SJ Issue 53, Sept. 27, 2012

ref rundown: high school to nfl

vol. 3. issue 53

FREE

Pgs. 6, 12

sportstarsonline.com

september 27, 2012

sac joaquin

born to run With a roster to make you drool, davis XC makes foes feel blue

it’s time you learned: Bella Vista’s an elite program.

top

20

rankings

norcal’s top football teams: moving the needle

Granite bay, del oro not where they’re used to being ... yet

feeding frenzy Christian brothers building program from grassroots

Buckin’ Broncos tyler miguel and bella vista know they belong with the elite teams in the sac-joaquin section. Pg. 22

PHONE 925.566.8500 FAX 925.566.8507 Editorial Editor@SportStarsOnline.com Editor Chace Bryson. Ext. 104 • Chace@SportStarsOnline.com Staff Writers Erik Stordahl, Jim McCue Contributors Bill Kolb, Mitch Stephens, Matt Smith, Clay Kallam, Eric Gilmore, Dave Kiefer, Liz Elliott, Tim Rudd, Jonathan Okanes Photography Butch Noble, Bob Larson, Jonathan Hawthorne, James K. Leash, Norbert von der Groeben, Phillip Walton, Doug Guler Intern Ryan Arter Creative Department Art@SportStarsOnline.com Production Manager Mike DeCicco. Ext. 103 • MikeD@SportStarsOnline.com Publisher/President Mike Calamusa. Ext. 106 • Mike@SportStarsOnline.com Advertising & Calendar/Classified Sales Sales@SportStarsOnline.com, (925) 566-8500 Account Executives Erik Stordahl • Erik@SportStars Online.com, Phillip Walton • PWalton@SportStarsOnline.com, Tommy Enriquez • Tommy@SportStarsOnline.com Sac Joaqin edition: Dave Rosales • DaveRosales64@gmail.com Reader Resources/Administration Ad Traffic, Subscription, Calendar & Classified Listings info@SportStarsOnline.com • Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Distribution/Delivery Mags@SportStarsOnline.com Distribution Manager Butch Noble. Ext. 107 • Butch@SportStarsOnline.com Information technology John Bonilla CFO Sharon Calamusa • Sharon@SportStarsOnline.com Office Manager/Credit Services Deb Hollinger. Ext. 101 • Deb@SportStarsOnline.com Board of advisors Dennis Erokan, CEO, Placemaking Group Roland Roos, CPA, Roland Roos & Co Susan Bonilla, State Assembly Drew Lawler, Managing Director, AJ Lawler Partners Brad Briegleb, Attorney At Law community SportStars™ Magazine A division of Caliente! Communications, LLC 5356 Clayton Rd., Ste. 222 • Concord, CA • 94521 info@SportStarsOnline.com www.SportStarsOnline.com

Caliente!

LLC

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER IN THE USA

deep & deadly: The Davis boys and girls cross country teams are used to winning and aren’t about to let up this season. Pg. 18

First Pitch............................................................................6

red zone: Perennial powers Granite Bay and Del Oro have some work to do to dig out of early season stumbles. Pg. 26

Club Scene....................................................................... 14

on the cover: Bella Vista-Fair Oaks senior, Justin Childs.

Photo by James K. Leash

Locker Room.....................................................................8 AAA SportStars of the Week...................................... 11 Behind the Clipboard.................................................... 12 Health Watch ................................................................. 17 Training Time................................................................... 21 Impulse............................................................................. 32 Camps + Clinics............................................................. 34 Photo Finish..................................................................... 38

Get noticed. Join today! www.SportStarsOnline.com

your ticket to sac joaquin sports admit one; rain or shine This Vol. #3, September 2012 Whole No. 53 is published by Caliente! Communications, LLC, 5356 Clayton Rd, Ste. 222, Concord, CA 94521. SportStars™© 2010 by Caliente! Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: 24 issues, U.S. 3rd class $42 (allow 3 weeks for delivery).

1st class $55. To receive sample issues, please send $3 to cover postage. 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, self-addressed envelope. SportStars™© and STARS!™© Clinics are registered trademarks of Caliente! Communications, LLC.

Read Me. Recycle Me. 4

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Sympathy for the Devils Easier to understand plight of referees if you’ve called a game in their shoes

S

o officiating in the NFL is kind of a hot-button topic right now, huh?

Maybe you’ve heard? A few of you (don’t lie: most of you) watch or follow the NFL with the rest of America, and are undoubtedly caught up in the controversy of the subpar officiating being performed by the replacement referees who may or may not have blown their whistle during a high school football game just last season. I’m sure it’s come up in the office.

As a football-watching nation, it’s beginning to feel like a revolution is mounting, isn’t it? Like we’re not far off from seeing a mob of pitchfork-carrying tailgaters leaving their barbecues in an effort to put a few referee heads on spikes?

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve yelled at my television screen quite a bit in my time as a football fan. That includes plenty of remarks at the regular NFL officials who America desperately wants back on the field. And I’m sure if I were an NFL beat writer or columnist, I would salivate at the chance to write an opinion piece on how bad it’s become.

However, I write about high school football. And, while the various officiating organizations tend to do a good job of putting their most qualified personnel on the varsity games, my colleagues and I have certainly seen our share of referees experiencing tough nights.

In my time as a sportswriter, though, I’ve tried my best to represent referees and umpires of all sports as fairly as possible. I lean toward protecting officials because I can often empathize with them. For at one time, I was one of them.

I made a lot of my high school and college spending money as a basketball official and baseball umpire. In fact, there were a few occasions in college where I would wear both hats on the same night — referee and reporter. I would officiate a freshman game, change clothes, get dinner, and return to cover the varsity contest. Good times.

I very much enjoyed my time as a referee and umpire. And in many ways, it helped make me a much better sports writer. It gave me a much better understanding of the games, as well as the mentality of referees.

Referees also tend to have great stories. And I’ve got some favorites.

But there is one in particular that gets brought up at our family dinner table every once in a while. And in a way, I can draw an extremely loose parallel to it and what the NFL officials are likely to be experiencing.

As the story goes (or as I choose to remember the story going), I was 17 and it was my last summer at home before going to college. I was attending my younger brother’s Little League Seniors baseball game, when one of the umpires failed to show. The umpire who did show up knew I had worked games before and asked if I could fill-in.

I probably could’ve saved a lot of family strife that day by simply turning him down. But, I had plenty of games under my belt and knew that I could be impartial.

My brother wasn’t the problem, I had been an umpire in his games before. But his manager was a different story. I knew him as “Dad.” However impartial I believed myself to be, I was still putting myself under a lot of pressure. Not only did I want to do the best possible job as an umpire, but I also inherently didn’t want to let my dad or brother down. You can only imagine the type of pressure the NFL replacement officials must feel. Not only are they on national TV, but many of them are trying to do their best possible job in front of coaches and players they may have stood in line to get an autograph from at one point.

I may have missed a balk call.

My dad shared a fairly strong opinion of that late in the game. I didn’t budge. My brother’s team still won, however. Which was good, because my chances of getting dinner at home that night looked slim. (Kidding.)

The best umpires and officials can block much of the peripherals out, but in the end they’re all human. And what the NFL replacement officials are being asked to do is beyond what any referee or official should be asked to do.

Their heads don’t need to go on spikes. Their hands need a firm shake with a sincere, “Thank you,” from NFL officials, and then they should be allowed to return to the level of play they are comfortable with.

We can then go back to screaming at the real NFL officials. ✪

6

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

First Pitch Chace Bryson Editor

Chace@ SportStarsOnline.com (925) 566-8503

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

rapidFIRE One TV show that you’d Who would win a Bay Bridge like to see World Series revived SpongeBob SquarePants

A’s

Sports venue/ event you’d most like to visit

Player/ opponent you greatly respect

Rio de Janeiro, World Cup 2014

Gareth Bale

Pizooki

Jackson Lewis Bernardo

Fenton’s Black and Tan

Acalanes

Mud Pie at Sunnyside Resort, Lake Tahoe

Trevor Jackson, Bella Vista-Fair Oaks

The OC

Giants

Autzen Stadium

(U. of Oregon) Robby Ow, Las Lomas-Walnut Creek

Rocket Power

Giants

Any Olympics

Best dessert

Plans for your Halloween costume

Tottenham/ Wales

De La Salle football

Something with my friends.

It’s a surprise.

