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Lions In The Media
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2010/2011
"Woodland Christian Cardinals trumped in opener at Valley Christian"By Democrat sports staff Created: 08/29/2010
Woodland Christian's Sergio Villanueva, white jersey, attempts to catch a pass in the end zone against the Valley Christian Lions on Saturday. The Cardinals wide receiver had a team-high eight receptions for 87 yards. (Roger Long/Bigfootphoto.com) During summer scrimmages the Woodland Christian High School football team didn't have much trouble moving the ball. The Cardinals did, however, have trouble getting into the end zone.
Not much was different on Saturday in the Cardinals' season-opening 34-0 defeat at the hands of the Valley Christian Lions.
The Cardinals (0-1) got the ball inside the red zone five times, but couldn't manage anything to show for on the scoreboard.
Quarterback Bobby Taylor completed 14 of 31 passes for 171 yards and Sergio Villanueva caught eight balls for 87 yards for the Cardinals, who turned the ball over on downs inside the Valley Christian 20 three times. Villanueva also had one carry for 22 yards.
"It's a rough way to start the season," said Cardinals head coach Justin Smith. "I think we played much better than the score indicated." At halftime, the Cardinals trailed 6-0. But Valley Christian ran away with the game after an early second-half dive up the middle from near midfield for a score.
The Cardinals defense forced three fumbles and five different players recorded a sack. Strong side free safety James Morgan had 11 tackles, including two for loss.
WCHS has a bye this week, and hosts Delta on Sept. 11.
A frustrated Smith said his team's goal is to find the end zone in its next contest. "We'll get there," he said.
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"Valley Christian opens season (and league) with shutout Perchaz rushes for 145 yards, touchdown" By Kayla Nix , Thr Press Tribune - 8/28/2010
Valley Christian Academy started in fine fashion Saturday by beating Woodland Christian 34-0. The Sacramento Metro Athletic League opponents battled at Highlands High School, kicking off league matchups in a Zero Week start. “We’re looking forward to what we can do in league,” Lions coach Todd Conroy said. “This was a league game so we’re starting off Zero Week with a league game.” The Lions pushed across the first score on a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Wright Hagerty to sophomore Clint Heckman for a 6-0 lead after Micky DeFiebre’s extra-point kick was blocked with 5:07 left in the opening quarter. The score was quiet until the 9:22 mark of the third when Aaron Perchaz blasted through the line into open space for a 40-yard score to give Valley Christian a 13-0 lead. With just 16 players suited up, many of the Lions played both ways, such as DeFiebre, who never came off the field. Bryan Roush rushed four yards for another touchdown with 2:30 left in the quarter. Hagerty ran for the two-point conversion to give the Lions a 21-0 advantage. “It was wonderful for the guys to come out and work hard in the second half,” Conroy said. “The first half we weren’t too proud of them. The second half they came out and really did what they needed to do.” Valley Christian capitalized on a fumble by Woodland quarterback Bobby Taylor with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter. Hagerty scooped up the ball and ran 95 yards for the score and a 28-0 lead. The last score came on a 16-yard run by Roush. Hagerty completed 5 of 10 passes in the first half and didn’t put the ball in the air in the second. Perchaz ran 14 times for a game-high 145 yards. Woodland Christian’s goose egg was enforced by Valley Christian’s defense but wasn’t helped by its struggling offense. The Cardinals were held to fewer than 100 yards of offense in the second half and 192 total. “They were very physical. We couldn’t run the ball inside too well,” Woodland Christian coach Justin Smith said. “Whenever they take that away inside, it really condenses your ability to pass and do things outside.” Valley Christian 34, Woodland Christian 0 Woodland Chr. 0 0 0 0 - 0 Valley Chr. 6 0 15 13 - 34 VC – Heckman 33 pass from W. Hagerty (kick blocked) VC – Perchaz 40 run (DeFiebre kick) VC - Roush 4 run (W. Hagerty run) VC – W. Hagerty 95 fumble return (DeFiebre kick) VC – Roush 16 run (kick blocked) Individual statistics RUSHING – Woodland Chr., Brooks 8-27, Taylor 7-29, Ayala 2-14, Stocking 2-(minus 6), Villanueva 1-21. Valley Chr., Perchaz 14-145, Heckman 8-76, Roush 6-50, W. Hagerty 6-35, Bowden 3-0, Wise 1-(minus 1). PASSING – Woodland Chr., Taylor 14-34-0, 108; Villanueva 0-1-0, 0. Valley Chr., Hagerty 5-10-0, 93. RECEIVING – Woodland Chr., Villanueva 5-29, Morgan 4-58, Canevari 3-17, Ayala 2-4. Valley Chr., Heckman 3-72, Perchaz 2-21
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"Valley Christian is ready, and it better be Lions jump right into league fire in opener" By Bill Poindexter, The Press Tribune - 8/28/2010
Valley Christian Academy doesn’t have the luxury of playing three or four weeks of nonleague games. The Lions are cutting right to the chase. They’ll open the football season against Woodland Christian at 1 p.m. today at Highlands High School, and it’s a Sacramento Metro Athletic League game. The SMAL is doing home-and-home series this season, which leaves Valley Christian with two nonleague games. “We would have played (Woodland Christian) as a preseason game, so we just made it our first league game,” Lions coach Todd Conroy said. With four SMAL matchups in the first five weeks, there is no margin for error. Valley Christian had a balanced offense last season – 1,151 yards rushing, 1,092 yards passing – and scored 31 touchdowns. Defensively, the Lions had 25 takeaways and 38½ sacks. The problem was an inability to capitalize. “We’d end up going backward. We made mistakes,” Conroy said. “That’s going to be different this year. We know what to do with the ball.” Aaron Perchaz will help make sure of that. The 6-foot-1-inch, 220-pound senior is drawing the interest of colleges, according to Conroy, and will lead Valley Christian at fullback and middle linebacker. Perchaz led the Lions with 95 tackles last season, and he had 3½ sacks. Valley Christian will use quarterbacks Wright Hagerty and Caleb Bowden to run its multiple sets on offense – the wing, spread and double wing, among others. Hagerty will do more of the throwing, possibly to Bowden, who also plays tight end. Hagerty doubles as a receiver. Protecting the quarterbacks is a big line, including strong senior guard Micky DeFiebre (215 pounds) and sophomore Josh Bowden, who is Caleb’s younger – but not little – brother. Josh is 6 feet 5 and 235 pounds. The Lions have just six seniors on their roster, but Conroy believes they can compete with some of the bigger schools. “We’re looking a lot better,” he said. “We’re stronger. We’re pretty fearless. It used to be we’d stack up with some folks, then get tired, but we’re going to be OK.”
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2009/2010
"Change of plans for Valley Christian pitcher" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 6/22/2010
After being told that there was no scholarship money available at his college of choice, Valley Christian Academy pitcher Ryan Cordell had made other plans. The right-hander was heading to Sierra College for a year with hopes of transferring at that point to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. All of that changed last week when an injury situation opened up a scholarship at Liberty and on Monday, Cordell signed a letter of intent to play baseball at the school. Cordell, who also plays a strong shortstop and swings the bat very well will have options there. He was also a first-team all-league basketball player for the Lions.
__________________________________________________ "Lion latches onto school’s second scholarship VCA’s Frank brings defense, intensity to Simpson University" Kayla Dubchansky, Press Tribune Correspondent - 6/18/2010
Rob Frank accomplished something at Valley Christian Academy that only one other student before him had done – he got a scholarship to play college basketball. FYI: Rob Frank 6-foot-4 senior guard Valley Christian Academy 2009-10 by the numbers – 10.4 points, 4.3 steals, 3.1 assists per game
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"Two Roseville students honored by Comcast High school students receive $1,000 through the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship program" The Press Tribune - 6/17/2010 Discussions of California’s educational budget cuts were put on hold Thursday as elected officials joined Comcast at the state capitol to award more than $196,000 in scholarships to students. The ceremony saluted 176 high school seniors from 120 cities who won a 2010 Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship of $1,000. Roseville seniors Brianna Flood of Valley Christian Academy and Evanne Conley of Woodcreek High School were among those honored. The scholarship program recognizes seniors for their leadership skills, positive attitude, academic achievement and commitment to community service. Two students were surprised with $10,000 scholarships and 20 of the winning students had their name drawn for a netbook computer to use at college. The students and their families were also honored at that evening’s Sacramento Rivercats baseball game. Since its inception in 2001, the program has awarded more than $13.3 million in college aid to some 13,300 high school seniors. Visit www.comcast.com/inthecommunity for more information.
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"High honors for VCA baseball Lions place four players on all-league first team" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 6/11/2010
For the 13th year in a row, the Valley Christian Academy baseball team sat atop the standings when the dust cleared in the 2010 baseball season. The squad was unable to finish it off with its third straight section title, but it was another great year for the Lions and a number of VCA players. Ryan Cordell shared the Sacramento Metro Athletic League’s top individual honor, as he was named co-MVP along with Bradshaw Christian’s Brady Dragmire. “Cordell was very good for us this season,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “He was our No. 1 pitcher and seemed to never miss a pitch when needed at the plate. His work ethic, competitive spirit, and just being a great young man has made him a great asset and representative of what the program is about. He is a player and young man that will be tough to replace.” Three other Lions were honored as first-team all-league players for their work this season, as all contributed heavily to Valley Christian’s success. Centerfielder Paul Finnell turned a fast start into an outstanding season and provided the pop Gunter needed at the top of his batting order. “Paul Finnell had a great senior year at the plate for us,” Gunter said. “He actually changed our line-up early in the season because he got off to such a good start. Paul gave us some pop in the leadoff spot. In the two big games against Faith Christian this season Paul led off the game with home runs.” Jimmy Shaw was not exactly on the radar when the 2010 season began. The freshman left-hander started out on the junior varsity, but earned a call-up to the varsity very early in the season and became a huge asset for the Lions as a No. 2 hitter and its No. 2 pitcher as well. “After an early call up to varsity, Shaw never gave up the starting first base spot, and was our two hitter the rest of the season,” Gunter said. “I knew Shaw was going to be a special player, but he progressed a year ahead of schedule and became our No. 2 pitcher behind Cordell. As a freshman his stats are the best of any freshman we had ever had, and he has the potential if he keeps progressing to be the best prospect in school history.” Junior Casas earned high praise and first-team all-league honors with his work as an indispensable part of the Valley Christian offensive attack and his role as a versatile and talented defender. “Casas was a big reason for Cordell’s success at the plate this season,” Gunter said. “With Casas hitting behind Cordell, teams had to pitch to Cordell and when they did, Cordell made them pay. When they pitched around Cordell, Casas provided the RBIs and the pop to make us successful.” The junior was also critical to the Lions season. As Valley Christian struggled to find defensive answers at shortstop when Cordell was pitching, the centerfielder provided late-season answers. “We were struggling to find the defense behind Cordell and moving Casas to shortstop supplied a sure-handed glove up the middle,” Gunter said. “Having no shortstop experience, Casas told me he would do whatever was needed to help us win. Casas is an absolute gamer and a major reason we were able to succeed this season. He does whatever is needed for us and his bat is always a key to our success.”
