NorCal Issue 229, March 2024

VOL. 14 ISSUE 229

MARCH 2024

NORCAL EDITION

14 YEARS Of Stars & Stories

We’ve been feeling nostalgic at SportStars HQ of late. We tend to get that way around here when the calendar ticks over from March to April.

April is the month it all started at SportStars. (Well, the first issue technically came out in May, but the original staff was all hired in April). Way back in 2010. Fourteen years doesn’t sound like that long ago. Until you consider the following:

In April 2010…

›› The Warriors were still considered one of the poorest run organizations in the NBA. Heck, the Splash Brothers weren’t even a thing yet.

›› The Giants still hadn’t won a title since moving to San Francisco.

›› Najee Harris had just turned 12.

›› Sabrina Ionescu was only 13.

›› Kyle Harrison — the De La Salle graduate who started the Giants’ second game of the season on March 29 — was still four months away from turning 9.

The amount of quality sports we’ve witnessed over the past 14 years could fill volumes and volumes of SportStars pages. Oh wait, it did, actually.

But we haven’t always written about the future pros and superstars. We’ve also made an effort to find stories that celebrate the everyday athletes and under-the-radar teams. With that in mind, I’m pleased that our feature on Antioch High’s Fifita Grewe found its way into this issue.

Fifita isn’t likely to be a pro or even a major college athlete, but it’s not about what she might become. It’s about what she is right now: A four-sport, high achieving student with multiple roles on campus and a part-time job as well. We happened to come across her story when learning that she’d been named Antioch’s Youth of the Year. We like to think of stories like Fifita’s as the ideal SportStars feature. Stories about athletes who aren’t always getting the spotlight, but are making an impact all the same.

And in addition to that story, we also deliver a couple of features from the CIF State Basketball Championships earlier this month. It wasn’t the best weekend in Sacramento for our NorCal basketball squads, so neither story is about a state champion. But both the Colfax girls and Salesian-Richmond boys had seasons deserving of a feature.

And that’s where I’ll leave you. We hope you enjoy the issue. ✪

Premier Partners

5.19.16

Vista del Lago senior shortstop Josh Winkler fires a ball to first after retiring a Granite Bay runner sliding into second. Winkler hit .473 with 29 RBI that season to help the Eagles to a 23-5-1 record. He would go on to play two seasons for Folsom Lake College, one season at University of Pacific and then closed out his collegiate career with CSU Monterey Bay.

James K. Leash photo

TURNS Fifty

1,500 Teams And 30,000 Visitors Will Attend Popular Junior Nationals Qualifier in Reno

The Northern California Volleyball Association (NCVA) and USA Volleyball (USAV) are returning to Reno, Nevada, for the 50th No Dinx/NCVA Junior Far Western National Qualifier. Far Westerns has been around since 1947, when the first iteration of the tournament was held as an adult qualifier. In 1974, the Far Western Junior National Quali fier began as it’s known today. This historic quali fier has been a staple of club volleyball in Northern California since the boom of junior club sports over three decades ago.

Teams register to compete in their age divisions (12’s through 18’s) for a USAV National Championship bid. USAV is NCVA’s parent organization and the national governing body of the sport of volleyball in the USA. Quali fiers are open to clubs from across the country, and this year, teams from 20 states will be competing for a spot at nationals.

Also this year, the tournament is extending from the typical two weekends to three weekends, to help alleviate foot traffic, parking concerns, and court space. In total, 1,500 teams will fight it out, and 30,000 people will be in attendance, including players, coaches and guests.

The tournament will be held at the Reno-Sparks Conven tion Center, the largest convention center in Reno with 380,000 square feet of exhibition space, which allows for a layout of 77 courts. Reno-Sparks Convention Center has hosted Far Westerns for over 20 years, and the venue will provide concessions, food trucks, and plenty of room for the various vendors and NCVA’s partners.

NCVA’s long-time partner, No Dinx, will be setting up a shop selling clothing and swag with unique designs celebrating the event and anniversary, as well as supplying award shirts to teams who excel in the competition.

Many players in attendance have college aspirations, and the NCVA provides some great opportunities during Far Westerns for players to learn more about what it takes to become collegiate athletes. With organizations like Championship Combine, NCSA, and University Athlete, athletes will have the chance to showcase their skills to college coaches both in attendance and through video combines.