Jack Fellner, Miramonte-Orinda 8

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Top 5 Bay Area Sports Celebs We’d Like to Send to the Island Did you watch Survivor: Philippines? Do people still watch Survivor? We don’t know. What we DO know is that former Giant great Jeff Kent (Hall-of-Famer Jeff Kent, in our opinion…) took a bamboo to the knee and kept on plugging away in typical grinder Kent fashion. He might have torn his Medial Collateral Ligament (and self-diagnosed said tear) in the first episode, but dude was a champ in the challenge, and might just rip your heart out for saying otherwise. Is he the best choice to represent Bay Area athletes on the Survivor scene? Here are the top five local jocks we’d like to see vying to not get voted off the island.

1. Ronnie Lott.

Seriously. He cut off his flipping finger because it impaired his ability to tackle.

Do you really think a little rain and sleep deprivation would slow this guy down?

2. Kevin Mitchell. Right. Going to the Way-Back Machine here, but for you young whippersnappers out there, Mitchell played left field for the ’89 Giants and famously ATE Vick’s Vapo-Rub when sick.

He ate petroleum jelly infused with menthol. Voluntarily. Not on a dare. Because he thought it was a good idea.

Can you think of anyone better in a food challenge?

3. Neil Parry. Who? Exactly. Parry was a San Jose State football player. Never made it to the NFL. Never really shined as a collegiate. Why send him to the island? Kid played college football on ONE LEG. Parry’s right leg was amputated below the knee before he ever set foot on the Spartans’ turf. That kind of toughness bears recognition. Here’s guessing he would not have been the first to quit in any challenge. Ever. Even if it was a butt-kicking contest.

4. Malinda Ripley. Never heard of her? She was a student at Deer Valley High School in Antioch a few years back. Pretty athletic. Oh. She was also the first girl to ever win a match at the North Coast Section Wrestling tournament. You know, before they separated the boys and the girls. Tough customer. Good luck topping her in one of those mud-pit events.

5. Andrew Luck. If we were running a competition for “Smartest Bay Area Athlete of All Time,” surely Luck’s name would come up eventually. Likewise, if we were talking about the most self-deprecating. Or the most impactful. Or flat-out goofy looking (yet likeable). And did you see what he did to Sean Cattouse that one time? The Stanford QB could lay the lumber AND appear unassuming enough to not seem threatening. Apparently being the prototypical modern NFL quarterback also means being the prototypical Survivor competitor. Who knew?

— Bill Kolb

Tim Wagner/ ZumaPress.com

count’EM

sayWHAT

362 Rushing yards by Pajaro Valley-Watsonville junior running back, Anthony Cantrell, in his team’s 34-7 win over Gonzales on Sept. 15. The total set the Santa Cruz County single-game rushing record.

Cantrell also set a school record with five TD runs in the win, which also snapped the Grizzlies’ 11-game losing streak.

“What I’m really proud of is our kids stepped up and played and never gave up. There we were, their best player, five seconds left, against our defense stacked up in goal line and he barely gets in. We made so many plays tonight.”

Bob Larson

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

Acalanes-Lafayette football coach, Mike Ivankovich, told the Contra Costa Times following the Dons 40-39 loss to Campolindo-Moraga on Sept. 20. Campolindo won with a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Brett Stephens on 4th-and-goal as time expired. It was just the first loss of the season for Acalanes.

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

9

10

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Powered by

Like us on Facebook

The defensive back had three interceptions, including a pair that set up touchdowns, during the Wildcats’ 23-3 victory over crosstown rival Cosumnes Oaks on Sept. 14. The two teams, who share the same home field on the Cosumnes Oaks campus, battled to a stalemate until Franklin’s defense, led by Green’s interceptions and eight tackles, set up its potent offense. Green was matched up against the Wolfpack’s leading wide receiver, senior Alex Van Dyke. Franklin was 5-0 as of Sept. 21.

SportStars Magazine: How big have the rivalries become in town with top programs like Elk Grove, Pleasant Grove, Cosumnes Oaks, Monterey Trail, and Franklin?

Marcus Green: It’s getting bigger and bigger every year as the programs all keep getting better.

We pre-sold tickets for the game against Cosumnes Oaks and it was sold out before game day.

SSM: What do you think was the biggest reason for your huge game?

MG: Motivation. My parents and friends told me that they kept hearing about how (Consumnes Oaks’) big receiver was going to have such a big game, and I took it as a personal challenge. I wanted to go out and show everyone what I could do.

SSM: Do you feel that the defense sometimes gets overlooked with the team’s high-powered

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

marcus green franklin-elk grove . senior . football

honorable mention

lauren larocco The senior led the St. FrancisSacramento girls cross country team to a landslide victory at the De La Salle/Carondelet Nike Invitational in Concord on Sept. 15.

She also finished second at the Yolo Invitational, which the team also won.

robert frazier The Elk Grove senior rushed for 303 yards and three touchdowns in the Thundering Herd’s impressive 43-19 victory over Nevada Union-Grass Valley on Sept.

21. Frazier has run for 826 yards and 10 TDs through five games.

James K. Leash Marcus Green, left

offense?

MG: Sometimes we feel like they get all of the attention, but it motivates us to play harder. We want to go out and get takeaways to show that the defense can change the game, too.

SSM: What is the team’s defensive coverage philosophy?

MG: We like to be aggressive to make plays. We started the season with primarily a man-to-man defense, but we are starting to incorporate more zone looks as the season goes on.

mysha davies The Oak RidgeEl Dorado Hills senior led the Trojans to a pair of victories over ranked opponents.

Davies had 11 kills and 6 digs in a 3-1 victory over Rocklin and recorded 13 kills and 10 digs in a 3-2 win over Christian Brothers.

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

11

Coaches vs. refs Why do coaches yell at refs? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one change a call.

A.B., Galt

hy did the chicken cross the road? Why do fools fall in love?

Add to that list of eternal questions the one you posed: Why do coaches yell at refs?

Some coaches claim that they can buy a call later if they can get the ref to think he just blew one. They’re hoping for a make-up call at some point, so they make sure it’s clear a mistake had been made.

Unfortunately, most of the time coaches indicate the ref might possibly have been mistaken in his judgment by screaming at the top of their lungs that the official not only has vision issues, but is fat and ugly as well. Precisely how this will get the refs on anyone’s side is unclear, but it seems to be the most common tactic.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that a coach could get far enough inside the ref ’s head that there will be a sense of obligation that will lead to a favorable call. OK, so what would be the best way to do that? Let’s start a list: 1) Yelling out “That’s a foul” at the top of your

W

12

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

lungs; 2) Screaming “She was onside and if you ran down the field instead of jogging, you’d have known that”; 3) Loudly telling the captain to go ask the ref to explain that last pathetic call; or 4) Calmly discussing the possibility that a rule was misapplied or that a particular play was miscalled.

But simple observation will reveal that 4) is the least-popular tactic. Coaches much prefer to vent their frustrations by screaming at the officials rather than actually trying to get the refs to give them a favorable ruling later in the game.

In addition, let’s say a coach really does get the ref to pay attention, and really gets under the official’s skin with a series of well-timed bon mots – “I’ve seen better eyes on potatoes,” for example. What will be the result?

It’s highly unlikely that the ref is going to get any better when flustered; in fact, the odds are the official is going to get worse, and maybe a lot worse. At that point, calls become more like the flip of a coin than having any apparent relation to action in the game, and the chances of getting that fabled make-up call get slimmer and slimmer.

But to me, the worst thing about coaches scream-

A natural clash, but rarely beneficial to the coach

ing at officials has little to do with whether calls will wind up being tilted one way or another. After all, a good official won’t be swayed, and a bad official has no clue to begin with.

No, the worst thing that happens when a coach complains about the officiating is that the players start to buy in – and pretty soon, they have a built-in excuse to lose. “We didn’t have a chance because of the refs,” they’ll say afterward, when in fact the game was lost when they started to believe there was a reason they should lose.

Players feed off their coach, and a high school coach is well aware of the limitations of the refs. (If the officials were any good, they wouldn’t be doing high school; if the coach was any good, he wouldn’t either.) So if a coach wants to give his players an excuse, he should yell at the refs constantly and point out their every mistake.

Even though he won’t get a call changed, he will lower his chances of winning – and you know, that’s really not what a coach should be trying to do. ✪

Behind the Clipboard Clay Kallam

Clay Kallam is an assistant athletic director and girls varsity basketball coach at Bentley High in Lafayette.

To submit a question for Behind the Clipboard, email Coach Kallam at clayk@fullcourt.com

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

risingFALCONS

Christian Brothers PeeWee wide receiver Bryan Garrett turns upfield in a Sept. 8 game against Mesa Verde.