FYI: SMAL baseball 2010 all-league team Co-MVP Ryan Cordell, Valley Christian Academy Brady Dragmire, Bradshaw Christian First team Jr. Casas, Valley Christian Academy Paul Finnell, Valley Christian Academy Jimmy Shaw, Valley Christian Academy E.J. Edinburg , Bradshaw Christian Jake Adkins, Bradshaw Christian Alex Popovich , Bradshaw Christian Daniel Atkins, Faith Christian Josh Dunham, Faith Christian Anthony Kersting, Trinity Prep Honorable Mention Micky DeFiebre, Valley Christian Academy Quentin Moore, Valley Christian Academy Coach of the Year - Brad Gunter Jr., Valley Christian Academy
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"Sacramento Metro Athletic League softball all-league team" Staff Report , The Press Tribune - 6/11/2010
Sacramento Metro Athletic League softball all-league team
Co-MVP Macy Chase, Bradshaw Christian Abby Moore, Valley Christian Academy
First team Midori Bounds, Valley Christian Academy Brianna Flood, Valley Christian Academy Carly Gish, Valley Christian Academy Heather Frank, Valley Christian Academy Libby Purthill, Buckingham Charter Taylor Hill, Buckingham Charter Hannah Baber, Faith Christian
Honorable Mention Keri McClintock, Valley Christian Academy PresLeigh Sinerius, Valley Christian Academy
Co-Coaches of the Year Shawnda Bowen, Valley Christian Academy John Hill, Buckingham Charter
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"MVP brings big talent to small school Valley Christian’s Cordell finishes high school career strong" Kayla Dubchansky, Press Tribune Correspondent - 6/11/2010
Ryan Cordell was a one of a kind athlete at a small school who made a name for himself in his four years at Valley Christian Academy. This year Cordell was named Sacramento Metro Athletic League baseball co-MVP. “That was really great,” Cordell said. “That’s the first time I’ve gotten any MVPs for baseball. That was really great that it was a good year.” VCA won the league title, but lost the section championship game to league rival Bradshaw Christian, falling 4-2 in the championship game. Cordell shared the MVP honors with Bradshaw’s Brady Dragmire. “He probably should have won the vote outright,” Gunter said. “We decided as a league that the kid from Bradshaw deserved to be there.” The 6-foot-3 Cordell was also a first team all-league player on the basketball court this season. As if his athletic success wasn’t enough, Cordell works hard on the academic side as well, boasting a 3.5 GPA. Gunter described Cordell as the kid who stays late after practice, shows up early and has an incredible work ethic. Gunter should know. He spent a lot of time with Cordell, coaching him in basketball and baseball, as well as holding the position of athletic director for Valley Christian. Cordell attributes his talent to perseverance and doing that little something extra. “Ever since I started playing baseball, just trying to get better every single day and working on the little things makes me as good as I am right now,” Cordell said. Cordell, who was 10-2 on the year with a 1.21 ERA, has had people looking at VCA. The senior right-hander struck out 117 batters while walking just 11 during the season. Gunter described his strikeout-to-walk ratio as “ridiculous.” Cordell was a part of the Lions team that won two consecutive section championships. Along with his tough pitching, Cordell batted .578 with 14 homeruns. “We would never have made it the last two years (without him),” Gunter said. “The first one he was a solid player with us. He’s an impact player at the plate and on the field. The last two years we’ve ridden his arm. Without him we wouldn’t have been in those situations. Last year he got us there and then battled his way through the title game. This year he picked up all three playoff wins. Two in starting spot and closed another. He’s a major reason we had those two section titles.” With the attention Cordell’s gotten this season, he’s been given the opportunity to take it to the next level and play some college baseball. Cordell’s goal has been to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. “Last summer I took a trip back there and went to camp, met coaches and I loved the school. My goal is to play there after a year at Sierra College,” Cordell said. “As far as the career goes I don’t really know, division one college baseball (is the goal) and if that takes me to the pros that’d be great.” Presently, Liberty is unable to give Cordell a scholarship. “He’s just such a great young man,” Gunter said. “He just deserves whatever he gets. When I walk away I don’t have to worry about him whatsoever. And as a coach that’s probably the biggest pat on the back you can give a player.” Cordell currently plans to attend Sierra for a year before transferring to Liberty. However, San Diego Christian has offered Cordell a scholarship. Cordell said he will take a look at San Diego, Both of his parents graduated from the Southern California school.
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"VCA works overtime to win key playoff contest Lions battle through tough spots in search of section title" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 5/24/2010
In a back-and-forth affair at Galt Community Park Saturday, the Valley Christian Academy took the opener of a best-of-three seriers with Stone Ridge Christian. It took extra innings, but the Lions managed to pull out a thriller 8-7 in the semifinal round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII tournament. "What a game," said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. "Not the way you want it to go, but at this point of the season I will take it." VCA scored two in the first frame, but found itself down 3-2 after three stanzas as Stone Ridge got to freshman southpaw Jimmy Shaw for one in the first and two more in the home half of the third. Things changed in the Valley Christian fourth, thanks to junior Junior Casas. Casas blasted a two-run home run to right field to put the Lions on top, and then the added another tally in the inning to take a two-run advantage. Valley Christian added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh courtesy a trick play and a run-scoring bunt in a first-and-third situation. "We thought the four run cushion was plenty," Gunter said. "Momentum quickly swung in their favor and everything that could go wrong did. Balls off their bat found holes in the field, and a costly miscue at third base cost us an important second out. Before it could escape the home half of the seventh, Stone Ridge had scored four runs to tie the game and Gunter had made the move to ace Ryan Cordell as his fourth pitcher of the day. Cordell had tossed a complete game just three days earlier. Cordell was touched for two quick hits, and with runners on second and third and just one out, in danger of losing the game, the Lions intentionally walked the bases loaded and then turned to their ace right-hander. Cordell did the job, and pitched his way out of the situation, sending the game to extra innings. Cordell was the center of attention in the eighth as well, as his one-out triple turned into a run on a throwing error. With the lead in his hands, the senior set down the top three hitters in the Stone Ridge lineup in order in the home half to seal the victory. Cordell had a double and triple among his three hits on the day. Donovan Allen also had three hits for the Lions. Casas, with his long ball, and Paul Finnell with a triple also pitched in with extra-base hits. VCA had a ton of chances in the game, as it also drew eight walks and had two batters hit by pitches. The series continues at 4 p.m. Tuesday. If Valley Christian can win that game, it will advance to the section title game on Memorial Day. A Stone Ridge victory will force a winner-take-all third game immediately following that Tuesday encounter.
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"One more step for Lady Lions" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 5/24/2010
The Valley Christian Academy softball team took one more step in its quest to be a section championship team Saturday. After losing by a single run in the semifinal round last season, this year's Lions came from behind to win their semifinal contest before falling in the title game. "We are focusing on the win today," said Valley Christian coach Shawnda Bowen. "Every year we get a step closer. Hopefully next year we can take another step." VCA started slowly in the Saturday morning semifinal, getting down 4-0 before rallying in the fifth frame. A two-out four-run outburst drew the Lions even, but they still need to do it again, scoring two in the seventh to beat Millenium 6-5. Midori Bounds pitched well for Valley Christian, and kept her team close enough for Brianna Flood to provide the seventh inning heroics. "It was a great way to end her senior year," Bowen said regarding Flood's game-winning hit. Flood singled home Keri McClintock to provide VCA with its margin of victory. McClintock had a pair of doubles for the Lions, as did Bounds to pace the offensive attack. Abby Moore added a triple. Valley Christian got an emotional lift from the presence of junior Carly Gish, who had broken her nose at a Friday practice, but returned to action for Saturday's games. "We played really awesome (against Millenium) and I was hoping the momentum would carry over into the next game," Bowen said. The championship final followed Saturday soon after the completion of the win over Millenium. The Lions could not match Jim Elliott Christian, which continued its domination of Division VII in the Sac-Jaoquin Section with its 14-0 win over VCA in that title game. Bounds had two more hits in the contest, but Valley Christian managed just three as a team as it fell one win short of the crown.
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"Lady Lions bury Brookside in playoff opener" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 5/20/2010 It was no contest from the outset Wednesday night at the Lodi Softball Complex. The Valley Christian Academy softball team scored early and often as it blew out Brookside Christian 20-0 in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII playoffs. Abby Moore pitched all five innings in the contest that was shortened due to the 10-run mercy rule, limiting Brookside to just one hit while striking out nine batters. Moore also had two hits for a VCA team that poured on the offense. Midori Bounds, Keri McClintock, Brianna Flood and Erin Patterson each had three hits for the Lions, while Sierra Trask also had a pair of hits. The win moves Valley Christian into the semifinals of the single-elimination tournament. The Lions face Millenium of Tracy at 10 a.m. Saturday at Arnaiz Field in Stockton. The winner of that game will move on to the title game at 1 p.m. Saturday, with the likely opponent being Jim Elliott Christian.
