The KUSI Prep Pigskin Report sat down with Valley Center senior running back Travis Bernard to have him share his thoughts about his outstanding season.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Videos: Valley Center vs Madison CIF Championship Game
Here are some video highlights from the CIF Division IV championship game between Valley Center and Madison, played at Qualcomm Stadium on Monday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m.
Video by Dan Kidder
Beau Reilly rolls out and hits Shonta Chaloux in the flat for a good gain:
Madison throws it long, but Nico Carrasco is there for the interception for the Jaguars:
Madison runs the option pitch, but Kenny Thomas is there for the tackle:
Stehly Reden gets to the QB on a blitz, and the ball comes loose. It was ruled an incompletion, but the Jaguars thought it was a fumble. What do you think?
Jacob Beason breaks through the line and sacks the Madison QB:
Reilly avoids the rush, scrambles down the sideline, leaps in the air and gets flipped onto his back. He came out for the next play with the wind knocked out of him, but returned two plays later:
Travis Bernard plunges through the line for a one-yard touchdown run in the first half:
With under 30 seconds left in the first half, the Warhawks ran a middle screen that turned into a 71-yard touchdown, and proved to be the game's decisive play:
Thomas puts pressure on the Madison QB to force an incompletion:
Madison connects on a pass across the middle and the WR flips in for the score:
Chaloux makes a catch in the flat and fights for extra yards as the game winds down:
Taylor Oshinski makes the catch on a hook route and fights his way into the endzone for the final VC touchdown of the game:
VC tries an onside kick late in the fourth quarter, but the Warhawks scoop up the loose ball and return it for the game-icing touchdown:
VC head coach Rob Gilster shares his thoughts with the Jags in the locker room after the tough loss:
Video by Dan Kidder
Beau Reilly rolls out and hits Shonta Chaloux in the flat for a good gain:
Madison throws it long, but Nico Carrasco is there for the interception for the Jaguars:
Madison runs the option pitch, but Kenny Thomas is there for the tackle:
Stehly Reden gets to the QB on a blitz, and the ball comes loose. It was ruled an incompletion, but the Jaguars thought it was a fumble. What do you think?
Jacob Beason breaks through the line and sacks the Madison QB:
Reilly avoids the rush, scrambles down the sideline, leaps in the air and gets flipped onto his back. He came out for the next play with the wind knocked out of him, but returned two plays later:
Travis Bernard plunges through the line for a one-yard touchdown run in the first half:
With under 30 seconds left in the first half, the Warhawks ran a middle screen that turned into a 71-yard touchdown, and proved to be the game's decisive play:
Thomas puts pressure on the Madison QB to force an incompletion:
Madison connects on a pass across the middle and the WR flips in for the score:
Chaloux makes a catch in the flat and fights for extra yards as the game winds down:
Taylor Oshinski makes the catch on a hook route and fights his way into the endzone for the final VC touchdown of the game:
VC tries an onside kick late in the fourth quarter, but the Warhawks scoop up the loose ball and return it for the game-icing touchdown:
VC head coach Rob Gilster shares his thoughts with the Jags in the locker room after the tough loss:
Videos: Valley Center vs Santa Fe Christian football
Here are some video highlights from the Jagaurs' big win over Santa Fe Christian in the CIF Division IV semifinals.
Video by Everett Bean
Beau Reilly hits Shonta Chaloux on a post, but the pass is called incomplete. What do you think? Is it a catch?
Reilly hits Jean-Marc Brierre down the seam, and the big tight end rumbles forward for a good gain:
The Eagles run an option pitch, and even though the runner leaps to gain yardage, the Jags stop him short of the first down marker:
Travis Bernard weaves his way to the endzone on a 14-yard touchdown run:
Stehly Reden blitzes the QB, scoops up a fumble and takes off for a 20-yard touchdown return:
Reilly avoids the pressure and finds Chaloux for a nice gain:
Bernard takes the ball outside and slashes in for a 4-yard touchdown run:
Bernard runs left and gets in for an easy 2-yard touchdown:
The Eagles run a QB sweep, but VC cornerback Taylor Oshinski breaks the play up with a big hit:
Video by Everett Bean
Beau Reilly hits Shonta Chaloux on a post, but the pass is called incomplete. What do you think? Is it a catch?
Reilly hits Jean-Marc Brierre down the seam, and the big tight end rumbles forward for a good gain:
The Eagles run an option pitch, and even though the runner leaps to gain yardage, the Jags stop him short of the first down marker:
Travis Bernard weaves his way to the endzone on a 14-yard touchdown run:
Stehly Reden blitzes the QB, scoops up a fumble and takes off for a 20-yard touchdown return:
Reilly avoids the pressure and finds Chaloux for a nice gain:
Bernard takes the ball outside and slashes in for a 4-yard touchdown run:
Bernard runs left and gets in for an easy 2-yard touchdown:
The Eagles run a QB sweep, but VC cornerback Taylor Oshinski breaks the play up with a big hit:
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Photos: Valley Center vs Madison, CIF Division IV championship
The photos from the CIF Division IV championship game between Valley Center and Madison at Qualcomm Stadium can be seen on the Roadrunner's Facebook page here. Photos by Gabriel Santana, who did an amazing job for us this season. Be sure to check them out...
Photos: Valley Center vs Santa Fe Christian
Photos from the football game between the Jaguars and the Santa Fe Christian Eagles can be seen here, on the Roadrunner's Facebook page, mostly because they allow you to upload more than one photo at a time (hint, hint, Blogger).
Photos by Gabriel Santana
Jags' perfect season ends in CIF title game
This was supposed to be Valley Center’s year.
After a disappointing end to the 2009 season, the undefeated Jaguars rolled through the 2010 football season unscathed. The Jags went a perfect 12–0 in the regular season, with big wins over Los Alamitos and La Quinta early in the year and a dominating run through the final five games before the playoffs.
But the Jaguars ran into a perfect storm in the championship game—injuries, illness and an outstanding opponent—that sank the season’s lofty aspirations.
On Monday morning at Qualcomm Stadium, the Jaguars suffered a 40–14 loss to Madison in the CIF Division IV final, in a rematch of the 2008 final in which Valley Center pulled out a 31–20 victory.
In 2008, Madison running back Robbie Rouse was the focal point of the offense. But in 2010, the Warhawks attacked through the air, and quarterback Chase Knox bombed the Jags with 373 yards and three touchdowns in the passing game.
To make matters even more difficult, the Jaguars had seven starters dealing with the flu, including senior running back Travis Bernard, who still managed 129 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, as well as three receptions for 25 yards and a full game playing in the defensive secondary. His season rushing total stands at 2,798 yards, the third-best rushing season in CIF San Diego Section history.
Add to the setbacks a key injury to senior David Last, the Jaguars’ do-everything kicker, defensive back and wide receiver, who sprained his left ankle in Thursday’s game against Santa Fe Christian, and the Jags were definitely not at full strength.
Not that you’d hear those excuses from anyone on the Valley Center sideline.
“Yeah, we’re beat up, but everybody’s beat up this time of year,” head coach Rob Gilster said. “We just had nothing in the tank today. We’ve played great football all year, and when we get down like that, we usually respond. But [Madison] made plays, especially converting those third-and-longs.”
“It was a physical game, and we just didn’t show up,” senior defensive end Kenny Thomas said. “We had no excuse. They’re just a great team.”
