NorCal Issue 205, March 2022 by Sport Stars Magazine

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03.25.17 Vanden-Fairfield star girls hooper Julia Blackshell-Fair, right, can be seen through the team huddle firing up her teammate prior to the CIF Div. III State Championship game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. She would go on to finish with 20 points, 21 rebounds and eight assists as the Vikings defeated Mater Dei-Santa Ana 64-61. James K. Leash photo

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S I LV E R C I T Y

SHOWDOWN The road to Phoenix and the USA Volleyball Girls 18s

Junior National Championships this April begins for many 18U teams at the Reno Sparks Convention Center. That’s because the NCVA’s Sierra National Qualifier

returns for its seventh annual event this March 4-6. Teams from throughout California and Northern Nevada will make their way to the Silver City where the NCVA will host qualifying tournaments in five different divisions. This year, a new division, 18U Liberty, will be added to the standard Open, USA, American and No Dinx. Liberty is an intermediate division that slots between USA and American in terms of strength. Open is strongest and No Dinx represents the lower end. Pool play action will begin on March 4 with finals concluding on March 6. However, teams and players who arrive early will have the opportunity to take part in the Sierra National Qualifier Recruiting Combine from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on March 3. The recruiting combine is being termed a “video-only combine.” This means all participating players will be filmed during drills and skills work. Then a recording that includes the player’s contact information will be distributed to every NCAA Division I program. Players who will be competing at the event and are interested in attending the combine can register on the Sierra National Qualifier event page at ncva.com/sierra. While the qualifier is an 18U event, the combine is open to girls from 8th grade through high school. Registration is $109. While not a national qualifying tournament, the NCVA will be hosting its Golden State Classic for younger divisions over the same weekend at the San Mateo Events Center. The Golden State Classic will take place on March 5-6 and host girls tournaments for age groups 11U through 18U. NCVA’s massively popular Far Western National Qualifier is set to unfold over two weeks in late April. That event will offer up bids in the 11U-17U divisions for the USA Volleyball Girls National Championships in Indianapolis this summer. For more information on all of NCVA’s upcoming events, be sure to visit NCVA.com ✪ 6

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With LSU-Bound Ace Nic Bronzini Leading The Way, The NorCal-Ranked Cal High Grizzlies Are Ready To Finally Get Their Shot At A Section Title Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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alifornia High senior hurler Nic Bronzini is a massive presence. The hard-throwing southpaw stands 6-foot-3. He struck out 84 over just 48 innings last spring. He’s headed to LSU on a scholarship in the fall. He’s still waiting for his first postseason start. Heck, he’s still waiting for his first postseason. The onset of COVID-19 shut down the 2020 season after just a handful of games, and the North Coast Section chose to unilaterally remove playoffs from the abridged all-sports spring of 2021. We feel safe going out on a limb and saying Bronzini will get his chance in 2022. Coming off of an 18-6 finish last spring, the Grizzlies return a number of key veteran leaders to pair with some up and coming talent. “We feel like we can really do something special this year,” Bronzini said after the team’s seasonopener on Feb. 17, a 4-3 win at Liberty-Brentwood. “I’m excited. Everybody here is excited. We believe we can do it and we believe we can get there. We’ll just see how the course of the season goes.” California begins its season as the second East Bay team in most state and NorCal rankings. SportStars and NorCalPreps.com both have them ranked No. 5 in their first NorCal rankings. CalHiSports lists them No. 16 in the state (No. 4 in NorCal) to open the season. All of those outlets list De La Salle-Concord as Northern California’s top team. It just so happens that the Grizzlies’ final game of 2021 was a 9-8 loss to the Spartans that solidified the East Bay Athletic League title. Fourteen players return from that squad. In addition to the future SEC-talent Bronzini, the Cal dugout also includes Long Beach State-bound senior centerfielder Raoul Fabian and UC Santa Barbara-committed junior catcher Aidan Camberg. They’ve also got an All-East Bay quarterback at shortstop in senior Teddy Booras. “There’s a lot of good leadership,” Grizzlies coach Dan Ward said. “It’s a senior heavy group and a lot of them are going places, and will play at the next level. So that’s what we’re leaning on — their leadership and their ability to get the job done.” If their first game of the season was any indication, they should be able to get the job done often. Bronzini threw five hitless innings against Liberty, striking out 11 and walking just two. Which puts him on pace to reach his 2021 strikeout total in eight fewer innings. “Confidence wise he’s able to locate better,” Ward said of the changes he’s seen in his ace since the

Raoul Fabian

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end of last spring. “His velocity is up and his secondary pitches are better. He’s matured a lot and so he’s gotten better in all aspects of pitching and his game.” Bronzini noted that over the summer he worked on getting down the mound faster, but also on a part of his game that has nothing to do with pitching. “Being a better hitter,” the senior said. “Last year, I wasn’t as good a hitter as I should be. For me, I want to hit this year. Because this is my last year hitting. Next year I’m not going to hit.” Against Liberty he went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Meanwhile, Fabian will definitely hit at the next level — and he left his mark all over the Grizzlies’ opening win. The speedy outfielder went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI. He also threw the potential tying run out at the plate during Liberty’s final at bat. “He’s a stud,” Bronzini said of Fabian. “He’s a real stud.” Ward heaped similar praise on the future Long Beach State Dirtbag. “If he goes, we go,” the coach said. “He pretty much carries us. We just have to get everyone else to contribute something and we’re good.” That may not be a problem either. Cal’s lineup picked up 10 hits over its first six innings of action. Senior Dom Tuyor, another football standout, and junior Dylan Lee combined for five hits. Both players have caught the eye of some of the veterans on the team. Fabian is confident in just about anyone in orange and black right now. “All of us play scrappy,” he said. “We can play anyFollow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