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"Valley Christian wins playoff opener Cordell delivers strong performance on the mound" Staff Report, The press Tribune - 5/20/2010
A dominating pitching performance by Ryan Cordell and an eight-run third inning were all that was needed for Valley Christian Academy playoff win Wednesday. The VCA baseball team opened its defense of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII title with an 11-0 whitewashing of Millenium from Tracy. Junior Casas blasted a two-out, two-run home run in the first inning to put the Lions on the board, but that was just the appetizer to the offensive feast that followed. Paul Finnell lead off the third with a base hit, and after a bunt hit by Jimmy Shaw, the hits kept coming. The stanza was highlighted by a two-run blast off the bat of Matt Meeink. Micky DeFiebre and Joey Parker also delivered solid contributions in the batter's box for Valley Christian. While the scoring was going on, the Falcons of Millenium High got nothing started against Cordell, as 14 of the 15 outs he recorded in the five-inning shortened contest came by way of the strikeout. He allowed just three hits and hit one batter on his way to the complete game shutout. The win propels the Lions into the second round of the tourney and a best-of-three series with Stone Ridge Christian of Merced, an 8-2 first round winner over Faith Christian. Game one of the series will be played at noon Saturday, with game two and three (if necessary) set for Tuesday. The Division VII early rounds are all being played at Galt Community Park
The Rosevillle Press - Tribune
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"Valley Christian is back in search of a third title Lions peaking at right time for postseason run" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 5/19/2010
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"Reigning champs are favorites in prep baseball playoffs" - By Bill Patterson, The Sacramento Bee - 5/18/2010
Yuba City seeks a four-peat, Jesuit and Valley Christian three-peats and Rocklin a repeat in their respective divisions for the upcoming Sac-Joaquin Section baseball playoffs. Once again, the field includes a star-studded bunch, with at least 17 players scheduled to play on scholarship next season, if they're not drafted next month and sign a professional contract. Here's a look at the fields:
DIVISION VII FAVORITE • Valley Christian (16-7): Rugged preseason has prepared Lions well for section title repeat. Senior Ryan Cordell (.577, 14 home runs, 47 RBIs; 7-1, 1.56 ERA) is one of the best, regardless of division. Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/18/2757811/prep-baseball-favorites-are-reigning.html#ixzz0oO2bcfj6
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'Lady Lions sweep Bradshaw, head to postseason" Staff Report , The Press Tribune - 5/17/2010
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"VCA locks up SMAL title with win over Bradshaw Lions's Shaw solid on the mound" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 5/15/2010
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"Lions clinch at least share of league title Valley Christian beats Bradshaw" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 5/12/2010
The Sacramento Metro Athletic League title is on the line this week as Valley Christian Academy and Bradshaw Christian play a pair of games. The two teams entered the week unbeaten in league play, but after Tuesday's action, the Lions are left alone atop the standings. A 13-9 win gives VCA at least a share of the league title for the 13th straight season, and it can lock up sole possession with a win in the comeback game Friday on its home field. "With the way we started the season, I feel this is a huge accomplishment," said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. "I had very high hopes this season and everything has been a battle, even yesterday, but I am happy for the kids that they have persevered through it all and can hang up another ball on the wall." The final score did not tell the game's real story as the Lions essentially dominated the contest before a late flurry of defensive miscues allowed Bradshaw back in, at least on the scoreboard. With two out and Jimmy Shaw on in the first frame, Valley Christian's No. 4 hitter, Junior Casas hit a home run over the left-center field fence to give pitching ace Ryan Cordell an early advantage. The Lions added three in the second after two were out, and the Casas left the yard again during a four-run third as VCA built a 9-0 lead. "The fans told us that those were the first home runs ever at Bradshaw’s field," Gunter said. "The wind was blowing straight in which made it even more impressive. Throughout the game we hit five other shots to the fence and seem to have productive at bats the rest of the game." Cordell gave up two earned runs in the third inning, but the other seven scored against him were unearned. and the rest were unearned. Valley Christian was up 12-2 and two outs away from putting the finishing touches on a 10-run mercy rule in, but the defense went south for the Lions. "Cordell had a dominating performance on the mound, but every error killed us," Gunter said. "We have to play better defense on Friday to get sole possession of the title." Cordell struck out 12 and allowed just six hits in the game. Paul Finnell had a pair of triples and three RBIs among his three hits on the day. Casas (double and two home runs), Joey Parker (two doubles, two batted in) and Micky DiFiebre also all banged out three hits. Cordell, Shaw and Quentin Moore had two hits a piece as the Lions rapped out 20 hits in the contest. Freshman southpaw Jimmy Shaw will take the hill Friday as VCA (9-0 in the SMAL, 15-7 overall) tries to claim the solo league title. The youngster will have to do battle with Bradshaw (8-1, 15-10) ace Brady Dragmire and his 0.60 ERA.
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"Valley Christian unloads for two big wins" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 5/7/2010
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"Freshman southpaw pitches VCA to non-league win" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 5/7/2010
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"Another blowout win for Valley Christian" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 5/7/2010
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"VCA gets key win in Vacaville" By Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 4/27/2010
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"VCA sweeps away Lutheran in Friday doubleheader" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 4/24/2010
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"Big early offense, no-hit pitching makes VCA huge winner" Staff Report , The Press Tribune - 4/15/2010
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"Another 10-run win for VCA softball" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 4/10/2010 A six-run first frame got things started and a four-run fifth ended them as the Valley Christian Academy softball team pounded Buckingham Charter 13-3 Friday. The Sacramento Metro Athletic League win was the Lady Lion's third in as many league starts. Abby Moore went the distance on the mound in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run mercy rule. Moore, Midori Bounds and Keri McClintock all had two hits for Valley Christian, while Heather Frank added a double.
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"Valley Christian KOs Auburn Valley Christian" Staff Report , The Press Tribune - 4/10/2010
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"Valley Christian wins big" Staff Report , The Press Tribune - 4/8/2010 Behind a 14-hit attack and strong pitching from Abbie Moore, the Valley Christian Academy softball team pounded Faith Christian of Yuba City 23-3 Tuesday. Midori Bounds and Keri McClintock each had three hits for the Lady Lions to lead the powerful offensive explosion. Moore, Carly Gish and Sierra Trask had two-hit days for VCA. The Lions (2-0 in SMAL play) are back in action Friday against Buckingham Charter.
__________________________________________________ "Lions get comeback win over Lincoln VCA gets big non-league victory" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 4/8/2010
__________________________________________________ "Lions hit the road to find their game Valley Christian knocks off St. Bernard’s" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune 3/30/210
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"First win a relief for VCA" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 3/26/2010
__________________________________________________ "Rocky start for VCA baseball" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune 3/25/2010
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"Rough start for VCA baseball" Staff Report - 3/19/2010
__________________________________________________ "Valley Christian on the road to open NorCal tourney Lions visit University High of San Francisco" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 3/9/10 You get the sense that Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter would rather see the University of Kansas coming out of the opposing locker room than Victory Christian. The Lions have lost three times this season (of their five total losses) to the Vikings from Carmichael, including the last time they took the court in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinals. Under the new state playoff format, the top four SJS teams in each division qualify for a spot in the state tournament field, and though it has to go on the road to do it, that means at least one more game for VCA. Gunter knows the field is strong, but he is just happy to see someone other than Victory Christian on the opposite bench. “It will take our best game of the year to beat any of these teams in the NorCal playoffs, but I am really excited about it,” Gunter said. “Good thing is they won’t have Victory Christian on the front of their jerseys and that is a big relief.” As for the team Ryan Cordell and company will match up with, the Lions are headed to City College of San Francisco to take on University High School. It is a team that Gunter has not seen and knows little about. “I was about as clueless about University as you can imagine until this afternoon,” Gunter said. “I received the scouting report midday. I know that we have a size advantage and we will try to use it, but it looks like we will have to get it across the timeline first. They are an up and down pressing team that is well coached.” That is not all bad news at Valley Christian, as they Lions also like to run the floor and jack up a lot of shots. For this contest, it seems their opponent will be helping get the tempo going. “It looks like we will not have to push tempo for this one and just go,” Gunter said. “I have a feeling that this will be a high scoring affair. This is the style that we work on and want and I am very interested to see how we do against a quality opponent.” University is a team that has played a quality schedule, which includes a win over the No. 3 seed in the D-V field, St. Joseph’s of Alameda. An overtime loss to the top NorCal seed, Branson, was the only thing standing between University and the North Coast Section final. The teams do share a common opponent in Stuart Hall, a team that VCA played competitively during the season that won University’s regular season league title. University lost two contests with Stuart Hall, but then got even by winning the rematch in the conference tournament . “I am excited about the opportunity for our kids and don’t want them to just show up for the experience, but rather go out and try to get one,” Gunter said. “It does give our players a little comfort knowing that a common opponent has beaten them. Every win in this tournament is a huge deal and we would love to have a couple under our belt.” The winner of Tuesday’s 7 p.m. game plays at No. 2 St. Francis of Watsonville (27-1), which could arguably be the best team in the tournament. “They have played a schedule that is far above a normal Division V one and have been very successful,” Gunter said in describing St. Francis. “I would love to get the opportunity to test those waters.” Gunter is hoping the teams from the Sac-Joaquin Section have success this year in order to earn some much-needed respect for the section. None of the teams from this area was seeded in the top four and thus all must play first round games in the 12-team bracket. “I think that is too much credit to the Northern Section and not enough to the SJS,” Gunter said. “The only way to fix that for the future is for our section to go win some games now. I just feel bad for Victory that was worthy of a bye in the first round and instead they get a top team and contender in Head Royce in the first round. “This is a great opportunity for us and we have yet to put four quarters of basketball together this season. We have to knock down shots and finish plays though. At this point of the season it is all about making plays and not just the system. If we can knock down shots and cut down on the turnovers, we have a chance at anybody.”