Photos by James K. Leash

14

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

FALCONS A

By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

lot goes on after the Friday night lights go out.

High school football across the region buzzes with activity. On Saturdays, kids ages 5 to 14 emulate the local football heroes.

Youngsters in area programs mimic high school players by design — from running the same formations and plays, to following the same values and principles taught to the local high school team.

“It’s a great way to get kids started in football,” said Ken Garrett of Christian Brothers Junior Falcons Football and Cheer. “You see (feeder programs) with all of the longestablished and successful local high schools, and we are working to improve the overall performance of Christian Brothers football when kids get to the high school level.”

Garrett is president of the Junior Falcons, an organization in its first year as a true feeder program. Despite the newness of the program, its goals and desired results are established. The mission is simply to better prepare young players and cheerleaders on the field, as well as in the classrooms and community of the Sacramento private school’s campus.

“More and more sports are establishing feeder programs for high school sports and the benefits go beyond athletics,” Garrett said. “I believe that they are beneficial to the schools because sports are a big component of the high school experience, but so many more good things can come out of it.”

Garrett and the Junior Falcons’ board strive to connect with the high school to share goals and strategies to create better student-athletes and citizens.

Garrett and Christian Brothers varsity football coach George Petrissans have led the charge in establishing the feeder program.

Petrissans’ main role is as liaison between the high school program and the youth program. The coach leads clinics with the youth coaches and offers guidance to help the young players become familiar with the Christian Brothers system.

“It’s too soon to see any real benefits yet,” Petrissans said, “but the younger players will get experience in Christian Brothers football. They will be taught the same terminology and techniques that we teach at the high school level, so that there is a more natural transition when they get to the high school level.”

Christian BrothersSacramento plants seeds for what it hopes will be a successful feeder program

Petrissans admits that the Junior Pee Wee teams will not grasp the concept of the no-huddle offense that the Falcons are installing in high school, but he notes that the emphasis on the framework of the football philosophy and the consistency of teaching the game.

The consistency between the youth and high school programs is still in the development stages and plenty of work remains to build the Junior Falcons where Garrett and Petrissans want them to be. Still, both are pleased with the early progress.

“It’s been tough on the business side of things in the first year, but it has been made much easier with the amazing support we have received from alumni and the Christian Brothers community,” Garrett said.

Filling rosters has been difficult — the Junior Falcons field teams in the Junior Pee Wee (ages 6-8), Pee Wee (9-10), Junior Midgets (11-12), and Midgets (13 through middle school age) — but the smaller numbers have allowed more playing time.

Garrett and Petrissans are hopeful that the added playing time and extra individual attention equates to a more positive and educational Matt experience in preparing future high Marengo school players.

The financial support for the program has started strong and Garrett believes the Christian Brothers alumni and athletic boosters are on board to make the Junior Falcons successful. The goal is to increase the number of players while keeping the costs within reason. Garrett was quick to mention that interested players who can’t afford to join the program and buy the necessary equipment will not be turned away.

“We are not overflowing with money, but funding has not been a problem,” he said. “We will continue to raise money for the football and cheer programs and we will find money, if needed, to get kids in the program.”

With the inaugural season underway and signs pointing to a successful launch to a feeder program for Christian Brothers, the goal is to catch up to the established area programs that have benefited from similar systems for years.

“You look at the top programs in the area like Folsom, Granite Bay, Del Oro and others, and they have this type of feeder program,” Petrissans said “That’s what we’re striving to do. We want to build this so that Christian Brothers can become one of those top tier football programs.” ✪

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

15

ACL tears: Understanding how and why they happen

A

s the high school sports season gets back into full-swing, I see an influx of young athletes who suffer injuries to their knees.

Unfortunately, many of these athletes will have suffered anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and require surgery. Many athletes wonder, “Why did this happen to me?”

Although some of these ACL injuries are related to bad luck, the sports medicine community has identified several risk factors that may predispose an athlete to have an ACL tear. Some of these can be controlled whereas other cannot. I like to break up the risk factors into intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

such as estrogen which increases the susceptibility of the ACL tissue to tear.

■ PROPRIOCEPTION & NEUROMUSCULAR CONTROL — These are fancy terms for describing your body’s (particularly your nerves) ability to control your muscles and identify where your body is in space at any given time. This is particularly important during landing; when many ACL injuries occur. Athletes who have poor proprioception or neuromuscular control have higher rates of ACL injury. The good news is that you can work on this.

■ LANDING — Landing with the knee locked or with the knees pointing to each other (knockkneed) with a flat foot dramatically increases the rate of ACL injury. This can be improved with training.

■ “CORE” STRENGTH — This refers to muscles about the pelvis, hip, and abdomen. Athletes who are unable to stabilize their trunk/hip region put more force on their knees; also increasing strain on the ACL. As with landing and neuromuscular control, this can be improved through training.

■ BIG QUADRICEPS, SMALL HAMSTRINGS — As athletes we like to concentrate on developing massive quadriceps muscles (the muscles in the front of the thigh).

Unfortunately, these muscles pull the shin bone (tibia) forward relative to the thigh bone (femur) — this is exactly what the ACL is trying to prevent! Having excessively strong

Health Watch Nirav K. Pandya

INTRINSIC FACTORS ■ GENDER — ACL tears are more common in females than males, and make up approximately 75 percent of the ACL surgeries I perform. There are several anatomic issues which increase the strain on the female knee. First, females have wider hips, which increases the force the knee experiences during activities such as jumping and cutting. Second, females have a smaller end of the thigh bone where the ACL resides.

This decreases the room the ACL has during movement, and can increase the tear rate as well. Finally, women have more laxity in their joints and ligaments. Some of this is genetic and some is postulated to be due to the level of certain hormones

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

quadriceps muscles with weak hamstring muscles (which are located in the back of the thigh and do the opposite of the quadriceps — pull the shin bone back relative to the thigh bone) increases the rate of ACL injury.

EXTRINSIC FACTORS

■ DIRECT BLOW — If someone hits your leg, you can’t really control the outcome. Luckily, this only accounts for about 30 percent of ACL injuries. The rest occur without contact when you cut the wrong way or land awkwardly.

■ DRY WEATHER — Studies have shown that dry weather increases the friction between one’s athletic shoe and the surface. As a result, patients are more likely to get “stuck” while pivoting and cutting; increasing the rate of ACL tears.

■ ARTIFICIAL SURFACE — As above, artificial turf also increases friction between the shoe and the ground. That wet weather on grass might not be so bad after all!

As you can see, ACL injuries are not completely random events. In Part 2 of this article, we will talk about how to prevent ACL injuries based on these risk factors. ✪ Dr. Nirav K. Pandya is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon specializing in pediatric sports injuries at the Children’s Hospital in Oakland. He sees patients and operates in Oakland and its facility at Walnut Creek. If you have any questions or comments regarding the “Health Watch” column, write the Sports Medicine for Young Athletes staff at Health@ SportsStarsOnline.com.

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

17

feeling

18

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

BLUE Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

With elite runners, superior depth Davis XC aims to reign supreme P

By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

ardon the Davis High School cross country teams if the start of their practice runs take on the appearance of the starting line for the California International Marathon. With more than 140 boys and girls on the roster, head coach Bill Gregg may seem more like a race organizer than a typical high school coach.

Gregg and his Davis cross country program are anything but typical as the number of participants rival those of the Blue Devils’ football program. In his 16th year at the helm, Gregg has found strength in numbers and hopes to have another strong season.

“We have worked really hard through the years to grow the program,” Gregg said. “We have gotten good word of mouth in the past that it’s a good experience, and we are able to serve all talent levels of runners. Hopefully, the increase in roster size increases our chance to be successful.”

Success for Gregg and the Blue Devils has been the norm for the program, which has collected section titles like it recruits runners. Davis boasts the most girls and boys Sac Joaquin Section Division I team titles in cross country since the section created a divisional format in 1988. The girls have won nine Division I banners while the boys have collected eight banners at the highest level.

From 2000 to 2010, the program won 15 team titles, including six years where the Blue Devils swept both the boys and girls team championships. Both the boys and girls teams compiled streaks of seven consecutive Division I titles (girls won from 2002-2008, boys from 2004-2010) in a decade of dominance.

“Before 2000, we only had three titles for the school, but now it has become sort of an expectation that we will be running for a title,” Gregg said.

Additionally, seven Davis boys have won individual section titles, including the last two Division I titles. Two girls have earned three individual Davis coach Bill Gregg section championships. Laurynne Chetelat earned section Division I titles in both 2006 and 2007, and won the school’s lone individual state cross country championship as a senior.

