Page 9 - Reedley Exponent 5-24-18 E-edition

B3 | Thursday, May 24, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com
High School Baseball Division III playoffs
Eagles power past Pirates
Chris Aguirre / The Exponent
Justin Paboojian, Immanuel High Eagles designated hitter, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against Reedley High on May 15. The Eagles beat the Reedley High Pirates 13-5 in the first round of the Central Section Division III playoffs at Immanuel High Sports Complex.
By Chris Aguirre
Chris@midvalleypublishing.com
Trailing 1-0 in the bot- tom of the sixth inning and on the verge of elimination from the Division III play- offs, Immanuel High Eagles baseball team looked to Bradley Collins-Dunn, senior outfielder, to get a big hit.
Collins- Dunn stepped
to the plate with two runners on and hit a three-ball, two- strike fastball 350-feet over the centerfold wall to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead.
For Collins-Dunn, it was his first high school home run.
The Eagles held on in the
See PLAYOFFS on page B4
By Chris Aguirre
Chris@midvalleypublishing.com
The first-ever baseball game between Immanuel and Reedley high schools on may 15 ensured a big and spirited crowd.
The game was sure to be intense between the schools separated by 1.5 miles, but even higher stakes were in play – it was the first round of the Central Section Divi- sion III playoffs.
In the end, the No. 6 seed Eagles used an early offen- sive surge to jump ahead and defeat the No. 11 seed Pirates 13-5 in front of more than 1600 fans that packed the stands at Franklin Fields .
The loss ended Reedley High's season, while Im- manuel advanced to the sec- ond round of playoffs against Madera South High. (See story B3)
Bradley Collins-Dunn, Im- manuel High senior, said the atmosphere was amazing.
“I have never played in a game like that before,” Col- lins-Dunn said. “We looked at it as an opportunity to show a lot of people what Immanuel is all about.”
The Pirates fans, most clad in green and black T- shirts, hung signs before the game that read "This is Pi- rates territory" on the netting just behind home plate.
During usual warm-up sessions for games, it's rare that anyone is in the stadium. On May 15 hundreds of fans
See BASEBALL on page B4
Chris Aguirre / The Exponent
Matt Tiger (right) and Alex Torosian No. 13, Immanuel High baseball players, celebrate after the Eagles' 3-2 win over Madera South High on May 17 in the Division III Playoffs.
IHS baseball advance to semifinals of D-III
By Chris Aguirre
Chris@midvalleypublishing.com
Daniel Badilla and Maris- sa Alvarez are Reedley High School's 2017-18 Male and Fe- male Athletes of the Year.
The announcement was made during the Reedley High School Athletic Scholar- ship and Awards Dinner on May 21 in the cafeteria at Jef- ferson Elementary School..
“I have been striving to earn this award since my freshman year,” Alvarez said. “This means a lot to me. It shows that all the work I have put in over the years is being recognized.”
For Badilla — who will be attending Fresno State — win- ning Male Athlete of the Year was a dream come true.
“This shows that all the hard work I have put in playing three sports and in the classroom has paid off,” Badilla said.
Both names will be added to a banner that hangs inside the gym at Reedley High School.
“It gives me pride to see my name going up in the gym. I remember always looking up there and thinking I want to be one of those people,” Ba-
dilla said. “That it will happen is a special moment. ”
Alvarez also said that hav- ing her name forever etched in Reedley High's gym means a lot.
“Having my name in the gym forever is something that I have always wanted,” Alva- rez said. “I am so blessed to receive this award.”
Alvarez has played varsity volleyball, girls basketball and softball the past three years at Reedley High.
She helped lead the Pi- rates volleyball team to the 2017 North Yosemite League championship as the team captain and MVP. She also was a All-NYL First Team se- lection in 2017.
Alvarez also has helped lead the Pirates softball team to three-straight NYL Cham- pionships.
“I would not be able to have done this without all the support that I have had from my family, coaches and team- mates over the years,” Alva- rez said. “I owe it all them.”
Alvarez also was one of 21 female athletes in the Val- ley to receive the 2018 Junior
See REEDLEY HIGH on page B4
Seniors Daniel Badilla and Marissa Alvarez, were chosen Reedley High School's Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
The two were honored during the Reedley High School Athletics Scholarship and Awards Dinner on May 21 at Jefferson Elementary School.
Badilla was a member of the Pirates football, boys wrestling and track and field teams.
Alvarez has been a member of the Reedley High girls volleyball, girls basketball and softball teams.
Chris Aguirre / The Exponent
RHS names Athletes of the Year
Daniel Badilla, Marissa Alvarez earn honors
Eagles and Pirates softball teams seasons end in playoffs
By Chris Aguirre
Chris@midvalleypublishing.com
Mia Barbosa, Immanuel High Eagles soft- ball pitcher, stepped to the plate for perhaps the biggest at bat of her high school season.
Barbosa, a freshman for the No. 4 seed Eagles, was up for the Eagles' May 16 Division V playoff game against No. 13 seed Roosevelt High tied at 9-9 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Barbosa hit a line drive to left field, which a Roosevelt fielder dropped.
This allowed Samantha Lizaola, Immanuel High senior catcher, to score and give Imman-
uel a 10-9 victory in the first round of the play- offs at the Immanuel High Sports Complex.
“Our team fought hard,” said Jessica Schendel, Immanuel High head coach. “The game had some rough spots, but the girls never gave up.”
Schendel was impressed by the play of her freshman pitcher Barbosa.
“Mia worked hard for us on the mound and her bat came through for us in the end when it needed to,” Schendel said. “Her walk-off hit was a solid hit and did not come as a surprise at all because she has come through for us many times throughout the year. Mia is a great athlete as a freshman and I can't wait to see how her career progresses.”
The Eagles season, however, ended on May 18 with a 15-2 loss to No. 12 seed Sierra High School at the Immanuel High Sports Complex.
“We had our ups and downs, but the girls stepped up and worked hard. It is always hard for a small school to be in the CSL. But we had a great preseason and after overcoming some obstacles during league, the girls laid it all on the field in post season,” Schendel said. “We grew on and off the field and I am so very proud of what the girls accomplished this year.”
RHS Softball
For the second straight season, the Reed-
ley High Pirates softball teams season ended in Tehachapi.
The Pirate fell behind 7-0 after four innings of play and never recovered in a 10-5 loss to the No. 4 seed Tehachapi High Warriors on May 18 in the first round of the Division III Playoffs.
Reedley High finished the season with a 20-8-1 overall record and won their third straight North Yosemite League title.