__________________________________________________ "Valley Christian can't recover against Victory First-half deficit proves too much for Lions" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 3/3/10 Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune Valley Christian guard Ryan Cordell releases a shot over the outstretched hand of a Victory Christian defender Sometimes early mistakes become very difficult to overcome. On Tuesday night in Galt, that was certainly the case for the Valley Christian Academy boys basketball team. The Lions made the trip to Galt High School for a Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinal battle with Carmichael’s Victory Christian and came out on the short end of a 73-64 verdict. The game was an uphill battle most of the way for VCA as it fell behind in the first half and found itself working to overcome the deficit the rest of the way. The Lions (25-5) have taken three of their five defeats this year at the hands of Victory Christian (26-3). “The biggest concern came true - the name on the front of their jersey,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “They are a well coached team that has mentally tough kids that really know each other well. I guess you could say they have our number.” Both teams came out of the gate charged up for the contest that did not tip until a few minutes past the scheduled 9 p.m. start time. VCA’s biggest problems in the first half were largely of its own making, though the Vikings did a nice job taking full advantage. In an effort to keep fresh legs (and heads) on the court, Gunter employed a strategy of wholesale substitutions through much of the first half, sending five fresh players onto the floor at the same time. The tactic seemed to work, but with both units, the Lions had too many unforced turnovers and too many missed scoring chances, particularly from the free throw line. “We had played them twice before and each time had low-scoring affairs that left us thinking too much and them not tired,” Gunter said. “The goal of the line changes was to keep us fresh for a dogfight while continuing to attack on defense in the first half. To a point it did exactly what we wanted.” Valley Christian caught a bad break late in the initial stanza when an offensive foul committed by Orest Shaynyuk was mistakenly applied to Rob Frank. It was Frank’s third and left one of the Lions’ fiercest competitors on the bench for the entire second stanza. Eight different VCA players scored in the first half, but they combined for just 26 points, far below the number the Lions usually post in the first 16 minutes. A big first half by 5-foot-10 senior guard Kevin Halverson (10 points) led the Vikings to a 33-26 lead at intermission. The Lions turned up the defense, with a frenetic attacking press, coming out after the break, and they were successful in cutting into the lead. Each time they got near the top of the mountain, however, Victory was able to hit a couple of buckets to push its advantage back up to the 10-point range, and VCA was never able to get back on top. Frank, Ryan Cordell and Stanley Winters were all involved in a defensive effort that caused the normally stingy Vikings into a number of miscues. “I decided that if we were going to go down, we were going out on our terms and try to push the action,” Gunter said. “They normally do not turn over the ball and I am not sure how many we caused, but it has to be well over their season average.” Neither team shot the ball particularly well, but both also had some big moments in the clutch shooting department. With Winters breaking down the Victory Christian defense off the bounce, and feeding teammates scoring opportunities, Shaynyuk and Jesse Peters both had solid scoring nights for the Lions. Gunter expected the Vikings to get a lot of their scoring from forward Nathan Coppernoll, who averages 18.4 points per night. The 6-3 senior got his points (17 for the game), but it was not his output that killed Valley Christian. Coppernoll did hit one vital shot, a fade-away 35-footer at the third quarter buzzer that pushed the Viking lead to 12 points heading into the final eight minutes. “I was happy that we made Nate Coppernol work harder this time around for his shots, but the off players on their team hitting shots in the first half was real uncharacteristic and a huge credit to them,” Gunter said. One player who came up big in helping Victory hold off the Lions’ second half surge was Coppernoll’s sophomore brother, Clayton, who hit three huge 3-pointers and scored all of his 13 points after the break. He also led the Vikings with 10 rebounds for the night. Despite Clayton Coppernoll’s big shots, VCA nearly managed to pull this one off. A Cordell 3-pointer with 34 seconds to go cut the margin to two points at 66-64, but it would be last Lion scoring of the game. A foul on the ensuing Victory possession was ruled intentional (a somewhat questionable ruling) set up Victory to put the lead back into two-possession territory and put the game away. “The young Coppernol put a bit of a dagger in the heart, but I was very proud of the fight that the players came back with,” Gunter said. “It was a two-point game until the intentional foul call at the end and then we were in shoot the first shot mode after that.” Free throws were a big part of the story as the Vikings hit 19-of-24 while Valley Christian nailed just 8-of-19 from the charity stripe. Cordell scored 19 points to lead the Lions, while Peters and Shaynyuk each tallied 10 points. Peters led the squad on the backboards with nine. Marcel Louis-Jaques made a strong return from an injury and scored nine points, while reserve guard Jason Gish also scored nine and pulled down seven rebounds. Winters scored just two points, but his five rebounds and five assists were a big part of the Lion effort. The win sends Victory Christian on to Arco Arena Friday night to take on Ripon Christian in the D-V title game. The Lions season does not end here as the top four in each division of the Sac-Joaquin Section advance to next week’s Northern California playoffs. VCA will find out where it will play in that tournament this weekend. “Arco would have been great but this is a huge stepping stone for our program,” Gunter said. “Last year we were 16-12 and made it to the second round, this year 25-5, made it to the final four and Nor Cal and we have a lot in the tank for the next six years. Based on what everybody has coming back next season, I like our chances to get back to Galt and see if we can get over the next hump.” __________________________________________________ "Valley Christian preps for section semifinal, Victory Christian Lions look to advance in Division V" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 3/2/10 Tim Lloyd, Special to The Press Tribune VCA point guard Stanley Winters is a force at both ends of the floor Trying to turn a major playoff semifinal matchup into just another game in the minds of his players is the goal for Valley Christian Academy boys basketball coach Brad Gunter as he prepares his squad for Tuesday night. “I am more concerned with the name on the front of their jersey than anything else,” Gunter said in describing his team’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinal date with a top-seeded Victory Christian team that has beaten VCA twice this year. “We had this same problem with Bradshaw and overcame that hurdle and hoping to do the same tonight. We have an opportunity at Arco, section title, and a host in Nor Cal playoffs on the line and that is a lot of pressure. I hope that we are the first team to realize that this is another basketball game and can get into a rhythm offensively quickly.” The Lions struggled to get past Sacramento Waldorf in Friday’s second-round battle, but that game helped Valley Christian prepare for the style of play they will see against the Vikings. “I think it was good for us that we did not play well and were able to overcome,” Gunter said. “We have had a few games this season that we can call back to memory that we have played poorly and won the game. I expect this to be a dogfight all four quarters and success in the memory bank can only help with that. “We have one day to prepare for them and trying to simulate their defensive pressure is tough to do. We saw a great glimpse of it in playing Sac Waldorf Friday night and we didn’t respond too well. I am hoping that a reality check of sorts will kick in at practice and we can focus on ball movement a little more.” Valley Christian will look to its strong core of seniors to deliver big performances as it moves deeper into the playoffs. Senior guard Ryan Cordell is one of the Lions’ key players. At more than 20 points per game, he is the most reliable scoring option on the floor, but Gunter has a lot of other guys to go to in a pinch. On the perimeter, seniors Rob Frank and Stanley Winters give the Lions strong play at both ends of the floor, and sophomore sharpshooter Jason Gish can go off for major offense. In the paint, a combination of Jesse Peters, Orest Shaynyuk and Zach Stoever must also play well. Victory Christian comes in off a narrow win of its own, against a Global Youth Charter team that VCA handled easily twice this season. Gunter is quick to discount those who would read anything into those comparative results. “I know that Global almost got them, but Global runs a five-guard, outside-orientated, drive-and-kick offense,” Gunter said. “Against a man defense that pressures the ball, Global can give anybody fits.” The Vikings offense revolves around 6-foot-3 senior forward Nathan Coppernoll, who is the team leader in scoring (18.4 points per game), rebounding (8.5) and assists (3.1). “They are a tough nose man-to-man defensive team that likes to slow it down, but can run if needed,” Gunter said. “They will run up your back if you do not get back. (Nate) Coppernoll is everything to them offensively and is all over the place when he does not have the ball.” Coppernoll’s younger brother, sophomore Clayton, is a threat from the outside, as is 5-9 senior guard Brad Hoffelt. Hoffelt is the only other Victory player who averages double-digit scoring. The core of this team has been playing together for a long time, which gives the squad a bit of an advantage. “The biggest thing is that they have played together as a unit since the seventh grade and they do not make very many mistakes defensively or offensively,” Gunter said. “They have a little size to go with their pressure defense, but we have to attack the rim and not settle for contested outside jump shots. Their weakness is their depth. We are much deeper than them, but have to try and attack very smart players.” After enjoying the luxuries of playing on its home court, Valley Christian must now face the adversity of the road, with a neutral site game that is not scheduled to start until 9 p.m. “The late start time doesn’t really concern me,” Gunter said. “We practice normally from 7-9 p.m. and most of the time my players do not respond until the later minutes of practice. “Home court is definitely a huge advantage, but I am more concerned with the magnitude of the game and what is at stake. We have played in a lot of obscure places with no or little fan support and have responded well. The magnitude of the game is the real issue. Players get too amped up and because its Victory Christian it will be worse to calm my players down. A lot of the kids on both teams go to the same church and their two previous wins early in the season loom large in my players mind.” Gunter points to his team’s need to protect the basketball and to take it away from the Vikings as keys to an upset win for his No. 4 seeded Lions. He also notes that in the earlier matchups this year, VCA has missed a number of close shots, which has somewhat negated its advantage on the backboards. The Lions are wary of a Viking team that got this far a year ago, but was unable to advance. “Victory was in the final four last year and lost to eventual section champion Bradshaw Christian,” Gunter said. “They were disappointed last season and in fact I think a little shocked that they did not advance. They have a chip on their shoulder to get to Arco and finish the task left undone last season. We prepare by trying to focus on what we need to do and not the other team. We have to execute on both offensive and defense.” The game is the fourth of four on the docket Tuesday night at Galt High School and is scheduled to top at 9 p.m. The winner will move on to the section championship game Friday night at Arco Arena.
__________________________________________________ "Lions survive Sac Waldorf second round challenge Valley Christian reaches Division 5 semifinals" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 2/27/10 Tim Lloyd, Special to The Press Tribune Valley Christian forward Orest Shaynyuk takes the ball through the lane Friday against Sac Waldorf
Sometimes the approach that a win is a win has to carry you through when nothing else will. For the Valley Christian Academy boys basketball team Friday night, survival was the best they could do, and survive they did. “You take them how you can get them,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “We did not play our best basketball of the season tonight, but most of that is a credit to Dean Stark and the Sac Waldorf players. We are fortunate to beat them, but at this point of the season I will take it.” The Lions were down early and rallied in the second quarter to make it a tight one at intermission, but it was not until clutch defense and free throws down the stretch that they sealed a hard-fought 68-65 win over Sacramento Waldorf in the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs. “They are a tough well-coached team,” Gunter said. “They got up on us in the first quarter by their pressure defense. Our advantage was our size but we could not, more like wouldn’t distribute the ball and attack from the weak side. The second quarter we did a much better job of sharing the ball and instead of four guys scoring in the first quarter, six players had points in the second.” VCA caught a break with a key Sac Waldorf injury in the fourth, and then they fouled out one of the Waves top scorers with three minutes left, but even with that, this one went to the wire. The Lions pulled out all of the stops on the defensive end, at one point going to a triangle-and-two to take away Sac Waldorf’s top scorer. In the final minute, Valley Christian’s defense was able to force difficult shots, allowing first Ryan Cordell and then Jesse Peters to score from the charity stripe to pull out the victory. Sophomore Jason Gish scored 15 points to lead a balanced scoring attack. Cordell added 14, while Rob Frank scored 11, Orest Shaynyuk tossed in 10 and Peters scored eight. The win puts VCA through to the section semifinals Tuesday night in Galt. The game time will be announced Saturday afternoon. It also guarantees the Lions a spot in the Northern California tournament regardless how they fare in the D-V final four. The top four in each division now qualify for the NorCal playoffs.
__________________________________________________ "Valley Christian girls longest run comes to an end Second round loss to Bradshaw Christian closes out year" Galen Kusic, Press Tribune Correspondent - 2/25/10
Tim Lloyd, Special to The Press Tribune Valley Christian forward Samantha Shoemake takes the ball to the basket against Bradshaw Christian Thursday night.
