NorCal Issue 224, October 2024 by Sport Stars Magazine

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9.24.15 Campolindo-Moraga water polo keeper, Becca Buck, braces to block a shot in a match against Monte Vista-Danville. Buck went on to play at UC Santa Barbara. That Campolindo team won its league title and finished 22-6 overall. This year’s team is 18-6 heading into the North Coast Section playoffs that will begin during the first week of November. BOB LARSON PHOTO 4

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NCVA Gears Up To Host Its Marquee Tournament Of Boys Season, The Far Western National Qualifier

or the past several years, the Northern California Volleyball Association’s premier event has been its Girls Far Western Regional National Qualifier tournament. That’s still the case. However, the Boys Far Westerns have become pretty popular in their own

right.

For the first time in its 16-year history, the event has expanded to a second venue in order to accommodate the number of registered teams. This not only showcases the popularity of the tournament, but the growth of boys club volleyball in general. This year’s NCVA Boys Far Western will take place on Nov. 4-5 at both the Roebbelen Center of @ TheGrounds in Roseville, and the Capitol Sports Center in McClellan. More than 175 teams have already registered for the event. They will come seeking one of 20 USA Volleyball Junior National Championship 6

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bids.

ONE FOR THE BOYS

The tournament will feature 12 different divisions, with 10 of them resulting in at least one national championship berth. The divisions with bids up for grab will be the 14U Open, 14U USA, 15U Open, 15U USA, 16U Open, 16U USA, 17U Open, 17U USA, 18 Open and 18U USA. The two divisions not handing out entries to the national tournament will be 12U No Dinx and 13U No Dinx. Like many of the Girls Far Western Regionals events, this one will have a recruiting combine attached to it. The combine will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 at the CSC venue. It will be open to any high school-aged player, whether their club is entered into one of the tournament divisions or not. College coaches are invited to attend the combine, or will be sent video from the day. For more information on the Boys Far Westerns, make sure to visit NCVA.com. Two weeks after the Far Westerns, the NCVA will host its final Boys Power League event on Nov. 18-19 at the San Mateo Event Center. Then after a little more than a month off, the top Power League programs will convene for Power League Championship Weekend on Dec. 16-17. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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“We’re very fortunate to be in the position we’re in, especially with a talent like Herschel and a bunch of guys that were here on last year’s roster who probably didn’t get to celebrate as many wins as they wanted to.” — Mt. Diablo coach Fetuao Mua

