Notebook: Downey boys tennis breaks 43-year drought, Section honors area athletes
Downey isn’t a “tennis school”. Boys’ coach Mark Shimel knows that.
But that didn’t stop this year’s team from making history.
The Knights had great performances all season from players throughout their team and earned a share of the Central California Athletic League title. It is the best regular season finish and first league title since 1979.
Shimel, a local product and Beyer High graduate, is in his fourth season as head coach and has seen the program grow from failing to win a match in his first two years to top of the league. The Knights will share the 2022 league title with Turlock.
“A whirlwind” is how he describes it. But all worth it to see his team of 16 players come together to do what hasn’t been done in more than four decades.
“It’s been awesome,” Shimel said. “These kids have come a long ways. We have some kids that are just friends and they wanted to play so they came up for the first time. Maybe they played baseball or track and they didn’t want something strenuous on their last semester as a senior, they wanted to do something a little more relaxed and tennis seems to be it. We have some pure athletes that have learned the sport this past year.”
They won a share of the regular season team title and on Thursday, won the doubles title as well after the Knights’ No. 1 and No. 2 teams placed first and second at the CCAL Doubles Tournament at Modesto Junior College.
Not bad for a team that has done a lot of learning this season.
“I’ve had to teach the sport and that’s been the fun thing for me,” Shimel said. “It’s great to have athletes come and utilize their talent and skills and teach them how to play right. For us, doubles has shined.
“Each individual has learned the points and how to keep track of the match within the game, then they start ... to gain confidence. Each time they play the rallies are becoming longer, they’re learning strategies on where to hit the ball and placement. The points become more valued.”
The team isn’t done yet. Playoffs begin May 5 and the CCAL is one of 11 leagues that qualifies three teams.
“The energy’s been very positive,” Shimel said. “They’ll play each other on the weekends, or on break time before practice, just to learn and get better. And a lot of my seniors wish they played all four years. They’ve grown to it.”
Stanislaus District athletes honored by Section with Lacky Scholarships: The Sac-Joaquin Section released its A. Dale Lacky Scholar-Athlete Award Winners and honored the athletes at its annual breakfast on April 26.
The section’s two top honorees received the Clarke Coover Award, named in honor of former Section Commissioner Clarke Coover. Ceres’ Verlis Smith and Gregori’s Fallon Wolfley each received $1,500.
A. Dale Lacky scholarships were split into two groups, a $1,000 scholarship and a $500 scholarship. Alexis Herfurth (Sonora) was the lone Stanislaus District athlete awarded the $1,000 scholarship.
Soleil Gouzenne (Escalon), Haleigh Humble (Oakdale), Dakota Voortman (Big Valley Christian), Griffen Sotomayor (Turlock) and Jayden Vargas (Orestimba) each received $500 scholarships.
The scholarships were made possible through funds earned during volleyball and basketball foundation games where 50% of the gate went directly to scholarships. More than $29,000 was generated through foundation games.
MC boys basketball ranked nationally by MaxPreps: Modesto Christian’s boys basketball team is coming off a deep playoff run that ended in Sac-Joaquin Section Division I and State Northern California Open Division championships. They gave State Champion Corona Centennial a run at Golden 1 Center in the Open Division final and with most of the team returning next season, they are gaining national recognition.
MaxPreps released its “Way Too Early Top 25 for 2022-23” and while powers like Texas state champion Duncanville and the most recent California state champion Centennial hold the top two spots, the Crusaders have made their way into the top 20.
They are one of three schools from California (Centennial and Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth) in the top 25.
The Crusaders will be led by returners Bj Davis and Jamari Phillips, who have seen their recruiting stock skyrocket on the AAU circuit so far this spring. Davis, who plays for Jalen Green Elite, posted on his Instagram recently that he picked up an offer from Drake University.
Phillips, who is shining for Paul George Elite, announced on Twitter he recently received a scholarship offer from UCLA.
Modesto native making an impact in NBA Playoffs: Modesto’s own Gabe Vincent helped the Miami Heat in a big way in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Vincent is one of the players tasked with trying to slow down Atlanta Hawks’ dynamic guard Trae Young and he hasn’t disappointed.
The Eastern Conference’s first overall seed held Young to 29% shooting and 16.7% from three for 15.4 points per game. After Kyle Lowry was injured in game three, Vincent started in games four and five, scoring 11 and nine points, respectively.
The second-year guard went undrafted in 2018 and had stints in the NBA G-League with the Stockton Kings and Sioux Falls Skyforce before signing with the Heat. He signed a two-year contract in August 2021.
He played varsity basketball all four years of high school, playing at Modesto Christian his freshman year and at St. Mary’s-Stockton as a sophomore, junior and senior before playing at UCSB where he earned Second Team All-Big West his senior season.
Vincent and the Heat take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Game 1 is May 2.
MJC sending athletes to the next level: After leading the Pirates to a 20-7 overall record, 9-5 conference record and a playoff appearance, leading scorer Reina Sausedo (Ripon) signed with Cal Poly Pomona on March 24 after averaging 18.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in her lone season at MJC.
Athletes on the baseball diamond have made their fair share of impressions on college coaches as well. Alex Gouveia (Manteca), Lucas Brown , Orlando Leon (Central Catholic) and Mac Cabero (Pitman) all recently signed letters of intent to four-year schools. Gouveia’s signing makes him the fifth Pirate to sign a Division I Letter of Intent.
Local athletes participate at Sacramento Meet of Champions: About a dozen Stanislaus District schools traveled to American River College on Saturday, April 23 to compete with more than 100 other Northern California track and field teams at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. Multiple local athletes stood out, taking top spots in multiple events and setting personal records.
Beyer’s Nathanael Olsen broke the school 3200m record with a personal best 9:28.47. He became the first Beyer runner to break 9:30 and broke the mark Thomas Peterson set in 2003. Olsen finished third in the event. Oakdale’s Dax Daley finished first and also ran a personal best 9:25.66.
Kylee Redman of Turlock continued her great season with a personal best 24.75 in the women’s open 200m. Oakdale freshman Memphis Carr won the varsity shot put with a 35’ 5 throw. She threw her personal best 37’ 5.5 earlier this season at Weston Ranch.
