SportStars Now Issue 67, Sept. 14, 2018 by Sport Stars Magazine

ISSUE 67 SEPTEMBER 14, 2018

Jay Butterf ield LIBERTY-BRENTWOOD - FOOTBALL - JUNIOR Considered the East Bay’s top national recruit for the Class of 2020, the Lions quarterback is off to a stellar junior campaign. On Sept. 7, he had his most prolific night of the season to date. He completed 16 of 20 for 297 yards and five TDs in a 51-9 Homecoming win over visiting Rocklin. Through just four games, Butterfield has completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,001 yards, 15 TDs and just one interception. The Lions opened the season 4-0 and concluded the non-league portion of their schedule Sept. 14 with a trip to Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (3-0).

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

JacketBack Embroidery Official Patch Supplier of SportStars Magazine

Got Send your nominations to: Next? Editor@SportStarsOnline.com or tweet us using #SSOTW

Bay Area’s First Honor Bowl Games Provide Powerful Sense of Inspiration

Story by Mark Tennis Photos by Samuel Stringer 8

SportStars™

here were five games over two days at the first Honor Bowl held in the San Francisco Bay Area. And although only one of the games was particularly close, the reasons why the event is unique to California are always easy to see. It doesn’t matter if it’s kids with their phones in the stands, or athletes on the field super confident in their skills. If you want to get them to settle down and show some respect, try building a battle cross in front them. They get it real fast. These games played Aug. 24-25 at St.Francis-Mountain View marked the first time Honor Bowl games were held in the Bay Area. One solemn tradition involves Honor Bowl organizers building a battle cross before the start of the last game each night. A battle cross is usually built on the battlefield during war, and is a way to honor the fallen and remind those still fighting. The cross is built with the fallen soldier’s rifle pointed downward, the soldier’s combat boots placed around it, the soldier’s helmet put on the top and finally the soldier’s dog tags he or she was wearing when killed. Before the start of the St. Francis game against Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks on Aug. 24 and Serra-San Mateo vs. Serra-Gardena the following night, the battle cross was built with items provided by mothers and fathers of those who died in action. There also are numerous reminders everywhere about what the Honor Bowl games are striving to do: use showcase high school football games as a method of providing support to military veterans while serving as a learning experience for the players themselves. The other game played the first night at St. Francis featured Del Oro-Loomis against Oak Grove-San Jose. The other two games played the second day were Archbishop Mitty-San Jose against Oakdale and Liberty-Brentwood versus Gilroy. There were three more Honor Bowl games played the following weekend on Sept. 1 at Cathedral Catholic-San Diego. In addition to the host Dons playing Serra-Gardena, Oaks ChristianWestlake Village met Eastside Catholic-Sammamish (Washington), and Helix-La Mesa went up against Saguaro-Scottsdale (Arizona).

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

A battle cross from the 2015 Honor Bowl at Del Oro High. James K. Leash photo

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

Del Oro quarterback Carson Jarratt scrambles and looks down field during the Golden Eagles’ 58-20 Honor Bowl win over Oak Grove-San Jose. Jarrett threw for 112 yards and two TDs in the game.

Here is a recap of the five games played on Aug. 24-25 at St. Francis and a reflection of what many of the players and coaches told us about being involved in them:

DEL ORO-LOOMIS 58, OAK GROVE-SAN JOSE 20 With a new coach and new direction, it was thought that it might be a tough afternoon for Oak Grove — and it was, as the Golden Eagles of Del Oro posted an easy victory. Del Oro, which came into the game at No. 34 in the State Top 50, scored on the opening kickoff as special teams standout Johnny Guzman grabbed the ball at the 9-yard line and weaved his way for a 91-yard touchdown. Guzman had another long punt return later in the game and scored on a touchdown reception from quarterback Carson Jarratt. “The most important part of us being here is the mission of the Honor Bowl,” second-year Del Oro coach Jeff Walters said. “For more and more of these showcase events, it’s more about the event, but the Honor Bowl is always about the mission. It’s always about them, the people who defend us every day.” The Golden Eagles represent the legacy school of the Honor Bowl since Mark Soto, the founding member of the Honor Group and Honor Bowl, was once an assistant coach. They had never won an Honor Bowl game before, as they often were paired against more highly ranked opponents. This time, it was Oak Grove which had to stomach a tough matchup. “This was my third time playing in it, the first two were at home (Del Oro),” said Golden Eagles wide receiver Dawson Hurst, who also watched older brothers Logan (now at Washington) and Mason (now at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) play in them. “It’s just way bigger than a football game. It’s an inspiration to everyone. For every one of those who have served who are here, that’s who we’re playing for.”