To learn more about the event, visit the official NCVA Far West erns website. ✪

Senior guard Jade Bittner

DUTCH going

Whether On The Court Or In The Coffee Shop, A Tight-Knit Colfax Girls Basketball Team Made Its Share Of Lasting Memories On The Way To Its Second-Straight CIF State Championship Game Appearance

Story and Photos by Ike Dodson

Sugar-laden coffee trips powered the most successful basketball team in the Sac-Joaquin Section to the state finals.

When a school like Colfax, with under 700 students enrolled, wins consecutive California Interscholastic Federation Northern California girls basketball titles, some core memories are expected, like walking to the floor of the Golden 1 Center in the state championship game.

Others are acquired along the way.

“They are going to remember all those hotel rooms and fun times, and Dutch Bros. for sure,” Colfax girls basketball coach Rexanne Simpton said. “That’s a tradition now.”

Road trips from the small town nestled at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and State Route 174 to premier hoops contests across the state were powered by Dutch Bros.

It’s how a tight group grew even closer this year during a 34-3 season that included NorCal’s top honor and a runner-up finish in the Division II state championship game.

“They are going to remember all those hotel rooms and fun times, and Dutch Bros. for sure. That’s a tradition now.”

- Colfax girls basketball coach Rexanne Simpton

“We would roll up, all of us, and make our orders,” Simpton said with a laugh.

The caffeine, cream and syrup (let’s be honest, they are more like milkshakes) added to the flavor profile of Colfax basketball this season, and certainly made road trips more fun.

“They’re just goofy, fun off the court and then when they are on the court, they just like to get after it,” Simpton said. “Defensively physical and feisty, they love to play for each other.”

They get to keep on doing it past this season.

Only one senior, Jade Biittner, will depart via graduation this spring. The rest of the team responsible for outscoring its 2023-24 opponents by an average of 23 points should return.

Biittner, the point guard who also shined in last year’s NorCal championship and state runner-up season, enjoyed another special postseason this year. The Falcons’ 6045 loss to Harvard-Westlake-Studio City in the state final on March 9 ended a streak of eight consecutive playoff wins and 12 straight overall victories.

“I am definitely proud of this team, how far we came this year after the loss last year,” Biittner said. “The four to five of us who came back really wanted to get back to that point, and there was nothing that was going to stop us from getting here.”

It was a community effort.

“Our school of 640, we have that many (fans) come out to our games,” Biittner said. “It’s such an honor to be a part of that community.”

“It’s indescribable, the amount of support we got,” Simpton said. “Everybody wants a piece of it and everybody wants to be involved. The community support is amazing.

“Win or lose, they are here to support them. It’s pretty special. It’s not just about us, it’s about bringing an entire community together.”

It’s how athletics thrive in a small town.

“Every day I see people come up to me after games, they say ‘good job,’ even people that I don’t know,” junior center Juliette James said. “The whole community gets involved. I just think it’s a special bond that we have.”

James is pretty special herself.

The 5-foot, 11-inch post player is 2 inches taller than the rest of the Colfax roster, and rarely leaves the floor. She’s the enforcer at the hoop, and a consistent offensive option in the paint.

In the state title game, she led Colfax with 18 points and 11 rebounds and drew six fouls.

Juliette James

“Huge game,” Simpton said. “When you can go inside-out, and dominate inside, kick the ball out… that’s what you want, a well-rounded team, and I think we have that.”

Junior Kaia Diederichs, who won both SJS basketball and soccer banners this winter, scored 13 points and had three steals against Harvard-Westlake.

On the year, the team was paced by James, who averaged 13.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Madalyn Sigrist added 13.4 points and 4.5 rebounds with 2.7 steals, Diederichs chipped in with 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 steals and Laurlyn Massick contributed 10.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.

Biittner (6.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 4.4 assists per game) and sophomore Claire Bishop (4.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg) were also key contributors, and Massick also earned the CIF’s Victory with Honor medal for her efforts in the state finals.

“They are a bunch of fighters,” Simpton said moments after the state title game. “I know the girls really wanted it. They have been here before, most of them, and they thought it was their turn.

“Sometimes you fall short.”

Harvard-Westlake (19-18) was just third in the Southern Section’s ultra competitive Mission League and lost in the SS Division I semifinals, but landed in the Division II state play-

offs (despite having 1,000 more students than Colfax) because of the CIF’s competitive equity model. It determines where playoff teams align in state playoffs, based on the success of their team, instead of enrollment.

It’s also how small-school Colfax was vaulted to Division II, after being bumped to Division III last year.

