36th edition of Central Valley Lions All-Star Football Game in Stockton sees South team break six-game losing streak. Two South players also get our nod for being possible late bloomers down the road.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor

All-star football games in the summer throughout the state aren't quite what they used to be as the majority of graduating seniors with Division I college scholarships no longer can afford to spend much time participating in them. For those players, the priority is to get to their colleges as soon as possible.

Still, the summer all-star football game can serve as a breakout opportunity for players who didn't get to sign a letter of intent the preceding February. This is why I still enjoy my voluntary service to help with the local Lions All-Star Football Classic in Stockton. I help the charity game with media relations, serve on a committee and this year was the guest speaker at the game's banquet last March.

During the 36th annual Lions Game matchup, which was played on Saturday night at University of the Pacific, I wasn't surprised to see Central Valley of Ceres quarterback Trevor Mew earn MVP honors after he threw for three touchdowns to lead the South team to a 19-3 victory over the North. Mew, after all, threw for 2,900 yards last fall. He's a 6-1, 185-pounder who showed some mobility, a pretty touch (he completed seven straight passes at one point) and could eventually play at a Division I college.

Two players who I hadn't heard about much but who definitely rose above the competition and made a number of eye-opening plays were South wide receiver Hodari Peterson from Buhach Colony of Atwater and South defensive back William Corbin from Johansen of Modesto.

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Serra of San Mateo legend gains top baseball honor after team wins CCS title in walk-off fashion. Also selected are Bob Anderson from Central Valley of Shasta Lake for medium schools and Brad Gunter Jr. from Valley Christian of Roseville for small schools.

By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
Contributing: Paul Muyskens

A game-winning base hit to win a championship is one thing, but when it's the last game for a retiring coach – and not just any coach but one of the winningest in Northern California history – the focus is naturally going to be on that coach.

Players at Serra High of San Mateo all knew what was on the line when they batted in the bottom of the seventh inning of the CIF Central Coast Section Div. I championship last month in San Jose with the score tied at 4-4 against league rival Archbishop Mitty of San Jose.

With one out, Luca Ponti singled up the middle. He moved to second on a balk, then went to third on a passed ball. With the infield drawn in, teammate Justin Maffei also singled up the middle to score Ponti and give the Padres a 5-4 victory.

Such was the final sentence in the final chapter in the coaching career of Serra's Pete Jensen. He tried to give all the credit to his players after the game, but even the players had a sense of the moment.

"We've been working all season to give him this championship,” Ponti said. "I can't even say the words how this makes us all feel.”

Jensen himself added: "Boy, I've had so many memories at this school and to win both of our last two games the way we did and now to end it like this is right at the top. We've always had such great kids at Serra and they work so hard at it.”
The championship capped a 30-6 season for the Padres' in Jensen's 23rd and final season. It also was the fourth time he's been handed a CCS championship plaque and put his final career record at 564-181-5.

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Sutter softball sets a state record by finishing 34-0, but the Huskies aren't the only team from Sutter County who can finish No. 1 in the state in their division. Yuba City baseball also now has that chance and has just one game left to play.

Compiled by Steve Brand & Mark Tennis
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend

(Based on games played through Saturday, May 16)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)
*Indicates season is complete.

BASEBALL

Division I
1.  (2)  Yucaipa 25-2
2.  (6)  Norco 23-4
3.  (1)  El Toro (Lake Forest) 21-5
4.  (9)  Buchanan (Clovis) 23-4-1
5.  (12) Edison (Huntington Beach) 19-5
6.  (10) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 22-5
7.  (3)  Chatsworth 25-4
8.  (5)  Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 21-5
9.  (nr) Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo) 21-6
10. (4) Clovis West (Fresno) 27-5
11. (9) JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) 21-6
12. (7)  Poway 23-6
13. (15) Elk Grove 21-5
14. (nr) Serra (San Mateo) 26-6
15. (nr) Jesuit (Carmichael) 22-5
Bubble: Cleveland (Reseda) 23-7, Clovis 23-7, De La Salle (Concord) 16-8, Marina (Huntington Beach) 20-6, Monte Vista (Danville) 17-7, Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates) 25-4, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 20-9, Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 19-6, Stockdale(Bakersfield) 23-5, Temecula Valley (Temecula) 21-5, Tesoro (Las Flores) 19-7, Torrey Pines (San Diego) 20-7, Valencia 19-7, Valley Christian (San Jose) 24-8.
Comments: A new week, a new No. 1 as again the top team from last week proved too inviting of a target. This time it was El Toro (Lake Forest) taking the fall, allowing previous No. 1 Yucaipa to assume the top position. It might be one the T-Birds would just as soon not have as they open the Southern Section Division II playoffs on Friday at home.
There was lots of movement this week as Norco soared to No. 2 and Edison (Huntington Beach) jumped seven spots to No. 5. The top newcomer is Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo) which floated from a Bubble to No. 9.
Already this week in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I playoffs, Jesuit has won a Northern Region winner's bracket game against Elk Grove, 3-2. Jimmy Bosco had the game-tying RBI while catcher Andrew Susac threw out a runner at third base to end the game. One more Jesuit win and the Marauders would be in the section championship series.

