SportStars Issue 217 March 2023

Nicole May

Our Favorite Month Of Madness

March might just be the greatest month for high school sports. Or at least the greatest month without football.

First you have the excitement of CIF state basketball playoffs — which immediately follows the CIF State Wrestling Championships and section basketball championships. There’s also CIF regional soccer championships and the opening month of baseball, softball and 20 other spring sports.

Maybe not 20, but spring is, in fact, loaded. In addition to baseball and softball, there’s track & field, swimming, lacrosse, boys volleyball, boys golf, boys tennis, badminton and stunt/competitive cheer.

As Penny Lane said in the movie ‘Almost Famous,’ “It’s all happening.”

This issue is a little bit of a representation of all that madness. As is our tradition, the March issue offers up a preview for baseball and softball — and we’ve dropped in a few pages of wrestling championships, too. Meanwhile, at SportStarsMag.com you’ll find playoff hoops coverage and more spring sports content as the month rolls along.

Also, if it’s March, that means we’re close to the release of our annual Camps & Clinic Resource Guide. If you’re a camp director looking to boost your summer camp or clinic, make sure you reach out to us between now and March 20 so we can be certain to include your event.

Now back to this issue and getting ready for another season on the diamond. Below are a couple conclusions that I came to while researching baseball and softball teams for this issue.

›› SOFTBALL TALENT MIGHT BE NORCAL’S GREATEST ATHLETIC EXPORT. If the sport had the type of national exposure and following that football and basketball get, there’s no doubt in my mind that NorCal softball would be a big, big deal. The fact that the 2021 U.S. Olympic team included five NorCal natives was no fluke — NorCal softball talent is everywhere right now.

In the first week and a half of the college season we caught multiple SportsCenter highlights of recent Aragon-San Mateo graduate Megan Grant driving in runs for UCLA. As of Feb. 21, the Bruins are 12-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country. Grant is one of four NorCal players on the roster. NorCal’s next Bruin is Pitman-Turlock senior catcher Addie Mettler.

Oklahoma is ranked No. 2 in the country. Foothill-Pleasanton grad Nicole May is one of the team’s top pitchers. Grace Green of Oakdale also plays for the Sooners. And, yes, there’s a future Sooner playing in NorCal right now. If you’re a softball fan, go see Mitty-San Jose junior slugger Corri Hicks. And any other program ranked in our Top 20 on page 20. It’ll be worth your time.

›› WE’RE GLAD WE DON’T HAVE TO PROJECT THE FINAL BASEBALL STANDINGS OF THE WEST CATHOLIC ATHLETIC LEAGUE. Four teams inside of our Top 20, and three inside of the Top 6. No thanks! Of course, it’s not a big surprise. The WCAL has been an absolute grinder of a league for several years. This year looks like more of the same.

Check out all our coverage and see what conclusions you draw. We’re guessing you’ll be packing sunflower seeds and checking schedules in no time. ✪

SportStars

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5.11.19

Amador Valley-Pleasanton sprinter Chineyre O’Koro separates from her competitors in the second half of a 200-meter heat at the North Coast Section Tri-Valley Meet. O’Koro’s NCS Championship 100-meter time of 11.56 seconds that season ranks tied-for-fifth on the event’s all-time leaderboard. O’Koro is now a junior on the UCLA Track and Field team. Jean-Paul Toshiro photo

NCVA Cranks Up Girls Tourney Schedule

After wrapping up its 23rd Annual President’s Day Tournament from Feb. 18-20, the Northern California Volleyball Association is ready for full speed ahead. And there’s a lot of ground it intends to cover.

With the girls club season in full swing, NCVA will be holding a tournament every weekend from March through May (excluding Easter weekend). That includes Power League events, Premier League events and special events such as the Golden State Classic, Far Western Qualifiers and more.

In fact, speaking of full speed, the NCVA will have three separate events going in the first weekend of March alone.

The Golden State Classic will take place in the San Mateo Event Center on the weekend of March 4-5 and will host over 130 teams, some from as far as Arizona, Oregon and Colorado. All age groups (11’s through 18’s) will compete at the event. Information for the Golden State Classic can be found at ncva. com/goldenstate/

That same weekend, the 17’s Power League Regional Championship will take place at the Reno Sparks Convention Center. The teams will be fresh off of Power League #3 Weekend on Feb 25th with their final standings in that league determining their Regional Championship seed. A total of six region bids will be awarded.

The Reno Sparks Convention Center will be hopping, because NCVA will also be using it for the 18s Sierra National Qualifier from March 3-5. More than 80 teams are registered to compete for a total of five bids to the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships taking place from April 28-30 in Columbus, Ohio.

The Sierra National Qualifier will attract 18U teams from several states, including Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Oregon, Washington and others. This event includes a recruiting combine on March 2 from 7-8:30 p.m.. For information on the tournament or the combine, visit ncva.com/sierra/

The rest of NCVA’s March schedule will include the special events of March Madness on March 18-19 and Spring Fling on March 25-26. Info for these events can also be found at NCVA.com.

In other news, the NCVA recently announced to its members the return of its high-performance program (boys only for the time being, with a girls announcement to be determined). The high-performance program is an opportunity for top players from different NCVA clubs to come together and form an “all-star team” that competes against other regional all-star squads in tournament play over the summer. The 2023 USA High Performances Championships will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. ✪

Whitney-Rocklin is playing baseball with boomerangs.