While Tuesday's 75-27 Sac Joaquin playoff loss to Division V powerhouse Bradshaw Christian was bitter, Valley Christian Academy's season was sweet- advancing to the second round for the first time in school history and posting one of the Lions' best records in the past ten years. "I think the biggest accomplishment is we come from a school of 28 girls that are students first," said head coach Kim Contreras. "They play every sport, and to go as far as we did this year...I can't ask for anything more. These girls did extroardinary." Tonight was tough, as the Pride of Bradshaw Christian put on a clinic in ball movement, full court man pressure defense, unselfish play and crashing the boards. The Lions got down to the Pride early 14-0 and never could mount a rally to get back in the game, as Bradshaw led 44-9 at the half. Bradshaw was driven by powerful interior play from center Cheyenne Williams, who dominated the glass with 16 points, 7 rebounds, three steals and three assists. Jordie Smith lashed the nets both inside and out, leading the Pride with 22 points, four steals and three blocks. Point guard Ferrandi Espinosa was all over the court, adding 13 points, seven rebounds, six steals and four assists while guard Ashlee Jones contributed 11 points and six steals. "We were feeling really good and we didn't want it to be anything like the last two games we played against them," said junior center Samantha Shoemake. "That's what I wanted, I didn't want to be blown out like today." The Lions never quit, as Shoemake led the squad with 13 points, 7 rebounds and two steals. junior point guard Carly Gist put up seven, while sophomore wing Heather Frank added four. "The last two games we played them extroardinary," said Shoemake. "At the end of last season we only lost to them by nine, it just didn't happen today." The most impressive high point of the season for the Lions was beating Forest Lake Christian out of Auburn on Tuesday. "It was so exciting, we had lost to them two years straight," said Gish. "I'm just glad we pulled it together and won." The 63-61 first-round win was not easy, but with only five to six girls in the rotation- the out-manned Lions managed a way to hold on to the victory. "Our girls were tired of losing to them," said Contreras. "We were more confident, because we had Samantha back from injury. They came in strong. They were physically and emotionally tired, but they just pushed through. They held it, they were calm, they ran the clock down and they took the victory." Valley Christian ends the year 17-10, and 11-3 in Sac Metro league play. "At the beginning of the season we were shaky, we didn't think we were going to win anything," explained Gish. "Getting to the playoffs and beating Forest Lake, we accomplished our goal. We're happy with that. We always pulled it together as a team, when we lose and when we win - we were as a team. We knew it was Bradshaw, but we put what we had out there." The Lions' junior wing Midori Bounds had a strong game on the boards, snatching seven, while senior guard Mandy Vail left nothing on the court- grabbing six rebounds. "I think the three girls that made first team and second team all-league really proved themselves tonight," said Contreras.
__________________________________________________ "Valley Christian dispatches Big Valley in D-V opener" Robbie Enos, Press Tribune Correspondent - 2/25/10
Kurt Johnson, Press Tribune file photo Jesse Peters of Valley Christian in a game earlier this season.
The Valley Christian Academy boys basketball team got its playoff quest off on the right foot Wednesday night. The Lions (24-4) owned the backboards with a 38-20 rebounding advantage and rolled to a big first round win over Big Valley Christian out of Modesto, 75-46. Senior forward Ryan Cordell led the charge with 19 points, but it was a true team effort that propelled VCA to victory. Twelve different lions scored points on the night and 37 of VCA’s points came from non-starters. “Push tempo, play a lot of guys, and try to get their big guy in foul trouble,” was head coach Brad Gunter’s strategy going into the game. “I had a feeling they were going to come in and slow it down on us, and they did. So the concern wasn’t necessarily on the defensive end, it was to push the offensive end.” Valley Christian’s quick tempo offense and aggressive defense threw Big Valley for a loop and kept them to just 13 first quarter points. Six different lions grabbed rebounds in the period with Cordell, senior center Jesse Peters, and senior forward Orest Shaynyuk grabbing two a piece. Cordell, the foul-drawing machine, nailed six points from the charity stripe. Big Valley got big three-point shots from Corey Wells and Luke Lemings in the second quarter, but they were still down 34-23 at half. VCA senior guard Stanley Winters came out on fire in the second half. Winters scored five points off two steals, and contributed seven total points for the third quarter. Cordell stayed consistent with seven points of his own. Shaynyuk grabbed three rebounds. With a 54-33 lead going into the fourth quarter, the Lions cruised to victory. Sophomore guard Jason Gish scored all of his nine points in the fourth quarter, including a few reverse lay-ups to throw Big Valley for a spin. Junior forward Aaron Perchaz had three boards, and Valley Christian finished its opponent off. Caleb Theodore of Big Valley led the squad with eight rebounds. Tyler Aderholt was the leading scorer with 15 points including three field goals from beyond the arc. Peters led VCA with six rebounds. Gunter is wary about No. 4 Valley Christian’s next foe. Sacramento Waldorf (21-7) is the fifth seed in the Division V tournament field. “If we get Waldorf, they are a well coached, unbelievably disciplined, hard nosed, man-to-man team,” Gunter said. “We will approach it totally different than tonight. Honestly we’re going to enjoy tonight, and then tomorrow figure out a game plan. The biggest thing with Waldorf is that when you have a coach over there with 500 wins under his belt, he’s going to have a few things up his sleeve.” While Gunter and the team are proud of their accomplishment, they are more focused on the road ahead. “Our goal is really (the section semifinal round in) Galt,” Gunter said. “We are taking it one game at a time. This next game is the biggest one of the season.”
__________________________________________________ "Valley too much for Forest Lake" By Eric J. Gourley Journal Sports Writer LAKE OF THE PINES — After four straight losses to Forest Lake Christian over the last three seasons, Samantha Shoemake and her Valley Christian teammates were more than ready for another shot at the Falcons. The Lions camped in Forest Lake’s passing lanes for easy steals, tied up the Falcons for countless jump balls and held off a spirited rally over the final four minutes to beat the hosts 63-61 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoff opener Tuesday night. Valley will face top seed Bradshaw Christian, an 87-12 winner over Lodi Academy, on Thursday night. The Sacramento Metro League rivals met twice this season, with the Pride beating the Lions both times. Forest Lake had bounced Valley in the first round of the playoffs two years in a row and beat them twice in nonleague action earlier this season. “Oh my gosh, everyone in the locker room was talking before the game about how we had to beat them,” said Shoemake, who had 17 points. “The third time’s the charm. We just figured we had to go out and give our best. Win or lose, if we go out and give our best, we can’t go wrong.” In the third meeting this season, No. 9 Valley looked prepared to avenge the losses from the outset. The tenacious Lions (17-8) raced to first-quarter leads of 9-3 and 14-8. The No. 8 Falcons took their only advantage, 16-14, on a Maggie Aubuchon layup early in the second quarter, but Valley’s Carly Gish answered with one of the three 3-pointers she banked in over the next five minutes as the Lions had control at halftime, 34-23. “We really weren’t playing our game in the beginning and we just stepped up in the second half,” said Aubuchon, who scored a team-high 16. “We got a good pep talk and it turns out we wanted it more than we thought we did.” Forest Lake (15-10) opened the half with three straight baskets to cut the deficit to five before Valley rediscovered its shooting touch and resumed the pressure that forced many first-half turnovers. The Lions led by as many as 15 late in the third quarter. “They were really aggressive to the ball and unfortunately the officiating that we typically see calls it really tight, so there was a lot of contact that normally gets called,” Falcons head coach Linda Clough. “They were very physical. In the olden days basketball used to be called a non-contact sport, but definitely it’s not that now. There was a lot of physicality. It caused the ball to change possession a lot more, but you’ve got to play through what’s been called.” Trailing 52-38, the Falcons reduced the deficit to single digits on a pair of Molly Huusfeldt free throws with 4:48 left. Huusfeldt and Laura Ritchart brought the crowd back into it with back-to-back 3-pointers over the next two minutes and Forest Lake continued to chip away. “They’re great fighters,” Clough said. “They’re great battlers. They have huge hearts and it’s not over until it’s over. I’m proud of them for that.” Ritchart buried another trey with 54 seconds left to make it 62-59, but Gish – who led all scorers with 21 – made a free throw with 37.3 remaining. Ritchart was fouled going up to the hoop with 8.3 seconds left and made one free throw to cut the deficit to two, but the Lions played keep-away without getting fouled as time expired. “It all wraps up in determination,” Aubuchon said. “They had more determination than we did and they are strong, even though we’re bigger.” Ritchart finished with 14 points for the Falcons, while Emily English scored 12 and Huusfeldt added 10.
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"Lions begin pursuit of crown" " Valley Christian at home for playoff opener" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune Valley Christian's Ryan Cordell leads his team into the postseason Wednesday night on its home floor There is a sense of uncertainty around the gym at Valley Christian Academy as the Lions prepare for their first postseason game this week. After earning the No. 4 seed among the elite teams in Division V boys basketball, VCA drew a matchup against a team it knows nothing about. “I am hearing from one of my buddies that their guard play is their strongest weapon, but don’t know if they push the ball, press, zone, or man-to-man,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “Unfortunately this might be a game that we adjust on the fly, and that is not what you want as a coach going into a do-or-die playoff situation.” The Lions have dominated almost everything in their site this season, and this one figures to be more of the same, but there is work to do. “With the huge win on Friday night (against Bradshaw Christian) I feel that we are finally ready for the challenge,” Gunter said. “We still have areas that we need to improve on, but Friday night’s win gave helped the mindset of my players. We now know that we cannot just compete with the top teams but we can actually beat them. Three wins would take us to Arco and a showdown with either Ripon Christian or Bradshaw. I would love to take my chances at either squad on a big floor.” Valley Christian scores more than 76 points per night, with a number of players getting involved in the scoring. Senior Ryan Cordell scores 21 points per game to lead the way, while senior Rob Frank (10.5) and sophomore Jason Gish (11) also average double figures. Point guard Stanley Winters scores nearly eight points and dishes out more than six assists per contest. Jesse Peters and Orest Shaynyuk each pull down more than eight rebounds a game. This is a deep team that loves to pressure the ball and run the floor. Big Valley will be looking to slow the game down. The Big Valley Lions score just 51 per game and do a lot of their scoring from beyond the 3-point arc. Big Valley Christian’s three leading scorers – 5-foot-10 senior guards Corey Wells and Taylor Aderholt and 6-3 senior forward Caleb Theodore – all take as many shots from three-point range as they do from closer range. For now, Gunter and his squad will take it one game at a time. A win against Big Valley sets up a likely duel with Sacramento Waldorf, a team that VCA knows well. The Lions would host that game on Friday night, looking to reach the section semifinals next Tuesday in Galt. That matchup might bring on top-seeded Victory Christian, a team that handed Valley Christian two of its losses this year. “I am excited to see how my players will react in each of the matchups, but do not want them to look ahead of any game,” Gunter said. “At this point of the season, just like all year, it is a one game at a time approach and I think my players are starting to get it.” Wednesday's game tips at 7 p.m. in the gym at Valley Christian.
__________________________________________________ "Playoff atmosphere to arrive early at VCA Lions to face Bradshaw Christian for league title Friday night" Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 2/16/2010
Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune Ryan Cordell (5) leads his Valley Christian team into a huge game Friday night against Bradshaw Christian.
When the team on top of your league is also the team that won the section title a year ago, the battle for the league title can seem like a huge step.
At Valley Christian Academy, there has been a mental block associated with attempts to knock off Bradshaw Christian. The Lions only league loss this season came on the road at Bradshaw, and when the two hit the floor at VCA’s senior night Friday, a league title will be the motivation.
