Native athletes show off their skills in 2011 Indigenous Games

Manny Boyle (left) and Raelyn Rodriguez (right, with her dad, Dennis) brought home medals from the 2011 Indigenous Games in Wisconsin.

Click here to see more photos from the Indigenous Games on our Facebook page.

Valley Center is known for its production of amazing athletic talent, and a few of our young local athletes got the chance to show off their skills in the 2011 Indigenous Games in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last week.
Manny Boyle, a junior at Valley Center High School, represented the San Pasqual tribe in the wrestling tournament and swept his opponents to bring home the gold medal in the 135-pound division.
“It was a really amazing experience,” Boyle says. “I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I went in focused on wrestling, and when I won, I was able to celebrate.”
In the softball tournament, Team California featured 15 players from six different tribes, including VCHS senior Raelyn Rodriguez, a member of the Rincon tribe, and 2010 VCHS graduate Olivia Hernandez, a member of the Pauma tribe. After suffering a tough loss to Wisconsin in the opening game, the team won its next four games before falling in the championship game to Wisconsin again.
“I felt so privileged and honored to represent California and my tribe against the best of the best,” Rodriguez says. “We had girls from different tribes and different towns, but we were able to set aside our differences and get along on the field.”
Boyle’s run to the gold medal included four wins in the tournament against opponents from Wisconsin, New Mexico and North Carolina. The only match he didn’t win by pin was the second match, which he won by major decision.
“It was harder than I expected going in,” he admits. “I noticed that their style was much slower than what you usually see in California. Our style is trickier and less aggressive, but I was able to pick up on it pretty quick and take on the pressure.”
The softball team also had to make some adjustments after losing the first game largely because of errors.
“The team from Wisconsin beat us in the first game because we had so many errors,” Rodriguez says. “After we gave up seven runs in the first inning, we knew we had to play so much better in the next game.”
The team rattled off four straight wins, then ran into Team Wisconsin again in the title game.
“We were tied at two through seven this time,” Rodriguez explains. “And in international rules, extra innings start with a runner on second. So their first batter dropped down a bunt, and our third baseman air-mailed it over the first baseman’s head, but we somehow kept the runner at third. We loaded the bases with a walk, and with one out, they hit a grounder that our shortstop threw over the first baseman’s head, and that was it.”
Despite some rough patches on defense, Rodriguez says that the team played well in some tight spots.
“It seemed like whenever we had two outs, or we really needed a run, someone would step up and start a rally,” she says. “We found ways to score runs and we got in a good rhythm. And our outfield knew where to throw the ball and knew what to do no matter what the situation.”
Rodriguez, the starting centerfielder for the Lady Jaguars varsity softball team this past season, came up with a few big plays herself.
“I don’t want to brag or anything, but I did so good!” she says with a laugh. “I drove in the two runs we scored [in the championship game], I scored six or seven runs and I made a couple of catches on balls in the gap. I was so proud!”
Both Boyle and Rodriguez say they were impressed with the quality of play they saw on display at the games, and they even picked up a few new things that should help them when the next school season rolls around.
“I want to be CIF champion and Master’s champion next year,” Boyle says. “And I just want to thank my coaches and my dad for all their support.”
“I thought that they would be easy to beat, but they’re legit,” Rodriguez says. “There were no easy teams, and they battled us every game. I noticed that I need to work on the little things. We didn’t get any batting practice while we were there, so I can’t wait to start working again.”
Thousands of athletes, primarily young people, participated in the competitions, making the U.S. Indigenous Games (USIG) the largest event to host competitions for young Native youth across Indian country. The U.S. Games take place every two years and Milwaukee was the launch site for Indigenous Games USA. The Games proved to be a showcase for Native youth to participate in individual competitions such as archery, track, boxing and wrestling. The team competitions such as baseball, basketball and a newly added competition of dodgeball are examples of the span of competitions. The games certainly proved to be a spectacular event for spectators and allowed Native and non-native people to watch the competition and learn about the cultural activities of tribal nations from across the United States.

Athlete of the Year: Coaches' Thoughts

Our 2011 Athlete of the Year, Kevin Murphy, has had a lot of different coaches in his life.
In his senior year at VCHS, Murphy had five different coaches from five different varsity sports, and they all had plenty of good things to say about such a versatile, hard-working athlete.
Here are their thoughts:

Kyle Kline, varsity boys water polo coach:
I think Kevin is a great choice for Athlete of the Year. I only had the pleasure of coaching Kevin for one season. I have had many athletes show up senior year and decide they want to play water polo and I was skeptical when I heard about Kevin and his desire to join the team. He showed up with confidence and I really didn’t expect him to last more than one day.
Kevin proved me wrong and exceeded my expectations. He was definitely behind on experience and conditioning in the water but that didn’t discourage him one bit. He worked through the tough practices and absorbed as much as he could to try to catch up. This is definitely one of the most coachable athletes I have had and he put everything I tried to teach him to use. I would only have to tell Kevin something once, and I would see him working on whatever it was throughout the rest of practice and the whole season. Kevin is also a natural athlete. He is aggressive and gives 110% with everything he does.
Something else that really defined Kevin was his willingness to face a tough challenge. He never backed down from a tough swim set that would give seasoned swimmers a tough time. What really set him apart was his decision to take on one of the toughest positions in the pool as two meter defense. This position involves defending usually the biggest and strongest player on the opposing team. When I described this position Kevin’s eyes lit up. He knew this was his spot and he wanted to make sure he earned the starting position. He worked hard and earned the starting spot and again exceeded my expectations. This position does not usually get the stats that the offensive two meter player gets. It does not get nearly as much attention or glory as other positions. Kevin was not in it for those things. He was in it for the challenge and to help his team. He handled athletes that had many more years experience than him and did an excellent job.
What makes Kevin a successful athlete is a combination of things. His work ethic is exceptional. He is confident but not over confident. He faces challenges head on and with an enthusiasm that I don’t often see. He is a positive role model for younger athletes and a team leader. He leads by example but is outspoken when necessary. He is extremely coachable and has a great attitude. All of these things are beneficial to a team. He made a huge contribution to my team this season and I can only imagine the water polo player he would have been with a few more years experience.
I am sure Kevin will apply these characteristics in the future and it is these that will ensure success in anything he chooses to pursue.
Kevin’s senior year stats: nine goals, 16 assists, 31 steals, and four blocks.
Thanks for giving recognition to a great athlete, student, and individual!

Clay Clifford, varsity wrestling coach:
Kevin was a three-year varsity letterman for wrestling and was a contributor to our second place finish at the San Diego CIF Division IV Championships. Kevin is good-natured and was a pleasure to have on the wrestling team. He made many sacrifices for the team when called upon, and always gave his best effort. I expect that Kevin will one day be a very good coach, hopefully in the sport of wrestling.

Rick Darland, varsity boys golf coach:
Kevin is a great kid and a team leader, and I had a lot of fun coaching him this season. To be able to do that many things that well shows you what kind of an athlete and what kind of a person he is.
Because of the nature of golf, you can’t just pick up your sticks after taking all winter off, but somehow Kevin showed up this spring and was better than he was last year. He progressed further than I thought he would this year.
He’s a well-rounded person who enjoys life, and he knows what it takes to be successful in whatever he wants to do.

