go out with the same mentality as if we’re playing an Elk Grove or a Jesuit.” The Wolves squared off against Casa Roble-Orangevale in the playoffs last year and will now see them three times in league play. The team will also face their cross-town rivals PioneerWoodland three times to end the season. “Tensions always get a little tight when we face Pioneer,” Whitehead added. “The boys are always fired up for that one.” Whitehead has reminded his team they’ll be taking it one game at a time, but many of the returning players have their sights set on a return playoff trip. “I think we have a bad taste in our mouth from the way things ended last season,” Whitehead admitted. “We got beat up pretty good for our chance to go to the section championship, but they got a taste of it and now they know what it’s going to take to get back there.” Following that rough ending in 2018, Whitehead and his coaching staff implemented a weight-lifting program at the school thanks to the help and donations from the community. “The boys really soaked it in,” he said. “We started in the summer with five guys and by the time of our last workout (in February) we had 23.” Whitehead is hoping the strength program and the experience of last year pays off with a few more wins this postseason. But he also knows he has better depth and a well-rounded roster this year starting with Hjerpe and his day-two starter Adam Walker — a right-hander with a commitment to play at UC Davis after this year. Senior third baseman Jack Hanson, an all-league selection in 2018 and returning offensive team MVP, will be counted on in the three- or four-hole in the lineup. Luke Lavarico will add depth on the mound, Carson Butterfield brings versatility to the infield and Chris Rodriguez will be counted on as an outfield leader. Together, they should make Woodland a GEL favorite and a player in the Division IV playoffs. “Our goal is to win sections — that’s obvious,” Hjerpe added. “We got close last year, reached the semifinals, and if we would have won that game, we would’ve been in the finals. But we lost that game. So that’s our main focus — to get in that championship game.” ✪

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

PITCHERS Cooper Hjerpe | Woodland | Sr.: Oregon State commit went 8-0 with a 0.78 ERA and led the Sac-Joaquin Section with 128 strikeouts over 53.2 innings. He allowed just 31 total base runners. Kyle Harrison | De La Salle-Concord | Jr.: Harrison will be looking to top a sophomore season in which he went 9-1 with a 1.17 ERA for the North Coast Section Div. I champs. Max Nyrop | Alameda | Sr.: He led the NCS Div. II champs by going 9-0 on the mound with a 0.85 ERA and closed last season with a scoreless innings streak of 55. He also hit .345 with 19 runs and 18 RBI. Gianluca Shinn | St. Francis-Mountain View | Jr.: His outstanding sophomore season on the mound ended with a 9-1 record, a 2.00 ERA, 41 strikeouts and just 14 walks over 56 innings of work.

CATCHERS Cody Brockman | Modesto Christian | Sr.: Brockman simply mashed the ball en route to a .438 average, 41 runs, 29 RBI and 17 doubles. Daniel Susac | Jesuit-Carmichael | Jr.: Batted .462 with team-bests of 36 hits and 22 runs; also threw out 16 of 24 base stealers.

INFIELDERS Nick Yorke | Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Jr.: He’s the returning West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year after batting .494 with 30 runs scored; 20 of his 39 hits went for extra bases.

Eamonn Lance | Drake-San Anselmo | Sr.: Led Pirates in average (.455), hits (40), runs (29), RBI (34), doubles (12) and homers (11). Devereaux Harris | Vacaville | Sr.: The Long Beach Statecommit hit .314 and had 11 of his 33 hits go for doubles. He also posted a 5-2 record and 1.19 ERA in 35.1 innings pitched. Chase Davis | Franklin-Elk Grove | Jr.: Big things are expected of Davis after a strong sophomore season (.309, 26 runs, 27 RBI) and a very good summer at showcase events. Kyren Paris | Freedom-Oakley | Sr: With the Cal-bound Paris leading the way, the Falcons could issue a changing of the guard in the Bay Valley Athletic League. Paris hit .432 with 31 runs, 28 stolen bases and 15 batted in. Adam Crampton | Oakland Tech | Sr.: The Bulldogs shortstop is committed to Stanford and is coming off a solid summer that included an Area Code Games invite. Tommy Troy | Los Gatos | Jr.: The Stanford-commit led the Wildcats in hits (36) and RBI (26) and was second in runs scored (28) as a sophomore.