ST. FRANCIS-MOUNTAIN VIEW 23, NOTRE DAME-SHERMAN OAKS 12 The host school won in its first Honor Bowl appearance, but it was more than that for coach Greg Calcagno and his players. “It’s been great,” said Calcagno, whose team won the CIF Division 2-A state bowl title last December. “I didn’t know all of the experiences they would pro10

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

vide for the kids. They did a great job honoring Matt Manoukian (a former St. Francis player who was killed in action in 2012). It’s good for them (the players) to understand that there is life after football.” The Lancers were clinging to a 14-12 lead in the third quarter of what ended up being the closest game of the weekend. The Knights were threatening to take the lead when standout defensive end Josh Pakola came up with a pair of sacks to stop a drive. His teammates took over on offense and secured the win. Opeti Fangupo, who ended with 100 yards on 16 carries, scored on a 4-yard run with 9:06 left. Following another stop by the defense and a 31-yard run by Fangupo, there was a 22-yard field goal by Michael Leahy that pushed the lead to 11 points. “It was an awesome experience,” said St. Francis receiver/defensive back Evan Williams, who caught a touchdown pass from new starting quarterback Jack Perry. “It’s a great event and their staff does a ridiculous job making it fun. They build that tunnel we can run out of with all of the effects, but they are also using it as a learning tool for us to gain a lot of knowledge about what our military and veterans have to go through.” “We feel fortunate to have been in the Honor Bowl both times,” said Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney, who won his 300th game last season. “They took us to Camp Pendleton last time, and this year we heard from some wounded warriors. It’s really important for the education of these kids to see the sacrifices that these people make.”

ARCHBISHOP MITTY-SAN JOSE 42, OAKDALE 14 Playing in the first game of his junior season, quarterback Shamir Bey showed off improved skills in all facets of his game in leading Archbishop Mitty to the triumph. “It was an honor to play for the soldiers,” Bey said. “Being part of this event just feels great.” Bey was effective all day against Oakdale’s defense with his running and pass-

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

ing. He had three touchdown passes and one touchdown run. One of the key moments of the game was when he found junior teammate Joseph Vaughn for a 9-yard TD with 9.8 seconds left in the first half for a 26-0 lead. Mitty not only won in the first Honor Bowl it has ever played in, but dominated a team that was 10-2 last season and had won its season-opener 49-0 over Sonora.

LIBERTY-BRENTWOOD 57, GILROY 0 Another Honor Bowl tradition is that each team, no matter what the final scoreboard reads, is presented with two awards. One is for that team’s MVP, and the other is for that team’s Character Award. So even though this was the biggest mismatch of the weekend, Gilroy’s team walked away with two awards, just like the Lions. Liberty, which may threaten De La Salle in the CIF North Coast Section this season, led 29-0 at the end of the first quarter after a 19-yard TD pass from junior Jay Butterfield (one of the top junior QBs in the state) to senior Sione Viaki. Butterfield was 9 of 11 for 211 yards and four TDs when he was pulled with six minutes left in the first half and his team ahead 50-0. The Liberty defense was equally crushing as it rang up 10 sacks in that half, including four by linebacker Nicky Einess. Butterfield was given the MVP trophy for the game, and like all of the MVPs during the weekend, was glad to be signing game balls. “This means something to me because it’s from the Honor Bowl, but it’s really a team MVP,” Butterfield said. “It’s great to play here just for everyone who has served. It’s humbling to leave here with this experience. We’re also here representing those from our school who went through it. We know some guys didn’t come back.” Joseph Barnes, a running back who had more than 1,400 yards rushing last season for a Gilroy team that went 13-0 and won the Central Coast Section Division V title, was the MVP for the Mustangs. “It means a lot to be in this game,” said Barnes, who also placed eighth in his

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

weight class in the 2018 CIF State Wrestling Championships. “We’re supporting the troops and doing this for a good cause.”