Rob Gilster, varsity football coach:
He played football all four years, and he was thinking about just doing water polo his senior year, but he was such a strong long snapper that we found a way to make it work out for him to do both this year. He’s a really good long snapper, and I’m sure he could have helped us out at some other positions on the football field, but he was really passionate about water polo. He was able to get in some practice time and work with Davey [Last, the football team’s kicker] on his own. And he was able to get to all our games on time, even though he had other games on the same day.
He was also one of my ASB students this year, so I got to work closely with him on a lot of school activities. He’s a great kid, a hard worker, and very dependable. You know he’s going to get the job done.
He’s very responsible, and as a student and as a player, same thing. I know he had a lot of other responsibilities in his life, but he’s committed to doing what he needs to do to be a good teammate, a good student and a good person.
I think the balance and time management that he’s learned through sports and ASB in high school are important skills he will carry with him. That’s what so much of life is—we don’t always get to focus on just one thing, we have to be able to handle a lot at a time, and Kevin is definitely prepared to do that.
And he was good, too. He’s a great athlete.

Laura McCaulley, varsity swim coach:
Kevin did really well this year for the swim team. He fit in well with the boys and helped us out a lot, especially in the relays. He went to league for the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays and got better throughout the year.
His experience with the water polo team helped him be successful because he was already training really hard. During the swim season, he would come to the morning workout because he had golf in the afternoon, so he had a lot of long days.
But it paid off because he did such a great job in the league finals, where he placed in both the relay events as well as the 200 freestyle.
He’s a really hard worker, and that’s only going to help him with whatever he does in life. His work ethic is unreal!

2011 Roadrunner Athlete of the Year: Kevin Murphy

To see more photos of Kevin Murphy, click here to visit the gallery on Facebook.

By: Dan Kidder

They say that a jack of all trades is the master of none.
But Kevin Murphy is the rare kind of athlete who defies simple sayings.
Murphy, like the Jim Thorpes and Bo Jacksons before him, was never content with the challenge of just one athletic endeavor.
He grew up playing Little League baseball, Boys & Girls Club basketball, Pop Warner football and youth soccer. He tried his hand at motocross for a while (“Just for fun,” he says).
His older sister, Erin, ran cross country in high school and earned a scholarship to UNLV. Since the middle school didn’t offer very many sports at the time, Murphy decided to follow in his sister’s footsteps and joined the cross-country team. He continued playing flag football and basketball while waiting for his chance to show his stuff at the next level—high school.
His freshman season, Murphy played football, basketball and golf, a sport he picked up on a whim and ended up playing at the varsity levels all four years of high school.
“We became members of the country club,” he says. “And I totally fell in love with golf.”
In his sophomore season, he once again played football and golf, but switched to wrestling in the winter season.
“I loved playing basketball,” he says. “I grew up playing with Beau [Reilly], Stehly [Reden] and AJ [Broomell] on a lot of travel teams. But I wanted to try something a little different. One of my favorite sports to watch is MMA [Mixed Martial Arts], and I’ve always wanted to try to get into that. But in wrestling, you work so hard, especially with the guys around you, it’s like a brotherhood of wrestlers.”
Murphy’s sports schedule remained unchanged for his junior year, but things really picked up for him this year.
In his senior year, he played football and water polo in the fall season, wrestling in the winter season and both swimming and golf in the spring.
“My buddy Ian Macfarlane said I should come swim with him because it’s a great workout,” Murphy says. “It totally changes your body. I used to lift weights to bulk up for football, but swimming really leaned me out while keeping me really strong.”
Not only does Murphy play so many different sports, he plays such unique positions that usually require specific skills beyond the pick-it-up-as-I-go-along mentality.
Growing up, he played middle infield and pitcher on the baseball diamond, as well as point guard in basketball.
Although he grew up playing different positions in football, by the time he got to the varsity level, Murphy was so good as a long snapper that he was able to work out his own practice schedule that allowed him to play both water polo and football this season. He worked out with the special teams unit on Thursdays and found time with kicker David Last to keep his game at the highest level.
On the water polo team, Murphy quickly carved out a spot at two-meter defense, despite his relative inexperience.
“I’ve played so many sports, and water polo is a combination of so many sports, it just came to me,” Murphy says. “I played against the other team’s best offender. I like playing defense, and if the team needs something, I’m willing to do whatever.”
He wrestled somewhere in the 140-pound range, posted a golf index of four (which basically calculates how many strokes above par a player is, on average), and swam the 100 freestyle, the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke for the swim team this year.
“I love the camaraderie with my teammates,” Murphy says. “I love winning, and for me, there’s nothing like trying to be the best you can. I was never the quarterback, never scored the most goals, never was the biggest guy on the field, but I always want to work hard and try as many different things as I can.”
To try so many different sports takes a unique approach, and Murphy says that each sport he has played carries its own mentality.
“It’s different for each person,” he says. “For example, a football player isn’t as methodical as a golfer. Before he gets to the first tee, a golfer knows where he wants to put the ball and he has a plan for that hole. A football player walks on the field and he has all his coaches worrying about the bigger picture. He just has to go out and make a play.
“In wrestling, it’s just you against one other guy,” he adds. “You don’t really need the whole team to do your job—it’s a team sport, but so much is placed on the individual. It’s all about self-motivation. In water polo, it’s a lot of work and a lot of swimming, but that sense of brotherhood is big. You work so hard with these other guys that you really appreciate each other. And in swimming, it’s a pretty small group but it’s really tight-knit. It takes a lot of work to do swimming, but it pays off when you start to see your times drop. The coaches were great—they know they work us hard, but we know it’s for our benefit.”
Murphy didn’t earn any scholarships for his play on the field, and even though he will always enjoy playing sports for fun, he doesn’t have any plans to pursue college athletics.
“My sister’s boyfriend is a division one football player—he’s six-two, runs a four-six forty and he plays free safety,” Murphy says. “I love playing sports, but I know I can’t reach that kind of level. To play college sports, you have to be so naturally gifted. I look at Stehly [Reden] and that’s the kind of natural athlete you have to be. But even if I’m not playing, I still love working my body to the point where it feels like it’s breaking down and exceeding my goals. We’ll see where life takes me, and what God’s plan is for me.”
Murphy’s father, Sean, was a Navy pilot, his grandfather was a Blue Angel, and his uncle is an F-4 pilot, and Murphy says that he would love to join the ranks of his fellow naval aviators. But he also says his faith plays a central role in his life, and that he’s willing to pursue other directions as well. As a core team member at St. Stephen’s church, Murphy says he wants to honor God’s plan for his life.
“I definitely have an interest in the military, but I want to go where God leads,” he says. “You don’t know where God’s going to take you, but if you love Him and serve Him, wherever He takes you will be wherever you’re supposed to be. For me, if that’s the Navy, then that’s great. But I’m open to whatever.”
Wherever he goes next, Murphy says that he will never forget the years he spent playing sports with his friends here in Valley Center.
“There are so many great memories,” he says. “Like rushing back from a water polo game at Poway to make it to our home football game—I walked in with no shirt on, my pads in my hands and my eyes still watering from the pool, but I made it in time. And I’ll always remember winning league with the golf team this year—we came through a lot. All the practices, working hard and messing around with the guys, those are the things I’ll remember.”
Kevin Patrick Murphy grew up in Valley Center with his family—his father, Sean, a retired Navy pilot who works for Computer Protection Technology; his mother, Colleen, an aide for the Valley Center/Pauma Unified School District; and his siblings, Erin, John and Bridget.
Befitting his Irish heritage—his grandmother is from Ireland—Murphy is a fan of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Celtics, and Notre Dame football. He and his father are planning a trip to Dublin, Ireland, to see Notre Dame play against Navy next year. He also likes Duke basketball and has been following the emerging career of PGA golfer Rory McElroy, lamenting that “I was a Tiger Woods fan, but…you can’t really do that anymore.”
When he’s not playing sports, Murphy says he’s working, working out, participating in church activities or sleeping.
After his high school athletics experience, Murphy has some encouragement for young athletes.
“To all the little guys out there, don’t ever stop working hard,” he says. “You may not be a stud, but you mean just as much. A team is a well-oiled machine, and it needs every part to work. So never give up, and don’t be afraid to go out and try a new sport. You never know if you’ll like it, so even if it’s hard, keep pushing through.”

