Bonus coverage for Joy Krupa

Claremont Wolfpack Jr. All American standout Joy Krupa was featured in this past Wednesday's issue of the COURIER. The 11-year-old girl led her team in tackles, interceptions and receptions during the 2010 and was one of the main reasons why the Jr. Pee Wee Division team was the only one to represent Claremont this postseason.

In order to read the story, pick up Wednesday's edition of the COURIER or log-in to the COURIER website. But for a bit of bonus coverage, click on the YouTube video below for a sample of what Joy is capable of on the field.

Congratulations to Joy and her success in her very first season in the San Gabriel Valley Jr. All American Football League and many thanks to her family for their hospitality.

Lydens named 'best in the west' by NCAA

Photo courtesy of Pomona-Pitzer Athletics

For Pomona-Pitzer sophomore Anne Lydens, finishing in 9th place at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships has its perks.

As a result of her strong performance last month and throughout the season, Lydens was recently selected by the NCAA as the top runner in the Division III's West Region. Along with the distinction, she became just the 3rd Pomona-Pitzer female athlete to earn All-American honors.

Lydens finished in first place during the NCAA Division III Cross Country West Regional in order to be the west region's top representative at the national championships. She also won the SCIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year Award for placing first in the SCIAC Multi-Dual meets and recording 2nd at the SCIAC Championships.

Congratulations to Lydens for all of her accomplishments this season.

C-M-S sweeps SCIAC 'Athlete of the Week' Awards

Photo courtesy of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athletics

According to the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, there were no 2 athletes better than Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' Tain Lee and Frannie Hemmelgarn during the week of November 22nd through 28th.

Lee continued his success on the golf greens that week as he finished in a tie for second place at the All-American Golf Classic in El Paso, Texas. His opponents included the other 31 top collegiate golf players in the country. The only NCAA Division III representative recorded a score of 204 (-9).

By averaging 17 points and 11.5 rebounds, Hemmelgarn led the Athenas to victory over UC Santa Cruz and Carleton College during the David Wells Classic held one day after Thanksgiving. The numbers were up from her season averages of 15.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per contest.

Congratulations to both C-M-S athletes.

Lowell impresses in first season at Seattle Pacific

Photo courtesy of Seattle Pacific University

Claremont High School 2009 graduate Nikki Lowell made a huge splash on the volleyball court at Seattle Pacific University this season as the middle blocker became an All-American and helped lead the team to one of its best seasons in school history.

“I’m shocked. It’s an honor and I didn’t expect it,” Lowell said in a released statement. “I just went with the flow and just played volleyball.”

Along with her “All-American” distinction, the red-shirt freshman was also named the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s (GNAC) Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All GNAC Conference's First Team. Her .382 hitting percentage was the highest in school history and ranked her first among all players in the Northwest Athletic Conference and 13th in Division II of the NCAA.

Congratulations to Lowell for her success on the court. Check Saturday's COURIER for a fuller story on her and check below for YouTube clips on the freshman sensation.

'Claremont' football makes a successful comeback

Though there are several football teams that have "Claremont" affixed to their team title within the city, the Claremont High School varsity football team and the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football squads both had memorable seasons.

After 6 seasons of non-winning records, the CHS Wolfpack made the most it could in its first season in the Sierra League. Before dropping a close 28-21 defeat to Roosevelt last Friday, the Pack had recorded a 7-3 record throughout the season. With a strong aerial arsenal captained by senior quarterback Daniel Kessler (3490 passing yards, 37 TDs), this year's Claremont team was one of the most exciting in years.

The Stags of C-M-S had an equally impressive season by going 7-2 overall this fall. C-M-S defeated rival Pomona-Pitzer in a 31-30 overtime thriller on November 13th to clinch one of its successful seasons in memory with longtime coach Steve Retzlaff at the helm. Retzlaff became the team's interim head coach after former longtime head coach Rick Candaele retired this past summer.

The Stags played a smashmouth style of football that featured quarterback Peter Kimmey as the team's leading rusher (645 rushing yards, 14 TDs) and 2119 team rushing yards overall. C-M-S owned the first quarter throughout the season, outscoring its opponents, 73-27.

I had the privilege of seeing both teams in action this season and neither team disappointed. CHS blew out Ayala during its Homecoming game last month and C-M-S was solid in its tough overtime win over the Sagehens. Both teams show promise for the future but while the Stags will have Kimmey returning next year, Kessler will be graduating this coming June.

Congratulations to both the Wolfpack and the Stags on an incredible 2010 season. We're looking forward to next year.

Stags, Sagehens never disappoint

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the latest game in the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps/Pomona-Pitzer football rivalry at Merritt Field and it was well worth attending.

After a slow start of what seemed to be destined a low-scoring game, things picked up over the course of the game to the point where 4 quarters was just not enough for the 2 teams. At the end of regulation, both teams were tied at 24-24.

After C-M-S scored courtesy of Peter Kimmey's 11-yard touchdown run in overtime, Chet Corcos kicked his 4th extra point of the afternoon. Who would've known that the extra point would make the difference as after Pomona-Pitzer quarterback Jacob Caron hooked up with Robert Maki for a 6-yard touchdown reception, a failed 2-point conversion gave the Stags the win, 31-30.

Congratulations to both teams on an awesome game. Look for full coverage of Saturday's game in Wednesday's edition of the COURIER.

So much sports to see, so little time

It's slated to be a busy weekend for Claremont sports with plenty of events coming up in the next 48 hours.

Tonight, Claremont will look to clinch the Sierra League division in a tough road game against Damien at 7 p.m. Can the Wolfpack make one of the biggest splashes ever in the league by winning the title in just its first year? Dick Larson Stadium is your destination to check it out.

Also for tonight, the SCIAC Men's Water Polo Tournament begins today at Haldeman Pool at Pomona College. There will be matches taking place through 7 p.m. today, 7 p.m. tomorrow and the championship will be played at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Saturday kicks off with Claremont High School's participation in the CIF-SS Cross Country Prelims at Mt. SAC. The meet will kick off at 7:45 a.m. with both Claremont varsity boys and varsity girls competing in Division 2 action.

In local AYSO Soccer action, Padua Park, La Puerta Park, Griffith Park, Jaeger Park and Padua Park will all host youth soccer matches beginning at 8 p.m. The season will conclude next weekend.

As for me, I will be attending the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps vs Pomona-Pitzer football game that will kick off at 1 p.m. at Pomona-Pitzer's home field. Bragging rights will be on the line in one of the most unique rivalry games that literally split up the 5 undergraduate Claremont Colleges. If the atmosphere is anything like the basketball games I've attended in years past, this should prove exciting. Expect full coverage of the game for Wednesday's paper.

Have a safe weekend.

A look at the numbers...again

One of the biggest stories this fall for Claremont High School sports is the huge improvement of its football program. After 6 years of records at .500 or lower, the Wolfpack guaranteed a winning season in 2010 with its 6th win over Charter Oak, 35-32, last Friday.

With a 6-1 record, Claremont isn't just better. They are currently the class of the Sierra League with a 2-0 league record. This Friday's Homecoming game against Ayala will be a good test to see if the Pack can continue to be the league's top team.

While I wrote a short story in today's paper regarding Claremont's latest win, here's a look at some of the season stats to date for the Pack:

Daniel Kessler (QB) - 2214 yards passing (1st in Sierra), 23 touchdowns, 7 interceptions

Aaron Dockery (WR) - 47 catches, 857 yards (1st in Sierra), 18.23 yards per catch, 10 touchdowns (3rd in Sierra)

As a team - 235 points, 2248 yards passing (both 1st in Sierra)

There's no doubt that Claremont packs (no pun intended) a high powered offense that will be hard for any opponent to stop. I will be at the game on Friday in what will be my first up close look at the Wolfpack this season. Expect full coverage in next Wednesday's issue.