Everything comes back — including 2022 Sac-Joaquin Section championship coach and Whitney alum Jackson Watt.

Also back, nearly every starter from last year’s 28-win squad. It’s why the Wildcats are undoubtably the team to beat in the SJS.

“We know we are going to see a lot of teams’ No. 1 (pitchers),” Watt said. “The target is on our back.

“You got to embrace it. It’s something this group of players has earned, and something they will have to rise up to.”

It’s a team well equipped for such challenges. They are battle-tested, and tough to outscore.

Graduation took away arms responsible for less than nine innings of a staff that threw 219.1 frames with a collective 2.36 earned run average last year.

The top returner on the hill, Jace Gillmore, pitched a seven-inning 2-1 victory over McClatchy-Sacramento in the SJS Div. I championships last year. Gillmore finished the year 11-0 with four complete games, a shutout and 67 strikeouts across 76.2 innings with a 1.55 ERA.

“I’ve always handled pressure well,” Gillmore said. “We work a lot on our mental game, self talk, and it’s all good for you.

“We know we are going to be viewed as a big team this year, but we are just going to play our game like we did last year. Nobody believed in us, but we all believed in our-

STORY AND PHOTOS BY IKE DODSON

ROCKLIN’S WHITNEY HIGH BASEBALL PROGRAM RETURNS NEARLY EVERYONE FROM A 28-WIN TEAM, AND IT MIGHT MAKE THE WILDCATS THE SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION’S BEST TEAM

WHITNEY’S TOP RETURNEES, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, LUKE OYLER, SHANE SAUNDERS, NATHAN ERICKSON, JACE GILLMORE, GAVIN MCLENDON, JAX GIMENEZ AND TYLER ALLEN.

selves and the team morale is off the charts.”

Gillmore, who sports a 91 miles-per-hour fastball with a curveball, slider and changeup, is committed to Santa Clara University. Last year’s No. 2, Gavin McLendon (four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, changeup and curveball), is bound for San Diego State.

McLendon picked up three of Whitney’s five postseason wins last year, and finished the season 9-1 with a save, shutout and 60 strikeouts in 54 innings of work with a 0.91 ERA.

He’s not a hulking presence on the mound like Gillmore, but is especially accurate and uses all of his pitches.

“Obviously I am not the biggest guy, so I am not going to blow anyone away, but I focus on hitting my spots,” McLendon said.

McLendon also spoke to one of Whitney’s biggest strengths, a special connection that has crafted a lasting bond.

“I feel like every guy I talk to, I can have a genuine conversation with,” McLendon said. “Everyone gets along great, and it’s the best team I have ever been a part of.”

The returning bullpen also includes Luke Oyler (3.86 ERA, 41.2 innings pitched), Tanner Dykstra (3.82 ERA, 29 IP), Tyler Allen (2.03 ERA, 10.1 IP) and Tyler Streight (3.71 ERA, 5.2 IP). Oyler is committed to Saint Mary’s College.

Whitney returns all but one of the hitters who appeared in last year’s SJS finale, and seven of the eight most active bats in its lineup. Last year’s hit leader, Allen, is back after hitting .351 across 112 plate appearances, amassing 34 knocks, 23 RBI, nine doubles, 21 runs and 12 stolen bases.

Gillmore and McLendon also helped their own cause plenty in 2022. Gillmore hit .337 in a team-high 113 trips to the dish, with 31 hits, 31 runs, 23 RBI and three triples. McLendon tallied a .326 average across 108 appearances with 28 hits, 18 RBI and five triples. Shane Saunders also hit .287 at the plate with a team-high 26 RBI and 27 hits.

Three players, Oyler, Nathan Erickson and Jax Gimenez, made Whitney’s regular lineup as sophomores last year. They combined to bat .283 with 70 hits, 39 RBI, four triples, and 46 runs scored.

Oyler will start at shortstop and resume duties as the No. 3 pitcher for the second straight year.

“Last year I was just a wild-eyed sophomore looking to play every day,” Oyler said. “I think I have grown into a leadership role on the team, looking to coach other players and help the team more.”

It’s not a squad with a shortage of leaders, and Watt said Allen, one of

“THE TARGET IS ON OUR BACK. YOU GOT TO EMBRACE IT.”

— Coach Jackson Watt

six key seniors, is probably the team’s biggest influence, on and off the field.

“He’s the hardest working guy in our program,” Watt added. “He’s one of the guys to make sure everything gets done, no matter what — even setting up the field and tearing it down.”

It’s a disciplined approach that has helped him at the plate.

“He gets good pitches to swing at and battles up there,” Watt said.

Gillmore and Saunders, heard bellowing lyrics from Cole Swindell into the late afternoon Rocklin sky on a mid-February evening, seem to charge up the team energy. Whitney started off a batting practice session by blasting “Love You Too Late” from the field speakers.

It’s the kind of training that helps the team play loose.

“Our goal is to create a great student-athlete experience, and as long as our kids are taking care of business, doing things the right way, that’s the kind of practice you can expect,” Watt said. “Of course before that we had 20 minutes of silent meditation work. So we work hard and play hard, and check every box.

“It’s a different kind of vibe.”

Whitney is a vibe, one powered by historic connections of many players (Gillmore, McLendon and Gimenez made it to the Pony League Western Regionals in San Jose when they were eight), and the energetic support of many coaches, teachers and administrators.