OUTFIELDERS Mason Poisson | Del Campo-Fair Oaks | Sr.: He led SJS Div. II champions in every offensive category, including runs (29), hits (39), RBI (27) and extra-base hits (13). Nick Vogt | Davis | Sr.: The Santa Barbara-bound offensive machine led SJS Div. I finalists by hitting .437 with 31 runs, 45 hits, 25 RBI and 18 doubles. Coleman Brigman | Valley Christian-San Jose | Sr: The Santa Clara-bound four-year varsity player led the nationally ranked CCS champs with 41 hits and 31 runs scored as a junior.

Michael Dixon | Berkeley | Sr.: The slugger is committed to San Diego after leading the 22-win Yellowjackets in hits (29), runs (21), RBI (22) and homers (5). Blake Burke | De La Salle | So.: It’s not a bad freshman year when you hit .345 with 5 HR and 30 RBI for a section championship team. Colin Barber | Pleasant Valley-Chico | Sr: Barber earned CalHi Sports All-State Underclass honors after hitting .449 with 35 hits, 31 runs and 39 RBI for the Vikings.

MULTI-PURPOSE

Carter Benbrook | Jesuit-Carmichael | Sr.: Washington-commit had a 1.46 ERA and also hit .303 with 3 HR and 19 RBI. Daniel Carrion | Winters | Sr.: He paced 30-win team with a .477 average, 40 runs and 40 RBI. He also went 4-0 with 0.47 ERA in 15 innings pitched. Xavier Carter | Capital Christian-Sacramento | Sr.: His 41 runs scored led the Cougars. Also swiped 20 bases, was third on team with 33 RBI. Went 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA on the bump. Jonathan Cymrot | Valley Christian-San Jose | So.: He was named Cal-Hi Sports’ State Freshman Of The Year after batting .350 with 10 doubles and a team-best 21 RBI. He also was 2-0 with a 0.68 ERA in six pitching appearances. Bubba Gomez | Fremont Christian | Jr.: Arguably the East Bay’s best small-school talent, Gomez batted .536 with 50 RBI, 62 runs and 23 extra-base hits in 2018. On the mound he went 8-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. Eddie Park | Valley Christian-San Jose | Jr.: Park finished second on the Warriors with 35 hits as a sophomore. He added 20 runs scored, 17 RBI and 11 stolen bases. He also pitched 23.1 innings and posted a 3-0 record and 1.20 ERA. ✪

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

Five NCVA U18 Girls Teams Pick Up Junior National Bids In February Five of the Northern California Volleyball Association’s top club teams have begun making travel plans for the last weekend of April. They may feel like packing a cowboy hat. The USA Volleyball Junior Nationals for 18s is taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas from April 26-28. Five Starz 18-1 of Sacramento, Absolute 18 Black of San Rafael, Red Rock 18-1 of Redwood City, Xceleration 18 Blue of Martinez, and Northern Nevada Juniors 18-Nate out of Sparks/Reno, have each wrapped up either National or American Division bids. Those five teams and others could also still earn Open or USA Division bids at NCVA’s Golden State Qualifer in Reno during the first weekend of March. Not surprisingly, though, it’s those five teams who are crammed atop the NCVA Power League standings. Through the first two 18s Power League events, Five Starz held a narrow 300-298 point lead over second-place Absolute. Red Rock was at 297 and Xceleration and NNJ were tied at 294.5. Five Starz’s roster includes Christian Brothers-Sacramento standout Catherine Cordano, Davis High’s Tiyanane KambaGriffin and Woodland Christian hitting star, Meghan Trottier. The group most recently placed 16th in the 32-team Open Elite Division of the SCVA Las Vegas Classic on Feb. 16-18. Absolute’s 18 squad features Marin Catholic-Kentfield’s star setter, Leah Pease, and Alhambra-Martinez kill machine, Sterling Parker. Parker is committed to Colorado. Pease will be headed to Valparaiso. Red Rock features San Mateo Daily Journal Player of the Year, Grace King of Menlo School-Atherton. A Cal Polycommit, King totaled 369 kills and 60 aces during her senior season with the Knights. Ali Silva, a Northgate-Walnut Creek standout, also plays for Red Rock. Xceleration, the last of the four NorCal teams to earn berths, is powered by the James Logan-Union City duo of setter Ruby Santos and middle Taumafa Tuinauvai, pictured at right. The tandem helped lead the Colts to a 32-8 mark in 2018. Tuinauvai had 525 kills as a senior and is committed to San Jose State. Only the 18s junior nationals take place in April. The rest of the divisions take place over the last days of June and first of July. Many of the NCVA’s lower division teams will begin earning their bids at the NCVA Far Western National Qualifier events in Reno on April 13-15 and April 26-28. ✪