PItzer College alumni set for Sagehen Hall of Fame

Pitzer College graduates Creed Pettit (1999) and Eric Dugan (2000) will become the newest members of the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehen Hall of Fame on November 6th.

Pettit was a 4-year starter on the Pomona-Pitzer football team as a defensive lineman. He earned 2nd Team All-SCIAC honors during his freshman year before the Sagehens exited the conference in football. He became team captain during his senior year.

Dugan was the Most Valuable Player all 4 years he participated on the Sagehens men's soccer team. He won the SCIAC Player of the Year award twice and was named to the All-SCIAC First Team all 4 seasons. The 2000 graduate was also named to the NSCAA All-Far West First Team 4 consecutive years and was selected to the NSCAA All-American Team on 2 occasions.

The 2 Sagehens will be honored in the Edmonds Ballroom during an induction ceremony at 6 p.m. Seven Sagehen Hall of Fame members and 5 faculty/staff select the inductees.

A look at the numbers...

Claremont High School quarterback Daniel Kessler is set on making his senior season his best season. And the numbers do not lie.

Leading the Wolfpack to a 4-1 record, Kessler has completed 99 of 143 passes (69 percent) for 1513 yards (302 passing yards per game) to go along with 16 touchdown throws (3 TDs per game) and just 5 interceptions (one INT per game). The senior currently has a quarterback rating of 127.

Yet Kessler has had plenty of help in the receiver area this season. Leading CHS receiver Tanner Kuramata has 39 catches for 598 yards and 4 touchdowns at the midway point of the season. Aaron Dockery has been another big play receiver for the Pack with 27 catches for 503 yards and 5 TDs.

Claremont is just one win away from tying last season's total. The rest of the team's games will be against Sierra League opponents, starting with Chino Hills at home on Oct. 15th.

Check below for a comparison of Kessler's numbers this year compared to last year.

2009: 166-237 (70 %), 2419 yards, 24 TDs, 7 INTs, 124.0 QB rating

2010 (5 games): 99-143 (69.2%), 1513 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs, 127.0 QB rating

If Kessler were to repeat the same success he's had through the first 5 games of the season, his final statistics for the 2010 season could look like this:

Projected 2010: 198-286, 3026 yards, 32 TDs, 10 INT, 127.0 QB rating

Pomona-Pitzer's Freese up for national award

Photo courtesy of the SCIAC website

Pomona-Pitzer cross country standout Alicia Freese has been chosen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association as one of 30 top honorees for the NCAA's Women of the Year award according to the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) website.

The senior is one of 10 Division III nominees and in now in the running for the 3 finalists positions from each NCAA division that will comprise a 9-member panel for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The award honors female student-athletes who display excellence in athletics, academics, community service and leadership. The winner will be announced on October 17th at an awards dinner in Indianapolis.

Freese has earned 2 All-American honors in cross-country and placed 2nd and 5th in the 10k and 5k respectively at last spring's NCAA Division III National Track and Field Championships. She is the record holder at Pomona-Pitzer for cross country and track and field distance events. The International Relations major added another notch to her responsibilities this season by filling in as women's cross country coach in the absence of head coach Kirk Reynolds.

Congratulations to Freese for her outstanding accomplishment.

40 Year SCIAC Anniversary

1970 team photo courtesy of C-M-S Athletics

It's been 40 years since C-M-S Stags football team won its first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship in 1970. Claremont McKenna College (then Claremont Men's College) 1971 graduate Harry Wright wrote a memoir on the Claremont McKenna College website that is worth a read HERE.

Although the Stags finished 8-1 in conference play, it was Cal Lutheran who was selected as the SCIAC's playoff representative that year. C-M-S' (then Claremont-Mudd) lone loss was to Pomona-Pitzer.

This season, the Stags have jumped out to a 3-0 record with wins over Lewis & Clark College, Pacific University (Ore.) and La Verne. C-M-S has outscored its opponents by a 122-44 margin. The team's showdown with Pomona-Pitzer will take place on November 13th.

The Stags are the only undefeated SCIAC team for the 2010 season and share a similar 1-0 conference record with Cal Lutheran and Occidental. Could this season be the Stags' return to glory on its 40th anniversary?

Young CHS volleyball squad takes loss as learning experience

Coming off a CIF season in 2009, the Claremont High School varsity girls volleyball team has an even tougher road in 2010.

Losing 7 seniors, the young squad was swept by Bonita on Tuesday in a nonleague battle, 25-13, 25-16, 25-20. The loss drops the Wolfpack to 4-3 on the season.

Several hitting errors and inconsistent ball handling factored into Claremont's home loss yesterday. Junior Taylor Scott hopes the defeat will ignite the Pack's competitive spirit over the remainder of the season.

"I think games like this give us motivation," Scott said. "Now we're going to work really hard over the next 2 weeks to be prepared for our next match."

This Saturday's COURIER will feature a more in-depth look at Tuesday's match as well as provide results and scores of other Claremont sporting events.

Kessler big in CHS football's first win

Claremont High School quarterback Daniel Kessler was on the mark in Friday's 31-14 win over Cajon.

The senior threw for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Wolfpack (1-0) put on an impressive showing before its home crowd. Receiver Tanner Kuramata was Kessler's favorite target with 9 catches for 159 yards and a touchdown.

The Pack will play at Bonita next Friday in a nonleague showdown at 7 p.m. Bonita (1-0) defeated San Dimas last night, 41-20, to reclaim the Smudgepot trophy.

Biszantz Family Tennis Center honored for excellence

(photo courtesy of CMS Athletics)

Claremont McKenna College's Biszantz Family Tennis Center will be honored by the United States Tennis Association with a USTA Facility Award on Monday at a special ceremony in New York City.

The Biszantz Family Tennis Center was one of 7 centers recognized by USTA for excellence in the construction or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.

"The Biszantz Family Tennis Cente rhas gone above and beyond to create a superior tennis experience for their patrons and community at large," said Kurt Kamperman, USTA chief executive of community tennis. "We are proud to honor each of their achievements and applaud their devotion to the sport."

A state-of-the-art training and competitions center, the Biszantz Family Tennis Center was renovated in 2009 and opened for match play late that year. The center features 12 fully-lit courts to be used for competition, permanent seating for each court, an observation deck, players' lounge, locker room, medical services and intramural grass playing field. The Claremont Architectural Commission awarded the center with an Excellence in Design Award in the New Construction and Sustainable Landscaping category.

Along with the award, the Biszantz Family Tennis Center will also be getting an all-weather sign that can be mounted at the facility. The center also receives a one-year free membership to USTA.

Pomona-Pitzer men's soccer kicks off sports season for Claremont Colleges

The Pomona-Pitzer men's soccer team opened its 2010-11 season at home on Wednesday against Division II opponent Cal State San Marcos. Due to 2 circus-like goals by the Cougars in the 2nd half, Claremont fell prey to Cal State San Marcos in the end, 2-0.

The match was the first sporting event to take place at the Claremont Colleges for the 2010-11 year. Pomona-Pitzer is the defending Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) champion and also has the 2009 SCIAC Player of the Year as a returnee in Eben Perkins.

Check out Saturday's COURIER for coverage of Wednesday's game and keep looking for the Sagehens' progress in the COURIER's scoreboard feature all season long.

Sports is back in season

If seeing Claremont High School football players out on the football field for "Hell Week" is any indication, high school sports, college sports and other organizational sports will be coming back into season this September.

This fall season, CHS will begin its new journey in the Sierra League after many years in the Baseline League. Instead of playing the likes of Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Etiwanda and Los Osos every year, Claremont will now encounter opponents such as Ayala, Chino Hills, South Hills and Damien in their league contests.

With the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer sports teams also slated to kick off in September, along with Claremont AYSO and the Claremont Jr. All American Football league, next month's sports coverage will kick back into full swing.