In the program, Watt highlighted Greg Burgeson (hitting), Scott Seffens (third base), Bill Carr (bullpen), Lance Antonicic (junior varsity), John Gonzales (junior varsity, spirit leader) and Colin Stewart (freshmen). Each coach carries a remarkable resume of experience, and collectively they help the program thrive.

It also helps to share a tradition of success with former college baseballer Joel Williams, now the Whitney boys soccer coach in the SJS semifinals, and assistant principal Jeff Dietrich, who won section titles with the Del Oro-Loomis football program.

The program is also supported by former Whitney baseball head coaches Rob Dorchak and Bret Hunter, who, like everyone else, came back to campus.

It’s a habit that Whitney’s village of prep baseball hopes will be echoed by the SJS banner this spring.

1. DE LA SALLE-CONCORD (27-6 last season)

In our mind, it’s essentially a toss-up between the two teams that top these rankings. We’re giving the slight edge to the Spartans since they are, in fact, the CIF NorCal Div. I defending champions. Yes, graduation hit the De La Salle offense pretty hard (the top four 2022 leaders in hits, and top two in RBI, are gone), but there’s always a more than capable Next Guy Up for coach David Jeans. The best example of that consistency is at the North Coast Section level where the Spartans have claimed the last five Div. I crowns.

De La Salle’s defense of its regional and section titles will start on the bump this year with three-time varsity hurler Cal Randall. The UCLA-commit was 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA and led the Spartans staff with 61 strikeouts over 45.2 innings pitched. UC Santa Barbara-bound junior Jack Hershey should take a leap forward on the mound this year as well. He posted a 1.68 ERA with a win and a save in 8.1 innings of work in 2022.

Offensively, look for Connor “Bear” Harrison to improve on his six doubles and 21 RBI from a season ago. Harrison, the younger brother of Giants pitching prospect Kyle Harrison, will move to catcher this year following the graduation of All-NorCal backstop Anthony Martinez.

The Spartans defense will be anchored by CSU Northridge-committed middle infielder Smith Chandler, and Saint Mary’s-bound outfielder Tanner Griffith.

3. WHITNEY-ROCKLIN (28-6)

With the Wildcats, it’s not who they have back, but who DON’T they have back. Nearly every key contributor to last season’s 28-win, Sac-Joaquin Section-title campaign returns. That includes the 1-2 starting pitching duo of Jace Gillmore (Santa Clara) and Gavin McClendon (San Deigo state). The two combined to go 20-1 on the bump in 2022. Run support for the duo shouldn’t be a problem as seven of the team’s top eight hitters return as well.

4. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (31-5)

The Lancers were very senior-heavy last season when they entered the CIF NorCal Div. I championship as the No. 1 team in the state (CalHiSports.com) but couldn’t hold a three-run lead in the bottom of the 7th. SportStars’ NorCal Pitcher Of The Year Blake Rogers is now at Baylor, but St. Francis has another Baylor-bound arm in Jack Surdey (60, 1.48) along with Ned Righellis, who had a dominant relief outing in the NorCal final. Shortstop Elias Duncan (40 hits, 41 runs, 23 RBI) and OF Derek Gile (32 hits, 20 RBI) are both back also.

5. FRANKLIN-ELK GROVE (24-9)

2. VALLEY CHRISTIAN-SAN JOSE (25-8-1)

As we said above, choosing between De La Salle and the Warriors for No. 1 was truly a toss-up. CalHiSport.com went the other way, and we can’t argue their points either. Four-year varsity standout Jacob Hudson leads Valley Christian in his final season as one of the top uncommitted two-way standouts in the state.

Hudson was named the Warriors MVP last season after hitting .343 and tying for the team lead in both hits (37) and doubles (9). He also notched three wins and four saves with a 2.62 ERA over 37.1 innings. It’s not just Hudson, though, as Valley Christian will return a number of key guys from last year, including pitcher Alec Bedares (Arizona State) and Stanford-bound brothers Tatum Marsh (junior OF) and Quinten Marsh (soph. P/IF).

Mississippi State bound two-way star Nolan Stevens is arguably the best senior in the SJS. He drove in 31 runs in 2022 while going 6-0 on the mound with 59 strikeouts in 38 innings. He’ll lead the charge for Franklin, and should have plenty of help. Look for a pair of juniors — Nic Abraham (Oregon) and Jorday Lopez (Cal) — to make big impacts. Abraham will complement Stevens on the mound, and Lopez will anchor the infield defense.

6. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (24-10)

With a third team inside the top six, it should be clear that the West Catholic Athletic League will be a consistent factor in these rankings all season long. The Monarchs return five of their six RBI leaders from a season ago, led by UC Davis-bound C/1B Matteo Blandino (7 HR, 41 RBI) and Cal-bound UTIL. Jaren Advincula (.422, 38 hits, 33 runs). If it can find consistent starting pitching, Mitty’s ceiling will be extremely high.

Quinten Marsh

7. CLAYTON VALLEY-CONCORD (21-5)

The Ugly Eagles are loaded with Division I-bound talent, headlined by national catching prospect and Arkansas commit, Ryder Helfrick. The starting pitching depth includes Calbound senior Kyle Connelly and Long Beach State-bound junior Hank Phifer. Including Helfrick, Clayton Valley returns five of its top 7 hitters from 2022.