Aidan Camberg

one. Sub anybody in and they’re going to do the job.” In addition to Bronzini, senior Zach Robman will be a key contributor on the mound for the Grizzlies. He’s more likely to move into a starting role this season after posting an 1.84 ERA and 3-2 record in 19 innings of relief last spring. Ward still needed his relief prowess in the opener, however. After Liberty plated three runs off senior newcomer Carson Aynesworh, and nearly tying it if not for Fabian’s assist from center, Ward turned to Robman. He inherited two runners and no outs but still slammed the door. As the sun almost disappeared behind the Delta horizon, before they came together for a final team break, Bronzini stood watching his teammates enjoy the glow of a season-opening win. “It’s a fun group,” he summed up. “A lot of young guys and older seniors. I’ve been playing with a lot of these guys since I was 10 and in Little League. So it’s Last Ride Time.” That last ride should include the playoffs, and Bronzini and the Grizzlies should be ready. ✪ — Story and Photos by Chace Bryson Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

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PRESEASON NORCAL BASEBALL

No. 1 De La Salle

1. DE LA SALLE (20-4 in 2021) Good pitching beats good hitting and the Spartans have seemingly an endless supply of mound talent coming into 2022. It’s the biggest reason for De La Salle starting the year atop this list — which also happens to be where it concluded 2021, by the way. The pitching wealth begins with right-handed starters Elias Gennis and Cal Randall. Gennis is a Rice-bound senior who went 6-0 last season, while Randall is a UCLA commit who finished 5-0. Both held ERAs under 2.00. Their battery mate, Anthony Martinez, should anchor the Spartans offense after finishing second on the team with 25 RBI last season. Seniors Elias Rubio (OF) and Alec Nava (IF) should factor on offense as well.

2. ELK GROVE (23-4) A perennial power program with a proven coaching staff, five key hitters back and a pair of standout pitchers who combined to go 12-0 with sub-1.00 ERAs? Yeah, the Thundering Herd will be a problem for opponents in 2022. Senior catcher Noah Canter should anchor the offense while AJ Hutcheson and Oregon State-bound Aiden Jimenez will be the team’s go-tos on the bump.

3. VALLEY CHRISTIAN-SAN JOSE (24-9) The first of three West Catholic Athletic League teams to open inside of the Top 10, the Warriors get the edge based on owning the last four Central Coast Section Open Division titles. That, and they also return star two-way TCU commit Jacob Hudson as well as an array of other key pieces from last spring’s title team. The Warriors open at No. 2 Elk Grove on Feb. 26. 12

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4. WOODCREEK-ROSEVILLE (22-4) The Timberwolves are NorCal’s early season darlings. And for good reason. This squad is loaded with Division I talent. We counted at least seven commitments, though there may be even more. You’ll find nine of their guys on our extended NorCal Players To Watch list.

5. CALIFORNIA-SAN RAMON (18-6) Having left handed, LSU-bound power pitcher Nic Bronzini on the mound once a week is about as good a set-up as any team can ask for. Add an offense that returns Long Beach State-bound centerfielder Raoul Fabian and standout junior catcher Aidan Camberg, and the Grizzlies are set up nicely.

6. CLAYTON VALLEY-CONCORD (18-8) The Ugly Eagles should be right in the mix in the battle for East Bay supremacy in 2022. The junior battery of pitcher Kyle Connelly (Cal commit) and catcher Ryder Helfrick (Arkansas) will be formidable. They’ll also get help from seniors Jacob Krieg (Oregon State) and Leighton Helfrick (UC Davis).

7. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (24-5) Zach Yorke’s transfer to Mountain Ridge High in Arizona is a bit of a blow to the Monarchs, but not enough to drop them in the WCAL pecking order. Utah Valley-bound ace Tristan Fox (8-1 in 2021) and junior San Diego State commit Jarren Advincula (.441, 30 runs) will lead the way.

8. SAN RAMON VALLEY-DANVILLE (15-9) There’s plenty of firepower on this Wolves roster to compete in what

No. 2 Elk Grove

should be ridiculous season in an East Bay Athletic League that includes De La Salle, California and No. 16 Granada-Livermore. Sophomore Hudson Aber could have a breakout year on the mound while seniors Jordan Lewis and Jaren Lewis pace the offense.

9. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (16-12) Senior catcher Ryan Lee returns after leading the Lancers with 26 hits and 18 RBI last season. Cal Polybound outfielder Wyatt King is also back, as are the team’s four leaders in innings pitched from a season ago.

10. COLLEGE PARK-PLEASANT HILL (17-6) It was a tough call here for the last spot in the Top 10, but give us the team with two Division I-bound pitchers — Michael Barnett (UCLA) and Robert Aivazian (Pacific) — that closed 2021 on a 12-game winning streak. 11. Live Oak-Morgan Hill (17-3)

15. Palo Alto (21-5)

12. Folsom (13-11-1)

16. Granada-Livermore (10-8-1)

13. Aptos (15-3)

17. Marin Catholic-Kentfield

14. Franklin-Elk Grove (20-8)

(12-8)

18. Granite Bay (20-7) 19. Redwood-Larkspur (14-6) 20. Colusa (27-1) ✪ Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

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NORCAL BASEBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jacob Hudson 14

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PITCHERS

CATCHERS

OUTFIELDERS

John Alkire II | Folsom | Sr.

Noah Canter | Elk Grove | Sr.

Henry Bolte | Palo Alto | Sr.

Texas Tech signee and Oakland A’s Area Code team member compiled a 3.23 ERA and averaged over a strikeout an inning as a junior.

Enjoyed tremendous junior campaign with a .385 average, eight doubles, five triples, three home runs, 29 runs scored and 22 RBI. Also led the team in steals with seven.

Bound for Texas in the fall, Bolte hit .304 with six triples, five doubles, three home runs and 26 RBI as a junior. Also stole 10 bases.

Michael Barnett | College Park-Pleasant Hill | Sr. Oakland A’s Area Code team member headed for UCLA in the fall enjoyed a standout junior campaign with a 1.91 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 40.1 innings pitched.

Tyler Blair | Redwood-Larkspur | Sr. Dominant junior campaign featured a 0.96 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 36.1 innings pitched. Headed to Cal in the fall.

