Page 20 - Mid Valley Times 8-22-19 E-edition
P. 20

Thursday, August 22, 2019
Eagles return ten players, primed for another title run
| B10 |
Mid Valley TiMes
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Immanuel High Eagles have some unfin- ished business in the up- coming girls volleyball season.
A late-season surge pushed the team into the Central Section Division 4 playoffs in 2018, fuel- ing a postseason run that reached the section finals. There, the Eagles dropped
a five-set thriller to Chow- chilla and then had their season end in the South- ern California regional playoffs.
While Central Sequoia League Offensive Player of the Year Danielle Jef- feries may have gradu- ated and moved on to Cal State Fullerton on schol- arship, Immanuel still is loaded for another section title run. Ten players re- turn, nine of them seniors.
“There’s a lot of lead- ership on the court,” said coach Debbie Linman. “A lot of these girls have been playing together for probably five years with club and high school. This is their year.
“They’ve been work- ing hard together all these years and they’ve set their goals. They want to win league, they want to win Valley. They want the whole thing.”
Two of the senior vet- erans anchor the front line for the Eagles. Carissa Hall, a champion jumper in track and field, has floated between outside and middle blocking.
“We’re playing spots right now,” she said. “I played in the middle two years ago. It helps with my vertical a lot by play- ing on the net. It gets me improved for long jump and high jump on the track. That’s one key reason why I play volley- ball.”
Fellow senior Sophia Galpin has played middle blocker all four years for Immanuel. She looks for- ward to regular season success and more postsea- son magic from the team.
“ We really just came together as a team,” she said. “When we fought and played together, we were
Immanuel High libero Claire Ramirez (1) lifted an opponent’s hit while outside hitter MacKenzie Coats (9) looked on during last year’s Central Section Division 4 championship match against Chowchilla High. Seniors Ramirez and Coats were second team and honorable mention all-Central Sequoia League, respectively, last year for the Eagles’ section runn- erup squad.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
like one. Also, that was one of our goals through- out the year, to be one, like family. We brought the en- ergy, and it was great.”
Two other return- ing seniors are Claire Ramirez, named second team all-CSL, and MacK- enzie Coats, who received honorable mention. Other seniors are Halle Brett, Sara Jane Clothier, Olivia Barsoom, Mikaela Mora and Taylor Simonian. Ju- nior Brooke Hatch re- turns with varsity experi- ence, and players moving up are junior Eleanor Fon- seca and sophomore Pay- ton Breckenridge.
“They are very well-
rounded players, so I have a multitude of players that can play more than one position,” Linman said. “I can change my offense, I can change defense. So it just gives us a better out- looks for our games. They are versatile, nobody is set in just one position.”
Linman expected the league with Exeter, Cen- tral Valley Christian and Kingsburg to be top con- tenders.
“Kingsburg always is a mental game with us,” said Linman. “Skill-wise, we’re very competitive with Kingsburg, so for us that match will be more of a mental game.”
Most of Immanuel’s preseason matches are at home, and Linman said that fits in line with a ma- jor challenge the players made for 2019.
“One of the goals they set that I really like is, they don’t want to lose at home. I thought that showed pride,” she said.
Also, Immanuel will compete at tournaments in Visalia (Redwood), Por- terville (Granite Hills) and Cambria. The season opened on Aug. 20 at Fres- no High while the Eagles’ home opener is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22, against Liberty-Madera Ranchos.
Titan coaching connection
found in both Parlier,
Orange Cove programs
Former Titan's defensive coordinator takes over as head coach for Parlier. Orange Cove's offensive coordinator takes reins for Titans
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Immanuel High School's Sophia Galpin, left, makes up a strong group of returning starters for the Eagles volleyball team. A total of ten players return to this year's squad. Last year the team made it the section finals and played in the state playoffs.
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Orange Cove High and Parlier High football teams had sharp- ly contrasting seasons in the West Sequoia League in 2018.
The Titans broke through with a 10-2 sea- son, featuring a second place league finish and a quarterfinal berth in the Central Section Division 6 playoffs. The Panthers, meanwhile, struggled to a 1-9 campaign.
But the two schools have one shared trait this season — new head coaches who were coor- dinators on last season’s successful Orange Cove team. Daniel Chamal- bide, the Titans’ defen- sive coordinator in ‘18, takes over the program’s headcoachingreinsafter Tony Gates returned to Reedley High (where he was a longtime assistant) as head coach.
Meanwhile, David Muro returns to Parlier for his second stint as head coach; he guided the Panthers in 2011 and
2012. He was the offen- sive coordinator for the 2018 Orange Cove team that averaged more than 33 points and 350 yards per game.
Chamalbide said his team has its entire offen- sive line back as well as junior quarterback Zach- ary Ramirez, who threw for nearly 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns, and senior running back Ma- rio Reynosa (1,011 yards, 21 rush TDs).