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

From left, Xiara Diaz, Delia Scott and Morgan Hess

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Can A Mix Of Talented Seniors & Explosive Youth Lead To Heritage Softball’s First Section Title In More Than A Decade?

ith a brisk pace, the Heritage High softball players walked to practice with sweatshirt hoods cinched tight over their heads. The rain came at them sideways from a particularly angry cloud that had swooped over the Brentwood campus just in time for the day’s final bell. Fifteen minutes later, with the rain stopped but wind gusts still lingering, the girls trudged their gear down to the varsity softball field and lined up for a jog around the soggy campus. This wouldn’t be the idyllic hope-springs-eternal preseason practice for the Patriots. It was Friday, Feb. 15, and Brentwood had taken on close to 2.5 inches worth of rain over the past six days. This practice was going to be about field maintenance. Could they rally to get the standing water off the infield corners and make their diamond playable for the team’s first scrimmage — which would host three other teams and was scheduled to begin in approximately 16 hours? “They’re going to get some field work in,” Patriots coach Ron Rivers said with a sly grin. “We’ve got to try and get this field ready for tomorrow.” They got it ready, and then they wore it out. Patriots batters up and down the lineup sprayed line drives to all fields during a mid-afternoon session against Newark Memorial. “I would definitely say our lineup is a strength,” senior center fielder Morgan Hess said during the practice a day earlier. “From 1-to-9 it’s really strong.” Hess was a SportStars’ 2nd-Team All-NorCal selection in 2018 and is one of four Patriots beginning their fourth year on varsity. Filling out that quartet is shortstop Xiara Diaz (also a 2nd-Team All-NorCal pick) as well as pitcher Delia Scott and second baseman Juliana “JuJu” Sargent. It’s a core that has helped lead Heritage to a 54-13 overall record, three straight coBay Valley Athletic League titles and three straight trips to the North Coast Section Division I semifinals. And it’s tired of sharing titles and stopping one game shy of the NCS championship game. “Definitely BVAL,” Diaz said. “We want to win BVAL. NCS is another one. And then any tournament that we’re in, really. We’re going to Reno this year and we want to bring that one home. And beating Foothill.” Foothill-Pleasanton has ended Heritage’s season each of the past three years. And the Falcons, who boast All-State battery Nicole May at pitcher and Courtney Beaudin

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

Tianna Bell

at catcher, aren’t going anywhere soon. Both are just juniors. However, behind the experience and growth of their four-year seniors and an infusion of young talent, this could be the Patriots’ breakthrough season. “I like just how competitive the group is all the way around,” Rivers said. “It seems like a good group. “It’s that old saying that we look great on paper. We just need to fine tune and be able to play together and do the little things that will help us be successful.” It will start with that senior core. And that offense. Hess hit over .380 a season ago from the leadoff spot and stole 13 bases. The Idaho State University-bound outfielder starts the engine. And her leadership qualities are more on display each day. “She lifts everybody up.” Scott said. “You can always count on her. She’s always doing the right thing.” Rivers sees Hess constantly pushing to improve. It’s a theme he sees in all of his seniors as they prepare for their last stand. “We always talk about leaving a legacy,” the coach said. “‘What are you leaving behind?’ The reason we get good players here is because the seniors before did so much. That’s the big thing we always talk about.” Diaz sits in the middle of the lineup and will play at Cal Poly after graduation. She hit over .475 as a junior, stole 15 bases and showcased plenty of pop. She homered twice in the Patriots’ 2018 NCS quaterfinals win over James Logan-Union City. Diaz’s double-play partner and another top-half-of-the-order hitter, Sargent, will also head to Cal Poly next season.

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

The lineup will also get a big boost from incoming freshman Tianna Bell. Bell committed to the University of Washington as an eighth grader and will likely begin her Patriots career at third base. “I heard about her last year,” Hess said. “I heard she committed in eighth grade. I knew she should be pretty good, and then she got here and she’s insane. She’s so good. Her glove is so smooth; she’s very good.” Diaz echoed that praise. “She’s going to be fun to watch for sure. A lot of power.” But as good as the Heritage offense could be, the Patriots still need a rock in the circle. Scott’s junior season showed she had the potential to be that rock. She was outright dominant in BVAL play last season, going 9-1 with five shutouts that included a seven-inning perfect game against cross-town rival Liberty. “She’s a kid who didn’t want to play in college at first,” Rivers said. “But now all the sudden she’s getting interest and she wants to. ... She’s really striving for that now. She’s working on her schooling, and I’m really proud of her with that.” Scott isn’t the overpowering presence like Foothill’s May, but when she hits her spots and uses her defense, she as good as any pitcher in the East Bay. “My success (last year) basically was just trusting in my team,” Scott said. “I’m not a strikeout pitcher and have to rely a lot on my defense. I have to have trust in Coach Ron calling the pitch, to me trusting that pitch, to throwing it, to my team making the plays behind me.” And this year? “I want to work on my facial expressions on the mound. Coach Ron says I have a blank stare, but I swear that I care,” the pitcher said with a laugh. Caring won’t be a problem for the 2019 Patriots. But from now until May, what can they do to make sure Foothill, or another East Bay power, isn’t one? “We just need to start out early and keep on it,” Scott said. ✪ — Story And Photos By Chace Bryson