Nic Bronzini | California-San Ramon | Sr. One of the top pitching prospects in the state has an SEC future lined up after signing with LSU. Notched 84 strikeouts in 48.1 innings and finished with a 1.88 ERA as a junior.

Tristan Fox | Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Sr. Went 9-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 63 innings as a junior in 2021. Headed to Utah Valley in the fall.

Gabe Gaeckle | Aptos | Jr. Right-hander returning from Tommy John surgery is a UCLA commit who has more than 25 scholarship offers, including LSU, Arkansas and nearly all of the Pac-12.

Elias Gennis | De La Salle- Concord | Sr.

Ryder Helfrick | Clayton Valley Charter-Concord | Jr. Arkansas commit hit .522 with 20 extra-base hits (nine doubles) as a sophomore. Scored 32 runs and drove in 14.

Malcolm Moore | McClatchy-Sacramento | Sr. The Stanford commit was an absolute force for a 20-4 Lions team last spring, putting up teambests in hits (38), runs (46), RBI (55), doubles (14), triples (7) and HR (7).

Hideki Prather | Campolindo-Moraga | Jr.

Darryl Dilworth Jr. | Vanden-Fairfield | Sr. Cal commit set Vanden’s freshman hits record in 2019. Cousin of former MLB outfielder Jermaine Dye.

Raoul Fabian | California-San Ramon | Sr. Long Beach State-bound outfielder hit .443 with 11 doubles, three home runs, two triples, 28 runs scored and 21 RBI as a junior.

Easton Kreshel | Valley Christian-San Jose | Sr. As a junior, scored 29 runs and drove in 22 for the Warriors. Also added 12 extra-base hits.

Tatum Marsh | Valley Christian-San Jose | So.

Standout in the class of ‘23 has already committed to Michigan.

The Stanford commit appeared in 27 games for the Warriors as a freshman and hit .262 with 13 RBI and 13 runs scored. Younger brother Quinten is a freshman this year and is also committed to Stanford.

Griffen Sotomayor | Turlock | Sr.

Matt Moses | Del Campo-Fair Oaks | Jr.

Played for the Oakland A’s Area Code team in 2021. As a junior, hit .426 with 16 RBI and 13 runs scored.

First team All-State Medium Schools choice by Cal-Hi Sports compiled a tremendous stat sophomore stat line. Hit .505 with 37 runs scored, 22 RBI and 18 steals.

Jaron Nevarez | San Ramon Valley-Danville | Sr.

INFIELDERS Jarren Advincula | Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Jr. Standout sophomore season featured a .441 average, 41 hits and 30 runs scored. Committed to San Diego State.

San Diego State commit turned in a .315 average, 22 runs scored and 12 RBI as a junior.

Ny’zaiah Thompson | Mountain House | Jr. Committed to Cal State Fullerton. Strong sophomore season saw him hit .395 with 12 extra-base hits, 37 runs scored and 35 steals in 35 attempts.

One of the top options on an especially talented Spartans staff. As a junior, the Rice-bound right-hander went 6-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 28.2 innings.

Charlie Bates | Palo Alto | So.

MULTI-PURPOSE

Appeared in 11 games as a freshman but future is a short walk across El Camino Real for the Stanford commit.

Dillon Goetz | Sequoia-Redwood City | Sr.

AJ Hutcheson | Elk Grove | Sr.

Mateo Bellisimo | Tamalpais-Mill Valley | Sr.

Led the Thundering Herd staff in appearances with 11 and went 7-0 with a 0.45 ERA. Allowed just three earned runs and struck out 60 in 46.1 innings.

Second team All-State Medium Schools by Cal-Hi Sports is a Saint Mary’s signee. Hit .333 with 10 extra-base hits (four HRs) and 27 RBI as a junior.

Josh Morano | Granada-Livermore | Jr. Rising junior enjoyed breakout sophomore campaign with 3-2 record, 1.66 ERA and a no-hitter against Monte Vista. Arizona commit also hit .411.

Cal Randall | De La Salle-Concord | Jr. UCLA commit starred for the Spartans as a sophomore with a 5-0 record, 1.67 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 29.1 innings.

Braeden Sloan | Woodcreek-Roseville | Sr.

Cade Campbell | Tokay-Lodi | Sr. Two-time All-Tri-City Athletic League choice hit .333 as a junior. Cal commit praised by future coach Mike Neu as “one of the premier shortstops in Northern California.”

Xavier Esquer | Palo Alto | Sr. Son of Stanford’s head coach hit .341 with eight home runs, eight doubles, 35 runs scored and 20 steals as a junior. Signed to Arizona.

Lucas Kelly | Sacred Heart Cathedral-SF | Sr.

6-foot-4 lefty headed to USC had a standout performance for the A’s at the Area Code Games, fanning eight to lead the team.

First team All-State Medium Schools choice by Cal-Hi Sports is a Texas A&M commit. Powerful corner infielder hit .432 with eight home runs, nine doubles, 35 runs scored and 31 RBI as a junior.

George Zaharias | Menlo-Atherton-Atherton | Jr.

Carl Schmidt | Marin Catholic-Kentfield | Jr.

Standout class of ‘23 arm has committed to Texas. Struck out 61 in just 37.1 innings as a sophomore, finishing 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA.

Texas A&M commit joined the Wildcats’ varsity squad as a freshman. As a sophomore in 2021, hit .327 with three home runs.

Led Ravens on the mound with a 9-1 record and 2.83 ERA. At the plate, hit .456 with 21 extra-base hits and 35 RBI.

Jacob Hudson | Valley Christian-San Jose | Jr. TCU commit did a bit of everything as a sophomore. Finished 8-1 with a 1.95 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 61 innings. Also hit .365 with 17 RBI.

Matt Jernigan | Cordova-Rancho Cordova | Sr. Hit .609 with 53 hits, 39 runs scored, 35 RBI 17 extra-base hits and five steals. Also made 12 appearances on the mound with72 strikeouts in 47.1 innings.

Zack Malone | Woodcreek-Roseville | Sr. The stars keep coming for the Timberwolves. Sacramento State commit hit .467, drove in 27 and scored 27 runs as a junior. Went 4-1 with a 1.52 ERA on the mound.