Conrad Murphy goes home Friday

Conrad Murhpy, the seriously injured Valley Center high school athlete who has been hospitalized since his April head-on collision, is scheduled to be sent home tomorrow (7/8/ 2011) where he will begin a lifetime of rehabilitative therapies.

This follows a three month stay at Palomar Medical Center that began when he was hit by a car on his way to baseball practice early in the morning of April 23. Murphy remained in a coma for several days thereafter and then in critical condition for weeks as he clung to April.

His diploma was presented to him in his hospital room by school Supt. Lou Obermeyer and VCHS principal, Ron McCowan. Murphy's return home marks a triumph for both he and his family and the communities of Valley Center and Fallbrook-one where he attended school and one where he lives.

A benefit concert to raise money for Conrad Murphy's future is being held at Bates Nut Farm on Saturday July 16, 4-9 p.m.

VCHS Powder Puff Football 2011

In a thrilling defensive battle, the class of 2011 defeated the class of 2012 by a score of 6-0 in this year's Powder Puff Football Classic at Valley Center High School.
The seniors scored early in the first half when tailback Kelly Hagadorn took a pitch from quarterback Victoria Navarro and rumbled in from four yards out for the touchdown, bowling over defenders and stretching the ball across the goal line for the score.
Check out some of the video highlights from the action:
(Scroll down to the bottom to see the boys' cheer routines at halftime)
(And click here to see more videos on my YouTube channel)

Bailey Hall returns the opening kickoff:


Victoria Navarro keeps the ball and gets upended:


The Juniors run a reverse:


Navarro runs another keeper, but gets stopped for a loss:


Sidney Reilly picks up some good yardage down the sideline:


Raelyn Rodriguez runs a QB keeper and gets hit hard:


Tyler Carr almost intercepts a pass from Navarro:


Kate Richards gets a good gain running to the outside:


Kelly Hagadorn cuts back for a good gain as the 1st half ends:


Hagadorn (on defense this time) busts up a short pass play in the backfield:


Hall brings back a punt return and gets knocked down:


Hagadorn flashes a fierce stiff arm on an inside run:


Hagadorn weaves through the defense for a good gain:


Navarro hits Morgan Marcon on a slant for a nice completion:


Navarro runs the option with Hagadorn, and they take the ball down inside the 10 yard line:


Touchdown! Navarro pitches to Hagadorn, who barrels her way into the endzone for the game's only score:


The seniors kickoff to Sidney Reilly, who doesn't find much room to run:


Rodriguez zips a pass in to Erica Kiesow for a first down:


Rodriguez's pass is almost intercepted by Amanda Nealis:


Big hit! Hagadorn makes the catch over the middle and gets leveled by Taylor Yates. (Note: both players were ejected for the extracurricular physicality):


Navarro runs another QB keeper and shrugs off tacklers left and right:


Hall tries to run to the outside, but gets wrapped up by Laura Glennie (Note: this would have been a perfect tackle had the game not been flag football, and Glennie was summarily ejected for the play):


Reilly pitches to Zabinsky for a nice cutback run:


The Juniors run a final play, but can't beat the clock, as time runs out and the seniors celebrate the win:


The Senior boys halftime dance:


The Junior boys halftime dance:


Video by Dan Kidder

Local boy miraculously has no broken bones after parade accident

By: DAN KIDDER

The next time you pick up a comic book, you might end up reading the story of Andy Villarreal.
The 12-year-old from Valley Center wasn’t bitten by a genetically-enhanced spider. He didn’t come to earth from a distant planet full of supermen. He doesn’t even have an iron suit.
But after what could have been a tragic accident during the Valley Center Western Days parade this weekend, Andy knows why he’s still here today.
“I could tell that so many people were praying for me,” he says.
Andy and his family were part of a group handing out flyers for Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Valley Center Community Church this summer. Some members of the group were riding in the back of a fire truck, while others, including Andy, were on the street.
Andy’s parents, Chad & Jodi, were on the truck and saw what happened next, as did those watching the parade from the section of Valley Center Road just west of Portino’s Restaurant.
While Andy was riding on his RipStik, a two-wheeled board similar to a skateboard, someone called his name. As he turned his head, his front wheel hit a stone in the street and he fell feet-first under the rear tires of the truck. The tires ran over Andy’s legs, from his left knee across at an angle to his right ankle.
But what still astonishes his family, his friends, and even his doctors is that Andy was at home later that night with nothing more than a soft cast and a pair of crutches.
“They took an x-ray, then we waited about an hour and a half, then they took another x-ray and finally they told me that I don’t have any broken bones,” Andy says. “I just thought, ‘That’s crazy, no broken bones?’ It’s amazing.”
The Villarreal family attends Valley Center Community Church, and Jodi says that the immediate response they received from the community was overwhelming.
“As soon as we were in the ambulance, I sent out a text to several people,” she says. “Within an hour, I had gotten back over a hundred responses letting us know that people were praying for Andy and praying for us. It was so amazing and so calming to know that we had so much support. And that’s something we always know we can count on in such a great town.”
Chad was riding on the back of the truck when the accident happened, and he says he was amazed at how quickly those around him jumped into action.
“I heard the back tires go ‘thump’ and at the same time, I heard Jodi scream Andy’s name,” he recalls. “Those two seconds it took me to turn the corner around the truck were the scariest moments I’ve ever had. But when I saw his face and heard him talking, I was so relieved. I went into that protective dad mode and scooped him up to get him out of the street. By the time I set him down, there were already two off-duty paramedics there, and within five minutes there were two ambulances and eight to ten firefighters and other off-duty personnel there. Because everyone reacted so quickly, there wasn’t any time to panic.”
Because of their faith, the Villarreals say they’ve had a peace and comfort that has allowed them to reassure the others involved that everything is OK.
“The driver and the passenger in the front of the truck obviously just felt terrible about it,” says Chad. “But God has blessed us through this to allow us to let them know that it was an accident, and that God had Andy in His hand the entire time.”
“I told the passenger that he probably saved my son’s life,” Jodi adds. “If he hadn’t called Andy’s name, Andy still would have hit that rock, but because of the way he was turned, he probably would have fallen headfirst under the truck. This was an accident, but God showed us that He is still in control even in the middle of an accident.”
The Villarreals are so thankful for the prayers and support of their community, saying that there is only one possible explanation for the continued safety of their son.
“His doctor called him a miracle kid,” Jodi says. “To get run over by a fire truck and not even have a broken bone, that’s nothing short of a miracle.”
“We could have been planning a funeral today instead of rejoicing that God saved our son,” says Chad. “We’re just overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from our brothers and sisters in Christ. God hears our prayers, and we’re all together in that. That’s the biggest comfort for us.”
Andy himself even expressed his wish for others to know that comfort, even in the middle of a difficult situation.
“When we were on the way home from the hospital, Andy said something that really made me proud as a father,” Chad says. “He said, ‘If one or two or five people can hear about God and know Him, then it’s all worth it.’ ”
And if Andy ever decides to give crime fighting a try, he has his superhero name already picked out.
“When you go to Children’s Hospital, they give you a code name based on a letter of the alphabet and an animal,” Jodi explains. “So when Andy found out that his code name was “X-Ray Fish” he wants to keep that name forever.”