SERRA-GARDENA 41, SERRA-SAN MATEO 22 Although Serra-San Mateo is coming off of a CIF D2-AA state title, Serra-Gardena showed that teams coming from the CIF Southern Section Div. I playoff grouping — which only gets to send its winner to the CIF state bowl games — just play a different level of football. Serra-Gardena’s junior QB Doug Brumfield started 0-for-4 and 2-for-9 on his throws, but finished with 371 yards passing and four touchdowns. Melquan Stovall, who caught 80 passes for 1,487 yards and 21 TDs last season at Paraclete-Lancaster, had eight catches for 145 yards and one score in his first game for the Cavs. Stovall also scored on a 5-yard reverse. It was a difficult first game for Stovall, however, because it came just nine days after the death of his 19-year-old sister, Melkyra, who suffered serious injuries in a car accident two weeks earlier. “My teammates pushed me and helped me to stay strong,” Stovall said. “I know she was here watching over me.” Stovall added: “It’s a huge honor to be here to support these people. I respect everything they do. We’re only playing a game.” “This is a big win because we have such great respect for Coach (Patrick) Walsh, who always has great teams,” said Cavaliers coach Scott Altenberg, whose team moved up to No. 10 in the Cal-Hi Sports state rankings following the win. “We were excited to come here to be in this event.” Approximately 90 minutes before the start of the last game of the weekend, news broke that longtime U.S. Senator and former U.S. presidential candidate John McCain had died in Arizona. Since McCain was so well-known for being a prisoner of war for nearly six years in Vietnam and for his family’s long military service, a moment of silence for him before the battle cross was built was extremely appropriate. ✪ TOP RIGHT: Liberty-Brentwood quarterback Jay Butterfield signs footballs after being honored as his game’s MVP in a 57-0 win over Gilroy. BOTTOM RIGHT: Mitty sophomore Raymello Murphy breaks through an attempted tackle of an Oakdale defender during the Monarchs’ big win.

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

get your

S K KIC

d r o c n o c n i

City Is Home To Several Highly-Rated Martial Arts Schools If any proof was needed to show that Concord is a legitimate locale for martial arts, one needs to look no further than Tomizaki’s Champions Kung Fu Institute. Daniel and Steffani Tomizaki opened the school in March 2007. Daniel is a kung fu Master with over 35 years of experience in training, competing and teaching. He owns multiple Grand Champion Titles and was was recently featured on the cover of Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine this past spring. Steffani has been training for over 18 years and is passionate about teaching self defense classes, especially for women and girls. Daniel’s son, Braydan, won the title of Overall Grand Champion at the Tiger Claw Elite Championships in San Jose last May. It was the seventh grand championship in a two-year span for the Las Lomas High-Walnut Creek student. He is also an instructor at Tomizaki’s. Their school hosts many events, including self defense, senior classes, banquets, classes on the negative effects of alcohol/vaping/marijuana/prescription drugs with tactics on “How to say ‘no’ and keep your friends,” picnics and international tournaments.

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Because of Tomizaki’s, Concord is the bi-annual home to the International Traditional Kung Fu Association Chinese Martial Arts Championships. This year, the ITFKA championships, in which Braydan Tomizaki will be competing, take place in October in Brazil. It returns to Concord in July 2019 at the Centre Concord. The Tomizaki Family believes in giving back to its community and has tied many of the school’s events in with fundraisers or collections in the Concord area. Several other notable martial arts schools call Concord home. CCB Martial Arts is an extremely well-rated school run by chief instructor, Jon Rodriguez Hanshi — a 10th degree black belt in Jujitsu and Ninjutsu. Other schools in Concord include Delta Martial Arts & Athletics, One Tribe Martial Arts Academy, Mires Martial Arts, Concord Kung Fu Academy and USKS Martial Arts Center. From adults to young children, beginners to experts, there’s a martial arts program for you in Concord. ✪ — Copy Provided By Visit Concord

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

D’Marcus Ross reaches the end zone against Grant-Sacramento on Aug. 31. Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

D Records Through Sept. 8 1. (1)

—

De La Salle-Concord 4-0

2. (2)

—

Folsom

3-1

3. (3)

