Ojai Valley News Sports

Nordhoff loses in second round, 34-33

2011-11-26T00:12:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final seconds of tonight's CIF-SS second round playoff game. After a back-and-forth game, the Rangers took a 33-28 lead with less than a minute to play. The Torrance Tartars came back to win after they threw a desperation pass for a touchdown with 16 seconds to play in the game.

Isaac Seymour was unstoppable, rushing for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns. The loss for Nordhoff will sting for a while because of a number of mental errors, including several unsportsmanlike penalties. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the game.

Nordhoff advances to second round after 38-0 win over Bosco Tech

2011-11-18T22:44:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers got their 2011 playoff run off to a great start tonight after they defeated the Bosco Tech Tigers, 38-0. Nordhoff got off to a fast start when Isaac Seymour scored from 27 yards out. The NHS defense was dominant all night long and the Tiger never threatened to score in the game. The second score came when Andy Drifka threw a perfect pass to Micah Thornton for a 37-yard score. Eric Lara concluded the first half scoring with a field goal.

Leading 17-0, the second half also belonged to the Rangers. Luis Espinoza scored next for the Rangers after he intercepted a pass and raced 42 yards for a touchdown. Seymour would score again, giving the Rangers a commanding 31-0 lead. The final score of the game came when Tanner Workman threw a 58-yard touchdown to sophomore Mark Burdick.

With the win, the Rangers earn a spot in the second round of the CIF-SS playoffs. NHS will travel to Torrance on Friday. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers' big win.

Rangers draw Bosco Tech in first round

2011-11-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers' first round opponent in the CIF-SS play-offs will be Bosco Tech. The Tigers will come to Ojai with a a 7-3 record and they are 3-3 in the Del Rey League. The game will be played Friday night and kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Rangers clinch Tri-Valley League Championship

2011-11-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers overcame a slow start and 13-10 first half deficit to defeat the Oak Park Eagles, 44-26 in a rare Thursday night game. The win against Oak Park was Nordhoff’s fifth consecutive win of the season. NHS finished their regular season with a 6-4 overall record and a 4-0 record in Tri-Valley League play. With last Thursday’s win, the Rangers also earned the outright Tri-Valley League championship for the second year in a row.

Senior Jordan Morrison broke a school record on the first play of the game when he returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Senior Isaac Seymour scored three touchdowns and quarterback Andy Drifka threw touchdown passes to Eric Lara and Micah Thornton.

Nordhoff will now turn their attention to the CIF-SS play-offs. The pairings will be released Sunday afternoon. For more information on Nordhoff’s big win over Oak Park and to find out who their first-round play-off opponent will be, see Wednesday’s edition of the OVN.

Rangers come back to beat Carpinteria, 34-24

2011-11-04T23:13:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers saw their league championship hopes slipping away tonight against the Carpinteria Warriors, but then NHS rallied back to win 34-24 and claim at least a share of the Tri-Valley League title.

After jumping out to a 14-6 first half lead, the Rangers then began to implode and the Warriors took advantage. Carpinteria returned a punt for a touchdown and converted the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14-14. The Warriors then kicked a field goal to take a 17-14 lead and then made a huge play on defense, returning an interception for a touchdown to extend their lead to 24-14.

With the Rangers seemingly on the verge of defeat, they stormed back when Andy Drifka found Micah Thornton for a touchdown in the fourth quarter making the score 24-21. NHS then took the lead when Drifka found Luis Espinoza for a touchdown with 1:32 to play in the game. Leading 28-24, the Rangers put Carpinteria away for good when Connor O'Malley forced a loose ball and Kevin Crane recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.

See Wednesday's OVN for more information in the Rangers' thrilling comeback win over rival Carpinteria.

NHS spoils Santa Paula's big night

2011-10-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

Tonight Nordhoff traveled to Santa Paula to take on the Cardinals in a key Tri-Valley league contest, and the Rangers skipped town with a big 40-14 victory. NHS jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a touchdown catch by Luis Espinosa and a touchdown run by Isaac Seymour. In the second quarter quarterback Andy Drifka found wide out Eric Lara 22-yard touchdown just before halftime, giving Nordhoff and 21-7 halftime lead. In the second half Lara kicked two field goals and Seymour added one more touchdown to give the Rangers some breathing room and a 33-14 lead. The final score of the game came on a four-yard touchdown run by Jacob Perron. The win gave the Rangers their fourth win of the season and improves their league record to 2-0.

The game marked Santa Paula's homecoming and the opening of their new stadium, but Nordhoff proved to be too much for the Cardinals to handle on their big night. For more information on Nordhoff's big win, see Wednesday's OVN for stats, quotes, and highlights.

Rangers open league play with 35-6 win over Fillmore

2011-10-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers celebrated their Homecoming night with a 35-6 win over the visiting Fillmore Flashes. NHS jumped out to an early 21-0 lead over Fillmore and then never looked back. Quarterback Andy Drifka threw three touchdown passes, two to Jordan Morrison and one to Austin Wolcott. Isaac Seymour chipped in with two rushing touchdowns to round out the scoring for the Rangers. For more details, stats and quotes on the Rangers' big win, see the Wednesday edition of the OVN.

NHS takes out San Marcos

2011-10-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers got a much needed win tonight as they defeated the San Marcos Royals, 42-6. NHS led 14-6 at the half but then exploded for 28 unanswered second half points to earn their second win of the season. Isaac Seymour led the way with three rushing touchdowns for the Rangers. Senior Jordan Morrison caught a touchdown and rushed for another. The Rangers were without quarterback Andy Drifka, but sophomore Tanner Workman filled in nicely, throwing two touchdown passes. See Wednesday's OVN for stats and quotes from head coach Tony Henney.

Santa Barbara pounds Rangers, 38-24

2011-09-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff football team dropped to 1-4 on the season after losing to the Santa Barbara Dons tonight, 38-24. NHS led the game 17-14 at the half thanks to two touchdowns by Isaac Seymour. The second half, the Dons overpowered the Rangers and took the lead for good in the third quarter. See Wednesday's OVN for photos, stats and more details from the game.

Nordhoff drops to 1-3 on the season

2011-09-23T22:41:00.000-07:00

Nordhoff faced a very tough Ventura football team tonight and despite playing some of their best football of the season in stretches, the Rangers were outclassed as they lost 35-20. The heavily favored Cougars jumped out to an early 14-0 lead but the Rangers clawed their way back into the game after an Isaac Seymour TD. With the score locked at 14-7 in the third quarter, Ventura scored again after half time to extend their lead to 21-7 but then they added to their lead to make the score 28-7. NHS scored when Jordan Morrison caught a TD pass to make the score 28-13. Both teams would score again to make the final 35-20. Nordhoff's final score of the night came on a TD pass from Tanner Workman to Brad Sloan.

Overall, the Rangers played just a physical as Ventura but the difference in the game was a turnovers by the Rangers and Ventura's ability to make a few more plays. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the game.

Rangers blank Vikings, 41-0

2011-09-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Andy Drifka tied a Nordhoff record with five touchdown passes as the Rangers defeated Hueneme 41-0. Drifka threw touchdown passes to Jordan Morrison, Tucker De alba, Isaac Seymour, Micah Thornton and Eric Lara. Lara also ran for a score in the game.

With the win, the Rangers improve to 1-2 on the season. For more information on the Rangers first win of the 2011 season, see Wednesday's OVN.

Sundowners Golf 2011

2011-05-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Click to see weekly standings and results

Nordhoff and Villanova to face off this afternoon

2010-12-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Lady Rangers and the Villanova Lady Wildcats will face each other in the finals of Nordhoff's tournament today at 3:30pm. The Two teams both went 3-0 in the tournament to advance to the finals. If you are looking for an inside activity to get out of the rain, this should be a great game between the two local schools.

Nordhoff Falls To Lompoc

2010-12-03T23:20:00.000-08:00

All good things must come to an end and that was the case tonight when the Nordhoff Rangers hosted the Lompoc Braves in the CIF semi-finals. The Braves jumped out to a 14-0 lead and the Rangers were ever able to recover as Lompoc ran away with the game, winning 45-18.

Scoring for the Rangers were Micah Thornton (35 yard touchdown catch), Kyle Moore (32 yard field goal) and Robert Perron (two yard TD run). Defensively the Rangers could not stop the Braves and their running game.

With the loss the Rangers end their season 12-1. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers' final game of the season.

Rangers Escape, Headed to Semi-Finals

2010-11-26T22:24:00.000-08:00

With a spot in the CIF-SS semi-finals on the line, the Nordhoff Rangers went on the road and defeated the Santa Ynez Pirates, 17-16. The game was full of drama and went right down to the final play of the game.

The Pirates got out to an early 3-0 lead before the Rangers came storming back after Jake Logsdon threw touchdown passes to Sean Bettles and Eric White to give the Rangers a 14-3 lead at the half. In the second half, Santa Ynez mounted a great comeback with a fake punt for a touchdown and touchdown pass late in the game but a missed extra point conversion gave NHS the narrow one point victory.

With the win, the Rangers earn a spot in the semi-finals against Lompoc. The game will be played at Nordhoff. For more details on the Rangers big win, see Wednesday's edition of the OVN.

Rangers overcome adversity and advance

2010-11-19T22:59:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers won their first round play-off game tonight against the Verbum Dei Eagles, 21-0. The NHS defense was the story of the game as they held the Eagles scoreless and were never really in danger of being scored on. Unofficially, Keegan Shirck had three sacks and an interception and Eric White had two sacks.

Isaac Seymour rushed for all three of the Ranger scores on the night. For more details on Nordhoff's big play-off win, see Wednesday's edition of the OVN.

Ranger Make History

2010-11-13T01:19:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers made history tonight when they defeated the Oak Park Eagles 23-7. With the win, the Rangers became the first team in school history to finish the regular season 10-0. Back in 1996, the Rangers went 9-0-1.

NHS led 10-0 after the first half and then surged ahead 17-0 in the second half before the Eagles closed the gap to 17-7 but the Rangers closed the deal late in the game with a touchdown to make the final score 23-7. Touchdowns were scored by Isaac Seymour, Sean Bettles and Keegan Shirk. Kyle Moore added a 30-yard field goal for the Rangers.

The Rangers will host their first round play-off game next week. Check Wednesday's OVN to see who the Rangers will face in the first round and to read more about tonight's record-setting win.

Rangers Survive Close Call

2010-11-07T18:06:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers improved to 9-0 on the season after they narrowly defeated the Carpinteria Warriors, 27-14. The Rangers fell behind early but rebounded to take down the stubborn Warriors. Junior Isaac Seymour was stellar for the Rangers, rushing the football 36 times for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Eric White led the defense with 10 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown. For more details on the Rangers big win, see Wednesday's OVN.

Rangers Win Homecoming Battle

2010-10-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers improved to 8-0 on the season as they took out the Santa Paula Cardinals tonight 42-14. NHS jumped out to a 35-6 first half lead thanks to Isaac Seymour's three first half touchdowns. Fullback Tony Johnson scored two touchdowns, including one from 71 yards out. The Ranger defense was solid on the night and the special teams avoided giving up any big plays.

See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers' big win and quotes from head coach Tony Henney.

NHS Dims Flashes

2010-10-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers opened their Tri-Valley League schedule with a 42-7 win over the Fillmore Flashes tonight to improve to 7-0, 1-0 on the season. Jake Logsdon threw four touchdown passes on the night to Keegan Shirck, Tony Johnson and Jordan Morrison (2). Isaac Seymour rushed for two scores and Kyle Moore converted all extra points on the night.

The NHS defense was solid all night and Fillmore did not score until late in the third quarter. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers seventh win of the season.

NHS Hammers San Marcos, 70-14

2010-10-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers completed their non-league schedule tonight with a 70-14 win over the San Marcos Royals to improve to 6-0 on the season. Seven different players scored for the Rangers, including three touchdowns from running back Isaac Seymour. Jake Logsdon threw for two scores and ran for another in the win for the Rangers.

NHS enters their bye week and will face the Fillmore Flashes on Oct. 22. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers' big win tonight against the Royals.

Rangers Rule Santa Barbara

2010-10-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Top ranked Nordhoff improved to 5-0 on season after walking all over the Santa Barbara Dons tonight, 38-14. Isaac Seymour rushed for three touchdowns to pace the Rangers to what amounted to an easy victory overall. The NHS defense was dominant all night and kept the Dons from gaining any momentum at all in the game.

Also scoring touchdowns for the Rangers were Micah Thornton (punt return) and Keegan Shirck (reception). Kyle Moore also added a short field goal for the Rangers. NHS will travel to Santa Barbara again next week to take on the San Marcos Royals.

See Wednesday's OVN to hear more about the Rangers' fifth win of the year.

Rangers Shock Ventura

2010-09-24T22:47:00.001-07:00

In what turned out to be a dramatic night, the Nordhoff Rangers defeated the Ventura Cougars tonight, 26-20. The Rangers jumped out to a 23-8 first half lead and then narrowly hung on as the Cougars mounted a comeback. Issac Seymour scored two touchdowns and Jake Logsdon threw one to Micah Thornton.

The game was full of drama and came right down to the wire. With the win, the top ranked Rangers move to 4-0 on the season. For more information of the Rangers' thrilling win, see Wednesday's OVN.

Rangers Whack Vikings

2010-09-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

There was no doubt who the better team was tonight when Nordhoff traveled to take on the Hueneme Vikings in a non-league match-up. The Rangers jumped out to an early lead and then shifted into overdrive as they beat the Vikings 69-7. Isaac Seymour ran wild over the Vikings' defense, rushing for more than 200 yards in the first half. Quarterback Jake Logsdon threw for three touchdowns, two of which went to Sean Bettles. The Rangers were clearly the best team tonight and they head into their huge match up next week with Ventura with a lot on confidence and a 3-0 record.

See Wednesday's OVN more more details of the Rangers' blowout win.

