As we near the end of 2017 it’s only fitting that we look back and pay tribute to some of the best moments in local sports.
Although there were too many stories to list, we’ve tried to capture some of the best moments from the second half of the year in words and pictures.
We’d also like to take time to thank the many contributors that help make our sports pages a true product of the community each week.
The following is part two of the series.
(1) Run to daylight – Senior quarterback James Wirt (#11) found a hole in the football season opener against visiting Berean Christian on Aug. 26 en route to a 14-7 victory. Under head coach Chad Talley, the 2017 season was one of peaks and valleys, as the Eagles navigated a tough league schedule. Their perseverance paid off in November, landing the #9 seed in the North Coast Section Division 5 playoffs. The Eagles hosted Stellar Prep in the first round, falling 18-10 to end the season at 3-7. Other team leaders were seniors Mel Alonso, BJ Grady, Alex Segobiano, Eli Arreola, Christian Chavez, Will Foley, Ross Sceales, Brandon Nicholson and Ray Sayago and juniors John Wesele, Cesar Buenrostro, Garrett Robertson and Luis Pesqueda. Photo Michael Lucid
(2) Holding court – The Cloverdale varsity volleyball team enjoyed resurgent 2017 campaign under head coach Margaret Fitzgerald, finishing in the upper echelon of teams in the NCL 1 standings at 6-5 before landing a coveted spot in the North Coast Section playoffs in October. The Eagles fell to International of San Francisco in the opening round to finish a great season at 14-7. Team members included seniors Camryn Figueroa, Hannah Bireschi, Shaye Stewart, Stephanie Figueroa, Jessica Bartholdy and Jaedyn Jenkins, juniors Ali Bernal, Xenia Echols, Kayli Persons, Marina Lopez, Cassandra Bassett and sophomores Lane Hughes and Tehya Bird. Photo provided
(3) Front runners – Cloverdale cross country stars sophomore Paden Collard and junior Julie Edwards gathered after a strong showing at a league meet in September. Behind the guidance of coach Leanne Fogg, the ‘Running Eagles’ turned in a strong fall campaign, a season interrupted by North Bay fires in October. The team reached peak performance at the Coastal Mountain Conference Championships on a blustery Point Arena course in November, with the boys and girls each recording a fourth-place league finish. Collard was first among NCL 1 varsity boys while Edwards was fifth. Other team leaders included Grisselle Herrera, Cristina Cardenas, Eden Winniford, Sami Santana, Gaby Gaona, Sophia Witt, Everett Conway, Tucker Morgan, Josefa Sauvou, Finn Addison, Miguel Gonzalez and Joel Mendoza. Photo provided
(4) Great season – The Eagles JV football team surpassed all expectations in a strong 2017 campaign under head coach Rick Scaramella, overcoming small numbers and a lack of experience to post an overall record of 4-3-1. Using a grind-it-out, ground oriented attack, the Eagles wore teams down with their physical style of play, pulling several games out in come-from-behind fashion. Following the JV season, eight team members were called up to bolster the varsity roster for the NCS playoffs. JV standouts included Shayne Turner, Dylan Scaramella, Anthonie Rebattero, Achim Glosser, Jerod Donahoo, Colby Furia, Jesus Maciel, Clay Hemminway, Leo Acevedo, Diego Duarte, Josh Lemley, Logan Axell, Sebastian Fenner, Andy Calderon, Josh Penuelas, Jesus Contreras and Mario Hernandez. Photo provided
(5) Tourney champs – The Lady Eagles displayed the championship trophy following their first-place showing at the annual Potter Valley Basketball Tournament in December. Under veteran coach Rick Berry, Cloverdale got off to a 7-1 start to the 2017-18 season, serving notice of things to come for the league season ahead. The roster includes seniors Camryn Figueroa, Jaedyn Jenkins and Shaye Stewart, juniors Heather Sterling, Marina Lopez, Kayli Persons, Cassandra Bassett and sophomores Tehya Bird and Maci Hernandez and freshman Catherine Driver. Photo Patty Bird
(6) Holiday hoops – Senior forward Jordan Persons worked on a Pinewood defender in the 52nd annual John McMillan Holiday Invitational Tournament in December. Under first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Eagles defeated Willows and Berean Christian in double overtime to advance to the title game against Pinewood. For the second straight year, Cloverdale fell to the Panthers, 54-37. Team leaders for the Eagles were seniors Persons, Christian Chavez, Mel Alonso, Ross Sceales, Eli Arreola, Alex Segobiano, Carlos Rojas and Marcos Jimenez, juniors Drew Edens, Mario Lopez and freshman Josh Lemley. Photo Greg Clementi