“People (tell) us, ‘It’s not fair, it’s not fair.’ I just say, ‘Hey, sometimes life’s not fair.’” Simpton said. “We perform, we fight. If that means we have to play bigger schools, we play bigger schools.

“Do we like it? No. That’s out of our control. We do what we do, work hard, play together, truly play as a team.”

Harvard-Westlake was led by sensational freshman Angelina Habis, who finished with 19 points and three steals. Deana Thompson added 18 points and Valentina Guerrero scored 14 points to go with 13 rebounds.

Colfax led 28-24 at halftime, but allowed a massive Harvard-Westlake run in the final two frames, including an 18-5 fourth-quarter bonanza.

“Second half we got a little cold, missed some easy ones and they hit their shots,” Simpton said. “I think that was the difference.”

With all but one player destined to return, the Falcons might just brew up another way to finish on top next year. ✪

LEFT: Junior guard Kaia Dietrich looks to drive past a Harvard-Westlake defender during the state final. Dietrich won SJS titles in both basketball and soccer during the winter.

ABOVE: Rexanne Simpton delivers a pregame message before starting lineups are announced.

Aaron Hunkin-Claytor

Both on the court and in the classroom, a talented, unselfish and hard-working Salesian boys basketball ensemble delivered one of the greatest seasons in the history of one of NorCal’s most storied programs

Story by M. Scott | Photos by David Gershon

Bill Mellis doesn’t always look at the score or the time or even opposing defenses.

The 26-year Salesian-Richmond boys basketball coach looks for the eyes — in the eye — of his players. He looks for contact. Connection. Composure. Togetherness.

Fifteen minutes after the completion of perhaps the finest season in Salesian history, following a brutally battled 50-45 loss to defending champion Harvard-Westlake-Studio City in California’s pinnacle game — the CIF Open Division title game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento — the Pride’s eyes were clear. No bloodshot red pupils for pain or despair.

Like they had done for a nearly flawless 33-game, four-month campaign, these Pride players had left all their guts and grit on the court. For only the second time all season, they garnered no glory.

That went to the defending champion Wolverines, who watched their star player, 6-foot-4 USC-bound point guard Trent Perry, score the game’s final six points over the last one minute, 15 seconds to ruin Salesian’s dream season and spoil the Pride’s bid for a first Open Division state title.

Perry made two terrific buckets over heavily-contested arms along with two free throws at the same time the Pride (31-2) made two uncharacteristic turnovers and missed a couple other makeable opportunities. Despite making up an 11-point first-quarter deficit and getting 14 points from sophomore Elias Obenyah and 10 by De’Undrae Perteete, Salesian lost for the first time since Dec. 29, a span of 19 games.

There was no shame in that. No regret. They’d played to their fullest potential, while knocking off 10 of 12 teams ranked among the state’s Top 25. The two losses were by seven points total (the other defeat was 68-66 in overtime to Division 1 state champion, St. John Bosco at the Damien Classic.

In a press conference in front of 30-40 media, Mellis and the players, drenched in sweat and somewhat

LEFT: Senior forward De’Undrae Perteete gets position for a rebound during the state final.

RIGHT: Bill Mellis watches the action unfold against Harvard-Westlake.

THE TEAM: Salesian Pride 2023-24

Here’s a thumbnail look at one of the best, if not most complete and connected, Bay Area high school boys basketball teams ever assembled. (All quotes from coach Bill Mellis)

THE NUMBERS

Wins: 31

Losses: 2

Points per game: 79.6

Points per game allowed: 45.6

Most points scored: 90 vs. De Anza, Feb. 8

Least points allowed: 23 vs. Vallejo (83 scored),

THE STARTERS

THE MAESTRO

PG Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, 6-3, Sr.: Hawaii-bound second-year star who transferred from Hawaii after his sophomore season. Old-school PG who got everyone involved. Smooth. Savvy. Runs the show. Was All-Tournament at three tournaments and a two-time league MVP. A 4.2 GPA. “Mellow, down to earth, funny and very well liked. He fit in immediately, super respectful and likable and a consummate point

THE ROCK

SG Alvin Loving (pictured left), 6-4, Jr.: A lethal wing shooter who can go strong to the basket. Big 3-point threat. Strong enough to cover the opponent’s big man. First-team All-League, All-tourney at Gridley and Pro Image. GPA: 4.17. “Very serious young man,” Mellis said, with some serious game. “He’s only a junior but getting recruited by a handful of teams, especially Yale.”