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erschel Turner Jr. looks restless. Midway through the first quarter of Mt. Diablo-Concord’s homecoming game against Ygnacio Valley-Concord, Turner hasn’t played a snap yet. On paper, the Red Devils stand a good shot to win even without their star running back, and the slight limp he’s walking with gives away the fact that if he’s not needed, this is going to be a light night for the 5-foot-10, 190-pound senior. In the midst of a season in which he’s run around and over every defense he’s encountered, standing still seems unnatural. So, he stays attached at the hip to the Red Devils’ coaching staff, pacing the sideline and pointing out adjustments he sees on both offense and defense. Ygnacio Valley is hanging tough, and with Mt. Diablo leading 21-16 with just over three minutes left in the half, the Red Devils finally decide the time is right to call Turner’s number. His first carry comes on third-and-forever, but even on a nondescript run for six yards, Turner drags multiple defenders along with him. A few minutes later, Mt. Diablo gets the ball back and Turner doesn’t wait, exploding through the line for a jaw-dropping 45-yard touchdown run. Even at less than 100 percent, the explosiveness is obvious. Turner carries only once in the second half, but this time the full arsenal is on display. A good push from his offensive line gets him to the second level of Ygnacio Valley’s defense, and at that point all the Wolves can do is try to keep up as a burst of next-level speed results in a 73-yard bolt to the end zone. The run puts Mt. Diablo up 41-16 and ends Turner’s evening with a stat line of three carries, 124 yards and two touchdowns. As he goes back to shadowing his coaches throughout an interminable final two quarters, the Red Devils finally put the finishing touches on a 49-22 victory over their cross-town rivals. Excitement for football on the downtown Concord campus is building these days. The team entered the last week of the regular season with a 6-3 overall record and tied for second place in the Diablo Athletic League’s Valley Division. First-year head coach and Mt. Diablo grad Fetuao Mua sees that excitement daily from his post as a campus supervisor. The home stands were nearly full on homecoming night, and a handful of college coaches stalked the sideline pregame hoping to get a look at Turner. “We’ve been blessed,” Mua said. “We’re very fortunate to be in the position we’re in, especially with a talent like Herschel and a bunch of guys that were here on last year’s roster who probably didn’t get to celebrate as many wins as they wanted to.” When Mua and his staff took the job, they didn’t know they’d be inheriting a game-breaking talent. After starring at Freedom-Oakley for the last two years, Turner moved to nearby Bay Point when his mom took a new job. Bay Point sits within Mt. Diablo’s attendance area, and in a decision becoming seemingly more uncommon in the age of transfers, Turner settled in to play for his neighborhood school. The results so far have been nothing short of epic. Through nine games, Turner has rushed 138 times for 2,544 yards and 37 touchdowns. He’s averaging over 18 yards per carry, and Mua needs more than one hand to count touchdowns that were called back due to penalties. At one point in September, Turner led the entire nation in rushing yardage according to MaxPreps, and after his output against Ygnacio Valley. Through Oct. 27,

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Herschel Turner absorbs some contact on one of his three runs against Ygnacio Valley.

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he ranked No. 2. Just 121 yards behind leader Hunter Babb of Caruthers. What makes those video game-esque numbers even more incredible is that among that national top 10, he is the only player with less than 200 carries. In fact, the next lowest carry total was 218, a whopping 80 more than Turner. It’s a season already bound for the record books. “To be honest, I feel like I had a whole offseason to prepare,” Turner said. “Last year, I was hurt from like December to June. So even though I played the full season, I still wasn’t at my best. I would say it’s me improving but also it’s being in a great program with good coaches and good teammates.” Those new teammates have welcomed Turner into the fold with open arms. Senior lineman Aidan Vanhoose has played his own role in the Red Devils’ turnaround as one of the team’s leaders in the trenches, and he helps pave the way for Turner’s highlight-reel runs. “(We were) blessed to have him want to come to our program and help build something new to help the kids coming up through the program,” Vanhoose said. “This is my senior year, but it’s still an amazing feeling to play with a guy like this and help build for the next few years.” This isn’t a case of a star talent coming to a new school and just worrying about his own future. Instead, Mua credits the impact that Turner is having away from the field as a major contributor in Mt. Diablo’s turnaround. “I think it’s his character. He’s a really good athlete and a really good football player, obviously, but the thing that separates him is he’s an even better human being,” Mua said. “On campus, he’s been a big part of the culture change around here. Students are starting to see that you can be a really good athlete and also be a really good student, go to class and get good grades.” Turner wasn’t exactly an unknown commodity at Freedom, but it would have been a bit outlandish to predict the level of production that has come at Mt. Diablo. So, what changed? Turner credits improved vision and experience as major factors, and says that speed training over the summer with running backs coach Tommy Hampton has helped as well. The coaching staff has played an important role too, because for a program enjoying success for the first time in a while, the tendency might be to rely heavily on Turner’s game-breaking talent. Instead, offensive coordinator Josh Bulla and the Red Devils have shown restraint, and Turner’s high point for carries came in a 25-carry evening against Castlemont. That approach means there should be plenty of tread left on Turner’s tires as the Red Devils enter the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs this November. “It’s all on us. I feel like the only people that can beat us are us,” Turner said. “I know that sounds cliché but it’s really true.” For a team looking to continue its turnaround and a running back chasing history, standing still just isn’t an option. ✪ — Story & Photos By Ben Enos 12

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Freshman Christian Kuuan leads the Mt. Diablo football team onto the field.

