Category Archives: School sports

Will C. Wood honors athletes headed to college – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

Thirteen student-athletes from Will C. Wood High will be moving on to play their respective sports in college. In a couple of cases, they will be sticking together by attending the same school.

The athletes were honored in a ceremony in the Will C. Wood gym on Tuesday afternoon, with family and friends in attendance.

Athletic director and head baseball coach Nick Voight gave the opening address, noting that only seven percent of high school athletes go on to play in college, and only two percent latch on with a Division I school. He said that going to a Division I college is not the be-all and end-all, stating, “There are great experiences out there no matter what path they take that are going to help them grow.”

Source: Will C. Wood honors athletes headed to college – The Reporter

Will C. Wood hires new head football coach – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

If it feels like high school football season just ended, that’s because it did. Courtesy of COVID, local fans were treated to a five-game spring football season.

At Will C. Wood High, practice for the fall season begins on June 7. And it will have a new look, mainly because the Wildcats (2-3 record in the spring) have a new head coach, Jacob Wright.

Kirk Anderson, the head coach for the last two seasons, is moving to El Dorado County to coach at Union Mine High School. Wright, who served as Anderson’s offensive and defensive line coach, now steps up to the helm. He comes with a solid playing and coaching resume.

Source: Will C. Wood hires new head football coach – The Reporter

ELITE Public Charter to feature sports in 2021-22 – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

Since Hogan High School closed its doors in 2010, the city of Vallejo has featured four high schools with sports competition — Vallejo, Jesse Bethel, St. Patrick-St. Vincent and North Hills Christian.

A fifth — ELITE Public Charter School — will give local athletes another option starting in the fall.

The Whitney Avenue campus featured classes for the first time in 2020-21. ELITE has about 500 students.

The Eagles will feature competition in six sports — football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and track and field. ELITE will be an independent program in the Sac-Joaquin Section, meaning the school will not be part of any conference.

Source: ELITE Public Charter to feature sports in 2021-22 – Times-Herald

Solano Community College about to launch late spring sports – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

When the Solano Community College baseball team throws its first pitch on Saturday, it will officially be the top of the first.

In more ways than one.

The Falcons will return to competition for the first time since last spring. The school “opted in” for late spring sports — baseball, softball, swimming and tennis — in February as athletes came back to campus the week of March 1.

Solano is testing athletes twice a week, even though California Community College Athletic Association has recommended testing once per week.

Source: Solano Community College about to launch late spring sports – Times-Herald

Vallejo High School football team rushing to get ready for season opener – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

Almost every student knows what it’s like to cram for a test.

For the Vallejo High School football team, that exam will come April 2 when the team travels to Rodriguez.

The Redhawks got off to a much later start than others in Solano County when football conditioning was delayed until March 22 by the Vallejo City Unified School District. Almost every other football program in the state began at least a month earlier.

Source: Vallejo High School football team rushing to get ready for season opener – Times-Herald

Vacaville High nabs boys golf crown – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

The formula for determining the golf team champion of the Monticello Empire League is a bit complicated.

Vacaville High, however, kept it simple and erased all doubt by not only going 10-0 in the regular season but also winning the league tournament on a sunny but windy Tuesday afternoon at Rancho Solano golf course.

The Bulldogs were led by Jack Mitchells’s 86 over 18 holes, followed by Ben Wilhite (89), Dylan Dzierman (97), Tyler Riley (100), and Evan Wilson (108), for the low team score of the day, 480.

Source: Vacaville High nabs boys golf crown – The Reporter

Fairfield High Sports Medicine Students Move on to State Competition – Daily Republic

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By Kris Corey

Ten students represented Fairfield High School’s (FHS) Patient Care pathway at the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Regional Competitive Event on February 24 and 26. Students competed in both the Sports Medicine event and the First Aid/CPR event. All six FHS students who competed in the Sports Medicine event earned highly competitive scores, which will enable them to represent the Fairfield High Falcons at the statewide HOSA competition on March 24.

This is the inaugural year of Fairfield High School’s HOSA chapter. The February competition marks the very first time that FHS Falcons have competed at a HOSA event. The Fairfield High HOSA team is now the third Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) from the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District to earn high honors at a CTSO competition this year. This team joins the Rodriguez High School chapter of the Future Farmers of America and the Armijo High School Virtual Enterprise team which were recognized earlier this year.

Source: Press Release: Fairfield High Sports Medicine Students Move on to State Competition

COVID shut down high school sports for a year – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

They used words and phrases like “unknowns,” “fluid and scary,” “unforeseeable challenges,” “uncharted territory” and “limbo.”

Sometimes the athletic directors of the local high schools were at a loss for words to describe their reaction and feelings to the suspension of spring sports on Friday, March 13, 2020, due to the threat of the coronavirus.

Will C. Wood Athletic Director Andrea Daniels noted, “It’s just the timing. It’s right when we are starting, so you’re in the flow, you’ve had your preseason and a lot of your practice sessions. But they (the student-athletes) all have a good attitude. It is what it is. We have to do what we have to do.”

Source: COVID shut down high school sports for a year

VCUSD allowing Vallejo, Bethel football teams to start conditioning – Times-Herald

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BY Matt O’Donnell

They say that those who show up to a restaurant after others are “fashionably late.”

If that’s the case, the Vallejo and Jesse Bethel high school football teams may have missed some of the appetizers, but they’ll be around for part of the main course.

Both programs are expected to start conditioning on Monday after given clearance from the Vallejo City Unified School District. Most other schools in Solano County were conditioning in the fall and winter, but VCUSD did not given the green light until now. Actual practice with pads could begin about a week later.