8. WOODCREEK-ROSEVILLE (25-3)

Last year’s senior-laden Timberwolves roster opened the year 24-0 and beat Mitty for the Scott Boras Invitational NorCal final. Still plenty of talent remains in the lineup and on the infield. Most notable will be infielders Connor Barth (Oregon State) and Dylan Green (Oregon). Vanderbilt commit Austin Nye will lead the pitching staff.

9. FOOTHILL-PLEASANTON (26-6)

Pitcher Tyler Gebb (UC Riverside) returns after winning 14 games as a junior, and Jackson Flora (Loyola Marymount) is back after winning eight. Longtime Falcons coach Angelo Scavone has key offensive contributors back as well to make Foothill a key foil for De La Salle in the East Bay Athletic League.

10. PALO ALTO (26-7)

Stanford-committed infielder Charlie Bates and UC Davis-bound pitcher Sam Papp will lead the way as the Vikings should remain plenty formidable despite losing plenty to graduation.

THE NEXT 10

11. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (24-6)

12. Bellarmine-San Jose (22-10-1)

13. Aptos (23-7)

14. Granada-Livermore (16-11)

15. Del Campo-Fair Oaks (29-6)

16. Redwood-Larkspur (20-9)

17. Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (17-10)

18. Wilcox-Santa Clara (21-10)

19. College Park-Pleasant Hill (16-9)

20. Tamalpais-Mill Valley (18-8) ✪

Woodcreek’s Dylan Green

From left to right, Marin Catholic sophomores Selena Pena, Anya Jaroszewski and Lindsay Harrison

Marin Catholic Nearly Pulled Off An NCS Title Run With Just Two Seniors In 2022. Now The Wildcats Are Even Younger, But No

Less Dangerous

Dave Albini was spent. His entire Marin Catholic softball team was too. The Wildcats had just outlasted Livermore in 11 innings to advance to their first North Coast Section Division II final as a program. It was the team’s third straight extra-inning game, and second straight 11-inning affair.

“We were walking out of that Livermore game, and a parent, who was practically in tears, asked, ‘Dave, have you ever seen anything like this since you’ve been coaching?,” Albini said recently by phone. “I hadn’t. The girls just had so much stamina and will to win.”

The run ended with a 6-1 loss at Benicia a few days later, but it almost certainly left an impression on a predominantly young roster. Eight months later, Marin Catholic should be one of the more fascinating teams to watch throughout the North Coast Section.

The Wildcats subtracted two impactful seniors — pitcher Rose Malen and third baseman Kiley Koch — but the rest of the roster returns. They also have added six new freshmen to the mix. After having seven freshmen a season ago.

“We’ve got a very young team right now,” said Albini, who has led the Wildcats to all three of the program’s NCS titles in his first 10 seasons (one in Div. III and two in Div. IV). “We may have as many as three freshmen and four sophomores starting early on. … We’ll take some early losses and hopefully by midseason we’ll be in good shape.”

A smart coach won’t rely on that much youth without having a few seniors to lean on. And Albini has some very good ones — two of which he’s known since they were also freshmen on varsity.

The Wildcats will be built around the talent and leadership of their two middle infielders, shortstop Lauren Osheroff and second baseman Sammy Horn. Both batted over .500 last season and combined for 88 hits and 49 runs scored. Osheroff homered in the playoff win over Livermore and Horn went 9-for-18 over four postseason games.

Both players know their biggest role during the first month of the season is building confidence and chemistry among the rest of the roster.

“I see them interacting with the freshmen all the time,” Albini said of the two seniors. “It puts a smile

Sammy Horn

on my face. It’s a big deal. Sammy and Lauren are on to their next step. They’re a big deal to these younger girls who are fresh into high school and trying to adapt to playing with girls who are 2 and 3 years older. That interaction, it gets them to feel comfortable and play better as well.”

Of course, you don’t join a defending NCS runner-up as a freshman without having some talent.

“I think overall we’re really athletic,” Horn said. “A lot of these freshmen are very athletic and competitive. … I think that we’re definitely bonding well, too. (Lauren and I) definitely put an emphasis on that.”

Horn has signed to play for Boston College after graduating from Marin Catholic. She’ll once again be at the top of the Wildcats lineup where she collected more than 50 hits a season ago.

“She’s great at getting on base and getting things started for us,” Albini said. “She’s also great defensively. I can put her anywhere.”

Osheroff, who remains uncommitted, will move to the heart of the order where Albini thinks she’s headed for a much bigger year.

“She’s going to be our power hitter,” the coach said. “In our first scrimmage she hit a home run in her first at bat. I truly believe she was one of the best players in the NCS Div. II tournament last year. She was finally getting healthy (from an ankle sprain) and it really showed.”

Osheroff and Horn won’t be the only seniors on this team. But they will be until the Marin Catholic girls basketball season ends.

Lehigh-bound hooper Gracyn Lovette will likely take over at first base when she’s done on the hardwood. She drove in 11 runs on 15 hits last season, and it was really her first full season of varsity softball after sticking with basketball during the COVID season in Spring 2021. Lauren Gogna is also a senior captain on the basketball team who will join softball at season’s end.

“I’m so excited for Gracyn to come to the team,” Osheroff said. “Obviously basketball is her focus — and Go MC Basketball. But the end will be bittersweet because I’m so excited for both her and Lauren to play with us because they add so much to the team.”

The sophomore class is going to have a major impact on this roster as well. They’re grouped into the “youth” of the club, but many of them logged several innings as freshmen. And they were part of that playoff run that should prove immensely valuable this season.