Division II
1.  (2) Yuba City 26-3
2.  (1) Beckman (Irvine) 22-4
3.  (3) Clayton Valley (Concord) 21-3
4.  (9) Alameda 20-4
5.  (8) Scotts Valley 22-4
6.  (5) Bonita (La Verne) 19-5
7.  (10) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 21-5
8.  (7) Steele Canyon (Spring Valley) 20-6
9.  (4) Los Gatos 23-5
10. (nr) Wilcox (Santa Clara) 25-7
Bubble: Charter Oak (Covina) 15-9, El Diamante (Visalia) 20-8, Gahr (Cerritos) 19-8, Granite Bay 19-9, Irvington (Fremont) 19-6, Paramount 18-9, Pleasant Valley (Chico) 26-5, Wilcox (Santa Clara) 25-7.
Comments: It's a new No. 1 as Yuba City ran its winning streak to seven while Beckman stumbled to University (Irvine). The Honkers won on Tuesday of this week, 3-1, over Rodriguez of Fairfield and will play for their third Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III title on Monday of next week vs. Benicia. With a win, Yuba City would clinch a No. 1 ranking in this state division. As other Division I state-ranked teams lose in the playoffs, Yuba City also would then be able to move up into the overall top 20 or higher. Max Stassi hit a two-run homer against Rodriguez while Michael Lowden improved to 10-0 with a strong pitching performance.
It also was another big jump by Alameda to No. 4 as the Hornets ran their winning streak to 15 last week to jump even Scotts Valley, which isn't doing badly with a seven-game winning skein of its own. Going the other way, Los Gatos' two losses to Wilcox dropped it to No. 9 and lifted up the Chargers up to No. 10. Wilcox also has played a number of West Catholic Athletic League teams, including a win vs. Bellarmine.

Division III
1.  (2)  Northview (Covina) 20-4
2.  (1)  Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 21-5
3.  (4)  Bishop Amat (La Puente) 23-5
4.  (5)  San Dimas 19-5
5.  (6)  Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 20-4
6.  (7)  Central Valley (Shasta Lake) 31-2
7.  (9)  Aragon (San Mateo) 25-5
8.  (10) Miramonte (Orinda) 20-3-1
9.  (3)   Oakdale 26-4
10. (nr) Campolindo (Moraga) 20-4
Bubble: Casa Grande (Petaluma) 18-6, Drake (San Anselmo) 21-5, El Segundo 21-8, Hanford 17-9, La Quinta 18-7, Montgomery (San Diego) 20-6, Palm Desert 21-5, Palma (Salinas) 22-5, Placer (Auburn) 18-8, Santana (Santee) 18-9.
Comments: There are a handful of teams out there that seem to perform well against the best but stumble against clubs that shouldn't beat them. For whatever reason, Cathedral Catholic seems to suffer from that malady. So, the Dons lost to University City and Northview, which relinquished its No. 1 spot a week ago when Cathedral recorded four solid victories, jumps right back into the pilot's seat. Campolindo rolls into the Top 10 although Casa Grande's loss was 1-0 in 13 innings to Sonoma Valley.
So far this week, the big news in this division comes from way up north where Central Valley has capped its season with a Northern Section title. The Falcons, who finished 32-2, blanked Yreka, 6-0, with six shutout innings coming from Brandon Pearcy.

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It's not the usual collection of standouts from the more well-known schools, but among 830 participants there were some definite discoveries, stories of determination and a desire to improve from every athlete. Note: Unverified top marks in 40, shuttle, power ball throw and vertical jump now included plus more top SPARQ Ratings.

By Mark Tennis
ESPN RISE Deputy Sports Editor

At the Northern Athletic League track and field championships on Friday night in Redding, Colton Silveira raced to a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash and also ran in two other events. But that was just the beginning of his weekend.

After that meet, which ended at 10 p.m., Silveira hopped in a car with family members and headed to Oakland, arriving at a hotel well past midnight. He plunged into an ice bath, grabbed a few hours of sleep and was in the registration line by 8 a.m. at Laney College for the Northern California Nike Football Combine.

It's a good thing Silveira went to so much trouble. The 5-10, 190-pound running back piled up a 109.83 SPARQ Rating based on how well he tested in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, power ball throw and standing vertical jump. He didn't have the highest SPARQ Rating of the day, but was in the top five and displayed the type of determination to improve that is the hallmark of the Nike football combines.

"It was tough to get here, but I'm glad I did it,” said Silveira, who rushed for 1,300 yards last season with 17 touchdowns and was a first team all-league pick. "I hope it helps me get some attention.”

There were dozens of others from among the throng of 830 who elevated their status by scoring 90.00 or above for a SPARQ Rating when their testing marks were input into hand-held devices.

The highest SPARQ Rating of the day was turned in by a quarterback, which normally isn't the case, but Blake Jurich of Scotts Valley isn't just any quarterback. He's rapidly filling out his 6-3 to 6-4 frame and is improving his athleticism just about every day. Jurich clocked the fastest 40 he's ever had at 4.50 seconds and ended up with a 120.18 SPARQ Rating.

"It's just been a lot of weight training, and I've been going to a personal trainer four times per week,” explained Jurich when asked how he was able to improve a previous SPARQ Rating of approximately 80.00. "I've been working out the entire offseason and started as soon as possible after our last game.”

Here are capsules on athletes who were reported at 90.00 or above for their SPARQ Rating (note that all testing results still need to be verified):

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