Sac-Joaquin Issue 176 Feb. 2020 by Sport Stars Magazine

MARCH 2020 SAC-JOAQUIN EDITION VOL. 11 ISSUE 177

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ell, we’re not going to lie. It sure was nice putting together a Baseball/Softball Preview edition when the weather was actually sunny. That has not been the case in recent years. All this good weather should have spring sports fans absolutely juiced to get outdoors and see some events. Of course, we’re in that crazy crossover period of the high school sports calendar where playoff basketball and soccer won’t let us fully divert our attention to spring just yet. This issue reflects that split focus. We’re pivoting to spring with four baseball/softball features plus preseason rankings and 20 players to watch for both sports, but we still made sure to get some hoops and wrestling coverage in as well. We’ll be back in two weeks with an online edition devoted to wrapping up the winter sports. Then one week after that, we’ll be releasing our 10th Annual Camps and Clinics Resource Guide. And while you might be using that to plan out your child’s summer, we’re be deep-diving into the spring sports for our April issue. As for spring, here’s a few of the storylines we’ll be following. FOOTHILL-PLEASANTON SOFTBALL: You might just read a little about the Falcons this issue, and see their senior pitcher Nicole May mentioned a time or two. May, and her fellow four-year varsity companions Courtney Beaudin and Hailey Hayes, already have an undefeated North Coast Section championship season in their rear view. So what can they do for an encore? BASEBALL DRAFT WATCH: From De La Salle left-handed ace Kyle Harrison, to Turlock catcher Tyler Soderstrom, NorCal’s 2020 class has a lot of talented players who could hear their names called this June. But before that moment comes, just how many special seasons are we likely to witness? We’re hoping for a lot. ETHAN HU, HARKER-SAN JOSE SWIMMING PHENOM: Speaking of encores, we’re not exactly sure what Hu could accomplish in order to top his 2019 season. All he did was win CIF State titles in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly — setting meet records in both events. That came on the heels of the Central Coast Section Championships in which he set meet records in the same two events while also setting a third meet record with the Eagles’ 200 medley relay team. JAMAR MARSHALL, THE FLASH OF ST. MARY’S-STOCKTON: Can the Rams’ blazing-fast hurdler close out his final season by sweeping both the 110 and 300 events at the CIF State Meet? He was incredibly close last June. Marshall posted the top times in both events in Friday qualifying. In the finals the next day, he got the first half of the double by edging Clovis North-Fresno’s Caleb Foster by four-tenths of a second to win gold in the 110 hurdles. But later in the meet he settled for bronze in the 300 meter event. So yeah, those are just a few stories we hope follow out there in the glorious sunshine. We’ll hope you keep checking in to read them. ✪

YOUR TICKET TO CALIFORNIA SPORTS ADMIT ONE; RAIN OR SHINE This Vol. #11, March 2020 Whole No. 177 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, PO Box 741, Clayton, CA 94517. SportStars™© 2010-2014 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Receive FREE Digital Subscription in your inbox. Subscribe at SportStarsMag. com. To receive sample issues, please send $3 per copy, or $8 total for bulk. Back issues are $4 each. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of Publisher is strictly prohibited. The staff and management, including Board of Directors, of SportStars™© does not advocate or encourage the use of any product or service advertised herein for illegal purposes. Editorial contributions, photos and letters to the editor are welcome and should be addressed to the Editor. All material should be typed, double-spaced on disk or email and will be handled with reasonable care. For materials return, please enclose a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

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kodiak stephens BRET HARTE-ANGELS CAMP - SENIOR - WRESTLING All season long, SportStars Magazine has ranked Stephens as its top NorCal wrestler at 170 pounds. On Feb. 21-22, he showed why. Stephens blazed his way through the 170-pound field at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament. He went 5-0 with three major decision victories and two pins — each in less than 70 seconds. He defeated Tai Malhi of Pitman-Turlock 12-1 in the championship match. Stevens headed to the CIF State Championships from Feb. 27-29 hoping to improve on his 2-2 showing in 2019.

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Behind the Clipboard by Clay Kallam

State Of Complexities We were talking after last week’s playoff games about NorCals, and we know that if you win in your section, you get to go to NorCals. But then one guy said that the NorCal divisions are different than ours, so that even if we’re Div. III in North Coast we could be a different division in NorCals. And then somebody brought up the Open and we didn’t really get that, either. Do all the teams in the Open go into NorCals? If they do, do they all go in the Open? Or do some Open losers not get into NorCals? It just sounds way too complicated. J.R., Lafayette

t is way too complicated. The reasons why it’s so complicated are even more complicated, so if you really want to know, send me an email — but trust me, you don’t want to know. But complicated or not, this is how it is: 1) Section playoffs. There are six sections of wildly varying sizes in NorCal. The North Coast Section is the biggest, followed by the Sac-Joaquin and then Central Coast. Next is the Northern Section, followed by Oakland and San Francisco, which are also sections on their own, despite their small size. Each section has its own playoffs. Those playoffs are divided by division, and NCS (for the first time) and CCS both have Open divisions — that is, divisions filled with the best teams regardless of enrollment. CCS, NCS and SJS all have six other divisions, but teams in Div. VI are not eligible for state championships, though they are eligible for NorCal titles. The Northern Section only has Divisions II through VI, and we’re not going down the rabbit hole of Oakland and San Francisco, so just pretend they’re not part of this discussion (even though two Oakland girls teams won state titles last year). Each section also has a certain number of NorCal playoff slots it can fill, and it’s up to each section how to fill them. That too is a complicated process, but to finally answer one of your questions, all the Open teams in NCS and CCS go to NorCals. 2) NorCals. Once each section decides which teams have qualified for NorCals, they submit an ordered list to a state-wide committee. Teams are numbered 1 through 25 (or however many berths a section has) regardless of enrollment. In practice, though, sections will almost always label their Div. I winner as better than their Div. II winner, and so on. What’s tricky is whether they have the Div. I runner-up ahead of the Div. II winner, or the Div. IV winner, if the team is really good, ahead of the Div. III winner. The California Interscholastic Federation committee then takes those lists and places teams in seven different brackets: Open and Divisions I-VI. Step one is picking the Open teams — and no one knows how many NorCal teams will go Open, because every year some Central Section teams (not to be confused with the Central Coast) are moved into NorCal brackets even though they are in the SoCal region. In any event, six or eight teams will wind up in the Open. Looking at this year’s records, the teams will come from CCS, NCS, SJS and maybe the Central Section. (If Central Section teams come north, the bracket will most likely be eight.) But which six? The CIF committee starts with the ordered lists, but could pick teams from any section. It’s all a mystery. The same process is repeated in each division, with teams slotted in from the various sections wherever the committee wants to put them, so a Div. III team from NCS could be in Div. I in NorCals. It all depends on those ordered lists and how the committee decides to make them work together. 3) State. Finally, it gets simple. The winner of the North plays the winner of the South. One game. If only it were that clear before the last game. ✪