Rangers Roll Again

2010-09-10T22:23:00.001-07:00

After a slow start, the Nordhoff Rangers scored 21 points in the second quarter and then did the same in the third quarter en route to a 42-12 win over visiting Pacifica tonight. The Rangers were led by junior Isaac Seymour, who scored four touchdowns on the night, three on the ground and one through the air. Jake Logsdon tossed three touchdowns (Seymour, Sean Bettles and Eric Lara) to bring his season total to eight. Kyle Moore was a perfect six for six on extra points.

The NHS defense was solid all night and did not give the Tritons much to celebrate, especially in the second half. The Rangers improve to 2-0 on the season. See Wednesday's OVN for more details and quotes from head coach Tony Henney.

NHS Opens Season With 39-14 Win

2010-09-03T22:50:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers opened their 2010 football season with a huge 39-14 win over visiting West Ranch tonight. Senior Jake Logsdon threw for four touchdowns in his first career start. The defense only surrendered one first down in the first half and they dominated the Wildcats throughout the game. Junior Isaac Seymour rushed for two touchdowns and caught another.

See Wednesday's OVN for more details, stats and quotes from the Rangers' big win.

Sundowners Week 16

2010-08-22T09:41:00.001-07:00

Sundowners Week 15

2010-08-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

sundowners Week 14

2010-08-08T15:15:00.001-07:00

Sundowners Week 13

2010-08-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 12

2010-07-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 11

2010-07-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 10

2010-07-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 9

2010-06-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 8

2010-06-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 7

2010-06-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 6

2010-06-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 5

2010-05-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 4

2010-05-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 3

2010-05-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Sundowners 2010 Week 2

2010-05-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

Sundowners 2010 Week 1

2010-05-03T19:25:00.000-07:00

Rangers Out In First Round

2009-11-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers could not capitalize on opportunities and six turnovers gave the upper hand to the El Segundo Eagles in the first round of the CIF-SS play-offs. The Eagles skipped town with a tough 24-7 win. Dillon Lowen scored the lone touchdown on the night for NHS when Skyler Logsdon found him for a 39-yard scoring strike. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers' final game of the season.

Nordhoff Wins Eighth Straight

2009-11-06T23:28:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers went on the road and beat a tough Oak Park team tonight 28-0. Skyler Logsdon threw for four touchdowns, three of which went to Logan Crow. Senior tight end Evan Hardman caught the other touchdown pass for the Rangers.

Defensively the Rangers were solid thanks to the play of their linemen and linebacker Keegan Shirck. With the win, NHS improves to 8-1 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Tri-Valley League play. The Rangers will face Oaks Christian next week for the league title. For more details on the Rangers' big victory and their record breaking performances, see next Wednesday's edition of the OVN.

Rangers Please Homecoming Crowd

2009-10-30T22:34:00.001-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers used a 27 point second quarter to defeat the Carpinteria Warriors tonight, 41-20. Skyler Logsdon had his third five touchdown performance of the season tonight to break the school record for the most touchdown passes in a season. Scoring touchdown on the night were: Logan Crow (3), Evan Hardman (2) and Dillon Lowen. Crow also threw a touchdown pass on the night.

With the win, the Rangers improve their record to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in Tri-Valley League play. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Rangers' big win and Logsdon's record breaking night.

Rangers Improve to 6-1, Defeat Bishop Diego

2009-10-23T23:02:00.000-07:00

It took the Nordhoff Rangers a little longer than normal to get warmed up, but once they did, they were dominant. NHS rolled over the Bishop Diego Cardinals tonight in Santa Barbara, 35-7. Skyler Logsdon threw three touchdown passes in the first half to Sean Bettles, Logan Crow and Alex Leckie. Cody Doolittle rushed for one score and Crow picked up a fumble and raced 65 yards for the final score of the game for the Rangers. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on Nordhoff's second league win of the season and hear what head coach Tony Henney had to say about his team's performance.

Santa Clara No Match For Rangers

2009-10-16T23:02:00.000-07:00

NHS improved their record to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the Tri-Valley League tonight as they dismantled the Santa Clara Saints, 44-7. The game was never in doubt and NHS was clearly the better team from start to finish.

Justin Burgess and Alex Leckie both scored two touchdowns in the game and Skyler Logsdon tossed two touchdown passes to improve his season total to 15. Logan Crow returned a punt 55 yards for a score and senior Cody Doolittle added a rushing touchdown.

With the win, the Rangers position themselves for a possible playoff slot and continue to serve notice that they are one of the most prolific offenses in the CIF-SS. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the Nordhoff win.

Rollin' Rangers

2009-10-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

Tony Henney's high powered offense was on display tonight when the Nordhoff Rangers overwhelmed the Fillmore Flashes, 52-14. Skyler Logsdon equalled his school record by throwing five touchdown passes....for the second time in three games.

Scoring touchdowns for the Rangers were: Justin Burgess (2), Logan Crow, Evan Hardman, Tony Johnson, Sean Bettles, and Dillon Lowen. With the win, the Rangers improve to 4-1 on the season. Read Henney's comments on his team's play in Wednesday's OVN.

Rangers Whack 'Cats

2009-10-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Bucket Bowl did not live up to the hype, in fact the game was over after just one quarter of play. The Rangers scored early and often as they jumped out to a 33-0 first quarter lead. Nordhoff went to expand their lead to 47-0 at the half and then head coach Tony Henney emptied the bench to get his reserves some playing time in the second half. Villanova would finally get on the board late in the game when Sammy Davis rushed for a two-yard score, making the final score 47-7. See Wednesday's OVN for more details on the big game.

Logsdon Makes History For NHS

2009-09-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter of play against the Pacifica Tritons and then they went on a scoring run for the ages as they went on to defeat Pacifica 42-21. The story of the game was the quarterback play by senior Skyler Logsdon. Logsdon broke two school records (most touchdown passes in a game and most yards in a game) en route to the upset victory.

Catching touchdowns passes for the Rangers were Alex Leckie (2), Dillon Lowen, Sean Bettles, and Logan Crow. The NHS defense also showed up big, forcing the Tritons into several turnovers. For more information on Logsdon's record night and for quotes from Logsdon and head coach Tony Henney, see Wednesday's OVN.

Nordhoff Takes Down Santa Ynez

2009-09-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

NHS defeated a very good Santa Ynez team Friday night, 14-12. The Rangers jumped out to a 14-0 first half lead thanks to touchdowns by Justin Burgess and Logan Crow. In the second half, the Pirates were able to get back into the game and scored two touchdowns of their own. The difference in the game was extra points, the Rangers converted theirs, while Santa Ynez failed to to convert their opportunities.

See Wednesday's OVN for more details, stats and quotes from head coach Tony Henney.

Rangers Fall In Opener, 38-12

2009-09-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

The start to the Nordhoff Ranger football season did not go as planned as the team dropped their opener to Pioneer Valley 38-12. The Rangers touchdowns were scored by Cody Doolittle and Dillon Lowen. NHS kept the game close in the early going, but turnovers and other untimely miscues gave the Panthers the nod. Life won't get much easier for the Rangers as a very good Santa Ynez team is coming to town next Friday night. For more details and stats from the Rangers' opener, see Wednesday's OVN.

Vote Ojai Top Tennis Town In USA

2009-07-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

The City of Ojai has been identified by the United States Tennis Association as one of the nation’s top ten tennis towns, but now Ojai needs your vote to claim the title of “Best Tennis Town in the United States.” The winning city will claim a $100,000 prize that will be used to improve tennis facilities and to promote the sport of tennis in the community. The second and third place towns will receive $50,000 and $25,000 respectively.

In order to prove that Ojai is the country’s best tennis town, residents and friends are encouraged to log on to the contest web site at besttennistown.com to cast their vote. Votes will be counted until July 26th. Other cities being considered for this great honor are: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Cary, North Carolina, Las Vegas, Nevada, Independence, Kansas, Hickory, North Carolina, Grand Junction, Colorado, Midland, Michigan, Springfield, Missouri, and Tempe, Arizona.

Voting is simple and only takes a few seconds; all that is required is a valid email address. Voters can see the top three finalists on July 27th. The Grand Prize winner will be announced at the 2009 US Open. IMPORTANT NOTE: After voting, please check your email inbox and be sure to confirm your vote by clicking on the link in the message from Best Tennis Town. Lastly, check your SPAM or junk mail folder in case the message is directed there.

Sundowners Golf League Week 16

2009-06-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week results

Record turnout for annual Ojai Valley Century Ride

2009-06-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

By Sondra Murphy

Cyclists turned out in record numbers for the sixth annual Ojai Valley Century Bike Ride Saturday benefiting Boy Scout troops 103 and 179. Coordinated by Ojai Valley Rides, Inc. for the third year, the ride started in Libbey Park on a comfortably hazy morning and had four routes, ranging from 60 to 100 meters, that took participants through Rose Valley, Casitas Pass, Montecito, Santa Paula and along the Ventura coast on the way back into Ojai.
“More riders than ever registered this year — 851,” said Kathy Ellison, volunteer coordinator for the event. “It’s a ride, not a race, through beautiful areas around the county.” Ellison said cyclists were able to chose from 62-, 124-, or two 100-mile distances.
“All of the rest stops are staffed by Boy Scouts,” said Steve Berkel, vice president of the OVRI board. “This year, our president, Jerry Boone, arranged medallions for riders who finished 100 miles for the first time.”
Boone had been involved with biking merit badges and other cycling-related programs for the Boy Scouts when he got the opportunity to coordinate the Century Ride. “Another guy and I ride bikes, so we knew that side of it,” said Boone. They organized it so that each scout who participates gets a share of the proceeds based on how much time they put into it. Plus, for every volunteer they get to help, those hours count toward the scout’s account. “So they can make enough doing this one day to pay for everything they do all year,” Boone said. “And this is a lot more fun than selling popcorn in front of a supermarket.”
Boone listened to comments from riders as they finished their courses. Repeat participants Curt Edmonds and Nathan Cuellar were glowing after they finished their routes. “It wasn’t too bad, it was cool, so that was nice,” said Edmonds.
Cuellar and Edmonds enjoy supporting the Century Ride. “We’re normally out riding anyway, so this gets us out of our routine,” Cuellar said.
“We want to keep it a personal ride for the riders,” said Boone. “We keep track of people who come back and use feedback to improve.”
Besides rest stops stocked with high-energy food, rehydrating fluids and complimentary Popsicles throughout the course, safety is closely monitored with the assistance of the Ojai Valley Amateur Radio Club. “We have people stationed at the Rose Valley turnoff, Carpinteria High School, Patagonia, Casitas and Santa Ana Road,” said OVARC emergency coordinator Wayne Francis. He said 17 radio operators participated in the Century Ride this year and the event provides effective field practice for valleywide emergencies.
“This gives us a chance to get out of the house and exercise our gear,” Francis said. Self-sustaining port-ability is important to test and the hams enjoy testing the equipment and helping to keep an eye on the cyclists.
The Ojai Valley Century Bike Ride is scheduled for the first Saturday after Memorial Day, so mark your calendars for June 5, 2010.
For more information, go to ojaivalleycentury.org.

Photos by Sondra Murphy. Below, Jerry Boone, left, president of Ojai Valley Rides, Inc., thanks riders Curt Edmonds and Nathan Cuellar for supporting the Boy Scout benefit. At right, Kathy Ellison, right, volunteer coordinator for the sixth annual Ojai Valley Century Ride, rings in David Mitchell of Los Angeles as he finishes the Metric Century.

Sundowners Week 6

2009-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Sundowners Week 6

NHS Baseball Takes League Title

2009-05-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

After a slow start to their non-league season, the Nordhoff Rangers claimed a share of the Frontier League title today when they defeated Grace Brethren 17-6 in their regular season finale. NHS rebounded from a 2-0 loss earlier in the week to take the league title in front of their home fans. The Rangers are headed to the play-offs which will begin next week. Check Wednesday's OVN for more details and information on the CIF play-offs.

VPS Names Kevin Davis Football Coach & AD

2009-05-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

The Villanova administration wasted little time in naming their new head football coach and athletic director after John Muller resigned earlier this month. VPS President Gregory Heidenblut announced that the school has hired Kevin Davis to fill both roles on the Ojai campus.

Davis served as an assistant football coach for the Wildcats last season and spent several seasons as an assistant at Nordhoff under Cliff Farrar. Davis currently lives in the Ojai Valley with his wife and two children. See Friday's OVN for additional details and quotes from Davis.

Villanova's John Muller Going To St. Bonaventure

2009-04-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Villanova head football coach and athletic director John Muller announced that he has resigned his position from Villanova to take the athletic director and an assistant football coaching position at local football powerhouse St. Bonaventure. Muller, who came to the Ojai Valley eight years ago said, “I am excited about the opportunity, but Villanova has been my home for eight years. My kids love the school and it is all that they know. It will be hard to leave, but this is a wonderful opportunity.”

Muller’s resignation will be effective June 30th and a replacement has not been immediately identified. Check Wednesday’s OVN for an in depth interview with Muller.

Ventura Raceway holds season opener Saturday

2009-03-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

By Lee Elder

Racing returns to Ventura Raceway with tomorrow’s season opener. Let the excitement begin.
The Ventura Racing Association’s Sprint Car and Sports Compact classes will begin their season, along with the IMCA Modifieds, USAC Junior Ford Focus Midgets and the crowd-pleasing California Lightning Sprints. Racing starts at 5:30 p.m.
The off-season has been a busy one for promoter Jim Naylor, the raceway staff and friends. A complex construction project has lengthened the racing surface and made the corner banking steeper. Lap times will be quicker and the venue’s reputation for close competition will remain.
“The opener will be a fast-paced night,” Naylor said. “The cars will be faster and we’ve built a really racy track. We could probably sell every seat twice because the customers will spend most of their time jumping up and down and having a good time. They’ll be too excited to sit down.”
Ticket prices at the Ventura Raceway are family-friendly because kids under 12 can attend the races free of charge when accompanied by an adult. General admission tickets cost $14. The student, military and senior price is $11.
“Ventura Raceway has always been a place for the whole family,” Naylor said. “That’s what this is all about. Our ticket prices reflect that.”
Ventura Raceway is located at Seaside Park just a few yards from the Pacific Ocean. The track has hosted nationally televised races 18 times, attracting future superstars the likes of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Naylor is a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
Ventura Raceway is the only successful professional sports franchise in Ventura County history and is among the longest-tenured entities at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. More information is available at venturaraceway.com.

