Damien baseball standout Andy Garriola selects a college

Damien baseball standout Andrew Garriola has made a verbal commitment to Old Dominion located in Norfolk, Va.

Garriola, who will be a senior in the fall, was limited to 15 games last season after sustaining a broken hand while sliding into second on a stolen base attempt. He had 12 RBIs, seven runs scored, four doubles, two triples and a home run.

He went to Old Dominion on an unofficial visit earlier this month. The school had been looking at him since early his sophomore year on the recommendation of pitching coach Chris Beck. The school saw him play in a travel ball game in Georgia and had been interested ever since.

Garriola, a g-foot-4 first baseman, is looking forward to the change of scenery.

“I think it will be nice to live someplace else,” he said. “The campus is nice and its right on the beach.”

The team has a good first baseman coming back but Garriola is hoping to land playing time as a designated hitter or at a corner outfield spot as a freshman.

Garriola also took an unofficial visit to Ole Miss and was planning to go to West Virginia as well but the latter got canceled.

He is undecided on a major but considering business.

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Etiwanda baseball standout Matt Bardowell decides its USC

Etiwanda baseball standout Matt Bardowell just wrapped up his freshman season but he already knows where he wants to play in college  – USC. He made a verbal commitment to that school today.

He says is twas his dream school all along so he didn’t need to wait to see what other offers night roll in.

“One of the first games, maybe the first game my dad ever took me to was USC,” he said. “I have loved the school all along. It also really seemed like the perfect fit so when I got the offer I wanted to jump on it.”

Bardwell was a versatile player for the CIF Division 2 champion Eagles, pitching and playing first base. He said USC will take him as a two-way player although he likes to pitch because he can be “in control of the game.”

Bardowell started this season as a freshman, hitting .381 with 20 RBI, 21 runs scored, five doubles, two triples and four home runs. On the mound he went 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in six appearances.

Bardowell has been to the school on an “unofficial” visit and also made trips to San Jose State, San Diego, San Diego State, Arizona State and Arizona,

He plans to pursue dental school ,which also factored into his decision.

“They have a very good dental school so that was important to me too. Not just baseball,” he said, “It was a good fit all the way around.”

 

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Damien grad Zach Shinnick part of world record relay quartet

Damien High graduate Zach Shinnick has had quite the summer.

Last month he won the USA Junior National championship in the 400 meters and last week in Peru he placed third in that event in the Pan American Junior Championships which serve as the world championship for athletes 20 and under.

He closed out the meet as part of a 4×400 relay that posted a 3:00.33 for a new American and World Junior record. Shinnick, who is headed to USC, ran a 44.71 on the second leg.

That mark bested the 3:01.09 in 2004 by the quartet of Brandon Johnson, LaShawn Merritt, Jason Craig and Kerron Clement.

Also on the record-setting relay were Georgia high schooler Brian Herron, Texas Tech signee Sean Hooper  and Josephus Lyles, a Virginia native who runs professionally for Adidas.

 

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Upland’s Jaden Dedman makes verbal commitment to Nevada

Upland defensive back Jaden Dedman like the communication he has had from the University of Nevada coaches all along. That was enough to convince him that is the place he would like to play college football.

Dedman, a 5-foot-11, 170-pounder, committed to that school today. He plans to make an official visit during the upcoming season.

“They showed me a lot of love. I text them or talk to them almost every day,” he said. “It’s not always about football stuff. I really had the feel that they wanted me there.”

Dedman also had offers from Hawaii and San Jose State and made unofficial trips to USC and San Diego State.

He managed 36 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles and 15 passes defended last year in his first season at Upland. He transferred there from Oaks Hills where he played his first two high school seasons.

Dedman also liked the idea of going and competing for playing time right away.

“I really don;t want to red shirt. I want to play,” he said. “They told me I will have that chance.”

Dedman plans to major in engineering or business.

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Don Lugo’s Khoury Bethley ready for senior season

Don Lugo’s Khoury Bethley gets pulled down by Chino’s Brandon Serrano at Chino High School in Chino, CA., Friday, September 23, 2016. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Running back Khoury Bethley of Don Lugo had a breakout season last year as a junior. He rushed for 2,089 yards on 239 carries with more than 100 yards in 12 of 13 games. He managed 139 on 26 carries against Rancho Cucamonga and that’s saying a lot.

He helped the Conquistadores to a berth in the CIF Division 8 semifinals and put himself on the radar of some major colleges at the same time.

He was Co-MVP in the Mt. Baldy League and a first team All-Inland Valley selection by the Daily Bulletin.

So when spring came around a lot of schools came to talk to him. He has offers from New Mexico, Howard, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Idaho, UTEP, UC Davis and Hawaii, making a verbal commitment to Hawaii earlier this month even though he has yet to visit that school.

More offers are still likely to come.

“It has been an interesting process,’ Bethley said of recruiting. “I had a good relationship with the coaches. Most of the schools that offered would text me every now and then to check up on me but I was in constant contact with Hawaii. There was great communication and that meant a lot to me.”

Two of the coaches came down personally when extending the offer and head coach Nick Rolovich was on the phone with him.

The other thing that sold the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder on thew school was its plans for him. Most of the schools recruited him as an “athlete” but Hawaii intends on using him on the defensive side of the ball.

“I might play a little on offense but they’re ;looking at me as a sort of hybrid safety-linebacker. I’m excited about that,” who plans to visit the school in September.

The whole process was not unfamiliar for Bethley, who watched older brother Steven, who graduated from Don Lugo in 2010 and went on to play at Montana State

And no there was no pressure to go that school because his brother did.