Expect a preview on the CHS football team in the COURIER this Saturday and a look at Claremont High's move into the Sierra League next Wednesday.

Senior ladies find fountain of youth on the tennis court

For the past 10 years, a senior group of women have been keeping an active lifestyle and enriching their friendships by getting together to play tennis twice a week. With their ages ranging from 73 to 99, they are a source of inspiration to those who know them and to each other.

Doris Drucker, Shirley Harris, Jean Jackman, Noreen Kistner, Shirley Moses, Eleanor Pierson and Tina Van Zandt represent the group that meets every Monday and Friday at the Claremont Club. Ms. Drucker, the wife of the late Peter Drucker, is the oldest participant at 99 years old.

Pick up tomorrow's issue of the COURIER to read the full story on this amazing group of women who have used tennis as their fountain of youth.

Claremont Fastpitch wins respect at Western Nationals

(Photo courtesy of Claremont Fastpitch)

The Claremont Fastpitch 10-and-Under Gold, 12-and-Under Gold and 14-and-Under All-Star teams all had Top 10 finishes in last week's Western Nationals.

The 14U squad led the way by finishing 4th of 41 teams in Roseville, the 12U team took 5th place in Las Cruces, New Mexico out of nearly 30 teams and the 10U team placed 9th out of 40 teams in Tucson, Arizona.

"We really want to thank the community for their support," said Claremont 10U manager Keven Kempton. "Without their support, we wouldn't have been able to go to the tournaments. This is something the girls will remember for the rest of their lives."

This year marked the first time that 3 Claremont teams went to Western Nationals. Another first for the Claremont squads was competing in Level "B" play after playing in Level "C" last season.

For the full story, check out today's edition of the COURIER.

10U & 14U Claremont Fastpitch teams still alive in Western Nationals

Both the Claremont Fastpitch 10U and 14U All-Star teams are still in the championship hunt according to the latest results from Tucson, Arizona and Roseville respectively.

The 10U team has won all 3 games it has played this week, defeating the Gila Valley Suncats, North Shore and the Hanford Flames to advanced to Saturday's game against the winner of Chino Hills Red and La Vegas Mystic Blue.

Though the 14U team dropped its first game to Po'Okela on Tuesday, the team rebounded to claim victories over the Roseville Thumder Blue and the San Carlos Force over the past 2 days. The Claremont squad plays the Eugene Thunder today.

Check below for scores and upcoming game info. No information has yet to be reported for the Claremont 12U team.

*****

Claremont 10U Results
8/3: Defeated Gila Valley Suncats, 15-0
8/4: Defeated North Shore, 4-3
8/5: Defeated Hanford Flames, 15-0

Next game: Saturday vs winner of Chino Hills Red/Las Vegas Mystic Blue

Claremont 14U Results
8/3: Lost to Po'Okela, 12-0
8/4: Defeated Roseville Thunder Blue, 6-1
8/5: Defeated San Carlos Force, 10-2

Next game: Today vs Eugene Thunder, 3 p.m.

Five Pomona-Pitzer track & field athletes named to All-Academic team

Anders Crabo, Ellie Chestnut, Alicia Freese, Brian Gillis and Claire McGroder of Pomona-Pitzer were all recently named to the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Division III All-Academic Track & Field teams. Crabo and Gillis were selected for the men's team while Chestnut, Freese and McGroder were picked for the women's team.

To qualify for the All-Academic Track & Field team, candidates must hold a GPA of at least 3.30 and have met the automatic or provisional NCAA Division III standard in their respective events. All 5 Sagehens qualified for the NCAA Nationals this season.

Three hundred thirty women from across the country were named to the women's All-Academic team while 202 men nationwide were selected to the men's All-Academic team.

Candaele to retire, Retzlaff named interim coach

Longtime Claremont-Mudd-Scripps head football coach Rick Candaele recently announced his plans to retire, effective August 15th.

As Candaele retires, assistant football coach Steve Retzlaff will be promoted to interim head coach for the 2011 season as C-M-S conducts a nationwide search for the official successor to the longtime coach.

Candaele coached C-M-S for 15 years and joined the football program in 1993. Retzlaff also joined C-M-S the same year.

"I'm thankful to Rick [Candaele] for turning the football program around and putting the Stags in a competitive position through increased participation, retention, and on field success," said C-M-S Athletic Director Mike Sutton. "His ability to encourage our team to play hard and well for reach other has been our key to success."

The Stags begin the 2010 season on September 11th vs Lewis & Clark at home (7 p.m.).

(Photo of Coach Candaele courtesy of the C-M-S Athletic Department)

Claremont Fastpitch trio headed to nationals

Claremont Fastpitch's 10U, 12U Gold and 14U All-Star teams are headed to Tucson (Arizona), Las Cruces (New Mexico) and Roseville respectively after last weekend's performance at the Lancaster state tournament.

Both the 10U and 12 Gold teams finished in 5th place and the 14U took 7th in a tournament that included over 30 teams. The World Series of girls softball begins on August 2nd.

Claremont Juniors capture District 20 crown

The Claremont Little League Juniors All-Star team became very familiar with San Dimas in the District 20 Tournament this season.

Playing San Dimas for the 3rd time in the tournament on Monday, Claremont learned from its mistakes in their previous encounter to post an 8-3 victory and win the District 20 Tournament championship at Pomona Jaycee Community Park.

More information about the Claremont squad and other Little League results, including the 11-12 Year-Old All-Star team, can be found in today's COURIER.

For all the marbles

The Claremont Little League Juniors All-Star team and San Dimas have already played each other twice in the District 20 Tournament but tonight's game between the 2 teams will specifically have championship implications.

After beating San Dimas last Thursday, 9-6, Claremont faced a rejuvenated San Dimas squad on Saturday, dropping a 10-8 decision in a semifinal encounter. The two teams will settle their rivalry once and for all tonight at Pomona Jaycee Community Park (7 p.m.).

The Claremont Juniors team isn't the only squad battling for a championship tonight. Claremont's 11-12 Year-Old All-Star squad will battle La Verne at Pelota Park tonight for the District 20 crown beginning at 6:30 p.m.

District 20 Tournament Results

Saturday, July 10
11-12 Year-Old Division - Semifinal
Claremont 13, Glendora National 3

Juniors Division - Semifinal
San Dimas 10, Claremont 8

*****

8-9 Year-Old Division Results - Double Elimination Tournament
Pomona American 12, Claremont American 2
San Dimas National 5, Claremont American 3

*****

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games

Monday, July 12
11-12 Year-Old Division - Championship
Claremont vs La Verne, 6:30 p.m. (Pelota Park)

Juniors Division - Championship
Claremont vs San Dimas, 7 p.m. (Pomona Jaycee Community Park)

For more information, visit the District 20 website by clicking HERE.

One team down, another team still alive

The Claremont Little League's 9-10 Year-Old All-Star team is out. But the Juniors All-Star team will continue on.

The 9-10 Year-Old squad dropped a 9-5 decision to Glendora National on Thursday while the Juniors team advanced to the championship round of the District 20 Tournament with a 9-6 win over San Dimas in the semifinals.

Both the Juniors and the 11-12 Year-Old teams will play tomorrow. Check back this weekend for results of both games.

District 20 Tournament Results

Thursday, July 8
9-10 Year-Old Division – Consolation Round
Glendora National 9, Claremont 5

Juniors Division – Semifinals
Claremont 9, San Dimas 6

*****

8-9 Year-Old Division Standings
Bracket A
Pomona American (4-0)
La Verne (3-1)
Glendora National (2-2)
San Dimas American (1-3)
Claremont National (0-4)

Bracket B
San Dimas National (3-0)
Claremont American (3-1)
Pomona Southwest (1-1)
San Dimas National (0-2)
Pomona Ted Greene (0-3)

*****

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games

Saturday, July 10
Juniors Division – Championship
Claremont vs Glendora or San Dimas, 10 a.m. (Pelota Park)

11-12 Year-Old Division – Consolation Round
Claremont vs Glendora National, 6:30 p.m. (Pomona Jaycee Community Park)

For more information including brackets and park locations, visit the Claremont Little League website by clicking HERE.