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

1. FOOTHILL-PLEASANTON (24-4 IN 2018) Last year’s North Coast Section Division I runner-up still has the East Bay’s most potent battery for two more seasons. Just juniors, Oklahoma-bound pitcher Nicole May and her All-NorCal receiver Courtney Beaudin, power a team which lost just four seniors from a year ago. The Falcons also return senior Hope Alley, a .457-hitting shortstop committed to Pittsburgh.

2. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (23-6)

All the defending Central Coast Section Open Division champions have going for them in 2019 is a lineup featuring their top five returning hitters and All-State pitcher Jordan Schuring returning to the circle. No big deal.

3. VALLEY CHRISTIAN-SAN JOSE (19-7)

The 2018 West Catholic Athletic League champions are led by All-State catcher and Cal-commit, Kacey Zobac. The Warriors return three of their top four hitters from a year ago, as well as pitcher Kayla Dominguez (16-6, 1.50 ERA).

4. TRACY (25-5)

NorCal Player Of The Year Rachel Cid is already racking up Pac-12 honors at Oregon, but fun fact: Returning Bulldogs outfielder Isabella Cargill had eight more hits (52) than Cid in 2018. She leads a contingent of at last five key returning hitters, all of which should dutifully support AllState pitcher Karina Faasisila (21-2, 0.92 ERA)

5. SHELDON-SACRAMENTO (25-5)

The Huskies were destined to be joined in the rankings with Tracy. Both teams lost their best all-around player (Cid for Tracy, Shea Moreno for Sheldon), but return talent, experience everywhere else. Kiannah Pierce (57 hits last season) and Sam Oliver (15 doubles, 39 RBI) power the offense.

6. AMADOR VALLEY-PLEASANTON (23-5-1)

All-State pitcher and Ms. Softball State Player Of The Year Finalist, Danielle Williams, now plays at Northwestern University. However, she was one of just two graduates from the defending NCS Div. I champions. Junior infielder Valeria Torres-Colon leads the array of top returners.

7. BENICIA (28-3-1)

NCS newcomers, the Panthers will be hoping to pick up where they left off in the Sac-Joaquin Section — as Division II section champs. Led by Amanda Ajari (8 HR, 47 RBI), there’s more than enough pitching and firepower to do it, too.

8. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (19-8)

The third of four WCAL teams inside the Top 10, the Monarchs feature All-State junior Diamond Holland at the top of the order. The horde of remaining talent also includes pitching/hitting star Hannah Edwards.

9. HERITAGE-BRENTWOOD (17-4)

The time is now for a Patriots team which has been eliminated from the NCS semifinals by Foothill three years in a row. Morgan Hess (CF) and Xiara Diaz (SS) headline a quartet of four-year varsity players with plenty of experience to draw from. Keep an eye on freshman Tianna Bell at third base. She committed to Washington as an 8th grader.

10. ST. IGNATIUS-S.F. (19-6)

Junior catcher Kelly McGuigan tied for the Bay Area home run lead with 13 in 2018. The Wildcats graduated just one player from their near-20 win team in 2018.

THE NEXT 10 11. Oakdale (23-3) 12. Elk Grove (21-8-2) 13. California-San Ramon (19-8) 14. Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (17-6) 15. Watsonville (24-3) 16. Carlmont-Belmont (23-2) 17. San Marin-Novato (23-1) 18. Casa Roble-Orangevale (23-7) 19. Concord (18-7)

Nicole May, Foothill Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

20. Bella Vista-Fair Oaks (20-10-1) ✪

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

of destruction Oakdale’s Lexi Webb Might Just Be One Of The Best High School Softball Hitters In The Country — And She Can Pitch, Too