Even Bernard wouldn’t let his exhaustion serve as a crutch for the loss.
“It was tough [playing through the sickness], but that’s not an excuse,” he said. “We didn’t play to the best of our ability, and they’re a great team. I wish we had another shot at them.”
The Jaguar sideline tried to stay positive throughout the game, but as Madison made big play after big play, the outpouring emotions began to betray the bitter disappointment the players felt. After the game, players spoke in hushed tones, using words and phrases like “tough,” “heartbreaking,” and “it’s over.” Senior wide receiver/linebacker Shonta Chaloux, who finished with six catches for 54 yards, couldn’t hold back the tears after the Jaguars’ final touchdown with 1:28 left in the game.
“I’m so proud of each and every one of these guys,” said an emotional Beau Reilly, the senior quarterback who threw for 158 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the game. “This is the worst way to end the season with a family like this. Madison came out firing, especially with those third- and fourth-down conversions. Our offense just couldn’t get in rhythm. We fought hard, but they owned us.”
Madison put the pedal to the metal right out of the gate, going 72 yards in five plays to score on a 48-yard touchdown on an option pitch to cap the game’s first drive.
Valley Center gained ground on its first possession, moving 73 yards on 14 plays. But the Jaguars came up short on a fourth-down conversion attempt from the nine-yard line, eschewing a 26-yard field goal attempt by backup kicker Michael McInerny and going with a quarterback draw that picked up only two yards.
Still, with the Warhawks pinned deep in their own territory, the Jaguar defense proved throughout the season that teams in that situation rarely made Valley Center pay. And the Jags did come up with a big play, as cornerback Nico Carrasco picked off a deep pass on third and 16 to give the ball back to the Jaguar offense at the Valley Center 30.
The Jags picked up a quick first down on an 11-yard run by Bernard, but the offense sputtered in the next three plays, and the punting unit came onto the field.
After a shanked punt that netted only eight yards, the Warhawks looked to be in business for another quick score. And Madison nearly did score, despite penalties that led to a third-and-26 and a first-and-19, both of which the Warhawks converted. Only after more penalties and a sack by Jacob Beason forced a third-and-goal from the 27 did Madison try a 44-yard field goal, which sailed wide left.
Riding the wave of momentum from the big stop, the Jaguar offense marched 80 yards down the field in ten plays to tie the score at seven. Reilly converted two first downs through the air; one to John Watkins for 18 yards and another to Taylor Oshinski for 13 yards, then ran for a first down and got flipped upside down, landing square on his back and remaining on the turf. After receiving aid from the training staff, Reilly walked off the field on his own and returned to the game after one play on the sideline.
Bernard scored the Valley Center touchdown on a one-yard plunge with 31 seconds remaining before halftime, giving the Jags a big momentum boost heading into the locker room.
But the Warhawks turned the game on a dime just before the first half ended, scoring a 71-yard touchdown on a screen pass with just six seconds remaining in the second quarter. The Jags looked to have the play contained, but Madison wide receiver Jeremy Hutchison broke to the sideline, cut back to the middle of the field, then weaved his way past the last defenders to break free for the score.
The sudden turn of fortune had the Jaguars reeling in the locker room, but down by only a touchdown, the message from the coaches was simple: pick up the intensity.
But even the Jags, with their reputation as a dominant team in the second half, couldn’t stem the tide of the Madison onslaught. Valley Center went three-and-out on the opening drive of the second half, setting up the Warhawks in excellent field position after another short punt.
Madison drove 47 yards in seven plays to score another touchdown on an 18-yard pass, giving the Warhawks a 21–7 lead with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.
The Jaguars were still very much in the game, however, but needed to respond to the building momentum on the Madison sideline.
Instead, the Warhawk defense came up with a series of big plays, sacking Reilly on first down, forcing Reilly to fumble—recovered by Bernard—on second down, then intercepting Reilly’s third down pass at the Valley Center 40.
Madison picked up 39 yards on first down with a pass down the right sideline, then the Warhawks utilized their “wildcat” offense to snap the ball directly to the running back, who plunged in for a one-yard score. Stehly Reden blocked the extra point for the Jags, but the Warhawks held a 20-point lead with 6:42 left in the third quarter.
Valley Center went into a hurry-up offense on the ensuing drive, but after two quick first downs, the Warhawks got another sack and forced a punt.
The Jags pinned Madison back at its own 22, but gave up a first down on another wildcat run on the drive’s first play. But the Jaguars held on the next three plays and got the ball back on a punt that Bernard returned to his own 35.
Bernard left the game for parts of the ensuing drive, reportedly sustaining a head injury, and was spelled by Garrett Fiehler at running back. The Jags picked up five first downs on the drive, but still came up empty on a fourth-down run from the two yard line that lost a yard.
The Jaguars still had a chance for a comeback with Madison pinned deep in its own territory early in the fourth quarter. But the Warhawks embarked on a drive that crushed Valley Center’s hopes, covering 97 yards in 11 plays and running off most of the clock in the final period. When Madison finally did score, on a 47-pass to a wide open receiver running down the seam, only 2:48 remained in the game. The Jags blocked another extra point, this time by Brandon Van Lancker, giving Madison a 33–7 lead.
The Jaguars finally got another score on the board on their next possession, as they drove 61 yards in five plays to score on a 12-yard hook pass to Oshinski, who fought his way into the endzone for the score.
The Jags trailed by 19 with 1:28 left in the game, so they went for the onside kick to keep hope alive.
Those scant hopes were obliterated as the Jaguars watched Madison return the kick down the sideline for the game’s final touchdown.
“They kept making big plays,” Last said of the Warhawks, who converted third downs of eight, 11, 16, 20, 22 and 27 yards in the game. “Those third-and-longs killed us. We just couldn’t get any momentum.”
To get to the final, the Jaguars survived an early deficit to come back and beat Santa Fe Christian, 30–10 on Thursday night in Valley Center.
The Eagles scored ten quick points near the end of the first half using a little deception. After kicking a 31-yard field goal, Santa Fe Christian surprised the Jags with an onside kick, then drove 45 yards in six plays to score a touchdown with just over two minutes left before halftime.
But the Jags answered with a seven-play, 64-yard touchdown drive, capped by a one-yard quarterback sneak by Reilly with 33 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Jaguars came out of the locker room pumped up and proceeded to dominate the second half. The teams traded punts on the first two possessions, then Valley Center scored on its next four possessions to put the game away.
Bernard scored three touchdowns in the half, on runs of 14, four and two, to carry the load for the Jags in the comeback.
But the big play that swung momentum Valley Center’s way came on a 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Reden midway through the third quarter.
“I told Kenny [Thomas] if we keep running that blitz and keep hitting [the quarterback], the ball is going to come loose,” Reden said of the play. “When I turned the corner, the ball bounced right to me, and I just didn’t want to let anybody catch me.”
Bernard, who was battling a 101-degree fever along with the Eagle defense, racked up 248 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. Reilly completed six passes for 102 yards with an interception, and added ten carries for 40 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jean-Marc Brierre hauled in three catches for 55 yards, while Watkins had one catch for 24 yards, Oshinski had one catch for 13 yards and Chaloux had one reception for ten yards.