Freddy Rodriguez | River City-West Sacramento | Sr. Cal Poly commit posted tremendous numbers on the mound and at the plate in 2021. As a pitcher, went 9-2 with a 1.75 ERA and 75 Ks in 48 IP. As a hitter, batted .532 with 18 extra-base hits, 43 RBI and 39 runs scored.

Nolan Stevens | Franklin-Elk Grove | Jr. Went 7-3 with a 1.92 ERA, two shutouts and 77 Ks in 54.2 innings. Also hit .369 with 24 RBI. Mississippi State commit.

Austin Turkington | Bellarmine College Prep-San Jose | Sr. Recruited by Cal as another in a line of successful two-way players. Made 13 appearances on the mound in 2021 and batted .281 with 18 hits. ✪

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Seniors Kasey Aguinaga, left, and Tiana Bell

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Alex Cutonilli

eritage Softball made it look easy in 2021. In a 25-0 season, the Patriots played just two onerun games. Opponents scored more than two runs only twice the entire season. But it wasn’t all that easy. With COVID-19 protocols still on the strict side, Heritage’s season was confined to Bay Valley Athletic League opponents only. That meant one round of five “non-league” games and then three more rounds of league play — and then a postseason tournament to determine the league champion. It represented a different kind of grind.

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March 2022

“I don’t think anytime you go undefeated it’s easy,” Heritage coach Ron Rivers said during a Patriots workout on a sunny, yet brisk Presidents Day afternoon in Brentwood. “I think it was a little harder because we had to play the same teams more than once. More than twice. Having to beat the same team three or four times, even five times, makes it tough.” When the Patriots defeated Freedom-Oakley for the fifth time to close out their perfect season, the Falcons actually outhit them 11-10. Pay a visit to the Heritage campus and spend some time watching the team prepare for the 2022 season. You will un-

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doubtedly leave convinced that no team will be outhitting the Patriots this season. The centerfield gate is left open during batting practice to allow for the ball shaggers to freely get to those hit to the other side. Cal-bound senior third baseman Tianna Bell hit the ball over the fence several times during her round of hitting. Junior first baseman Alex Cutonilli followed her and took a few deep herself. This is routine, according to Rivers. “We do that all day,” he said. “I have about nine girls who can hit it out of the park. But we also have girls who are line

drive hitters and hit to all fields. We’re just well rounded right now.” This should come as no surprise to anyone who closely follows Bay Area softball. The Patriots won’t be sneaking up on anyone. Having lost just three seniors from last season’s unbeaten team, Heritage finds itself a consensus Top 2 team in Northern California — right behind consensus No. 1 St. Francis-Mountain View. The Lancers are coming off of their own undefeated season and return the great majority of their roster as well. Both St. Francis and Heritage began the season within the Top 5 of CalHiSports.com’s State Softball Rankings. Their best chance at meeting during the regular season will come in early April at the Livermore Stampede. Meanwhile, Rivers is hoping to convince his players to forget all of that. “Don’t read the clippings,” he said with a smile. “Don’t read the clippings. Play within ourselves and do the little things we know we can do. Our biggest challenge will be trying to stay focused.” Senior pitcher Kasey Aguinaga won’t get caught up in who the Patriots are playing. She’ll just be happy it won’t be the same teams every two weeks. “The batters started getting very used to me last year,” she said. “Luckily, I had a really talented defense behind me.” Yes, hitters getting 25-30 at bats against her was a challenge, but the Boise State-bound pitcher sells herself short a bit. Aguinaga returns to the circle this year after having gone 18-0 with a 0.85 ERA in 2021. She struck out 164 over 99 innings and tossed a pair of no-hitters. Once again, she’ll have a fantastic defense behind her with two more Boise State recruits holding down the middle infield — shortstop Taci Hasse and junior Skylar Stroh. Bell will be at third and Cutonilli at first. Those four infielders combined for 139 hits, 123 RBI, 111 runs scored and 63 extra-base hits last season. “We still have a lot to prove after going 25-0 last season,” said Bell, who led the Patriots with 46 RBI and 10 home runs. “But I think this team is ready for it.” Bell is the unquestioned leader on the squad. Aguianaga referred to her as “The Big Dog on the field.” Rivers will be counting on that leadership. “She’s always hit the ball hard, but I think the biggest thing for her this year is her maturity,” the coach said of his fouryear starter. “She’s really grown up and become a leader of this group.” This will be Rivers’ 13th full season heading the Patriots. The former NFL running back took over the program in 2008 when John Rebstock stepped down after leading Heritage to the 2007 North Coast Section 2A East Bay title. The Patriots have dominated the BVAL and been a fixture

Taci Hasse in the NCS playoffs since then, but they’ve only been to the final once. They reached the 2019 Division I championship and were shut out 2-0 by Foothill-Pleasanton’s Nicole May. May is currently the starting pitcher for Oklahoma, the No. 1 team in the country. Rivers attests that he’s having just as much fun now as he did in those first years. “I tell you one thing, I’m calmer than I used to be,” he said. “I used to yell a lot and get way overexcited. Now I’m just like, ‘Really? You guys are killing me right now. Catch the ball’ And that’s it, and we move on to the next one. My daughter tells me

I’m getting soft.” Barring injuries or some other unforeseen significant development, the BVAL dominance should continue this season. “We go into the gym and look at the banners,” Rivers said. “I tell them, don’t be the class that doesn’t have their number up there.” This team may be talented enough to add its number twice. And with the inaugural CIF regionals tournament taking place this year, three times is not out of reach either. And if they make it look easy, remember that it’s not. ✪ — Story and Photos By Chace Bryson

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PRESEASON NORCAL SOFTBALL

No. 1 St. Francis

1. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (26-0 in 2021) It’s Jessica Oakland’s world and the rest of Bay Area softball is simply living in it. The Minnesota-bound Cal-Hi Sports State Junior of the Year last season led the state with 19 home runs and hit .612 with 55 RBI. She brought some friends back with her, too. Including hurler Chloe Cummings who finished with a 12-0 record and 0.86 ERA through 73 innings pitched. Cummings’ battery mate, Sydney Stewart, returns to the lineup after hitting a robust .559 with 12 home runs, eight doubles and four triples. The undefeated section champs are most certainly the team to beat. But considering they outscored their 26 opponents by a combined score of 267-30, that’s not going to be easy.