Story by James Burns Photos by Ike Dodson Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

exi Webb, the embodiment of power and potential on the diamond, blushes when the conversation turns to her. These days, the Oakdale High senior has been the center of a nationwide conversation. It starts with a summer story that sounds more like a tall tale, but look around … Paul Bunyan and his blue ox are nowhere to be found. There’s no mention of a Yeti or giant beanstalk. There’s just a pony-tailed girl, powerfully built and yielding a thunder stick, with a unique ability to test the fences of any ballpark she occupies. “Lexi Webb is the best player in the country,” gushed Brian Goulart, the longtime coach at East Union-Manteca, Oakdale’s chief rival in the evercompetitive Valley Oak League. “She even has pros saying she’s the best hitter they’ve ever seen.” Webb established herself as a rising prospect and all-state talent during her first three years at Oakdale, a softball powerhouse rooted in the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section. “We expect to win section banners,” Oakdale coach Larry Loger said matter-of-factly. In all, the Mustangs have won five section championships (in six finals appearances) and produced current Division I stars Grace Green, a starting freshman at Oklahoma; twins Maddi and Kindra Hackbarth, now in their second season at Arizona State; and Fresno State’s Haley Fuller, to name a few. Webb, who pitches and plays first base, might be better than them all. “I hate giving Oakdale props,” Goulart said, “but she’s the one. They’re going to be hard to beat. They’ll be nationally ranked and probably win a section championship.” A two-time Cal-Hi Sports All-State selection, Webb boasts a career average of .461 with 19 home runs, 44 extra-base hits and 79 RBIs. She’s also 31-7

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

with a 1.49 ERA and 277 strikeouts in 222-plus innings. As a junior, Webb pieced together her best season with nine home runs, 41 RBI and a .493 average. She was 18-2 as the Mustangs’ ace, piling up 142 strikeouts in 118 innings. She was named to Cal-Hi Sports’ all-state medium school and underclassmen teams. “No doubt, she’s one of the best players in this area, not just Oakdale High,” Loger said. “As far as power, she’s the most powerful hitter we’ve ever had. As a pitcher, she went from being a thrower to a pitcher last year.” Webb burst onto the national scene, though, during a travel ball showcase in Florida last summer. Playing for Batbusters (Bay Area), Webb qualified for the final of a home run derby, where she competed against some of the top power hitters in the game, regardless of age and rank. The field, she said, was sprinkled with All-Americans and professionals. 32

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Butterflies swirled in her stomach as the lights brightened and the stakes were raised. Webb, as humble as she is hungry, never imagined a moment like this — sharing the same batter’s box with the elite. “I made it to the end with the pros. That really did happen,” Webb said. “I was nervous at first, because it was a big spotlight and big field. It was at night and the lights were on. It was exciting and nerve-wracking, but after I started hitting …” Webb dazzled with one moonshot after another. In a 60-second show of force, Webb clubbed 16 home runs, twice as many as the next closest competitor. It was a pinch-me moment, confirmed by the roar of the crowd. “I turned around and everyone was screaming,” Webb said. “All the pros said what a good job I did. It was an inspiring moment for me. They were asking where I was going to college.” Webb will attend Fresno State after decommitting from South Alabama. Loger said Webb Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

“No doubt, (Webb’s) one of the best players in this area, not just Oakdale High. As far as power, she’s the most powerful hitter we’ve ever had. As a pitcher, she went from being a thrower to a pitcher last year.” — Oakdale coach Larry Loger

spurned other offers to attend Fresno State, a program that will allow her family to be a part of her softball experience. Her father, Steven Webb, has been instrumental in developing one of the sweetest swings in the nation. Together, the two can be found on diamonds in the Oakdale area fine-tuning her technique at the plate or twirling pitches at 60 mph. Webb also works out four days a week at The Performance Lab in Modesto, maximizing a cardio-and-lifting program crafted by trainer Brett Butler. As more of her peers dabble and play other sports, Webb is a proud specialist. “She’s doing all the right things,” Loger said, “and she’s getting all the right results.” Loger wasn’t surprised to hear of Webb’s Ruthian feat in Florida. He’s seen it before, time and again. There is a hitting game his Mustangs play regularly in practice called “Queen of the Hill.” The crown is fit for only one. “There are days when she gets on a roll and hits 275- to 350-foot shots, one right after the other after the other,” Loger said. “Not only is she as strong as can be, but she has quickness in her bat and she’s really technically sound with her swing.” Webb shies away from such praise. She insists her biggest strides as a player aren’t physical. They’re mental. Playing behind stars such as Green and the Hackbarth twins, Webb learned of the power in her voice, not just her bat. She alone won’t carry Oakdale to a sixth section banner. The team will lean on pitchers Cortney Koelmans and Mariyn Waterman, and look to others to fill the holes left by Green and Adrianna Aguilar. “(Green) was an all-around great player. I am inspired to be like her,” Webb said. “She taught me how to coach these girls, how to help this team so we can improve. That’s our main goal, to improve every game so when it comes to playoffs we can win a blue banner. “I don’t have one yet. I feel like that’s the missing piece. This is my last year. This is my last chance.” ✪ James Burns is an award-winning journalist with FrontRowPreps.com, a digital media company that covers the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Follow him on Twitter @jburns1980 or email him at frontrowpreps@gmail.com.