The group’s most notable names will be Anya Jaroszewski, who started at catcher last season. There’s also centerfielder Lindsay Harrison, who had 27 hits and five triples last season. Albini has noticed a more intense focus from her after a strong summer of travel ball. Osheroff has too.

“She works so hard,” Osheroff said of Harrison. “She’s definitely improved a lot since last year. I’m really excited to see what she does this season.”

A third sophomore, Selena Pena, will be first in line to fill perhaps the biggest cleats from that 2022 postseason run. They were the ones inside the circle.

Malen had a dominant senior season, going 17-4 with a 0.71 ERA and an ability to pitch out of several jams during the Wildcats’ extrainning wins. Pena will look to take over after getting 19 innings of work as a freshman. Those 19 innings were certainly promising. She finished 4-0 with a 1.84 ERA. In her last three appearances, she allowed a combined two hits with 16 strikeouts over eight innings.

“She has a really good changeup to go with her faster stuff,” Horn said. “I think it’s her best pitch and she does really well with it. She’s really growing as a player and a person, and I think she’s getting more comfortable with the team and more confident.”

Osheroff echoed those thoughts and settled on a word that she thinks might be the biggest key to Marin Catholic’s success this season. Trust.

“We’re going to come together more as a team playing behind a younger pitcher,” the shortstop said. “She’s going to know that the team has her back and we’ll be supporting her with every pitch … I think we just need to trust each other. We all know we have the same goal. I think if we trust each other, then we’re going to execute.”

And it may not matter how many innings it takes. ✪

Lauren Osheroff

1. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (31-2 last season)

Anyone who thought the defending CIF Div. I NorCal champion (and CalHiSports.com’s 2022 State Team Of The Year) was going to skip a beat after graduating NorCal and State Player Of The Year, Jessica Oakland, was bound to be disappointed. In fact, Oakland only ranked third on the Lancers in hits last season. The two who finished above her — Lexi O’Gorman and Chloe Cummings — were both juniors.

O’Gorman had 55 hits and 48 runs scored on her way to being a SportStars All-NorCal Outfield selection. Cummings had 54 hits, scored 44 runs and added 20 RBI. She’s also part of a three-person pitching staff that returns in its entirety. Cummings, Kate Munnerlyn and Shannon Keighran combined to post a 1.04 ERA and strike out 262 batters over 195 innings. Munnerlyn and Keighran shouldered most of the load.

The graduations of Oakland (now at Minnesota), Sydney Stewart (Washington) and Brooke Deppiesse (Boston University) did subtract significantly from the team’s power and run-production numbers. Those three alone combined for 40 HR, 10 triples, 30 doubles and 156 RBI. That’s a lot of production to make up for. Keighran will have a chance to expand on her six HR and 25 RBI from last season, but others will need to step up when O’Gorman and Cummings get on base. Another 31-2 campaign might be a lot to ask for, but this program is still the region’s best until another NorCal team proves otherwise.

3. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (26-5)

Oklahoma-committed junior Corri Hicks (13 HR, 43 RBI last season) will lead a Monarchs team which starts 2023 in the same spot it finished 2022. Hicks is one of four key returning hitters, which also includes junior Mira Rodriguez (San Diego State) who had 37 hits and 36 runs scored. Of Mitty’s five losses last season, three came at the hands of West Catholic Athletic League foil, No. 1 St. Francis. Ava Markert (7-0, 0.66 ERA) is the one returning pitcher of three who split the share of innings a year ago.

4. SHELDON-SACRAMENTO (28-6)

We know that graduation took a toll on the Huskies team that was the lone NorCal squad to beat No. 1 St. Francis last season. We’re still listing Sheldon as the top team from the Sac-Joaquin Section because we’re just fine banking on the pedigree of Mary Jo Truesdale’s program and its ability to reload. The cupboard certainly isn’t bare, either. The Huskies success will start with their Jaylee Battery of catcher Jaylee Marshall and pitcher Jaylee Ojo.

5. HERITAGE-BRENTWOOD (23-4-1)

2. GRANADA-LIVERMORE (26-5)

The Matadors are coming off one of the program’s most successful seasons ever. Granada won 26 games, claimed the Livermore Stampede tournament title for just the second time (from a field that included No. 1 St. Francis and No. 3 Mitty) and reached the NCS Division I final for the first time. The championship game didn’t go as they’d hoped (8-0 loss to Heritage-Brentwood), but there are several players returning and hoping for a do-over. Coach Johnny Heinz has seven of his top nine hitters back from 2022, including power-hitting sophomore first baseman Delaney Aumua (10 HR, 33 RBI last season) and junior catcher Saskia Raab (41 hits, 17 doubles, 26 RBI). Pitcher Alex Mello also returns to the circle where she went 9-0 with a 1.93 ERA last season.

The defending NCS Div. I champions return plenty of firepower in the batter’s box, as four of their top five hitters are back. They’ll be led by Saint Mary’s-bound first baseman Alex Cutonilli, who had 40 hits in 2022 with half of them going for extra bases (including 6 HR). Mikaela Mortimer and Skylar Stroh each tallied more than 30 hits and combined to score 56 runs. The Patriots big task will be replacing graduated pitcher Kasey Aguinaga.

6. CENTRAL CATHOLIC-MODESTO (27-5)

If No. 4 Sheldon gets off to a slow start, the Raiders may be ready and willing to take over the mantle of top team in the SJS. For Central Catholic, it all starts with Randi Roelling. The Cal-bound dual threat struck out 418 batters in just 183 innings last season. She also had six HR and 26 RBI. Jazmarie Roberts and Emorie Machado will be big contributors also.