2. HERITAGE-BRENTWOOD (25-0) If St. Francis was a consensus No. 1 throughout the Bay Area, Heritage appears to be everybody’s No. 2. The Patriots graduated just three seniors off of their own unbeaten squad of 2021. Coach Ron Rivers potentially has his most athletic roster to date, led by Cal-bound four-year starter Tianna Bell. The slugging third baseman had 10 homers, 12 doubles and 46 RBI last season. Three Boise State commits represent the middle of the infield with seniors Kasey Aguinaga (pitcher) and Taci Hasse (shortstop), and junior second baseman Skylar Stroh. The Patriots’ most likely collision course with St. Francis will be at the Livermore Stampede in early April. 20

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3. SHELDON-SACRAMENTO (21-5*) The Huskies open as the clear No. 1 team out of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Legendary coach Mary Jo Truesdale brings back a loaded roster featuring her top six hitt hitters from a season ago. Among them will be junior pitcher/outfielder Jaylee Ojo. All she did last year was hit .523 with 11 HRs and 45 RBI. As a pitcher, Ojo went 10-1 with a 1.97 ERA and 82 strikeouts.

4. ROSEVILLE (19-4) For Roseville, it starts with Malaya Johnson, who begins her fourth and final year in the circle for the Tigers. She owns a 33-9 career record and hasn’t posted an ERA over 1.00 since her freshman season. Oh yeah, this team also returns it’s top five hitters from a year ago.

5. LIVERMORE (16-3) If the East Bay Athletic League title is going to move out of Pleasanton this season, the Cowboys just might be the team that makes it happen. Jae Cosgriff, who hit six home runs and led the team with 25 RBI as a freshman in 2021, leads a dangerous and balanced offense.

6. NOTRE DAME-SALINAS (17-3) Sisters Samantha and Victoria Rey are back after combining for 68 hits, 57 runs and 41 RBI for a team that earned Cal-Hi Sports’ 2021 Div. III State Team Of The Year honors. Samantha Rey is also one of five returning pitchers.

7. VANDEN-FAIRFIELD (11-0) The Vikings may have only got 11 games into their rushed spring a year ago, but the won all of them — and that included a victory over Sheldon. Seven of the team’s top eight hitters

No. 4 Roseville’s Malaya Johnson

return as does ace Hazyl Gray (8-0 with 82 strikeouts in 50.2 innings in 2021).

8. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (14-7) WIth seven of their top eight hitters set to return — including Cal-bound infielder Elon Butler and Indiana-bound infielder Taryn Kern — the Monarchs should have no problem generating runs. If they find consistent pitching, look out.

9. FOOTHILL-PLEASANTON (17-2) The Falcons had just three seniors on last season’s EBAL championship squad. However, massively successful coach Matt Sweeney stepped down after last year and Greg Chandler will begin a new era. Sophomore catcher Marissa Anderson and senior outfielder Avery Francis will be two of his initial cornerstones.

10. SUTTER (24-0) This Northern Section power opened some eyes last spring when it won a 5-2 road game over thenranked Elk Grove. The Huskies return three different players who had 30 RBI or more last season, as well as ace Riley Wickum (18-0, 0.89 ERA). 11. Elk Grove (18-8)

(15-1)

12. Redwood-Larkspur (17-2)

15. Aragon-San Mateo (15-3)

13. St. Francis-Sacramento (15-6)

16. Del Oro-Loomis (16-7)

14. Marin Catholic-Kentfield

17. San Benito-Hollister (14-4)

18. Vista Del Lago-Folsom (18-3) 19. East Nicolaus (23-2) 20. Freedom-Oakley (17-5) ✪

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40for2022

NORCAL BASEBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vista del Lago’s Tayler Biehl

PITCHERS Kasey Aguinaga | Heritage-Brentwood | Sr.

Sadie Leonard | Redwood-Larkspur | Sr.

Southpaw bound for Boise State led the undefeated Patriots with a 16-0 record and 0.71 ERA in 88.1 innings as a junior. Also contributed at the plate with a .571 average.

Incoming senior was indeed giant as a junior, going 16-2 with a 1.00 ERA, eight shutouts and 189 Ks in 2021. Will continue her career at Williams College.

Chloe Cummings | St. Francis-Mountain View | Jr.

Haley Nishijma | Westmont-Campbell | Sr.

Led quartet of underclass options in the circle for the Lancers in 2021, going 12-0 with a 0.86 ERA and 124 Ks in in 73 IP. Contributed at the plate with a .429 average.

Leader of a young Warriors staff went 10-2 with a 0.65 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched. Also hit .492 and added five home runs at the plate.

Emma Falen | Folsom | Sr.

Taylor Rodriguez | Livermore | Sr.

Bulldogs’ senior ace fanned 173 in just 100 innings as a junior. Also compiled a 1.19 ERA. Headed to UC Riverside this fall.

11-game winner returns in the circle to lead the Cowboys. Compiled a 2.27 ERA in 92.2 innings as a junior. Chipped in at the plate with a .390 average.

Malaya Johnson | Roseville | Sr.

Aissa Silva | Elk Grove | Jr.

Capital Valley Conference MVP went 15-5 with a 2.25 ERA and 184 Ks in 130.2 innings. Also hit .372. Headed to UC Santa Barbara.

Thundering Herd’s lefty in the circle definitely left her mark as a sophomore with a 15-2 record, 0.40 ERA and 198 Ks in 123.2 innings.

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CATCHERS Alyssa Delgado | Cupertino | Sr.

Grace Matej | Capital Christian-Sacramento | Sr.

Collected 36 hits in 71 at-bats to finish her junior season with a .507 average. Also

Utah State-bound backstop hit .487 with eight home runs, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored in

added 10 doubles and three home runs.

just 13 games as a junior. Also stole seven bases.