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G O L D E N DAY F O R

KNIGHT Menlo School Junior Tennis Standout Kate Hsia Delivered A Rare Feat — Quite Literally, A Perfect Match

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enlo’s legendary coach Bill Shine has been around tennis for over 60 years, his teams have won 27 Central Coast Section titles and 24 NorCal Championships, so it’s safe to say he’s seen it all. Not quite. In Menlo’s recent win, Knights junior Kate Hsia recorded a Golden Match, did not drop a point throughout the match, winning 48 consecutive points. Shine said he’s never known a player to complete the feat - one pro player who had a Golden Set and 24 consecutive points, but never an entire match. “I thought I had seen it all until today,” Shine said. “I still can’t believe it. What Kate did was remarkable.” Hsia said it was around the fourth game in the first set when she realized she might win every point ... of that set. The team was reading “Zen Tennis” by Bill Scanlon who himself had landed a golden set, winning 24 points in a row, in 1983 and a spot in the Guiness Book of World Records. The team meets Wednesdays after lift with mental-game and assistant golf coach Francis Santora. Hsia loved how her tennis was playing out with what she was reading. “After I got the golden set, I was really happy and wasn’t thinking too much about winning every point in the second set. It was only when it was 5-0 in the second set that I realized that I might win every point,” Hsia said. There are a couple of golden matches on record at the pro level, but to attain one, you need to play a flawless game yourself — no double faults, no ripped forehand just a half-inch off and no missing a return that careens oddly off the frame of your opponent’s racket. But for 30 minutes, Hsia did not make an error. “When I was serving for the match, I could feel myself tense up, since I had already won 44 points in a row and only needed four more points to get the golden match,” Hsia said. “Throughout the whole match, I had been making most of my first serves, but in that game, I hit more second serves than I had the entire rest of the match. Every time I hit a second serve, I was a little nervous, not because I didn’t want to lose the match but because I wanted to keep the point-winning streak going. “Once the match was over, I was a little in shock, but I was also very happy and a little relieved that I didn’t double-fault a point away, since I rarely played a match without double-faulting at least once!” Hsia said. The Knights went on to a sweep and Menlo finished the regular season with a 10-0 in West Bay Athletic League play and 17-6 overall. “I’m so proud of everyone, and it’s clear we’re improving every day,” said Hsia, who is a co-captain with Izzy Klugman. “I feel that after the San Diego tournament, everyone gained more confidence. Additionally, the level of cheering and spirit on and off the courts has improved so much. This has helped us perform well, even in high pressure situations. I’m really excited to see what the rest of the season has in store for us, and I know we’re going to keep getting better and better every day.” ✪ — Story & Photos By Pam McKenney Always More To Read at SportStarsMag.com

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D’Adrien Sanders looks to break a tackle during a run against GrantSacramento on Oct. 20. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Monterey Trail Football Found Strength, Cohesion During Tough Nonleague Slate — And After A Nailbiting Win Over Grant, It Will Hang A Metro League Banner Once Again