“We need to find out if we can ignore the name on the front of their shirts,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “This is a big game for us.”
While he has not disclosed it to his squad, Gunter and his coaching staff have been slowly getting ready for Bradshaw for three weeks now, since the loss to the league leaders earlier this season.
“We have slowly worked on things that we can use in the Bradshaw matchup. Little things defensively and offensively have been put into place the second time through league in preparation for that last game,” Gunter said. “We have not looked past anybody, but as a coaching staff we have done certain things on both sides of the ball that has helped us beat other opponents and hopefully made the key things that we need for Bradshaw second nature for our players. I am excited at the chances on Friday night. We have a chance to get back a win from one of the three teams that we have lost to.”
Despite two wins last week, the Lions dropped a spot in the Division V power ratings that were released Tuesday. Strength of schedule moved Ripon Christian all the way to the No. 2 spot.
The key rankings are the ones that will be released Sunday after the conclusion of the regular season. Those will come with brackets for the postseason tournament.
“A higher seed means opponents in that second-tier category. Falling to the four seed would mean a team like Sac Waldorf or Brookside Christian,” Gunter said. “Those types of teams are scary. They are well coached and have the records to prove it. Those types of teams could easily travel and upset you and nobody would be surprised.”
For now, Valley Christian will focus on trying to win the SMAL title and leave the tournament seeding in someone else’s hands.
“The atmosphere in the gym on Friday night is going to be crazy,” Gunter said. “Everyone from parents, alumni, students and just basketball fans has had this one on the calendar all season.
“On top of everything else it is our senior night, which has a lot of emotions in itself. Once again I think which ever team can control their emotions and treat it like any other game first will win. I am excited. These are the games that the kids tell their grandkids about.” FYI: Feb. 16 power ratings D-V top five: 1 Bradshaw Christian 2 Ripon Christian 3 Victory Christian 4 Valley Christian 5 Sacramento Waldorf
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"Lions put squeeze on Lemons Valley Christian picks up 21st win against state’s leading scorer' Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune
The top high school basketball scorer in the nation was in town Friday night, but his efforts were not nearly enough against a charged up Valley Christian team. The Lions of Roseville’s Valley Christian Academy put themselves in position to play for a league title with a convincing 99-70 win over Robbie Lemons and Sacramento Country Day. Lemons had to work for every one of his 37 points against a swarming VCA defense, but managed to hit his season average on the strength of nailing 19-of-20 free throws. “Robbie is such a great player,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “We wanted to get up in his shirt and make him work hard. Our traps on him were not designed to steal the ball, but to force him to give it up. He is really an unselfish player.” Senior Rob Frank did much of the heavy lifting in the first half as he took the assignment on Lemons. The 6-foot-4 guard was the only Lion starter not to score in double figures, but his nine steals told the story of his dominating performance. “Rob had his best defensive game of the year tonight,” Gunter said. “He and Stanley Winters were difference-makers.” It was Winters who seized control of the game in the first half. His pressure on the ball and in pushing it at the Cavaliers set a tone in the early going. The VCA point guard scored 10 points and added four rebounds, four steals and two assists before intermission. Before foul trouble got him, Jesse Peters was a major force in the paint for Valley Christian with eight first quarter points. Much of his work came as he worked the offensive glass. While leading scorer Ryan Cordell struggled with his shot in the initial stages of the game, his teammates delivered. “We have been working hard to make sure that we are not the Ryan Cordell show,” Gunter said. “He gets out there with Lemons and wants to match points with him. He was able to do that earlier at their place. Tonight, once we convinced him to let his guys do it, his game took off.” Cordell did not score in the initial stanza, but in the second, as VCA exploded its advantage from six points at the quarter break to 54-30 at the half, he dropped in nine points. Sophomore guard Jason Gish scored seven before the break, and Zach Stoever, who also did a ton of work on the offensive window, scored nine with three offensive boards. As Cordell picked up his offensive game, along with Gish, the Lions roared away from Sac Country Day, and when JV call-up Kris Kobzeff scored a lay-up and drew a foul in the closing minute, he had a chance to take his team to the century mark. The charity toss bounced away, leaving the final margin at 29 points. As expected, Lemons filled the stat sheet with 37 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots for the Cavaliers. Richard Walter added 14 points and seven boards for Sac Country Day (7-5 in the SMAL, 16-6 overall). Cordell finished the game with 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead six Lions in double figures. Gish scored 16, while both Winters and Peters tossed in 12. Peters also snagged eight boards. Stoever and Orest Shaynyuk each tallied 10 points for VCA. The Lions (11-1, 21-4) travel to Yuba City to take on Faith Christian (2-9, 5-13) Tuesday night before returning home to close out the season against league-leading Bradshaw Christian (12-0, 19-6) next Friday night. First place in the SMAL and also a possible No. 1 seed in the Division V playoffs should be on the line against a team that VCA has struggled against. “This was a really big win for us,” Gunter said. “We’re not looking past Faith, but this sets up a big one for next Friday night. We’ll have to see if we can ignore the name on the front of their shirts and play our game.”
__________________________________________________ "VCA JV claim league tourney title Young Lions blow out Faith Christian" Staff Report, The Press Tribune - 2/13/2010 Kurt Johnson, Press Tribune file photo VCA's Josh Bowden dominated the first-ever SMAL tournament The first-ever Sacramento Metro Athletic League tournament title is in the hands of Valley Christian Academy. In what Lions' coach Mike Parker hopes will become an annual tradition, VCA hosted and won a postseason tournament that brought in the top four teams in the league regular season standings. The one-day event concluded with the Lions poounding Yuba City's Faith Christian 72-40 in the title tilt. In its first game, Valley Christian started slowly as a number of starters opened the game on the bench for disciplinary reasons. Leading Sacramento Adventist just 26-21 at intermission, the VCA starters erupted with a 20-3 advantage in the third stanza and then rolled to a 52-32 victory. Josh Bowden scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the way, as Wright Hagerty added 10 points and Kris Kobzeff scored eight and handed out five assists. The win by Roseville-based VCA brought on the championship matchup with Faith Christian, a winner over Bradshaw Christian earlier in the day. The Lions trailed 8-2 out of the chute and 15-12 at the end of one quarter, but then they outscored Faith Christian 47-17 in the second and third periods to run away and hide. "We were really struggling early," Parker said. "We were sleepwalking and throwing the ball away, but we scratched back." Valley Christian went to the full court press to speed the game up and it worked for them. "We rarely do that as we don't need it in this league," Parker said. "We drew some things up and went after them. We were able to cause some problems and get some turnovers. That really changed the course of the game and got my guys going." Bowden scored 25 in the nightcap, and eight of his 11 boards game on the offensive glass. Josh Flanagan scored 13 points, while Hagerty added 10 and Kobzeff 11 points. The win ends VCA's season at 19-7.
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"Changing kids' lives through coaching VCA’s Gunter builds successful sports program at small school" by Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 1/27/2010
Kurt Johnson, Press Tribune file photo Valley Christian’s Brad Gunter gathers his team around him during a game last season.
While four schools around town boast high-profile athletic programs in the competitive Sierra Foothill League, there is a fifth school that flies largely under the radar.
When people discuss private school high school sports, they usually talk about powerhouse programs like Jesuit and Christian Brothers, but all over the region are small schools just like Valley Christian Academy. With slightly more than 100 high school students on campus, the Lions have built a strong record of athletic success.
Opened in 1979 as Tabernacle Baptist School, VCA has been about family from the outset. Pastor Brad Gunter, Sr. opened the school when his son, Brad, was in the first grade.
“Dad established sports at VCA so I could play,” said Brad Gunter, Jr., who currently serves as the school’s vice principal and athletic director, while coaching both baseball and boys basketball. “When I returned to VCA after college, dad gave me the green light to build the entire athletic program.”
Gunter played basketball for his father through high school, and his baseball career extended through tours at Sierra College, Liberty University and Sacramento State.
What Gunter has built at Valley Christian now is a program that provides incredible sports opportunity to students at a school with such a small population. The focus is on succeeding on the field of play, but incorporates much more than that.
“Coach Gunter taught all of us that there was a time for humor (most of the time) and there was a time to be serious (game time),” said Warren Rosebrock, who played soccer, basketball and baseball at VCA. “I remember the trips to and from the games to be almost as fun as the game. Whether we were headed to a basketball game in Napa or a baseball game in Marysville he always kept us loose and ready to go.”
“I knew that I wanted to eventually coach early on in my college career,” Gunter said. “VCA gave me the opportunity to shape the programs how I wanted and make the true priorities in life matter more then the outcome of a game. The byproduct has been a lot of wins, but more importantly a lot of alumni that have succeeded as husbands, dads and great men.”
From the early days with 24 high school students and just a boys and girls basketball program, the school has grown to include football, girls volleyball, JV and varsity boys basketball, girls basketball, JV and varsity baseball, softball and co-ed golf.
“The goal has always been to never leave a student with the emptiness of non participation,” Gunter said. “We didn’t want kids to suffer from attending a small school by not offering what other public schools in the area offered. When we had enough that were interested in a sport, I pushed to start the program.”
“Sharing athletes is a huge way of life on this campus. If you have a great football player, you convince the baseball or basketball players to play that sport to help the football player out and vice versa. What we offer for our size of school is a credit to our students, coaches, and parents. It is even mind blowing to me at how much we are able to offer year after year.”
Gunter’s best memories have come outside the lines.
“One of the greatest moments was the first time Daniel Claiborne brought his newly born little girl by the gym to see me,” Gunter said. “Those are the moments that mean the most to me.”
He has also seen his former players persevere through difficult situations and has come to admire them.
“I had an alum (Scott Shannon) that coached our JV baseball team for two seasons,” Gunter said. “He has his wife Rachel were expecting their first child. They were told early on that the child would not survive, but still made the tough choice to go through with the pregnancy.
“I was so proud of Scott and Rachel. Even though this was the toughest situation I had ever seen, they stayed strong and didn’t let it destroy them. They did eventually have a healthy baby girl over a year later. Scott and Rachel are heroes of mine.”
Gunter has used his philosophy of building character first to put some highly successful teams on the court and the diamond. When the Lion baseball team hits the field in the spring, it will do so as the two-time defending section champions.
The varsity boys basketball team is in the middle of a highly successful season as well, as it builds towards a hoped-for long playoff run.
Through it all, Gunter juggles the time commitments of school and coaching with an active family life.
“My family is amazing, especially my wife Megan,” Gunter said. “They understand completely and give me the flexibility to do what is needed to do for the ministry. I make every effort to attend all their functions and games even if that means I have to miss a practice.”
Gunter has even added the coaching of his kid’s teams to his schedule.