THE STOPPER

SG Zander Jimenez, 6-3, Sr.: A four-year varsity player. A starter who doesn’t score much but does all the other things, especially defend. Big heart, big brain with 4.8 GPA. First cousins with former Salesian All-American female stars Mariya and Minyon Moore. “Totally down to earth, beyond bright. His dad played college football.”

SUPER SOPH

SF Elias Obenyah, 6-4, So.: A terrific mid-range game, who is developing a 3-point shot, Obenyah really attacks the basket. “He’s athletic and tough around the rim.” Already being recruited by a handful of D1 schools (Cal, Loyola Marymount), he was the team’s leading scorer at 9.0 points per game. “He’s got so much upside and room to learn.” Another 4.0 student.

THE GLUE

and wing, and yet another smarty at 4.4 GPA. “He’s as tough as it gets. Did all the dirty work. He played way bigger than his size and seemed to get every steal and rebound. He’s the glue!” A team captain, Perteete was All-Tourney at Gridley and Pro Image. He holds offers from Westmont (Santa Barbara) and Cal State East Bay. “He’s as serious as they come. Stoic all the time. He’s of the highest of character on a team full of high-character kids.”

THE RESERVES

SMOOTH OPERATOR

SG Amani Johnson, 6-3, Sr.: A four-year player and on-and-off starter. “He’s a great 3-point shooter and tough on defense.” Another team captain with yes, another 4.17 GPA.

THE FREAK

PF Carlton Perrilliat, 6-5, So.: “A freakish athlete who is a standout wide receiver on the football team,” Mellis said. “He came in and usually dominated the boards, blocked shots and added toughness.”

GAME CHANGER

PG Isaiah Davis, 5-11, So.: “Great ball handler and perhaps even better shooter.” Davis supplied instant offense and was considered the key player to turn an early double-digit deficit against Riordan at the MLK Classic into a 61-48 win. Davis made five 3-pointers in that game and scored 18 points.

THE DESTROYER

SF Zion Yeargin, 6-4, Sr.: Could be a starter anywhere else, but epitomized the team’s unselfish stance, contributing regularly off the bench by “adding toughness. He scored tough baskets, made great passes or came up with a big rebound.”

THE FUTURE

PF Leon Powe, 6-5, So.: Carrying the large name of his dad who starred at Oakland Tech, Cal and the NBA, Powe is the largest body on the squad, perhaps the lightest spirit and next season figures to play a pivotal role.

THE REST

Senior Darren Villavicencio; Junior Landon Yeargin; Sophomores Brycen Landry and Braylon Franklin; Freshmen Asante Johnson and Elijah Stanley.

THE COACHES

Head coach Bill Mellis; Assistants: Andre Clarke, David Jobe, Davion Mize, Ed Foster, Justin Brown and Mario Dunn. ✪

PF De’Undrae Perteete, 6-5 Sr.: Played post

slumped in disappointment, faced the questions much like they took on challenging foes all season: Head on.

WHOLE PACKAGE

“My thing really is more about this group and how special the group has been,” Mellis said. “We’ve had so much fun coaching this group because not only did they buy into everything that we were teaching, they bought into sharing the ball, they bought into playing defense. Great group, great kids, high GPAs, kind of the whole package.”

Mellis knew that going to be a special season over the late spring and summer, when they beat both Harvard-Westlake and Roosevelt-Eastvale — the teams to finish 1-2 in the state — at LA Live and Section 7 events.

Preseason tournament titles at Gridley and Meridian (Idaho), along with wins over more Southern California powers Centennial-Corona (twice), Windward-Los Angeles and Damien-La Verne confirmed this was not only one of Mellis’ greatest teams over 26 seasons, but qualified it as one of the Bay Area’s best historically.

That’s a resume that top division state-title teams such as St. Joseph-Alameda, led by Jason Kidd in 1991 and 1992, the 32-0 McClymonds team of 2007-08, or the 2014-15 Bishop O’Dowd team, the only NorCal team to ever win the Open Division, would have a tough time matching.

But Mellis, even with his 641 wins and two state titles, isn’t much into numbers, hyperbole or comparisons.

He can see greatness and perhaps his greatest evidence of such this season came during a low point, when down 2820 at halftime to Riordan-San Francisco in the NorCal Open title game at Contra Costa College in San Pablo.

LOCKED IN

“We had to lay into the guys,” Mellis said. “One of the first times all year. We weren’t matching (Riordan’s) intensity. We weren’t executing what we’d gone over.”