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

PITCHERS

INFIELDERS

OUTFIELDERS

Marissa Bertuccio | Golden Valley-Merced | Sr.: Posted a 21-6 record and 0.64 ERA; struck out 267 batters in 176 innings.

Amanda Ajari | Benicia | Sr.: Panthers power hitter batted .540 with 47 hits, 47 RBI and 8 HR for SJS Div. II champs.

Kelsey Hall | Bella Vista-Fair Oaks | Sr.: 2018 All-NorCal selection hit .469 with 9 HR and 38 RBI.

Karina Faasisila | Tracy | Sr.: As the ace of the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I champs, she finished 2018 22-3 with a 0.92 ERA.

Xiara Diaz | Heritage-Brentwood | Sr.: Cal Poly-commit hit .485 with 15 steals as a junior and anchors a potent 2019 lineup.

Morgan Hess | Heritage-Brentwood | Sr.: Idaho State-commit should cause havoc on base paths for Patriots.

Nicole May | Foothill-Pleasanton | Jr.: The Oklahoma-bound power arm went 20-2 with a 0.65 ERA and 209 strikeouts as a sophomore. She hit over .400, too.

Lola Guevara | Sierra-Manteca | Jr.: The smooth-fielding shortstop led Sierra with a .509 average, 26 hits and 26 runs.

Ashley Trierweiler | Carlmont-Belmont | Sr.: Finished junior season with .600 batting average and team highs in hits (54) and runs (33). She also swiped 17 bases and played error-free in the field.

CATCHERS

Diamond Holland | Mitty-San Jose | Jr.: Cal-commit and a

Courtney Beaudin | Foothill-Pleasanton | Jr.: The receiving end to the East Bay’s most dominant battery, Beaudin batted .417 with 7 HR and 25 RBI.

2018 All-State selection after hitting .507 with 25 runs and 17 stolen bases.

Alexis Bishop | San Marin-Novato | Jr.: The 2018 Marin County Athletic League Player Of The Year hit .594 with 10 HR, 12 doubles and 38 RBI.

stop led the North Coast Section with 13 homers while also

Kelly McGuigan | St. Ignatius-S.F. | Jr.: West Catholic Athletic League Sophomore of the Year hit .488 with 13 HR and 35 RBI in 2018. Alyssa Pope | Shasta-Redding | Jr.: She had a 23-game hitting streak and finished with a .594 batting average to go with 7 home runs, 30 RBI. Kacey Zobac | Valley Christian-San Jose | Sr.: Cal-commit is the defending WCAL Player Of The Year; she hit .612 as a junior.

Grace Hosman | Millennium-Tracy | Sr.: She will enter 2019 with a 55-game hitting streak dating back two seasons. As a junior she hit .658, with an SJS-best 79 hits and drove in 49 runs.

Nicole Hammoude | Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland | Sr.: Shortleading her team with 28 runs and 37 RBI. Sam Oliver | Sheldon-Sacramento | Jr.: An absolute hit machine for the Huskies, she piled up 46 hits and 39 RBI in her sophomore season. Kiannah Pierce | Sheldon | Jr.: Speedster and ultimate tablesetter hit .509 with 57 hits and 42 runs scored in 2018. Julia Scardina | Marin Catholic-Kentfield | Sr.: Power-hitting first baseman (.571, 44 hits, 39 RBI in 2018) is committed to Utah after losing North Carolina State offer amid coaching change.

Gabriella Williams | Carondelet-Concord | Jr.: Her standout sophomore season included a .541 average, 10 HR and 38 RBI.