Friends of Conrad Murphy share their thoughts

Valley Center High School senior baseball player Conrad Murphy remains in critical condition after a head-on collision on Hwy 76 on Saturday morning (click here for the full story).

To contribute your own story about Conrad, as well as any comments, encouragements or anything, click here to visit the Get Well Soon, Conrad Murphy page on Facebook.

Here are some stories shared by some of Conrad's friends at VCHS:

David Last
My favorite memory of conroid (some of us in 2nd period Mr.Chews last year called him conROID because we all knew he could jack the baseball so we just liked messing around with him and mixing the word steroid in with his name) was in 2nd period Chew when he would always finish Mr. Chews sentences because he already knew mostly everything about history.
Conrad is a great guy and i cant wait for you to teach me some sign language so i can sign back to you know who haha

Eric Brothers
Conrad correcting Mr. Chew in US history last year and signing spider always made me laugh. He knows how baseball needs to be played and how a team needs to act together. If I could talk to Conrad I would tell him we know he is a fighter and that he is going to pull through this.

Taylor Oshinski
Last year in Mr. Chew's class Spider attempted to play Conrad in chess and in (no exaggeration) two minutes she had given up. Conrad is very intelligent and stumps the teachers more than anyone I know. Conrad is never in a bad mood and always has something comical to say. He is eager to help in class and will not hesitate to correct the teachers if they have dates in history wrong. My favorite story about Conrad is when the life skills class put bird feeders up, Conrad saw the opportunity to get a quick snack and took a bite out of the pine comb filled with seeds. Conrad we miss you buddy. Can't wait for you to get back to strength and we have your seat on the bench cleared off waiting for u.

Martin Cunningham
Conrad is definately that guy you dont find every day. He is definately a down to earth kind of guy and will eat anything healthy and edible haa.The first year here got here me and him were just buds and had the most respect for eachother. He had to play jv baseball as a junior even tho he was way good enough to play varsity, but since he transfer thats what happened. The funniest thing that would always make me laugh a tad bit was when he would make fun of drama or put him in the most awkward situations. Conrad is really good at keeping a straight face and you can never tell when he was serious. The other thing that we always do when we see eachother is just compliment eachother until one of us stops, and it all started when he came up to me one day and said with the straightest face, " Martin how come your so cool?" and i laughed a little bit and said " na conrad you got it all wrong man your the cool one" haa just stuff like that. We always ask eachother for advice but the most times it is for odd reasons like the day he shaved his chest hair into an arrow and the words that said hi, i was the first person he said he would listen to when he asked me and i told him go for it. The next day he shows up to school with his chest/stomach hairs in the shape of an arrow and the word hi hahaa Conrad is my boy and i hope he never forgets that... The rest of this season I am playing for him and i will pray for him every night until he is back and healthy. I have been praying every night since saturday and dont plan on stopping and i ask all my other brothers out there to pray every night too and dont forget because he needs it... I know Conrad will pull through this because some people know how to battle but we know how to war!!! haa inside joke with my boy kidder... get well conrad

Ryan Gerlach
my favorite story with conrad by far was when us baseball guys put a dead rat in his cleat and he didnt notice so he came out of the clubhouse with half his foot out of the shoe. He said "i think my right foots bigger than my left because my shoe doesnt fit anymore." Qualites that make conrad a great friend and teammate is the fact that he is super smart and is really down to earth. If i could talk to conrad right now itd be that there r too many people out there praying for anything else to happy to him and conrad is my main man and i got his back on everything. Get well conrad im praying night and day

Garrett Fiehler
ya i know conrad from working out with him and he is one of the most hard working guys in the weight room and hes always down to do anything you need. hes a great guy and iknow he can get though this and i will be praying for him as long as it takes. we all will

Tom Aguilar
My favorite story from Conrad would have to be, him always bagging on kyle or the time he shaved "HI" and an arrow on his stomach. The random things he would say to all make us laugh was hysterical. it seemed like he always had a HUGE smile on his face and just all around a happy kid.
what makes Conrad a good friend is that no matter what he always has your back. if someone was picking on me he would always be the first one to step in and ask me if i wanted him to beat them up hahaah . . . . and what makes him a good Team mate, he would always cheer me up when i was down. that's what i good team mate does... and of course he always wanted to win!
if i could tell Conrad something, i would tell him to always stay strong and fight thru this struggle. i would also say , God has a plan for you so trust in him.....

John Jensen
My favorite Thing about Conrad is that he always has something funny to say. For example: when I accidentally broke his cheek while hitting him grounders, the only thing he had to say was, "Does it look cool?". Conrad is a very positive person, and he always has a smile on his face. When Conrad wakes up, I know he's going to have that same smile and funny personality. I know Conrad can do this, and I can't wait until he's back to health. Get Well Conrad.....

Cole Howard
conrad is the warmest and nicest person i have ever met.. he is like a big teddy bear.. he knew what to say to make me laugh after a bad at bat or things to say to help my swing.. any question i ever came to him with he always had an answer to.. ever since i have been one the team with conrad i have thrown with him. every practice and every game for almost a year. he has made such a huge impact on so many people and it shows through this tragedy. his smile was contageous just like his laugh. one of the last things he said to me before the accident was when i told austin that he was my brother and conrad turned to me and said if hes ur brother who am i? andi replied that he was my cave bear. i look up to conrad as a person and as an athelete. the first day i met him. i asked him how high up i was on his friendship scale.. he told me i was the number i.. which is the square root of negative one. hahahhah since then i have made it up to a 99.7 was my last check point. there is so many things id like to say to conrad if i could.. but one thing especially is id like to hug him, and thank him for being such a great person on and off the baseball field.. i miss him so much and baseball doesnt feel the same. i pray every time i have a new thing to say and i know my cave bear will pull thru this tragic accident. miss you conrad come back to us soon

Zach Dewey
Conrad is the mos unique person I know. He has many hidden talents, such as an incredible piano player and he is brilliant at chess. He is very humble and suprises us all sometimes at things we didnt know he could do. At the end of the year party last year Conrad off the top of his head made up a song for me called Silly Dewey. For making it up in a couple of minutes it was really good and i hope i get to hear it again someday. I know my cave bear will get through this he strong and has a lot of will. Get well Conrad you are in our prayers.

Ricky Eldridge
Conrad is a very funny, talented, and loyal person. Conrad and I were always able to talk candidly about baseball from hitting techniques to different teams we played on. I talked to Conrad everyday and if always tell him that he's "looking like a stud" and he'd say "thanks but I think you are." me him and Brett would have long conversations about everything from physics to the apartheid to how to pronounce words. Conrad was always funny and always wanted to play baseball. Conrad was a great friend and I hope he gets well soon

Morgan Boberg
Hey Dan! I got your message about Conrad and I wanted to write you some stuff about him.
Conrad always has a smile on his face. If you didn't know Conrad, you would be able to find him on the bench eating his lunch people watching! He's quiet and funny like that! He's such a sweet guy with the best smart ass (smart aleck) comments. He always put a smile on your face on the worst of days with his comments.
I want his family to know that Conrad is missed at school. It just wasn't the same today not seeing him in his usual spot and talking as we pass each other in between classes. All we can do is pray and be optimistic! We all need him back at school and to graduate with us. We miss you Conrad.

Nikki Paredes
Conrad, always had a smile or a smirk on his face, as if he had something clever to say back to any comment or whatever. He has a MASSIVE appetite- about 5 peanut butter and honey sandwiches on rye, and a few 7 handfuls of pecans and apricots(or brazilian fruit by his standard) make up his lunch! It was also really quite comical when we had about a half an hour Lon convo about where the Vikings came about( Conrad is a history genius). Another memorable moment is when he confessed that he was scared to go night fishing because he was afraid he was gonna fall in (he claimed he'd fallen in previous times). Anyone who missed out on a convo with this clever fellow surely does not know what's in store. You have a lot of support and many people who are rooting for you to recover as quickly as YOU can. Stay Strong!