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Diamond Rings Baseball, Softball To Get CIF Regionals In 2021

ome of the details still need to be determined, but starting next spring the very best baseball and softball teams in Northern California will be playing each other at the end of the season. At last January’s CIF State Federated Council meeting, members voted by a margin of 88-53 to approve a proposal that would allow the CIF to conduct regional baseball and softball playoffs starting with the 2021 season. It will be the first time ever that NorCal and SoCal section champions in softball will be facing off against each other after the various CIF section championships are decided. It actually won’t be the first time ever for baseball. The CIF had state baseball championships for five years from 1918 to 1922. Two schools that still play the sport, Oakland Tech and Sacramento, won state titles in 1919 and 1922, respectively. This isn’t going to be a CIF state championship like in boys and girls basketball or girls volleyball with Open Divisions. It’s more going to be like it is in soccer and boys volleyball, which means regional championships and no state titles. In those other sports with regional championships and no state, the CIF Central Section teams are in the south. A CIF Central Section team from Central-Fresno just represented the north and won the most recent CIF Division 1-AA state football championship. The proposal calls for the regional championships to be played in the first week of June, but travel teams in softball already are in major tournaments by then. The more likely scenario is for the entire 2021 softball season to get pushed up by two weeks so the new regional championships can be done before all of the girls have started playing for their clubs. It may be that baseball and softball have regional playoffs on different weekends. It doesn’t take long to start imagining what some of the matchups in a CIF NorCal baseball or softball championship might look like. For baseball just last season, much was made of what might have happened had De La Salle-Concord and Valley Christian-San Jose played at the end. The Spartans were 29-1 and were State Team of the Year with four straight CIF North Coast Section Division I titles. Their only loss, though, came in the second game of the season to a St. Francis-Mountain View squad from the same league as Valley Christian. The Warriors won their second straight CIF Central Coast Section Open Division crown and were No. 4 in the final state rankings at 29-4. Baseball, however, can be the sport with the most upsets so it might not have been a sure thing that either De La Salle or Valley Christian would have won the NorCal regional title last season. Vacaville (31-2) would have been a serious contender as well. The Bulldogs won their second straight CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I crown. NorCal’s best softball team last season was Foothill-Pleasanton. The Falcons, who also are the preseason No. 1 for the region, completed a 28-0 record by winning their second NCS D1 title in the last three years. The prospects of having to be in a NorCal regional playoff after the NCS would definitely help with their strength of schedule. Looking at last year’s final rankings, Foothill would have had to deal with other NorCal contenders such as Oakdale (29-1-1) from the Sac-Joaquin Section, CCS Div. I champ Archbishop Mitty-San Jose and Sac-Joaquin Div. I champ Whitney-Rocklin. The Falcons actually beat both of those last two teams during the season, but Oakdale was the SJS Div. III champ and you’d assume that competitiveequity seeding would have placed the Mustangs in Div. I (and gave them a shot to play Foothill). It’s too bad the CIF regional championships aren’t starting this year for Foothill. Because by the time they do start, pitcher Nicole May will be at Oklahoma and catcher Courtney Beaudin will be at UCLA. If someone were to ask what are the best sports for California as a state, considering all-time history, all-time great players, the Olympics and many other factors, baseball and softball would be right at the top (along with perhaps swimming). It’s about time the CIF is going to be involved in putting on championship events in both. ✪

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Cousins Daniel, right, and Anthony Susac after celebrating with the 2009 Jesuit High baseball team that included Daniel’s older brother, Andrew.

itting in the bleachers at Sacramento City College, seven-year-old Anthony Susac wanted to be a part of the fun, so he asked his dad for a few bucks, hustled to the snack bar and purchased two bottles of Gatorade. Instead of returning to his seats, he sprinted down to the field. His older cousin Andrew Susac had just helped lead the 2009 Jesuit baseball team to its second consecutive section title. As the team dog-piled on the pitcher’s mound in celebration, Anthony and Daniel Susac joined in. The pair ran onto the field and emptied the two Gatorades on their heads — a jovial and spontaneous celebration. “I was around that 2008-09 group a lot, so when they won, I was like, ‘I’m going to celebrate, too, and so I dumped Gatorade on my head,” Anthony Susac recalls. “They won it in back-to-back years. I’ll never forget that.” For Anthony and Daniel, that memory is also a prophecy for what they hope to see this year as the team suits up for the new 2020 season. “The section championship comes first, that’s been our goal for a while and last year we fell just short,” Anthony explained. Ask any member of the current Marauders team and they all utter the same words outlining their goals to avenge last year’s loss to Vacaville. “Every single guy on our team remembers that feeling,” Anthony added. “Just watching (Vacaville) dogpile in front of us — it hasn’t left my mind once since.” That ill-fated day at the end of last May is still a dreadful image for many guys on the team. But it also serves as motivation. “It’s brought up pretty often, and it’s something that keeps the guys going,” senior Charlie Hurley admitted. “When guys show up to workouts tired, or they don’t want to be there, we bring it up. Like, ‘Hey, you’re not going to win sections by performing

like this. We need to pick it up.’ So it’s a way to hold everyone accountable.” For the Susac cousins, their title aspirations began long before they reached high school, and for Daniel, this is his last chance to make that goal a reality. “I saw my brothers do it,” Daniel recalled. “And when I made the varsity team in my freshman year I told my brother, since their team was the best and won back-toback, I told him, ‘We’re going to do it three or four years in a row.’ Obviously, we came up short (last year), but we have to win one so that I have a little credibility.”

