VIDEO: Los Osos pitcher Chris Kohler on no-hitter that clinched league title
Reply
Bonita, Los Osos clinch league titles, avoid high-stakes rematches
The Bonita and Los Osos baseball teams can sleep soundly after league championship-clinching wins on Wednesday. Had either of them lost, they would be facing the prospect of losing a wire-to-wire lead in their respective leagues on the final day of the regular season.
Los Osos’ Chris Kohler may be the exception who can’t doze off immediately tonight. The senior is likely still winding down from throwing his first career no-hitter, not to mention breaking the school’s single-season strikeout record. The Grizzlies’ 9-0 win over second-place Glendora gives Los Osos its first Baseline League championship in six years and makes Friday’s matchup between the two teams meaningless. Second baseman Chris Riley has to be mentioned as much for his 3-for-3, two-RBI, two-run performance at the plate as his no-hitter-saving play in the field with one out in the final inning.
CIF-SS track preliminaries full of local contenders after league finals
On Thursday, it was Ayala freshman Sydney Tullai dropping jaws at the Sierra League finals track meet by winning the 800 meters, 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters. (Check out the photo gallery) It’s a combination of events so taxing – “insane,” was the term of preference for Chino Hills coach Richard Morales – that Tullai won’t be able to run all three at CIF-SS Preliminaries on May 11. She’s leaning toward the 3,200, but her decision will be jut one of many interesting story lines heading into the posteason.
On Friday at Baseline League finals (photo gallery) Upland’s Myles Valentine tied the top wind-aided 100 meter time in the state this season with a 10.36-second effort. The runner he tied was defending state champion Khalfani Muhammad, who defeated Valentine two weeks earlier at the Mt. SAC Relays, prompting this statement: “I knew at that point,” Valentine said, “I wasn’t going to finish second again.” He hasn’t.
Summit WR recruits from past and present will be a package deal
Summit receiver Erik Brown doesn’t yet know which college he will choose, but one thing recently became a certainty. Wherever he goes it will be with his cousin Devon Blackmon, a four-star receiver from the Summit class of 2011 who went to Oregon before transferring to Riverside City College in January.
Brown (pictured, right) has collected nine scholarship offers since the end of Summit’s season in November. Blackmon has pulled in several offers with the intention of transferring to a Division I school after his first season at Riverside City. Two offers the duo has in common are Boise State and Washington, which are high on the a short list that includes USC, a school that has expressed interest in both players but is yet to offer.
“It’s always been in the back of our minds (to go to the same school),” Blackmon said. “I would like to show (Brown) the ropes in college and steer him away from some of the mistakes I made.”
Citrus Belt area releaguing complete: Carter, Citrus Valley give CBL 8 teams
When the final vote came in last night, Miller and Eisenhower didn’t have to worry about being ousted from the Citrus Belt League in favor of Carter and Citrus Valley. Now they’re all in the same league.
The Citrus Belt League became an eight-team league Monday evening in a vote that adopted the 19th of 35 proposals for the Citrus Belt area. The changes will take effect in the fall of 2014. Instead of half the Citrus Belt League making the playoffs, only three of the eight teams will receive automatic postseason berths.
Several coaches were understandably not particularly happy with this. To read their reactions, check out Staff Writer Pete Marshall’s story from the releaguing meeting last night. To see the new leagues, click on the thread below.
Releaguing decision today: Carter in, Miller out of Citrus Belt League?
There were plenty of variations in the 35 releaguing proposals for the Citrus Belt area to be decided between today, some of which had longtime members Miller and Eisenhower exiting the Citrus Belt League. A meeting at Arroyo Valley today, which will assuredly be lengthy, will emerge with the releaguing moves that will take effect in the fall of 2014.
Some of the exciting possibilities? Citrus Valley, which has dominated the Mountain Valley League, was a popular pick to enter the Citrus Belt League. Carter, which has won the San Andreas League in football the last two years, was also granted entrance into the CBL in several proposals.
Staff Writer Pete Marshall reviewed all 35 of the releaguing proposals submitted to the committee. Check out the story he wrote about them.
2013 All-Valley water polo team: Los Osos’ dominance keeps growing
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kristen Jensen, Los Osos, Senior
After five consecutive trips to the CIF finals, it’s safe to say Los Osos has a good girls water polo program. Though the school has only been around for eight seasons, in that short period there have obviously been some accomplished girls water polo players to come through the program. Besides leading the team to its second ever CIF championship, Kristen Jensen’s senior season is best defined by breaking the school’s single-season scoring record by a mind-blowing 58 goals. Jensen (pictured above) scored 174 goals this season and helped the Grizzlies end a three-year losing streak in the CIF finals. “We’ve never had a player this dominant come through our program,” Los Osos coach Dave Merryman said.
COACHES OF THE YEAR: Eric Cypher and Dave Merryman, Los Osos 
The co-head coaches have led Los Osos to five consecutive appearances in the CIF finals. After losing the last three, they helped the Grizzlies capture CIF-SS Division 3 championship, the program’s first title since 2009. Los Osos finished the regular season by claiming its eighth straight Baseline League title.
VIDEO: Claremont baseball coach on win over Chino Hills, tight league race
There were six games left in the regular season and the Claremont baseball team sat just a game out of second place, but coach Geoff Ranney told his team Thursday’s rubber match with Chino Hills was a must-win. The coach’s reasoning makes sense given the tight proximity of everybody in the Sierra League. The Wolfpack responded with a 6-3 victory over Chino Hills that pulled Claremont back into a tie for second place and claimed the season series with a Huskies team that had won eight of its last nine games. Check out a photo gallery from the game.
Did February injury cost Rancho track star final shot at state title?
After finishing second in the state in both hurdling events last year, Rancho Cucamonga’s Jordie Munford has been nowhere to be found. Turns out she was nursing a hamstring injury suffered in late February, just weeks after signing with Oregon.
Munford finally made her 2013 debut over the weekend at the Mt. SAC Relays, finishing fourth in the 300 hurdles, an event in which she finished second in the state not only last year, but in 2010 as well.
2013 All-Valley girls soccer team includes a member of a national team
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tanya Samarzich, Upland, Senior, Forward
Given the myriad levels of the soccer Olympic development program, there is often confusion when discussing membership of a “national team.” Particularly when the member is a high school senior. The case of Upland forward Tanya Samarzich is easily simplified. “Oh yeah, she’s on the actual Mexican National Team,” Upland coach Bo Whieldon said. “You don’t find many her age that are because usually they’re on the under-20 national team. It’s kind of a big deal.” Samarzich, 18, a dual citizen, didn’t play a full season at Upland until this year because of her required presence in Mexico or elsewhere around the globe. Her senior year netted her All-Valley Player of the Year honors after a 26-goal, 11-assist season during which she led her team to an outright Baseline League championship.
COACH OF THE YEAR: George Duran, San Dimas 
After a winning just one of its first six games, Duran led San Dimas on a run that ended in the CIF-SS Division 6 semifinals. Following the rocky start, San Dimas went on a 16-game winning streak that included 12 Valle Vista League victories good for an undefeated run through league, earning the Saints a second consecutive league championship. The Saints reached the CIF-SS Division 6 semifinal for the second straight season and held a one-goal lead with eight minutes to play before eventual CIF champion Citrus Valley rallied for a 3-2 win.