Coyotes win CIF crown

2009-03-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

Besant Hill squad takes CIF-SS title in first year of league play

By Mike Miller

In just their first year of CIF play, the Besant Hill Coyotes and their Cameroon Connection made history last Friday night when they defeated Hope Centre Academy of Compton, 74-63. With the victory, the Coyotes claimed the school's first-ever CIF title. Head coach Randy Bertin said, "This has meant so much to our players, students, and everyone connected to Besant Hill School. There is a different energy around our campus and we all just keep looking at the championship trophy."
Leading up to the title game, the Coyotes had been leveling their opponents, winning by an average of 32 points per game, but Hope Centre Academy presented some challenges for Besant Hill. The game went back and forth and included 12 lead changes and four ties. "They were an extremely athletic team and they took 82 shots in the game, which is a lot of shots. All season we worked on our conditioning so that we would not get beat in the fourth quarter of games and I really think that is why we were able to pull away late in the game," added Bertin.
With the game tied at the half, the Coyotes made some adjustments in the locker room which allowed them to pull away late in the game. "All week we worked on rebounding and blocking out. We knew that they were going to take a lot of shots and that we needed to box out. Early in the game they were killing us on the offensive boards. In the first half, they had 17 offensive rebounds but after we made some adjustments, they only managed three in the second half. I think that was the key to the game," noted Bertin.
The Coyotes were led by junior superstar Yannick Atanga, who scored 35 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Bertin said, "Yannick really played well, he did so many things right for us." Not to be outdone, sophomore Francois Tchoyi put home 23 points and recorded 16 rebounds as well. Ivan Matip, who has been the floor general all season for Besant Hill, scored 14 points and snatched 12 rebounds from his point guard position.
After clinching their first title, Bertin was asked what this accomplishment would mean to the school. "I think that it will mean that our school and our students will be viewed as being well-rounded. When we started our athletics program, we said from the beginning that we wanted to do it right and we wanted our kids to develop a life-long love for athletics and living a healthy lifestyle. I think that we are off to a good start. When I look at the players that we have that really did not have much experience playing basketball, I see how far they have come and how much they have improved and I think that they will play basketball for the rest of their lives. That is what this was all about."
Besant Hill fans have a lot to look forward to next season as well. The team will graduate only two players and according to Bertin, all of his other players will be back. "Our weakness is our depth, so hopefully we can get improve on that next year by getting some new freshmen in here," he said.
With their win over Hope Centre, Besant Hill earned a spot in the CIF Southern California Division V Tournament. The Coyotes hosted a very good Mission Prep team from San Luis Obispo last Monday night at Thacher in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. The Coyotes exploded out the gate, claiming a 10-1 lead to open the game. The first half was textbook high school basketball as both teams executed their game plans flawlessly. The Royals took a slim 33-32 lead into the half, thanks in large part to the stellar play of their leading scorer, Robert Souza.
In the second half, Mission Prep benefitted from a couple of questionable foul calls late in the game that put the Coyotes in foul trouble and their lack of depth began to come into play. In the third quarter, Tchoyi picked up his fourth foul and was forced to the bench and then Atanga fouled out in the fourth quarter on a mystery foul away from the ball. Despite a valiant effort by Matip to keep Besant Hill in the game, they lost 72-60.
Souza led all scorers with 32 points while Matip poured in 28 and Atanga added 18. After the game, an appreciative crowd thanked the Coyotes for their historical season with a long-standing ovation and a chant of "BHS." The team finished their season with a 22-2 record and a championship banner.
With tears running down her cheeks, a Besant Hill fan on her way out of the gymnasium said, "I am so proud of those boys. They brought so much joy to all of us this season. We are sad to see the season end."

Besant Hill Crowned CIF Champs

2009-03-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Besant Hill's dream season concluded last night with a 74-63 victory over Hope Centre Academy of Compton. With the win, the Coyotes claimed their first ever CIF Title. The Champs finished their season with a 22-1 record, including an impressive 20 consecutive wins.

Yannick Atanga was the star of the night for the Coyotes, scoring 35 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. Sophomore Francois Tchoyi chipped in with 23 points and 16 boards, while Ivan Matip had 14 points and 12 rebounds. After being tied at the half, the Coyotes asserted their skills en route to the 11 point win.

For more details on the title game, see Wednesday's edition of the OVN.

DeVito elected Ojai Tennis Club director emeritus

2009-02-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

The Board of Directors of the Ojai Tennis Club is pleased to announce that it has elected Joe DeVito as a Director Emeritus.

DeVito and his wife, Mary, first came to Ojai in 1965. DeVito had served in the military in Japan, and after service, worked in the oil fields while he attended college. After college, he became a teacher. After one semester of teaching the in the LA area, he and Mary moved to Ojai, where he taught a grade four and five curriculum for three years at Topa Topa. During that time, he earned his graduate degree, and was appointed as principal of San Antonio School in 1968. Joe was elected to the Ojai City Council in 1986. He still serves, having won re-election six times, and is currently serving his fifth term as Mayor of Ojai.

Although not a tennis player, DeVito was active in sports, earning three varsity letters in basketball. DeVito relates a story from 1965, perhaps a premonition of what was to come. A business relation heard that Joe and Mary DeVito were moving to Ojai. The fellow said to DeVito, “That’s Arthur Ashe country.” DeVito told the man he had no idea who Arthur Ashe was, and so heard for the first time about the Ojai Tennis Tournament, and Ashe’s Pac-10 victory in 1965.

DeVito was recruited into the Ojai Tennis Club in 1967 by local tennis teacher Pedro Yanez, who asked DeVito to call lines at the Ojai Tennis Tournament. Although had never even attended a tennis tournament, he agreed, and undertook his assignment, armed only with the information that, “If it’s on the line its good, otherwise, it’s out.” DeVito found the work more difficult than he had anticipated, particularly when dealing with two Pac-10 players named Lutz and Smith. After two years on the courts, he opted to serve instead as the supervisor of the lines people.

His next assignment (whether it should be considered a "promotion" is unclear) was as Clean Up Committee chair. DeVito and his crew were responsible for breaking down the Tournament facilities, and storing the equipment for next year's Tournament. In this capacity, he developed procedures for better handling, maintenance and storage of the equipment, making it more functional and easier to handle. DeVito served in this capacity until 1993. His wife, Mary, has also been active with The Ojai®. She was appointed to the Board of Directors in the early 1970s, and served for almost 20 years. For many years, she was in charge of the court managers.

DeVito retired as principal of San Antonio School in 1992. By this time, based on his 25 years service to The Ojai®, his talents at organization and leadership skills were well recognized. Members of the Board of Directors, recognizing an opportunity, took DeVito to dinner, and convinced him that he should be the President of the Ojai Tennis Club for the following year. This was unusual, as DeVito was not a member of the Board of Directors, something now required by the Club by-laws. Consistent with his demonstrated commitment to community, DeVito agreed, and he was simultaneously elected as a member of the Board and President for the 1993 Tournament.

In his first year, the Tennis Club's finances were minimal, with no cash reserves. DeVito set about remedying this situation, by suggesting actions designed to increase the stature of the tournament. He recruited personnel in the sports field to find resources willing to support the Tournament. He was able to secure in-kind donations of a computer and copy machine, and recruited cash sponsors, as well, including many of today’s major sponsors. DeVito also negotiated a formal "official ball" agreement with Wilson, resulting in reduced costs and greater support for the Tournament. He also worked to expand the Thursday night barbeque, which now regularly serves over 250 people and has resulted in greater participation by members of the Ojai community. As sponsorship of the tournament grew, so did the club reserves. The strong financial health of the tennis club today is directly attributable to DeVito's efforts during those years.

During DeVito's five-year term as President, and continuing today, he is probably best known for his "people skills." He helped recruit more volunteers to assist with the Tournament, as the numbers were dropping and replacements hard to find. He began the era of the "town hall" type monthly board meetings, encouraging anyone interested to attend the meetings, to generate enthusiasm for the tournament. He promoted the volunteer potluck and social socials to recognize and thank volunteers for their service. He pioneered the "Lifetime Pass" for special contributors. He visited all the venues during the tournament, including those outside of the valley, to encourage those volunteers and make sure they felt part of The Ojai®. One year, when Wilson provided straw hats, DeVito distributed them to board members and committee chairs. Those hats can still be seen today at the tournament.

DeVito stepped down as President after the 1997 tournament, because of the press of his duties as a city councilman, but continued to serve on the board until 2008, providing invaluable guidance, support, and liaison with the city. His resignation was due in part to efforts by the tennis club to reduce the size of the board, as well as his belief that he could better serve the tennis club while on the city council without the potential for any conflict of interest.

DeVito says some of the most gratifying feelings for the tournament come when he meets players who competed here. He tells of an encounter with a young woman in Florida when Joe and Mary were checking out of their hotel. DeVito was wearing an Ojai T-shirt, and the woman commented on that, telling DeVito that she had competed here while in college. That kind of respect for our Big Time tournament in this small town means more to DeVito than personal accolades, and serves as a reminder of the caliber of the annual tournament.

DeVito's heart is still with the Ojai Tennis Club and the annual Ojai Tennis Tournament, and he will be a constant and welcome presence in Libbey Park. DeVito has, by his hard work and dedication through over 40 years of service, earned the respect and admiration of everyone associated with the club and the tournament, and has been recognized as a Director Emeritus.

Burright future ahead

2009-02-04T12:52:00.000-08:00

Nordhoff’s Bianca Burright, pictured with her mother, Eleanor, on the eve of her signing a national letter of intent to play Division I soccer at Cal Poly. Photo by Scott Wintermute.

Nordhoff athlete follows her dream of playing college soccer at California Polytechnic State University

By Mike Miller

Today will be one of the most exciting days in Bianca Burright’s life. The Nordhoff High School senior will be signing a national letter of intent to play Division I soccer at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. This official signing will fulfill her dream of playing college soccer.
Sports have always been a big part of Burright’s life, but for the last few years she has been focusing on becoming one of the area’s most prolific scoring forwards. She said, “When I was younger, I participated in softball, basketball, tennis, diving, dance, and equestrian sports. Then when I turned 15, I was named to the U.S. Women’s National Team and that’s when I decided to devote myself to soccer.”
Burright has hit the back of the net plenty of times in her career as a Ranger. She has scored 79 career goals and when you add 49 assists on top of that, you have one of the best soccer players to wear a Nordhoff uniform.
Her ability to score in bunches is a rare quality. Head coach John Hoj said, “She is a rarity in soccer in that anywhere in the offensive third of the field if given the ball she has the ability, the tenacity, and power to score goals in bunches. She is a natural goal scorer, what every soccer team dreams to have, and she has been finishing her opportunities all year long.”
Scoring goals is only the start of a long list of things that Burright loves about the sport, she added, “The thing that I like most about soccer is the team atmosphere, hard work, common goals and the sisterhood. I also love having the ball and taking people on. I like setting people up to score as well as scoring goals myself. I am also thankful for all the friends, coaches, and teammates that I have met throughout the years.”
When she talks about sisterhood, Burright means it. Her sister, Gianna, is a junior for the Rangers. Older sister said, “I love playing with my sister. She has always been the tougher one out of the two of us. She has my back. We do fight a lot on the field but we love each other. It is kind of weird, we always know where the other is on the field, like a sister bond that we have.”
Burright is also looking beyond her years at Cal Poly and has set her sights on lofty goals both in the classroom and on the soccer field. She said, “After college, my goals include playing in the women’s professional league. My long-term career goal is to have a career in nursing. I am interested in pediatric nursing. My dream is to some day make the National Team and represent my country in the Olympics.”
The Rangers will play their final regular season game next week when they host La Reina on Feb. 11 at 3 p.m.
Editor’s note: Burright has also displayed her writing skills this season by contributing NHS girls’ soccer reports to the OVN sports page.

Skate Park cleanup photos by Dave England

2008-12-19T15:03:00.001-08:00

Photographs taken Dec. 13 at the Ojai Skate Park

Skate Park cleanup photos by Sunday Rylander

2008-12-19T14:59:00.000-08:00

Photographs taken Dec. 13 at the Ojai Skate Park.

Skate Park gets temporary fix

2008-12-18T15:52:00.002-08:00

Photo by Sunday Rylander

Volunteers of all ages came out in full force Saturday to clean and repair the temporary Skate Park in downtown Ojai.
The crew painted the front, back and sides of the half pipe, erradicated graffiti and added fresh paint, filled more than 13 bags with leaves, fixed screws sticking out of the half pipe and other ramps and fixed the fence.
They also replaced rotten wood and painted it, then used the skate light for a new feature and created a new ramp in the right corner of the park to replace the pyramid that was taken out a while back.
People also cleaned out all the trash behind the wall, weeded the planter on the back wall, picked up trash from in and around the Skate Park, replaced missing railing and cleaned up old wood and materials.
“We found two bike racks and pulled them into the Skate Park and the kids immediately started using them to put their bikes in,” said Sunday Rylander. “It was such a great experience and the kids were stoked to get the park back in shape, since we will be using it for the next seven months until demo starts on the new concrete skate park.
“Once again we were able to pull it off with no budget, donations from the many Skate Park supporters and some hard work. A special thank-you to the parents who hung out all day and shared their time and skills with everyone: Wendy Hilgers, Dave England, Mark Highlove, Carl Rylander, Moe, Michael Meagher, Judy Gabriel, Bobbi Woodz and Joanna England.”