Saskia Raab

Kate Munnerlyn

7. NOTRE DAME-SALINAS (21-8)

Sammy Rey and Addison Amaral are as good a 1-2 offensive punch as any and lead a Spirits lineup featuring five of its top eight hitters from a season ago. Rey is a Central Florida signed senior who batted .577 with eight HR in 2022. Amaral is a junior Notre Dame commit who batted .418 last spring.

8. OAKDALE (25-3)

Senior two-way, Mississippi State-bound star Delainey Everett is a big reason why Oakdale vs. Central Catholic will be appointment viewing in the Valley Oak League this year. Everett had six HR, 16 doubles and 35 RBI last season while also holding a 0.47 ERA in the circle. Juniors Bailey Peterson, Presley Barnes and Raegan Everett are also back after strong sophomore seasons.

9. BENICIA (24-7)

The NCS Div. II defending champions have a number of pieces back from their title squad. There’s sophomore shortstop Emma French (44 hits and a team-leading 40 RBI last season), outfielder Kyra Mason (46 hits, 26 RBI) and pitcher/slugger Braxton Brown (6 HR, 23 RBI, 20-game winner)

10. SAN RAMON VALLEY-DANVILLE (18-9)

Playing in the East Bay Athletic League is hard enough. Try doing it without a single senior on the roster. The 2022 Wolves did just that and nearly won 20 games. Now an experienced and battle-tested group is ready to run it back. Two-way star Paige McLeod and speedy sophomore Sophia Jin are names to note.

THE NEXT 10

11. East Nicolaus (29-3)

12. Elk Grove (21-7-1)

13. Aragon-San Mateo (18-6)

14. Vista del Lago-Folsom (24-5-1)

15. Marin Catholic-Kentfield (22-4)

16. Livermore (24-4-1)

17. Los Gatos (22-4)

18. Sutter (31-1)

19. San Rafael (24-6)

20. Pinole Valley (24-3-1) ✪

Benicia’s Emma French

Six Stories From Two Days Of Sac-Joaquin Masters Wrestling Championships

Story

& Photos by Ike Dodson

Fierce battles in the “blood round” of Saturday’s Sac-

Joaquin Masters Wrestling Championships for boys and girls determined the 168 wrestlers who will represent the section at the CIF Championships Tournament

Feb. 23-25 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield. Proficiency across the brackets also crowned new team champions, as Oakdale boys and Pitman-Turlock girls escaped with freshly crafted blue banners. With 224 positions available atop the section’s medal podiums, and 172 teams scoring points across all 28 brackets, we took a close look at the best stories from a thrilling two-day spectacle at the Stockton Arena.

OAKDALE TAKES THE REINS

Oakdale’s Eziequel Vela looks for a takedown of his opponent.

BELOW: The Mustangs’ Carlos Garcia points at the camera after winning his final.

Oakdale halted Vacaville’s five-year streak of Masters titles by scoring 273.5 team points with its 14 qualifiers. A Vacaville banner would have been historic, since Turlock holds the section record for consecutive team championships at six. It’s something Oakdale knew was on the line.

“We were talking earlier, how if Vacaville could have won this year, they would have been tied for the most Masters championships in a row,” Oakdale’s 120-pound Masters champion Eziequel Vela said. “It felt good to put a stop to that.”

Oakdale had 10 Masters medalists, all of them state qualifiers. The squad’s 5-1 showing in the consolation semifinals (determines who wrestles for third or fifth) made the team title definitively out of reach for anyone else.

“I thought we had a lot of guys wrestle hard,” Oakdale coach Steve Strange said.

“All year long we have been talking about winning Masters, and everybody knows what’s on the line. They also seed the state tournament, so if you don’t come back for third or fourth, it matters. So everybody was in it for the team race and looking at the big picture at state.”

Vela, ranked No. 14 in California by The California Wrestling Newsletter, won his bracket by beating CA No. 13, Micah Viloria of West-Tracy, via third-round pin.

“I was pretty confident and focused going in,” Vela said. “Toward that third (round), I felt he was tired, and I knew I had to keep in-bounds and finish it to help the team win. It feels amazing just being a part of this.”

Carlos Garcia (CA No. 6) also won the 170-pound SJS title by edging out Pitman’s Mason Ontiveros (CA No. 9) in a 5-3 decision. Elias Corona (CA No. 8) also won the 195 championship by beating No. 9 Kainoa Acia of Del Oro-Loomis in a 5-1 finale.

The Mustang bus to state will also include Emilio Johnson (third at 220), Wes Burford (fourth at 182), Payne Perkins (third at 160), Brodie Johnson (third at 152), Colton Silva (second at 145), Jesse Meza (fourth at 126) and Ezekiel Hernandez (fifth at 106). Meza (disqualified after a slam) and Emilio Johnson (drew SJS champion Nolan Frank of Elk Grove) both dropped their second match, but won five straight consolation brackets to make the bronze-medal match.

Oakdale was notably without former Masters champion Johnathon Hernandez, who was injured a month earlier. The Mustangs also had a tough draw for 113-pound senior Logan Thomas (CA No. 24), who was upset in the championship bracket and ran into CA No. 23 Kekoa Ogawa (Central Catholic-Modesto) in consolation. Neither wrestler made state, while No. 17 Octavia Negrete (Elk Grove) won the weight against No. 25 Elias Rivera of Folsom in the 113 finals.