MULTI-PURPOSE

Caroline Evans | St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda | So.: She hit .569 with 8 HR and posted a 13-2 record in the circle; homered and threw a no-hitter in the NCS Div. IV championship. Jordyn Hutchins | Woodland Christian | Jr.: She led all California hitters with 18 HR while batting .771 and driving in 52 runs; posted a 9-2 record in the circle with a 1.01 ERA. Jordan Schuring | Saint Francis-Mountain View | Sr.: She was a 1st Team All-State selection after going 22-5 with a 1.46 ERA for the Central Coast Section Open Champs. She also hit .346. Lexi Webb | Oakdale | Sr.: Committed to Fresno State, she’s arguably got the most feared bat in Sac-Joaquin Section. She finished junior year with 9 HR, 41 RBI and .493 average She pitched 118 innings with a 1.01 ERA. ✪

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

Chemistry Imbalance: Navigating Teammate Turbulence The two best players on the team are seniors, and even though they’re captains, they don’t get along. In fact, it’s getting worse all the time, and it’s really a problem in the locker room. I don’t think the coaches really know how bad things are, but I don’t want to tell them and have the two seniors come back at me later. I’m a junior and I don’t play much so they’d be really mad. But I don’t want us to start losing either. — G.N., San Jose

his is a difficult situation, no doubt, as coaches only know what they see — and if they’re not looking for problems in a specific area, given everything else they have to do, they might not notice. So from one angle it would make sense to tell the coaches. After all, it’s possible they know already and have been trying to deal with it, in which case you’re not to blame and the coaches will notice that you were enough of a team player to step forward. But if they didn’t know, then it gets more complicated. First, they might be able to wave their coachly magic wands, get the guys together, and work it out. Coaches who’ve been around for a while can sometimes handle these kinds of situations without them blowing up in everyone’s faces — but sometimes even the best coaches can’t smooth things over. So that’s factor one: If you tell the coaches, do you think they can improve the situation? Are the seniors mature enough to agree to disagree for the good of the team? If not, then it makes less sense for you to step forward, but it still might be the right thing to do, which leads to the second factor: How badly is the team being hurt by the friction between the two? Is it having a major impact

SportStars™

March 2019

on performance and the experience that everyone’s having? Or are things just not going as well as they could be? But let’s take the worst-case scenario, at least from your point of view. The team is starting to fall apart, games are being lost, and though the coaches have the ability to make things better, it’s clear they don’t know how bad things are. At that point, you have to make a difficult decision: Are you willing to risk having the seniors turn on you for telling the coaches what’s going on in order to help the team? You could get lucky, of course, and no one would realize you were the one who stepped forward, but in situations like these, you should always assume that your role will be discovered, and you will have to face the consequences. As you may have heard, hope is not a plan, and hoping no one finds out isn’t going to help if people do find out. What it comes down to is this: Are you willing to stand up to the seniors later and say “I did it because it was the best thing for the team – I’m sorry you feel I told on you, but I felt the team was more important”? And would you say that even if you knew the rest of the season would be at best uncomfortable and perhaps actively unpleasant? This is an adult decision, and not an easy one. I don’t have a simple answer because situations like these are always complex – but in general, if you really believe the team is more important than the individual, then you have to step up and talk to the coaches. ✪ Clay Kallam has been an assistant athletic director and has coached numerous sports at a handful of high schools throughout the Bay Area. To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email him at claykallam@gmail.com.

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

get mental: erika westhoff It’s often said that an athlete’s relationship with their sport is that of both love and hate. It’s the thing that you love the most. It gives you moments of total joy and satisfaction. Simultaneously, it’s the thing that causes the most disappointment, frustration and feelings of failure. In today’s age of “Insta Perfect” the reality of the love/hate relationship you’ll have with your sport may catch you off guard. I am often working with athletes who are trying to rebuild the love. There are many reasons why athletes get stuck feeling like they hate their sport, but I assure you, there’s always a way out. Here’s a case where stress levels associated with her sport were killing the joy — and the performance. Sam, a very promising 14-year-old female rower (crew), came to me for help with managing the stress levels she was experiencing in training and competition. She had a strong history of excelling in her rowing due to her strength, long legs and incredible work ethic. As a high school freshman, the varsity coaches made it clear they wanted her on the team. Despite her strengths, Sam had developed overwhelming levels of fear and anxiety around her sport. Pre-race she was feeling incredibly nervous, thinking too much (couldn’t focus), feeling terribly jittery (she couldn’t get a good feel of the water) and experiencing pre-race nausea (and occasional vomiting). Most notably, she was more and more often unable to finish her 2K races due to feeling as though she was going to black out. Sam hated feeling this way and needed help. Sam fit the profile of a high-stress personality. She pushed herself to be the best rower. And to get excellent grades. She was involved in school leadership. She served her community. She was a rock star in so many ways. While pushing yourself is a MUST to be a highly competitive athlete, it can often be a double-edged sword. Because of the pressure she put on herself, Sam’s inner dialogue (self-talk) had turned quite negative. Its focus was on all the possibilities of what could go wrong. This would trigger feelings of fear and cause her to feel anxious to point of panic. Her future-oriented thoughts kept her from being able to focus on what she needed to do to row productively with her team. These thoughts and emotions made it impossible for her push through and get the job done. We began by teaching Sam the mental fundamentals. We set detailed goals, taught her how to properly relax her body, visualize for learning and success, manage her inner dialogue and control her emotions. We created systematic use of her mental skills to ensure proper preparation: How to mentally adjust while rowing at very high intensity levels, and how to mentally recover and reset following heavy training session or races. Within six weeks, Sam was making good progress. She was able to start her high intensity sessions with a lower stress baseline, which allowed her to focus and tolerate more physical stress during her rowing. Her nerves eased to a reasonable level, confidence began to grow and her performance improved as she began to control her mental game. The love of rowing was returning and her roster spot on varsity was once again a reality. Experience with developing all parts of sport (technical, tactical, physical, mental) help athletes have the tools they need to stay in the game through all the love AND hate. Mental skills are a great (and necessary) set of tools for any athlete who pushes themselves to be their best. ✪ Erika Westhoff is a CEO and certified mental trainer at EW Performance in Pleasanton.