COUSIN CONNECTION

Although the program hasn’t won a section title since the eldest Susac brother graduated, the pairing of Daniel behind the plate and Anthony Susac on the mound has Jesuit poised for a run this season. The two have played together for a decade spanning back to their travel-ball days. With so much experience, they think they have the firepower necessary to dominate their competition. “The chemistry has always been there (between us),” Anthony said. “Now, it’s just knowing we’re on the same page with our pitch calling.” Last year as a sophomore, Anthony posted a 5-3 record from the rubber with a 2.28 ERA in nine appearances. He was also second on the team with 60 strikeouts. Over the past few months, the right-hander improved his core and glute strength, which has helped him sustain his velocity from the mound. Anthony also shortened his arm path, which he believes will help him add more deception to his game, and he added a change-up to pair with his fastball and slider. “I’ve made some good gains from last year, so I’m hoping the velocity will be there,” he explained. “I was hovering around 89 to 92, so my goal this year is to only have a handful of pitches under 89.”

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Anthony Susac

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Daniel hit .378 last season while leading the team in runs scored (23) and doubles (7). He also finished tied for second in hits (31) and third in RBI (19). Each of the cousins has had Major League Baseball hype for a few years now. Both are projected to be stars at the collegiate level. If they have big performances in their respective final year of high school, each could hear their name called in the MLB draft. “Daniel may become a multi-millionaire in about three months,” said John Susac, Anthony’s dad, Daniel’s uncle and the Jesuit pitching coach. “There’s a very good possibility that he could be drafted in the first round. I think they’ve met with 25 teams. He’s big-time. He’s considered one of the top high school catchers in the country, so he’s got a decision to make.” If he chooses to postpone his big league bid, he’s already announced his commitment to play at the University of Arizona — a decision that changed recently. Daniel was hoping to follow Andrew’s footsteps to Oregon State, and had committed very early in his varsity career. But legendary coach Pat Casey announced his retirement after the 2019 season. His decision not to return as Oregon State’s head coach led the program to hire former player Mitch Canham. “He’s a good guy,” Daniel said. “I didn’t really know him, so it didn’t feel like home for me.” Although he had given his oral commitment, Daniel chose not to sign his national letter of intent with the Beavers. Instead, he followed former Beavers’ pitching coach Nate Yeskie to his new role as pitching coach for Arizona. “It was very disappointing for me, especially because I love Corvallis,” Daniel said. “My brother went there, and I’ve been around that campus a lot. But I really like Tuscon as well — I’ve been there twice. It’s definitely a better place to hit. You’re playing in 85 (degrees) not 30.”

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Growing up, the Susac cousins spent a lot of time together. The five of them would field Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

a wiffleball team or wrestle, but with Andrew being 11 years older, Anthony and Daniel were distinctly outmatched. “They definitely beat us up, but it gave us a competitive advantage” Anthony admitted. Those days helped shape the future athletes Anthony and Daniel would become. They learned about toughness, competition and grew from that experience. They were also destined to go to Jesuit, following Andrew and Matt, as well as Daniel’s father, Nick Susac. “Like I’ve told people, ‘Andrew was one of the better players to go through (Jesuit), but his brother is better,’” John said. “… When Daniel was 5-years-old, I made a prediction that Daniel would be better. Andrew was a superstar, but Daniel was a different cat. They were both different. They always wanted to play with their older cousins, and they’d sit there for hours throwing the ball on the roof and catching it as kids.” Andrew agrees. He recently updated his social media bio to read, “Daniel Susac’s older brother.” John says Daniel’s time playing football and quarterbacking the Woodcreek Jr. Timberwolves in grade school and the Jesuit high team has improved his game. Although he missed the first three games of this past season, Daniel led his team to the Div. II section playoffs, posting strong numbers from the pocket. He threw for more than 1,600 yards and tallied 23 touchdowns, while rushing for two more. He also made good decisions with the ball and had only had four interceptions all year. Daniel says playing quarterback and making quick decisions really slowed down the game of baseball for him. “It’s helped a lot with decision making,” Daniel stated. “Football slows down every other sport. I mean, everything comes at you quick in football, especially running a triple option [offense] — having to make four decisions at the same time. That makes it a lot easier to recognize what’s coming between fastball and curveball. It’s more of a reaction than guesswork.” When the 2019 MLB season came to a close, Andrew returned home for the offseason.

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Daniel Susac receives a pitch during the 2019 SJS Div. I Championship against Vacaville at Sac City College. Susac is among the top senior catching prospects in the state.

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He was a free agent, wanting for his next call after nearly a year with the Kansas City Royals. The two brothers were inseparable, training and spending every day together. Daniel also worked out with former Yuba City High standout Max Stassi, who currently catches for the California Angels. Together, the trio perfected their craft, working on pitch framing, popping out of the box and improving their explosiveness. Daniel says he has the benefit of implementing the lessons Andrew has learned at the collegiate and big league levels and inserting them into his own game. Despite his older brother’s assignment with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Daniel remains loyal to his St. Louis Cardinals fandom. But his second favorite squad has swapped with each of Andrew’s stops in San Francisco, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Kansas City and now the Steel City. “Whatever team he’s on, I’ll be a fan,” Daniel said. Daniel can still remember Andrew’s first Major League hit—a single to left-center, coincidentally against Pittsburgh. “It was a single to left off Charlie Morton, and I remember jumping in the pool with all of my clothes on,” Daniel said. “We were at my friend’s house and we were all going crazy.”

title hopes

Despite its talent, Jesuit’s road to the playoffs won’t be easy. Head coach Joe Potulny, who’s coached the program for 26 years, knows just how competitive the Delta League has been, and playoff history has backed that up. “(From) 1993 up until a couple years ago, and they’ve redone the format recently, the North D-I finalist has either been Franklin, Elk Grove, Jesuit or Davis, and Pleasant Grove knocking on the door,” Potulny explained. “So our league seems to be the best league in this section. And I’m not discounting the SFL, game-to-game they’re right there, but the history tells me it’s going to be a grind (for us).” With redemption in mind, Potulny knows his team will be ready for a Vacaville rematch, but he hopes his team can remember lessons from past title-hunters who came up short. “To me, every year is new and what you did last year doesn’t matter,” Potulny said. “We’ve been ranked number one before and lost in Charlie Hurley the first round… so we have to really teach these boys to stay in the present, and turn the page for each game.” Daniel recalled the perfect example. “We beat Sheldon 12-0 and the next day we lost 2-1,” Daniel remembered. “So I’d say we have to go into every game like it’s the best team we’re going to play.” Hurley, a 6-foot-7 USC commit, will be Jesuit’s No. 2 pitcher. He had a strong junior year and he worked hard this offseason on single-leg exercises, which he says will enable him to maintain his velocity throughout the game. He says he threw anywhere from 90 to 93 mph last year, but dropped off late in games. “My fastball has always been there for me, but I worked on not cutting it and keeping its true spin on it,” Hurley explained. Although the team lost a handful of talented players to graduation last year, including 6-foot3 senior pitcher Carter Benbrook, and one key arm via transfer, they get one standout back. Senior Luke Williams missed the entirety of the 2019 season with an oblique tear, which he suffered in the first game of the season, but he returns fully healthy this year. “I rehabbed a lot and it’s feeling good,” Williams said. “I feel like I’m fully back to normal.” As a sophomore, Williams had eight appearances on the mound in relief and owned a 1.08 ERA with 17 strikeouts. This year, he is the team’s starting shortstop and one of the group’s best athletes. He’s also committed to play next year at UC Santa Barbara, where he’ll meet up with Benbrook again. Williams said it was tough watching his team drop that section championship game. It was the second time Vacaville has knocked Jesuit out of the playoffs while claiming the section title. But Jesuit is hoping for a rematch. “We’re going to see them in May, we all know that,” Anthony Susac acknowledged. “So that’s going to be one of our big motivators.” With five Division I collegiate commits on the roster, you can bet plenty of college scouts will get to see how it unfolds firsthand. ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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PRESEASON NORCAL BASEBALL