“The team has 19 se- niors this year,” he said. “We’re going to have sone freshman that will be sophs who played on varsity.” One of those was Alfredo Ocejo, who played receiver and safe- ty and earned all-league honors.
“Our kids are wanting to do better every day,” Chamalbidesaid.“They want to be perfect No mistakes. If there’s a slight mistake in prac- tice, they do it again. It’s great to see.”
Muro said that Parli- er’s players have had a great offseason in the
weight room.
“I am proud to come
back to these hard-work- ing kids. They are tough, coachable, and resilient,” he said of his 31-player varsity.
The Panthers also have experience up front on offense with four re- turning lineman. Both starting receivers also return, and the offense will be bolstered by ju- niors.
Top senior veterans are Jose Rodriguez (run- ning back-linebacker), Ralph Garza (running back, defensive back), lineman-linebacker Jus- tin Jones and receiver- linebacker Ivan Sanchez. Junior Josh Rodriguez is the quarterback, and key two-way junior linemen are Ryan Tyler and Isaac Torres.
Orange Cove has been ranked number one in the preseason in Divi- sion 6 by ESPN 940am radio while Parlier has received a number 6 ranking out of 24 teams in the division by the sta- tion.
“The league is going to be amped up to come after Orange Cove,” Cha- malbide said. “We want to rise to the challenge.”
This Friday, Aug. 23, Orange Cove travels to Porterville for its season opener against Granite Hills High. Parlier, mean- while, is home against Tranquillity.
The Titans will host the Panthers in league play on Friday, Oct. 11 at Titan Stadium.
Mike Nemeth / Mid Valley Times
Sanger’s Xander Perez, left, struggles with a smothering Reedley defense. He subsequently gains control and scores on a backhand throw.
Apaches return to water with increased con dence
Christina Rodriguez / Photo Contributed
The Parlier High Panthers hope to have a turnaround season under new coach Daniel Chamalbide, who was Orange Cove's defensive coordinator last year. The Panthers had their first action on Aug. 16 when they scrimmaged against Immanuel High School (above).
By Mike Nemeth
Mid Valley Times
Ben Frost is a big guy.
The Sanger water polo player shrugged off a couple defenders as he broke the surface of the water and threw the ball straight for the goal. The goalie didn’t have a chance to react.
Had the scrimmage withrivalReedleybeena real game, Frost’s hurry- up, come-from-below shots would have put at least one score on the board. In this case, he just flummoxed a Pirate team more accus- tomed to outlasting Sanger.
“I’ve been practicing (that shot) at home, too,” Frost said after the the Aug. 15 match.
The Apache varsity team exudes confidence this season. The team lost at least seven seniors but isn’t worried.
“This is a good group,” coach Brian Kratlian said. “They’re on the younger side so there are lots of possibilities this year. They want to win. They’re focused.”
Xander Perez scored
on a backhand from the side of the Reedley goal. The shot slammed into the net despite the trajectory appearing next to impos- sible.
Sanger goalie Jackson Humphrey was impressed. “That was incredible,” he said.
And Humphrey showed that he’s going to make it tough for opposing teams,blockingabouta half dozen shots and may- be more. “We’ve got a lot of good players,” he said. “And we feel like a team this year. We kind of read each others’ minds.
“It’s been awhile since we beat Reedley.”
Perez, while pleased with his backhand, mostly gave the credit to team- mates. “We’re going to be really good,” he said. “We have solid communication and a very solid goalie.”
After the game as team members mingled, Caden Singley said rather loudly, “We should keep this en- ergy all season.”
His statement was met with multiple affirmations, equally loud.
“There’s a big differ-
ence,” Frost said. “We’re much more of a team. This year we worked better to- gether.”
And he said the team is in good physical shape sooner than previous sea- sons. “We’ve been putting in a lot of crunch (time) this summer.”
And Dominic Jones, who wore a Croatia hat, also put the ball in the net. “Ourteamdidverygood on defense,” he said. “We will be able to win the Valley championship. We feel we have an amazing chance.”
And Zack Stricker, a former playmaker who is attending Reedley Col- lege this fall, returned as an assistant coach. Zack Eagleton is also an assis- tant. “They’re going to be a really competitive team this year,” Stricker said. “They’ll have a drive that’s different. I think it’s going to be a season un- like seasons we’ve had in the past.”
The reporter can be con- tacted by email at nemeth- features@gmail.com or at (559) 875-2511.


































































































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