Olivia DiNardo | Aragon-San Mateo | Sr.

Caitlyn Newburn | Napa | Sr.

Before heading to Arizona in the fall, will look to replicate incredible junior campaign that

Named first team All-State Medium Schools by Cal-Hi Sports. Hit .442 with five home

saw her earn first team All-State honors from Cal-Hi Sports. Hit .764 with 42 hits in 55

runs as a junior.

ABs, 12 doubles, 8 HRs, three triples and 29 RBI.

Sydney Stewart | St. Francis-Mountain View | Sr.

Grace Jenkins | St. Francis-Sacramento | Sr.

Backbone of the nation’s No. 2-ranked team will take her talents to Washington in the

One half of the Troubadours’ UConn-bound twin tandem hit .484 with eight doubles, six

fall. As a junior, hit .559 with 12 HRs, eight doubles, four triples and 44 RBI to earn first

home runs and 26 RBI as a junior.

team All-State honors from Cal-Hi Sports.

INFIELDERS Tianna Bell | Heritage-Brentwood | Sr. First team All-State selection by Cal-Hi Sports as a junior. Blasted 10 HRs and hit .581 for the undefeated Patriots. Headed to Cal in the fall.

Tayler Biehl | Vista del Lago-Folsom | Sr. Arizona-bound speedster hit .646 with eight doubles, seven triples and 21 steals as a junior. Owns a .626 career average in three varsity seasons.

Jenna Birch | Del Oro-Loomis | Sr. Oregon State signee belted nine home runs and hit .368 with 26 RBI and 30 runs scored as a junior. Also led the team with 15 appearances in the circle and compiled a 2.23 ERA.

Elon Butler | Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Sr. Versatile infielder hit .500 with eight HRs and 24 RBI as a junior for the Monarchs. Will follow a long line of Mitty greats by taking her talents to Cal.

Jayden Fernald | Franklin-Elk Grove | Sr. Left-hander at the plate checked in at No. 52 on the Cal-Hi Sports Hot 100 list. Hit .446 with 13 runs scored and 12 RBI in 2021.

Megan Grant | Aragon-San Mateo | Sr. Second team All-State selection in 2021 by Cal-Hi Sports. UCLA signee hit .706 with eight home runs and a team-high 31 RBI.

D’auna Johnson | Sheldon-Sacramento | Sr. Hit .525 with 10 doubles, five home runs, three triples, 39 RBI and 30 runs scored for the Huskies in 2021. Will

join Cal in the fall and will “compete for every spot in the infield” according to Golden Bears coach Chelsea Spencer.

Shay McDowell | Roseville | Sr. Oregon State signee hit .507 with 10 doubles, four home runs, 28 runs scored and 28 RBI in 2021. Also swiped 16 bases.

Jessica Oakland | St. Francis-Mountain View | Sr.

OUTFIELDERS

MULTI-PURPOSE

Lauren Asia | Bear Creek-Stockton | Sr.

Hazyl Gray | Vanden-Fairfield | Sr.

.406 career hitter finished junior season with a .595 average and 26 runs scored in just 13 games played. Bound for San Diego State in the fall.

Santa Clara-bound southpaw owns a 28-3 career record (8-0 as a junior) and 1.84 ERA in the circle. At the plate, has a .421 career average in 40 games.

Soo-Jin Berry | Clayton Valley Charter-Concord | Jr. Iowa commit enjoyed a standout sophomore season, hitting .578 with seven home runs, 16 RBI and 28 runs scored.

Named Cal-Hi Sports State Junior of the Year in 2021 thanks to video game numbers at the plate. Led the state with 19 home runs and hit .612 with 55 RBI en route to 26-0 season. Will head to Minnesota in the fall.

Jae Cosgriff | Livermore | So.

Samantha Rey | Notre Dame-Salinas | Jr.

Returns as one of the senior leaders for the perennial power Falcons after hitting .464 as a junior in 2021.

Younger half of Notre Dame’s dynamic sister duo earned first team All-State Medium Schools honors from Cal-Hi Sports in 2021. Central Florida commit hit .628 with 34 runs scored and 19 steals as a sophomore.

Hailey Stripling | Acalanes | Jr. Force from the left-handed batters box can hit for power and slap. Versatile defender can play both middle infield spots and left field. Committed to Rutgers.

Kyndal Todd | Castro Valley | Jr. Cal-commit compiled an otherworldly 1.968 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging) and hit .621 with 14 RBIs and three home runs as a sophomore.

Wasted no time leaving a mark with six home runs and 25 RBI during an impactful freshman campaign. Finished the year with a .400 average.

Avery Francis | Foothill-Pleasanton | Sr. Dakota Kennedy | Sheldon-Sacramento | Sr. Hit .581 with 41 RBI to earn first team All-State honors from Cal-Hi Sports in 2021. Key leader for the Huskies is headed to Arizona this fall.

Victoria Rey | Notre Dame-Salinas | Sr. Weber State signee was also named first team AllState Medium Schools by Cal-Hi Sports. Hit .575 with 27 RBI and 23 runs scored in 2021.

Ava Tingey | Lincoln | Sr. Fresno State-bound speedster hit .533 as a junior. Owns a .446 career average with 58 hits in 54 games.

Makayla Winchell | Granada-Livermore | Sr. Notre Dame signee hit .519 with 14 extra-base hits and 18 steals as a junior. Has also only committed one error in 53 varsity games.

Jordan Woolery | Clayton Valley Charter-Concord | Sr.

Hope Jenkins | St. Francis-Sacramento | Sr. Multi-talented Troubadour was a force in the circle in 2021 with a 1.96 ERA and 171 Ks in 118 innings pitched. UConn-bound star also led the team in batting average (.561), hits (37), home runs (7) and RBI (39).

Felesha Lepenske | Dixon | So. Second team All-State Medium Schools pick by Cal-Hi Sports went 6-0 with a 0.23 ERA and hit .581 with 12 extra-base hits and 29 RBI as a freshman.