With all of the impressive numbers that Gregg’s teams have posted, the most challenging number facing the program is the large number of schools looking to knock off the Blue Devils. Last year, the Davis boys finished as runners-up to Oak Ridge and the girls were third at the section meet behind St. Francis and Oak Ridge.

The most important numbers for this year’s Davis cross country teams are the top five boys and girls at each meet or race, and Gregg has confidence in the strength at the top and the depth in support.

“The time spreads are very tight with the top three girls, and we have good depth from four through seven,” he said. “The hope is that you can get a couple of real strong runs from the second group to give you a good team time.”

Gregg is excited about one of the best girls’ teams he’s had in a few years, and one of the biggest reasons is the arrival of freshman Fiona O’Keeffe. She led a group of four Blue Devils runners at the Delta Valley Conference’s first Center meet of the season. She finished in essentially a dead heat with junior Sophie Meads, just steps ahead of senior

“Before 2000, we only had three titles for the school, but now it has become sort of an expectation that we will be running for a title.”

BLUE

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

Freshman Fiona O’Keeffe (left), Paul Mohr (center) and Jack Scranton lead a deep Davis cross country team. Photos by James K. Leash.

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

19

From left, Fiona O’Keeffe, Maggie McManis, Laney Teaford and Sophie Meads hope to power the Davis girls to a section title this season.

Laney Teaford and sophomore Maggie McManis. In all, Davis runners accounted for eight of the top nine spots to display its dominance in the DVC. The addition of O’Keeffe will help push the team’s top runners. Meads, a two-time state qualifier, and Teaford, who hit her stride during the 2012 track season, will likely benefit from racing with the speedy newcomer. The girls team will be motivated by the fact that no runner on this year’s team has won a section title, as the Blue Devils last won in 2008.

The boys’ team lost the 2011 section title by a single, agonizing point. Senior Jack Scranton is the reigning Division I champion. Scranton’s place at the top of the depth chart is secure, but he has been battling injuries, including shin splints.

“I want to get healthy so that I can race my best and help the team,” Scranton said. “The goal for the team is to improve from the beginning of the season to the end, so that we can be competitive at the section and state meets.”

After Scranton, Gregg has multiple options. However, there are still nearly a dozen runners that could make up Davis’s top seven by year’s end, according to Gregg.

Senior Paul Mohr has the experience to run with Scranton at the front of the pack and Gregg is excited about Mohr’s strong finish in the spring track season. Two other seniors, Sugal Sutter and John Testerman, bring plenty of experience, but they will be chased by numerous underclassmen. Juniors Jasper Laca and Daniel Rowen and sophomores Brian Song and Blake Croft are prepared to make noise in 2012.

Rowen is in his third year on the team and his past success will make him a threat. Song moved to Davis from Georgia over the summer, but he quickly got Gregg’s attention as a legitimate top five runner. Croft ran on the Blue Devils’ 4 x 400 relay team as a freshman and has improved his distance running to complement the strong finishing kick he displayed 20

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

on the track. The potential on the boys’ side is just that for now, and Gregg and his runners understand that their work is cut out for them.

“It was kind of tough to lose like that last year after we thought we had it,” Scranton said of the narrow defeat at sections. “Because of that close loss, we raced well at state and we definitely want to do well this year and get the section title back.”

Both the boys and girls teams will have a chance to see how they stack up against top competition in the coming weeks as Davis will run at a pair of the most competitive meets of the season. First, the Blue Devils will see the majority of the top teams from the section and the western United States at the Stanford Invitational on Sept. 26. Both teams chose to run in the seeded race to see how they measure up against the best of the west.

“I had intended for them to run in our division at Stanford, but the runners decided that they wanted to go in the seeded division,” Gregg said.

The following weekend, Davis will get an early dress rehearsal for the state meet at the Clovis Invitational on Oct. 6. The Blue Devils will follow the exact routine — from the accommodations to the weekend itinerary — on the same course that is used for state at Woodward Park in Fresno.

“Not all of the programs go to Clovis, but I think it’s real important to get that experience on the course,” Gregg said.

While Davis has plenty of experience at the state meet at Woodward Park, Gregg believes this year’s Blue Devils have a real shot to be competitive at the state and section levels.

“Winning the section is not an unrealistic goal,” Gregg said.

“It has become part of the culture of the team and created a different mindset where we believe that we have a chance every year.” ✪ Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

I

READY, SET, GO: Movement can be improved upon

Linear acceleration consists of a four-step have been doing quite a bit of off-site team training lately and spending a lot of time sequence: teaching the basic skills of linear/lateral acStance: The Athlete assumes an athletic celeration techniques and concepts. This is where I stance with the center of mass relatively low, the always start with new athletes as many have never neck and shoulders relaxed, the eyes forward and been taught how to properly prepare and execute up, and the entire body positioned for movement. this skill.

Stances will vary from sport to sport, such as the Many high school athletes really only learn parallel stance of a volleyball player anticipating a sport-specific skills during practice. There is serve or the split stance of a football wide receiver. never a breakdown of actual movement, like a ball A variety of stances should be included, as well handling drill might be broken down in basketball as variations in height (low stance feet apart, half practice.

Tim Rudd for IYCA kneeling, etc.), initial hand and arm positions Athletes are just expected to get from point A (arms overhead, at side, etc.) and various other to point B as fast as they can, or get through the aspects of the initial stances. cones after a quick example of what it should look like. It’s Split: The next step is related to the preparatory step, almost as if linear/lateral acceleration concepts aren’t considor plyo step. The athlete should reposition the feet so as to ered a skill. provide maximum force production and optimal mechanics.

I’d say 99% of the athletes that I work with for the first In the case of the parallel stance, the athlete’s drive leg should time have never had these skills broken down in a way that move backward as the head, trunk and pelvis remain still helps them to understand what positions are optimal, how to before being rapidly accelerated by the front leg into forward perform it correctly and why understanding these skill sets acceleration. will increase their performance.

Forward lean: During sprint performance, the athLet’s quickly go over linear acceleration. lete will alter his or her mechanics relative to sub-maximal Linear acceleration is one of the most fundamental movejogging by leaning forward at the hips, thereby accentuating ment skills in virtually all athletic activities. It basically involves maximum acceleration over a relatively short distance. the force production of the hip extensors (butt muscles). The forward lean should occur in precise synchronization with Think of a football running back bursting through the hole or a basketball player driving to the hoop for a layup. the opposition drive to follow.

Training Time

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

Opposition drive: The most complex portion of this skill set is the opposition drive. This involves precise timing and coordination of muscles in both the upper and lower extremities with stability provided throughout the core. The foot is positioned behind the body while the drive foot (front leg), should be pushed down and back into the ground to produce forward acceleration. The focus is to push the body forward with every step, forcefully triple extending (hips, knees and ankles) with each stride.

Simultaneously, during the initiation of the opposition drive, the arm opposite the drive foot should be forcefully driven upward and forward, while the arm on the same side as the drive foot should be forcefully driven behind the body through shoulder extension. This opposition drive portion of the skill set is then repeated over the prescribed distance or number of steps. It’s best at first to work on the starting skill without subsequent strides.

These are critical first steps in building more advanced motor skills. Through the purposeful and progressive integration of linear/lateral acceleration mechanics, coaches can establish the basics of movement that will serve to optimize performance and protect against injury. ✪ Tim Rudd is an International Youth Conditioning Association specialist in youth conditioning (level 3), speed and agility (level 2), and nutrition specialist (level 1). For more information on anything you read in Training Time, email him at tim@fit2thecore.com.

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

21

22

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Despite five SJS finals appearances in six years, Bella Vista-Fair Oaks is out to prove that it’s one of the region’s elite programs

I

By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

t’s hard to believe that a team that has earned a spot in the Sac-Joaquin Section championship game in five of the last six years can fly under the radar. But that’s just where the Bella Vista Broncos believe they have been unfairly placed.

They don’t feel like the program is on the map. Not yet.

“I feel like we get skipped over when people talk about the top programs in the section,” said senior captain Tyler Miguel, who has played in a pair of Division II section finals in his first three years on the varsity team of the Fair Oaks school. “We kind of like it, though, because it gives us motivation to show people they are wrong.”

Not many people consider Bella Vista underdogs, but the Broncos, who have compiled an 8-0-1 record this season, do not garner the national or regional recognition that other local programs receive.

While high profile programs like Jesuit-Carmichael and Granite Bay play in national tournaments against high profile opponents to earn spots in the national and regional polls of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).