VCHS spring sports photos

Be sure to check out our Facebook page for new galleries of photos from VCHS spring sports. We've got plenty of baseball and softball photos up now, and will have lacrosse, volleyball and golf coming shortly.

Click here to see the photo galleries.

And be sure to send us your sports photos, either by e-mail to sports@valleycenter.com or by uploading them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/valleycenter/

VC track & field teams solid against Escondido and at Sundevil Invite

Kaylee Hudson set a new school record in the 3,200 at the Sundevil Invite.

Valley Center’s varsity track and field teams put together another group of outstanding individual performances this week in a dual meet against Escondido on Thursday, followed by the Sundevil Invite at Mt. Carmel on Saturday.
The Jaguars hosted Escondido on Thursday, and after winning a total of 15 events in both the boys and girls events, ended up splitting the meet with the Cougars.
Valley Center won the girls meet 71–64 behind phenomenal performances from triple-winner Sidney Reilly and four more first-place finishes for the team.
Reilly won the 100 hurdles (16.39), the 300 hurdles (47.92) and the long jump (16-feet-3) to lead the Lady Jags, while also taking second in the triple jump after tying the top mark but coming up just short on her second-best attempt.
Sidney Reilly was a triple-winner for the Lady Jags against Escondido.

Meanwhile, Leina Villemez was the winner in the 100 (13.29), Caty Alvarez won the 200 (28.03), Kaylee Hudson won the 400 (1:02.77) and Lauren Gilster took first in the discus (106-0 3/4). The Lady Jaguars also won both the 400 relay (52.62) and the 1,600 relay (4:24.57) in the meet.
Gilster also took second in the shot put, while Vinessa Perryman took second in both the 100 and 300 hurdles. In the sprints, Alvarez and Villemez finished one-two in both the 100 and 200, while Hudson ran strong in the distance events to also take second in the 800.
The boys team, however, lost their meet 75–51 despite wins in six of the 15 events.
Jean-Marc Brierre dominated the throwing events, winning both the shot put (42-6) and the discus (133-6), while Ronnie Bourguignon won the 200 (23.07) and took second in the 400, Logan Fiddler won the 3,200 (10:13.65), Armando Diaz won the triple jump (39-0) and Nick Villemez won the pole vault (10-0).
The Jaguars also posted five top-ten individual finishes in the Sundevil Invite on Saturday, including two top-five overall finshes.
Reilly won her heat in the 300 hurdles (46.37), which gave her fourth place overall in Division II, while Hudson finished third in her heat in the 3,200 (11:20.49), good for third place overall in the division and a new school record.
Also for the Lady Jaguars, Gilster took second place in the discus (100-6) and eighth place in the shot put (32-1), while for the Jaguars, Nicasio Westlund took fourth in his heat in the 800 (2:01.69).
Both Jaguars teams will be back in action on Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at Del Norte to open league competition.

Fast, physical play has Jags’ lacrosse team thrilling the home crowd

Damian Stehly (in white) puts pressure on a St. Augustine attacker.

Valley Center’s JV boys lacrosse team has played a pair of thrilling games in the past two weeks, as the Jaguars rolled to a big win over St. Augustine on March 16 then came back from a two-goal deficit late in the game to register a tie against Rancho Bernardo on Friday.
The Jags jumped out to a big lead early in the game against St. Augustine and never looked back, as they cruised to a 6–3 victory.
Conner Macfarlane scored just two minutes into the game to get things started for the Jaguars, then Jason Blasius added a goal three minutes later and Sullivan Shimer closed out the first period with a goal that came 12 seconds before the whistle.
Leading by three after the first quarter, the Jags scored less than 30 seconds into the second period when Nick Sharp curled in front for the score. St. Augustine forced its way back into the game with two goals in less than 30 seconds to make the score 4–2 at halftime.
The teams traded goals in the third quarter, as Shimer scored his second of the game with just over two minutes left in the period. The Saints answered with only 19 seconds left in the quarter after a turnover in the Valley Center zone led directly to a goal.
As time wound down, the Jaguars got the insurance goal they were looking for when Macfarlane finished off a series of scintillating passes on the fast break with the score that sealed the win.
Friday’s game against Rancho Bernardo was a much more physical contest, and as both teams absorbed big hit after big hit, the Jaguars steadily clawed their way back into the game to make it a 5–5 tie.
The game might have turned out much differently had the first shot of the game, an absolute laser from Garrett Fiehler, found its way into the net instead of clanking off the post and finally coming to rest about 30 yards out of bounds.
But Fiehler wasn’t to be denied, as he took the ball from behind his own net, outran the defense and bounced a shot past the goalie to score the first goal of the game less than three minutes in.
Rancho Bernardo answered in the second quarter, scoring a goal on a shot to the top shelf just 48 seconds into the period to tie the game. The Broncos took the lead just over a minute later on a spinning shot that found its way home. The first half wound down as the physicality of the game heightened, punctuated by a big hit from Fiehler that earned him a penalty for unnecessary roughness.
Fiehler atoned for the penalty early in the second half, as he once again took the ball coast-to-coast and slung a sidearm shot past the goalie to tie the game up once again.
But the Broncos scored two quick goals as the third quarter came to an end, the first a bouncing shot with just over a minute on the clock and the second a Valley Center turnover that wound up in the back of the net with 43 seconds left in the third period.
The Jags came back with a goal from Blasius just over a minute into the fourth, but Rancho Bernardo pulled ahead by two with five minutes left in the game, using consistent pressure in the offensive zone to wear down the Valley Center defense.
Blasius scored another big goal a minute later, as he faked out his defender in the corner and found a sliver of open net for the score. As he put the shot home, one of the Bronco defenders delivered a crushing hit that temporarily knocked Blasius out of the game. The Broncos took an unnecessary roughness penalty for the hit, which led to a one-man advantage for the Jags.
Fiehler took advantage of the open space, as he casually drifted toward the zone and unleashed another sidearm shot from about 20 yards away that may have left a vapor trail.
As the final three minutes of the game ticked away, Fiehler had another shot ring off the post, then the Jaguar crowd leapt to its feet when defender Damian Stehly took off on a long run and let fly with a huge shot that just went wide as time expired.
Valley Center’s next game is at Scripps Ranch at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, then the Jaguars return home to face Serra at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

Offense key for Lady Jags in big win, but untimely errors lead to tough loss

Jasmine Contreras smashes a home run against Westview.

A powerful offense has been the hallmark of the Valley Center varsity softball team so far this season, and the Lady Jaguars took advantage of their big bats in taking a big win over Holtville last week. But Wednesday’s home loss against Westview has the Lady Jags focusing on defense and fundamentals heading into the Jaguar Classic Tournament this week.
The Lady Jaguars hosted Holtville on March 18 and exploded for seven runs in the first inning en route to a dominating 12–2 victory.
After the big first inning, Valley Center added another run in the fourth before Holtville pushed two runs across in the top of the fifth. But the Lady Jaguars put the seal on the win with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.
Leadoff hitter Jasmine Contreras came up big with a home run and a double, with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Stephanie Koishor smashed a two-run home run in the game. Alex Scoles added a double and a single, with two runs scored and a stolen base, while Emma Sloman had two hits, two RBIs and two runs, Andrea Torres had a hit, two RBIs and two runs, Raelyn Rodriguez had a hit, an RBI and a run, Ashley Nuñez had a hit, a run and a stolen base, Anna Luna scored a run and Mindy Faber stole a base.
Anna Luna rips this pitch for a hit.

