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Willy Irwin had returned home with two medals from the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Buchanan’s Veterans Memorial Stadium three weeks ago.
Carlo Prandini, as a 9.7-second college sprinter in the 100-yard dash in the early 1970s, could run. Theresa Ray (now Prandini), as a 17-foot long jumper at Memorial during the same era, had some springs.
The aggression Josh Lorentzen uses to lead the El Diamante football team in the fall, he applies to overpower opponents on the tennis courts in the spring.
There was a time when Michael Weaver’s parents couldn’t get him near a golf course. Now they can’t pull him away.
At the moment, about 6 p.m. on a late May day in Easton, Andrew Rich had already delivered a career statistical combination unmatched in the 115-year history of high school baseball in the central San Joaquin Valley — 180 hits and 35 pitching victories in four years at Washington.
Dean Gregory teaches science at Buchanan High, but he knows his mathematics equations, too.
A quick tilt of the head to the right and Clovis East High opponents knew trouble was in store.
The perfectionist in Tristin Baxter comes out quickly when discussing her accomplishments at the Central Section swimming and diving championships.
Chris Dominguez simply wasn’t satisfied with his efforts at the 2008 Central Section swimming and diving championships, not that they were anything to complain about.
Mai Thao grew to 5 feet this year. "I finally reached that height," the Clovis East High senior says. "I'm so excited."
A few days before Christmas, Edison High’s boys basketball team routed Central 83-58 for the Holiday Invitational Tournament title, and Tigers coach Arturo Ormond found Jameal York in tears.
All that’s left for Madison Parrish is the picture.
After going three-and-out on the first day of the CIF State Wrestling Championships last year, all Clovis High’s Scott Sakaguchi could do was mope.
He’s fast, physical and has moves that can almost juke defenders out of their cleats.
School: Clovis High
In his 14th year as Tulare High's football coach, Darren Bennett had to find another level of creativity.
For Michael Tragitt, letting go of his desire to shoot all the time led him back to the top.
For Tristin Baxter, it was all about getting comfortable zinging the ball around the pool again. Her approach powered a Central Section title-winning water polo team.
This, tennis fans, is what dominance looks like: 86-1.
Golf is measured by its majors, the tournaments that determine champions at any level. Shaylee Yano did not dominate the major events in the high school girls golf season. No one did.
She’s qualified because: Running in Division I she won the Mt. Whitney Invitational, Cam Ostrander Invitational, Tri-River Athletic Conference and Central Section.
Jonathan Sanchez, Buchanan High
He’s qualified because: Ran the fastest time among Central Section representatives in all divisions while placing first in the section (15:22) and third in the state (15:12). Those times were recorded against D-I competition.
When Mikayla Pierce’s cell phone rang on a Sunday night in December and she discovered she was The Fresno Bee’s Co-Player of the Year for girls volleyball, the senior outside from Clovis West High hitter chatted for a few minutes until she arrived home. Then she set the phone down and let loose an ear-piercing scream as she shared the news with her mother.
Now that the season is over, marked by individual performances that will be part of the lore of the Clovis and Clovis West baseball programs, all James and Kevin Patrick can do is thank them.
Vanessa Salinas always had to overcome the odds.
She's qualified because: At the Central Section Grand Masters meet, Monteverde was a triple gold-medalist -- winning the 100-meter high hurdles (wind-aided 14.59), the 300 low hurdles (43.92) and high jump (5-4). She also anchored the 1,600 relay to a third-place finish (3:59.02). That means she contributed 31.5 of Clovis West's team-winning 94 points.
He's qualified because: Ernst capped a splendid high school career with a scintillating 7-under 65 in the Central Section championship at Riverbend that included 31 on the back nine. It was the highlight of a season that saw him average 1-under par and redemption for losing the 2007 section title in a playoff. He also was runner-up in 2006. He ends a four-year career with a 22-1 match-play record in the Tri-River Athletic Conference. Ernst will play for UNLV.
Section finals events: 50 free, 100 back, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay
He's qualified because: No Central Section track and field athlete matched his versatility. His season-best times in the section ranked No. 1 in the 110 high hurdles (14.43) and 300 intermediate hurdles (37.57), No. 7 in the triple jump (45-11) and No. 9 in the long jump (21-91/2). He swept those four events while powering the Pioneers to the West Yosemite League title. He placed second in the state in the triple jump, and in the section swept the 110 and 300 hurdles. His 37.57 time in the 300 hurdles ranks second in section history to Bakersfield's Thomas Mack (37.28, 2002).
He's qualified because: Burriss was the Knights' go-to guy and earned County/Metro Athletic Conference Player of Year honors for the second straight year. An outside hitter, Burriss is a four-time first-team All-CMAC selection and received the team's co-Most Outstanding Player Award. He led the team in digs three of his four years and is the first two-time team captain in program history. He will attend Fresno State and play for its club team.
He's qualified because: Lorentzen established a gaudy won-loss record of 30-2, his only losses coming to Sky Lovill of Sir Francis Drake (ranked No. 4 in NorCal) and to Stockdale's Jeremy Quiroz in the Central Section final. Lorentzen cruised through pre-season tournaments and the West Yosemite League, then rolled through the Central Section singles tournament, losing only five games before the final, where he lost to Quiroz, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. A good all-around athlete, Lorentzen also plays quarterback on El Diamante's football team.
Section finals events: 50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay
Greg Smith was good as a sophomore. He was very good for Edison High's first 29 games this season.
One was the anchor of the program. The other was new to the boat.
Only a junior at Bullard High, Paul Islas has already put together quite a résumé because of his ability to create, break away and finish. He was a unanimous choice by coaches for Player of the Year, three-time Bee All-Star and the County/Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year.
Buchanan High junior Anisa Guajardo led the Bears to a third straight Central Section title, scoring the winning goal against Clovis in the semifinals and had two goals and an assist against Stockdale in the finals.
Washington High senior Gilbert Camacho relied on his focus and never-give-up attitude to become the first wrestler in school history to win a state title when he was a junior. He repeated this year, when he went 40-1 with 30 pins in the 103-pound division.
In Ebahn Feathers' Christmas stocking belongs a calculator.
Brianna Clarke experienced a transformation on the volleyball court.
On the outside, Tyler Reinhart is a little shy and tends to blend in with the crowd.