The Pride didn’t just take the heat, they absorbed it, Mellis said. “They were right there with every word. They weren’t taken aback, but instead they were nodding their heads, locking eyes with each other. They knew exactly what they had to do. And they did it. Together.”

Five minutes into the second half, they had the lead. Riordan, a strong-willed, athletically superior squad, fought right back to take the lead by the end of the third. But the fourth quarter was Salesian’s, with a 15-6 run they won going away, 49-44, to take the program’s first NorCal Open title. A couple weeks earlier they’d won their first North Coast Section Open title, but 11th section title overall.

“Every medal, trophy, championship, piece of credit they receive, they’ve earned,” Mellis said. “It’s a special, special group.”

The Bay Area News Group thought the season was so special, it scrapped its longstanding annual Player of the Year award and just gave it the Pride as a team, based on its unselfishness, balance and all-team outlook.

If their resume of quality wins and titles was special, the fact that not a single player averaged in double-figure scoring defies belief. “Nobody cared who scored,” said 6-foot-5, 190-pound senior forward Perteete. “As long as we got the win, everyone was winning.”

WORK TIME

That buy-in was across the board and explained by an extremely mature, academic and senior-dominated squad. Whereas the scoring averages didn’t raise much attention, their grade point averages did, a program best 3.56 that included seven with 4.0s or higher, topped off by senior Zander Jimenez at 4.8.

On top of all their other titles, the Pride won the NCS’ scholastic award for highest team GPA, a first.

“Whenever we’d come into the study hall, I never had to say ‘let’s get to work,’ “ Mellis said. “Never. They just got to work. On the court and in the classroom.”

Don’t picture a bunch of nerds, Mellis warned. “No, these guys were fun. A lot of fun. But they just knew when to take care of business. It’s a low maintenance group. They’d check themselves. They obviously all have good parents. That’s where it starts.” ✪

Elias Obenyah

PERPETUAL PANTHER

Story by Kelli Bryson

Photos by Kelli Bryson & Trine Gallegos

PERPETUAL PANTHER

With A Nonstop Work Ethic And Passion For Improving The Lives Of Others, Antioch High Multi-Sport Athlete & Student Leader Fifita Grewe Isn’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon

Fifita Grewe has a schedule that would be daunting to most adults, but the Antioch High School junior wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s a four-sport athlete, student body president, a rally commissioner, volunteer coach and has a part-time job as a youth recreation leader.

Her drive, leadership, compassion, and infectious positivity have earned her yet another role, as the City of Antioch’s 2024 Youth of the Year.

Grewe was honored along with other city winners at the Antioch Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Gala and Awards Ceremony on March 22.

“I want to be an inspiration to younger students,” Grewe said. “I wanted to have a voice and a say in student government and to do that, you have to participate.”

When it comes to Grewe, “participate” is an understatement. The 17-year-old is a versatile athlete, playing varsity flag football (center, quarterback), volleyball (middle blocker, setter), basketball (power forward, center), and softball (first base, outfield) for the Panthers. In addition to helping plan school rallies, student art shows, and multicultural events, Grewe also serves as the Student Body President – a role traditionally held by a senior – representing more than 1,900 of her peers.

“I want to be an inspiration to younger students. I wanted to have a voice and a say in student government and to do that, you have to participate.”

— Fifita Grewe

Trine Gallegos, Antioch Unified School District’s Media Coordinator, wrote Grewe’s nomination letter for Youth of the Year. “I jokingly and admirably refer to Fifita Grewe as Antioch High’s student vice principal because she’s seemingly involved in everything on campus,” Gallegos wrote. “Fifita leads with clarity and an abundance of positivity – all effortlessly. So, it’s not surprising she has literally taken the lead in Panther Country.”

Gallegos and Antioch High Principal John Jimno surprised Grewe in Leadership class with the news of her new title. Antioch High coach and leadership teacher Nick Wisely had to convince Grewe to get up in front of the class by asking her to reiterate some key points from their last meeting so they could make the announcement.

“It’s such a blessing, to be honest,” Grewe said. “When I found out, it had been a hard week losing our playoff game in basketball, so ending that week finding out about this honor was awesome. It made my day. I had no idea.”

When Grewe arrived at Antioch High, the first year out of COVID-19, Wisely said she made her presence known jumping into leadership right away.