Bella Vista head coach Zack Contreras has focused on winning league and section games before returning his players to their club teams healthy, happy, and hopefully with some hardware. In his six previous seasons as the varsity head coach, Contreras has won two Division II championships, including the 2011 title, and reached five section finals (the Broncos fell in the 2009 semifinal, their earliest exit under Contreras).

Contreras has seen plenty of success and talent in his stint on the Fair Oaks campus, but he admits that he has never been blessed with the talent and depth that exists on the 2012 squad.

“This is definitely the most talented and deepest team that I have had, without a doubt,” he said.

“I can move guys around and interchange parts without missing a beat. I have so many talented players that the hardest task I have is finding time for all of them to play.”

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

23

A large number of players return from last year’s section title team, but the boost to the talent pool has come from both brand new and familiar faces to the program. Newcomers like freshman goalkeeper Drake Callendar and senior forward/ midfielder Trevor Jackson have blended right in, as has an old face in senior midfielder Stefan Sarkovich who missed the 2011 season when he had to give up high school soccer to play for the California Developmental Academy (CDA) team.

Callendar, who gets to play with older brother Ian, a senior forward/midfielder on the team, fills a large void left by Alexander Waldron. Waldron will play in the CDA program this year after anchoring the Broncos’ defense as a freshman in 2011. Callendar, at 6-foot-4, is an imposing presence in goal and nearly impenetrable thus far with four shutouts to his credit.

Sarkovich is a highly-skilled technician with the ball who Contreras believes will quarterback the offense from his midfield position. The most prolific recipient of passes from Sarkovich and the rest of the Broncos has been Jackson, who moved to the area from Tucson, Arizona, shortly after Bella Vista concluded its 2011 season. Jackson has scored a team-leading 12 goals and added three assists in nine games.

“Getting Trevor was lucky for us,” Contreras said. “He just fell in my lap and is a very skilled and popular player.”

Jackson has a knack for finding the back of the net, but the senior believes that he is only as good offensively as his teammates that get him the ball.

“I certainly don’t lack for firepower, but it’s not me starting the plays when I score,” he said. “The team’s job is to get me the ball in a position to score when I play up top and I have been fortunate to get some great feeds.”

Bella Vista has the luxury of multiple scoring options, according to Contreras, especially with the possession style that the Broncos play so well.

While many high school teams rely on long balls and one or two scorers, the Broncos work hard to control the ball and tempo of the game to set up higher percentage scoring opportunities while keeping the ball away from their opponents.

“The possession style has been a staple of our program,” Contreras said. “We try to break down the defense and create opportunities with the third or fourth guy making a run, and with combination plays.”

That recipe has been perfect as Bella Vista was unbeaten in nonleague play and opened Capital Valley League competition with a 4-0 shutout of 2012 upstart Rio Linda. However, the possession game relies as much on the defense controlling the tempo as the offense. Senior captain Preston Davis anchors the back line from his central defense position and takes a leadership role on the field with all of the action in front of him.

“My job is to organize the team on the field and relay what I see from my position,” he said.

“With our style of play, we try to stay compact in the back and try to get our outside backs to attack more to support the forwards when they can.”

Often, what Davis and his teammates see on the field is shared with Contreras, who likens himself 24

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

“I feel like we get skipped over when people talk about the top programs in the section. We kind of like it, though, because it gives us motivation to show people they are wrong.”

Senior captain Tyler Miguel Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

to a game manager and tactician on the sideline. His goal is to prepare his team both mentally and physically, so that the players can take ownership on the field with confidence.

“I work a lot on mental focus,” said Contreras, who gives his players more handouts than some teachers. “We talk a lot about mental preparation and discipline to keep your eyes on the prize.”

Contreras also emphasizes sacrifice — whether it is passing on junk food, or a weekend party — as a necessary part of the work the team must put in to win another championship.

“Last year, our motto was ‘Hard work will beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard,’” he said. “We have to put in the work and have laser vision looking straight ahead.”

Miguel, who is a four-year varsity player along with Davis, understands the program’s emphasis on discipline and preparation as well as the target on the Broncos’ backs that success has created. Like the expectation of reaching another section title match, Miguel expects every opponent to bring their best effort in an attempt to knock the champion from its throne.

“Coach tells us that the target on our backs is huge now,” he said. “But we welcome that. I like knowing that teams will be playing their best against us and will be coming at us with everything they’ve got.”

While the Broncos may have targets on their backs, they are focused on the target they set at the beginning of this season—to repeat as section champions.

“We know that other programs may get all of the recognition,” Davis said, “but we really want to repeat and get Bella Vista soccer on the map.

‘We want to show everyone that we are a power in the Sacramento area.” ✪

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

RIGHT: Trevor Jackson, a transfer from Tucson, Arizona, has made an immediate impact with the Broncos. The striker leads the team with 12 goals in the first nine matches.

ABOVE: Freshman goalkeeper Drake Callendar has adapted just fine to varsity competition, already posting four shutouts Photos by James K. Leash

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

25

unfamiliar territory By jim mccue | Senior Contributor

In past years, only a handful of SacJoaquin Section teams went to extreme lengths to fill their nonleague schedules with top programs from the section and, at times, far beyond the Sac-Joaquin borders. More recently, challenging nonleague schedules that include traveling into hostile territory throughout the state has transitioned from being the exception to more of the norm.

granite bay, del oro-loomis Del Oro’s Casey Taylor and Granite Bay’s Ernie Cooper, while rivals on the field when their teams face off in Sierra Foothill League play, have long shared the philosophy that tough early games can pay big dividends late in the season when the stakes are raised and section titles are on the line.

This season, the Golden Eagles and Grizzlies had their usual monster schedules lined up for the five games leading up to SFL play, but some unusual occurrences have placed the two top tier programs in unfamiliar territory.

Del Oro (0-4) and Granite Bay (1-3) have suffered more losses in a little over a month than the schools typically do in a full season.

The Golden Eagles won the SJS Division II championship and earned a CIF State Bowl berth during their 2011 campaign in which Taylor’s team compiled a 13-2 record that included a victory over Granite Bay and the SFL title. The Grizzlies posted a 12-2 mark that included a run to the Div. I title as the No. 5 seed.

Meanwhile, scores of other schools in the section have tried to copy Taylor and Cooper’s formula for postseason success by loading up on top opponents in the prelude to league play and the postseason. FranklinElk Grove and Oakdale joined Del Oro and Granite Bay in the Battle for Veterans Football Invitational and traditional powers such as Nevada Union-Grass Valley, GrantSacramento, Vacaville, Elk Grove, LincolnStockton, and Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove have had more head-to-head battles to go replace past early opponents.

“I think that maybe there is a little more parity this year among the teams in our area,”

26

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Taylor said of this year’s scheduling patterns.

“The nice thing is that a lot of good teams are scheduling more of these tough games, which is good for everybody.”

Some might say that the rough starts suffered by Del Oro and Granite Bay highlight the negative side of the high risk-high reward equation of facing too many tough opponents early in the season. The mental or psycho-

logical damage and injuries incurred while battling strong competition are a real risk and, at times, a real result. But Taylor has no regrets about his nonleague schedule which still includes a home game against Bay Area power James Logan-Union City in their final game before SFL play begins.

“The kids are still working hard and they buy into the process,” he said of taking some

lumps in the first month of action this season.

“We have had three real close losses where we have not been able to finish, but the games have had a playoff atmosphere and we hope that experience will pay off down the road.”

Granite Bay started 0-2 with losses to Southern California powers Westlake and Oaks Christian before having a week off

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Pair of perennial Sac-Joaquin Section powerhouses not in the positions to which they are accustomed

Granite Bay sophomore linebacker Cameron Smith catches Vacaville star running back Curtis Goins in the backfield for a tackle for loss. It was one of Smith’s 20 credited tackles in the game. He leads the team in tackles and was averaging 15 per game through the first three weeks of the season. Granite Bay’s defense has had its ups and downs during the team’s 1-3 start.

Photos by James K. Leash

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

27

Del Oro-Loomis coach Casey Taylor doesn’t apologize for stacking his nonleague schedule with extremely challenging opponents. Despite his team’s 0-4 start, he believes the losses toughened his team enough for a run at a league title. to prepare for another showdown with a perennial power. Before the Grizzlies faced defending Div. II champion Vacaville, the team focused on turning the season around.

The head coach relishes the opportunity to play top teams, but demands that his team take advantage of those opportunities to rise to the occasion.