—

Liberty-Brentwood

4-0

4. (6)

▲ Pittsburg

2-2

5. (5)

—

St. Francis-Mountain View

2-1

6. (9)

▲

Monterey Trail-Elk Grove

4-0

7. (16)

▲ Antioch

8. (4)

▼

Clayton Valley-Concord

3-1

9. (7)

▼

Serra-San Mateo

1-2

10. (8)

▼

Del Oro-Loomis

4-0

11. (10) ▼

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills

4-0

12. (11) ▼

Central Catholic-Modesto

3-1

4-0

13. (12) ▼ Inderkum-Sacramento

4-0

14. (13) ▼ Placer-Auburn

4-0

15. (15) —

Monte Vista-Danville

3-0

16. (17) ▲

Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa

3-0

17. (18) ▲

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

2-1

18. (NR) ▲

Granite Bay

2-2

19. (19) —

Jesuit-Carmichael 1-2

20. (20) —

Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 2-1

DROPPED OUT: No. 14 Menlo-Atherton-Atherton NEXT FIVE: 21. Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park (4-0), 22. Wilcox-Santa Clara (3-0), 23. Valley Christian-San Jose (2-1). 24. Oakdale (2-1) and No. 25. Capital ChristianSacramento (4-0) PRESEASON TOP 20 TEAMS REMAINING: 13 BIGGEST MOVER: It’s definitely Antioch, which went from unranked to No. 7 in two weeks. The Panthers make their most recent jump after upsetting previous No. 4 Clayton Valley-Concord 35-34 on Sept. 7. Clayton Valley slipped to No. 8 and managed to stay ahead of No. 9 Serra due to its win over new-No. 4 Pittsburg. Serra lost to Pittsburg 45-35 in a 6 vs. 7 showdown on Sept. 7.

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

espite missing all of the second half of his Sept. 7 game against Antelope High, Capital Christian-Sacramento star running back D’Marcus Ross ranked third in the section with 716 yards on the ground heading into week four of the 2018 season, according to MaxPreps.com. The two-way standout racked up a career-high 320 yards rushing in a season-opening win over Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove before ripping off 233 yards against a storied Grant-Sacramento program in a 42-14 week two victory. In fact, heading into a Sept. 15 game against Christian Brothers-Sacramento at Sacramento City College, Ross was just 326 yards away from surpassing his rushing total from last year. Furthermore, he’s over halfway to his 2016 total (1,421) with at least six games left. The only odd thing about Ross’ stats this year is his line against Antelope — six carries for just 34 yards. But that’s due to his ejection (later overturned by the section) on a block midway through the second half. Yet even without Ross – the Cougars’ most consistent offensive threat – Capital Christian emerged with a 26-19 victory to remain unbeaten at 4-0. The showdown with Christian Brothers, a Capital Athletic League opener for both teams, should provide an ideal spotlight for the talented runner. “He’s phenomenal – I think he’s the best player in the city,” Capital Christian coach Casey Taylor says. “He’s a great player, great leader – someone who has a knack for the big play… He’s a special one.” With touchdown runs from 11 and 76, plus a 17yard touchdown pass against Grant – all in the first half – Ross showcased his big-play ability in front of a raucous crowd during the Aug. 31 meeting. But that game against the Pacers also brought added meaning for Ross, who had a massive family presence in the stands including aunts, uncles and cousins. “I grew up around this neighborhood, so I grew up watching (Grant) play,” Ross explains. “I grew up watching Shaq Thompson, Devontae Booker, James Sample – watching them really inspired me to play football. And the harder they go, it makes me go harder. “I see those guys in the League (NFL) and that’s where I want to be, too.” A senior this year, Ross has offers to continue his gridiron career at the collegiate level. He has interest from UNLV, San Jose State, Colorado State, Utah State and Sacramento State, among others. He also has the chance to shine and receive even more attention late in the 2018 season as the Cougars eye a playoff run. With Div. I opponents like Grant and Cosumnes Oaks on the team’s preseason schedule, as well as Div. II power Antelope, the Cougars have the strength of schedule and the wins for a top postseason seed. “We scheduled those teams to simulate playoff