1. DE LA SALLE (29-1 in 2019) The Spartans, which enter the season in the midst of a 28-game win streak, not only top our preseason rankings, but Cal-Hi Sports’ state rankings as well, and are No. 3 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings. Reigning SportStars NorCal Pitcher of the Year, Kyle Harrison, is the senior ace and should get plenty of offensive support from a veteran lineup.

2. VALLEY CHRISTIAN-SAN JOSE (29-4) Stanford-bound senior outfielder Eddie Park and Kansas-commit junior pitcher Jonathan Cymrot lead the way for the three-time defending Central Coast Section champs. Cymrot was the 2019 Cal-Hi Sports State Sophomore of the Year and leads the staff while also contributing the bat. Other key returners include Stevie Hom, Jack McGrew and Trevor Haskins.

3. JESUIT-CARMICHAEL (23-11) When you can start out with a battery of cousins Anthony Susac at pitcher and Daniel Susac at catcher, things are good. But the Marauders will bring back more than just that as they aim for a return to the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I finals.

4. TURLOCK (22-7)

Tyler Soderstrom, Turlock

With the incoming transfer of former Jesuit pitcher, Andy Owen, the Bulldogs will open the season with three seniors from last summer’s Area Code Games. The other two, Cole Carrigg and Tyler Soderstrom combined for 75 hits, 64 runs, 46 RBI and 19 doubles last season.

5. HERITAGE-BRENTWOOD (21-7) Nevada-bound shortstop and pitcher Ryan Jackson (.582, 53 hits, 28 RBI last season) will lead a Patriots team that returns five of its top six run producers.

6. VACAVILLE (31-2) The two-time SJS Div. I defending champions lost some pretty big names to graduation, but the Bulldogs’ 2020 class should be able to hold its own. Seniors Jared Breedwell, Brian McClellin, Kenny DeCelle and Michael Brown combined for 34 doubles last season.

Michael Brown, Vacaville

7. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (21-11) Arizona-bound senior Nick Yorke has hit .453 with 126 hits and 71 RBI in 89 career games with the Monarchs. He leads the way with his sophomore brother Zach not far behind.

8. ACALANES-LAFAYETTE (23-3) Washington-bound two-way star Nick Kresnak (.366, 19 RBI, 6-2, 1.09 ERA) returns alongside Tommy Thrasher (21 RBI), Nicholas Bamont (.324, 12 RBI) and Davis Diaz (.367, 21 runs).

9. OAKMONT-ROSEVILLE (30-3) Pitcher and shortstop TJ Nichols, catcher Carson Blatnick and outfield Andrew Paolini lead a slew of returning talent for the defending SJS Div. II champs.

10. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (17-12) Texas commit and USA Baseball standout, Petey Halpin, transferred to Mira CostaManhattan Beach. But senior ace Joey Schott (6-2, 1.52 ERA) returns, as does infielder Jeter Ybarra. 11. Folsom (25-6)

16. Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (21-7)

12. Franklin-Elk Grove (20-8)

17. Foothill-Pleasanton (20-8)

13. Los Gatos (21-8)

18. Palo Alto (20-10)

14. Lodi (23-6)

19. San Ramon Valley-Danville (15-12)

15. Serra-San Mateo (19-11)

20. Campolindo-Moraga (11-15)

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NORCAL BASEBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH

PITCHERS Kyle Harrison | De La Salle-Concord | Sr. Our 2019 NorCal Pitcher of the Year went 10-0 with a 1.26 ERA and struck out 103 batters over 61 innings pitched. He also tied for fourth on the team in in RBI with 20. Joey Schott | St Francis-Mountain View | Sr. He was named the West Catholic Athletic League Pitcher of the Year after going 6-2 with a save, striking out 52 and walking just 12 over 60 innings. Jonathan Cymrot | Valley Christian | Jr. Cal-Hi Sports’ 2019 State Sophomore Of The Year went 8-1 with a 1.11 ERA while hitting .310 with 20 runs scored and 20 batted in. He’s committed to Arizona for 2021.

caTCHERS Daniel Susac | Jesuit-Carmichael | Sr. Arizona commit is considered one of the top catching prospects in the country. He tallied 31 hits, 19 RBI, seven doubles and three homers over 30 games in 2019.

Jonathan Cymrot, Valley Christian

Tyler Soderstrom | Turlock | Sr. He hit .450 with 27 RBI, 12 doubles and tied for the team lead with 32 runs scored last season. He will likely face the choice of UCLA or a big paycheck. Carson Blatnick | Oakmont-Roseville | Sr. Few SJS batteries were better than this Washington State-commit and fellow NorCal Player to Watch, TJ Nichols. Blatnick batted .448 with nearly as many RBI (28) as hits (30). Malcolm Moore | McClatchy-Sacramento | So. Moore made a massive impression during a freshman season that included team-bests in hits (40), runs (37), RBI (35), triples (8) and HR (3).

infielders Nick Yorke | Archbishop Mitty-San Jose | Sr. Another Arizona-bound talent, Yorke led the Monarchs with a .505 batting average, 50 hits, 38 runs scored, 40 RBI and 7 HRs among his 19 extra-base hits last season. TJ Nichols | Oakmont-Roseville | Sr. Nichols helped propel Vikings to an SJS Div. II title by going 9-1 with a 0.24 ERA and 91 strikeouts. He also hit .523 with 45 hits, 20 RBI and 10 doubles. Tommy Troy | Los Gatos | Sr. Committed to Stanford, Troy led the 21-win Wildcats in runs (30), hits (32), doubles (7) and home runs (5) last season. Cole Winters | Bear River-Grass Valley | Sr. Winters finished second in the Sac-Joaquin Section with 52 hits in 2019. His 50 RBI also ranked second in the section, among stats reported to MaxPreps. Michael Brown | Vacaville | Sr. A slugging first baseball who sports an MLB bloodline smacked 12 doubles and 3 HR for the 31-win SJS Div. I champs last season. Jack Grant | San Ramon Valley-Danville | Sr. An Arizona-bound shortstop, Grant was an Area Code Games selection after a junior year in which he batted .407 and led the Wolves in both hits (35) and RBI (21).