“It was a long two weeks,” Cooper said after his team snapped out of its funk with a convincing 47-21 victory over Vacaville in Week 3. “I’m a grinder coach, so they had to hear me for two whole weeks talking about playing better and up to their potential.”

The wake-up call energized Granite Bay’s potent rushing attack and unleashed fly back Tony Ellison in the victory, which carried over to a two-touchdown performance for the junior speedster against Bay Area power Pittsburg. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, they fell to the Pirates 28-27 in overtime when the visitors converted a two-point conversion in the extra period.

Granite Bay faces Lincoln-Stockton, the SJS Div. I preseason favorite before the Trojans dropped to 2-2 with a disappointing rout at the hands of crosstown rival St. Mary’s, in their nonleague game on Sept. 20.

28

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

While both Taylor and Cooper would much prefer to have more wins than losses at this point of the season, they both will try to use their big game experiences from the first month of action to gain an advantage in the battle for SFL superiority.

“Our No. 1 goal is to win the SFL which we can still do,” Taylor said. “We hope to be healthy and ready when we open against Woodcreek (Oct. 5 at Del Oro) and hope that the tough games we have played will help us in league.”

Granite Bay opens SFL play with a home game against Roseville and a road test at Rocklin. On Oct. 19, the Grizzlies and Golden Eagles will face each other to see who has the upper hand in turning around its season.

Del Oro faced a similar plight just two years ago when a 2-4 start to the season, which included a league-opening loss to Rocklin, was turned into a successful campaign. The Golden Eagles finished the season with eight consecutive wins capped off by a 21-0 victory over Oakdale in the Div. III championship game.

“We know it can be done,” Taylor said, “but we have lots of hard work ahead. It’s hard getting that first one, but time will tell.” ✪

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Rank (Last Wk.) School

Record

1. (1)

De La Salle-Concord

4-0

2. (2)

Elk Grove

5-0

3. (3)

Bellarmine-San Jose

2-1

4. (4)

Franklin-Elk Grove

5-0

Senior running back Pepe Vitale, right, and his Spartans teammates outlasted St. Mary’s-Stockton 21-13 on Sept.

14 despite a sloppy effort that included four fumbles and three turnovers.

5. (5)

Serra-San Mateo

3-0

6. (6)

James Logan-Union City

5-0

Butch Noble

7. (11)

Folsom

5-0

8. (12)

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 3-0

9. (14)

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 5-0

10. (10)

Marin Caholic-Kentfield

4-1

11. (13)

Concord

5-0

12. (16)

Placer-Auburn

4-0

13. (15)

Oakdale

3-1

14. (9)

Vacaville

2-2

15. (18)

Palo Alto

2-1

16. (NR)

California-San Ramon

4-0

17. (20)

Burbank-Sacramento

4-0

18. (NR)

St. Mary’s-Stockton

4-0

19. (7)

Lincoln-Stockton

2-2

20. (NR)

Cardinal Newman-S. Rosa 4-0

SportStars NorCal Top 20 All records through Sept. 21

Top 20 Facts-Figures-Fallout ■ DROPPED OUT: Granite Bay, Nevada Union-Grass Valley, Buhach Colony-Atwater

■ BIGGEST MOVER: Folsom continued its spreadoffense perfection behind sophomore quarterback Jake Browning, and climbed four spots to rest at No. 7. They benefitted from losses by Vacaville and Lincoln-Stockton — by far the biggest tumbler this week after being shelled by cross-town rival St. Mary’s (back in the poll at No. 18). The North Coast Section also sent two new teams into the poll this week with California-San Ramon and Cardinal Newman both improving to 4-0.

■ TEAMS REMAINING FROM PRESEASON TOP 20: 13

■ KNOCKING AT THE DOOR: Foothill-Pleasanton (3-1), Freedom-Oakley (3-2), Buhach Colony-Atwater (3-2), Chico (3-1), Seaside (3-0), Pittsburg (3-2), Monte Vista-Danville (3-1), Campolindo-Moraga (4-1).

Three things we think we know at the halfway point When games on Sept. 29 come to a close, the high school football regular season will already be at its mid-point.

With the first five weeks as our guide, here’s three things we feel confident declaring.

■ 1. De La Salle has already had it’s “scare.”

It seems to be a pattern that’s developed over the first few weeks of the past several seasons, the Spartans seem to have one game against a Northern California opponent that ends up being a lot closer than people expected. That game happened on Sept. 14 when a sloppy offensive night by De La Salle kept a visiting St. Mary’s-Stockton team in the game.

The Rams hung tough before losing 21-13.

Spartans coach Bob Ladoucuer was more than discouraged at his team’s efforts after the game.

“When you make the mistakes we make, it’s going to be a game like that,” he said.

However, in typical Spartans fashion, they bounced back with a 48-14 win over previously-unbeaten Granada-Livermore. If we’ve learned anything from the Spartans during the Ladouceur Era, it’s that they always improve as the season goes along.

■ 2. Elk Grove is a hotbed for good football. The city has six high schools now and after five weeks their football programs are a combined 21-6. Five of the six schools had records better than.500, including two undefeated teams at Elk Grove High and Franklin. Elk Grove has risen to No. 2 in our NorCal Top 20 and Franklin is now No. 4. And many of these records aren’t built on pushovers, either. Elk Grove has wins over Lincoln-Stockton and Nevada Union-Grass Valley, and Franklin has wins over Thousand Oaks, Freedom-Oakley and Consumnes Oaks-Elk Grove.

The place to be on Oct. 19 will be Elk Grove High when the Thundering Herd clashes with Franklin.

■ 3. The West Catholic Athletic League will be a wild ride. Archbishop Mitty’s resurgence has really upped the ante on this league this year, because it doesn’t look like Serra-San Mateo or Bellmarine-San Jose have skipped a beat, either. Add the fact that St. Ignatius-San Francisco and Valley Christian-San Jose have both gone 2-1 against tough non-league slates, and you have five teams which are all equally dangerous. We didn’t mention that

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

Riordan-San Francisco also entered WCAL play 3-0.

Serra and Mitty clash on opening night on Sept. 28. Buckle up.

HIGH RETURNS

So much for the Five Year Plan.

When Tim Murphy packed up his things at Ygnacio Valley at the end of the 2000 football season and headed south, the goal was to be back by the Bay in five years. Eleven years later, Murphy finally disengaged himself from his role at the helm of the upstart Clovis-East football program and let state route 99 bring him home.

You could say he took the long route to travel the four miles between Ygnacio and new home Clayton Valley, where he has the Eagles playing punishing football and off to a solid 3-1 start.

“The plan was to go, open up the school, stay five years, and come back,” Murphy said after a rollicking 58-19 win over Liberty in his home-opener with the Eagles on Sept. 21.

“I ended up staying 11 years. It was time to come back.”

After leading the Timberwolves to an 82-39 record with two section championships and six league titles in 10 seasons, Murphy has his shotgun double-wing offense and smashmouth defense clicking in Concord.

Clayton Valley’s wins include the 68-21 trouncing of Vintage-Napa and a 57-35 win over Montgomery-Santa Rosa. Feature back Joe Protheroe is clearly thriving in the tricked-out offense. Protheroe had 139 yards and a score on just eight first-half carries against Liberty, and caught a 37-yard scoring strike from brother Michael as the Eagles racked up 561 yards of total offense. Joe Protheroe is averaging over 200 yards rushing and two touchdowns per game in Murphy’s system.

“It’s good to be back,” Murphy said. “Things haven’t really changed. Kids are kids. They’re still fun to be around. It’s good to be here.”

— SportStars staff

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

29

heritage soccer club Universal soccer academy

Building a better soccer league About the time you’ve dropped your backpack on the kitchen floor, settled into the family recliner with a cold drink, turned the game on and got your homework on your lap, a bunch of kids are finishing their after-school workout with a final jog. Their course will eventually lead them through gaping doorways and into the cavernous 48,000-square-foot indoor facility at Universal Sports Academy.

The Heritage Soccer Club is, to say the least, a competitive bunch. In an extra effort to hone skills and stay in shape, directors have instituted their new indoor soccer league. Heritage partnered their new league with USA in Martinez. It works out to a long-term agreement to run their own program on the brand new turf fields with a side agreement to co-promote each other’s programs — both youth and adult. Heritage can field 35 competitive teams of boys and girls U9-U18 along with adult league play. The youth programs alone have more than 500 players in Premier- to Bronze-level play.

USA’s Glenn Salling says the benefits of a partnership with HSC are clear.

