Notebook: Davis High honors a legend; MJC football players earn postseason honors
On Friday, Dec. 17, Davis High honored a living legend.
The Spartans dedicated their basketball court to one of the best to walk their sidelines, head coach Dan Pacheco.
The three-time district Coach of the Year will have two logos on the court commemorating a career where he amassed 474 wins and six league titles.
One logo sits right in front of the Davis home bench. So players can look at it and feel like they are helping carry on the legacy of Pacheco’s storybook coaching career. The second logo lies on the other side of the court opposite of the visitor’s bench.
“It’s something that will be there forever,” Davis athletic director and head football coach Tim Garcia said. “He’s going to impact people for generations to come because of how many people that he was able to influence. “It’s well deserved and it’s something that definitely needed to happen to pay tribute to somebody that had such a huge impact on our community.”
Pacheco was more than just a successful basketball coach who only lost one league game from 2009-2012; he was an Algebra teacher and Teacher of the Year nominee who took his time in the classroom as seriously as his time coaching.
“I was a very demanding person in the classroom,” said Pacheco on the approach he used when teaching and coaching. “I expected kids to follow through. That carried over exactly to the basketball court. I had high expectations for my basketball players. I expected them to be on time and be held accountable. We all fall down. We need to get back up.”
The ceremony took place in between the junior varsity and varsity basketball games. Teachers, administrators, former players and kids who were around him in classrooms were all in attendance for the dedication.
“I’m unbelievably humbled, it’s a great honor, Pacheco said. “I really enjoyed my 21 years at Davis High School.
“I had a lot of teacher friends there and former students, so to have that kind of honor ... only completes my journey in teaching. I’m very loved by the community and also, in return, love what they’ve given me.”
Said Garcia: “It was a great turnout. It was a special night and I was really happy that we were able to do something like that for him and for him to be able to leave his last mark on the court that will last forever.”
As league play starts around high school basketball, the Spartans look to turn things around. They will start with hosting Mountain House on Dan Pacheco Court at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5.
MC and Gregori players among tops in section scoring: Gregori senior Kyle Monk and Modesto Christian sophomore Jamari Phillips were among the Sac-Joaquin Section’s top scorers during the first month of the season. According to MaxPreps, Monk is the section’s second-leading scorer, averaging 27.5 points per game. He also ranks fifth among guards in rebounds (7.6).
Phillips, who was recently awarded MVP of the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic, is averaging 23.5 points a game, ninth in the section. The Crusaders are 10-1.
MC boys hoops in State top 10: After going an undefeated 4-0 in the MC Holiday Hoop Classic and improving to 10-1 on the season, Modesto Christian boys’ basketball cracked the CalHiSports boys’ baketball Top 10.
The Crusaders will play their first two league games this week, hosting West on Wednesday, Jan. 5, and traveling to Tokay on Friday, Jan. 7.
MJC Football players earn JC Athletic Bureau awards: Modesto Junior College football players D’Angelo Bellamy (Central Catholic) and Gino Campiotti (Manteca) were named All-Americans by the JC Athletic Bureau California Community College Football Coaches Association. Bellamy earned All-America First Team Defense honors after recording 60 tackles, six tackles per game, three tackles for loss, on interception and two pass breakups.
Campiotti was one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the state. The sophomore threw for 1,931 yards and 18 interceptions and ran for 834 yards and nine scores. He earned All-America First Team Offense as a utility player.
Anthony Frias also earned All-State honors. The running back from Turlock High led the Pirates with 17 rushing touchdowns and 102 points.
Former local football star selected for collegiate All-Star Game: After a successful college career at Sacramento State for his first three seasons and Fresno State for his senior year, Central Catholic graduate DaRon Bland was selected to participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl All-Star Game on Jan. 29 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
The game will be televised on NFL Network.