MULTI-PURPOSE Nick Kresnak | Acalanes-Lafayette | Sr. The Washington-commit left the gridiron to focus on baseball in 2020, which could mean an even bigger year than last year’s team-best .366 average and 1.09 ERA over 45 innings. Ryan Jackson | Heritage-Brentwood | Sr. A shortstop and hard-throwing righty, the Nevada-commit batted .582 with 53 hits and 28 RBI as a junior. He also went 4-0 with two saves and a 0.76 ERA. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

Ryan Jackson, Heritage

outfielders Eddie Park | Valley Christian | Sr. The Stanford-bound talent led the Central Coast Section Open Div. champs in runs (43) and hits (40). He played all 32 games without committing an error. Chase Davis | Franklin-Stockton | Sr. Davis begins his fourth year of varsity at Franklin. The Arizona commit scored 33 runs and saw more than half of his hits go for extra bases last season. CJ Hutton | Folsom | Sr. Hutton hit for a .412 average with 35 hits and 26 runs scored as a junior. This fall he was a 1,000-yard receiver for the football team. He’s committed to play both sports for UC Davis. Blake Burke | De La Salle | Jr. Burke has all kinds of pop in his left-handed stroke. The Tennessee commit hit .395 with 34 hits, 28 RBI, 10 doubles and four homers as a sophomore last season. Carson Yates | Leland-San Jose | Sr. He had an offer to play quarterback at San Jose State, but chose UCLA baseball instead. Yates led the Chargers with 41 hits a year ago, adding 27 runs, 27 RBI and 13 stolen bases. ✪

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NCVA 18s Wrap Intense Power League, Set Sights On Reno

hen a collection of all-star teams come together to comprise a Power League, it’s fair to expect intense competition and a tight championship race. But the 2020 Northern California Volleyball Association’s 18U Girls Power League took that concept to the extreme this winter. After four Power League weekends from mid-December to late February, the top three teams are separated by one point. One. Single. Point. The team 18-Greg from Ripon’s Rage Volleyball Club held the points lead heading into the Power League Regional Championships on Feb. 29-March 1 at Cal Expo in Sacramento. Rage 18-Greg had a pair of third-place finishes, a second and a first during the Power League season, compiling a points total of 1,341. Right behind them, in a tie at 1,340 points, sat Absolute Volleyball’s 18-Black of San Rafael and Rage Sacramento’s 18-Jenny. All three programs feature some of the biggest high school volleyball stars from throughout Northern California. The barely-first-place Rage 18-Greg includes four-year St. Francis-Sacramento star Alexa Edwards. The Fresno State-bound Edwards is the Troubadours’ career leader in both kills and digs. Rage 18-Greg also features Ramonni Cook, the imposing 6-foot middle blocker of Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove. Cook had 464 kills and 48 blocks for the Wolfpack this past fall. Absolute 18-Black’s roster features several members of the Marin Catholic-Kentfield team that won the CIF Open Division Northern Regional title in November. That includes the top star from that team, Loyola Marymount-bound outside hitter Kari Geissberger. As for Rage Sacramento’s 18-Jenny, their stars include Cook’s setter at Cosumnes Oaks, Haley Burdo. Burdo finished just shy of 1,000 assists for the Wolfpack this season and is committed to Stanislaus State. Instead of feeding Cook, she now sets up Nevada Union-Grass Valley’s thunder arm, Faith Menary. Menary pounded out 656 kills for the Miners in 2019, averaging close to five per set. After the three teams finish at Regionals, the two Rage teams will visit Reno March 6-8 for NCVA’s Sierra Northern Qualifier. Both teams will be in the 18 Open Division, hoping to punch a ticket to return to Reno two months later for the USA Volleyball 18s National Championships on May 1-3. Absolute 18-Black will be traveling to Boston that weekend to compete in the Boston Festival Tournament. ✪ Rage Greg’s Alexa Edwards 18

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Rage Jenny’s Haley Burdo

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Grace Matej

“I think that talent-wise, we have all of the boxes checked. If we can have the right mentality and keep focus throughout the season, then I believe that winning a section title is an attainable goal.” — Infielder Mia Perez