“He liked it but he told me to go where I am going to be happy and where I can fit in the best,” Khoury said.

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Joseph Anderson, Zach Shinnick ready for major international meet

Roosevelt’s Anthony Easter, Upland’s Joseph Anderson, wins the race and Rancho Verde’s Cameron Samuel during the 300 meter hurdles CIF-State track & field finals at Buchanan High in Clovis, CA. Saturday, June 3, 2017. (Photo by Terry Pierson/SCNG)

The track season never ended for recent graduates Joseph Anderson of Upland and Zach Shinnick of Damien.

The two are competing in the Pan American Junior Championships which started Thursday in Lima, Peru and both are expected to do well.

Anderson is seeded first in the 110 hurdles with a best of 13.33 while Shinnick is seeded second in the 400 meters (46.12). Semifinals in both those events will be this morning with the final later tonight.

Both qualified for the event, which serves as world championship meet for the 20-under, with their showings at the United States Junior Track and Field Championships last month in Sacramento. Shinnick won the 400 while Anderson was second in his event.

“I’m super excited to get on the track tomorrow and do what I love and represent my country,” he said, via Twitter. “I’m more excited then anything.”

The meet caps off quite an incredible season for Anderson, the Inland Valley Male Track Athlete of the Year. He won both hurdle events at the CIF state competition, lowering his San Bernardino County records in both and setting the state record in the 110 event.

He was named the Gatorade Male Track Athlete of the Year for California.
Shinnick has had a memorable season as well. He was state champion in his event too. His time of 45.20 at junior nationals was the fourth fastest time in California history and the eighth best nationally.

Both athletes will soon be headed to the Pac-12 with Anderson going to Oregon and Shinnick having signed with USC.

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Webb School to host free football clinic

Image result for webb school football

The Webb School will host its fifth annual Scholar-Athlete Football Camp for youngsters in the fifth through eighth grades and it is free. The only requirement is that student-athletes have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. this Friday, July 21 at the Webb School (1175 West Baseline Road, Claremont).

Athletes should bring shorts, cleats and sunscreen. Dinner will be provided.

For more information call (909) 697-6852 or e-mail Webbfootball@gmail.com.

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Locals Christopher Edward, Davis Nuaimi honored for academics

Local basketball standouts Davis Nuaimi and Christoper Edward of NCAA Division II Concordia (Ore.) University are among the players named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court.

The accolade goes to student-athletes based on success in the classroom as well as in athletics. .

Those named must be juniors or seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 and have completed at least one year at their current institution.

Both Nuaimi (Etiwanda HS) and Edward (Claremont/Chaffey College) were earlier named to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic team.

Edward, who started every game, averaged 11.7 points and 8.6 rebounds and was an honorable mention All-GNAC selection. Nuaimi, a 5-11 senior guard, averaged 4.5 points and 2.8 assists, starting nine games.

The two helped the team to a 14-14 overall showing with a 10-10 mark in the tough GNAC.that tied them for fourth out of 11 teams in their second provisional year in the conference.

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Ryan Marcos gets head baseball position at Bonita

Ryan Marcos, 35, has been named head baseball coach at Bonita, succeeding Samuel Lopez who lasted just a year.

Marcos was a finalist for the position a year ago when the school selected Lopez to replace John Knott who had been at Bonita for a decade but left for a position at Mt. SAC.

He jumped at the chance to apply a second time and the school is happy he did.

“He was very high on our list the first time,” said new principal Kenny Ritchie. “He has great energy and passion for the game.”

Marcos has been around the game his entire life. Father Joe was the longtime coach and later athletic director at Don Lugo. Ryan played for his father, excelling at shortstop and graduating in 2000.

He went on to play two years at Orange Coast College, then transferred to Azusa Pacific where he played another two seasons and earned his degree in kinesiology.

He will teach physical education at Bonita.

Marcos was the head coach at Duarte the last two years and was an assistant at the school for the seven previous seasons.

He has also coached at the collegiate level, leading the Inland Valley Pirates of the Southern California Collegiate Baseball League – a summer league.

“I know I have big shoes to fill and a lot is expected there but I am looking forward to the challenge,” Marcos said. “I am very familiar with the school. My grandmother has lived across the street from the school for 60 years and my mom, aunt and uncle all graduated from there. So I jumped at the opportunity when it opened up.”

Despite being a  veteran coach, he still seeks advice from his dad.

“We talk every day,” Ryan said. “He’ll be around.”

 

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Damien Moreno takes over Montclair girls soccer program

Damien Moreno knows what it is like to face tough competition. He headed the St. Lucy’s girls varsity team last year which competes in the difficult Baseline League.

And before that he spent two years as an assistant at Los Osos, also in the Baseline League.

He is taking on another tough challenge as the new head girls coach at Montclair which was part of a three-way tie atop the Mt. Baldy League last season.

In most sports the Mt. Baldy isn’t seen as a very competitive league but soccer, both girls and boys, is the exception.

“We played Montclair last year and they were a tough, hard-working team. Alta Loma is always good and they were part of the Baseline. So it is a good league.”

Moreno will be taking over a team that went 15-9-3 overall and shared the league title with Alta Loma and Colony. The Cavaliers lost in the second round of the Division 5 playoffs but have a solid group of returning players led by All-CIF selection Angela Morales.

With school out Moreno hasn’t had a chance to meet with his entire team although the team captains did get to meet with him during the interview process.

“I  feel like it’s a good group of girls that wants to work hard and I think we can do some good things,” he said.

 

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