THE TEAM — Pictured from left: coach Gordon Hoover, Griffen Garrison, Casey Lemley, Caden Axell, Gabe Wlodarczyk, Angel Arizmendi, Alexis Ceja, Joe Faso, JJ Rodriguez, Desi Driver, Dylan Gloeckner and coach Chano Diaz.
To establish consistency at the junior varsity level, in a small school, is a difficult challenge each and every year. The coaching staff is handed a roster and asked to run with it. The varsity program picks and chooses its players and fills its roster with those “varsity ready” athletes, which usually means the JV program has a fresh new group to rally around and compete with year after year. This year’s championship team (18-8 over-all) was no exception returning only three players from last year’s successful campaign.
Third year head coach Gordon Hoover has proven to run a consistent and successful program leading his team to a 12-2 league record and another championship, his second pennant in three years. His teams have amassed a 35-7 league record during that time period. A whopping 83% winning record in league play.
This year’s squad was anchored by sophomores Gabe Wlodarczyk, Joe Faso and Angel Arizmendi. Wlodarczyk led the team in scoring with 300 points, rebounds (189) and steals (43) while Faso was second in scoring (228 points) and rebounds (142) and led the team in blocked shots (26). Arizmendi was fourth in scoring (194) and third in rebounds(139). Rounding out the roster were freshmen standouts Caden Axell, Casey Lemley, JJ Rodriguez, Alexis Ceja, Desi Driver, Dylan Gloeckner, Griffen Garrison and exchange student Cary Wen. Axell, third in scoring (202) and first in assists (64) and Lemley second in blocked shots (25) and fourth in rebounds (137) filled out the starting lineup.
In a league that was equal in strength and talent, every game mattered and the championship didn’t come easy for this young Eagles squad. In fact, according to coach Hoover, on a few cold shooting nights “coming back and playing from behind became to be the norm.”
The Eagles came back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter in Lower Lake and Clear Lake to win, while splitting two overtime games with Fort Bragg. In one of those overtime games the Eagles were shooting a dismal 3-33 in the first half and then during the second half an unlikely hero emerged as freshman Alexis Ceja, who missed the first half of the season and came off the bench most of the year, put his team on his back and rescued them from certain defeat scoring a season high 15 points and putting on a defensive display of perfection holding the other teams leading scorer in check. The Eagles also beat previously undefeated Clear Lake on the road in a game that set the tone for the remainder of the season.
“Playing with a team concept and playing one quarter at a time, one basket at a time and playing for each other has been our team mantra while finding a way to win became our saying,” added Hoover. “Team defense and perseverance carried us through the year. Game preparation, reviewing film and holding the entire team accountable for their roles in practice and games was the recipe for our success”.
Hoover wanted to give a special thanks to his assistant coach Chano Diaz for taking care of the constant mentoring and teaching of the game and also to the parents for all the help and support throughout the season.
“Congratulations to the JV boys basketball team 2020,” Hoover said. “You boys have made this a very special year and I hope the bond we have made with each other stays with you and translates to other sports and further in life.”
— Submitted by Erin Delfino, Eagle Pride Boosters