Hannah, left, and Olivia Dominguez

Lexi Holihan 22

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Mia Perez March 2020

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hey say that youth is wasted on the young. The Vista del LagoFolsom softball team hopes to prove that adage false and ride a young roster to heights that the program has never seen. Last season, the Eagles challenged for the Capital Athletic League title and compiled a 22-6 record despite fielding a roster with just one senior. “We’ve been young before, but there was more on the shoulders of underclassmen last year than any team I have ever coached,” head coach Robert Reed said of the 2019 Eagles that included four freshmen and three sophomores who saw significant playing time. “This year will be easier for them to be at ease with having a role in the leadership of the team and develop their identity and expectations.” Reed is the only softball coach that Vista del Lago has had since the school opened in 2007, and the veteran coach has logged 20 years as a head coach at Folsom’s two high schools. He has experienced youthful lineups as the Eagles’ program began without upperclassmen on the campus, but never had as many talented underclassmen making an immediate impact. That impact should continue to be felt for years to come as a young core will have time to chase league and section titles. Leading the youth movement is sophomore shortstop Tayler Biehl, who almost immediately stepped in at the top of the lineup and the middle of the defense. Biehl led the Sac-Joaquin Section with 60 hits while batting .600, scoring 49 runs, and stealing 26 bases, and anchored the defense with a .947 fielding percentage. “She’s as solid a middle infielder as I’ve ever seen,” said four-year starter and middle infield partner Mia Perez. With a full year together in the middle of the infield, the duo will play a large role in Vista del Lago’s success in 2020. The Eagles’ young guns included Grace Matej and Sammy Smith who combined for 71 hits, 57 runs and 44 RBI as well as outfield depth. This season, Matej and Smith will add to the depth and versatility of the roster. Matej will move to catcher and Smith will be one of a handful of capable outfielders. “We are very versatile and have a better mix of options to address depth everywhere on the field and for players to step in case of injury,” Reed said. Senior twins Hanna and Olivia Dominguez are capable of fielding multiple positions and Perez can slide from second to third base when junior Lexi Holihan pitches. Holihan, who posted a 12-5 record and batted .432 and drove in a team-best 44 RBI while alternating between the hot corner and the circle, will again play an important role in the Eagles reaching their goals. “We definitely have high hopes this season,” Holihan said. “We want to continue to bond as a team, win league, and go far in sections.” In 2019, the fifth-seeded Eagles fell to No. 13 seed Ponderosa-Shingle Springs in the second round of the SJS Division II playoffs to abruptly end their season. The 2-1, 10-inning defeat was disappointing, but eye-opening at the same time. “Coming off of that loss, I think that the team realized that they had the potential to go further and that maybe we let something get away,” Reed said of the loss. “But it’s a good motivator. They understand that we have a good team with the potential to go a long way in the playoffs this year.” Another lesson learned from the playoff loss was the need for consistency and confidence. “The want to win was missing early in the game,” Holihan said. “We need to have that early in the game, start hitting early and get confidence.” In order to get battle-tested and prepare for the intensity of the playoffs, Vista del Lago will face some tough competition this season. The Eagles will host Roseville, Sheldon-Sacrament, Elk Grove, Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills,

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Hannah Dominguez

and Casa Roble-Orangevale throughout the season to gain insight and experience against teams with section championships and a winning mentality. “It is important to see programs that have the tradition and mentality of a champion,” Reed said of scheduling perennial powerhouses. “We need to have a similar mentality where the players believe that we can do it and we should do it. “Playing against teams that will challenge us and provide a measuring stick to see where we are at and where we want to be will be good for when we face the challenges of the postseason.” Perez is gaining valuable playoff experience before the softball season starts as a member of the Vista del Lago girls basketball team. The Eagles advanced to the section semifinals for the first time in program history and earned a berth to the NorCal regional playoffs despite falling to top-seeded Antelope in the section semis. A senior guard/forward, Perez averaged 11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while also preparing for the softball season. “As a coach, I selfishly would love to have her full-time with softball, but I understand that it is important for athletes to enjoy their high school experience,” Reed said of the two-sport star. “She is a consummate athlete and is working hard on her softball while still playing basketball.” Despite focusing on hoops in the winter, Perez has made it to some softball practices and plans to get outside and play on the diamond at every opportunity. During her limited time on the field with her teammates, though, Perez likes what she has seen from the team and has expectations that exceed her experience this year on the court. “I think that talent-wise, we have all of the boxes checked,” Perez said of the 2020 softball team. “If we can have the right mentality and keep focus throughout the season, then I believe that winning a section title is an attainable goal.” ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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top20\

PRESEASON NORCAL SOFTBALL

Courtney Beaudin, Foothill

1. FOOTHILL-PLEASANTON (28-0 in 2019)

11. Del Oro-Loomis (21-10-2)

5. AMADOR VALLEY-PLEASANTON (18-9)

Oklahoma-bound pitcher Nicole May, the reigning SportStars NorCal Pitcher of the Year, will be an absolute force once again. And her supporting cast still includes four-year varsity seniors, catcher Courtney Beaudin (UCLA) and middle infielder Hailey Hayes (Boise State). The Falcons begin the year as high as No. 3 in one set of national rankings.

A young and feisty Dons team was largely overlooked a year ago as it played in the shadow of rival Foothill. However, there’s plenty for Amador to be excited about in 2019. Coach Teresa Borchard returns 10 from last year, including 1st-Team all-leaguer Valeria Torres-Colon.

2. ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW (25-6-1)

It’s hard to beat a 1-2 punch of Savannah Whatley (.544, 26 runs, 43 hits in 2019) and Diamond Holland (.493, 35 runs, 36 hits), but the rest of the the West Catholic Athletic League will give it a try.

The two-time defending Central Coast Section Div. I champs return an array of talent, including senior infielder Hailey Prahm (.424, 39 hits, 30 runs and 30 RBI in 2019). The Lancers also have sophomore Jessica Oakland, who led the team in RBI (35) as a freshman. Lauren Baker (18-4 as a junior last season) should patrol the circle for St. Francis.

3. NOTRE DAME-SALINAS (23-4) The Spirits are scheduled to return six hitters who had at least 30 hits last season. Junior Angelita Fuentes led that group with team-bests in hits (43), RBI (40) and HR (9). Sophomore Victoria Cervantes batted .500 with 42 hits and 8 HR. Corrine Sangenti had 41 hits and 7 triples in addition to 6 HR. Samantha Rocha (18-3, 1.68 ERA) returns to the circle.

4. SHELDON-SACRAMENTO (19-7-1) 2019 was the rare pedestrian season for Mary Jo Truesdale’s powerhouse program. The Huskies should bounce back with plenty of firepower. That starts with Univ. of North Carolina-bound four-year infielder Kiannah Pierce (.562, 34 runs, 54 hits). Overall, Sheldon returns five of its top seven hitters. If there’s consistency from the circle, look out. 26

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6. ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE (18-7)

12. Aragon-San Mateo (22-6) 13. Vista Del Lago-Folsom (22-6) 14. San Marin-Novato (18-6) 15. Elk Grove (21-10) 16. Whitney-Rocklin (26-6) 17. Presentation-San Jose (20-6)

7. MARIN CATHOLIC-KENTFIELD (25-1)

18. Vanden-Fairfield (19-8) 19. Carondelet-Concord (14-10-1) 20. East Nicolaus (30-2-2)

Star slugger Julia Scardina is now in the Pac-12 (Utah), but the rest of the Wildcats’ NCS Div. III championship core essentially remains. Two-way talent Annabelle Tepperson (20-1, 1.06 ERA, .405, 30 RBI) now leads the charge.

8. HERITAGE-BRENTWOOD (25-3) Coach Ron Rivers should once again have a potent offense anchored by Washington commit Tianna Bell. Replacing pitcher Delia Scott will be the key to the Patriots’ success.