After a disappointing end to the 2009 season, the undefeated Jaguars rolled through the 2010 football season unscathed. The Jags went a perfect 12–0 in the regular season, with big wins over Los Alamitos and La Quinta early in the year and a dominating run through the final five games before the playoffs.
But the Jaguars ran into a perfect storm in the championship game—injuries, illness and an outstanding opponent—that sank the season’s lofty aspirations.
On Monday morning at Qualcomm Stadium, the Jaguars suffered a 40–14 loss to Madison in the CIF Division IV final, in a rematch of the 2008 final in which Valley Center pulled out a 31–20 victory.
In 2008, Madison running back Robbie Rouse was the focal point of the offense. But in 2010, the Warhawks attacked through the air, and quarterback Chase Knox bombed the Jags with 373 yards and three touchdowns in the passing game.
To make matters even more difficult, the Jaguars had seven starters dealing with the flu, including senior running back Travis Bernard, who still managed 129 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, as well as three receptions for 25 yards and a full game playing in the defensive secondary. His season rushing total stands at 2,798 yards, the third-best rushing season in CIF San Diego Section history.
Add to the setbacks a key injury to senior David Last, the Jaguars’ do-everything kicker, defensive back and wide receiver, who sprained his left ankle in Thursday’s game against Santa Fe Christian, and the Jags were definitely not at full strength.
Not that you’d hear those excuses from anyone on the Valley Center sideline.
“Yeah, we’re beat up, but everybody’s beat up this time of year,” head coach Rob Gilster said. “We just had nothing in the tank today. We’ve played great football all year, and when we get down like that, we usually respond. But [Madison] made plays, especially converting those third-and-longs.”
“It was a physical game, and we just didn’t show up,” senior defensive end Kenny Thomas said. “We had no excuse. They’re just a great team.”
Even Bernard wouldn’t let his exhaustion serve as a crutch for the loss.
“It was tough [playing through the sickness], but that’s not an excuse,” he said. “We didn’t play to the best of our ability, and they’re a great team. I wish we had another shot at them.”
The Jaguar sideline tried to stay positive throughout the game, but as Madison made big play after big play, the outpouring emotions began to betray the bitter disappointment the players felt. After the game, players spoke in hushed tones, using words and phrases like “tough,” “heartbreaking,” and “it’s over.” Senior wide receiver/linebacker Shonta Chaloux, who finished with six catches for 54 yards, couldn’t hold back the tears after the Jaguars’ final touchdown with 1:28 left in the game.
“I’m so proud of each and every one of these guys,” said an emotional Beau Reilly, the senior quarterback who threw for 158 yards, a touchdown and an interception in the game. “This is the worst way to end the season with a family like this. Madison came out firing, especially with those third- and fourth-down conversions. Our offense just couldn’t get in rhythm. We fought hard, but they owned us.”
Madison put the pedal to the metal right out of the gate, going 72 yards in five plays to score on a 48-yard touchdown on an option pitch to cap the game’s first drive.
Valley Center gained ground on its first possession, moving 73 yards on 14 plays. But the Jaguars came up short on a fourth-down conversion attempt from the nine-yard line, eschewing a 26-yard field goal attempt by backup kicker Michael McInerny and going with a quarterback draw that picked up only two yards.
Still, with the Warhawks pinned deep in their own territory, the Jaguar defense proved throughout the season that teams in that situation rarely made Valley Center pay. And the Jags did come up with a big play, as cornerback Nico Carrasco picked off a deep pass on third and 16 to give the ball back to the Jaguar offense at the Valley Center 30.
The Jags picked up a quick first down on an 11-yard run by Bernard, but the offense sputtered in the next three plays, and the punting unit came onto the field.
After a shanked punt that netted only eight yards, the Warhawks looked to be in business for another quick score. And Madison nearly did score, despite penalties that led to a third-and-26 and a first-and-19, both of which the Warhawks converted. Only after more penalties and a sack by Jacob Beason forced a third-and-goal from the 27 did Madison try a 44-yard field goal, which sailed wide left.
Riding the wave of momentum from the big stop, the Jaguar offense marched 80 yards down the field in ten plays to tie the score at seven. Reilly converted two first downs through the air; one to John Watkins for 18 yards and another to Taylor Oshinski for 13 yards, then ran for a first down and got flipped upside down, landing square on his back and remaining on the turf. After receiving aid from the training staff, Reilly walked off the field on his own and returned to the game after one play on the sideline.
Bernard scored the Valley Center touchdown on a one-yard plunge with 31 seconds remaining before halftime, giving the Jags a big momentum boost heading into the locker room.
But the Warhawks turned the game on a dime just before the first half ended, scoring a 71-yard touchdown on a screen pass with just six seconds remaining in the second quarter. The Jags looked to have the play contained, but Madison wide receiver Jeremy Hutchison broke to the sideline, cut back to the middle of the field, then weaved his way past the last defenders to break free for the score.
The sudden turn of fortune had the Jaguars reeling in the locker room, but down by only a touchdown, the message from the coaches was simple: pick up the intensity.
But even the Jags, with their reputation as a dominant team in the second half, couldn’t stem the tide of the Madison onslaught. Valley Center went three-and-out on the opening drive of the second half, setting up the Warhawks in excellent field position after another short punt.
Madison drove 47 yards in seven plays to score another touchdown on an 18-yard pass, giving the Warhawks a 21–7 lead with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.
The Jaguars were still very much in the game, however, but needed to respond to the building momentum on the Madison sideline.
Instead, the Warhawk defense came up with a series of big plays, sacking Reilly on first down, forcing Reilly to fumble—recovered by Bernard—on second down, then intercepting Reilly’s third down pass at the Valley Center 40.
Madison picked up 39 yards on first down with a pass down the right sideline, then the Warhawks utilized their “wildcat” offense to snap the ball directly to the running back, who plunged in for a one-yard score. Stehly Reden blocked the extra point for the Jags, but the Warhawks held a 20-point lead with 6:42 left in the third quarter.
Valley Center went into a hurry-up offense on the ensuing drive, but after two quick first downs, the Warhawks got another sack and forced a punt.
The Jags pinned Madison back at its own 22, but gave up a first down on another wildcat run on the drive’s first play. But the Jaguars held on the next three plays and got the ball back on a punt that Bernard returned to his own 35.
Bernard left the game for parts of the ensuing drive, reportedly sustaining a head injury, and was spelled by Garrett Fiehler at running back. The Jags picked up five first downs on the drive, but still came up empty on a fourth-down run from the two yard line that lost a yard.
The Jaguars still had a chance for a comeback with Madison pinned deep in its own territory early in the fourth quarter. But the Warhawks embarked on a drive that crushed Valley Center’s hopes, covering 97 yards in 11 plays and running off most of the clock in the final period. When Madison finally did score, on a 47-pass to a wide open receiver running down the seam, only 2:48 remained in the game. The Jags blocked another extra point, this time by Brandon Van Lancker, giving Madison a 33–7 lead.
The Jaguars finally got another score on the board on their next possession, as they drove 61 yards in five plays to score on a 12-yard hook pass to Oshinski, who fought his way into the endzone for the score.
The Jags trailed by 19 with 1:28 left in the game, so they went for the onside kick to keep hope alive.
Those scant hopes were obliterated as the Jaguars watched Madison return the kick down the sideline for the game’s final touchdown.
“They kept making big plays,” Last said of the Warhawks, who converted third downs of eight, 11, 16, 20, 22 and 27 yards in the game. “Those third-and-longs killed us. We just couldn’t get any momentum.”
