The Visalia Little League 12-year-old All-Stars won the Little League Northern California Section 7 baseball championship on Saturday in Madera.
In the title game, Visalia beat Madera National 2-0 to punch its ticket to this weekend’s state tournament. Visalia’s Kobe Castro hit a two-run bomb, and pitcher Trent Lira fired 12 strikeouts in a complete-game performance.
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Tulare's Garcia Martial Arts brings home 19 medals (July 7)
Garcia Martial Arts, specializing in Shotokan karate, out of Tulare, attended the Las Vegas USA World Championship on Sunday, June 26, 2022.
Nineteen students participated and brought home 19 medals, including 12 first-place titles.
Garcia Martial Arts are now preparing to compete in the International Karate Championship at Long Beach in August.
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Visalia Shockers win AAU National Tournament (May)
The Visalia Shockers won the 2022 Reno AAU Memorial Day National Tournament in May.
The Shockers defeated Utah United (Provo) 58-40, Jam on It (Reno) 60-51 and NorCal Heat (Chico) 67-56. In the championship game, they topped Splash City (Oakland) 50-42.
The championship team includes Justin Lee (Mt. Whitney), Nahir Karimi (Redwood), Joey Saavedra (Mt. Whitney), Zach Scattareggia (Mt. Whitney), Abel Moreno (Golden West),Tristin Mirwald (Mt. Whitney), Keith Bailey (Mt. Whitney), coach Jason Glick, coach Cameron Scattareggia, and Carter Glick (Mt. Whitney).
Saavedra was the tournament’s most valuable player. The tournament’s leading scorers were Carter Glick (25.2 points per game) and Scattareggia (12.4 ppg).
Orioles win 2022 Visalia Cal Ripken Majors Division championship (May 7)
The Orioles won the 2022 Visalia Cal Ripken Majors Division championship on May 7 with an 8-3 win over the Rangers.
The Orioles finished with an overall record of 19-2, winning the last 17 games in a row.
The championship team includes coach Richard Zuniga, coach Marc Griffiths, coach James Derryberry, manager Frank Durazo, Parker Schultz, Keaton Yandell, Tristen Ritchie, Pierce Ramos, Matteo Zuniga, Ty Derryberry, James Bahrenburg, Cadillac Pina, Jaxon Cooper, Jayven Allen, William Graves, and Finn Griffiths.
Red Bulls claim2022 NJB championship (Feb. 27)
The Red Bulls sponsored by Bassett Cricket Ranch won the 2022 NJB 5th/6th Grade Division Championship on Feb. 27 with a 31-19 victory over the Clippers, concluding a 9-1 season.
The championship team includes Jackson McCullar, Jaden Herrera, Tysen Bassett, Adam Childress, Andrew Plyman, Elijah Amaro, Pierce Ramos, Luke Gocke, assistant coach Chris Gocke, Andrew “AJ” Ruvalcaba,head coach Russell Bassett and Christian Cobos.
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Speedy BJJ places first at Golden State Cup (Aug. 14, 2021)
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team Speedy BJJ, of Tulare, participated in the Golden State Cup on Aug. 14, 2021 in Stockton.
Thirteen out of 16 youth competitors medaled in their division and the two adult competitors each medaled.
Overall, the youth team placed first for the youth organization out of more than 126 organizations. The team includes, top row, left to right: Dustan Wheeler (2nd), Kyle Rening (3rd), Adam Martinez (2nd), Jesus Gonzalez (coach); middle row, left to right: Raul Meraz III (3rd), Roman Solez (1st), Jared Torres (1st), Dylan Costa (1st), Jasmin Gonzalez(1st), Marisa Gonzalez (3rd), Rio Rening (1st); bottom row, left to right: Dustan Wheeler, Emma Boss (1st), Jesus Gonzalez (2nd), Hayden Ormonde (1st), Hunter Ormonde (4th), Bishop Rening (3rd), Marisela Gonzalez (1st). Not Pictured: Mason Ortiz (4th).
Sequoia Softball captures section championship (Aug. 13)
The Sequoia Softball 8U all-star team, of Visalia, captured the Little League Central Valley Section Softball Championship on July 3, defeating Turlock National.
This was the first time the Central Valley Section held an all-star tournament for the 8U softball division.
The championship team includesYesmina Briceno, Maeve Blaco, Evalyn Fraticelli, Alexis-Rose Esqueda, Rebecca Reynoso, Addison Cooper, Jane Newell, Poppy Gomez, Emilyn Dillon, Sophia Bartolotti, Jayla Padilla, Erica Quinley andcoaches Joleen Quinley, Jennifer Newell, Eric Gomez and Rodney Blaco.