Rose Valley hosts ultrarunners

2008-12-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

Tea Fire relocates 33-mile endurance run to Ojai’s backcountry, kindles interest in creating annual event

By Earl Bates

As a result of forest closures due to the recent Tea Fire, a much-loved endurance run, the Santa Barbara Nine Trails, was restaged Saturday in the heart of Ojai’s backcountry.
Christened the Rose Valley 33 Mile Endurance Run, it was the official replacement for the 2008 Santa Barbara Nine Trails, a 35-mile ultramarathon that has been run annually in the hills of the Santa Barbara front country since 1990.
Runners traveled into the Ojai area for the weekend from all over California, from Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Virginia and Japan. About 100 ultrapeople embarked from the starting line and 87 found the finish at this year’s run.
Mike Swan of Santa Barbara ran the swiftest time, 5 hours, 8 minutes for an average of about 9:20 per mile.
Ultrawoman Krissy Moehl finished first place female and fifth overall in 5 hours, 27 minutes. “I love the Ojai trails,” she said. “It was a beautiful day out there and a fun group to run with.”
Among her many ultrawins in recent years, Moehl is the current women’s record holder on Colorado’s gnarly Hardrock Hundred for her incredible time, third overall, in that 2007 race. Moehl found her way to the Rose Valley run to visit friends and to aim at bettering the woman’s record she set on the Santa Barbara Nine Trails run in 2006.
Concerning the fact that Moehl outruns almost all of the men, “In long distance running it’s not about guys and girls, it is about you and the clock,” she said. “Having others out there in a race setting to push you helps, but ultimately it is about how you feel about your own performance.”
Rose Valley 33 Mile Endurance Run Race director Luis Escobar and a team of stalwart volunteers scrambled to relocate this year’s entire event onto the Ojai Ranger District after Los Padres Forest officials shut down access to the run’s normal Santa Barbara route through the Tea Fire burn area.
“Luis Escobar did an amazing job pulling together the Rose Valley run on very short notice,” said Moehl. “He was up against tough logistics with permits and many organization details and with the help of good friends was able to pull it off.”
Escobar put his energy into restaging and organizing, right up to the 7 a.m. start of the race, then adjusted his bandanna and took to the trail, cruising the course in 6 hours, 24 minutes.
“The event was great,” said David Ambrose, Ojai resident and participating runner. “The aid stations were perfectly separated and well stocked. The volunteers, as in most events, were astounding. Without them, the event could not take place.”
Considered “short” for an ultramarathon, the Santa Barbara Nine Trails has become known as an excellent late-season run, with typically beautiful Mediterranean climate and spectacular vistas from mountains to ocean.
This year’s course began in Ojai’s sister valley to the north, Rose Valley. Runners followed the steep route out of Rose Valley to the Nordhoff Ridge, continued west, ran down Gridley Trail, turned around and ran back up. The route continued west on the ridge to the top of Pratt Trail, then back east on the ridge, down Howard Creek Trail and back up to the ridge for the run northeast down to finish at the starting point in Rose Valley.
“I really enjoyed the multiple out-and-backs the course provided,” said Moehl. “We had the opportunity to cheer each other on multiple times.”
More than a foot race through the forest, this year’s event was a magnetic gathering of kindred trail spirits. These fleet-footed people seem to have gotten in touch with some natural energies that carry them through the trail miles, and it emanates from their presence.
“I truly love being out there and you have to love it to want to be out there for the longer miles and hours,” said Moehl. “You have to love it to get through the times when it doesn’t feel so good. And you have to love it to want to get out and train most days in spite of life, weather or other varying circumstances.”
In the middle of Rose Valley, the site formerly occupied by the Navy’s Seabee Training Center served as the race’s start and finish point and base camp for activities. Friday evening this normally deserted government station began its weekend reincarnation by means of a pre-race barbecue galvanized with a free-range bluegrass mix of spontaneous music.
Ojai resident and “real mountain man” Bill Kee was just getting his steel guitar warmed up when noted ultrarunner Roch Horton walked in from the edge of camp, said hello and sat down with his dobro and joined in chords. Into the evening by the gleam of friends’ little LED headlamps, deep in Ojai’s backcountry, they played. “It’s a long way from here to over yonder, My feet are feeling mighty sore, The course is marked and yet we all still wander, Because our running shoes don’t fit us anymore.” Horton sang lyrics he composed while running the awesome Hardrock Hundred through Colorado’s majestic San Juans.
Horton, a former Ojai resident now living in Salt Lake City, appreciated Saturday’s beautiful weather and an opportunity to run the trails above Ojai. “The trails are cut into steep hillsides, so you don’t want to fall off, but they are hard, runnable, a lot of vertical,” he said. “This ridge has become a little mecca for ultrarunning, you have the view of the Ojai Valley, the ocean. The founding fathers of these trails, whoever they were, need to be commended.”
Ambrose regularly runs a variety of Ojai trails, his favorites include trails of the Ventura River-Rancho El Nido Preserve, Gridley Trail, Foothill Trail and Shelf Road. “Since I’m from Ojai, I have frequently hiked and run on the trails that comprise the course, so I was very familiar with the terrain. The course offers some of the best views as it goes along the ridge.
“I’d like to see the event take hold and become a new annual trail event in Ojai. Perhaps move it to spring so as not to conflict with Santa Barbara Nine Trails.”
The Herculean and friendly Scott Jurek was on hand at the race; he said it felt good to take a little break from running. He seemed to naturally enjoy visiting friends, helping with registration and answering questions from comrade ultrarunners about diet and training.
Jurek is a phenom on feet. He sailed through seven consecutive wins, 1999-2005, at Western States; first place at Badwater, 2005-2006; first place at Hardrock Hundred, 2007; first place at the 152 mile Spartathlon, 2006-2008.
As runners met and hobnobbed during the weekend, common topics in conversation included which ultras will be on their calendars for next year. Considering Jurek’s history, the sense of curiosity was about what might be added in 2009 to his list of major wins.
Jurek said he plans to race a few more years, then retire. “I have a couple more prime years, I’m not going to do any masters runs, I started young and I’ve done a lot of races.” He liked the Rose Valley scene because “it’s low key, it’s friends, everyone has a great time out here.”
For more information of complete race results, go to allwedoisrun.com.

Toads Fall In Heartbreaking Fashion, 18-14

2008-11-29T16:38:00.000-08:00

Thacher went on the road this afternoon to take on Faith Baptist in semi-final match up and nearly pulled off the upset. The Toads had the lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Contenders capitalized on a Thacher fumble and scored the go ahead touchdown with only 3:15 to play to give them the 18-14 victory

Thacher was led by their aggressive defense and the gritty play of quarterback Austin Krause. Krause and John Callander scored Thacher's two touchdowns. See Wednesday's OVN for more details and stats from this exciting and dramatic game.

Ojai Eagles J-2 Gold heads to Super Bowl Saturday

2008-11-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

The Ojai Eagles J-2 Gold team are, bottom row, Bradley Decker, left, Darryl Williamson, Jose Guzman, Vance Saenz, Will Looker, Casey Crane and Brandon Wadsworth. In the second row are Micah Sessing, left, coach Bill Welch, coach Mark Workman, head coach Brian Wadsworth, coach Brad White and Dustin Sallen. In the third row are Steven Saenz, left, Brandon Ocheltree, Matt Woodcock, Mark Burdick, Jacob Brondyke and Tanner Workman. In the top row are M. Alex Sterling, left, Richard Johnson, Ari Carisio, Austin Wolcott, Brewster Parsons, Emmett Johnsen and Koby Welch. Not pictured: coach Gerald Deason.

By Bryan Crawford

The Ojai Eagles have one team in the Super Bowl this year and that is the J-2 Gold Eagles who went undefeated this year (9-0) and, as a member of the J-1 Division last year, were also undefeated and won the Super Bowl.
This year’s Super Bowl will be held in Santa Ynez at Santa Ynez High School on Saturday and the game time is 2:30 p.m.
The Ojai Eagles Youth Football organization wants to send a big thank-you to all the volunteers, parents, sponsors and coaches who contributed their time and resources to the league. The growth and success of the program is a direct result of their hard work, trust and dedication Thank you to the board of director’s and especially to Stephanie, who worked tirelessly to make the snack bar happen for every home game. We look forward to another great Eagles football season in 2009.
Go, Eagles!

In Depth CIF-SS Prelim Cross Country Results

2008-11-17T09:21:00.000-08:00

NHS Boys:

2008 CIF-SS C C Prelims
Meet results can be found on the internet at www.teamtrax,net
Individual Race Results - Race 10 9:51 Div. IV Varsity Men Heat 2 (3M)
PlaceName Yr Team Time Place Name Yr Team Time
1 Oliver, Zach 12 Ontario Christian 15:39
2 petrie, charlie 12 Oaks Christian 15:51
3 Shipe, James 11 Morro Bay 16:05
4 Garcia, Andrew 11 Nipomo 16:22
5 Denlinger, Paul 12 Templeton 16:32
6 Gilbertson, John 12 Los Angeles Baptist 16:39
7 hays, hunter 12 Oaks Christian 16:46
8 Russell, Matthew 10 Nordhoff 16:56
9 Finnerty, Casey 12 Laguna Beach 16:59
10 Harris, Naftali 11 Milken Community 16:59
11 Jelstrom, Ryan 12 Morro Bay 17:01
12 Cannata, Andrew 11 Bishop Montgomery 17:02
13 Kim, David 12 Maranatha 17:04
14 Festa, Jordan 12 Laguna Beach 17:13
15 Gomez, Matt 11 Bishop Montgomery 17:16
16 Hoyt, Tyler 12 Morro Bay 17:18
17 Sanchez, Gustavo 9 Nordhoff 17:20
18 Gonzalez, Jonathan 12 Maranatha 17:21
19 Taschner, Alex 12 Desert Christian (Lncstr)17:27
20 Decker, Luke 10 JSerra 17:28
21 Sillas, Jose 12 Fillmore 17:29
22 Burke, Joey 10 Los Angeles Baptist 17:29
23 Gold, Nick 11 JSerra 17:34
24 Omatsu, Barry 10 Bishop Montgomery 17:35
25 Mattingley, Richard 11 Laguna Beach 17:36
26 Zapata, Issac 11 Twentynine Palms 17:37
27 Moss, Kory 12 Desert Christian (Lncstr)17:40
28 Hardy, Rand 12 Laguna Beach 17:44
29 Weber, Quinn 11 Morro Bay 17:46
30 Sacripanti, Brian 10 Maranatha 17:46
31 Hombo, Thomas 12 Maranatha 17:49
32 Maldonado, Christian 12 Twentynine Palms 17:49
33 Simmons, Taylor 11 JSerra 17:51
34 Johnston, Jake 11 Laguna Beach 17:53
35 Barrantes, Antero 12 Maranatha 17:58
36 huning, ryan 10 Oaks Christian 17:59
37 Cowles, Ryan 10 Nordhoff 18:00
38 Redondo, Matt 12 Los Angeles Baptist 18:01
39 Young, Alex 11 Laguna Beach 18:02
40 Olson, Jared 10 Maranatha 18:03
41 Ochoa, Miguel 12 Fillmore 18:03
42 Acosta, Aaron 11 Desert Christian (Lncstr)18:04
43 Cholat, Gregoire 12 Twentynine Palms 18:05
44 Pang, Jason 11 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 18:06
45 Hudson, John 10 Los Angeles Baptist 18:08
46 Fox, Douglas 11 Nordhoff 18:09
47 Anderson, Casey 10 Bishop Montgomery 18:10
48 Gonzalez, Wally 11 Bishop Montgomery 18:10
49 Vollmer, Daniel 12 Bishop Montgomery 18:12
50 Arroyo, Jose 11 Morro Bay 18:14
51 Anteyles, Adam 12 Campbell Hall 18:14
52 Fisher, Andy 10 JSerra 18:17
53 Richter, Brady 11 Maranatha 18:19
54 Willis, Kyle 9 JSerra 18:20
55 Lanning, Rusty 11 Nordhoff 18:24
56 Holmes, Christian 10 Los Angeles Baptist 18:24
57 Gonzalez, Paul 11 Fillmore 18:27
58 Fulcher, Andrew 12 JSerra 18:29
59 Maben, Michael 10 JSerra 18:30
60 Walczak, Tristan 10 Nordhoff 18:31
61 Byers, Colton 9 Twentynine Palms 18:32
62 Carroll, Bryan 10 Morro Bay 18:33
63 Chavez, Anthony 11 Fillmore 18:34
64 Rousseau, Rory 10 Vasquez 18:35
65 Walczak, Dashiell 12 Nordhoff 18:41
66 Acton, Scott 9 Desert Christian (Lncstr)18:42
67 Spoelstra, Andrew 12 Desert Christian (Lncstr)18:50
68 Grove, Charley 11 Bishop Montgomery 18:55
69 Van Beurdan, PJ 11 Morro Bay 18:55
70 thomson, robert 11 Oaks Christian 18:57
71 Marshall, Paul 12 Desert Christian (Lncstr)18:59
72 Mariscal, Juan 9 Fillmore 19:00
73 Myers, Sean 10 Vasquez 19:01
74 Williams, Seth 11 Serra 19:04
75 Lohman, Dylan 10 Vasquez 19:07
76 king, a.j. 9 Oaks Christian 19:13
77 Curtis, Bryan 9 Desert Christian (Lncstr)19:20
78 Boice, Alex 11 Twentynine Palms 19:21
79 Overstreet, Jared 9 Ontario Christian 19:22
80 cooper, stephen 9 Oaks Christian 19:23
81 matra, nick 12 Oaks Christian 19:23
82 Johnson, Chris 10 Los Angeles Baptist 19:24
83 Weiner, Elan 12 Milken Community 19:30
84 Kovalik, Chris 12 Campbell Hall 19:31
85 Rodriguez, Christian 9 Fillmore 19:31
86 Tafoya, Gabrial 12 Twentynine Palms 19:38
87 Magana, Joe 10 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 19:42
88 Ikowitz, Noah 12 Milken Community 19:55
89 Leonard, Austin 11 Ontario Christian 19:56
90 Lenarz, CJ 12 Ontario Christian 19:57
91 Wolnisty, Trevor 10 Ontario Christian 19:59
92 Eshman, Adin 10 Milken Community 19:59
93 Gonzalez, Alexander 9 Fillmore 20:05
94 Ross, Kevin 11 Ontario Christian 20:11
95 Will, Tobolowsky 9 Campbell Hall 20:16
96 Phillips, Cody 11 Los Angeles Baptist 20:18
97 Rollman, Jeffrey 12 Milken Community 20:19
98 Herman, Justin 12 Campbell Hall 20:23
99 Lieberman, Judd 12 Campbell Hall 20:30
100 Lurie, Hunter 12 Campbell Hall 20:32
101 Sloan, Tyler 11 Vasquez 20:48
102 Kroll, Mason 11 Milken Community 20:51
103 Friedman, Bradley 10 Milken Community 21:16
104 Amarikwa, Linus 10 Ontario Christian 21:32
105 Rose, Harry 11 Campbell Hall 21:37
106 Steward, LaShawn 12 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 22:46
15-Nov-2008 12:38 pm (for information about NOBOL Race Manager, call (888) 598-3431) 1
Individual Race Results - Race 10 9:51 Div. IV Varsity Men Heat 2 (3M)
PlaceName Yr Team Time Place Name Yr Team Time
107 Lee, will 10 Vasquez 22:48
108 Pang, John 10 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 22:51
109 Waller, Ron 10 Vasquez 23:16
110 Carrillo, Miguel 10 Vasquez 23:43
111 Gomez, Jamie 10 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 23:51
112 Lagaspi, Alex 9 Cantwell-Sacred Heart