To get to the final, the Jaguars survived an early deficit to come back and beat Santa Fe Christian, 30–10 on Thursday night in Valley Center.
The Eagles scored ten quick points near the end of the first half using a little deception. After kicking a 31-yard field goal, Santa Fe Christian surprised the Jags with an onside kick, then drove 45 yards in six plays to score a touchdown with just over two minutes left before halftime.
But the Jags answered with a seven-play, 64-yard touchdown drive, capped by a one-yard quarterback sneak by Reilly with 33 seconds left in the second quarter.
The Jaguars came out of the locker room pumped up and proceeded to dominate the second half. The teams traded punts on the first two possessions, then Valley Center scored on its next four possessions to put the game away.
Bernard scored three touchdowns in the half, on runs of 14, four and two, to carry the load for the Jags in the comeback.
But the big play that swung momentum Valley Center’s way came on a 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Reden midway through the third quarter.
“I told Kenny [Thomas] if we keep running that blitz and keep hitting [the quarterback], the ball is going to come loose,” Reden said of the play. “When I turned the corner, the ball bounced right to me, and I just didn’t want to let anybody catch me.”
Bernard, who was battling a 101-degree fever along with the Eagle defense, racked up 248 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. Reilly completed six passes for 102 yards with an interception, and added ten carries for 40 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jean-Marc Brierre hauled in three catches for 55 yards, while Watkins had one catch for 24 yards, Oshinski had one catch for 13 yards and Chaloux had one reception for ten yards.
Debi McSwain combines love of horses with love of art
Horses are a lot of things to a lot of people.From the chargers of the cavalry to the companion of the cowboy, horses and humans have found unique and lasting bonds in so many different ways.
For Debi McSwain of Valley Center, horses aren’t just her friends.
They’re works of art.
Though she majored in fine arts for film and television and minored in French at Chapman University, McSwain says that studying abroad at the Academie Du Port Royale in Paris changed her life.
“I was studying in the Sorbonne, and they offered an art class up in this little attic,” she says. “The bathroom was just a hole in the floor and the teachers spoke only French. It was near the cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried. But I thought, ‘This is great!’”
Since then, McSwain has combined her love of horses with her passion for art, painting a series of equestrian-themed pieces.
“I started riding at age ten, then got out of it as a teenager, but got back into it in my early twenties,” she says. “A few years ago, I started following this program where you do a painting a day and post it online. I use my four horses for a series called ‘Four’ that I’d really like to continue. I was doing that for about two years while I was taking care of my husband’s grandfather, but we’ve been so busy for the past year or so that I haven’t kept up with it. But I really want to keep going with that.”
The four horses McSwain paints are characters in their own right, and have their own artistic undertones. Cody, the oldest at age 17, is a Paint, though he looks all white from a distance. He shares a corral with Georgia (named after Georgia O’Keeffe, the modern American artist), a 12-year-old mare. The younger horses are seven-year-old Vinnie (named after Vincent Van Gogh) and Fiérte, a six-year-old Hanovarian and son of Georgia. Both Cody and Vinnie are great-grandsires of Secretariat, the thoroughbred who won became the first American triple crown winner and is featured in a new feature film.
McSwain shows Fiérte in dressage competitions, but says that Vinnie is “still trying to figure out what he wants to do.” She adds that she broke them both when they were young, but admits that breaking a horse is probably not something she wants to continue doing.
McSwain and her husband, Dan, both enjoy the outdoors, especially with their home right on the edge of Hellhole Canyon Preserve. Debi says that the family is thinking about starting an after-school program for kids in the area.
“I would love to teach kids about horsemanship and art,” she says. “And my husband loves nature. He could take the kids out on nature walks around here. Our daughter [Brittany] is coming back down [from Ukiah, in Northern California] and she could teach them yoga. It would be a really fun way to share what we know and what we love with the kids in our area.”
In the meantime, McSwain and a group of her friends enjoy riding horses on the trails around Hellhole Canyon and camping in different areas across Southern California and beyond.
“The older horses are great trail horses,” she says. “My girlfriend and I will go out riding for two hours at a time. We see coyote, quail, we even saw a bobcat up here the other day. And we’ll go camping on the weekends in Cuyamaca or up in Casper Park in Orange County.”
As for her art, McSwain says that she’s eager to begin some new projects.
“We’ve been rehabbing this house for over a year, and now that we’re moved in, I’d like to get back into more painting,” she says. “I want to do some really big paintings, like life-size. And I’m going to keep on painting my horses. That’s what I love.”
See the full gallery of photos on the Roadrunner Facebook page and visit McSwain's Web site at www.debimcswain.com to see more of her pieces.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Vote for Travis Bernard!
Valley Center senior running back Travis Bernard is a finalist for the KUSI Prep Pigskin Report's Silver Pigskin Award.
Visit the PPR website to cast your vote before the polls close on Friday!
Visit the PPR website to cast your vote before the polls close on Friday!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Videos: Valley Center vs Mission Bay football playoffs
Here are some video highlights from the Jaguars' dominant win over Mission Bay last week.
video by Dan Kidder
Beau Reilly hits Jean-Marc Brierre for a good gain early in the game:
Reilly sneaks in from one yard out for the game's first touchdown:
Reilly connects with David Last down the middle of the field for a good gain:
Travis Bernard takes the ball outside for a long touchdown run:
Reilly escapes the pressure and shovels the ball to Bernard for a big gain:
Bernard runs up the middle and plows in for the score:
Bernard shows off his quick feet with a good cutback run down to the one yard line:
Reilly rolls left and finds Shonta Chaloux for a three-yard touchdown pass:
Taylor Oshinski catches the ball on a screen pass and turns it into a nice gain:
Bernard gets into the endzone again:
Mission Bay runs the option pitch, but fumbles the ball. The offense recovers, but the play is whistled dead because the offense cannot advance the ball on a fumble recovery:
Stehly Reden and Kenny Thomas run down the Mission Bay QB for the sack:
Thomas gets in on offense for the first time this season, and gets a good gain on this run. On the play, defender No. 9 gets a knee to the head making the tackle and had to be helped off the field with an apparent concussion:
Chaloux breaks through the line and gets the sack on a third down late in the game:
video by Dan Kidder
Beau Reilly hits Jean-Marc Brierre for a good gain early in the game:
Reilly sneaks in from one yard out for the game's first touchdown:
Reilly connects with David Last down the middle of the field for a good gain:
Travis Bernard takes the ball outside for a long touchdown run:
Reilly escapes the pressure and shovels the ball to Bernard for a big gain:
Bernard runs up the middle and plows in for the score:
Bernard shows off his quick feet with a good cutback run down to the one yard line:
Reilly rolls left and finds Shonta Chaloux for a three-yard touchdown pass:
Taylor Oshinski catches the ball on a screen pass and turns it into a nice gain:
Bernard gets into the endzone again:
Mission Bay runs the option pitch, but fumbles the ball. The offense recovers, but the play is whistled dead because the offense cannot advance the ball on a fumble recovery:
Stehly Reden and Kenny Thomas run down the Mission Bay QB for the sack:
Thomas gets in on offense for the first time this season, and gets a good gain on this run. On the play, defender No. 9 gets a knee to the head making the tackle and had to be helped off the field with an apparent concussion:
Chaloux breaks through the line and gets the sack on a third down late in the game:
Photos: Valley Center vs Mission Bay football
Here are some photos from Valley Center's big win over Mission Bay last Friday:
photos by Gabriel Santana
The teams shake hands after the coin toss:
Jean-Marc Brierre gets upended after making a catch:
Tomas Wheeler goes to block:
Beau Reilly dives for the goal line...