Jaylee Ojo | Sheldon-Sacramento | Jr. Major contributor in the circle, in the outfield and at the plate. As a sophomore, hit .523 with 11 HRs and 45 RBI. As a pitcher, went 10-1 with a 1.97 ERA and 82 Ks in 67 ⅔ innings.

Kailani Tatro | Pinole Valley-Pinole | Jr. Another second team All-State Medium Schools selection stars in multiple ways for the Spartans. As a junior, went 16-7 with a 2.01 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 143 innings. Also hit .535 with 18 doubles.

Headed to UCLA in the fall and has not disappointed since being offered as an eighth-grader. Hit .571 with six HRs and 21 RBI as a junior.

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Zack Hoover

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Eisa Teixeira

ntil 2022, Laguna Creek High of Elk Grove was to wrestling what socks are to sandals. They just didn’t fit in. The Cardinals had qualified only 14 boys to Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Championships events in the past 11 full seasons, and averaged two team points at the last 16 such tournaments. Girls teams had similar success. But the program that has been bracket broke since Laguna’s John Lowden won SJS (first) and CIF (third) hardware in 2004 has made a dramatic reversal of fortune. Powered by sensational underclassmen Zack Hoover, Declan Follette and senior Eisa Teixeira, Laguna Creek boys won the Metropolitan League title this year. It was the program’s first conference championship since upending Elk Grove to win the Delta League in 1999. On Masters Championship weekend, the Cardinals proved success was not limited to the minor leagues. Boys and girls combined for 62 team points en route to 30th (boys) and 28th (girls) place finishes at the Stockton Arena. Hoover, Teixeira and Oriyana Castex all qualified from Masters to the state tournament. The advancements end the 17-year drought from CIF participation. Oriyana’s older sister, Deangela Castex, would have qualified in 2010, but the CIF didn’t sanction a girls championship until the following year. “With all the success we had this year, this culminates everything,” 15-year Laguna Creek coach and eight-year head coach Josh Martin said. “We haven’t had this kind of feeling ever, at least since I have been here. The next couple of years could be pretty special for us. “I think the program is on the rise.” Hoover (106 pounds) was fifth at the 2022 Masters, securing his state ticket with narrow wins over Merced’s Elijah Valencia and Ponderosa’s Alexander Mallot in elimination matches. He was also first at the Vista Del Lago Eagle Invite, second at the James Riddle Classic and at the Granada Mat Classic. It’s been a remarkable start for a freshman with less than four years of mat experience. “It’s been hard but I’ve kept pushing through, trying to get better all the time,” Hoover said. “It’s a lot different than middle school. It’s faster and the wrestlers a lot stronger, but I’ve also gotten a lot stronger since the beginning of the season. “I have been working out and getting mentally stronger as well.” Teixeira (145 pounds), a senior and Ohio native, won four big matches at Masters to make it another week. His tournament came down to a frantic moment in the to-go round, when he was pushed into overtime with Isaac Romero-Martin of Grace Davis-Modesto, who was awarded a match-winning takedown in overtime. Laguna Creek argued the call with officials, and since Teixeira rose to his feet before control was established, he forced the match into a triple overtime period. In this two-part period where wrestlers alternate top-bottom positions in 30-second rounds, Teixeira picked up a penalty point (locking hands) and stayed in control when on top to secure the win. “This has been my dream, just to qualify for state, for a very long time,” he said. “Coming from Ohio (722 schools in three divisions), it was a lot easier to get to state, and when I came here it was like a rude awakening for actually how difficult it is to qualify. I realized you have to win close matches like (his match against Romero-Martin).

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Declan Follette, top “You have to follow through on those situations to get anywhere.” Oriyana won four straight matches in consolation at 137 pounds to take third in the girls tournament. She won three matches by pin. She is filling the shoes of siblings who have come before her. She has natural abilities and just works hard, Martin said. “She has really improved this year.” Laguna Creek boys also qualified for SJS Team Duals earlier in February, and fell just 37-33 to a deep Bella Vista-Fair Oaks squad. “These guys have their goals that they set for themselves, and before they came around, Laguna Creek didn’t talk about those kind of goals,” Martin said. “We are trying to change that environment and see these kids work for something and go get it.” Martin’s staff has matched his wrestlers’ commitments. He credited the energy of Jarrod Espinoza and Jackson Pfau, and is thrilled to see the technique shared by longtime SJS wrestling guru, Elizar Ceballos. Ceballos is a CIF place-winner (sixth) from 1996 and a former wrestler and coach at Cal State Bakersfield. He’s also a previous head coach at McNair-Stockton. A teaching job landed Ceballos at Laguna Creek, and suddenly Martin had a master technician right in his backyard. “It started with helping out a couple of days, where I would go in and roll around to still be a part of the wrestling world,” Ceballos said. “Coach Martin was more than welcoming to that. I was coaching my own kids for a while in youth soccer and baseball, but they got older and their game passed me up, what I could coach in those sports. “So I had a little more time to put into wrestling, and slowly started being at practice more and going to tournaments.” Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

Laguna Creek’s young talent can motivate the whole room to get better. Hoover and Follette are both products of the Dynasty Wrestling Club, and got their start on the Harriet G. Eddy Middle School wrestling team. Since COVID-19 stymied the 2021 season, this year provided breakout moments for them both. Follette, ranked by SportStars as a Top 10 NorCal heavyweight, was second at Vista, won the Riddle, took eighth at the Lou Bronzan and third at the Mat Classic. He was a triple-overtime away from the Division II finals, but slipped to NorCal No. 9 Luke Levengood of Vacaville in a 3-2 semifinal thriller. Levengood, third at Masters, also ended Follette’s season in that tournament with a one-point win. “I have to work on my snatch singles (takedown grabbing the leg), and top game to win those matches,” Follette said. “I just want to bring the intensity and make sure I have the best gas tank to keep going. “You have to be confident in yourself.” Follette said the Laguna Creek family has been a big reason for his growth. “I have amazing practice partners, and wrestle with the best coaches,” he said. “They all show me what I need to do. “(Hoover) is my dog, and we wrestle together in the offseason and are really close. We start and end dual meets and 100 percent are trying to bring the wrestling room closer together.” CIF action begins Feb. 24 at Mechanics Banks Arena. All the matches will be tough, but Laguna Creek is on the rise and ready for challenges. ✪ — Story & Photos By Ike Dodson