San Dimas edges Claremont in closely contested quarterfinal

Photo courtesy of Claremont Little League

Kyle Del Campo's 2 home runs and 5 RBIs were not enough to prevent the Claremont Little League's 11-12 Year-Old All-Star team from coming up short against San Dimas on Tuesday.

Claremont had erased a 8-2 1st inning deficit to go ahead 12-11 in the 6th inning, but San Dimas's Andrew Garcia responded with a 2-run walk off homer in the bottom of 6th to lead his team to a 13-12 win.

As a result of Tuesday's loss, Claremont falls into the consolation bracket and will play Pomona Ted Greene tonight. If Claremont wins, the 11-12 Year-Old squad will play the winner of Glendora National/Glendora American on July 10th.

Stay tuned to Saturday's edition of the COURIER for more coverage.

District 20 Tournament Latest Results

Tuesday, July 6
11-12 Year-Old Division - 2nd Round
San Dimas 13, Claremont 12

*****

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games

Wednesday, July 7
11-12 Year-Old Division - Consolation Bracket
Pomona Ted Greene @ Claremont, 6:30 p.m. (Pelota Park)

Thursday, July 8
Juniors Division - Semifinals
San Dimas @ Claremont, 7 p.m. (Pomona Jaycees Community Park)

For more information including brackets and park locations, visit the Claremont Little League website by clicking HERE.

Pomona Pitzer's James Kang drafted to Red Sox

(Photo courtesy of Pomona-Pitzer Athletics)

Just one month after graduating from Pitzer College with a degree in Economics, Pomona-Pitzer men's baseball player James Kang was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 45th round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2010 First Year Player Draft on June 9th. Kang joins his former Sagehen teammate as part of the Red Sox organization and is the 4th Sagehen to be selected in the draft in the last 7 years.

Click HERE to view the post from the Pomona-Pitzer Athletics website.

La Verne prevents Claremont from earning tournament banner

The Claremont Little League 10-11 Year-Old All-Star team's District 20 Tournament run came to an end at the hands of La Verne last Friday.

Though Claremont possessed a 6-4 lead in the 4th inning, La Verne rallied to score 5 unanswered and held on for a 9-6 victory at Marchant Park in San Dimas.

Matthew Banfield scored Claremont's final run in the 4th inning with a solo blast over the centerfield fence. The 10-11 Year-Old squad mustered just one more hit the rest of the way.

District 20 Tournament Latest Results

Friday, July 2
10-11 Year-Old Division Finals
La Verne 9, Claremont 6

*****

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games

Tuesday, July 6
9-10 Year-Old Division - 2nd Round
Winner of Glendora/San Dimas @ Claremont, 5:30 p.m. (Glendora American Field)

11-12 Year-Old Division - 2nd Round
San Dimas @ Claremont, 6:30 p.m. (Pelota Park)

Thursday, July 8
Juniors Division - Semifinals
San Dimas @ Claremont, 7 p.m. (Pomona Jaycees Community Park)

For more information including brackets and park locations, visit the Claremont Little League website by clicking HERE.

Claremont responds from crushing defeat with huge win

Photo courtesy of Claremont Little League

The Claremont Little League 10-11 Year-Old all-star team’s efforts against San Dimas on Thursday put Wednesday’s 11-0 loss to La Verne into distant memory.

Claremont made sure to score more than enough runs in Thursday’s contest, scoring 7 runs in the 3rd inning to coast to a 12-2 triumph over San Dimas at Marchant Park. The game was called after the 5th inning due to the mercy rule.

With its recent victory, Claremont can avenge itself from Wednesday's defeat against La Verne today in a District 20 Tournament semifinal contest at Marchant Park. Game time is 5:30 p.m.

District 20 Tournament Latest Results
Thursday, July 1
10-11 Year-Old Division - Quarterfinals
Claremont 12, Glendora National 2

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games
Friday, July 2
10-11 Division - Quarterfinals
La Verne @ Claremont, 5:30 p.m. (Marchant Park)

8-9 Year-Old Division - Bracket Play
Claremont National @ Glendora National, 7:30 p.m. (Ralph Welch Park)

Saturday, July 3
8-9 Year-Old Division - Bracket Play
Claremont American @ Glendora American, 9:30 a.m. (Ralph Welch Park)

Tuesday, July 6
9-10 Year-Old Division - 2nd Round
Winner of Glendora/San Dimas @ Claremont, 5:30 p.m. (Pelota Park)

Thursday, July 8
Juniors Division - Semifinals
San Dimas @ Claremont, 7 p.m. (Pomona Jaycees Community Park)

For more information including brackets and park locations, visit the Claremont Little League website by clicking HERE.

One Claremont team advances, another falls to consolation

Last night's results from the District 20 Tournament yielded a mixed bag of results for Claremont Little League's All-Star Teams.

The Claremont Junior All-Star squad trumped Pomona Ted Greene, 17-1, in Wednesday night's 2nd round matchup at Pomona Jaycees Community Park. Claremont will now play San Dimas next Thursday in the semifinals round.

Claremont's 10-11 Year-Old All Stars did not enjoy similar success last night as La Verne got the better of the local squad, 11-0. As a result of the loss, Claremont drops to the consolation round and plays Glendora National tonight.

Stay tuned for coverage on the Claremont Junior all-stars in this Saturday's edition of the COURIER as well as updated scores. Last night's results and an updated schedule of games can be found below.

District 20 Tournament Latest Results
Wednesday, June 30
10-11 Year-Old Division - Semifinals
La Verne 11, Claremont 0

Juniors Division - 2nd Round
Claremont 17, Pomona Ted Greene 1

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games
Thursday, July 1 (Today) - Consolation Rd. 3
10-11 Year-Old Division
Glendora National @ Claremont, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, July 2 - Bracket Play
8-9 Year-Old Division
Claremont National @ Glendora National, 7:30 p.m. (Ralph Welch Park)

Saturday, July 3 - Bracket Play
8-9 Year-Old Division
Claremont American @ Glendora American, 9:30 a.m. (Ralph Welch Park)

Tuesday, July 6
9-10 Year-Old Division - 2nd Round
Winner of Glendora/San Dimas @ Claremont, 5:30 p.m. (Pelota Park)

Thursday, July 8
Juniors Division
San Dimas @ Claremont, 7 p.m. (Pomona Jaycees Community Park)

For more information including brackets and park locations, visit the Claremont Little League website by clicking HERE.

District 20 Tournament Updates on the blog

Starting today, updates on all age groups in the Little League District 20 Tournament will be posted on the blog as well as upcoming games. Claremont has 5 all-star teams competing in the tournament, including the 8-9 Year-Old team, 9-10 Year-Old team, 10-11 Year-Old team, 11-12 Year-Old team and the Juniors team.

District 20 Tournament Latest Results
Tuesday, June 29
11-12 Year-Old Division - First Round
Claremont 17, Pomona American 7

Upcoming District 20 Tournament Games
Wednesday, June 30 (Today)
8-9 Year-Old Division - Bracket Play
Claremont National @ La Verne, 5 p.m. (Ralph Welch Park)

10-11 Year-Old Division - Semifinals
Claremont @ La Verne, 5:30 p.m. (Marchant Park)

Juniors Division - 2nd Round
Claremont @ Pomona Ted Greene, 7 p.m. (Pomona Jaycees Community Park)

Tuesday, July 6
9-10 Year-Old Division - 2nd Round
Winner of Glendora/San Dimas @ Claremont, 5:30 p.m.

For more information including brackets and park locations, visit the Claremont Little League website by clicking HERE.