...and scores the game's first touchdown:
Kenny Thomas (57) and Martin Cunningham (52) have led the defense all season:
David Last goes up for the catch early in the game:
Travis Bernard breaks a run to the outside:
The Jaguar defense didn't allow much room to run:
Bernard breaks into the clear...
...and cuts to the sideline:
Bernard plows into the endzone a few plays later:
Dylan Smith (28) drops the Mission Bay runner:
Bernard escapes a tackle...
...and gets wrestled down along the sideline:
Shonta Chaloux dives for the ball on a pass from Reilly...
...and makes the catch for a three-yard touchdown:
Smith and Stehly Reden (66) drag the runner down:
Taylor Oshinski heads upfield after making the catch:
Bernard follows Luis Rios (56) to the goal line:
Bernard eludes a tackle at the line of scrimmage...
...and turns on the after-burners in the open field:
Bernard scores another touchdown:
Reden gets a big sack on the Buccaneers' quarterback:
Chaloux drills the QB as he lets go of the pass:
Chaloux gets to the QB again to force a hurried throw:
Thomas, Reden and Zach Blanco (91) run down the QB...
...and Reden drags him down for the sack:
Thomas (wearing the No. 88 jersey on offense) gets his first carry of the season as a running back:
Bernard turns the corner again:
Chaloux gets a big sack on third down:
Garrett Fiehler breaks into the clear in the fourth quarter:
Last kicks a long field goal near the end of the game:
The Jaguars get some face time on the Prep Pigskin Report:
photos by Gabriel Santana
The teams shake hands after the coin toss:
Jean-Marc Brierre gets upended after making a catch:
Tomas Wheeler goes to block:
Beau Reilly dives for the goal line...
...and scores the game's first touchdown:
Kenny Thomas (57) and Martin Cunningham (52) have led the defense all season:
David Last goes up for the catch early in the game:
Travis Bernard breaks a run to the outside:
The Jaguar defense didn't allow much room to run:
Bernard breaks into the clear...
...and cuts to the sideline:
Bernard plows into the endzone a few plays later:
Dylan Smith (28) drops the Mission Bay runner:
Bernard escapes a tackle...
...and gets wrestled down along the sideline:
Shonta Chaloux dives for the ball on a pass from Reilly...
...and makes the catch for a three-yard touchdown:
Smith and Stehly Reden (66) drag the runner down:
Taylor Oshinski heads upfield after making the catch:
Bernard follows Luis Rios (56) to the goal line:
Bernard eludes a tackle at the line of scrimmage...
...and turns on the after-burners in the open field:
Bernard scores another touchdown:
Reden gets a big sack on the Buccaneers' quarterback:
Chaloux drills the QB as he lets go of the pass:
Chaloux gets to the QB again to force a hurried throw:
Thomas, Reden and Zach Blanco (91) run down the QB...
...and Reden drags him down for the sack:
Thomas (wearing the No. 88 jersey on offense) gets his first carry of the season as a running back:
Bernard turns the corner again:
Chaloux gets a big sack on third down:
Garrett Fiehler breaks into the clear in the fourth quarter:
Last kicks a long field goal near the end of the game:
The Jaguars get some face time on the Prep Pigskin Report:
Jaguars trounce Mission Bay to move one step closer to CIF Division IV title
They say that revenge is a dish best served cold, and on a chilly Friday night, the Valley Center varsity football team dished out a heaping helping of retribution with an authoritative 52–0 win over Mission Bay in the second round of the CIF Division IV playoffs.
“After they beat us last year [in the Division IV championship game], we were pumped up to come out and get revenge,” senior running back Travis Bernard said. “We got our payback.”
Bernard carried the ball 25 times for 282 yards and five touchdowns, pushing his season yardage total to 2,335 yards, placing him 13th on the CIF San Diego Section all-time record list for rushing yards in a season. The current record of 2,974 was set by Dillon Baxter of Mission Bay in 2009, a season that culminated in a 384-yard rushing performance in a 48–17 win over Valley Center in last year’s CIF Division IV title game.
This year, Bernard and the Jaguars had no trouble moving the ball down the field in building a 28-point lead at halftime. Quarterback Beau Reilly had the passing game firing on all cylinders, as he completed eight of 11 passes for 140 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, only his third pick of the year and his first since Sept. 24 against Los Alamitos. The Jags spread the ball around in the passing game, as Reilly completed a pass to five different receivers. Taylor Oshinski hauled in four passes for 46 yards, while Bernard had one reception for 36 yards, David Last had one catch for 31 yards, Jean-Marc Brierre had one catch for 24 yards and Shonta Chaloux hauled in a three-yard touchdown reception.
Not only did the Jaguar offense have its way with the visiting Buccaneers, the Valley Center defense posted its third consecutive shutout, the unit’s fifth blanking of the season. The Jags got to the Mission Bay quarterback for five sacks in the game, took the ball away three times—once on a fumble and twice on downs—and held the Bucs to just 52 yards passing.
“We play as a team. We always play together,” said senior defensive end Kenny Thomas of the defensive success this season. “We’re always well-coached, and every game we know exactly what to expect.”
Mission Bay started off the game with a pair of first downs on the opening drive, but the Jags stepped up on defense and took the ball away when Thomas recovered a fumble at the Mission Bay 38.
From there, the Jaguars drove 62 yards in 11 plays to open the scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Reilly. The drive included a key fourth-down conversion, on which Reilly picked up more than the necessary two yards with a quarterback draw to keep the drive alive.
The Buccaneers went three-and-out on their next series and the Jags took over at their own 39.
This time, Valley Center needed only three plays to score another touchdown. Reilly connected with Last for 31 yards on first down, then Bernard picked up a short gain on the second play before breaking free on a 28-yard touchdown run with just over three minutes left in the first quarter.
Thomas helped force another three-and-out by the Bucs with a big stop on third down, and the Jags took over after the punt was downed at the Valley Center 28.
Six plays later, the Jaguars had another touchdown, this time on a six-yard run by Bernard. The drive started with a holding penalty on Valley Center, but the Jags bounced right back on the ensuing play. Under pressure, Reilly managed to shovel the ball to Bernard for a 36-yard gain and a first down after the Jags faced first-and-20. After the score, the Jaguars led by 21 with less than a minute gone in the second quarter.
The Jags came up with a sack on the ensuing Mission Bay drive and forced another three-and-out, this time taking over at the Bucs’ 41.
Valley Center’s only mistake of the game came on the next play, as Reilly threw a deep ball for Last, but had it intercepted at the five yard line.
The Bucs could only pick up a single yard on the drive, however, and the Jags took over at midfield after the punt.
The Jaguars needed only five plays to score, this time getting a touchdown on a three-yard out pass from Reilly to Chaloux with just under seven minutes left in the second quarter. Bernard had two big runs on the drive, picking up 22 yards on the first play and gaining 25 more three plays later to set up the score.