Sloman pitched an excellent game to get the win, giving up two runs on four hits, with two walks and six strikeouts, in five innings of work.
The Lady Jaguars couldn’t get in rhythm offensively at home on Wednesday against Westview, and a number of errors doomed them to a 9–2 loss.
Valley Center committed five errors in the game, and they came at the most inopportune times. The Lady Jags had three errors in the third inning and the Lady Wolverines scored four runs, then Valley Center made two errors in the fifth, allowing Westview to bring four more runs across to put the game out of reach.
The Lady Jaguars had another good start on offense, as Contreras blasted a solo home run to lead off the first inning. But they couldn’t bring another run in until the fourth, when Rodriguez drove in Luna from second base with an RBI single to right field.
Contreras led the offense with a home run, an RBI and a run, while Rodriguez had a hit and an RBI, Luna had a hit and a run, Koishor had two hits and Scoles had a hit.
Jill Johnson took the loss, pitching five innings and allowing nine runs on seven hits, with seven walks and two strikeouts.
The Lady Jaguars are 7–3 so far this season, with the Jaguar Classic Tournament beginning this week. Valley Center will play at La Jolla on Wednesday at 4 p.m. before returning home to host Kearney on Friday at 4 p.m. The Lady Jags also play a non-league game at San Pasqual on Saturday at 9 a.m.

Jaguars beat Fallbrook, but fall to San Marcos in volleyball

Taylor Oshinski keeps his eye on this serve.

It was an up-and-down week for the Valley Center varsity boys volleyball team, as the Jaguars rolled to a big win over Fallbrook to start the week, but came home to face San Marcos and suffered a tough loss as the week came to an end.
The Jags had everything working for them against Fallbrook last Monday, and they had no trouble finishing off a 3–0 win, with game scores of 25–15, 25–18, 25–20.
Taylor Oshinski was all over the court, registering eight kills and seven digs, while Beau Reilly had ten assists and six aces, Mitchell Rush had nine kills and Anthony Cozzi had ten assists.
Valley Center’s home game against San Marcos on Wednesday turned out much differently for the Jaguars, even though they fought hard until the end in a 3–0 loss, with game scores of 15–25, 18–25, 25–27.
After falling in the first game, the Jags battled for every point in the second game, never letting the Knights get ahead by more than four. After appearing to tie the score at 24 late in the second game, Valley Center was ruled to have been under the net on the point that would have kept them alive in the game.
Game three was another back-and-forth nail-biter, as San Marcos would pull ahead by three or four points, then the Jags would fight back and pull within one. The Knights had a chance to put the game away at 24–22, but two consecutive kills by Reilly pulled the Jags back even. San Marcos eventually held on for the win, but not without a valiant effort from Valley Center.
Oshinski once again led the way with 12 kills, while Reilly had five kills and five blocks and Rush had six kills.
The Jaguars are now 2–3 overall and 0–1 in Valley League play, with the next match coming at home on Thursday against San Dieguito Academy at 4:45 p.m.

Pitch, Hit & Run competition comes to VC Little League

Valley Center Little League will lead off the local level of the Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run Competition on Friday April 8, 2011.
Pitch, Hit & Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. It is designed to provide young people with an opportunity to compete, free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball and softball skills.
The Valley Center competition will take place at Valley Center Little League Majors Field on Friday, April 8 beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Competitors will be divided into four age groups: 7-8 years, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14. Both boys and girls are encouraged to participate and will compete separately in baseball and softball, respectively.
Participants will have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including Team Championships at Major League ballparks and the national finals at the 2011 MLB All-Star Game.
The participants in each age group with the highest score in the following categories will receive awards and will advance to the sectional competition: all-around champion, pitching champion, hitting champion and running champion. Sectional competitions will be held in the San Diego area at a later date.
“The Pitch, Hit and Run Competition gives kids a chance to shine all the way up to the national level as part of this Major League Baseball event,” said Bill Layne, president, VCLL board. “Valley Center sent several kids to Petco Park who came away winners last year, so we would love to see our local stars come out and give their best shot at this great, free competition.”
All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate and fill out a registration and waiver form before the start of competition. For more information, contact Pitch, Hit, and Run Coordinator, Anita Baranowski at 619-987-0709.

VCHS set to host drumline competition April 9

In less than two weeks, 43 schools from throughout Southern California will travel to Valley Center High School to vie for top honors in a high energy, percussion battle of musical skills.
This is the first time in its 29-year history that the American Drum Line Assn. (ADLA) has selected Valley Center as a show host.
Students will begin arriving in the early morning on April 9 with the competition beginning at 9 a.m. in the high school gym. It will conclude at about 9 p.m.
According to Diane Conaway, president of Valley Center/Pauma Music Boosters, “Drumline combines the high energy of percussion instruments with a theatrical flair as seen in the popular movie, Drumline.”
Drumlines range from 15 students to 50, grouped according to size and skill level. Students represent middle schools, high schools and colleges. Award presentations will take place throughout the day.
Students may also choose to compete for solo awards with individual instruments such as snare drum and marimba. Competition for solo awards will be in the Maxine Theater in the afternoon. The final schedule will be posted several days prior to the event at www.vcpmusicboosters.org/
Each group has nine minutes to set up its show, perform musical selections and leave the stage.
Drumlines typically have a theme, costumes and props to convey a musical message. Scores are tabulated based upon music and the visual effect of the show.
Chris Doolittle is an accomplished percussionist and instructor of more than 15 years. Under his direction, Valley Center’s Drumline scored a first place win at Mission Hill High School’s drumline competition in the Scholastic C division. Due to their excellent performance and high scores, they were promoted to the Scholastic B division for the remainder of the competition season. Valley Center’s performance is entitled “Skin Deep.”
Valley Center Drumline will perform about 1 p.m., although final performance times won’t be available until three days prior. You should arrive by noon to ensure that you get a seat. Attendees are not allowed to enter the gym during each group’s nine minute performance.
Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for students with ID and kids 6–12, and free for children 5 and under. Admission is good for the day.
Proceeds benefit music programs in local schools. Valley Center/Pauma Music Boosters will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. Freshly grilled meals include a cheeseburger, chips and a drink for $6. Hot dog meals cost $5. Baked potatoes, nachos and other foods will also be for sale.
Mrs. Conaway added, “We want to encourage our friends and neighbors to come out and see this exciting musical show! This is a great family event that is fun for all ages. We hope you will come spend part of your day with us. Our drumline students have been putting in long hours practicing and they want you to see their award winning show.”
If you can volunteer a few hours the day of the show, help is needed with parking, ticket and program sales, hospitality and guides. Call Michelle Quiroz at 760-703-0861 or email Michelle@TakingCareOfYourBusiness.com.
If you can’t attend, but want to support music programs in our schools, make tax deductible donations to VCP Music Boosters, POB 841, Valley Center, CA 92082.
Check the Web site for the latest including the final schedule at www.VCPMusicBoosters.org/

Jaguars come close, but can't find elusive first win

Austin Bernard makes the tag on a Mustang runner at second base.