Many awards given at CHS Volleyball Banquet

The Claremont High School boys volleyball squad recently held its end-of-the-year banquet, resulting in an award-studded night for the Pacific League champions.

This season was one of the best in the history of the program as the Wolfpack advanced all the way to the CIF Southern Section Division II semifinals before falling to top-seeded Westlake in a 5-game heartbreaker. CHS had a chance to finish Westlake in the 4th game with multiple game points.

Here's the list of CHS awards from this season:

All-CIF
1st Team: Geoff Powell
2nd Team: Andrew Zetterberg
3rd Team: Patrick Stalwick

All-Pacific League
MVP: Geoff Powell
1st Team: Andrew Zetterberg, Patrick Stalwick
2nd Team: Steven Kirkpatrick, Jack Reeder
Honorable Mention: Stephen Zetterberg

Team Awards
MVP: Geoff Powell
Best Offensive: Geoff Powell
Best Defensive: Patrick Stalwick
All Around: Andrew Zetterberg
Most Improved: Steven Kirkpatrick
Most Inspirational: Chris Collins
Coach's Award: TJ Frank

CHS Senior Co-Athlete of the Year: Geoff Powell
Volleyball Magazine USA Top 50 Senior: Geoff Powell

'Futbolito' comes to Claremont

Padua Park will play host to Major League Soccer's (MLS) Futbolito event starting at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. Players from the L.A. Galaxy are scheduled to appear.

The event features 4-on-4 soccer tournament action that will run throughout the day with chances to for those in attendance to win prizes including an MLS match ticket. The Adult Premier Division winning team will receive $2000 while the 2nd place finisher will win $1000.

For more information on tomorrow's event, contact Sid Patel at spatel@lagalaxy.com or call 310-630-2236.

Regas named to rugby All-American team

Claremont Colleges Men's Rugby standout Nick Regas was recently named by USA Rugby scouts as an All-American for the 2010 season. The honor puts Regas among many other Division I players though the Pasadena native competed for a Division II team this past season.

“It’s been a dream season for me,” said Regas, whose team also won the Division II championship this past season. “It’s an honor to be a part of this select group of players.”

Look in Saturday's edition of the COURIER for a more in-depth story about the All-American.

Prentice wins first ever Claremont Little League Home Run Derby

By hitting 20 home runs in the final 2 rounds of the inaugural Claremont Little League Home Run Derby last Saturday, Cole Prentice became the league's first ever home run derby king.

A total of 16 players competed in the event with Prentice (Phillies), Kyle Scalmanini (Angels), Johnny Villa (Dodgers), Tyler Roebuck (Red Sox), Kyle Delcampo (Dodgers) and Ricky Conti (Rays) all qualifying for the finals. Prentice sealed the win by sending the ball over the fence 10 times in the final round.

More than 100 home runs were recorded in Claremont Little League this season. The league also had 11 over-the-fence grand slams and 2 inside-the-park grand slams.

Claremont Little League/Fastpitch teams clean house

The Red Sox (Majors Division), Angels (JV Division) and D-Backs (Minors Division) of Claremont Little League, along with the 10U Gold, 12U Gold and 14U teams of Claremont Fastpitch all took home championship trophies in their respective tournaments last weekend.

Claremont Little League's season came to a close last Saturday with closing ceremonies after the championship games of the City Tournament. The Claremont Fastpitch teams are already in all-star mode and played cities such as Santa Fe Springs, Hacienda Heights and Chino Hills in last weekend's City of Trees Tournament.

Look for more information and coverage of the weekend's events in tomorrow's edition of the COURIER.

Phillies upset Angels, Rays vs Red Sox tonight

Though the Angels finished in first place in the Claremont Little League Majors Division this season, the team lost its chance to place first in the ongoing City Tournament on Tuesday.

After defeating the Phillies 4 times this season, the Angels were unable to overcome their opposition for a 5th time as the Phillies toppled the Angels in the City Tournament semifinals, 4-1.

The Rays and Red Sox will play in the other semifinal game tonight at College Park at 6 p.m. The Red Sox won 3 of the 4 regular season encounters with the other game ending in a 7-7 tie.

A game that could have been perfect

It's now been 2 days since Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was robbed of what would have been his first perfect game of his career. And Major League Baseball isn't doing anything to fix it.

The MLB has been neck deep in scandals and controversy, especially in the last decade. Wednesday night's scenario (watch video below) presented MLB Commissioner Bud Selig with the opportunity to take a public stand for integrity and fairness. He chose neither.

It's not every day that you have an umpire brought to tears by a mistake he made. Jim Joyce indeed made the wrong call, but showed an immeasurable amount of class by admitting that he missed a big call. His humility is an excellent example of the way an official should be in the world of sports and if he had the ability to make the decision, I'm convinced he would overturn his ruling.

The problem is that Joyce is the one who has maintained integrity more that the MLB commissioner. Every angle of every replay has clearly shown that Detroit recorded the 3rd out to preserve the perfect game. If Selig were to overturn the call, he has very strong grounds to do so for the evidence is irrefutable. This is not a typical situation.

If the issue is following a rulebook, then it is time to change that rulebook because when a 100 percent inaccurate call has been made, players and managers should have the opportunity to appeal in order to have the ruling overturned. It's amazing that while Selig wants to be firm on not overturning the ruling in Galarraga's situation, he is not equally as firm when it comes to the steroid issue. How is it that players who have admitted using steroids during their greatest seasons do not have an asterisk by their stats and yet a young pitcher who legitimately pitches a perfect game has it wrongfully nullified? Is the MLB really about what's right and what's fair?

Only 20 pitchers in history have thrown a perfect game. There should be 21. Selig still has time to make the right choice. Yet if he still chooses to decline, it just adds another black eye to the sport that has been long touted as "America's Game." One of Superman's most well-known lines is that he fights for "truth, justice and the American way." The catch is that truth and justice are supposed to be the American way. Apparently not for the MLB.

The MLB needs a spark. With declining attendance, declining ethics and declining popularity, the league needs a clean-up hitter. Selig was recently up to bat but just swung and missed for Strike Three. Maybe next time.



With baseball being one of the most popular sports in Claremont, feel free to post your thoughts about this particular story.

Wolfpack claims 2nd straight title

The Claremont High School boys tennis team has done it again. The Wolfpack won its 2nd consecutive CIF Southern Section Division III championship with a 12-6 victory over Placentia Valencia on Wednesday at the Claremont Club.

Clarke Spinosa and the duo of Frank Liu/Scott Donaldson enjoyed sweeps in singles and doubles respectively. Stay tuned to Saturday's issue of the COURIER for complete coverage of the championship match.

CIF Championship today!

The wait is finally over as the Claremont High School boys tennis team will finally get its shot win its 2nd consecutive CIF Southern Section Division III championship starting at 12:30 p.m. against Placentia Valencia at the Claremont Club.

The 2 teams met each other in the championship match last season. The Wolfpack defeated the Tigers, 13-5, to win its first CIF championship in the history of the boys tennis program.

In CIF Individual Sectionals, Clarke Spinosa took 2nd place, his highest finish in the event. Today will be the last match in a CHS uniform for him and several other seniors such as Trevor James, Scott Donaldson, Frank Liu and David Standerfer.

Results of today's match will be posted on the blog later tonight.

Carter, Lantz qualify for state meet

Claremont High School's Kori Carter and Webb School's Andrew Lantz will be the only 2 competitors from Claremont when the CIF State Track & Field Meet takes place starting this Friday.

The preliminary round of the state meet will be held on Friday followed by the the final round on Saturday to decide who is the best in California in all events.

Carter's 3^rd place finish in the 100 meter hurdles (13.95) and the 300 meter hurdles (43.20) at last Saturday's CIF Southern Section Masters Meet secured her spot in both events for this weekend's state meet. By competing the 800 meter run in 1:53.11 (7^th place), Lantz also qualified for the same event for this Friday's prelims.