“Brad Gunter has an unbelievable heart for kids on and off the court and field,” Claiborne said. “He is great at motivating kids to be the best they can be in sports but more importantly how to be the best they can be in life. His knowledge for sports is absolutely amazing and he is incredibly smart, but his true passion is changing lives.”
Coach's Corner: Brad Gunter Valley Christian Academy Family – Wife Megan (from Cupertino; they met on a blind date) and three kids (Micah, 12, seventh grade; Claudia, nine, fourth grade, Cloe, nine, fourth grade) Favorite sport to coach – “My first love, and people will be shocked to hear this, is basketball. Baseball is what I have the most experience in, but there is nothing like a basketball game to get the juices flowing.” Coaching philosophy – Character first. “Sports are a great tool to use to mentor young minds about life. I feel that you can teach a lot through sports – be on time, take responsibility for actions, work hard, and perseverance.” Mentors – “My dad is without a doubt the biggest influence in my life. He has shown through example that putting others first is more rewarding than anything else. I also had a great JC baseball coach (Steve Eakes – Highlands H.S. Athletic Director), who taught me to do things the right way and still be a competitor doing it.” Favorite quote – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Last book read - Josh Hamilton’s Beyond Belief
__________________________________________________ "VCA attacks, smothers Lemons and Sac Country Day Lions run to top of SMAL standings" by Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 1/18/2010
Small gymnasiums filled with big excitement are often the story when the top teams of the Sacramento Metro Athletic League get together. On Saturday night, that scene played out at Sacramento Country Day High, where the Valley Christian Academy boys basketball team dominated the host team 87-51 in an unexpectedly lopsided contest. “The gymnasium, which seating capacity is smaller than ours, was standing room only,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “In fact, people were standing in the outer hallway to watch the game. It was an amazing atmosphere.” It was billed as a clash of the titans with 14-2 Sac Country Day led by 6-foot-4 senior guard Robbie Lemons welcoming 14-3 VCA. Lemons is the leading scorer in the state, averaging more than 38 points per game, and has been recruited to play at Stanford next season. For the second time this season (the Lions also dominated Forest Lake Christian with UC Davis-bound Josh Ritchart) Valley Christian overwhelmed a heralded player with its team approach. “I know this sounds funny, but we held Lemons to 28 points (10 under his average),” Gunter said. “We had a man on Lemons everywhere he went and when he touched the ball a quick double-team followed. The young man is talented, and not a ball hog as some might perceive. He is one of the greatest team players I have ever seen.” “The best part of our defense was our anticipation out of scramble mode once Lemons passed the ball,” Gunter added. “Even with 4-on-3 situations in the half court, we seemed to contest every shot and take great angles to recover on their misses.” The Lions delivered another high-octane first half in which they tallied 50 points and led 50-24 at the break. Ryan Cordell, guarded all night long by Lemons, outscored the Cavalier star as he poured in 34 points. While Cordell stole the show offensively, it was the team effort on the backboards that really set the tone for Valley Christian. “The big story of the night was controlling the boards,” Gunter said. “Our six big men helped keep Sac Country Day off the glass all night, and limit them to one-and-done situations. We had a team total of 56 rebounds on the evening and I think that is a season high.” Eleven of Serge Lazersku’s 15 rebounds came at the offensive end for VCA, and Jesse Peters grabbed 12 boards. It was the usual running game that worked once again for the Lions, who put up 86 shots in the game. Point guard Stanley Winters dished out seven assists. “We used 14 players on the night and were in constant attack mode,” Gunter said. “Offensively we tried to run. I was hoping to tire their team out on both sides of the floor. Every time they made an adjustment on one of our players, the ball would quickly go to the mismatch on the floor and back to attack mode.” Sophomore Jason Gish had 16 points on the evening and was a huge match-up problem for the Cavaliers’ man-to-man defense. Valley Christian (5-0 in the SMAL, 15-3 overall) hosts Faith Christian of Yuba City Friday night before next week’s SMAL game of the week when the Lions travel to face defending section champion Bradshaw Christian.
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"Valley Christian struggles, still beats long-distance foe" by Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 1/11/2010 Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune VCA forward Jesse Peters A tight contest that pushed his team to its limit to earn a victory was a surprisingly good sight for Valley Christian Academy boys basketball coach Brad Gunter Saturday night. “This was the game that we needed,” Gunter said. “It was a dogfight after the first couple of minutes. We jumped out to a quick 11-2 lead and then the basket seemed to shrink. On the road I understand, but we were at home. We just could not make shots tonight.” The Lions came from behind by outscoring visiting Monte Vista Christian 14-5 in the final stanza to take a 58-54 win in a non-league game. The visitors from the Monterey area had controlled the pace of scoring, particularly in the second period and took a five-point advantage into the final eight minutes. The five-point lead was still intact with less than a minute to go, but Valley Christian took care of business with their pressure defense and at the free throw line to complete their comeback and claim victory. Jesse Peters knocked down two free throws with a little over 30 seconds left in the game that finally gave the Lions the lead as they put VCA up by one point. After a Jason Gish steal and a defensive stop, Gish hit 3-of-4 charity tosses down the stretch to put the game in the win column for the Lions. Ryan Cordell was the only Valley Christian scorer in double figures, but he had to battle for every one of his 25 points. “They did a great job on Cordell all night, but he still got 25 points,” Gunter said. “The problem was, we could not hit from anywhere. Outside of Cordell, we had players with open looks all night long and could not hit the shot. We won ugly tonight, but it might be the exact thing we needed for the future.” The Lions took a ton of shots, but were off the mark most of the night, connecting on just 3-of-32 from beyond the three-point line. The squad needed 84 total shots to get to 58 points. Stanley Winters and Peters each scored eight points for VCA. The Lions host Buckingham Charter in a Sacramento Metro Athletic League game at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night
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"A youthful perspective on city government. City appoints teens to join commissions and boards" By Megan Wood - The Press Tribune - 1/7/2010
There are four new faces at Roseville’s City Hall this year. Jacob Priley, Josephine Kao, Alexander Kludjian and Micky DeFiebre are the newest members of some of the city’s boards and commissions. These youth commissioners join the city board and commission members to provide a younger point of view on the issues that come before the members, said Megan Macpherson, Roseville communications manager. The high school aged youth members were announced in December and begin fulfilling their roles as commissioners this month attending meetings, analyzing agendas and packets and for some, partaking in the decision-making process. Here, The Press Tribune introduces you to the four newest members to walk the halls at 311 Vernon St. Jacob Priley Age: 16 Sophomore at Roseville High School Youth Commissioner for the Parks and Recreation Commission Quote to live by: Carpe Diem Following in the footsteps of his father, Jacob Priley is the newest member of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Priley, who said his family has been involved with the city of Roseville for as long as he can remember said he feels like becoming a youth commissioner is a way for him to carry on the legacy that his father, John Priley, began in the Parks and Recreation department. “Roseville has one of the greatest parks and recreation systems,” Priley said. “I felt I could make a difference on the board.” Priley’s personal goal for the next 12 months is to reach out to his fellow high school-aged peers to seek out their opinions on Roseville’s Parks and Recreation programs and find ways for all residents to feel a sense of ownership of their local parks. Priley is active with student government and acts as sophomore class president and parent club liaison at Roseville High School. Bob Smith, former chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission said that as a voting member Priley would take part in naming new parks and would be a part of various subcommittees like working for the Maidu Interpretive Center. “We were thrilled with Jacob, his involvement with the community, resume and outstanding skills really set him apart,” Smith said. “The feedback from the selection committee was stellar.” Josephine Kao Age: 14 Freshman at Mira Loma High School Youth Commissioner for the Library Board Where you have seen her: Frequent contestant in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, teaching classes at the Martha Riley Library and winner of the 2007 UNICEF greeting card design contest Josephine Kao is no stranger to civil service, especially when it comes to Roseville libraries. For the past several years she has devoted every spare minute to various library projects like the Spelling Club, which she now teaches, Teen Library Council and even raising money to donate to the opening of the Martha Riley Library in 2008. “Working for the Library Commission was my first choice, they’ve been the main thing I’ve been focused on since sixth grade,” Kao said. Her extensive knowledge and experience volunteering for the Roseville libraries made applying that board alone a no-brainer Kao said. Now that Kao will be a full voting member of the Library Board, Kao said she hopes to outreach to her peers who aren’t aware of the services the libraries provide while balancing her own opinions and ideas. “I know that the way I see the libraries and the way my peers view them are completely different,” Kao said. “It’s definitely going to be a balancing act to take the different sides from the board, my peers and then my own opinions.” David Uribe, vice chair of the Library Board said that of the 12 applicants looking to join as youth commissioners, it was Kao’s experience and involvement with the libraries that really stood out to him. Uribe’s goal for Kao is to not only bring a youth perspective, but to also reach out to her peers and educate teens about the facilities. “A lot of my friends only use the library if they have to. They aren’t aware of what else they offer,” Kao said. “But the libraries these days aren’t just for adults anymore.” Alexander Kludjian Age: 17 Junior at Roseville High School Youth Comissioner for the Grants Advisory Commission Future Aspirations: Hopes to run for president in 2032. Alexander Kludjian is getting a head start on his college studies beginning with a crash course in local government. Kludijan joins the Grants Advisory Commission saying he needed a change of scenery after being active in numerous student government groups and clubs. “I wanted to get involved and learn from this experience. I’m used to being around my peers in student government at school,” Kludjian said. “This is a way for me to have a voice and really make a difference.” Kludjian had his heart set on joining the Roseville Grants Advisory Commission because of his interest in the city’s funding process. “I think sometimes teens get lost in the shuffle and being on the board, I want to change the reputation that the youth in our community has placed on them,” Kludjian said. “Even though I’m not a voting member, I think I can make convincing arguments and be a part of discussions to fund projects that are in the interest of teens.” Stanford Hirata, chairman of the Grants Advisory Commission said Kludjian’s enthusiasm and drive to make a contribution to the city was exactly what was needed in a youth commissioner. “We were looking for someone that understood what it means to be involved in the community and showed an ability to make good decisions,” Hirata said. “Alex really fit all of our requirements and then some.” Micky DeFiebre Age: 16 Junior at Valley Christian Academy Hobbies: basketball, football, baseball and working on computers Micky DeFiebre can utilize his recent experience of relying on Roseville’s public transportation system when he begins serving the Transportation Commission this month. For the better part of last year, Roseville’s public transit was DeFiebre’s only mode of transportation from his home in Lincoln to Roseville. “I have a really good understanding of the public transportation system in Roseville from where bus stops are and bus routes,” DeFiebre said. “It also taught me a lot about time management and money, which I think more kids my age need to be learning.” That’s precisely DeFiebre’s goal for the coming year, to encourage more teens his age to learn the public transit system as a way to gain independence and reduce the impact on the environment. “I think that’s the main thing with teens, they want to be more independent and the ‘green’ movement is a big trend,” DeFiebre said. “I think it will just take a little bit of education to get my peers behind using public transit.” Despite having only lived in Roseville for a few months, Robert Lyss of the Transportation Commission said DeFiebre’s extensive knowledge of public transit as well as his interest in urban planning made him the right man for the job. “It was also the intangibles that made him right. He’s very articulated and has an interest in city government,” Lyss said. “We were very lucky to have several qualified applicants but Micky came with the intangibles and a little bit of everything that we were looking for.”