Mission Bay embarked on its first lengthy drive of the game on the ensuing possession, as the Buccaneers picked up four first downs and drove 63 yards down to the Valley Center 17. But the Jaguars held on a fourth-down run and ran out the clock on the first half.
Valley Center received the second half kickoff, a failed onside attempt by the Buccaneers, at the Jags’ 43. From there, the Jaguars ran six plays to cover the 57 yards and scored on a six-yard run by Bernard with 8:39 left in the third quarter. Bernard carried the ball on four of the six plays, while the other two were completions to Oshinski, as the Jags efficiently moved the ball down the field.
Mission Bay responded with another long drive, as the Bucs ran 11 plays and covered 68 yards. But the Jaguars clamped down on defense once again and held on a fourth down conversion attempt to give the ball back to the offense on the Valley Center 12 yard line.
It only took four plays for the Jags to cover the length of the field, as Bernard escaped and weaved his way to a 70-yard gain on the second play of the drive, then punched it in on a 14-yard touchdown run two plays later.
The Buccaneers picked up a first down on the ensuing drive, despite a big sack by Stehly Reden, but the Jaguars held on the next three plays and forced another punt.
Reaching the end of the third quarter, the Jaguars brought Thomas in on offense to carry the ball.
“I was a little nervous,” he confessed with a smile after the game. “That was my first time running the ball in a game. But my brother came down today from San Francisco to visit, so I was excited to get out there and play.”
The bruising runner picked up 23 yards on three carries, including an 11-yard scamper to the outside on his second carry. Bernard came back in on the sixth play of the drive, and promptly escaped untouched for a 38-yard touchdown with just under ten minutes left in the game.
Mission Bay picked up another first down on its next drive, but a sack by Chaloux on third down forced another punt.
The Jags took over on their own 20, and with Garrett Fiehler in at running back, took the ball to the Mission Bay 30 before the drive stalled. Last came on to attempt a 49-yard field goal that fell short, but a penalty on the Bucs for running into the kicker gave the Jags another chance. Last connected with plenty of room to spare on a 44-yard field goal to close out the scoring.
The Jaguars held on another fourth down conversion attempt as the Buccaneers mounted a last-ditch scoring attempt, and Valley Center ran out the clock for the win.
“We played a physical game, and that’s the way we’ve got to play if we want to keep playing,” head coach Rob Gilster said. “We executed well, and [Bernard] is a hard runner. Our offensive line, especially [Brierre] at tight end, they did a great job staying disciplined with their blocks. That’s the beautiful thing about our offense; when it all works, Travis is going to get a lot of yards.
“And we played very good defense as well,” he added. “[Thomas, Chaloux and Last] all played hard tonight. When you play defense like that, it’s a lot of fun to be a coach.”
The big win moves the Jaguars into the semifinal round, where they will play Santa Fe Christian in Valley Center on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the championship game at Qualcomm Stadium the following Monday morning, Dec. 6, at 10 a.m.
“After they beat us last year [in the Division IV championship game], we were pumped up to come out and get revenge,” senior running back Travis Bernard said. “We got our payback.”
Bernard carried the ball 25 times for 282 yards and five touchdowns, pushing his season yardage total to 2,335 yards, placing him 13th on the CIF San Diego Section all-time record list for rushing yards in a season. The current record of 2,974 was set by Dillon Baxter of Mission Bay in 2009, a season that culminated in a 384-yard rushing performance in a 48–17 win over Valley Center in last year’s CIF Division IV title game.
This year, Bernard and the Jaguars had no trouble moving the ball down the field in building a 28-point lead at halftime. Quarterback Beau Reilly had the passing game firing on all cylinders, as he completed eight of 11 passes for 140 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, only his third pick of the year and his first since Sept. 24 against Los Alamitos. The Jags spread the ball around in the passing game, as Reilly completed a pass to five different receivers. Taylor Oshinski hauled in four passes for 46 yards, while Bernard had one reception for 36 yards, David Last had one catch for 31 yards, Jean-Marc Brierre had one catch for 24 yards and Shonta Chaloux hauled in a three-yard touchdown reception.
Not only did the Jaguar offense have its way with the visiting Buccaneers, the Valley Center defense posted its third consecutive shutout, the unit’s fifth blanking of the season. The Jags got to the Mission Bay quarterback for five sacks in the game, took the ball away three times—once on a fumble and twice on downs—and held the Bucs to just 52 yards passing.
“We play as a team. We always play together,” said senior defensive end Kenny Thomas of the defensive success this season. “We’re always well-coached, and every game we know exactly what to expect.”
Mission Bay started off the game with a pair of first downs on the opening drive, but the Jags stepped up on defense and took the ball away when Thomas recovered a fumble at the Mission Bay 38.
From there, the Jaguars drove 62 yards in 11 plays to open the scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Reilly. The drive included a key fourth-down conversion, on which Reilly picked up more than the necessary two yards with a quarterback draw to keep the drive alive.
The Buccaneers went three-and-out on their next series and the Jags took over at their own 39.
This time, Valley Center needed only three plays to score another touchdown. Reilly connected with Last for 31 yards on first down, then Bernard picked up a short gain on the second play before breaking free on a 28-yard touchdown run with just over three minutes left in the first quarter.
Thomas helped force another three-and-out by the Bucs with a big stop on third down, and the Jags took over after the punt was downed at the Valley Center 28.
Six plays later, the Jaguars had another touchdown, this time on a six-yard run by Bernard. The drive started with a holding penalty on Valley Center, but the Jags bounced right back on the ensuing play. Under pressure, Reilly managed to shovel the ball to Bernard for a 36-yard gain and a first down after the Jags faced first-and-20. After the score, the Jaguars led by 21 with less than a minute gone in the second quarter.
The Jags came up with a sack on the ensuing Mission Bay drive and forced another three-and-out, this time taking over at the Bucs’ 41.
Valley Center’s only mistake of the game came on the next play, as Reilly threw a deep ball for Last, but had it intercepted at the five yard line.
The Bucs could only pick up a single yard on the drive, however, and the Jags took over at midfield after the punt.
The Jaguars needed only five plays to score, this time getting a touchdown on a three-yard out pass from Reilly to Chaloux with just under seven minutes left in the second quarter. Bernard had two big runs on the drive, picking up 22 yards on the first play and gaining 25 more three plays later to set up the score.
Mission Bay embarked on its first lengthy drive of the game on the ensuing possession, as the Buccaneers picked up four first downs and drove 63 yards down to the Valley Center 17. But the Jaguars held on a fourth-down run and ran out the clock on the first half.
Valley Center received the second half kickoff, a failed onside attempt by the Buccaneers, at the Jags’ 43. From there, the Jaguars ran six plays to cover the 57 yards and scored on a six-yard run by Bernard with 8:39 left in the third quarter. Bernard carried the ball on four of the six plays, while the other two were completions to Oshinski, as the Jags efficiently moved the ball down the field.
Mission Bay responded with another long drive, as the Bucs ran 11 plays and covered 68 yards. But the Jaguars clamped down on defense once again and held on a fourth down conversion attempt to give the ball back to the offense on the Valley Center 12 yard line.
It only took four plays for the Jags to cover the length of the field, as Bernard escaped and weaved his way to a 70-yard gain on the second play of the drive, then punched it in on a 14-yard touchdown run two plays later.