Source: Vallejo City Unified School District allowing Vallejo, Bethel football teams to start conditioning – Times-Herald

Vacaville, Vanden, Wood football ready to kick off – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

When the California Department of Public Health declared on February 19 that high school football could resume in counties with 14 or fewer COVID cases per 100,000 people, one could almost hear a collective whoop getting ready to emanate from the mouths of local high school football players.

When the Solano County COVID-19 rate, which had been at 18.4 cases per 100,000 that day, dipped to 12.4 by the following Tuesday, the football players in the Monticello Empire League let that whoop out full throttle in celebration and put on their cleats to get ready for official practice and for their first games on Friday, March 19.

Source: Vacaville, Vanden, Wood football ready to kick off – The Reporter

Benicia High releases completed football schedule – Times-Herald

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On Monday, the Benicia High School football team released its five-game football schedule for the spring.

The Panthers will host a scrimmage against Northgate on Friday and then start the regular season March 19 at home against Campolindo.

Benicia will travel to Miramonte on March 26 and then host Acalanes and Will C. Wood on April 2 and 9, respectively. The Panthers will conclude the season April 16 at Las Lomas.

Except for the game against Wood, all of the games are against Diablo Athletic League opponents.

Source: Local Roundup: Benicia High releases completed football schedule – Times-Herald

Solano Community Colleges chooses to ‘opt in’ for late spring sports – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

In baseball or softball terms, Solano Community College made a final decision on late spring sports in its last at-bat.

The college officially announced Friday that it was “opting in” for baseball, softball, swimming/diving and tennis, confirmed by athletic director Erik Visser. Friday was the deadline for community colleges across California to make a final decision.

Source: Solano Community Colleges chooses to ‘opt in’ for late spring sports – Times-Herald

Welcome back! Vanden tennis beats Vacaville in first live action since March – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

The outcome of the match was less important than the fact that it happened.

When Vacaville and Vanden High schools met for a girls tennis contest Tuesday afternoon at Vanden, it was the first competition for any sport in the Monticello Empire League in almost a year.

Vanden prevailed in the contest, 5-4. However, players, athletic directors, coaches and parents were just happy to be out competing and watching.

No spectators were allowed due to the coronavirus, so parents viewed the contest from their cars in the parking lot.

Source: Welcome back! Vanden tennis beats Vacaville in first live action since March – The Reporter

Kai Wills, Benicia High boys tennis team ready for season to begin – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

By now, the general public has become accustomed to wearing a mask in grocery stores and other retail outlets during the coronavirus pandemic.

How about playing a competitive tennis match with a mask wrapped around your face?

That’s something players like Benicia High School’s Kai Wills and his teammates will have to familiarize themselves with as the boys tennis season begins later this month.

“Personally, I’m pretty used to it but I think it’s something some players will struggle with,” Wills said. “I was training coming back from an injury and I had to do it for about three months.”

Source: Kai Wills, Benicia High boys tennis team ready for season to begin – Times-Herald

Some Benicia High School sports set to practice on Monday – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

Deep Purple is the classic rock group that features screaming vocals from Ian Gillian and blazing guitar solos from Richie Blackmore.

Benicia High School is not in “deep purple” yet. The Panthers are more likely in “early purple” mode.

Source: Some Benicia High School sports set to practice on Monday – Times-Herald

Solano Community College still could have late spring sports – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

Solano Community College athletics has not struck out with 2021 yet.

The school opted out of having sports like men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball for 2021 but others like baseball, softball, tennis and swimming are still in contention to compete, according to athletic director Erik Visser.

Source: Solano Community College still could have late spring sports – Times-Herald

Benicia High boys, girls golf teams ready for potential season – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

No sport or activity is 100 percent shielded from COVID-19 transmission, but golf is as safe as they come.

“It should be really easy to maintain protocols,” said Benicia High’s boys and girls coach Bob Hall. “Kids will have to wear masks at all times, they’ll will have to keep at appropriate distances, there won’t be any handshakes and there will be no sharing of balls and equipment.”

Source: Benicia High boys, girls golf teams ready for potential season – Times-Herald

Cross country takes center stage during COVID – The Reporter

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By Matt Sieger

Until now, cross country has generally been the red-headed stepchild of high school sports.

Overshadowed by its fall counterparts like football and girls volleyball, long-distance runners sometimes went under the radar. But all that changed when the California Interscholastic Federation classified sports by COVID-colored tier.

Cross country, one of a handful of sports CIF said could start if a county was in the purple tier, was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. The CIF had divided the January through June calendar into two seasons. Cross country was the only purple-tier sport in season one, which is slated to begin competition on Jan. 25.

Source: Cross country takes center stage during COVID – The Reporter

Local high schools trying to bring back limited sports by February – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

February is known for Valentine’s Day, but local athletes might be falling in love with the month for another reason.

The North Coast Section executive committee on Thursday approved a plan for sports that state health officials say can be contested in the most restrictive coronavirus tier to start practice as early as Feb. 1. There have been no prep sports in California since last March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Most leagues met this week over Zoom to discuss the possibilities. The Tri-County Athletic League met on Wednesday and the Diablo Athletic League met Friday.

Source: Local high schools trying to bring back limited sports by February – Times-Herald

Bay Area high school sports on pause: Where things stand after holidays – Times-Herald

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By Darren Sabedra

When the California Department of Public Health released its long-awaited youth sports guidelines in mid-December, it stated that while nothing would start before Jan. 25, it would reassess the situation by Jan. 4.

Well, Jan. 4 came and went without a reassessment — at least a public one — by the CDPH.

The Bay Area News Group reached out Monday to the California Interscholastic Federation, the state’s governing body for high school athletics, to see if there was an update.There was not.

Source: Bay Area high school sports on pause: Where things stand after holidays – Times-Herald