NHS Girls:

Individual Race Results - Race 18 11:40 Div. IV Varsity Women Heat 3 (3M)
PlaceName Yr Team Time Place Name Yr Team Time
1 Hasbroouck, Catherine 11 Nordhoff 19:14
2 Hunt, Kellian 9 Whittier Christian 19:43
3 Flud, Emily 12 Oaks Christian 20:16
4 garcia, cristina 10 Oaks Christian 20:22
5 Camacho, Savannah 9 Templeton 20:30
6 Boskovich, Christian 12 Oaks Christian 20:40
7 Lucas, Cristina 12 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k0s:4) 5
8 Elgin, Grace 11 Templeton 20:46
9 Elgin, Hilary 11 Templeton 20:49
10 macwhirter, niki 10 Oaks Christian 20:53
11 Fisher, Loren 10 Morro Bay 20:54
12 Bernal, Camille 10 Templeton 20:55
13 D'ORNELLAS, MADISO1N0 San Juan Hills 21:04
14 Strickland, Kativa 11 Laguna Beach 21:05
15 Campos, Rica 12 Nordhoff 21:11
16 Cochrane, Carrissa 11 Templeton 21:21
17 Frye, Rachel 9 Morro Bay 21:27
18 Nokes, Mckenna 11 Laguna Beach 21:28
19 Peale, Jana 10 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k1s:3) 0
20 Carlson, Melissa 11 Nordhoff 21:32
21 Hoyt, Lizzy 10 Morro Bay 21:33
22 Frye, Marie 9 Morro Bay 21:34
23 Garcia, Laura 12 St. Paul 21:34
24 Artman, Gerry 11 Laguna Beach 21:44
25 cislo, fallon 11 Oaks Christian 21:48
26 HOLBROOK, CAMILLE9 San Juan Hills 21:51
27 Strickland, Natasha 9 Laguna Beach 21:56
28 Moothart, Terri 12 Morro Bay 21:59
29 Price, Catherine 12 Oaks Christian 22:00
30 huning, megan 9 Oaks Christian 22:15
31 Linker, Melissa 12 Laguna Beach 22:17
32 Escobedo, Ivone 11 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k2s:1) 9
33 Conroy, Colleen 11 Templeton 22:22
34 Hall, Kylee 11 Desert Christian (Lncstr)22:28
35 Parsons, Kristen 10 Desert Christian (Lncstr)22:29
36 Kennedy, Emily 9 Desert Christian (Lncstr)22:30
37 Schroeder, Charity 11 Desert Christian (Lncstr)22:32
38 Yamasaki, Parker 11 Laguna Beach 22:39
39 Chopra, Shreena 10 Oxford Academy 22:44
40 Miller, Nicole 12 San Marino 22:45
41 BELL, KATHLEEN 9 San Juan Hills 22:52
42 Rawson, Mallory 9 Notre Dame Academy 22:57
43 McComas, Caitlin 9 Nordhoff 22:58
44 Gay, Madison 11 Nordhoff 23:00
45 YOUNG, LAURA ANNE9 San Juan Hills 23:06
46 Novick, Kendall 10 Morro Bay 23:22
47 Merchant, Marisa 9 Laguna Beach 23:25
48 Catabas, Pam 12 Duarte 23:30
49 Garcia, Deborah 9 Duarte 23:56
50 Braganza, Bettina 12 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k4s:0) 5
51 Spoelstra, Kara 11 Desert Christian (Lncstr)24:05
52 Ramirez, Jasmine 11 St. Mary's Academy 24:07
53 Boutros, Andrea 11 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k4s:0) 9
54 SISOLA, KARISSA 9 San Juan Hills 24:33
55 Cotsis, Carmen 11 Nordhoff 24:41
56 Broussard, Lauren 10 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k4s:4) 4
57 Kemp, Kamille 10 Notre Dame Academy 24:56
58 Lepesant, Caroline 10 Alverno 24:57
59 Cox, Chelsea 11 Nordhoff 25:03
60 Gaardsmoe, Courtney 9 Notre Dame Academy 25:06
61 Farina, Julia 10 Notre Dame Academy 25:07
62 Rickhard, Hunter 9 Notre Dame (Sherman Oa2k5s:2) 1
63 Garcia, Jackie 11 Duarte 25:23
64 Yanick, Emilee 10 Desert Christian (Lncstr)25:24
65 Rode, Danielle 10 Notre Dame Academy 25:31
66 Brennan, Katie 12 Notre Dame Academy 25:37
67 Caceras, Alissa 12 St. Paul 25:51
68 Jung-Marchand, Katelyn 9 Desert Christian (Lncstr)26:08
69 Wilcox, Katlin 11 St. Monica 26:18
70 Kahn, Megan 12 St. Bonaventure 26:39
71 Wisniewski, Karen 10 Notre Dame Academy 26:41
72 Sarmiento, Gesselle 12 St. Paul 26:49
73 Lemseffer, Hana 9 Alverno 26:51
74 Davy, Audrey 10 Alverno 27:10
75 Webb, Dominique 12 St. Mary's Academy 27:34
76 Ojeda, Erica 9 St. Paul 27:57
77 Aguila, Andrea 11 St. Paul 27:59
78 Roark, Amanda 10 Duarte 28:05
79 Perez, Milchu 12 Animo Leadership 28:11
80 Aguayo, Vanessa 10 Duarte 29:39
81 Collins, Kenya 12 St. Mary's Academy 29:56
82 Akkari, Miranda 10 Alverno 30:13
83 Sanchez, Alexis 9 Animo Leadership 30:16
84 Gianna, Woodruff 10 St. Mary's Academy 30:36
85 Ascensio, Victoria 12 Alverno 30:44
86 Salas, Renita 12 Alverno 30:54
87 Shereese, Cutler 12 St. Mary's Academy 31:01
88 Mariano, Alana 12 Alverno 32:24
89 Hernandez, Marisella 10 Duarte 32:26
90 Santillan, Cindy 11 Animo Leadership 32:32
91 Correa, Karen 9 Animo Leadership 32:35
92 Hernandez, Angelica 12 Duarte 32:48
93 Thomas, Keyona 11 St. Mary's Academy 33:30
94 Lopez, Elizabeth 12 Animo Leadership 33:42
95 Zurita, Carolina 12 Animo Leadership 35:11
96 Pena, Yajahira 9 Animo Leadership 35:39
97 Bent-Mykael, Rukeyah 11 St. Mary's Academy

Thacher Boys:

Individual Race Results - Race 20 1:33 Div. V Varsity Men Heat 1 (3M)
PlaceName Yr Team Time Place Name Yr Team Time
1 Jeanson, Jake 12 Woodcrest Christian 10:52
2 Callan, Will 10 Thacher 11:24
3 Reimer, Joel 11 Thacher 11:28
4 Eshelman, Matthew 12 Bloomington Christian 11:30
5 Wintemute, Lion 11 Sage Hill 11:31
6 Giraldo, Max 12 Buckley 11:33
7 Branch, Jordan 12 Woodcrest Christian 11:38
8 Bianco, Zac 9 Woodcrest Christian 11:41
9 Matthew, Crichton 11 Saddleback Valley Chrstn11:56
10 Henry, Joel 11 Woodcrest Christian 12:01
11 Rhee, Sam 12 Thacher 12:02
12 Macmillan, Alex 11 Thacher 12:06
13 Shepard, Taylor 11 New Roads 12:09
14 Metzger, Travis 12 Viewpoint 12:10
15 Gonzalez, Jesse 10 Thacher 12:13
16 Daneshgar, Brian 10 Buckley 12:14
17 Nelson, Craig 11 Woodcrest Christian 12:14
18 Shin, Tyler 11 Oakwood 12:15
19 Goldstein, Ryan 11 Oakwood 12:16
20 Hernandez, Robert 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 12:17
21 Salamon, Niv 11 Oakwood 12:20
22 Medina, Juan 9 Boys' Republic 12:24
23 Josh, Crichton 9 Saddleback Valley Chrstn12:26
24 Martin, Neil 10 Buckley 12:26
25 Penner, David 11 Sage Hill 12:27
26 Stanley, Slater 10 Sage Hill 12:29
27 Tyler, Rodgers 10 Saddleback Valley Chrstn12:32
28 Dominguez, Anthony 11 Pacifica Christian 12:34
29 Pyne, Joe 11 Oakwood 12:34
30 Tingle, William 10 Xavier College Prep 12:35
31 Kyle, Smith 10 Saddleback Valley Chrstn12:36
32 Fradin, Noah 10 Oakwood 12:37
33 Malana, Jason 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 12:40
34 Encerrado, Bryan 11 Bell-Jeff 12:45
35 Zarem, Robbie 12 Oakwood 12:45
36 Buckland, Sam 10 Oakwood 12:46
37 Simon, Kyle 12 Sage Hill 12:50
38 Perez, Stephen 11 Xavier College Prep 12:57
39 Jimenez, Alex 11 Sage Hill 12:58
40 Connor, Collins 12 Saddleback Valley Chrstn13:00
41 Quiroz, Javier 11 Thacher 13:05
42 Anthony, Montes 12 Saddleback Valley Chrstn13:10
43 Justin, O'Brien 10 Saddleback Valley Chrstn13:18
44 Vaughan, Timmy 9 Pacifica Christian 13:20
45 Houle, Dylan 11 Sage Hill 13:22
46 Brito, Alemar 10 Sage Hill 13:22
47 Allison, Chris 12 Thacher 13:25
48 Clark, Isaiah 12 Boys' Republic 13:34
49 Gianola, Luciano 11 Bloomington Christian 13:49
50 Vanhal, Michael 9 Buckley 13:54
51 Anderson, Billy 9 Pacifica Christian 13:59
52 Delos Santos, Kyle 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 14:00
53 Shavl, Alec 10 Buckley 14:04
54 Snedeker, Wiley 12 Woodcrest Christian 14:05
55 Atienza, Fred 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 14:11
56 Rudich, Gabe 12 Buckley 14:14
57 Ramirez, Juan 10 Xavier College Prep 14:15
58 Paz, Tommy 9 Xavier College Prep 14:19
59 Hamilton, Alex 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 14:25
60 Bisno, James 12 Buckley 14:29
61 Showalter, David 11 Woodcrest Christian 14:31
62 Crandall, Adam 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 14:37
63 Medina, Angel 10 Xavier College Prep 14:45
64 Castro, Max 10 Xavier College Prep 14:46
65 Villegas, Jesse 10 Boys' Republic 14:52
66 Warman, Andrew 10 Xavier College Prep 15:02
67 Stolp, Zac 10 Academy Academic Exce1l5:07
68 Rodriquez, David 9 Boys' Republic 15:19
69 Canton, Andrew 11 Bloomington Christian 15:32
70 Canton, Josh 10 Bloomington Christian 15:32
71 McMillan, Zach 9 Pacifica Christian 15:44
72 Aronson, Chris 11 Pacifica Christian 16:03
73 Velasco, Adam 10 Pacifica Christian 16:11
74 Stelts, Brian 10 Calvary Chapel (MV) 16:12
75 Fleming, Jake 10 Bloomington Christian 17:12
76 Davis, Mark 9 Pacifica Christian 17:35
77 Marin, Jose 12 Boys' Republic 20:04
78 Casas, Anthony 9 Boys' Republic 20:04

Thacher Girls:

Individual Race Results - Race 29 3:23 Div. V Varsity Women Heat 2 (3M)
PlaceName Yr Team Time Place Name Yr Team Time
1 Owen, Kelly 12 Chadwick 13:00
2 Buchbinder, Jaye 10 Chadwick 13:00
3 Silverman, Dot 11 Flintridge Prep 13:06
4 Sciarra, Alexandra 11 Crean Lutheran South 13:37
5 Castaneda, Karina 10 Xavier College Prep 13:45
6 Aldag, Ariana 10 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)3:53
7 O'Connor, Sarah 12 Laguna Blanca 13:54
8 Skan, Melissa 10 Thacher 13:58
9 Mitchell, Elisabeth 11 Chadwick 14:03
10 Partos, Elise 10 Flintridge Prep 14:16
11 Hutchinson, Nicole 10 Chadwick 14:17
12 Taylor, Miller 12 Saddleback Valley Chrstn14:23
13 Smith, Zoe 10 Marywood (Palm Valley)14:32
14 Pike, Lili 10 Thacher 14:33
15 Camp, Natalie 12 Thacher 14:38
16 Tom, Vanessa 12 Laguna Blanca 14:41
17 Campbell, MacKenzie 9 Laguna Blanca 14:44
18 Stefanie, Mraule 11 Saddleback Valley Chrstn14:50
19 Snyder, Alana 9 Brentwood 14:55
20 Soroka, Jamie 9 Chadwick 14:56
21 Munoz, Thalia 10 Bloomington Christian 15:03
22 Genessa, Groos 11 Saddleback Valley Chrstn15:07
23 Quintanilla, Tanja 9 Oakwood 15:08
24 Lamb, Jenny 12 Poly (Pasadena) 15:08
25 Jacobs, Rebecca 11 Oakwood 15:10
26 Velarde, Alexia 9 Marywood (Palm Valley)15:12
27 Katelin, Walsh 12 Saddleback Valley Chrstn15:14
28 Sones, Alexis 12 Brentwood 15:17
29 Dougherty, Lauren 10 Marywood (Palm Valley)15:18
30 Shannon, Jordan 9 Laguna Blanca 15:19
31 Bong, Crystal 12 Flintridge Prep 15:19
32 Randolph, Sarah 11 Flintridge Prep 15:20
33 Szper, Lindsay 10 Chadwick 15:23
34 Scharkss, Amanda 9 Brentwood 15:27
35 Samantha, Staph 11 Saddleback Valley Chrstn15:27
36 Botello, Jessica 10 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)5:27
37 Plotkin, Lindsay 11 Brentwood 15:28
38 Gomez, Jessica 11 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)5:33
39 Watson, Briana 11 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)5:40
40 DaSilva, Sherilyn 12 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)5:41
41 Hudnut, Olivia 9 Poly (Pasadena) 15:42
42 Kim, Ellen 12 Flintridge Prep 15:45
43 Barrientos, Ingrid 11 Aquinas 15:46
44 Bugaj, Dara 12 Brentwood 15:48
45 Victoria, Hayes 9 Saddleback Valley Chrstn15:49
46 Gates-Kayyem, Britt 9 Poly (Pasadena) 15:50
47 Norman, Hannah 10 Thacher 15:56
48 Latta, Ally 12 Poly (Pasadena) 15:58
49 Panish, Diana 10 Brentwood 15:59
50 Barnes, Aziza 11 Brentwood 16:00
51 Fleming, Tori 10 Bloomington Christian 16:01
52 Shahbol, Michelle 12 Holy Martyrs 16:03
53 Shahbol, Nathalie 10 Holy Martyrs 16:05
54 Thornton, Molly 11 Poly (Pasadena) 16:08
55 Ohanian, Talin 10 Holy Martyrs 16:09
56 Sanchez, Cecily 9 Laguna Blanca 16:11
57 Castellanos, Maya 10 Flintridge Prep 16:11
58 Keuneman, Alyssa 9 Xavier College Prep 16:14
59 Burns, Katie 11 Oakwood 16:15
60 Cua, Sydnee 10 Poly (Pasadena) 16:20
61 de Rham, Georgi 11 Thacher 16:21
62 Lee, Brittany 12 Hillcrest Christian (GH) 16:24
63 Hubert, Alex 11 Flintridge Prep 16:25
64 Levin, Aliza 10 Oakwood 16:26
65 Lee, Christine 12 New Roads 16:28
66 Kathryn, McCarthy 10 Saddleback Valley Chrstn16:28
67 Dominguez, Miranda 11 Pacifica Christian 16:31
68 Brianna, Clarke 11 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)6:35
69 Dicken, Melissa 11 Sherman Indian 16:50
70 Nahai, Tara 11 Buckley 17:06
71 Wu, Adela 12 Poly (Pasadena) 17:12
72 Deixler, Hannah 12 Oakwood 17:19
73 Baez, Gabby 9 Xavier College Prep 17:23
74 Exparza, Mayra 9 Xavier College Prep 17:24
75 Solitaria, Christina 10 Xavier College Prep 17:25
76 Garcia, Elizabeth 11 Calvary Chapel (Downey1)7:25
77 Badakian, Lelac 10 Holy Martyrs 17:39
78 Dunlap, Juliana 11 Upland Christian 17:59
79 Henry, Sarah 11 Hillcrest Christian (GH) 18:01
80 Szcsepanske, Ashley 10 Bloomington Christian 18:02
81 Weiss, Charlotte 10 Oakwood 18:05
82 Suarez, Areanna 9 Xavier College Prep 18:17
83 Moradians, Alex 11 Holy Martyrs 19:23
84 Lipsey, Erin 10 Oakwood 19:24
85 Brody, Sara 10 Thacher 19:28
86 Beck, Katelyn 11 Hillcrest Christian (GH) 19:38
87 Pacheco, Melissa 11 Bloomington Christian 19:42
88 Delatorre, Eunice 9 Hillcrest Christian (GH) 19:44
89 Pacheco, Pricilla 12 Bloomington Christian 20:07
90 Sarkissian, Valentina 11 Holy Martyrs 20:09
91 Maresca, Lia 10 Marywood (Palm Valley)20:25
92 Craig, Reya 10 Marywood (Palm Valley)20:26
93 Tolbert, Korina 9 Marywood (Palm Valley)20:27
94 Briggs, Taylor 10 Marywood (Palm Valley)20:30
95 Cruz, Patricia 11 Hillcrest Christian (GH) 23:01
96 Holthaus, Angel 9 Bloomington Christian 24:24

Nordhoff Takes Out Oak Park

2008-11-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

The Nordhoff Rangers scored a late touchdown to defeat the Oak Park Eagles tonight, 20-13. The game was close throughout and with the win, the Rangers kept their play-off hopes alive as they turn their attention to the Bishop Diego/Carpinteria game. The Rangers need Bishop Diego to win or they will need to upset Oaks Christian next week to keep their play-off hopes alive.

The Rangers' touchdowns were scored by Justin Burgess (94-yard kickoff return), Drew Rodriguez (two yard run) and Tony Johnson caught the game winning score on a 15-yard pass play. See Wednesday's OVN for details of the big win and quotes from head coach Tony Henney.

Rangers Upset By Warriors

2008-10-31T22:41:00.000-07:00

In a game that was deserving of being played on Halloween Night, the Rangers traveled to Carpinteria to take on the Warriors and lost 18-13. The Rangers' offense did very little and was unable to score on the night. NHS scored on an interception return by Evan Hardman and on a punt return by Cody Burr.

Neither team looked efficient or comfortable with what they were trying to do, but the Warriors pulled out the win. With the loss the Rangers fall to 4-4 on the season and 1-2 in league play. See Wednesday's OVN for more details and stats.

Rangers Slide By Bishop Diego

2008-10-24T22:32:00.001-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers did not make it look pretty, but they came from behind to beat a game Bishop Diego football team, 14-10. The Rangers trailed 10-6 at halftime, but they played great defense in the second half to pull out the win. Touchdowns were scored by Drew Rodriguez and Parker Johnsen, but Rodriguez was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter. With the win, the Rangers improve to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league play. Tonight's game was Homecoming and a large crowd came out to support the Rangers. See Wednesday's OVN for detailed information to the Rangers' big win.

Heartbreak City for Rangers Tonight

2008-10-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

The NHS Rangers fell to Santa Clara 21-16 tonight in a game that was not decided until the final horn sounded. The Rangers led 9-7 going into the fourth quarter, but then Santa Clara star Cierre Wood took over. Wood scored two electric touchdowns in the final period of play to give the Santa Clara the 21-16 advantage. Logan Crow put the Rangers up 16-15 on a 37-yard touchdown catch with only 1:13 to play. On the very next play, Wood caught a 70-yard touchdown pass to solidify the win. See Wednesday's OVN for highlights, stats and quotes from Coach Henney.

Rangers Thrash Flashes

2008-10-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers hosted the Fillmore Flashes in what was supposed to be a close game, but the Rangers came out and put a 42-7 beating on the Flashes. Junior Cody Doolittle rushed for three touchdowns and Drew Rodriguez threw for two scores, one to Quinn Jenkins and one to Evan Hardman. Alex Miotti also scored a touchdown on a blocked punt to round out the scoring for the Rangers on the night. See Wednesday's OVN highlights and quotes from head coach Tony Henney.

Rangers Top Wildcats, Keep Bucket

2008-10-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

The Nordhoff Rangers and Villanova Wildcats met in a highly anticipated, historical non-league match up tonight and despite a lopsided 49-18 win by the Rangers, the game had plenty of drama. The Wildcats came out and smacked the Rangers, drawing first blood as they jumped out to a 10-0 lead after on quarter of play. The first quarter score woke up NHS and they scored 49 unanswered points. Touchdowns were score by Will Greenway and Chris Cox from VPS and Justin Burgess (2), Evan Hardman, Quinn Jenkins (2), Drew Rodriguez, and Trevor Leal all found the end zone for the Rangers. Burgess finished the game with 175 yards and Greenway finished the first half with 157 yards.

See Wednesday’s OVN for the highlights, stats and quotes from both coaches.

Pacifica Dumps Rangers, 27-13

2008-09-27T10:16:00.001-07:00

By Mike Miller
Nordhoff hosted Pacifica in a non-league matchup last night, but lost in a thrilling game, 27-13. The Rangers tied the score at 13-13 with 3:23 to play in the game, but the cheering would soon stop when the Tritons returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Pacifica scored a late touchdown to make the final score 27-13. The Rangers’ touchdowns were scored by Logan Crow and Quinn Jenkins. With the loss, NHS falls to 1-2 on the season and will host neighboring Villanova on Friday night. See Wednesday’s edition of the OVN for details, stats and quotes from last night’s tough loss.

Photos by Greg A. Cooper

Rangers Defeat Santa Ynez

2008-09-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Rangers went to Santa Ynez Friday night to take on the Pirates, and new head coach Tony Henney came away with his first career victory. Trailing 7-0 at the half, the Rangers scored 21 unanswered points en route to the 21-7 win. NHS touchdowns were scored by Jesus Otero, Parker Johnsen and Evan Hardman. See Wednesday's OVN for highlights and stats from the Rangers' first win of the year.

Wildcats and Toads Win Openers

2008-09-13T19:05:00.001-07:00

Both Villanova and Thacher came away with wins in their first games of the year. The Toads jumped out to a 27-0 lead and was well on their way to an easy victory over Lighthouse Christian before I left to catch the start of the Villanova game.

The Wildcats were impressive in their game against Desert Christian, winning 35-20. The game was not nearly as close as the score would indicate as Villanova dominated on both sides of the ball. For highlights and stats of both games, see Wednesday's edition of the OVN.

Rangers Fall, 34-19

2008-09-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

Nordhoff's opening game of the season was filled with highs and lows as they lost 34-19 to the visiting Pioneer Valley Panthers. The Rangers fell behind 7-0 early, but then scored 19 unanswered points to take the 19-7 lead into the locker room. Things went south for the Rangers from there and the second half belonged to the Panthers. For all of the highlights and stats, see Wednesday's edition of the OVN.

Sundowners Week 16

2008-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Click to download the final regular scores and standings.

Sundowners Week 14 unofficial

2008-06-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

Click to download the weekly PDF

Monson takes over as Nordhoff athletic director

2008-06-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

By Mike Miller

The Nordhoff athletic department has a new leader in Dave Monson, who takes over for Dick Sebek after six years of running Ranger athletics. Monson has coached girls’ basketball and soccer at NHS and also had some boys’ basketball coaching experience prior to coming to Nordhoff.
The new duties and responsibilities are welcome ones for Monson. He said, “I am excited and a little nervous at the same time. I am an athlete at heart and I believe in the benefits of sports for young people, so I am excited about this opportunity.”
When asked what can be expected in the post-Sebek era, Monson added, “I plan to carry on the Ranger traditions and build on what Dick has done over the years. He brought a very stable and calm approach to the position and I hope to continue that. One thing that I really hope to emphasize is giving the coaches as much time with their kids as possible. I will do more of the administrative stuff, like paperwork so that the coaches can have more time with their teams.”
Monson will also be looking to ensure that his student-athletes learn the important lessons that sports can teach. “I want the experience as a Ranger athlete to be a positive one that has lasting effects on our kids. They will get the best coaching possible and they will also learn things like teamwork, problem solving and hopefully they will gain self- confidence that will last long after they leave Nordhoff.”
The duty of working with Ojai’s youth is not one that Monson takes lightly. “The biggest influence on me as a teacher and a coach has been being a parent myself. Whenever I am working with someone else’s child, I often ask myself, how would I want my kids to be treated in this situation? That impacts my decision making greatly.”
A major area of concern for high school sports programs all over the nation is looming budget cuts and what impact they may have on their ability to function. “I will be a strong voice regarding budget cuts to our programs and I will look for creative ways to raise funding so that we can ensure that our program is financially stable. We are so fortunate that the community has been so supportive over the years and it will be important to continue those relationships,” added Monson.
Monson concluded by saying, “Winning and losing isn’t the ultimate goal. Molding and shaping young people through sports is more important than winning, but certainly bringing more championships to Nordhoff will be nice.”