CHS edges Lakewood in battle of undefeated teams

It was a grueling affair at yesterday's CIF Southern Section Division III Boys Tennis semifinal but Claremont would not be denied. In the battle of 2 undefeated teams, CHS defeated Lakewood 83-70 in games after the 2 squads played to a 9-9 tie.

The Wolfpack (18-0) trailed 7-5 going into the final round before Clarke Spinosa and the doubles teams of Carter Hafif/Andrew Lieu and David Standerfer/Pranay Yeturo all posted wins to force the 9-9 tie. Claremont with without Trevor James, who was away on a family vacation.

The stage is now set for the CIF-SS Division III Boys Tennis Championship, which will take place next Wednesday at the Claremont Club with a 12:30 p.m. start time. CHS will play Placentia Valencia in the final.

Claremont boys tennis part of CIF's remaining quartet

The Claremont High School boys tennis team is one of 4 teams who will be competing today for a chance to advance to the CIF Southern Section Division III Boys Tennis Finals today.

The Wolfpack will host Lakewood in one of the CIF-SS semifinal matches while Placentia Valencia will travel to Oaks Christian for the other semifinal encounter. Both matches begin today at 3 p.m.

CHS has been on a roll throughout the 2010, remaining flawless in competition with a 17-0 record to date. The Pack are the defending CIF-SS Division III champion. If Claremont wins today, the Wolfpack will play in the CIF-SS Division III championship next Wednesday at the Claremont Club.

Look for an update of today's match on the blog later tonight and also results from last weekend's CIF-SS Track & Field Finals in Wednesday's edition of the COURIER.

Claremont boys volleyball gives valiant effort

While the Claremont High School boys volleyball team went further than it has ever gone in school history, Westlake High School made sure to cut the Wolfpack's journey short on Tuesday night.

A 5-game CIF-SS Division II semifinal thriller at Claremont High School saw the Warriors narrowly escape with a tough win to end CHS' greatest boys volleyball season, 16-25, 25-10, 19-25, 33-31, 15-11. Geoff Powell led the way for the Pack with 29 kills. Look for more coverage of the playoff match in Saturday's edition of the COURIER.

*****

In other CIF news, Claremont boys tennis trounced La Quinta, 15-3, to advance to CIF-SS Division III semifinals. CHS will host Lakewood at home next Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Also look for updated coverage of the CIF-SS Masters Meet in Saturday's COURIER. Sam Jardine place 6th in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:35.64 and 7th in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:42.85.

Championship dreams within reach

Photo special to the COURIER

After upstaging Valencia on Saturday night, the CHS boys volleyball team embarked on uncharted territory by qualifying for a CIF-SS Division II semifinal match. The Wolfpack returns home on Tuesday night to host Westlake High School in a semifinal clash at 7 p.m. at Claremont High School.

We'll have results of Claremont's historic first boys volleyball playoff semifinal on the blog this Wednesday.

Claremont teams advance to next round of playoffs

It was a successful 2 days for Claremont teams in the latest CIF Southern Section playoff competitions, ensuring that that Claremont will stay alive for another week of postseason action.

The Claremont High School boys tennis team advanced to the CIF-SS Division II quarterfinals on Friday night, continuing its undefeated season (16-0) with a 13-5 win at South Torrance. CHS will play at La Quinta on Tuesday in the quarterfinal match.

Claremont's Kori Carter (Girls 100h, 300h, 100m), Scott Jordan (Boys 200m, 400m), Brittany Brown (Girls 100m), Bailey Sanin (Girls 800m), Paul Ross (Boys 3200m), Katja Whitham (Girls Pole Vault), Klyvens Delaunay (Boys Triple Jump) and the girls 4x400 relay team all qualified for the CIF-SS Division II Track & Field Finals due to their strong performances at Saturday's preliminaries at Moorpark High School. Amara Berry (Girls 100h) and Andrew Lantz (800m) were the only 2 Webb competitors to qualify for the CIF-SS Division IV Finals on Saturday.

Look for more coverage of the 2 track meets in Wednesday's edition of the COURIER. The CIF-SS finals will take place next Saturday at Cerritos College.

The CIF-SS Division II Swimming Championships also took place on Saturday at the Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach. Claremont finished strong with the girls team placing 11th overall and the boys team taking 18th. More details of Saturday's meet will be available in Wednesday's edition of the COURIER.

The Wolfpack's drive to the CIF-SS Division II Boys Volleyball championship is still in full effect after Claremont bested Valencia in 4 games on Saturday, 25-22, 14-25, 25-23, 25-22. The win propelled CHS into the semifinals as the Pack will play Westlake on Tuesday.

Continue visiting the blog throughout the week our CIF playoff coverage.

Wolfpack volleyball stays in championship hunt, overcomes Crusaders

The Claremont High School boys volleyball team can at least rest until Saturday after defeating Village Christian in the 2nd round of the CIF Division II playoffs to advance to the quarterfinals against Valencia.

The Pack started strong by winning the first 2 games of the match (25-22, 25-17) before dropping the next game in a 26-24 thriller. CHS finally clinched the match in the 4th game, beating the Crusaders by a 25-22 tally. Geoff Powell led the Wolfpack with 22 kills.

With the Wolfpack's victory, here's how the playoff schedule shapes up over the next couple of days:

TODAY'S CIF PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. III Boys Tennis 2nd Round: Claremont @ South Torrance, 3 p.m.

SATURDAY'S CIF PLAYOFF EVENTS
CIF Div. II Swimming @ Belmont Plaza Pool, Long Beach, 4 p.m. (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. II Boys Volleyball Quarterfinals: Claremont @ Valencia, 6 p.m.
CIF Div. II Track & Field Prelims @ Moorpark High School, TBA (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. IV Track & FIeld Prelims @ Carpinteria High School, TBA (featuring Webb)

For more information and playoff brackets, visit the CIF website at www.cifss.org. Stay tuned for more CIF updates this weekend.

Wolfpack continues on, Gauls end season

The results of yesterday's CIF Division II and Division III boys tennis action yielded different results for the Claremont High School and Webb School squads.

After earning an At-Large bid into the Division II playoffs, the Gauls dominated Indio to claim a 14-4 win a wild card match on Tuesday. But San Marino proved to be too much for Webb on Wednesday, ending the Gauls' season with a 15-3 win.

In Division III action, the Wolfpack continued extended its undefeated overall record this season (15-0) with a 16-2 thrashing of Vista Murrieta at home on Wednesday. A full recap on Wednesday's match will be in this Saturday's edition of the COURIER.

Here's the playoff schedule for the rest of the week:

TONIGHT'S PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. II Second Round: CHS Boys Volleyball @ Village Christian, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY'S PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. III Second Round: CHS Boys Tennis @ South Torrance, 3 p.m.

SATURDAY'S PLAYOFF EVENTS
CIF Div. II Swimming Prelims @ Belmont Plaza Pool, Long Beach, 4 p.m. (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. II Track & Field Prelims @ Moorpark High School, TBA (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. IV Track & Field Prelims @ Carpinteria High School, TBA (featuring Webb)

Keep coming back to the blog for daily CIF updates.

Claremont teams stay alive in CIF playoffs

The Webb boys tennis team and the Claremont High School boys volleyball team both passed their first tests yesterday in CIF playoff action.

The Gauls trampled Indio in a CIF Division II Boys Tennis playoff match, 14-4, to advance to a first round encounter at San Marino today at 3 p.m. Webb entered the playoffs through an At-Large bid and will seek to prolong its season against the Rio Hondo League's top team.

After dropping its final match of the regular season to Burbank Burroughs last week, CHS returned to form on Tuesday night by sweeping first round opponent, Adolfo Camarillo, at home. Led by Geoff Powell's 18 kills, the Wolfpack won 25-20, 25-14, 25-16. Claremont will now host Village Christian on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

Here's an updated playoff schedule for the rest of the week:

WEDNESDAY'S PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. II First Round: Webb Boys Tennis @ San Marino, 3 p.m.
CIF Div. III First Round: Vista Murrieta @ CHS Boys Tennis, 3 p.m.