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

games, section games, NorCal games, state games,” Taylor said. “Grant is one of those places – if you can come into Del Paso Heights and play like we did, you’ve got a chance to win some games late in the season.” But after a disappointing first-round exit from the playoffs a year ago – Taylor’s first season at the helm of the Cougars program – the veteran coach is excited about his group this time around. He has a pair of strong-armed quarterbacks, both of whom can tuck the ball and run. He has playmakers at running back and wideout, and he has a ferocious defense. There’s so much talent that senior quarterback Cooper Crick’s face lights up anytime his offensive weapons are brought up in conversation. As a big smile crosses his face, it’s evident that he’s privy to information the rest of the section will soon find out about. “It’s unreal. It’s almost unfair,” Crick admits. “It feels like (we’re) playing on a 7-on-7 team with a bunch of athletes, just having fun while doing it. “The kind of speed we have, the kind of physicality that D-Mar brings and (his speed), it’s going to be hard for anybody to stop.” So far, that’s true. Through four games, the offense was averaging 41 points a contest and had already faced its toughest competition of the season. The Cougars’ remaining opponents own a combined 5-17 record as the team heads into league play. So despite the program’s move to the more competitive CAL this year, Crick and his teammates seem poised to make yet another title run. “We come to practice every day knowing that we’re a small school that no one takes seriously,” Crick acknowledges. “So we play with that anger, we play with that intensity every single day and we come to practice ready to play, ready to prepare. And it shows. “We’re out here to make a statement every week.” A strong win over Cosumnes Oaks to start the year, a key victory against Antelope without their best player, and most importantly, a dominant win against Grant has helped the Cougars make that statement. But with six weeks left in the regular season, there’s still plenty of football to be played, and Coach Taylor is excited for what’s to come. “(That Grant victory) was a real tipping point for where we’re going with our program,” Taylor says. “And I’m so proud of these guys … we’re going to celebrate (that) one, but there’s more to do. We’re real excited about where we’re at, where we’re going to and how the guys are playing. “We’re changing the culture, and we can’t thank our school and our support from parents and fans enough.” ✪ Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

NCVA Crowns Nine Pairs At Its Beach Open Championships The Northern California Volleyball Association’s Beach Season, which began way back in April, came to an eventful conclusion in Santa Cruz on August 11. The No Dinx/NCVA Beach Open Championships determined regional championships across nine different divisions. The divisions included U12 Girls, U12/14 Boys, U13 GIrls, U14 Girls, U15 Girls, U16 Girls and U16/17/18 Boys & Girls. The younger players opened the day with divisions up through U14 competing in the morning wave. In the U12 Girls division, Kayla Rhee-Pizano and Whitney Wallace took first ahead of Catherine and Veronica Mullins. Ethan Durns and Samuel Marshall earned the regional title in the U12-14 Boys Division. In U13 Girls, Kathleen Suayan and Andisheh Turner earned the title as Kailee Kim and Liana Mei finished second. The team of Madison Rocha and Tara Ozdemir took home the U14 Girls gold. Gabriella Oaks and Grace Xu finished as runners-up. The afternoon wave saw Elizabeth Shwaiko and Kylee Moore edge out Kylie Francisco and Grace Brandau for the U15 Girls title. The U16 Girls gold ended up in the hands of Ella Sears and Grace Paulson. Sears and Paulson outlasted the second-place tandem of Indy Desmet and Shirley Morrison. Colin McDermott and Lucas Wright earned the top honor for U16 boys while the top U18 Boys team consisted of Tyler Riggleman and Kalem Cuaresma. Tia Papapietro and Camille Blanc comprised the top U18 Girls team. Next up on the NCVA calendar will be the beginning of the Boys Indoor Power League season. The season-opening qualifiers for U12 and U17/18 take place on Sept. 15-16 at the San Mateo Events Center. The season openers for U13/14 and U15/16 will occur the following weekend, Sept 22-23, also in San Mateo. ✪ 20

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

mega tr

plays

SportStarsâ&#x201E;˘

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

an rottier

s the

HITS Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

Woodland Christian Senior Knows How to Rock ‘n’ Roll & May Be The State’s Best Small-School Volleyball Player

Records Through Sept. 11 1.

Notre Dame-Belmot 8-1

Marin Catholic-Kentfield

10-0

Archbishop Mitty-San Jose

7-1

St. Francis-Mountain View

11-2

Sacred Heart Cathedral-S.F.