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llie Kleinheinz picks up the red sled — the one with famous Disney Pixar character Lightning McQueen’s catchphrase, “Ka-Chow!”, decaled underneath between the two steel runners. She positions her body on the sled and pulls herself out onto the track of ice. She then pushes herself forward as fast as she can before laying back and taking a 45-second downhill ride at speeds nearing 60 miles per hour. Hopefully her Archbishop Mitty High junior varsity softball teammates will cut her some slack if she ever comments that the game is moving a bit slow. In a span of a little more than two years, the 14-year-old Santa Clara native has literally gone from 0 to 60 in the sport of luge. Kleinheinz won the Youth A Women (16U) gold at the Empire State Winter Games at Lake Placid, New York, in early February. And on March 5-6, the Mitty freshman will be in Park City, Utah, looking to win her second U.S. Youth National Championship..

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So how is it that a middle schooler growing up in the heart of Silicon Valley — one who had never skied or spent a ton of time in the snow — found her way to the forefront of the top young female luge athletes in the country? It all began with Ellie’s dad, Todd Kleinheinz, spotting an ad about USA Luge holding one of its slider search events for ages 9-13 in nearby Palo Alto. “I just figured it would be something different,” Todd Kleinheinz said. “And that maybe the next time the Winter Olympics came on she would see it and say, ‘Oh, I tried that!’” In September 2019, the father-daughter duo showed up to the event with a ‘Why not?’ outlook. “That day was kind of random,” Ellie said. “It came up out of nowhere. I was in sixth grade and had no idea what luge was. … ” The course was set up on a hill with hay bales for walls. The sleds were wooden with caster wheels on the bottom. “After the first run, I was like ‘This is OK,’” she said, recalling how

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everything unfolded that first day. “Then I crashed a few times into the hay bales and it started to get difficult. There were some tears.” It was a few weeks later that the Kleinheinz Family received an email from the Team USA coaches inviting Ellie to fly back to New York to try it all again on ice. She was among approximately 100 kids to be invited from various slider searches across the country. Once again, the attitude was ‘Why not?’ At the very least, she’d get to travel across the country for the first time. As it turned out, ice was better than pavement and hay bales. “I just pushed off the ramp and went for it,” she said. “I remember it being OK, and that I loved the speed and everything about it.” Dad may have needed a little more time to warm up to it. “I had never seen luge in person before,” Todd Kleinheinz said. “I didn’t know what to expect. Until you see how fast they fly by you? TV doesn’t do it justice.” But he trusted his daughter. “She’s always been very adventurous and open to trying new things,” he said when asked if either of them had second thoughts about things after seeing others coming down the ice. “It came down to how scared is she to do it? A lot of the kids were dragging their feet a little to slow down, and she wasn’t.” Kleinheinz left Lake Placid as a member of the U.S. Youth Development Team. Just a few months later she entered her first Empire State Winter Games and — you guessed it — took gold. The ESG competition is determined by a slider’s combined time of two separate runs down the track. “My first run of those games went great,” she recalled. “Then my second one was my fastest ever to that point. … That’s when I realized it was something I could be really good at.” Perhaps the most impressive part of that initial victory was the fact that it was only a month earlier that she had experienced her first real wipeout. While training for the Empire games, Ellie was going down the Lake Placid track when she got too high on a turn and wound up going backward into a wall. The steel cut into her back as she came off the sled. “That was probably my worst wreck for sure,” she recalled. “It definitely took a lot to get back on the sled and do it again. I needed to take a couple days off before I was able to work up the nerve again.” Good thing she did. One month after winning her first ESG gold, she comFollow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

“My first run of those games went great.Then my second one was my fastest ever to that point. … That’s when I realized it was something I could be really good at.” — Ellie Kleinheinz, after winning gold at the Empire State Winter Games

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peted in her first U.S. Youth National Championships on the same track in Lake Placid. This time it was a four-heat final in the 14U division. And, yep. Gold. Then the pandemic arrived. Ellie went close to a year being unable to slide. She worked out in the weight room and played her other sports to keep her active. Finally after about 10 months of not being able to get back to New York, her coaches had her go to Park City instead. While all the competitions were canceled in 2021, Ellie finally got to get back to Lake Placid where she’s coached by former Olympian Aidan Kelly. The Empire games earlier this month were her first competition since March 2020. “I was really nervous, because all of the girls have gotten much better since I last competed,” Ellie said. “All the nerves started building up.” She was in second place after the first run, and used her second run to win by a little more than a second and a half. She had the fastest start of any competitor in both of her runs. “I love the start. It’s definitely my favorite part,” she said. “That’s where I accelerate from. Having my spikes dig into the ice. It’s a really good feeling. … For me, the way down feels a lot faster than 45 seconds. I know the track so well and how everything goes. Once I pass a certain point, I know I’m almost done, but then there’s always something after it.” What comes after nationals? Maybe just a softball season to unwind. The Mitty JV coaching staff is certainly excited about her potential. “We’re really impressed with her so far,” Monarchs JV coach Jeramy Albert said. “She’s very mature for her age. She’s certainly very strong and naturally athletic, so it’s easy to see how that carries over into her other sports. “She’s a catcher, which is a position that naturally requires leadership. We’re just in the first week and she’s a freshman, so right now it’s been more of a lead-by-example approach from her. But I think the opportunity to be a strong team leader is definitely there.” What about the potential for greater things in luge? “The Olympics are definitely the dream,” she said. “But it’s easy to get overwhelmed thinking about how far and how much it’s going to take to actually get there. So it’s just one step at a time. Each run counts. Pretend like each one is your last.” ✪ — Story By Chace Bryson Photos By Todd Kleinheinz 32

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have it All.

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