THURSDAY'S PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. II Second Round: CHS Boys Volleyball @ Village Christian, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY'S PLAYOFF EVENTS
CIF Div. II Swimming Prelims @ Belmont Plaza Pool, Long Beach, 4 p.m. (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. II Track & Field Prelims @ Moorpark High School, TBA (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. IV Track & Field Prelims @ Carpinteria High School, TBA (featuring Webb)

Keep checking back to the blog throughout the week for updates on all of the Claremont playoff action.

CIF Update for Claremont High School & Webb Schools

CIF pairings have been released for boys tennis, track & field, swimming and boys volleyball over the weekend and we have an updated schedule of the playoff matchups that will be taking place for Claremont High School and the Webb Schools:

TODAY'S PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. II Wildcard: Webb Boys Tennis @ Indio, 3 p.m.
CIF Div. II First Round: Adolfo Camarillo @ CHS Boys Volleyball, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY'S PLAYOFF MATCHES
CIF Div. III First Round: Winner Wild Card A @ CHS Boys Tennis, 3 p.m.

SATURDAY'S PLAYOFF EVENTS
CIF Div. II Swimming Prelims @ Belmont Plaza Pool, Long Beach, 4 p.m. (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. II Track & Field Prelims @ Moorpark High School, TBA (featuring CHS)
CIF Div. IV Track & Field Prelims @ Carpinteria High School, TBA (featuring Webb)

And now, a few more updates of Claremont teams:

CHS boys golfer Matt Fairris will be the only Claremont representative competing in the CIF Individual Golf Playoffs at Desert Hot Springs next Monday. The Wolfpack had qualified 5 players for the Baseline League Finals that included Fairris, Jeff Hong, Brett Giannos, Brian Carroll and Adelbert Wang.

In CIF Central Division team play yesterday, the Claremont golf team finished in a tie for 15th place with Upland with a score of 438. Only the top 3 teams advance to the next round.

The Webb co-ed badminton team made strong strides in just its 2nd season as a program in 2010. The Gauls defeated Baldwin Park in the first round of the CIF Division II playoffs last week but fell in the quarterfinals to number one seed, Cerritos. Webb finished with season with a record of 10-7, 7-3.

Keep checking the blog throughout the week for CIF updates and feel free to post your thoughts on the playoffs.

Spinosa wins league title...again!

Photo from the CHS Tennis website

Claremont High School senior Clarke Spinosa has cemented his place as one of the Baseline League's all-time best boys tennis players after the singles ace defeated teammate Alan Leahy in straight sets (6-0, 6-2) to win his 4th consecutive Baseline League championship on Wednesday.

The Baseline League final has been a Claremont affair since Spinosa was a freshman in 2007. From 2007-2009, Spinosa topped former CHS teammate Torsten Keil-Long to claim his other 3 titles.

Trevor James and Frank Liu teamed together to take home the Baseline League doubles championship on Wednesday. The defending CIF Southern Section champions from last year, the Wolfpack will defend their title starting next week in CIF play.

Stay tuned to the COURIER for Claremont's progress in the postsesson.

CIF Pairings to be announced this weekend

Several Claremont High School and Webb Schools teams will find out their postseason fate on Sunday when the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) reveals its playoff pairings for spring sports. Bracket information will be available on the blog after the release.

League championship results will be included in Saturday's COURIER and will continue in Wednesday's issue.

Wolfpack clinch Pacific League championship for 5th consecutive season

The Claremont High School varsity boys volleyball team clinched its 5th straight Pacific League title after sweeping Crescenta Valley in 3 straight games in its final home match of the season on Tuesday by scores of 25-12, 25-17 and 25-16.

With the win, the Wolfpack now holds a 9-0 record in league play and can complete the season undefeated in Pacific League competition with a victory at Burbank Burroughs on Thursday.

Look for more coverage of the Wolfpack in Saturday's edition of the COURIER.

Congratulations to the 2010 National Champions

The Claremont Colleges Men's Rugby has finally experienced championship bliss. The Dragons defeated University of Miami Ohio last Friday in the Division II National Championship semifinal (36-34) before besting Temple University in the finals on Saturday, 25-19 to claim its first national title at Stanford University.

Nicholas Regas got Claremont on the board first in the championship match with a penalty kick and the Dragons never looked back as Lance Rutledge, Spencer Harrison, Andy Seagal and Brent Baltimore all converted tries. Regas also scored on a conversion.

More coverage of the Dragon's championship win will be featured in Wednesday's edition of the COURIER. Check out the videos below from Ustream.TV for championship action. Congratulations to the Dragons.

CHS graduate breaks two USF records

Oliver Kirkeby is now the holder of the University of San Francisco's (USF) shot put and discus throw records.

Last Saturday, Kirkeby set a USF record at Chico State with a throw of 48.73. The 2007 Claremont High School graduate also broke a 78-year-old record in the shot put held by Bob Kleckner on April 2nd when he made a throw of 15.44. The former record was 15.30.

Kirkeby will return to southern California this weekend to compete in the Mt. San Antonio Relays.

Webb to welcome new football coach Ray Fenton

New Webb football coach Ray Fenton will make his first appearance on the campus of the Webb Schools since his recent hire this Tuesday for a meeting with the campus community. The former Cypress coach became Webb's 3rd head football coach in 5 years after former coach Robbie von Pertz resigned due to medical reasons.

Coach Fenton enjoyed plenty of success at Cypress High School by leading the Centurions to a CIF Southern Section championship in 2007, as well as 2 Empire League titles and 4 playoff appearances in his last 5 years as head coach. Yet he said it was Webb's overall atmosphere and values that attracted him to the private school campus.

“The more I learned about Webb, the more I saw Webb as an ideal fit,” Coach Fenton said. “Their program, philosophy and core values were a perfect fit for what I want to do. The more I talked to the athletic director Stephen [Wishek] and the Head of Schools Susan [Nelson], the more I realized they are doing what I’ve been doing.”

Look for a full story on Coach Fenton in Saturday's edition of the COURIER.

Webb combines athletic achievement with academic success

Seven of the Webb Schools' sports teams won CIF academic championships on March 31st, marking the first time that Webb and Vivian Webb have attained such an honor.

Webb received academic championships in football, boys soccer, girls swimming, boys tennis, girls tennis, boys track & field and girls water polo. The Gauls boys water polo team finished with the 3rd highest GPA in the competition. Before this year, Webb had won only 4 academic team championships.

The Webb student-athletes will be honored in a ceremony at Angels Stadium on April 27th.

Don't Call It a Comeback: Wolfgang captures national title

A lot has happened since the Claremont High School Wolfgang last won a national championship in the Medium Hip-Hop category in 2007. The team did not compete in 2008, became a co-ed group in 2009 and finished in 7th place in the national championship hunt that same year.

But 2010 became the golden year for the Wolfgang as the group won the national championship in the Small Hip-Hop category in Anaheim last weekend. Holly Atkins, Kristi Beck, Lexi Bustos, Taylor Carroll, Monica Chang, Nikki Harris, Ashley Hepperle, Justine Moreno and Chlesie Weeks performed an energetic routine that wowed the judges with fast movements.

Check out the full story in Saturday's edition of the COURIER and congratulations to the Wolfgang on their successful season.

CHS duo commits to Holy Cross

Kelliner Croushore (left) and Sarah Free (right)

The end of this year's Claremont High School softball season will not spell the end for Kelliner Croushore and Sarah Free as teammates.

The two outfielders recently signed their commitment letters to The College of the Holy Cross, where they plan to team up once again in Worcester, Massachusetts this fall.