Sutter’s Carter DeLaCerna became the program’s first ever wrestler to make state from the SJS. The Huskies came from the Northern Section to join the SJS this year. They finished first in Div. V and 11th at Masters.

Vacaville still leads all SJS teams with 21 Masters titles. Oakdale now has three, after finishing runner-up to Vacaville in each of the last three seasons.

Vacaville still led all teams with 11 medal winners. Eight of them qualified to state, including Thomas Sandoval (CA No. 4), who won the 182-pound bracket by taking a 12-4 win over Scott Beadles of Calaveras-San Andreas.

Vacaville is No. 16 in California team rankings, while Oakdale is listed 10th.

PITMAN’S FAB FOUR

Sometimes, all it takes is four.

The Pitman girls scored the most team points at Masters (112) in six years and edged out Del Oro by 6.5 points to claim the program’s first ever SJS team title.

They did it with only four Masters qualifiers, but all four made the finals and three of them won.

“We are the hardest working team in California,” 137-pound SJS Champion Alana Ontiveros said. “We push ourselves until we break, and even when we are broken, we still go.”

Ontiveros effectively won the SJS title for Pitman by securing a pin in the fourth consecutive finals match featuring a Pride wrestler.

She did it in remarkable style, heaving returning state placer Gianna Dibenedetto of Bella Vista-Fair Oaks onto her back in the first few seconds of the match. She squeezed Dibenedetto’s shoulder blades firmly against the mat for a 26-second pin. It was the fastest finals pin in both the girls and boys brackets.

“That wasn’t the plan, but I just felt it and I went for it,” Ontiveros said. “I trusted my training and what my coaches taught me, and trusted myself to just do it.”

Ontiveros is committed to Menlo College and is aiming for a state title after her thirdplace finish last year.

She will be joined at state by fellow section champions Lilly Avalos and Baya Austin, and SJS runner-up Gabryella Austin. Avalos pinned Isabelle Camarillo of Laguna Creek-Elk Grove to win the 121 title while Baya upended Loretta Lopez of Elk Grove 8-1 at 126. Gabryella appeared primed to join the first-place party, but she allowed late points to award Cesar Chavez-Stockton senior Taydem Khamjoi the championship at 131. Khamjoi was fourth at state last year, and they could meet again in Bakersfield.

Pitman boys will also send Alejandro Talamante (fourth at 138), Elyjja Austin (fifth at 152), Carter Vannest (fourth at 160), Mason Ontiveros (second at 170) and Achilles Clark (second at 220) for coach Adam Vasconcellos.

DEL ORO PROVES PROWESS

If a collective teams’ championship was a thing, Del Oro boys and girls would have edged out Oakdale by exactly one point.

The girls finished second (105.5) and boys third (169) after qualifying 19 total wrestlers to Masters and another 11 to state.

“I think both of us getting to where we are now has a lot to do with our youth programs, like the USA Gold team and the extra work we put in outside of the season,” four-time Collegiate National Championship place-winner and Del Oro girls coach Angela Vyborny said. “I think as girls wrestling grows, this will be more common.”

The lowest weights were coincidentally both won by Del Oro freshmen. Kaiya Maggini beat Jazmine Turner of DavisModesto 9-4 to win the 101 girls title, while CA No. 5 Siraj Sidhu edged out No. 20 Elijah Valencia of Merced 3-0 in the boys 106 final.

The Golden Eagles tied Oakdale with three individual champions.

Del Oro girls were in the title hunt throughout, thanks to five state qualifiers. Ashlynn Hemm was fourth at 106, while Cali Boehrer (fourth at 121), Ally Cortez (fourth at 126) and Leilani Igarashi (second at 143) all earned trips to Bakersfield.

Vyborny attended the CIF seeding meeting Sunday, and said Maggini will be the No. 3 seed at state.

“I think it’s going to be a good experience for all of them,” Vyborny said. “It’s the first time we have qualified nine to Masters, and we are only losing (Cortez to graduation).”

Del Oro boys will graduate three of five state qualifiers and six of 10 who made Masters.

The squad finished 45 points better than fourth-place Pitman.

CA No. 17 Jagger French, a junior, should return after he followed last year’s runner-up SJS finish by winning it all this year. He beat No. 19 Roberto Lopez of West with a last-second takedown in the 132-pound title match and let loose probably the most animated celebration of the tournament. He was the third Del Oro winner, after CA No. 19 Isaac Herrera upset CA No. 10 Victor-Alexander Gutierrez (Central Catholic) 7-4 at 126 pounds.

Logan Banks (sixth, 138), Chino Igarashi (sixth, 145) and Kainoa Acia (second, 195) also made state.

“The team wrestled really well today,” Del Oro boys coach Clint Madden said. “These guys have worked extremely hard this year and it is showing. I felt like we were aggressive and kept working to score from all positions. We are excited to be taking six athletes to the state championships next week.”

Alana Ontiveros

Jagger French

BORELLI BROTHERS DOUBLE UP

One of the section’s breakout stars was undoubtedly Los Banos sophomore Brokton Borelli, who landed two significant upsets on his path to a section title at 152 pounds in his first prep season.

He wasn’t alone. His junior brother, Larry Borelli, took the 160 title. Both should be seeded at state.

