2017, a year to remember in local sports (Part 2)

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.
This is Part 2, covering the second half of 2017. The first part appeared in the Dec. 28 print edition and is available online at sonomawest.com.

(1) Profiles in courage – Forestville’s Barbra Friedmann (left) paused for a photo after completing the Barb’s Tri in July. The all-women’s triathlon, beginning and finishing in Healdsburg, attracted more than 100 athletes and raised some $33,000 in the fight against cancer.  Friedman was the top individual fundraiser, securing pledges of some $6,300. (Greg Clementi) 

(2) Triumph and tragedy – Analy football captains Brenden Medina (#12), Anthony Lepori (#55) and Nic Visser (#15) flanked honorary captain Kelsey Pforsich (#13) prior to a preseason game against Marin Catholic on Sept. 29. The game followed a serious spinal injury suffered by team captain and star player 17-year-old Carson Pforsich in a diving accident near Bodega Bay a week earlier. Following the incident, the Tigers dedicated the remainder of the season to their injured teammate, going on to post a perfect 5-0 league record for their sixth straight Sonoma County League title. The team went on to the NCS playoffs before finishing the year at 6-4. Led by first-year head coach James Foster, other standouts included seniors Bennett Simpson, Theo Kolybakos, Jackson Parks, Toren Callison, Tony Siri, Jacob Ponzo, Nick Miller and Remi Foggetti and juniors Austin Burnham, Vince Willis and Miguel Escamilla. (David Aires)

(3) Gunslinger – El Molino junior quarterback Jacob Sani fired a pass in league football action in September.  Under veteran head coach Randy Parmeter, the Lions logged a strong 2017 campaign with a 4-6 overall record and a trip to the NCS playoffs in November. Other standouts were seniors Jack Fricker, Sire Clark, Carmelo Salas, Curtis Lewis, Andy Junge, Clay Serrano, Justin Schaap, Avery Ransome, Bradley Swinney, Robert Rader and juniors Sam Wilson-Mietz, Jordan Hamner, Wyatt Stringfellow, Chase Nicholls and sophomore Jalen Hall. (David Aires)

(4a, 4b) Trail blazers – Analy’s Alec Dierke and El Molino’s Evelin Ramirez led their respective teams in a highly competitive cross-country campaign, a season interrupted by devastating Sonoma County fires in October. Top runners for both teams also included Analy’s Jack Reynolds, Josh Bergbauer, Clayton Christensen, Jimmy Carreras, Grace Moussa, Aquielle Nelson, Amy Melman, Claire Nelson and Kennedy Parish.  El Mo standouts were Jake Chauvin, Eric Riordan, Cassius Phillips, Mael Chevrolet, Grant Feige and Jackie Ramirez. (Michael Lucid)   

(5) Court champs – The Analy girls tennis team captured their second straight league championship and seventh in 19 years under veteran coach Rick Passero in October, a surprising achievement for a relatively young squad. The Tigers capped the season with a great showing at the SCL singles and doubles championships held at Santa Rosa Junior College, with the tandem of Sophie Kersosky-Ava Whitehorn capturing the doubles title. Also representing the Tigers at the SCL tournament were singles players Alma Mechler-Pacheco, Isabel Housman and Marion Hall-Zazueta and the doubles teams of Taylor Talcott- Dani Acosta and Alia Goldstein-Maki Mizutani. (Greg Clementi)

(6) Net victory – El Molino volleyballer Sasha Senal went for a kill in a league match in September. The Lions (8-16) enjoyed a solid fall campaign under the guidance of coach Becky Sani, weathering a challenging SCL schedule before landing a spot in the North Coast Section Division 4 playoffs in November. Team members  featured seniors Tiger Berna, Sara Flores, Lily Krauss, Lacy Alberigi, Andi Amaya and Carly Covel, juniors Grace Anderson and Stacie Del Carpio, sophomores Senal, Kassidy Sani and Sarah Woolsey and freshmen Audrey Serrano, Grace McCormick and Yasmin Sierra. (Michael Lucid)

(7) Good hands – Analy sophomore Maddie Windsor set the ball in a critical October visit to Petaluma, as the Lady Tigers rose to the top of the 2017 league standings. With the guidance of longtime coach Holly Folendorf, the Tigers posted a first-place mark of 11-1 in the SCL before moving on to the NCS Division 3 playoffs to finish the season at 21-9. The roster also included seniors Sabrina Stevens, Vivi Vigil, Alexis Dibene, Ava Ehnes, Korina Pierson and Ally Carter, juniors Merritt Taggart, Claire Rudderow, Jalynn Serpa and Bella Nadler and sophomores Windsor, Bree Scott, Kenzie Carter, Sara Davidson, Julia Kruk and Bella Puget. (Dwight Sugioka)  

(8) Heady play – Analy’s Rachel Harris (#20) went up for a header with the Jaguars’ Katie Bianchi in a November preseason clash in Windsor, a match ending in a scoreless tie. Under the watchful eye of coach Brittney Briones, the four-time defending league champion Tigers got off to a strong 3-1-2 mark to start their inaugural winter season.  Team members include senior veterans Emily Gritsch, Claire Brown, Kiara Heacock, Sydney Hargrave and Jennah Copeland, juniors Tannin Klunis, Isabel Housman, Megan Lucas, Riley Yates, Zaida Jenkins, Thora Butler and Elena Hernandez and sophomores Lillian Ziemer, Kaija Bazzano, Macee Wacholz, Jaden Grude and freshmen Harris, Maisy Butler, Isabella Gilbraith, Deja Burry and Prisa Niedermair. (Greg Clementi)