May 31 Skate for the Green Schedule

2008-05-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

Park & Ride Lot
11:30 a.m.
Registration for skating lessons: MC Street, Ollie and mini-ramp and instructional area.
Noon
One Way Board Shop and Bones Skate Team demonstrations
1 p.m.
MC Street Session for 12-and-under
1:20 p.m.
MC Street Session for 13-and-up
1:50 p.m.
Ojai Skate Team Demonstration
2:10 p.m.
Ollie session for 12-and-under
2:40 p.m.
Ollie session for 13-and-up
3:20 p.m.
Mini ramp session for 12-and-under
3:40 p.m.
Mini ramp session for 13-and-up
4 p.m.
Grand prize raffle
Chaparral Auditorium
5:30 p.m.
Autograph session with Rodney Mullen
6 p.m.
“United By Fate” movies 1, 2 and 3
7 p.m.
Raffle
7:15 to 7:45 p.m.
Autograph session with Rodney Mullen

Toads tennis play finals

2008-05-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Thacher takes on Cate today in quest to be CIF champions

By Mike Miller

The Thacher boys’ tennis team has earned a trip to the CIF finals for the second year in a row and they will face LaSalle of Pasadena this afternoon in the Division V title match. The Toads placed second in the Condor League behind powerhouse Cate with a league record of 4-2 and an overall record of 11-3.
Since losing to Cate in their Condor League finale, Thacher has caught fire in the play-offs. The Toads faced Don Bosco Tech in the opening round of the CIF-SS Division V play-offs and beat them 13-5. The Toads then disposed of San Dimas, 15-3, and Beaumont, 14-4, before facing Segerstrom in the semi-finals.
Thacher would eventually top Segerstrom by the score of 10-8. According to Thacher coach Peter Fagan, the Toads were led in the semifinals by McCoy Becker, who swept his singles matches. Also sweeping their matches were Thacher’s No. 2 doubles team of John Lehrkind and Sean O’Brien.
Both Thacher and LaSalle ended the regular season ranked in the top four in Division V. Thacher held the No. 2 ranking while LaSalle was fourth. LaSalle knocked off top-ranked Cate in the semifinals, 11-7. The finals are scheduled to be played today at 2:30 p.m. in Claremont at the Claremont Club.
See Friday’s OVN for final results of the Toads’ quest to be crowned CIF champions.

Skate Park benefit May 31

2008-05-09T10:36:00.001-07:00

Local skateboarders celebrate the news that a longtime skate park supporter has contacted Skate Ojai to issue a $50,000 match challenge to the community. Every donation will now be doubled, helping to reach the $350,000 goal; $227,000 has already been raised, leaving $123,000 needed by June 30 in order to build the new 10,000-square-foot concrete skate park. Check out the web site at ojaiskatepark.com for updates and payment options or mail or take donations to Ojai Community Bank, 402 W. Ojai Ave. For more information, call 646-3774.

Skate Ojai and the City of Ojai Recreation Department presents a Skate for the Green benefit event May 31 from noon to 4 p.m. celebrating skateboarding, the environment and Ojai youth.
There will be skateboarding demonstrations, a raffle, local food and vendors, plus instructors on hand to give tips to those with boards and helmets.
A skate contest with prizes will take place for a suggested $2 donation. The first 100 contest participants will receive goodie bags. Disc jockey Skitz and KFYV Live 105.5 FM will broadcast the event.
After the skate event, the movie “United by Fate” will be shown at the Chaparral Auditorium from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The video is a series of short films by Globe that features Mark Appleyard, Shane Cross, Jake Duncombe, David Gonzalez, Chris Haslam, Greg Lutzka, Rodney Mullen and Matt Mumford. Tickets cost $5 for kids and $10 for adults.
Mullen, a professional freestyle skateboarder, will be at the May 31 event to sign autographs and lend his support to helping to raise the $123,000 needed by June 30 in order to build the new 10,000 square-foot concrete skate park.
For more information, contact Dale Sumersille at 646-1872, Sunday Rylander at 766-1366 or go to ojaiskatepark.com.

Ojai Valley School wins track league title

2008-05-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Ojai Valley School junior John Kao, center, springs out of the blocks in the 100-meter dash. Kao would go on to win the event in 11.8 seconds, helping his team win the Condor League championship.

By Fred Alvarez

The boys’ track team at Ojai Valley School ran away with the Condor League championship last week, bringing home the league title for the first time in the 40 years OVS has participated in that sport.
Junior standouts John Kao and Parker Colborn helped lead the way, as each brought home three first-place medals. Kao took first in the high jump and 100-meter run, and anchored the winning 4x100-meter relay team. Colborn ran on the winning 4x100-meter and 4x1600-meter relay teams, and took first in the 400-meter run in a time of 52.7 seconds.
Overall, the boys’ squad racked up 78 points at the meet, which involved four other Condor League schools. The meet was held at Thacher School.
“The kids ran with a lot of heart,” said OVS co-track coach Gary Dinkins, who has helped pilot the squad for nearly 35 years.
“We have a lot of talent in a small group this year,” he added. “It’s great for them to see what they can do through a total team effort.”
Other notable performers included sophomore Jesse Holguin, who took second in the high jump and third in the 200- meter run. He also ran on both winning relay teams.
Sophomore Robert Lee took second in the 3200-meter run while junior Ronald Richard took fourth in the 1600-meter run. Sophomore Paul Graham earned fifth in the shot put, fourth in the high jump and was one of the fastest members of the winning 4x1600-meter relay team.

Four earn CIF BB honors

2008-03-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Awards go to Thacher’s Thomas, Villanova’s Hoffman, Kolbeck, Reilley

By Mike Miller

Thacher’s Chris Thomas can now add All-CIF honors to his already lengthy list of athletic accomplishments while at Thacher. Thomas was recently named to the First Team All-Division V team after a stellar senior campaign. Thomas led the team in scoring and was a major contributor to the recent success of the Thacher basketball team.
Thomas is best known for his vicious hits on the football field and he will be taking his talents to Pitzer College in Claremont. According to Thacher basketball coach Jason Carney, Thomas will try his hand at playing both football and basketball for the Sagehens.
On the girls’ side, the Villanova Wildcats were rewarded for their incredible season by having two players named to the First Team All-Division VAA and one player earned Second Team honors. Senior Hannah Hoffman closed out her career with First Team honors. Also earning First Team honors was freshman Hannah Kolbeck. Kolbeck was one of only two freshmen in Division VAA to earn All-CIF accolades. Senior Kaitlin Reilley was named to the second team. The Wildcats won the Frontier League title, going a perfect 10-0 in league play in the process.

Rutherford returns to Ventura Raceway Saturday

2008-03-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Troy Rutherford celebrates a win last season with daughters Skylar, left, and Logan.

By Sondra Murphy

Ojai sprint car racer Troy Rutherford is heading back to Ventura Raceway this weekend. Rutherford’s return for the 2008 racing season has been delayed by a serious kidney condition, but his doctor has given him the green flag back to the track. “I feel 100 percent. It’s going to be a great weekend,” said Rutherford.
Last season, Rutherford won the last seven of eight sprint series races at the raceway, giving his fans and crew something to cheer for. Winning is obviously a thrill for Rutherford, but he said it is the speed that keeps him competing. “I’ve been doing it since I was 11 and it’s become an addiction, I guess,” said Rutherford. “Everyone tells me I should be playing golf, but I tell them the carts don’t go fast enough.”
He started racing go-carts out in Oxnard when he had just reached double digits. He was already helping his stepfather, Frank Sheltren, work on cars for Rick Taylor, who is the father of fellow racer, Greg Taylor. “I used to go help work on Rick’s TQ Sprints with my dad,” said Rutherford. “It seems like it was just yesterday.”
Rutherford began racing International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) Sprint Cars in 1996 and lists Rick Taylor as an early inspiration in the sport, but credits Sheltren for his success. “My old man said, ‘If you’re going to do it, do it right,’” said Rutherford. “He’s been part of my crew ever since. He’s been the one who’s pushed me along the whole time. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”
There are many other supporters of Rutherford’s efforts. Clive Burton serves as his crew chief, while Garrett Leib and Dale Munzel round out the crew. Sheltren oversees everything. “He’s the boss,” said Rutherford of his dad. “He makes sure everything goes right.”
Munzel’s company, L & H Consulting, is Rutherford’s only sponsor. “Anything that needs to be done, he does it,” said Rutherford.
The rest of Rutherford’s family helps out, as well. Wife Leslie, and daughters Logan, 5, and Skylar, 2, regularly lend assistance. “I couldn’t do it without the support of my wife,” said Rutherford. “It takes the whole family and a group of friends willing to work together and sacrifice their own time. Even my girls come down and help. Logan helps put tools away and Skylar gets filthy helping to clean up. They’re actually mad that I haven’t been racing.”
Rutherford’s parents, Cheryl and Frank, brother Rob and sister Keri Escalante all live in Ojai and support him in his racing, as well. “I have two dads, luckily,” said Rutherford, whose day job is outside sales for Frank’s Rooter & Pumping Service.
He says that he spends about 40 hours a week on racing efforts. “It’s a second job,” Rutherford said. “It’s nothing you’re going to get rich off, but it gives me the possibility to run and have fun.”
The cost of the sport can be daunting and Rutherford would like to attract more sponsors. He estimated the basic car alone cost about $48,000 and says that winning helps cover the expenses. “I have to win every week to make it out the next week,” he said. “I was lucky enough to have Mike Sala let us use a closed trailer,” said Rutherford. “It works perfectly for local trips.”
Being out of the driver’s seat has been hard for Rutherford. “It’s been very difficult, but it gives you a different perspective on life,” he said. “Racing is not everything, but it’s something that I love to do and if I can do it, I’m going to do it.” Rutherford is ready to get back on the track and start winning races again. “There’s nothing like winning. It makes the work we’ve done all week long worth while.”

NHS boys’ tennis holds strong

2008-03-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

At 8-1, Nordhoff boys’ tennis team boosted by Slifkin brothers, Thorpe, veterans Ceiders, De Cordova

By Mike Miller

Nordhoff tennis coach Todd Dickey agrees with the saying, “Two is better than one,” especially when it comes to the Slifkin brothers. Adam and Josh Slifkin have led the Rangers to an overall record of 8-1 and 7-1 in Tri-Valley League play. Adam has been perfect on the season, going 24-0 in singles’ play and 3-0 in doubles. Josh is also undefeated on the season, with an 8-0 singles record and is 3-0 in doubles as well. Dickey said, “Adam has been solid all year and very consistent and Josh is very mature and he brings great leadership to our program.”
The Slifkin brothers are not the only show in town for the Rangers. Junior Chris Thorpe leads the team with 25 wins, with only one defeat. According to Dickey, Thorpe is a big hitter that uses a huge serve and powerful forehands to intimidate his opponents. In doubles, NHS has seen great play from the combination of junior Sam Ceiders and senior Mike Finley. Ceiders and Finley have gone 12-4 on the season. Dickey said, “They are both (Ceiders and Finley) veterans of our program and they have become very strong leaders.” Dickey also mentioned the doubles’ play of freshman Jacob De Cordova. He said, “Jacob has really been a pillar of confidence in doubles and he has a great team attitude.”
The NHS tennis program recently got a morale boost when new courts were installed a couple of months ago. “I have to say thank you to the school district, The Weil Tennis Academy and to ‘The Ojai’ for their support. The community came together to rebuild the courts and it has made a huge difference for our program,” added Dickey.
The Rangers have some huge matches coming up. They will travel across town tomorrow to take on Thacher at 3:45 p.m. Thacher is currently the second-ranked team in Division V. On April 2, the Rangers will host the top-ranked Division V team in Cate at 3 p.m. and then Oaks Christian will come to town the following day to play in a match that is likely to decide the Tri-Valley League title. Check the OVN for results of these matches as the Rangers look to become league champions.

NHS softball takes down Lions, 4-3

2008-03-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

By Mike Miller

Nordhoff softball coach Don Rodarte will be sporting a new look this week. After beating the Oaks Christian Lions, 4-3, Rodarte made good on a promise to his team to shave his head. The thrilling 4-3 win over their rivals improved the team’s record to 3-6 overall and 1-2 in Tri-Valley League play.
The loss at the hands of the Lady Rangers is the first-ever Tri-Valley League defeat for Oaks Christian, according to Rodarte. He said, “After the game I told my girls that showing maturity to win games comes through game experience, whether that experience is good or bad. The important thing is to remember those experiences and learn from them.”
The game was a thriller that came down to the very last out before a winner was decided. Samantha Perez got the Rangers going with a shot to right field that got over the head of the Lions’ outfielder for a two-run home run, giving NHS the 2-1 lead. Oaks Christian battled back to take the lead in the fifth, but then McKenna Myers broke out of an early season slump with a hit that could not have come at a better time for the Rangers. Myers belted a shot to center field for an RBI double, scoring Hanna Riley. Riley, who had taken a line drive off her knee to start the game, earned the respect of her coach. He said, “It was loud and painful, however, she kept her composure and picked up the ball and threw out the batter. Hanna sucked it up and played tough the rest of the game.”
The Lady Rangers would take the lead for good when Ashley Pulido hit a solo home run. Pulido also pitched for the Rangers and kept the game close down the stretch. The drama was thick in the seventh and final inning, when an overthrow back to Pulido was picked up by Myers, who threw out the Oaks Christian runner at home. Rodarte recounted the play, “The runner took advantage of the situation and ran home, but the heads-up play and hustle of Myers and Pulido got her out on a close play.”
Kelsey Endo sealed the win by ending the drama and making the final out of the game for the Lady Rangers. The Rangers will return to action on March 29 when they face Channel Islands at 11 a.m. They will play Oaks Christian again on April 17 at Oaks Christian.

