Written by Jade Nowland on July 9, 2011.
As always, Utah Valley boasted a lot of softball talent and the Daily Herald is pleased to name the best of the best to the 2011 All-Valley team:
Valley Player of the Year: Kailey Christensen, Jr. P, Spanish Fork
Won 16 games and finished with 113 strikeouts as she carried the Dons to the 4A state championship by pitching 35 innings in 25 hours on the final two days of competition. A talented athlete with good command on multiple pitches.
Pitcher of the Year: Taylor Allman, Soph. P, Provo
Won 22 games with a 2.47 earned run average as she helped the Bulldogs to their best softball season ever including their first region title, first undefeated region season and first state playoff victory.
Defensive MVP: Jerika Durfey, Jr. CF, Salem Hills
Few balls were ever completely out of range for her as she made many amazing grabs to save runs in centerfield, including a few enormous catches that helped the Skyhawks make a deep run into the 4A state playoffs.
Offensive MVP: Kylee Wolf, Sr.
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Written by Jade Nowland on June 30, 2011.
The Mountain View boys soccer team endured a lot of bumps this year but put things together when it counted as they played brilliantly through the 4A tournament until they lost the title game by a whisker in overtime.
Squarely at the center of the action was Bruin junior midfielder Besser Davila.
“Whenever he handled the ball, good things happened,” Mountain View coach Mark Graham said. “He got more touches than anyone on the team.
“When he asked for the ball, the guys gave it to him, which was a vote of confidence on their part,” the coach continued. “His ability to maintain possession even under intense pressure made a huge difference for us.”
For his contributions on the field, as well as his leadership and mental toughness, Davila has been selected as the Herald All-Valley Player of the Year for boys soccer.
There is a great deal more to his story than most people know, however.
In the popular ideal, high school is supposed to be a carefree time when young people do some serious preparation for the future mixed in with a lot of fun experiences.
It doesn’t always work out that way, though.
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Written by Jade Nowland on June 28, 2011.
All-State hammer thrower Joe Velez of Classical High School fell just short in his bid to make the USATF World Junior Team that will compete in the World Junior Championships in July in Lille, France. The senior met four of the five criteria USATF officials used in selecting 40 boys and girls for the trip to Europe, but his distance was not quite up to international standards.
Velez finished second in the Youth Division (16-17 years old) at the national junior trials Tuesday in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with a throw of 213 feet, 3 inches, 9 feet and 1 inch farther than his winning throw in the state meet. But the the winning throw at the trials was 232 feet, top European juniors are throwing 270 feet, according to Classical coach Bobby Palazzo, and the sixth-place finisher at the 2009 world junior meet threw 220 feet. That 220 was the final criterion.
Nevertheless, Palazzo said, competing at Myrtle Beach with many of the best young throwers in the nation was a “terrific experience” for Velez.
Written by Jade Nowland on June 27, 2011.
Classical High School senior Joe Velez should learn today if he has been selected for the USATF World Junnior Team that will compete in the World Junior Championships in July in Lille, France.
Velez, the state hammer throw champion, finished second in Youth Division (16-17 years old) at the national junior trials Tuesday in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He threw the hammer 213 feet, 3 inches, 9 feet and 1 inch farther than his winning throw in the state meet. The winning throw at the trials was 232 feet.
USATF officials are taking 40 boys and girls to Europe, and the ability to compete against the best of Europe’s youth will be a factor in final selections. Classical coach Bobby Palazzo said the top European juniors are throwing 270 feet.
If Velez is selected, he will remain in Myrtle Beach for three days to train and will return to Rhode Island on July 11.
Written by Laura Lawley on April 6, 2011.
Phil Ashby provided the following information about happenings in the Abilene school district:
- Last weekend, Cooper ROTC Drill Team set a new school record by winning 10 awards at the Texas Tech Drill Meet in Lubbock.
The armed team placed second in inspection, third in regulation and second in exhibition, earning second place in the Armed Sweepstakes.
The Unarmed Team placed third in inspection, second in regulation and first in exhibition, garnering first place in the Unarmed Sweepstakes.
The Color Guard won first place. Additionally, Cadet Lt. Col. Tyler Foster won the knockout drill competition.
- Thomas Elementary School has been recognized as a Title I Distinguished Performance School in Texas.
The criteria for this recognition include:
Achieved a campus rating in spring 2010 of exemplary
Achieved a campus rating in spring 2009 of exemplary
Achieved a campus rating in spring 2008 of recognized
Maintained a campus residing population of 40 percent or more low income in 2010-11
- Abilene High School junior Adam Gonzales brought home a second-place finish from the SkillsUSA state leadership and skills championships last weekend in Corpus Christi.
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