10-1

St. Francis-Sacramento

13-2

Ponderosa-Shingle Springs

11-2

St. Mary’s-Stockton

16-1

James Logan-Union City

4-4

10. Rocklin

9-4

11.

Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove

13-2

12.

Amador Valley-Pleasanton

11-0

13.

St. Ignatius-S.F.

12-2

14.

California-San Ramon

12-1

15.

Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

11-1

16. Redwood-Larkspur

9-1

17. Menlo-Atherton-Atherton

3-1

18.

Palo Alto

4-2

19.

Central Catholic-Modesto

12-0

20. Homestead-Cupertino

10-7

FIVE TEAMS KNOCKING (alphabetically): CarondeletConcord (10-4), Foothill-Pleasanton (7-1), Menlo SchoolAtherton (5-6), Modesto (18-2) and Tracy (11-3). BIGGEST MOVER: Having not done a true preseason rankings, this is our first ranked list of the season — and thus, no true movers. Notre Dame-Belmont gets the first shot at holding down No. 1 due to a win over Archbishop Mitty (who would’ve been our preseason No. 1, had we done rankings). Mitty lurks at No. 3 with an entourage of West Catholic Athletic League teams rounding out the top five. With several of these teams head to the prestigious Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas on Sept. 14-15, a shakeup seems inevitable.

Story & Photos By Ike Dodson 24

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

he Boots Randolph blooper anthem “Yakety Sax” would have aptly narrated a Woodland Christian dig this preseason in the third set of a sweep of Bradshaw Christian-Sacramento. Two Cardinals in the back row collided as the ball approached the gap between them. They spilled away as the ball rocketed to the high ceiling. It glanced off the rafters and plummeted just slow enough for another player to scramble toward the descent, awkwardly popping the ball up again. Senior Megan Trottier calmly settled under that pass and drilled a net whispering kill that ricocheted off a would-be Bradshaw Christian digger and banged off the scorekeepers’ table. Trottier, perhaps the best small-school hitter in California, doesn’t need a perfect play to execute a perfect kill. “She makes kills and great plays out of just junk,” Woodland Christian coach Karen Gellen said with a laugh. “We could just toss a ball up there and she goes and gets the kill. “It’s pretty remarkable, what she can do just all by herself out there.” Trottier’s statistical fortitude, carefully charted by Woodland Christian coaches, isn’t inflated, but it’s other-worldly. Last year Trottier delivered 593 kills, fourth best in the state. That was 65 more kills than anyone else in the Sac-Joaquin Section and 276 more than any other Div. VI player in California (Woodland Christian sports an enrollment of just 210). She can score from anywhere on the floor, and is especially dominant up front, where her 5-foot, 10-inch frame seems to levitate above the net. “With a hitter like that, you have to want her to hit it to you,” Bradshaw Christian coach Melissa Bowers explained, after watching Trottier smash 21 kills against her girls. “You have to want her to just drill it right at you, because if there is any part of you that doesn’t want that, she is going to find you, and it shows up with a shank or with a no-dig. “We tend to put up a block too early, and she’s a hitter we have to wait on, because she hangs in the air for 20 minutes. It’s great practice for us.” Trottier has more hits than the Beatles. She can go down the line, cross court, sneak over a tip, expose an empty patch of hardwood from the back row, and of course leap to thunder points off fleshy forearms. Through Sept. 11, she’s amassed 1,247 career kills on 2,761 attempts — a 45.2 percent hitting accuracy. “At this point it’s not really a process I think of, since it’s become such like a habit, it’s become muscle memory,” Trottier said. “It really starts in practice. It’s ongoing, trying to get better. Each ball you touch, you are trying to improve yourself, mentally and physically.” Follow us on Twitter & Instagram, like us on Facebook!