Kelliner and Sarah were first recognized by Holy Cross softball coach Brian Claypool last July during a showcase event. He made an offer to the two best friends one month later, which the 2 softball players finally confirmed last week.

"I'm stoked to go to Holy Cross," Kelliner said in a released statement. "It's going to be such a good experience, and I can't wait to go."

Sarah agrees.

"I'm looking forward to starting a new chapter of my life at Holy Cross, playing softball at the Division I level while studying at a prestigious school," she said.

Holy Cross competes in the Patriot League with other schools such as American University, Army, Bucknell University, Colgate University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University and Navy. The school was founded in 1843 and is the oldest Catholic college in New England.

Cal Poly Pomona becomes 2010 Elite Eight Champions

It took 2 tries, but the Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team has finally won the NCAA Division II championship. The Broncos held off a late Indiana University of Pennsylvania rally to hold on for a 65-53 win on Saturday at the MassMutual Center.

The championship is the first in Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball history and caps off a season of retribution after the Broncos lost to Findlay in last year's championship game by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Tyler Evans. The Broncos' intensity was apparent on both sides of the court as Cal Poly Pomona shot an impressive 24-of-46 from the field while holding the Crimson Hawks to just 15-of-49. Dahir Nasser led the Broncos with 12 points.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania tried to make a game of it in the 2nd half but the Broncos had an answer for the Crimson Hawks every time they came within single-digits. Cal Poly Pomona showed the importance of having a great start as the Broncos never looked back after jumping out to an 8-0 lead early. The Broncos never trailed.

Having interviewed Coach Greg Kamansky and a few of the players such as Austin Swift and Tobias Jahn after last season, it's great to see the hard work of Cal Poly Pomona pay off this season. Coach Kamansky is a class act and his players follow his lead in letting their actions speak for them instead of tooting their own horns. Congratulations to the Broncos for their historic championship victory.

1st Half Analysis

Cal Poly Pomona takes a 35-25 halftime lead over Indiana University of Pennsylvania in what has been a great first half for the Broncos. The key was a hot start by Cal Poly, who jumped out to an 8-0 lead early and went ahead by double-digits when Tobias Jahn hit a jumper to put the Broncos ahead, 13-2.

Defensively, Cal Poly Pomona forced IUP into 4 turnovers within the first several minutes and did not allow a field goal from the Crimson Hawks until the 12-minute mark. IUP scored its first 2 points off free throws at the 15-minute mark.

What has made the Broncos dangerous is their movement, both on the offensive and defensive end. Their movement on offense has set up plenty of open looks and their movement on defense has cut off passing lanes and forced several turnovers. Cal Poly Pomona is 5-of-9 from downtown.

Led by Austin Swift's 8 points and 5 rebounds, Cal Poly Pomona could pull ahead and put the game out of reach with a strong start to the 2nd half. With 20 minutes left to play, a 10-point lead is very small. How both teams play within the first 5 minutes of the 2nd half could determine whether the game is a blowout or goes down to the wire.

We'll be back with more game analysis at the end of the game.

Analysis of Elite Eight National Championship

The Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team is currently playing Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the NCAA Division II National Championship on CBS. As part of our special COURIER coverage regarding the event, I will have thoughts and analysis of both halves as they conclude. Happy watching.

Broncos prepare for the big dance

It's official. The Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team is back in the NCAA Division II Championship game after defeating Bentley University in the semifinal round, 71-63 on Thursday night at the MassMutual Center.

Austin Swift led the way for the Broncos with 22 points (6-11 FG) while Dahir Nassar (11 points), Tobias Jahn (11 points) and Mitchel Anderson (10 points) also scored in double figures for Cal Poly Pomona. The Broncos shot an impressive 50.9 percent from the field throughout the game's 40 minutes.

Currently enjoying its most successful season in history with 27 wins, Cal Poly Pomona returns to the final round one year removed from last year's heartbreaking overtime loss to Findlay in the 2009 championship game. This year, the Broncos will take on Indiana University of Pennsylvania in another effort to win its first men's basketball title. The game begins tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. PST on CBS and can also be watched online at NCAA Sports.com.

Click HERE for highlights of last night's Cal Poly Pomona-Bentley contest.

Perizzolo becomes double NCAA Champion

Photo courtesy of C-M-S Athletics
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps swimmer Annie Perizzolo finished a memorable 2010 season last weekend by winning the NCAA Division III Women's Swimming championship in 2 different events.

Perizzolo won the 100 breaststroke with a record breaking C-M-S and Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) time of 1:01.84 and followed up with another record breaking swim in the 200 breaststroke in 2:14.83. Led by Perizzolo, the Athenas finished in 5th place overall with 177 points.

Click HERE to see the video of Perizzolo's record breaking 200 breaststroke swim.

One more step closer to Saturday

The Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team has progressed from the Elite Eight into the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Final Four with a dominant 69-48 victory over St. Joseph's last night at the MassMutual Center in Massachusetts.

Led by Jason Westrol's 23 points, the Broncos (26-6) now head into tonight's Final Four matchup having won its last 19 out of 20 games. By beating Bentley tonight, Cal Poly Pomona will earn a spot in Saturday's championship game. View the bracket HERE.

In order to view video highlights of the Broncos' latest win courtesy of NCAA Sports.com, click HERE. You may have to install additional software.

Feel free to provide your thoughts as to whether 2010 will be the year of the Broncos or not. We'll definitely find out in the next few days.

Germano signs minor league deal with Cleveland

Major League Baseball pitcher Justin Germano signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians on March 17th. The Claremont native will report to minor league camp on March 27th.

The signing is Germano's first with an MLB team after playing for the Fukuoka Hawks in Japan in 2009. He finished the season with a 5-4 record and a 4.38 ERA in 14 starts. Germano has also had pitching stints with the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds in the 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons.

The right handed pitcher's career MLB stats include an 8-16 record with a 5.27 ERA and 118 strikeouts. Germano's best season was in 2007 with the Padres as he posted 7-10 record and started 23 games.

Germano graduated from Claremont High School in 2000 and was selected in the 13th round of the MLB Draft that same year. He also broke Mark McGwire's Claremont Little League home run record.

Click HERE to view a video clip on the MLB.com website of Germano fielding a bunt and sparking a 1-5-3 double play.

Broncos still in NCAA race

The Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team will have the opportunity to advance to the NCAA Division II Final Four when it takes on Saint Joseph's College in Elite Eight action on Wednesday.

The Broncos have enjoyed a successful run in 2009-10, amassing a record of 25-6 to date. Cal Poly defeated the Dixie State College of Utah in the first round (71-62), before besting Western Washington University in an overtime thriller in the next stage (76-75) and the qualifying for the Elite Eight by beating Brigham Young University, Hawaii, 78-75.

Success is nothing new to the Cal Poly Pomona basketball program. Under head coach Greg Kamansky, the Broncos have posted winning records in 8 of the last 10 seasons. Cal Poly has advanced to the Elite Eight 4 times in the last 8 years and even played for the NCAA Championship last season. Coach Kamansky's overall record during his stint with the Broncos is 203-88.

Wednesday's contest will begin at 3 p.m. and can be viewed by Webcast or Audiocast at NCAA Sports.com. Until then, here's some YouTube highlights of Cal Poly's victory over Cal State L.A. on March 2nd.

Webb Badminton coverage this Saturday

The Webb Schools co-ed badminton program is in its second season and already the Gauls have shown significant improvement with a current overall record of 4-3 and an undefeated mark of 3-0 in the San Andreas League. Last season was a tough start to the program as Webb suffered several double-digit losses before ending the season on a high note by crushing Mayfield, 13-3.

Look for coverage of Webb's recent victory over Rialto in this Saturday's edition of the COURIER along with scores from prep, college and community sports. Each week, we look to feature different sports featuring different schools/teams. Feel free to suggest sports-related story ideas at reporter@claremont-courier.com.