hen adversity hits, the most consistent high school football programs maintain the belief that if they continue putting in the work, success will soon follow. Monterey Trail’s players and coaches believe, and that has the Elk Grove school not only with another Metropolitan League title but also a postseason full of possibilities.The Mustangs closed out the year with a win over Rio Vista to finish the regular season 7-3. But Grant was the big hurdle that needed clearing. A 35-34 thrill ride of a victory over the visiting Pacers provided the latest example that head coach TJ Ewing’s bunch is both battle-tested and playoff-ready. Just like the 2022 meeting between the two programs, a back and forth matchup hinged on big plays late. The biggest came with 1:14 to play, as Grant decided to try for a 2-point conversion that would likely decide the game. The Pacers put the ball in star running back Wayshawn Parker’s hands, but Monterey Trail’s Damien McAlister met him in the backfield, and Elijah Folau punched the ball out short of the goal line to preserve the Mustangs’ lead. Making a big play in a big situation becomes easier when a team has been through the fire, and that most certainly applies for Monterey Trail.. By opening the season against Northern California heavyweights Folsom, St. Francis-Mountain View and Pittsburg, Ewing again followed his long-held belief that early challenges bring future results. The Mustangs lost all three games, but as has usually been the case over the years, they got better in the process. “I have a lot of respect for our players and them taking on the resolve of fighting through tough times,” Ewing said. “The things we threw at them, they took them on. It’s unbelievable what a team can do when everybody believes.” Once league play began, the lessons learned started to turn into wins. A 41-35 win over Laguna Creek-Elk Grove got Monterey Trail rolling, and the next three victories came by a combined score of 201-0. A brief detour back into nonleague play resulted in a 35-17 road win at Merced and set the stage for another classic against Grant. An unfailing belief in their culture served the Mustangs well yet again. Faced with a Grant team that boasts a number of Northern California’s premier recruits, Monterey Trail leaned on its usual blend of a gritty run game and sound fundamentals on both sides of the ball. The results were also familiar. The Mustangs rushed for 294 yards as a team, led by 201 from senior Vontrelle Waffer and 93 from junior D’Adrien Sanders. Waffer and Sanders rushed for two touchdowns apiece, including Waffer’s 44-yard bolt that provided Monterey Trail’s final score with 5:46 to play.

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You’ve got to keep believing and building. It’s not about the schedule. It’s about the end, and when you can believe in the outcome, that’s all that matters.” —Vontrelle Wafer, left, with D’Adrien Sanders

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Fellow senior Arik Phillips also played a key role, hauling in a 36-yard touchdown pass from Joseph Barrientos and grabbing a key first-half interception. “We’ve grown so much,” Phillips said. “In the beginning of the year, we were a little off and we didn’t all really trust each other. We were a little negative towards each other. Throughout the season, we all got closer. This game was for all those guys and our alumni. I’d do anything for them.” Waffer leads the team in rushing, but that’s not the type of leadership that brings Ewing the most pride. He points to Waffer’s “social and emotional maturity” as a major area of growth, and credits him as a key team leader that has helped steady the Mustangs’ ship. Listening to Waffer explain how Monterey Trail weathered its early season storm only proves Ewing’s point. “You’ve got to talk to each other, have your meetings, keep talking. It’s really not hard when you’re a team and you guys are one,” Waffer said. “You’ve got to keep believing and building. It’s not about the schedule. It’s about the end, and when you can believe in the outcome, that’s all that matters.” The win over Grant is less an outcome than another step forward. Monterey Trail is now 26-0 in Metropolitan League play over its almost five full seasons in the league, and a win over River CityWest Sacramento in the final week of the regular season would clinch an undefeated reign in the league as the Mustangs prepare to move back into the Delta League in 2024. Grant’s arrival in 2022 provided two exciting matchups and a pair of serious tests, but ultimately didn’t prevent Monterey Trail from maintaining its league dominance. “I think it’s just our mentality of culture over scheme and our culture really stuck together in the long run. We don’t compromise on culture,” Ewing said. “Our kids completely buy into everything we teach and preach because the things we try to teach are things they need for college and for life. We’re not there to coddle and quibble, we make kids have to be men and they have to take those hard responsibilities on. It’s not easy, but they do it and our kids respond to it.” As they prepare to enter the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, the Mustangs believe in the lessons Ewing and his staff are teaching. They also believe the best is yet to come. ✪ — Story And Photos By Ben Enos

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October 2023

ABOVE: Davon Chisom (28), Gabe Coronado (30) and Donte Jacobs (26) converge to bring down Grant’s Wayshaun Parker. LEFT: Mustangs receiver and defensive back Arik Phillips celebrates a long reception against the Pacers.

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