“It’s going to be chaos,” Larry said. “We are going to be in the same hotel room with a couple of other guys, and that’s going to be fun.”

The brothers bring the fun. When they weren’t milling about Stockton Arena with jokes and grins, they were cruising to 10 collective wins.

Brokton, CA No. 20, beat Brodie Johnson of Oakdale (CA No. 10) 7-2 in a onesided semifinal. The win earned him a finals meeting with CA No. 8 Arjun Nargra (Vacaville), who was 3-2 at state last year. That match was pushed into a sudden victory round, where a Brokton takedown secured a 6-4 victory.

“My goal is trying to be good all around and in those little in-between spots when scrambling,” Brokton said. “People stop wrestling in-between moves and that’s when I am trying to be best.”

It was a remarkable finish for a wrestler who missed the 2022 prep season while he was homeschooled.

“I didn’t really know what to expect from this,” Brokton said. “I just had to believe in myself and all the wrestling that I do, trust the conditioning and coaching and I have to thank my brother for helping train me.”

The Borelli brothers found wrestling thanks to a chance off-the-mat friendship with Gilroy brothers Isaiah and Elijah Cortez, both ranked No. 1 in the state at 120 and 126 pounds, respectively for Gilroy.

“They told us we should go into the gym and try it out and we were like, ‘sure,’ and here we are now,” Larry said. “They just got us into it.”

Larry, CA No. 10, used late back points to lock up a 9-5 win over CA No. 12 Shaiden Carr of Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills in his 160-pound title match.

“I like trying to work on as many different things as I can, so if something doesn’t work I can go to something else,” Larry said.

The two will be joined by Raymond Fernandez at state, who was third at 170. Kiara Daniels was third at the same weight in the girls brackets, and will move on as well.

Larry said he expects the program’s collective success to motivate other athletes at Los Banos to seek opportunities on the mat.

“If I was to play football or baseball, we would just probably stay local,” Larry said. “With wrestling, I have been able to go all over the place, and I think now that people are seeing us go to Bakersfield, they are going to want to push harder to get there too.”

Larry Borelli

LEILUA SHINES FOR EL CAMINO

El Camino senior Frank Leilua became El Camino-Sacramento’s first state qualifier in 10 years.

The hulking footballer who picked up wrestling to improve his skills on the gridiron edged out Laguna Creek’s Declan Follette 2-1 in the 285-pound third-place match at Masters. His steady improvement over the course of his final prep season is remarkable, including overcoming Del Campo-Fair Oaks’s Tai Taliaoa after three consecutive defeats (Leilua won at the league tournament) and avenging a prior loss to Follette in the bronze-medal match at Masters.

Leilua’s best performance of the year probably came in a loss. After reaching the SJS semifinals with a pin over CA No. 16 Jesus Gutierrez of Sutter, Leilua drew returning state runner-up Sam Hinojosa of Stagg-Stockton (CA No. 3).

He scored the first takedown of the match, earned back points in the second round and dropped a thrilling 5-4 decision to Hinojosa. He also deftly attacked the legs from the natural position (not common among heavyweights).

The third place finish is an impressive showing for a bracket that sported five of the top-16 ranked wrestlers in California. Leilua was ranked 15th, but should climb up state seeds after his performance.

“He just has God-given strength, is a hard worker and is so quiet, that half the time you don’t even know he’s in the room, even though he’s so big,” El Camino coach Allen Blomquist said. “I don’t even have anyone for him to spar with actually. He trains with our 220, but in four years of coaching him, we have never had a true heavyweight for him to drill or practice with.

“So he gets all his real experience from wrestling (matches).”

It’s the kind of setting that requires extra work. Leilua credits his success late in matches to post-practice trips to the gym with his father, Vai Leilua.

“It’s all about pushing yourself when you are tired,” Frank said. “I would also say the reason for my success is my mom (Tima Leilua), up there in the stands.”

Tima had a great view of the action from a chair on the walkway overlooking the mats from

TURNER’S COMEBACK

Davis wrestling standout Avangeline Turner, the sister of NAIA National No. 6-ranked Adrienna Turner (Grand Valley State), is finally blazing her own postseason path.

She was administratively removed from the 2022 postseason after reacting to a violent smack to her head with an instinctive return volley during the SJS Northern Regional, but will make her first trek to Bakersfield after placing second at Masters.

“My goal for next week is definitely placing,” Avangeline said. “I am confident that I can.”

Turner (and her sister) were members of the California National Team at the 2021 Marine Corps Juniors and 16 Nationals in Fargo, N.D., where Avangeline was third (Cadets).

She was expected to challenge for a state medal last year, until a match with Orland turned violent, ending with a postmatch tackle by Orland in a bout that Avangeline had won. The section ruled both wrestlers ineligible for the remainder of the season.

“It just really brought me to the realization that I need to do me, and do what I need to do and not feed into how other people are trying to put me down,” Avangeline said. “It means so much to me to finally come to the big arena after the way it ended last year.

“I just have to keep my cool and wrestle my match. I’m definitely taking a step forward.”

Avangeline, a junior, has considered trying to join her sister at Grand Valley, but said she will make that decision next year after consulting with her parents.

the west end of Stockton Arena. She saw her son win four of his five matches and a 10-0 major decision in the consolation semifinals to secure a seeding at state.

Frank said he hopes to wrestle and play football in college, the likely route for that path being Sierra College, unless his action at state garners more interest.

Given his rapid climb up the ladder at 285, anything is possible. ✪