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™

FOUL BALL Don’t let Little Leaguer’s Shoulder and Elbow hurt your pitcher

arm/shoulder care: dr. mo mortazavi Throwing injuries in young athletes are one of the most common pediatric overuse injuries, with 30 to 50 percent of all youth baseball players suffering from this in their career. The incidence continues to rise as organized youth sport grows and intensifies. Since the pediatric athlete is still skeletally immature, these injuries most commonly involve growth plates of the shoulder and elbow. These growth centers are made of cartilage that is growing into bone, and are fragile and vulnerable to recurrent traction forces of overhead throwing. Although these injuries are most common in baseball pitchers, they are also seen in infielders, catchers, outfielders as well as football quarterbacks and tennis players. Little Leaguer’s Shoulder (LLS) and Little Leaguer’s Elbow (LLE) are the most common injuries seen in kids ages 9 to 14. Other injures from throwing overuse include labral tears in the shoulder joint, rotator cuff strains and sprains, osteochondritis dissecans of the lateral elbow, tears of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), and ulnar nerve injuries, which are more commonly seen in athletes 14 and older. Affected athletes report: Gradual onset of pain in the shoulder or elbow, a history of weaker or less-accurate throws and sports WHAT’S THE COUNT? participation history consistent with overuse The number of teams and seasons per year, throwThese are the generally-accepted ing history (including pitch count, number of practices maximum pitch count recommendaand games) and any recent changes in throwing techtions for youth baseball. niques are important risk factors for injury. Age Pitches/Game

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

7-8 50 9-10 75 11-12 85 13-16 95 17-18 105

Diagnosis is usually based on clinical exam. Athletes complain of focal pain in the area of injury and can exhibit limited range of motion. Radiographs are useful for ruling out abnormalities such as fractures, growth plate irregularities, tumors and infections. In the early stages, radiographs typically look normal, but widening of the growth plate and even an avulsion are not uncommon with higher-grade injuries. MRI is rarely necessary to confirm the diagnosis of LLE or LLS unless there are concerns for other injuries. Treatment of LLE and LLS consists of restricting all throwing activities and controlling symptoms with ice and anti-inflammatories. Most will greatly benefit from initiating physical therapy early, and this is highly recommended. The initial treatment phase involves initiation of range-of-motion exercises and joint mobilizations as necessary to prevent joint contractures. General conditioning is encouraged and core strengthening is usually started right away. When tolerated, gradual strengthening is then used. Physical therapy should also address the athlete’s throwing mechanics to decrease load forces on the growth plate and vulnerable structures of the shoulder and elbow. When athletes are pain-free with full range of motion and near full strength, athletes should begin an interval-throwing program, gradually increasing their throwing distance, velocity and repetitions. One critical component of rehabilitation is that return to play is conservative and gradual. Potential complications of early return to play include worsening symptoms, abnormal bone development, or an avulsion injury. Surgical treatment is rarely needed if treatment starts early and there are no associated injuries. ✪ This is a Level Up from the SportStars Vault. As a member of the UC Davis pediatric sports division, Dr. Mo Mortizavi wrote it for our February 2014 issue.

SportStars™

March 2019

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

March 2019

SportStars™