“It’s their established community presence and quality programs, not to mention spotless reputation that brings instant credibility to our new facility,” he said. “Their indoor soccer league compliments our own indoor softball and dodgeball programs, and so helps us to accomplish our own goals of

30

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

sports diversity, meaning the “Universal” in our name intentionally stands for our vision is to provide a full palate of sports for kids and adults.”

“A great partnership and with great people,” adds USA’s Tommy Sparacino. “This partnership fills a critical time slot, and brings extra credibility due to their sparkling reputation.

Plus there’s a crossover that ties into our fitness and sports programs. Parents get a feel for all we offer while they’re here with their kids and can register for memberships, take advantage of our speed and conditioning programs, our indoor baseball and softball workout facility or join one of our leagues. Our cross-fit functional strength workout program starts up in October. They’re gonna go nuts about that.”

Heritage’s Indoor Youth 9v9 Soccer Leagues (U10-U12U14 boys and girls league), games start Nov. 17 and will be played on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Teams play 10 games each. Cost is $100 per player, with a minimum of 12 players per team and include field, referees, league awards and certified coaches and trainers. Keeper training and strength and conditioning training are also included.

Team signups are going on now, so visit www.heritagesc. com for more information. Parents and players should arrive an hour early on Nov. 17 to pay registration and sign waivers.

While there, parents can also sign up for drop-in work outs

during games.

For Heritage’s Indoor Adult 8v8 Soccer Leagues, coed plays on Tuesday and Men’s Open league plays Thursday. Games are from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Cost is $100 per player, minimum 12 per team. The season starts Oct. 30, so sign up now.

Universal Sports Academy’s fields are premium indoor turf, 120 by 200 feet with a playing area that is 24,000 square feet.

Goals are 21x7, and USA provides electronic score boards and timing. Games are 40 minutes.

Established in 2002, Heritage Soccer Club is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization based in Pleasant Hill/Martinez and provides player development through competitive soccer programs. From Academy (ages 4-9) to competitive teams, players of all ages are taught by 31 certified coaches and trainers, each with years of experience spanning high school and college. Play is on local fields (both indoor, outdoor), there are paid youth referee mentoring programs and summer clinics and camps.

Heritage offers free pre-tryout winter clinics and competitive registration fees. The club even offers affordable payment plans. Tryouts for 2013 teams are January and April.

Heritage is home to the “6v6 Blow-Out” and “Harvest Cup” tournaments which feature youth indoor leagues as well as adult coed and men’s pen indoor leagues. ✪ — SportStars staff Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Welcome to Impulse, your one-stop shop for gadgets, gizmos and gear. Compiled by staff writer Erik Stordahl, Impulse provides you with the latest and greatest and what’s currently hot on the market.

iPhone apps

◆ Angry Birds Space. The latest installment in the franchise is one of the most popular iPhone games right now. At only 99 cents, that means you have to do one, MAYBE two chores. Trust us, it’s worth it.

◆ Battery HD+. Get the most out of your battery life with this free app. You can see how much music and video playback you have, in addition to Internet browsing and talk time you have, left before it’s time to do homework.

SportStars™

Some of the older folk here at SSM were pumped in their adolescent heyday to ride a Schwinn, the créme de la créme of the bicycle crop. Nowadays, bikes are so technologically advanced that sooner or later we’ll see built-in iPhones on handlebars. But before we get THAT advanced, we have Niner Bikes.

Hit up www.ninerbikes.com to build your own bike so you can blaze new trails.

◆ YouTube. Since it’s no longer a built-in app, you’ll actually have to download it from the App Store. Don’t worry, it’s FREE. See? Now you can save your money for …

◆ Google Earth. Never been to Europe before? The Great Wall of China? The Eiffel Tower? The Pyramids? Let Google Earth take you there! With crisp 3D visuals, you’ll feel like you’re *practically* there.

Seriously, get this app.

32

Niner Bikes

We know you all pre-ordered the iPhone 5 and will be waiting outside the Apple Store giddy with giddiness for the latest from the tech masterminds of Cupertino. To get you started, here are some essential apps you’ll need to download pronto:

September 27, 2012

S’well

This is the last water bottle you’ll ever buy. S’well keeps your drink cold up to 24 hours or hot up to 12 hours. It’s eco-friendly which is something we can always get behind. Perfect for those crazy hot or frozen-tundra tailgating days. Go to www. swellbottle.com for more info.

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

33

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL Blankenship Baseball We are a year-round competitive baseball program based in Danville. The Camp focuses on teamwork, hustle and sportsmanship. We also offer small group training as well as one-on-one training.

Info: lancerblankenship@ sbcglobal.net or 925-708-3173.

EJ Sports EJ Sports provides individual, group, team, coaching and manager clinics in many levels of baseball.

Among the numerous different services offered, the Spring Clinic, Summer Clinic and the Fall League for children of Little League age has proven to be successful, instructional and most of all fun for the kids. Contact EJ Sports for a list of upcoming clinics, or contact your local little league to see if they participate in our coaches and managers training program. Info: 925866-7199, www.ejsports.com.

The Pitching Center In an effort to develop baseball players to their full potential, The Pitching Center has become the Total Player Center (TPC), a fullservice baseball/softball training academy. We provide comprehensive, fully-integrated training programs that evolve based on the best research and information available in areas from health/safety, peak performance,

34

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

education techniques and more. Age- and skill-specific programs available for students age 8-High School. Info: 925-416-1600, www. thepitchingcenter.com.

BASKETBALL Mike Allen Sports Learn the basics of basketball, sharpen your skills and improve daily at the Ballin’ Ambassadors basketball clinics and leagues! Go to www. mikeallensports.com to reserve your spot. 408-279-4123.

CHEER East Bay Sports Academy East Bay Sports Academy offers the best in gymnastics and cheerleading training. Our top of the line recreational and competitive programs earned us the exclusive “Best in the East Bay” award for Best Gymnastics Classes 2011. You can bring your team to be a part of the excitement, as our talented & motivated staff becomes your team’s best support system. All of our team camps are custom-built to complement your coaching needs and team goals. Info: 925680-9999, www.EastBaySportsAcademy.com.

Xtreme Cheer Camps Xtreme is a competitive All-Star Cheerleading, Dance and Recreational Tumbling Gym in Antioch.

In it’s 4th year Xtreme is ready to take the competition world by storm yet again! The All-Star gym staff are enthusiastic, trained professionals

and maintain many certifications in order to stay current on the latest teaching techniques.

All of our camp classes are fast-paced, fun and geared toward achieving your child’s goals. Info: 925-565-5464; xtremetumble andcheergym@yahoo.com FITNESS Fit 2 The Core As a Youth Conditioning, Speed/Agility and Nutrition Specialist with the International Youth Conditioning Association, Fit-2-The-Core Training Systems offers an innovative approach to getting your young athletes back on the field of play post-rehabilitation (which gets your athletes to normal function), continuing the process by progressing their bodies to handle what they must endure on the field or court.

For F2C’s Back to Sports programs we offer training weekdays, with 2 days/week or 3 days/week program options. Bottom line: Our program gets your athletes back on the field.

Sign up today for your two-week free pass at www.fasteryoungathletes.com, or call 925639-0907 for more information.

TransForm FX At TransForm FX Fitness Boot Camp, we believe that parents can take better care of their kids when they take care of their own health and fitness. We have designed adult fitness boot camp workouts to fit your busy lifestyle. Each boot camp workout is designed to help you burn fat and increase your cardiovascular endurance in less time. Info: 925-289-8042; www.transformfxfitness.com.

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

GOLF The First Tee-Contra Costa The First Tee Summer Camp is a youth development Golf program for boys and girls ages 7-18. Participants will learn about golf and the life skills and values inherent to the game. In addition to golf skills, rules and etiquette, participants are introduced to The First Tee Nine Core Values honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment. Fee assistance available. Info: Angela Paradise, 925-686-6262, Ext. 0, angela@thefirstteecontracosta. org; www.thefirstteecontracosta. org. See you on The First Tee! The First Tee-Oakland The First Tee of Oakland participants receive a minimum of 12 hours of instruction over an eightweek period.

Instruction is conducted at three City of Oakland affiliate golf courses. Each of the golf courses donates their range, golf course and classroom use. We introduce the game of golf in a way that

allows participants to progress with the mechanics required, and that teaches the values of the game, celebrates the fitness aspect of playing, and is offered at little or no cost. Info: 510-3522002, info@thefirstteeoakland. org; www.thefirstteeoakland.org.

The First Tee-Silicon Valley The First Tee of Silicon Valley develops youth through the game of golf throughout Silicon Valley.

We impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices though the game of golf.