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Tulare County high school players selected to Oakland A's area code team (Aug. 6)
Redwood High School baseball playersReece Bueno and Joey Volchko and Tulare Western's Jack Anker and Justin Cuellar were all selectedto the Oakland Athletics' area codeteams.
The aforementioned players were each invited to a tryout through an MLB scout and earned a spot on the A's squad. Anker, Bueno, Cuellar and Volchko are all pitchers.
Bueno, Cuellar and Volchko will now competeagainst the top 150 underclassmen in the nation in a three-day Area Code Baseball showcase on Aug. 12-14 at Loyola Marymount University. Only seven regional MLB underclassmen teams throughout the nation are invited: A's, Brewers, Nationals, White Sox, Rangers, Yankees andReds.
Anker will compete against the top 220 high school players from across the country from the class of 2022 and 2023 at the Area Code Baseball showcase on Aug. 7-11 at the University of San Diego.
Scouts from all 30 Major League teams and top college coaches will be in attendance.
Bueno and Volchko were both on varsity as a sophom*ore this past season, helping Redwood advance to the Central Section Division I quarterfinals.
Volchko is a Stanford verbal commit. Bueno has received recruiting interest fromStanford, USC, Cal, Oregon and Washington.
Anker, an incoming senior, has verbally committed to Fresno State. Anker and Cuellar helped Tulare Western win an East Yosemite League title last season as the Mustangs advanced to the Central Section Division I quarterfinals.
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Exeter water polo club competes at Junior Olympics (July 30)
The Exeter Women's Water Polo Club represented Tulare County at the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics last week in Southern California.
More than 40 athletes competed for a spot on the 18- and 16-and-underteams.Twenty-seven athletes from Porterville, Tulare, Visalia and Strathmore were selected to participate in the tournament.
The 18U squad played seven games in a four-day span and finished 20th overall.Six players from that team will be playing water polo at the collegiate level next year: Alicia Fregoso (Biola University), Karlie Wanmer (Biola University), Meg Gostanian (California State University, Monterey Bay), Ava Lobue(Biola University), Paulina Cemo(Biola University) and Abigail Summers (California State University, Monterey Bay).
“My last Junior Olympic experience was super memorable,” Lobue said.“It was really exciting to go back to this tournament. We didn't get to go to last year due to COVID. It's always an amazing tournament with stiff competition.This Junior Olympics was my last time playing with theExeter Club, so it was bittersweet, but I know I'll still be playing in the years to come at Biola University.”
The 16U team placed 11th overall and finished with a 3-4 record. Two of their losses were only by two goals.The team's defense was led by Porterville High School's Ahna Davis.Davis tallied over 100 saves in seven games.The first game was won in a shootout with Davis blocking fourof five shots.
The 16U team was coached by Exeter Water Polo Club alumni, Shanti Reisinger, who went on to play at Sierra College and San Diego State University.
“It was a fun experience going down south to compete in Junior Olympics,” Devon Cardoza said, who also plays at Tulare Western High School. “I got to know my team better and had a great experience playing against teams from all over.”
Visalia’s 10U all-star team places 3rd at regional tournament (July 30)
The Visalia Youth Baseball 10U All-Star team competed in the 2021 Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest Regional Tournament on July 19-24 in Price, Utah.
The Visalia all-starscame in third place, losing to Hawaii in the semifinal game.
The third-place team is coached bycoach Travis Stinebaugh, manager Frank Durazo,coach Lucio Cobos andcoach Derek Marsh. Members of the teamincludeConnor Gostanian, Kash Lynch, Beckett Ramos (bat boy), Tysen Bassett, Christian Cobos, Cooper Roebuck,Falcon Briggs, Brody Luna, Jaxon Cooper, Jaxsyn Stinebaugh, Christian Luna, Pierce Ramos andParker MacDonald.
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Visalia Wolf Pack win Time Traveler showdown title (July 10)
The Visalia Wolf Pack 12U youth baseball team won the 2021 Time Traveler Showdown Tournament in June at the Ballparks of America facility in Branson, Missouri.
The Wolf Pack went undefeated during tournament play, going 9-0, and defeated Daytona Beach Lightning in the championship game. Twenty-eight teams competed in the tournament.
The championship team is coached byBrady Johnston,Steve McElmoyl,Mark Atkins, Junior Trevino and head coach Chase McElree. Members of the championship team includeWyatt McElree, Nate Ramirez, Macade Atkins, Aidan Trevino, Tanner Brown, Jack Volchko, Graeden Garcia, Aden Robles, Beau Krauss, Jett Johnston, Cade McElmoyl andTanner Garnett.
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Vongni Yang is a sports reporter for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. He coversTulare County sports. Follow him on Twitter @Vongni. To support his continued coverage of local sports,subscribetoday.