Farrar hopes to rebuild Buena

2008-03-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

By Mike Miller

After 21 years of leading the Nordhoff Rangers football program, head coach Cliff Farrar announced last week that he is leaving to take the head coaching job at Buena High School in Ventura. Farrar’s announcement comes after a season in which the Rangers reached the CIF finals before losing to Oaks Christian. In his 21 seasons, Farrar went 150-98-2, with nine league titles, reached the CIF finals four times and the CIF semifinals four times and had a 25-15 record in CIF play-off games.
Farrar will take over a program that he feels is on the verge of great things. When asked what attracted him to Buena, he said, “I am ready for a new challenge and I think that Buena is a good fit. I have always enjoyed rebuilding teams. When I was a kid, I was always the one on the playground that would organize games and set up teams. Putting together a team and seeing it become successful is what keeps me going.” Farrar will take former player and long-time assistant coach Mike Rodriguez with him to Buena. “Mike is a big part of what I do and we are both excited for a new challenge. I can hear the excitement in his voice and we are anxious to get going,” noted Farrar.
Coaching football will not be Farrar’s only duty at Buena, he will also be teaching part-time, just as he did last year at NHS. His biggest task will be rebuilding a program that has only won nine games in the last four seasons. Farrar admits that leaving behind a program that he resurrected will not be easy. “When I came to Ojai, I wanted to establish a program that people wanted to be a part of. I wanted all of the 9- and 10-year-old boys that were looking through the fence to want to become Rangers some day. I think that we accomplished that here. I am so proud of this program and this community for all that we have been able to accomplish. It has been weird driving by the school knowing that I won’t be coaching the Rangers anymore. Everyone backed this program, from the players and parents to the band and cheerleaders. It just seemed like there was something for everyone, and that made it special.”
When asked about his most memorable moment as football coach, Farrar paused. “I don’t know if I can name just one, there were just so many. That 1991 team will always hold a special spot in my heart, though. They were the first team that truly bought into what we were trying to do. In 1990, we finished in last place in our league, but then in 1991 we won league. The 1994 team was also real special for me because both of my sons (Brian and Russell) were on that team. Kids enjoyed playing Ranger football and that has been important to me over the years,” he said.
Farrar’s parting comments to his Nordhoff family, past and present were, “I just want to say a big thank-you to all of my former players. Not many programs can say that they went to the play-offs for 16 of 17 seasons and that is due to that hard work and dedication of those players. I can’t tell you how many times people approached me after the season to say that they were surprised that we finished as well as we did and that is a testament to those kids and their effort. To the community, thank you for your support over the years. I have enjoyed it a lot. They backed us all of the time. And finally to my family, they gave me the time to do what I love. My wife, Roxanne, has been our biggest fan and she has just been great.”
Farrar added that six members of last year’s coaching staff have indicated that they would like to remain with the football program. “They are doing a nice job and will keep the kids motivated and make sure that they are ready to go next year,” said Farrar.

Lady Rangers honored

2008-03-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

Tri-Valley League basketball awards go to players, junior varsity coach

By Mike Miller

Despite a season that saw Nordhoff’s Lady Rangers basketball team miss the CIF play-offs for the first time in years, the team was recently honored by the Tri-Valley League when three of its players were named to the All-League team.
Sophomore Carmen Cotsis earned honorable mention honors for her guard play. Cotsis scored a season-high 19 points in a game against Bishop Diego. She averaged six points a contest along with 2.4 assists. Junior Nicole Bergmann, who battled through an injury most of the season, was named to the second team All-League. Bergmann serves as the Rangers’ best defender and long range shooter. She averaged 6.3 points per game this season.
Top honors went to the much- improved Hanna Riley. Riley was named first team All-League despite starting the season on the junior varsity team. She has earned the praises not only of the basketball coaches for her improvement, but head softball coach Don Rodarte also notes her inspired play on the softball field.
Junior varsity coach Gary Tuttle was also honored for his coaching ability. He was named Girls’ Junior Varsity Coach of the Year by the Ventura County Basketball Coaches Association. According to head coach Ted Cotti, Tuttle is the first NHS girls’ basketball coach to earn that honor. Tuttle led the junior varsity team to an impressive 18-1 finish.
Team award winners were:
Coaches’ Award:
Nicole Bergmann
Coaches’ Award:
McKenna Myers
Coaches’ Award:
Tanya McQueen
Most Improved:
Hanna Riley
Most Valuable Teammate:
Carmen Cotsis
Rookie of the Year:
Autumn Brobisky

Villanova BB players make All-League teams

2008-03-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

10-0 Lady Wildcats’ hoopsters get Frontier League honors

By Mike Miller

The dust is still settling after Villanova’s girls’ basketball team excited the Ojai Valley by winning 16 consecutive games and going deep into the CIF play-offs. Head coach Sarah Angell announced earlier this week that more than half of the team was honored by the Frontier League as members of the All-League teams.
Both junior Morgan Henry-Ehritt and freshman Madison Harwell were honorable mention winners for their gritty play during the season.
Comprising the second team All-League were senior Maryrose Vigorita and sophomore Rebecca Parziale. A pair of seniors that VPS will certainly miss next year in Hannah Hoffman and Kaitlin Reilley earned first team All-Frontier League honors.
The top honor for the Lady Wildcats went to freshman Hannah Kolbeck, who was named Co-Most Valuable Player of the Frontier League in her inaugural season. While the team will need to replace its three seniors who established a tradition of winning, Angell has to like what the future holds for the Wildcats because of their young, yet accomplished, underclassmen.
VPS went a perfect 10-0 in Frontier League play before falling to Whittier Christian in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division VAA play-offs.
Whittier Christian would go on to be crowned CIF champions. All-CIF honors will be announced later this month. Check the OVN for updates as winter accolades continue to pour in.

Heralds end ‘Cats’ run in BB semifinals

2008-02-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

By Mike Miller

The Lady Wildcats of Villanova saw their amazing run of 16 consecutive victories come to an end last Saturday when they fell to Whittier Christian in the CIF-SS semifinals, 48-30. The loss was the second this season to Whittier Christian, who also defeated VPS back in December, 46-20. With the win, Whittier Christian will play Maranatha in the Division VAA title game next week.
In their semifinal matchup, Villanova struggled to score points and after falling behind 27-14 at halftime, their 13-point deficit proved to be too much to overcome. The Heralds were led by Jacqueline Joseph (13 points) and Kristen Schafer (12 points) and neither player missed a shot from the field in game. Both Joseph and Schafer went six for six and the Heralds shot better than 47 percent from the floor to overtake the Lady Wildcats.
“Whittier Christian was a good team, but we definitely were not outmatched,” said head coach Sarah Angell. “We just couldn't make a shot to save our lives. We shot 17 percent from the field and 37 percent from the free throw line (we shot a total of 32 free throws).
“We didn't allow Whittier Christian to score for about five minutes in the third quarter, but we weren't able to take advantage of our great defense because we couldn't seem to put the ball in the basket,” said Angell. “In a big game like Saturday's, we just couldn't afford to shoot so bad as a team.”
Villanova was led by senior Katilin Reilley, who continued her stellar play with 12 points. With the loss, VPS will bid farewell to the trio of Reilley, Maryrose Vigorita and Hannah Hoffman. The three seniors established a winning tradition at Villanova by winning an incredible four consecutive league titles.
VPS fans have a lot to look forward to in the future as well. Angell and staff will welcome back several key players, including Rebecca Parziale, who was greatly missed this season after suffering a season-ending injury.
Current freshman Hannah Kolbeck will be looking to improve over the summer and, after a terrific freshman campaign, Kolbeck could become one of the most dominant players in the county.
“Despite the loss, I am really proud of how the girls played and what they accomplished as a team,” said Angell. “They never gave up and played hard until the buzzer sounded at the end of the game.”

Villanova bound for semifinals

2008-02-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

‘Nova’s Hannah Hoffman, right, celebrates victory with teammates Gabrielle Root and Maryrose Vigorita. The 19-7 Wildcats will head to La Habra Saturday to face the 22-7 Whittier Christian Heralds.

By Mike Miller
If you are a fan of fast-paced basketball, you would have loved the CIF quarterfinal game that showcased Villanova (19-7) and Rosamond (23-4) last Wednesday night. Villanova battled back from a 12-point first-half deficit to beat a well coached and well-prepared Rosamond team, 74-63.
The game was much closer than the final score would show. The Lady Wildcats were slow out of the gate and fell behind 15-9 in the first quarter. Had it not been for the early play of Katilin Reilley, VPS would have been in serious trouble in the first half. Reilley scored six of the nine first-quarter points for the Wildcats and it was not until 6:42 to go in the second quarter when someone other than Reilley made a shot from the field. Enter freshman Hannah Kolbeck. Kolbeck went on a roll, scoring a game-high 27 points and nabbed 17 rebounds in the winning effort, solidifying herself as one of the area’s best young players to keep an eye on.
After trailing 36-29 at the half, head coach Sarah Angell and her staff made some adjustments and her crew executed perfectly in the third quarter. The Lady Wildcats erased their seven-point deficit and took a three-point lead into the final frame thanks to the fact that they outscored the Roadrunners 20-10 in the quarter. Senior Hannah Hoffman joined Reilley and Kolbeck in the scoring column by adding 24 points of her own, including several clutch free throws.
The Roadrunners were determined to go home with the victory and they made a couple of fourth-quarter runs at VPS that had the student body on the edge of their seats. After Rosamond’s Amanda Smith banked home a three-pointer, the VPS lead was cut to three. From there, the trio of Reilley, Kolbeck and Hoffman salted the game away with put backs, free throws and open looks as a result of crisp passes from their teammates.
Rosamond was led by Smith and her 20 points. Smith did get her fourth foul early in the third period, which contributed to the 20-10 run by VPS. Arianna Pelayo also played well, scoring 19 points, but she simply could not contain Kolbeck on the block.
After the game, Angell said, “What won that game for them was heart. It was all heart. To be down almost 10 points at halftime, and then to win by more than 10 points against this team shows heart.” When asked if the furious pace in the first half worried her, she added, “No. Our subs were just as capable as theirs. I knew if necessary, we could count on them. This was a total team effort.”
Next up for Wildcats is a familiar opponent in Whittier Christian (22-7). The two teams matched up back in December, with Whittier Christian winning, 46-20. Villanova is amuch different team now, having won 16 consecutive games and they appear to be getting stronger as the play-offs wear on.
The semifinal game will be played tomorrow. Visit ojaivalleynews.com for the location and time of the game as well as updates on the game as soon as they become available.

VPS Heating Up

2008-02-20T21:31:00.000-08:00

The Lady Wildcats hosted Rosamond tonight in a CIF quarterfinal match up and overcame a 12 point first half deficit to win 74-63. Freshman Hannah Kolbeck led Villanova with 27 points and Hannah Hoffman added 24. See Friday's OVN for the full story and quotes from VPS head coach Sarah Angell.

‘Nova advances in finals

2008-02-19T15:57:00.000-08:00

Wildcats girls’ hoops beat Kern Valley, 42-30

By Mike Miller
After earning a first-round bye, the Lady Wildcats of Villanova (18-7, 10-0) got their first taste of play-off basketball last Saturday when they played host to the Kern Valley Broncs (17-7, 6-4) and came away with a 42-30 win.
Despite being a low-scoring affair, the game was exciting and was closer than the final score would show. VPS set the tone early in the game with their defense and did not allow the Broncs to get many good looks at the basket. Freshman Hannah Kolbeck paced the Lady Wildcats early with seven first-half points, and she controlled the inside game for VPS.
After the first quarter, VPS had a 10-4 lead and they were able to stretch that to 23-13 at halftime thanks in large part to the play of Kaitilin Reilley and Maryrose Vigorita, who along with Kolbeck scored all but two of the Wildcats’ first half points.
The Broncs, who play in the High Desert League, came out in the second half behind the shooting of guard Lupita Anzaldo and proved that they would be worthy opponents. Late in the third quarter, Kern Valley cut the VPS lead to seven points and appeared to be on the verge of making a run at the Wildcats.
Those hopes were dashed when freshman Madison Harwell hit two big second half shots and grabbed a few key rebounds to slam the door on Kern Valley’s momentum.
Kolbeck led the Wildcats in scoring with 12 points, followed by Reilley, who scored 10. Anzaldo led all scorers with 16 points in a losing effort.
With the win, the Lady Wildcats have advanced to the quarterfinals tonight against Rosamond at 7:30 p.m. The Roadrunners come to town with a 23-3, 10-0 record and they are riding a 14-game win streak, just one shy of the Lady Wildcat’s 15-game streak.
The winner will take on the winner of the La Reina vs. Whittier Christian game in the semifinals on Saturday. Check ojaivalleynews.com for tonight’s play-offs updates.

Toads win thriller, 47-46

2008-02-19T15:32:00.000-08:00

Final-seconds' three-pointer by Chris Thomas against Newbury Park Adventist advances Thacher in basketball play-offs

By Mike Miller
Thacher head coach Jason Carney called his team’s second-round play-off win against Newbury Park Adventist, “One of the most exciting sporting events that I have ever been around.” The Toads extended their play-off run last Friday night with an epic win on a deep three-point basket by senior Chris Thomas with only 15 seconds left in the game, giving Thacher the 47-46 win.
The Toads were down, but not out, late in the game. Trailing by 11 points with less than five minutes to play in the game, Thacher got down to business as they chipped away at the 11-point deficit. They were led by Thomas, who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Due to an injury and illness, Josh Jackson was asked to step up and he delivered in a big way with nine points and nine rebounds.
Jackson gave the Toads valuable minutes down the stretch and gave his team a one-point lead with 58 seconds to play. Newbury Park Adventist scored again, giving them the 46-44 lead. Carney said, “We called time with 30 seconds left and set up a play for Trevor (Currie); they double-teamed him and he calmly hit Chris (Thomas) for the game winner.”
“Our kids showed so much heart down the stretch and gutted out an enormous victory. Unbelievable,” added Carney.
With the win, the Toads earned another shot at the Rosamond Roadrunners. Rosamond bounced Thacher out of the play-offs last season with a 47-26 win in the semifinals. Rosamond comes into this matchup as the No. 1 seed this year and they have an impressive 22-5 record on the season.
Carney said, “They have everyone back except for one guy and they have once again earned the No. 1 seed. It will be an extremely tall order for us, but the guys are thrilled to have the opportunity to play a team of this caliber and will be up for the challenge.”
The game was played last night at Rosamond.