9. OAKDALE (29-1-1) Any team that discounts the Mustangs because 2019 SportStars NorCal Player of the Year Lexi Webb now plays at Fresno State, will be doing so at its own peril. Five players who posted double-digit RBI numbers all return for 2020.

10. ACALANES-LAFAYETTE (18-4) The Dons are replacing just one starter from last season’s undefeated league champion. The infield duo of junior Morgan Salmon and Kaylee Pond combined for 76 runs, 70 hits, 69 RBI and 13 HR last season.

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20for2020

NORCAL SOFTBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH

PITCHERS Nicole May | Foothill-Pleasanton | Sr. Our 2019 NorCal Player of the Year returns for her fourth and final varsity season as one of the nation’s top pitching talents. The Oklahoma commit went 24-0 with a 0.32 ERA last season. Bailee Reed | Antioch | Sr. Reed set a school record with 238 strikeouts in 2019 while also tossing a no-hitter and leading the Panthers to the NCS Div. II final. Kylie Potes | Las Plumas-Oroville | Sr. She led the Northern Section with 278 strikeouts last season, posting a 0.45 ERA, a 16-5 record and helped herself with a .455 batting average on 40 hits.

caTCHERS Courtney Beaudin | Foothill-Pleasanton | Sr. One of the state’s top catching prospects, the UCLA-bound backstop hit .493 on 39 hits with 7 HR and 28 RBI in 2019.

Kiannah Pierce, Sheldon

Alexis Bishop | San Marin-Novato | Sr. Bishop batted .530 and had 16 of her 35 hits go for extra bases in 2019. The Cal commit struck out just once in 24 games. Jesse Juinio | Carondelet-Concord | Jr. She flashed all kinds of power with 11 home runs and 8 doubles during her sophomore campaign. She’s committed to Saint Mary’s. Angelita Fuentes | Notre Dame-Salinas | Jr. Fuentes powered the Spirits to a 23-4 mark in 2019, batting .448 with 43 hits, 8 doubles, 9 HR and 40 RBI. Olivia DiNardo | Aragon-San Mateo | So. One of two sophomores that turned the Dons program into a powerhouse practically overnight. DiNardo hit .557 with 31 runs, 49 hits and 45 RBI.

infielders Jordan Woolery | Clayton Valley-Concord | So. Woolery was pledged to UCLA before her freshman season, and delivered on the hype by hitting .600 with 33 runs, 39 hits and 27 RBI. Megan Grant | Aragon-San Mateo | So. Another member of the 2022 UCLA recruiting class, Grant’s freshman season included 42 hits, 33 runs, 11 doubles, 13 HR and 51 RBI. Kiannah Pierce | Sheldon-Sacramento | Sr. The North Carolina-bound Pierce begins her fourth year for the renown Sheldon program. Last season she hit .562 on 54 hits with 34 runs, 17 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Kaylee Pond | Acalanes-Lafayette | Sr. A polished two-sport athlete (basketball), Pond has a softball scholarship to Iowa State. She batted .680 with 47 runs and 32 RBI as a junior. Tianna Bell | Heritage-Brentwood | So. The Washington commit is set to take over the starring role for the Patriots after a freshman season that included 38 runs, 46 RBI and 24 extra-base hits.

Tianna Bell, Heritage

outfielders Diamond Holland | Mitty-San Jose | Sr. A force at the top of the Monarchs’ order, the speedy Cal-bound talent hit .493 with 35 runs, 36 hits and was a perfect 26-for-26 in stolen base attempts. Valeria Torres-Colon | Amador Valley-Pleasanton | Sr. A first-team All-East Bay Athletic League selection, Torres-Colon will lead a dangerous Dons club in 2020.

Savannah Price | East Nicolaus | Sr. East Nicolaus finished inside the NorCal Top 10 last season thanks to this Arizona Statecommit who scored 50 runs with 18 doubles, 41 RBI and 23 stolen bases.

multi-purpose

Savannah Whatley | Mitty-San Jose | Sr. The Utah-bound Whatley was a 2019 West Catholic Athletic League co-MVP after batting .574 with 39 hits and 25 RBI for the CCS Open Div. champs.

Tehya Bird | Cloverdale | Sr. The Oregon commit dominated in all phases of the game as a junior. She hit .754 with 15 doubles and 13 HR while also posting a 23-1 record and an 0.88 ERA in the circle.

Tayler Biehl | Vista del Lago-Folsom | So. Biehl led the Sac-Joaquin Section with 60 hits — as a freshman. She hit .600 overall with 49 runs, 26 stolen bases and 27 RBI.

Jordyn Hutchins | Woodland Christian | Sr. The Stanford-bound star helped lead the Cardinals to an SJS Div. VI title with an 11-1 pitching record, a .580 batting average and 21 of her 29 hits going for extra bases. ✪

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GRAPPLING with 28

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Several Sac-Joaquin Sections Wrestlers Triumph Amid Adversity At The 2020 SJS Masters Championships

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Cesar Garza, Oakdale Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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Story and Photos by Ike Dodson CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Vacaville heavyweight Chris Island works against his SJS Masters opponent on his way to a title; Eric Hayward celebrates his 220-pound SJS Masters title for Vacaville; Bulldogs coach Clint Birch shouts direction toward one of his Vacaville wrestlers.

he Sac-Joaquin Section stacked rows of seats surrounding the Stockton Arena floor to accommodate double the wrestling at the combined 2020 Boys-Girls Masters Wrestling Championships Feb. 21-22. The high walls made for an excellent coliseum, and some of Northern California’s greatest gladiators provided the emotion-fueled drama. The biggest moments at Masters were delivered in roars, sobs and flexes, because in 2020, adversity met its match on the prep wrestling mat. Vacaville heavies Eric Hayward and Chris Island proved this in the medal round, while Oakdale, Del Oro-Loomis and Pitman-Turlock overcame earlier heartbreak to represent the field well. On the girls side, a Northern Section school of just 730 enrollment (Orland), traveled 150 miles to snag the team title from SJS power programs.

