Rangers Win Homecoming Battle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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Sundowners 2010 Week 2

Sundowners 2010 Week 1

Rangers Out In First Round

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sundowners Week results

Record turnout for annual Ojai Valley Century Ride

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

Sundowners Week 6

NHS Baseball Takes League Title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photographs taken Dec. 13 at the Ojai Skate Park

Skate Park cleanup photos by Sunday Rylander

Photographs taken Dec. 13 at the Ojai Skate Park.

Skate Park gets temporary fix

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

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.