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"Young Lions cruise past Sac Adventist" Staff Report - The Press Tribune - 1/7/2010
During a 27-7 first quarter eruption, it was apparent to Valley Christian Academy boys junior varsity basketball coach Mike Parker that his team had a decided advantage in its Tuesday night encounter with Sacramento Adventist. Beginning in the middle of that opening stanza, the coach began making full use of his 15-player full roster, providing loads of playing time up and down the VCA bench. The Lions coasted to a 68-47 final while giving a lot of minutes to everyone on the roster. Josh Flanagan scored 13 points to lead a balanced scoring attack the featured three other Lions in double figures – Kris Kobzeff and Josh Bowden with 11 each and Clint Heckman with 10 off the VCA bench. Kobzeff also nabbed five steals, while Bowden pulled down eight rebounds. Wright Hagerty grabbed nine boards to lead Valley Christian in that department. The Lions (1-0 in Sacramento Metro Athletic League play) are at Global Youth Charter Friday night. “We have no idea what to expect from Global Youth,” Parker said. “This is the first year they have had a JV program.”
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"Valley Christian runs off Sac Adventist in league opener" Lions score 64 points in first half by Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 1/6/2010
A dominating performance started off the Sacramento Metro League season for the Valley Christian Academy boys basketball team. “In baseball terms, it was as close to a perfect game or no-hitter as you can get in basketball,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “All 14 players played incredibly well.” The Lions scored early and often, delivering a 36-point first quarter on the way to a 96-29 victory over Sacramento Adventist. Only a low-scoring nine-point final quarter kept VCA from reaching triple digits in the game as the Lions put up 64 points before the break. “We controlled every aspect of the game and every loose ball, rebound, and lucky break seemed to go in our advantage,” Gunter said. “We scored within two seconds of the opening tip and the rest of the night went according to plan. Sac Adventist is a solid basketball team and deserving of their record (7-1) coming into the night, but everything went our way. Our starters played less then half the game and we took off the full court pressure in the first quarter, but our bench played just as hard an efficient as the starters. It is a great start to the league season.” Ryan Cordell led four Valley Christian players in double figures with 22 points Tuesday night. Stanley Winters had 14, Rob Frank scored 13 and Jason Gish added 13 as well. The Lions visit Global Youth Charter in a key league game Friday night in Antelope. VCA lost a pair of games to GYC twice a year ago by a total of three points.
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"The best kept secret in town" by Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 12/22/09 I felt like I was in a scene out of the movie Hoosiers. I know I was in Roseville, and not Hickory, but there is a high school gym in this town that reminds me of those that Gene Hackman coached in during that movie. A school with just 101 registered high school students that is establishing a tradition of basketball excellence. I took a trip to the gym at Valley Christian Academy Monday night to watch the Lions take on Forest Lake Christian, with their UC Davis-bound big man Josh Ritchart. The small facility was packed with an enthusiastic crowd for a non-league game played during the holiday break. It was not the first time I have been to a game at VCA, a small private school that competes at a high level in Division V basketball and that has won two straight D-VII baseball titles. Brad Gunter is the athletic director and coaches both the baseball team and the boys basketball team. I was at the Rocklin Holiday Tournament last week as well, and at least on the nights I was there, the crowd was small. That will change when SFL regular season hoops begins in January, but it was nice to discover the best kept secret in town in an electric atmosphere over at Valley Christian. The Lions won the game in a rout. This team can flat out play, and their style of play reminds me why I love basketball – pressure defense, running the floor at high speed and raining 3-pointers. Head over there some night, and I promise you will not be disappointed.
__________________________________________________ "Lions roar early against Forest Lake" "VCA gives Ritchartfits in the paint" by Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune - 12/21/09
Superstar big man Josh Ritchart led his Forest Lake Christian team into hostile environment Monday and got more than he bargained for. With extra chairs brought in to find seats for a capacity crowd that gathered in the cozy gym at VCA, the crowd was into the battle from the outset. “The gym was electric tonight and was a huge motivation for our players,” said Valley Christian coach Brad Gunter. “Alumni, family and friends provided and amazing atmosphere, especially so early in the year. For kids to play in that type of environment is something they will remember the rest of their lives and that is what was so special about it.” The Valley Christian Academy boys basketball team made Forest Lake’s 6-foot-8 Ritchart work for everything he got and the result was an impressive 77-48 VCA win in front of its home crowd. In the process, the Lions got a measure of revenge against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs one year ago. “Overall it was a huge win for our program,” Gunter said. “We knew that a player of Ritchart's caliber needed our full attention and last year we lost in the playoffs because we forgot he was on the floor. This year we did not want that same mistake.” While sophomore guard Jason Gish was scoring eight points in the opening quarter, mostly on the fast break, to get the offense going, the most impressive work was happening on the defensive end. Center Jesse Peters, forward Orest Shaynyuk and at times 6-3 guard Ryan Cordell took turns putting the clamps on Ritchart, who has already committed to play his college ball at UC Davis next season. Zach Stoever and Greg Ellis took turns off the bench at helping on the big man. The Falcon center scored just nine points before intermission, but hit just two field goals. “Defensively we wanted to deny Josh the ball and double whenever he touched it,” Gunter said. “We had planned double teams based on where he caught the ball, but in the first half we went after the steal a little to much instead of the game plan of containment. We also tried to switch defenses each time down the floor, but pressure the guards no matter what look was behind. Our players did a good job overall with the defensive game plan, but Josh still scored 20 on the night. It shows you how good he is.” Point guard Stanley Winters and Peters each grabbed four rebounds in the first eight minutes, and Shaynyuk grabbed three and added a pair of blocked shots as VCA turned rebounds, steals and blocks into transition offense and a 21-11 advantage. “The game plan was tempo,” Gunter said. “We wanted a high paced game that allowed our athletes to run. I knew we would have issues with turnovers, but I felt that if we made it a fast tempo game, that would help us in the fourth. The offensive explosion in the first half was a nice surprise. We try to score 24 each quarter as a goal, but to actually do that was a nice surprise.” The second quarter was even more impressive as the Lions outscored Forest Lake 30-8 to essentially put the contest away. Cordell scored 11 points in the second stanza (16 in the first half) to lead the charge. The second half was mostly a mere formality, as the game got a bit sloppy, but the damage had been done and VCA sealed the victory. Cordell scored 23 points to lead all scorers, while Gish scored 13. Shaynyuk (11 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks) and Peters (nine points, 10 boards, two blocks) both filled up the stat sheet while holding down the interior defense. The Lions are at Woodland Christian next Tuesday.
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Valley Christian Academy's Veronica Hudson was named the MVP of the Sacramento Metro Athletic League, and her coach, Shawnda Bowen was the league’s coach of the year in voting by the league's softball coaches. Other Lions receiving the all-SMAL nod include Katlin Trask, Midori Bounds and Abbie Moore on the first team; Sharon Speegle and Brianna Flood on the second team; while Samantha Shoemake and Carly Gish received honorable mention. |
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Two in a row - Valley Christian wins D7 baseball title Lions battle through adversity for another championship Kurt Johnson, The Press Tribune
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It was clear long before the game started that the run to a repeat section title for the Valley Christian Academy baseball team would not be as smooth as its first ride, one year ago. With its school vandalized Sunday night, and its first baseman in the hospital with a staph infection in his leg, the news was not good as Valley Christian made its way to Tony Zupo Field in Lodi for Monday’s Division VII title game rematch against Brookside Christian. “It seemed that everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong,” said VCA coach Brad Gunter. “We had to fight our way through it and it wasn’t pretty, but its ours now. The gave us the banner and we get to keep it.” Despite pitcher Ryan Cordell battling through one of his rougher outings of the season, the Lions did just enough to knock off Brookside 7-6 to take home the section title flag for the second consecutive season. “I didn’t have my best stuff today,” Cordell said. “I had some nervous moments, but they just pushed me to go harder.” The junior right-hander has been sensational in all of the big games this season, and expectations were high heading into this title tilt. Valley Christian manufactured a run for Cordell in the first inning, as David Risucci reached on an infield single, stole second, advanced on a fly ball out, and then scored on Cordell’s sacrifice fly. A pair of Lion errors and two Knights hits allowed Brookside to take the lead with two in the home half of the inning. The Knights stranded two runners in the stanza, a theme that would hold throughout the contest, as Cordell pitched out of the stretch almost all day long. Brookside innings ended with two aboard five times and with the bases loaded once. “We did not get the best Cordell today,” Gunter said, “but we got Cordell the competitor. We rarely let a pitcher throw 130 pitches, but for the section championship we made an exception today with Ryan.” Gunter nearly lifted his ace more than once, including during the Knights’ seventh-inning rally. Brookside scored two in the final frame to pull within one run. “Coach told me I was pitch-to-pitch,” Cordell said. “I had to get people out and avoid walks to stay out there.” “I was going to take him out that last time,” Gunter said. “He looked at me and said ‘give it to me coach’ and I decided to let him finish it off. VCA used its speed to create a three-run third and unleashed the power to tally three more in the fourth as it scored the runs it would need to hold off Brookside’s run. As he has been all season long, Risucci was in the middle of both outbursts. His infield single and stolen base set the stage in the third as he scored on Cordell’s base hit. Cordell then stole second and scored when his steal of third resulted in an errant throw into left field. The Lions ran on Brookside at every opportunity. “Their issue in stopping us from stealing bases was not so much the catcher as it was their pitchers not holding runners on base,” Gunter said. “We have them scouted from prior years and other times we have seen them play and knew we could run on them.” Doubles by Risucci and Junior Casas were the big blows in the fourth, and then Valley Christian held on as Brookside pecked away at the advantage. Cordell struck out eight in his complete game performance, and despite battling through it all day long, had his biggest pitches when he needed them most. Even the final out of the game did not come without adventure, as a ground ball to Casas at second base took a bit of a rough final hop. The sophomore stuck with it, and took the ball to his bag for the force out the delivered its second straight section title to Valley Christian.
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Click the following links to view the articles:
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| High school baseball note: Valley Christian's win was special - Sacramento Bee - 5/27/09 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Valley Christian looks for repeat in D7 baseball - Roseville Pres Tribune - 5/23/09
Valley Christian to defend section title - Roseville Pres Tribune - 5/19/09
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