ESCAPING DEATH ON HIGHWAY 99 Elated after winning the Div. II State Dual Championship on Jan. 25 at Clovis North, the Vacaville wrestling community was shocked and saddened to learn that an alleged hit-and-run drunk driver had struck a vehicle containing Bulldog wrestlers, parents and coaches on northbound Highway 99, just outside Modesto. The collision forced the Vacaville contingent into the center divide and sideways across free30

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way lanes to the outer median, resulting in mostly minor injuries to the occupants. The alleged drunk driver was arrested soon after, according to Vacaville High coach Clint Birch. But the incident ended the season of Vacaville’s 138-pound standout Ethan Birch, who broke a bone in his neck. A week later, Vacaville was overcome by Oakdale in the SJS Div. I Team Dual Championships. Oakdale earned the win with tough wrestling, but Vacaville deployed a fresh lineup, still battered and depleted by the tragedy. The result left many thinking the SJS Masters title was Oakdale’s to lose, and that appeared possible when the Mustangs sent a section-best five wrestlers to the Masters finals and won the first four of those matches (another section-best). But Vacaville overwhelmed the brackets with team point contributions from 12 different wrestlers, 32 of them from heavyweight champion Chris Island, who landed two big takedowns of Lincoln star Lucas Cook to win their bracket finale, 5-3. Moments earlier, 220-pound Eric Hayward had overcome a one-point deficit with a lastsecond takedown to take fifth and clinch the team title, edging out Oakdale 183-177. “I’m so proud of my boy Eric, that’s my drilling partner,” Island said, still pouring sweat after his own medal-round triumph. “Shout out to my boy (Ethan Birch). It’s really sad. “He’s one of my best friends. He’s working and he’s ready for the offseason.” Ethan Birch, the son of Vacaville coach Clint Birch, was ranked among the top wrestlers in the state for most of the season. Coach Birch expects his absence from the mat to last only six to eight weeks. “Really though, it was a nasty accident and I am happy that I still have my family,” he said. “I keep telling myself (that I am so glad they survived), even though it crushes me not to have Ethan be a part of the program’s postseason success.” Hayward bellowed a roar toward the Vacaville faithful when he secured the team title. Island elected to dance with the mob of teammates that rushed the mat after his win closed the tournament. The Bulldogs stifled few emotions after escaping tragedy on their journey to the state tournament.

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Del Oro freshman Elena Ivaldi (top photo) holds down her SJS Masters opponent on her way to a 116 pound title. Her junior brother Evan was the 138 pound boys champion. They were the first brother-sister combo to become SJS Masters Champions at the same event.

SUPER SIBLINGS Del Oro junior Evan Ivaldi (138) and freshman Elena Ivaldi (116) became the first sibling duo to win the SJS Masters at the same championship venue. Elena used three pins and an 8-6 decision over Folsom rival Desinee Lopez to win her crown. Evan stuck Brian Null of Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove in just one minute, 13 seconds to capture the only pin of the boys finals. “We have always been separated by age and different divisions, so it’s cool to finally be together on this,” Evan said. “It’s exciting just being here and having the experience, being able to do this,” Elena added. “He started first and then I joined in after him and I’ve always grown up with him as my role model.” The two managed a business-like zeal to their emotions after winning. They saw a little more elation from champions Damion Elliott (126) and Jed Campos (152). Elliott raised his arms and yelled toward the Golden Eagle crowd and his cheering mother, while Campos, who upset Oakdale’s Seth Borba, put up both guns in a dramatic flex. Del Oro was third in boys scoring with 158 points, despite losing touted freshmen Isaac Herrera and Jaxson Taber to injury before the postseason. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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OAKDALE, PITMAN RALLY

Pitman-Turlock senior Kendall LaRosa celebrates his 170-pound SJS Masters title on Feb. 23. Pitman finished in third place as a team, three points back of Del Oro. 32

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The Mustangs seemed out of Masters contention this offseason when news broke that CIF finalist and two-time medalist Henry Porter (and his freshman brother) had transferred to Central Coast Section juggernaut Gilroy. Oakdale also entered the postseason without one of the best wrestlers in the section, since 106-pound Alan Casey couldn’t crack the lineup over Oakdale standouts (Michael Torres, Brayden Abell and Jonathon Hernandez) who won each of the first three weights at Masters. Oakdale also lacked points in the upper weights, but still finished only six points behind Vacaville in the team chase. Easily the most impressive performance of the day went to 145-pound Ceasar Garza, who upset two-time CIF medalist Eli Blake with an overtime takedown in the SJS finals. Always More To Read at SportStarsMag.com

Garza let out all of his emotion after the thrilling finish, beating his chest and flexing, screaming to the Oakdale faithful. “It was something I was looking forward to ever since I was little, dreaming of winning a Masters title,” Garza said. “Sometimes the emotions get to you and it was a big match between two ranked guys at state.” Pitman (155) was only three points shy of Del Oro in third place. The squad competed without returning Masters champion Sammy Siveria, who left the team just before the postseason began. Heavyweight standout Emilio Gutierrez was also victim of a shocking tournament upset, ending the junior’s campaign. Pitman star Izzy Tubera gave up a finals forfeit at 120, and the Pride saw a lone champion at 170, thanks to Kendall LaRosa, who won a narrow decision over Hassan Khan and celebrated with a dramatic roar. Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

GIRLS SHINE ON BIGGEST STAGE The SJS managed 28 brackets well, and allowed some of the best stars in the state to shine in girls competition. Orland’s Jennifer Soto, a returning state champion sophomore, won her second straight Masters title, 4-1, over Lathrop’s Janida Garcia. She joined teammate Madison Fonseca (126) atop the podium. Two champions, a runner-up (Megan Stottsberry, 137) and a bronze medalist (Nyla Thitphaneth, 235) were enough for tiny Orland to take the team title with 107 points. “I think it’s pretty cool we just came down here from the Northern Section and we just came and dominated,” Soto said. “I think we’ve made ourselves known this year. “Before this year people didn’t even know we had a team.” Turlock’s Hailey Ward also became a fourTOP: Orland’s Jennifer Soto, right, looks to throw her opponent during an time Masters champ at 101 pounds. SJS Masters match. Since North Coast Section Olympic hopeABOVE: Turlock’s Hailey Ward won ful Amit Elor (College Park-Pleasant Hill) her fourth consecutive SJS Masters elected not to compete in the CIF postseason title at 101 pounds. to train for Freestyle Nationals and Cadet Worlds, Pitman’s Lilly Freitas is now considered the best female folkstyler in California. She pinned one of the state’s best, Lizah Hingano of Rio Linda, in the 150-pound Masters finals. Freitas, a sophomore who also competed in Cadet Worlds last year, is next-level elite. “I feel like I am wrestling at a 120-pound weight class with my speed right now,” Freitas explained. “My feet have gotten much faster.” ✪ Follow Us On Twitter & Instagram, Like Us On Facebook!

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