“She’s a fantastic human being,” he said. “Fita genuinely cares about others. She goes above and beyond. Anything I ask, she does more. I say ‘Let someone else do it,’ but no she’s got it. She wants to make things better. She cares about how our school looks. She wants to leave her legacy behind; she’s committed to leaving it better than she found it.”

Wisely has known Grewe since sixth grade and was familiar with her athletic ability in basketball. He convinced her to give softball a try, even loaning her a glove, which she still uses.

“She just started playing softball and now she’s starting at first base on varsity,” he said. “She picked up the game and is doing decent for someone who only put on a glove just two years ago. She’s loud, she communicates with her teammates. As a coach, she’s a player that checks every single box.”

Wisely not only coached her in softball last season, but he’s also a flag football coach. He says Grewe was second or third in receptions as a center and had a 60-yard touchdown run as the quarterback.

On a typical weekday in March, Grewe is up around 7 a.m., gets ready for school, and drops her younger sister off at middle school. She then heads to Antioch High for a full day of classes, maybe a student government meeting, and then softball practice or a game. She gets home around 7:30 p.m. has dinner, showers, does homework, and is in bed by 10 p.m.

While it seems like a lot, Grewe’s Spring schedule is relatively light compared to the Fall when she was playing on both the flag football and volleyball teams. Mondays were game days for flag football with practice on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 7-8 a.m., then school, followed by volleyball practice in the evening. Game days for volleyball were Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“It was challenging, but something I looked forward to overcoming,” Grewe said of her Fall schedule.

Thankfully, there’s an app for that.

“I look forward to planning out my schedule every week,” Grewe said. “I have some of it in my head, but I also have apps on my phone to remind me. I wake up and look at my phone and say, ‘OK I have this, this, this, and this today.’ Then I look at what homework I need to get done that day. It’s all about planning.”

What Grewe didn’t plan on was being honored for her involvement and hard work, a drive that she inherited. “Seeing (my mom) go through the adversity of being a Pacific Islander coming to America at a young age, having that independent woman that I can look up to inspired me growing up,” Grewe said.

“Fita just has something you don’t see in everyone.”

— Antioch teacher and coach Ashley Garcia

The admiration is mutual. Salote Grewe, Fifita’s mom, was shocked to find out her daughter was named Youth of the Year, but also not surprised by her daughter’s ambition and leadership.

“She is very positive and very outgoing. Fifita is always willing to put other people’s needs before her own,” Salote said. “I’m super proud of that. Home is your first school and what we teach at home, it shows. For her to get ‘Youth of the Year’ is huge. It’s something I wasn’t even expecting. All the hard work that we put into taking care of them – it all pays off. She turned my hard work into something I’m super proud of.”

Fifita’s mom is the oldest of 11 children, and her father is the eldest of eight. The high schooler says watching her parents juggle work, home, family, and children (Fifita has four siblings) inspired her work ethic and appetite for activity.

This includes a part-time job at the Antioch Community Center where she works

weekends coaching kids in various Recreation Department classes. “I love it,” Grewe said. “I coach kids. I referee games. I enjoy working with the kids and the young community. I try to use my outside life to inspire them to do stuff.”

Ashley Garcia, a coach and teacher at Antioch High, wasn’t familiar with the Youth of the Year award, but wasn’t surprised to hear Grewe was selected. The two met about five years ago at Antioch Middle School where Garcia coached Grewe on the basketball team and she became besties with her younger sister. Garcia says Grewe is “part of the family.”

“She’s a natural born leader,” Garcia said. wShe takes initiative to get anything and everything done. I don’t know many adults, let alone a teenager who just gets stuff done. She’s a helper and in such a selfless way too.”

Garcia has had the opportunity to coach Grewe again in high school as the girls flag football and basketball coach. When she moved to Antioch High, she says Grewe was there to help in any way she could. “She taught me how to pull out the bleachers in the gym,” Garcia laughed. “She’s so attentive to everything. She just makes things better.”

In her spare time, whenever that is, Grewe enjoys going to the gym, playing basketball, and spending time with her family and friends.

Despite her busy schedule Grewe has already started thinking about the future. She’s started looking at colleges and plans to major in Kinesiology. “I’m really looking toward staying in the sports arena, not sure if I want to play sports in college, but I definitely want to stay in the field of sports,” she said.

Wisely would love to see her back at Antioch High.

“I’m trying to recruit her to come back and teach,” he said. ‘I could definitely see her in education and she loves sports in general. If she gets into something like that, she would definitely thrive.” ✪

More Student, Less Student Debt.