Valley Center’s varsity baseball team continues to search for its first win of the season, as the Jaguars came up just short in another close game, falling 3–2 to Otay Ranch on Thursday.
The Jags played outstanding defense and got stellar pitching performances out of starter Conrad Murphy and reliever Dan Henderson in the tight game, but couldn’t overcome mental errors on the base paths late in the game.
Otay Ranch scored all three of its runs in the top of the third inning, when a leadoff walk was followed by a base hit, another walk and another base hit off of Murphy, who left the game in the middle of the inning and received attention from the trainer on his right arm.
Henderson came on in relief and retired the next two hitters, then went on to strand eight runners in the final three innings of the game, thanks in part to great location on his pitches and excellent defense behind him.
On offense, the Jaguars took a few innings to figure out the hard-throwing Mustang pitcher and couldn’t string together any scoring chances until the third inning. In the third, Zach Dewey got on first after an error by the third baseman, but even with a total of four base runners in the inning, a pair of fielder’s choice outs prevented any runs from crossing the plate.
The Jaguars stranded two more runners in the fourth before scoring their first run in the fifth, when Austin Bernard doubled with one out and came in to score on a two-out RBI double by Steven Coe. The second run came across in the sixth, when Valley Center loaded the bases with two outs and got a run in on an RBI single by Bernard. The inning could have turned out to be even bigger, but on the run-scoring hit, John Watkins was caught between second and third base and tagged out to end the inning.
The Jags got one runner on base in the bottom of the seventh, when Ryan Bracken was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, but they couldn’t bring him home.
“It’s a tough one, but it’s good to see these guys battle, and to see that they’ve got a pulse,” manager Cliff Bernard said after the game. “They believe that they can win every game, and that’s a good team, ranked number seven in the county, and we can play with them. But it was good to see that, even though we got down, we came back. We’ve got guys who want to compete, who don’t go out easy, who respect the game and end up with a dirty uniform. As a coach, those are the guys you want on your team.”
Bernard led the Jaguars with a double, a single, an RBI and a run scored, while Coe had a double and a single with an RBI, Watkins, Ricky Eldridge and Tommy Aguilar each had a hit, and Eric Brothers scored a run.
Murphy was saddled with the loss after giving up three earned runs on three hits, with four walks and two strikeouts, in two and a third innings pitched. Henderson finished the final four and two thirds with out allowing a run, while giving up four hits and three walks.
The loss drops Valley Center to 0–5 on the season so far, with the next game coming on Saturday at Mira Mesa at 11 a.m.

Outstanding individual scores have Jags' golf team off to a solid start

The Valley Center varsity boys golf team has posted a trio of outstanding team scores behind excellent individual play so far this season, as the Jaguars have won two of their first three matches to start the year.
All three matches so far have been on the par-35 course at the Pauma Valley Country Club, and the Jags started out the season there by beating Canyon Crest Academy, 212 – 214.
Kevin Murphy fired a 41 to lead the Jaguars, while Paul Calac and Jeremy Halligan each shot a 42, Kamron Zarrabi shot a 43 and Stephen Magnani shot a 44.
The Jaguars suffered a setback in their second match, falling to San Marcos 219 – 228.
Murphy, Calac and Zarrabi each shot a 43 to lead the team, while Cole Kline shot a 45, Halligan shot a 54 and Danny Miller shot a 56.
This week, the Jaguars hosted Escondido on Thursday and rolled to a 214–223 win.
Calac shot a four-over-par 39 for the best score of the season so far, while Zarrabi shot a 42, Kline shot a 43, Murphy and Magnani each shot a 45 and Carlos Casteel shot a 52.
Valley Center is now 2–1 overall with the City Cup Tournament coming up at the Escondido Country Club on Monday.

Another win has Lady Jaguars off to hot start in lacrosse

Valley Center’s varsity girls lacrosse team is off to an electrifying start this season, as the Lady Jaguars have won ten of their first 12 games, including a pair of hard-fought wins this week.
The Lady Jags hosted Del Norte on Friday night, and after falling behind early in the game, came back to take a 13–7 win.
Del Norte scored three quick goals to take an early lead, but Valley Center got the offense on track and pulled to within one, 5–4, at halftime.
In the second half, the Lady Jaguars applied consistent pressure and locked down the defense to outscore Del Norte 9–2 after halftime to put the cap on the thrilling win.
Cassidy Nowak led the offense with five goals, while Haley Stone added three goals and three interceptions. On defense, Morgan Marcon made six key blocks, while Kelly Hagadorn frustrated the Del Norte attackers on chance after chance in the Valley Center zone. In goal, Danielle Moran made 13 saves to spur the comeback and earn the victory.
“It was a fantastic game,” head coach Ally Faulkner said after the game. “The girls adjusted their game to come back and take the win.”
The Lady Jags played at Poway on Saturday, and after a rough first half, suffered a 17–5 loss.
The Lady Titans racked up 15 goals in the first half, putting Valley Center in a grim situation at halftime. But the Lady Jaguars never gave up and played solid defense in the second half, limiting Poway to only two goals while scoring four of their own.
Melina Heredia led the way with two goals, while Tylee Landavazo, Kelly Bergquist and Kelly Hagadorn each added one. Hayley Helms led the defense with three blocks, while Hagadorn caused a pair of turnovers.
Valley Center hosted Ramona on Monday in an up-and-down kind of game, with the Lady Jaguars taking an early lead, the Lady Bulldogs coming back, but Valley Center squashing any comeback attempts late in the game for a 12–8 victory.
The Lady Jags concentrated on controlling the ball and playing a patient game on offense, and the strategy helped them take a 6–3 lead at halftime.
Ramona came back early in the second half with three goals, but Valley Center kept the lead with two goals for an 8–6 advantage midway through the second half. From that point on, the Lady Jaguars added four more goals and held Ramona to just two more to seal the win.
Marcon led the offense with four goals, while Landavazo had two goals and an assist, Becca Vizcara had two goals, Kelsey Gaylor had a goal and two assists, Bergquist had a goal and an assist and Stone had a goal.
Now 10–2 overall, the Lady Jags play again on Wednesday at Del Norte.

Lady Jags fall to San Marcos in softball

Valley Center’s thrilling run to open the varsity softball season suffered a setback this week, as the Lady Jaguars traveled to San Marcos on Wednesday and suffered a 9–0 loss.
The Lady Knights did most of their damage in the first inning, scoring six runs right out of the gate to put the pressure on Valley Center. The Lady Jaguars struggled on offense throughout the game, finally breaking up the no-hitter with a double by Ana Luna in the fifth inning.
San Marcos, meanwhile, pushed three more runs across in the bottom of the fourth to seal the win in a game shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule.
Luna also took the loss, pitching four innings and allowing eight earned runs on ten hits, with five walks and a strikeout.
With the loss, the Lady Jaguars are now 6–2 overall and play again on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at home against Westview.

After 25 years with the VCPUSD, Gary Pay heads off into retirement

Gary Pay plays the mandolin with The Ash Street Ramblers at Bates Nut Farm in 2009.