Participants learn to appreciate diversity, resolve conflicts, build confidence and set goals for their future. Seasonal classes are offered at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course (San Jose) and Palo Alto Golf Course. We welcome participants ranging from second to twelfth grade. Scholarships are available upon request. www. thefirstteesanjose.org.

The First Tee-Tri-Valley We’re a youth development organization using golf and its etiquette to teach important life skills and core values. We

offer seasonal The First Tee Life Skills Experience Classes and Summer Camps for youth ages 7-17, held at the Pleasanton Golf Center on the Alameda County Fairgrounds.

Info: Call our office, 925-4627201; www.TheFirstTeeTriValley. org.

LACROSSE Atherton/Vitality Lacrosse Join Atherton Lacrosse and learn the basics of the game in their fall camps.

Every camper receives access to the best high school, college and professional lacrosse coaches in the Bay Area in a setting with an extremely low coach to camper ratio. Every camper receives a free Atherton Lacrosse T-shirt. Every camper needs a lacrosse stick - we have partnered with Sling It! Lacrosse to bring the best value possible.

Go to www.athertonlacrosse. com for more info. Sign up with Vitality Lacrosse to join one of their summer leagues in the Peninsula, Marin, East Bay, Petaluma and San Francisco.

We serve the entire Bay Area!

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

Go to www.vitalitylacrosse.com for more info.

MARTIAL ARTS USKS Adult and children’s programs, kick box fitness, mixed martial arts.

Providing excellence in martial arts instruction and services for the entire family. 925-682-9517; www. usksmartialarts.com.

two decades, the Diablo Futbol Club has proved to be the premier training ground for youth soccer players in the area.

Headquartered in Concord, Diablo FC offers training to boys and girls from levels U6 to U23,

and has premier, gold, silver and bronze level teams with players from throughout Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda counties. For complete info, call (925) 798-GOAL or visit www. diablofc.org.

RUGBY

Diablo Rugby Youth rugby is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. Both non-contact and contact versions of the game are popping up in summer leagues, physical education classes, after school programs, YMCA’s, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs and backyards all over the country. Based in Clayton, our club is dedicated to providing a positive rugby experience for boys at High School, Jr. High School and Youth levels. 925-381-5143, diabloyouthrugby@gmail. com; http://diabloyouthrugby. clubspaces.com.

SOCCER Diablo FC With a history that goes back

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

35

Walnut Creek Soccer Club The Walnut Creek Soccer Club uses all the resources available to provide the proper coaching and playing environment for all members. Our goal is for every member of our club to learn and grow as a soccer player and person. We will promote a positive learning environment for our players and families as we work to provide the highest level of coaching and coach’s education. Info: wcsc_info@wcsc.org; www.wcsc.org.

West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League Our program caters to competitive youth players ages 8-9 regardless of race, creed, gender or religion. The main focus of our program is not on winning, but on the development of the total soccer player within the framework of a team. We also offer specialized training for strikers and goalkeepers. We desire to promote personal responsibility, fitness, sportsmanship and teamwork. 510-758-5288, wccysl.com.

SWIMMING-DIVING Sherman Swim School Our year-round schedule allows children and adults to learn, retain and improve their swim skills with little interruption.

Lessons are usually offered in sessions of 3-4 weeks. (During the slower months of Fall, Winter and Spring, schedules can be more flexible, such as M-W, W-F,

or only one day/week.) We teach from age 9-months to adults, from non-swimmers to competitive levels. Since our lessons are private, they are tailored to each student’s age, ability and readiness. We also offer beginning and competitive diving classes.

Beginning sessions typically have three students and are 30 minutes long. Classes are taught in three-week sessions. Info: 925283-2100, www.ShermanSwim.com.

TENNIS ClubSport Valley Vista ClubSport Valley Vista has successfully teaching tennis in the Walnut Creek area for 33 years, with expert instruction. Tennis pro Dale Miller and his team of seasoned professionals will teach your children the fundamentals of tennis or help them improve their skills for recreation or competition. Programs are available for young players of all ages and varying skill levels. ClubSport Valley Vista members receive discounted rates. Info: 925-934-4050.

VOLLEYBALL Pacific Rim Volleyball Through private lessons, and the opportunity for year-round skills classes, athletes of any age or level can learn and improve the skills needed to gain a competitive edge.

Our advanced training, for junior levels (12th grade & below), will

provide athletes the opportunity to excel at becoming elite players in preparation for high school and/or collegiate volleyball. Info: www. pacificrimvolleyball.com.

U.S. Youth Volleyball League The USYVL leads in developing,maintaining youth volleyball leagues for boys, girls ages 7-15.

Info: 888-988-7985, www.USYVL.org.

WRESTLING Community Youth Center The CYC wrestling program offers athletes the opportunity to excel in one of the world’s oldest sports. The program trains and challenges wrestlers at all age groups from kindergarten through high school, and all experience levels from beginner to champion.

The program is nationally recognized under the guidance of Head Coach Mark Halvorson. Info: 925-671-7070, Ext. 229, www. communityyouthcenter.com.

MULTI-SPORT

Velocity Sports Velocty Sports Performance in Dublin offers a variety of fall programs to check out.

For info: 925-833-0100, velocitydublin.com.

SportForm Based in Concord, SportForm provides Individual and team instruction in the sports of baseball, softball and lacrosse.

Prepare to Perform! Info: 925-459-2880. ✪

Advertiser Index ❒❒ A A A No. California, Nevada & Utah........ 10 ❒❒ Halo Headband....................................... 37 ❒❒ Antioch’s Great Family

❒❒ Heritage Soccer Club............................... 31

Entertainment Centers............................ 33 ❒❒ Home Team Sports Photography............. 33 ❒❒ Army National Guard Recruiter.................. 7 ❒❒ Image Imprint......................................... 34 ❒❒ Bay Area Blast Volleyball Club................. 36 ❒❒ Kinders B B Q........................................... 39 ❒❒ Bay Area Golf Show................................. 25 ❒❒ Midway Paintball Park............................ 34 ❒❒ Big 5 Sporting Goods.............................. 13 ❒❒ Mountain Mike’s Pizza............................. 16 ❒❒ Big O Tires................................................. 2 ❒❒ Norcal Courts........................................... 24 ❒❒ Blaze Volleyball....................................... 35 ❒❒ Passthaball.............................................. 35 ❒❒ Cal Bears................................................. 33 ❒❒ Rocco’s Pizza............................................ 27 ❒❒ Championship Athletic Fundraising........ 17 ❒❒ Rockin Jump.......................................35, 40 ❒❒ Cheergyms.Com...................................... 15 ❒❒ Sheldon Jr. Huskies Football & Cheer....... 36 ❒❒ Children’s Hospital & Research Center..... 12 ❒❒ Sky High Sports....................................... 27 ❒❒ Community Youth Center........................ 37 ❒❒ Sports Stars Magazine............................. 37 ❒❒ Core Volleyball Club................................. 34 ❒❒ Star Sports................................................ 6 ❒❒ Crowne Plaza.......................................... 37 ❒❒ Stevens Creek Toyota............................... 20 ❒❒ Diablo Car Wash & Detail Center.............. 37 ❒❒ Sutter Delta............................................. 33 ❒❒ Diablo Trophies & Awards........................ 28 ❒❒ The First Tee Of Contra Costa.................... 37 ❒❒ E J Sports Elite Baseball Services............. 34 ❒❒ Trucks Training........................................ 28 ❒❒ E Teamsponsor........................................ 34 ❒❒ U C Merced................................................ 5 ❒❒ East Bay Sports Academy...................21, 35 ❒❒ U S K S Martial Arts................................. 37 ❒❒ EPIC......................................................... 20 ❒❒ Umigo Indoor Kart Racing....................... 27 ❒❒ Excellence In Sport Performance............. 36 ❒❒ Velocity Sports Performance........19, 28, 35 ❒❒ Fit 2 The Core........................................... 33 ❒❒ Wingstop Restaurants............................. 14

36

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com

Support Your Local Business • Say You Found Them In SportStars™

September 27, 2012

SportStars™

37

Christian Brothers midget receiver Nico Orr, left, goes up to haul in an interception during the Junior Falcons game with Mesa Verde on Sept. 8 Photo by James K. Leash

Want to submit your pic for Photo Finish? Send it to us at editor@SportStarsOnline.com. Photos must be 300 dpi and at least 10 inches wide in the jpeg format.

Please identify every person in the photo and include your contact information.

38

SportStars™

September 27, 2012

Upload photos and team stats! www.SportStarsOnline.com