The Buccaneers picked up a first down on the ensuing drive, despite a big sack by Stehly Reden, but the Jaguars held on the next three plays and forced another punt.
Reaching the end of the third quarter, the Jaguars brought Thomas in on offense to carry the ball.
“I was a little nervous,” he confessed with a smile after the game. “That was my first time running the ball in a game. But my brother came down today from San Francisco to visit, so I was excited to get out there and play.”
The bruising runner picked up 23 yards on three carries, including an 11-yard scamper to the outside on his second carry. Bernard came back in on the sixth play of the drive, and promptly escaped untouched for a 38-yard touchdown with just under ten minutes left in the game.
Mission Bay picked up another first down on its next drive, but a sack by Chaloux on third down forced another punt.
The Jags took over on their own 20, and with Garrett Fiehler in at running back, took the ball to the Mission Bay 30 before the drive stalled. Last came on to attempt a 49-yard field goal that fell short, but a penalty on the Bucs for running into the kicker gave the Jags another chance. Last connected with plenty of room to spare on a 44-yard field goal to close out the scoring.
The Jaguars held on another fourth down conversion attempt as the Buccaneers mounted a last-ditch scoring attempt, and Valley Center ran out the clock for the win.
“We played a physical game, and that’s the way we’ve got to play if we want to keep playing,” head coach Rob Gilster said. “We executed well, and [Bernard] is a hard runner. Our offensive line, especially [Brierre] at tight end, they did a great job staying disciplined with their blocks. That’s the beautiful thing about our offense; when it all works, Travis is going to get a lot of yards.
“And we played very good defense as well,” he added. “[Thomas, Chaloux and Last] all played hard tonight. When you play defense like that, it’s a lot of fun to be a coach.”
The big win moves the Jaguars into the semifinal round, where they will play Santa Fe Christian in Valley Center on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the championship game at Qualcomm Stadium the following Monday morning, Dec. 6, at 10 a.m.
Jaguar cross-country teams run well in CIF section finals and state finals
Valley Center’s varsity cross-country teams wrapped up an outstanding season with stellar individual performances and solid team results at the CIF San Diego Section Division III Championships at Morley Field on Nov. 20.The Jaguars took second place in the boys varsity race with 74 points, behind only Cathedral Catholic with 48, and ahead of El Capitan in third with 122.
Leading the way, as he has all season, was senior Nicasio Westlund, who finished second on the 3.04-mile course with a time of 16:24, just one second behind the race winner, Alex Eve of La Jolla. Stephen Lopez also ran well for the Jaguars, finishing in 12th with a time of 17:00.
In all, the Jaguars ran well enough to send seven runners to the state championship race, which will be held on Saturday at Woodward Park in Fresno. The seven runners headed to the state meet are Westlund, Lopez, Nick Vanderpoel (17:10), Daniel Henderson (17:18), Travis Robey (17:22), Jon Larson (17:45) and Genaro Rodriguez (17:57).
Meanwhile, the Lady Jaguars took sixth place as a team, finishing with 216 points, behind the top three teams; Clairemont in first with 52, Cathedral Catholic in second with 55 and University City in third with 88.
Kaylee Hudson finished sixth overall to lead the Lady Jags on the 2.75-mile course, with a time of 17:04. Hudson was the only Lady Jaguar to qualify for the state meet.
The Jaguars sent eight runners to the state meet in Fresno on Saturday and put together another round of outstanding individual times.The previous weekend, the Jaguars competed in the CIF San Diego Section finals at Morley Field, where the boys team finished second in Division III and posted a team score good enough for sixth overall.
Individually, the Jaguars earned seven spots in the state meet, while Kaylee Hudson, who took sixth in the section final race, was the lone state qualifier for the Lady Jags.
At the state meet, the Jaguars ran well as a team and finished 13th, with a total time of 1:21:56, the best state meet finish for a boys team in Valley Center High School history.
Leading the way, as he has all season, was senior Nicasio Westlund, who finished 16th out of 205 runners with a time of 15:44 on the 3.1-mile course at Woodward Park. Nick Vanderpoel finished 72nd (16:22), followed by Daniel Henderson in 73rd (16:24), Stephen Lopez in 84th (16:28), Travis Robey in 123rd (16:58), Jon Larson in 134th (17:04) and Genaro Rodriguez in 171st (17:36).
Hudson, meanwhile, finished 37th in the girls race, with a time of 19 minutes flat, giving her the third-best overall time for a Lady Jaguar runner in school history. Five of the seven Jaguar runners also moved into the school’s top ten list as well.
“It was a great couple of weeks for us,” said head coach Mike Cummings. “Congratulations to the team for their efforts. All of the hard work paid off.”
VC Avengers looking for more rugby players
The recent frosts may be cooling down our groves, but Valley Center’s rugby pitch is just warming up.Over the Thanksgiving weekend, our local boys once again proved to the Southern California rugby community that the Valley Center Avengers Rugby Club is a force to be reckoned with.
On Saturday, Serra High School was the site of the Serra Rugby Feast, a pre-season scrimmage offered to prepare local high schools for the upcoming high school rugby season.
The Avengers, who are still actively recruiting new players, will be playing in the SoCal High School Central Division with games scheduled from the beginning of December until the end of January. Valley Center will be competing with Cathedral Catholic, Chaparral, Fallbrook, La Quinta, San Pasqual and Torrey Pines high schools.
At the Serra Feast, the Avengers had to combine with the San Pasqual team due to a lack of numbers on both squads. The newly formed Avenging Eagles showed off their strong fundamentals, speed, and grit to best three out of their four opponents.
Between bites at the all-you-can-eat sideline buffet, Avenger coach George Turori commented that, “The mini-scrimmages were very beneficial for our new players and our boys were able to express their passion for the sport. This is a great day for fifteens rugby, camaraderie, and lots of good food.”
Although the Valley Center team has the skills for a strong showing in their inaugural season, they do lack the numbers to field a consistent squad of 15.
“Recruiting is our number one priority,” according to Teresa Everett, the team’s manager.
The Avengers would like to welcome any high school aged boy (either a VCHS or home-schooled student) to come on out and play. Athletes who graduated in 2010 and who turned 19 after Sept. 1 are also welcome to come give rugby a try.
“Rugby should be of particular interest to our high school football players. All positions in rugby get to carry the ball, from forwards to backs. Open field running and tackling, gutting it out in the scrum or ruck– the rugby player gets to do it all,” says Everett. “We would love to see our Jaguar football players who are not wrestling or playing basketball come onto the pitch after their run for the CIF Championship.”
The rugby team practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3–5 p.m. on the Valley Center Elementary School football field. Any interested students can contact Coach George Turori at 760-522-6194 or visit their Facebook page “Valley Center Rugby Club.”
Local singer featured on charity album
Helping others has always been a priority for Morgan Leigh Boberg.And now the young Valley Center singer gets to use her talents to that end as a collaborating artist on the album Song For Food.
Released in 2010, Song for Food is a 15-song CD featuring 12 new artists. The entirety of the proceeds from sales of the music will be distributed to Food Banks in America.
“It’s really important for me to give back to the community,” Morgan says. “And not just to give back, but to help the people who are really helping others.”
Currently a senior at Valley Center High School, Morgan grew up in Valley Center, singing and performing since she was six years old. At 15, she competed in an international competition known as IPOP, where she was awarded third runner-up for teen star of the year and top ten best female singers. Morgan finds inspiration from her childhood influences by Aretha Franklin, The Beatles and The Temptations. Song for Food is debuting Morgan’s first original single, Just a Dream.