She’s not just talking about hitting. Trottier is a prolific jump-server. She’s totaled 452 service points in the last three years and sports 145 career aces. She ended the Bradshaw match with seven consecutive service points, most of them unreturned. Her digging is even better. Despite her hitting prowess, Trotteir was 38th in the SJS with 326 digs as a sophomore. She added another 306 last year and is on pace for a career high in that category, with 96 digs in the team’s first seven matches. She seemed desperate to save points against Bradshaw Christian, diving, rolling and bolting across the floor to chase down balls that seemed well out of reach. “I think (rolling) prevents me from getting bruises,” Trottier said. “Since hitting is my main focus, I have a lot more fun doing defense and serving because I don’t get to do that as much. “So it’s really just energy and adrenaline that’s fueling me to go get balls halfway across the court.” Gellen dug Trottier out of a youth volleyball camp when she was in the sixth grade. Her tutelage and competitive experience was missing, but her talent still shined. “She would jump higher than anybody else, and just had natural instincts for the game,” Gellen explained. “She had a heavy arm, even then. I could tell that with training she would be really good.” The Junior Cardinals, Gellen’s club team and feeder program for Woodland Christian, helped develop Trottier’s skills, but it wasn’t long before Trottier outgrew that environment.

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

“In the ninth grade I said, ‘You have to go find somewhere else to play, this isn’t going to take you the next level… my little club,’” Gellen said. “She ended up playing for Five Starz and Debby Colberg, who is a well-known coach in the area from Sacramento State. “Her having the opportunity to learn from an awesome coach was just exciting for me, and I knew she would go and get great training.” Trottier and Five Starz’s 17-1 squad won the Far Western National Qualifier in Reno in April. Her club success has generated interest from CSU Riverside and CSU Monterey Bay, but Trottier said she’s still hunting for the perfect school to provide the education she seeks. In the meanwhile, Trottier will chase her fourth consecutive section championship and third consecutive NorCal title with 5-2 Woodland Christian — this time in a different division. Since the SJS forces dynastic teams to tackle teams in higher divisions, the three-time Div. VI champions will automatically compete in Div. V. This could however make Woodland Christian potentially eligible for the Div. V state playoffs, since Div. VI ends in NorCals. The 30-team Div. V state playoffs command considerably more prestige. It’s where Waldorf-San Francisco has lived since beating Woodland Christian in the NorCal finals when Trottier was a freshman. It will all depend on Woodland Christian’s ability to rally behind its star player. “It’s not really one person,” Trottier said. “My teammates make me better. Without (setter Abby Leon) I wouldn’t be able to hit anything, and without any of the passers, Abby wouldn’t be able to set it for me to hit it.” Leon, a senior, has already amassed 224 assists, 44 aces and 55 digs this year. Seniors Alissa Pascoe (60 kills) and Amaya Pires (91 digs, 22 aces) also play big roles. The supporting cast is important. Even Paul needed a John, George and a Ringo. ✪

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™

TRAIN

HARD

RECOVER

HARDER

Build Recovery Time Into Your Daily, Weekly And Annual Training recovery: chris corrales Injuries can increase from fatigue. Fatigue is actually the most common cause of sports injuries. And, we put nearly zero time or effort into recovery. One thing that can be helpful is to understand that there are two sides to sports. Do you know what they are? 1. Training 2. Rest/Recovery (Rest and Recovery are similar but different) Right now we’re gonna put rest aside and focus on recovery. Work hard, play hard, and if you want to do it all over again, then include recovery into your recipe. Most athletes over-train and under-recover. Operating this way can have its effects, such as burnout, stress, injury, etc. When my son played AAU basketball, recovery wasn’t even mentioned by his coaches. It was always, go, go, go! In my years of wrestling and jiu-jitsu, same thing. Even the professional athletes that see me don’t have this area of their training covered well by their coaching staff. A lack of recovery isn’t limited to physical problems but it can take a psychological toll as well. Whether you’re set on being the next Steph Curry, Misty May-Treanor, Cristiano Rolnaldo, Nick Foles or Nolan Arenado, or if your goals aren’t that high, recovery is still important to you. There are two types of recovery you want to consider: short and lLong term.

SHORT TERM Some benefits of short term recovery are that you actively participate in softtissue repair, chemical waste removal and rebuilding. After an intense workout, competition or event, implement a 3 to 10 minute cool down phase of slower gentle movements such as stretching and varying your movement patterns. This is a great way to transition heart rate and breathing from intense activity to normal life. Cooling down may reduce muscle soreness and maintain joint mobility moving forward. The next thing is to replenish energy stores, fluids and proteins. Muscles recover, repair and strengthen with rest. Get quality sleep. For many of us this means putting the phone on airplane mode, going to sleep at or before 10:30 pm, and prioritizing rest before web.