BY: DAN KIDDER

After 25 years anywhere, you’re going to end up with some stories to tell.
But it’s not every day that you’d get to talking about your week and end up explaining how you and a coworker chased a snake through a parking lot with a trash can.
Such is, or rather has been, the life of Gary Pay for the past quarter century as the head of maintenance and operations for the Valley Center/Pauma Unified School District (VCPUSD). But this summer, Pay will ride off into the sunset of retirement.
“This is the best school district in California,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine spending twenty-five years working anywhere but here.”
The result of simply answering a “help wanted” ad in a newsletter, Pay drove down from Lone Pine to Valley Center for his interview, and knew he’d end up staying.
“When I drove into the area and saw the schools, it really seemed like this was my kind of place,” he says.
Since then, Pay says he has come to appreciate the community’s commitment to the school district, especially shown in the consistency of the school board.
“This community is fortunate to have had such a stable school board all these years,” he says. “I’ve worked with Henry Van Wyk my whole career here, Barb Rohrer has been here fifteen years, and all of the four superintendents I’ve worked under have been such a stable influence. It’s been very consistent, which is nice.”
Pay has in turn become a valued contributor to our community, from serving as the president of the Valley Center Lions Club to getting “talked into” filling the same post in the Valley Center Girls Softball League (VCGSL).
“Pat Tousley has a way of talking you into helping out, one way or another,” he says with a laugh about one of our town’s staunchest supporters of girls softball. “But that’s what I love about our community—those connections. It’s a great community for that.”
Those connections become especially important in times of crisis, as our town has experienced time and time again.
“I’ve worked with Tony Lopresti from the water district for a long time, and we’ve worked together through five disasters here,” Pay says. “In the fires of 2007, I stayed here the whole time, transporting food to the high school, getting lights set up, and taking care of the logistics that need to be taken care of when you have a thousand people staying in your facility for a week. In times like that, you see the same people you see every day, people in the community, working together to help each other get back on their feet.”
When the school year ends and he finally begins his retirement, Pay admits that he won’t miss some things.
“It’ll be nice not to get those phone calls at two or three in the morning,” he says with a smile. “I’ve been on call, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for the past twenty-five years. That’s OK, it’s what I signed up for. But when you work toward a goal like this, it seems so far away, but when you get close, it doesn’t sink in right away that you’re almost there.”
As for his plans in retirement, Pay says that one of his favorite hobbies will get to fill a more central role in his life.
“I’m going to get more exercise, and I’m going to play more music,” he says, referring to his spot in the local bluegrass band, The Ash Street Ramblers. “We’ve got a fiddle player who is a teacher from the Escondido School District, an artist from LA and a bass player who works for NASA working on the next Mars rover—it’s quite a mix of people.”
Pay, who plays the mandolin, first met the group’s guitar player, Ken Simon, who retired from the Valley Center Municipal Water District, when they used to get together in Simon’s office to practice. From those humble beginnings came a band that played in the Millpond Music Festival, the Julian Bluegrass Festival, the Tea Party at Grape Day Park, the Bluegrass On The Greengrass at Skyline Ranch, and a number of shows at Bates Nut Farm, where they will be playing again in October and November. Be sure to check out The Ash Street Ramblers on their Web site at www.ashstreetramblers.net for more information.
But no matter where retired life takes him, Pay says that the memories of his time with the school district will pile as thick as the green spiral notebooks filled with his work projects that he still has covering his desk.
And when the new head of maintenance and operations takes over next year, he or she will be able to look up the proper way to catch a gopher snake in a parking lot with a trash can.

Jaguars win first ever boys lacrosse game in school history

Click here for a photo gallery of the Jaguars' first game!

BY: DAN KIDDER

After years of planning, preparation and hard work, it took only 16 seconds for Valley Center’s high school boys lacrosse program to make its mark.
The inaugural season for the Jaguar boys officially began Monday night with a home game against Temecula Valley, and after a pair of lightning-fast scores to open the game, the Jags went on to take an 8–2 victory.
“Seeing it all come together tonight, I’m just ecstatic,” said head coach Robert Talley. “The guys were getting really excited all week, and they were pumped to get out on the field tonight. They played a great game.”
Valley Center Pauma Unified School District (VCPUSD) Superintendent Dr. Lou Obermeyer threw out the honorary first ball, and it wasn’t long after that the Jaguars were celebrating their first goal in school history. The program is only fielding a junior varsity team this season, but plans to move up to the varsity level next year.
Midfielder Garrett Fiehler took the opening draw, scooped up the ball, fired it to attacker Sullivan Shimer, who wheeled into the middle of the field, ran straight to the goal and fired the first shot of the game past the Temecula Valley goaltender as the home crowd went wild.
“It felt really good to score the first goal,” Shimer said after the game. “I owe it all to my team. We were so excited for our first game. We worked hard in practice and we knew we needed a win to help pump up our sport. Our offense really moved the ball well tonight with some great passes, and our defense really shut them down.”
Fiehler followed up the swift score with another one just 13 seconds later. Once again, he won the midfield draw and scooped up the ball, but this time he took off down the center of the field himself and slung the ball past the bewildered keeper to give the Jags a two-goal lead just 29 seconds into the game.
“It was awesome to come out and see what we had,” Fiehler said. “I’m really proud of our guys, especially how the new kids have stepped up and become leaders.”
The game settled down after the furious flurry to open the contest, and despite a couple of near misses by both teams, the score remained 2–0 at the conclusion of the first ten minutes.
Early in the second quarter, Temecula Valley was called for back-to-back penalties, which gave the Jaguars a two-man advantage for nearly a minute. They cashed in before the second player returned from the penalty box, as Shimer unleashed a cannonade of a shot that gave the Jags a 3–0 lead less than a minute into the second period.
Another penalty on the Golden Bears nearly a minute later led to another goal for Valley Center, this time on another run down the middle by Fiehler, who bounced his shot off the turf in front of the goalie and into the back of the net.
Temecula Valley got its first goal midway through the period on a good run up the middle and a bouncing shot that found its way past the keeper.
But as the final seconds of the first half wound down, Fiehler took matters into his own hands once again, splitting the defenders, bouncing back and forth off of body checks and scoring on a perfectly-placed low shot that gave the Jaguars a 5–1 lead at halftime.
The Jags opened the second half much the same way the opened the first half, with a faceoff win by Fiehler, a great pass on the run to Shimer, and another goal on a pinpoint shot to the top corner of the net.
Valley Center extended the lead with another power play goal midway through the quarter, as Jason Blasius ripped a low shot past the goalie to put the Jags out in front 7–1.
Temecula Valley answered with a goal less than a minute later after a Jaguar turnover that led to a long run and a cleverly maneuvered shot to beat the keeper.
Leading 7–2 heading into the fourth quarter, the Jaguar defense stifled the Golden Bears’ attack again and again. Fiehler found one more way to electrify the home crowd with just under six minutes left in the game. With one of the Golden Bears flying down the hashmarks near the home sideline, Fiehler dropped his shoulder and delivered an absolutely obliterating hit to the ball carrier, flattening him in his tracks with a textbook body check. The collision knocked loose, among other things, the ball, which Fiehler alertly scooped up, carried nearly 60 yards and fired past the Temecula Valley goaltender to put the cap on the thrilling win.
“I just saw the guy coming down into our zone, and I didn’t want to let him get past me,” Fiehler said of the thunderous hit. “We’ve got a lot of guys from the football team out here, and I think that being aggressive on the football field transfers to lacrosse really well. And having played with those guys really helps our team unity.”
Fiehler led the scoring with four goals and a pair of assists, while Shimer added three goals and Blasius scored once. In goal, Kyle Stroud stymied the Golden Bears’ offense again and again to earn the victory.
“We had tryouts two weeks ago, so we only had one full week of practice to prepare for this game, so to get a win like that is solid,” Talley added. “This was a dream start to our season.”
All the hard work put in by so many parents, coaches and administrators finally came to fruition for the boys lacrosse program, but the start of the season was nearly derailed by an issue with the field.
“The game almost didn’t happen because the lines for boys lacrosse are different than they are for the girls,” Talley said. “But [VCHS Athletic Director] Mike Cummings came out here in the rain yesterday to paint the new lines so we could play.”
The Jaguars have a pair of away games next on the schedule—at Maranatha Christian at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday and at San Marcos at 5 p.m. on Monday—before they return home next Wednesday for a 6:30 p.m. game against St. Augustine.
“Come out and support the team, it’s a lot of fun to watch,” Talley said. “If you come out once, I know you’ll be back.”