“This song was written for me, and I recorded it two years ago, but I hadn’t really been able to do anything with it so far,” she says. “The producer who wrote it is also the one who helped me get involved with Song For Food, and I finally get to use the song. It’s a win-win.”
To help promote the album and the cause, Morgan and two other artists have been invited by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his first lady Maria Shriver to provide entertainment during the lighting of the state Christmas tree at the capitol on Dec. 7.“Christmas is my favorite time of the year,” Morgan says. “I really love giving back, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s the best time of the year.”
Morgan has also been invited to perform at this year’s Carols By Candlelight, which takes place December 10–11 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. She will also be appearing locally at Bates Nut Farm on Dec. 15 and 22.
Visit the Web site at www.songforfood.com to find out more about Song For Food. You can also find out more about Morgan Leigh Boberg on her MySpace page at www.myspace.com/morganleighboberg/
Lady Jaguars fall in second round of field hockey playoffs
After dominating on defense in a series of shutouts to close out the regular season, the Valley Center varsity field hockey team eked out another one-goal shutout to win its first CIF Division II playoff game and scored big in the second round, but couldn’t come up with a goal to take a close loss in the semifinals.
The Lady Jaguars won their final three regular season games without giving up a goal, while racking up a total of nine goals over that stretch to ride into the playoffs on a wave of momentum.
In the first round, the Lady Jags downed Helix at home, 1–0, setting up a quarterfinal match at La Jolla.
Valley Center finally conceded its first goal in four games, but the Lady Jaguars scored plenty of their own in taking a 4–2 win.
Kelly Hagadorn led the way with a goal and an assist, while Victoria Navarro, Laura Sengestacke and Chelsea Dyer each added a goal. Danielle Moran made four saves in goal to get the win.
But the Lady Jags’ season came to an end on Thursday, as they traveled to San Dieguito Academy and came up on the short end of a 1–0 loss in the semifinals.
San Dieguito put pressure on the Lady Jaguars early, keeping the ball in the Valley Center defensive zone for most of the first half. But the Lady Jags held strong, sweeping aside chance after chance. In goal, Moran came up huge with a save on a penalty stroke after a near score, as she stuck her left hand out and knocked the shot away.
The Lady Jaguars came close to a goal when Sengestacke ripped a shot that clanged off the post, but San Dieguito cleared the ball away to end the threat.
The Lady Mustangs finally broke through late in the first half, as they kept the ball in the offensive zone, earned a penalty corner, put a shot on goal that was saved, then punched in a rebound to get on the board.
Valley Center came right back with an offensive charge late in the half, but couldn’t score on a pair of penalty corners and trailed by one at halftime.
The second half unfolded much the same way as the first half, as the Lady Jags couldn’t get the ball out of their own zone. The few chances Valley Center did manage to get were closely watched by the San Dieguito defense, and the Lady Jags couldn’t manage to get a shot on goal.
Valley Center furiously put together a flurry of chances late in the game, but San Dieguito held on and took the win.
The Lady Jaguars finish the season with a record of 18–6–1 and a league record of 5–2.
The Lady Jaguars won their final three regular season games without giving up a goal, while racking up a total of nine goals over that stretch to ride into the playoffs on a wave of momentum.
In the first round, the Lady Jags downed Helix at home, 1–0, setting up a quarterfinal match at La Jolla.
Valley Center finally conceded its first goal in four games, but the Lady Jaguars scored plenty of their own in taking a 4–2 win.
Kelly Hagadorn led the way with a goal and an assist, while Victoria Navarro, Laura Sengestacke and Chelsea Dyer each added a goal. Danielle Moran made four saves in goal to get the win.
But the Lady Jags’ season came to an end on Thursday, as they traveled to San Dieguito Academy and came up on the short end of a 1–0 loss in the semifinals.
San Dieguito put pressure on the Lady Jaguars early, keeping the ball in the Valley Center defensive zone for most of the first half. But the Lady Jags held strong, sweeping aside chance after chance. In goal, Moran came up huge with a save on a penalty stroke after a near score, as she stuck her left hand out and knocked the shot away.
The Lady Jaguars came close to a goal when Sengestacke ripped a shot that clanged off the post, but San Dieguito cleared the ball away to end the threat.
The Lady Mustangs finally broke through late in the first half, as they kept the ball in the offensive zone, earned a penalty corner, put a shot on goal that was saved, then punched in a rebound to get on the board.
Valley Center came right back with an offensive charge late in the half, but couldn’t score on a pair of penalty corners and trailed by one at halftime.
The second half unfolded much the same way as the first half, as the Lady Jags couldn’t get the ball out of their own zone. The few chances Valley Center did manage to get were closely watched by the San Dieguito defense, and the Lady Jags couldn’t manage to get a shot on goal.
Valley Center furiously put together a flurry of chances late in the game, but San Dieguito held on and took the win.
The Lady Jaguars finish the season with a record of 18–6–1 and a league record of 5–2.
VC Little League introduces new president
Valley Center Little League (VCLL) is proud to announce Bill Layne as its new president.
Bill Layne was voted in as president this past summer. Shortly after filling the position, Layne and the members of the board for 2011 got right down to business and started planning for the upcoming baseball season. Layne served as president of the league from 2005-2006 and brings with him a wealth of experience. Last season, he served on the board as an adviser and helped keep the league running smoothly.
Please visit www.valleycenterll.com (please note new website address) for more information about player registration. The league will be using this site as well as its Facebook page to update the community of upcoming league events.
To make the registration process as smooth as possible, please bring the following items when you come to register: Checkbook to pay the registration fee, player’s original birth certificate, and a document to show proof of residency in Valley Center.
The league would also like to invite business owners to contact Nancy Layne at nlayne@juno.com, about advertising opportunities that they have to get your name in front of residents of our community. Sponsorship with the league is one of the most cost effective ways to get your name out in the public and your donation can potentially be a tax deduction.
Bill Layne and the 2011 board of directors are looking forward to a wonderful season of baseball! They encourage anyone who is interested in our program to come to one of our registration events to learn more about the league and the remarkable experience they provide for the families that make up the program.
Bill Layne was voted in as president this past summer. Shortly after filling the position, Layne and the members of the board for 2011 got right down to business and started planning for the upcoming baseball season. Layne served as president of the league from 2005-2006 and brings with him a wealth of experience. Last season, he served on the board as an adviser and helped keep the league running smoothly.
Please visit www.valleycenterll.com (please note new website address) for more information about player registration. The league will be using this site as well as its Facebook page to update the community of upcoming league events.
To make the registration process as smooth as possible, please bring the following items when you come to register: Checkbook to pay the registration fee, player’s original birth certificate, and a document to show proof of residency in Valley Center.
The league would also like to invite business owners to contact Nancy Layne at nlayne@juno.com, about advertising opportunities that they have to get your name in front of residents of our community. Sponsorship with the league is one of the most cost effective ways to get your name out in the public and your donation can potentially be a tax deduction.
Bill Layne and the 2011 board of directors are looking forward to a wonderful season of baseball! They encourage anyone who is interested in our program to come to one of our registration events to learn more about the league and the remarkable experience they provide for the families that make up the program.