LONG TERM Well designed training regimens have recovery plans that span throughout the year and are based on training and competition schedules. The idea is to strategically plan days and weeks for recovery around events and training. Great coaching programs take recovery as serious as training. If that isn’t the case with your team, take that responsibility on yourself. Your performance will improve as you learn to pace yourself and include the elements of intelligent recovery. ✪ Chris Corrales is the owner of MedicinEvolution in Dublin where he practices structural integration therapy for reducing recurring pain. 28

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

get mental: erika westhoff The idea of readiness in sports can be a tricky thing. The myth of needing to get fired up for most athletes is just that, a myth. Every sport has its own unique intensity requirements (think hitting a golf ball vs. playing offensive line in football) and, each person has his or her own ideal level of intensity to achieve optimum performance. Physically you need to be warmed-up, energized and ready to compete. Chances are, this is already built into your routine. You get your heart rate up, get sweaty and get your body ready to compete. Mentally you need to be focused and free of worry to perform your best. For many athletes this is a missing link, since most of us don’t learn the value of calming our minds. However, many athletes have the experience where they stumble upon a calm day. Athletes tend to describe this day as easy, effortless or simple and confidence soars. A calm mind is key to reaching this ideal zone. How do you create this magic combination of mind and body? Here are a few tips.

PHYSICAL INTENSITY To raise the intensity of your warm-up, challenge yourself. If you normally finish your warm-up at a level 6 (out of 10), set a goal to go hard in your warm-up and get to a level 9. See how this impacts the early stage of your competition.

CALMING YOUR MIND Breathe — Early and often. Slow, deep breaths are simple and effective. They work best if you build a conditioned response (teach your body to relax through

RESISTANCE! powered by trucks: anthony trucks

We’re finally into football season! If you’re like me, you pretty much set your year around this season. I literally attach memories and life events to games and scores. Sad, I know, but football is in my blood. Having played in the NFL it kind of just naturally happens. With this season starting, something is happening for those players out there banging around. They’re waking up after games and practices with sore necks and shoulders. Not to mention that some athletes sadly suffer injuries such as concussions. The hard part is preventing this from happening. You can’t mimic the impact that happens on that football field in a weight room, but you can prepare the neck to handle the blows.

SportStars™

September 14, 2018

Subscribe to our Digital Edition at SportStarsMag.com

breathing). However, anyone can reap some benefits to slowing down to breathe and relax. Progressive Relaxation — There’s great research behind this technique, which relaxes your body through repeatedly contracting and then relaxing your major muscle groups. Find a muscle group where you carry a lot of stress (neck, back and shoulders are common areas) and tense them as tight as you can, count to three, release. Repeat. The last step is to personalize it by considering your sport and your personality. Set goals for your ideal combination. For example, on a scale of 1-10 (1 low intensity, 10 very high intensity) set goals that look something like this: Physical Intensity = 8, Calm Mind = 4. Once you’ve set your goal, practice! When you’ve gotten the hang of your magic combination in practice, it’s time to take into competition. Good luck! ✪ Erika Westhoff is a CEO and certified mental trainer at Mental Training, Inc. in Pleasanton.

Most people don’t understand exactly how to do that. When I was growing up, I didn’t understand how myself. My college coach showed me though. You see the neck is a grouping of a bunch of muscles that are oriented at weird angles and can be incredibly hard to target. Here’s how you do it: You can get a head harness and add a weight plate but I’ve always been fond of the partner strengthening. The way you do this is by getting a towel and placing it in your hand. You’ll then place your covered hand in six different positions completing 10 reps for each positions movement. Start by placing your hand on the forehead and resisting your partner’s head motion as they bring their head from neutral to chin on chest. Then resist the same motion but opposite with your hand on the back of their head. Then the side of their head as they bring their ear to each shoulder. Finally the side of their face/chin as they twist their head right and then left. This targets six different directions and helps to build and strengthen the neck to ward off injury and prevent soreness from repeat impact. ✪ Anthony Trucks is an IYCA-certified trainer who covers strength training for SportStars.

Support Your Advertisers — Say You Found Them in SportStars!

September 14, 2018

SportStars™