Page 15 - Reedley Exponent 5-31-18 E-edition

B7 | Thursday, May 31, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com
Central Section Division III Playoffs
Eagles fall to Garces in title game
Immanuel's season ends with 23-11 record
On May 26, Garces scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning and bottom of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead.
Immanuel cut the Garces lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Justin Pa- boojian singled to right field. This scored Bradley Collins, who doubled earlier in the in-
ning.
The Rams scored a run
in the bottom of the sixth in- ning to increase their lead to 5-1 heading into the top of the seventh inning.
The Eagles scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Tommy Kawagoe had one RBI in the inning, while the Eagles' second run was scored on a wild pitch.
“Our guys played really well. We knew coming in we were going to play a team that was very good and well coached,” Franco said. “All year we have been the un- derdogs. We didn't win, but I think everyone that was there would agree that we gave them just about all they could handle. I truly believe the two best teams in Division III were in the final game.”
See BASEBALL on page B8
By Chris Aguirre
Chris@midvalleypublishing.com
As the Immanuel Eagles baseball team kneeled in dis- appointment after losing in the Central Section Division III Championship game, head coach Josh Franco told the team to keep their heads up.
The No. 6 seed Eagles had just lost 5-3 to No. 1 seed Garces High of Bakersfield on May 26 at Recreation Park in Visalia.
While tears were flowing on the faces of members of the Eagles, Franco praised his team for their never-say- die attitude all season.
“It was the story of our season - our guys fight and don't ever go away. That's ex- actly what makes us tough,” Franco said. “We have a group of players who are not afraid of the moment, to work hard and, most of all, didn't ever buy into hype before games. They just showed up and played the game of baseball the best way they knew how.
It was never about who we were playing and how good they were supposed to be. It was about playing baseball and having fun while doing it.”
Immanuel fell behind 4-0 after three innings but battled back in the top of the seventh inning to cut the Garces' lead to 5-3.
The Eagles had runners on first base and third base in the seventh but were unable to tie the game.
Garces was able to hold off the Immanuel High rally and win the Section Champi- onship.
The Eagles were coming off a 4-3 win over No. 2 seed Independence High of Bakers- field on May 22 in Bakersfield to advance to the champion- ship game.
On May 22, Derek Wood, Immanuel High center fielder, had two RBIs.
Dylan Kent was the win- ning pitcher, going four innings, and allowing just three runs. JT Friesen picked up the save, pitching three innings in relief.
Chris Aguirre / The Exponent
JT Friesen, Immanuel High Eagles junior, was the starting pitcher for the Eagles in the CIF Central Section Division III Championship on May 26 in Visalia.
IHS names Athletes of the Year
Kalese Sunomoto, Reedley High senior girls soccer player, earned agoldstripeawardduringtheReedleyHighAthleticAwards on May 21 at Jefferson Elementary School.
RHS athletic awards
Staff Report
Reedley High School held its 2018 Reedley High School Pirates Athletic Scholarship Awards Dinner on May 21 at Jefferson El- ementary School.
Here are a some of honors that were awarded that night.
Gold Stripe Awards — This award is presented to a senior athlete who lettered at the varsity level in the same sport for four years:
Daniel Badilla, Elizabeth Bienvenue, Spencer Boling, Angel Curtis, Dani Den- ton, Alex Garcia, Cristian
See REEDLEY HIGH on page B8
Chris Aguirre / The Exponent
Bradley Collins (left), Brooke Gonslaves and Adam Simonian were chosen as Immanuel High School's Male and Female Athletes of the Year during a ceremony on May 24 at Immanuel High.
File Photo / The Exponent
By Chris Aguirre
Chris@midvalleypublishing.com
Immanuel High School named its Female and Male Athletes of the Year during the Third Annual Athletic Awards night on May 24 at Immanuel High.
Bradley Collins and Adam Simonian were named Co-Male Athletes of the Year, while Brooke Gonsalves earned Fe- male Athlete of the Year.
Gonsalves said: “I never thought that I would get noticed because of the position that I play during volleyball season. “I just always wanted everyone else around me to be inspired by my work ethic.”
For Simonian – who will be attending Fresno State this fall – being named Co-Male Athlete of the Year with one of his best friends in Collins was a mo- ment he will never forget.
“I have been through ev- erything with Brad. He is one of my best friends,” Simonian said. “We have put blood, sweat and tears into our sports and to win this with him means the world.”
Collins felt the same way about winning the award with Simonian.
“I would not have wanted to win this award with anyone else,” Collins said. “Twenty years from now we will be ar- guing who was better but that
See IMMANUEL on page B8
Alex Garcia, Reedley High Pirates track athlete, was named Reedley High School's Male Athlete of the Month for May.
File Photo / The Exponent
Contributed
Reedley High School re- cently announced that Alex Garcia and Emma Mulligan are the Male and Female Ath- letes of the Month for May.
Information was provided by Reedley High School.
Alex Garcia
Alex Garcia, Reedley High Pirates track and field athlete, was chosen as the teams Most Valuable Player.
Garcia finished in first, second or third place, in the 400-, 800-, 4x400 relay and 1600-meter races in every meet he competed in this sea- son during the North Yosem- ite League season.
He also competed in the Area Championship and Val- ley Championship meets in
the 400- and 800-meter races.
Emma Mulligan
Emma Mulligan, Reedley High Pirates softball junior, was named to the All-North Yosemite League for the third season in a row.
Mulligan had a .425 bat- ting average, with a .551 on- base percentage.
She also had four home runs and eight stolen bases.
Mulligan helped lead the Reedley High softball team to a North Yosemite League Championship in 2018.
It was the Pirates' third straight NYL title and sixth in seven seasons.
The Pirates' season ended with a loss to Tehachapi High in the first round of the Divi- sion III playoffs on May 18.
File Photo / The Exponent
Emma Mulligan, Reedley High Pirates softball player, was named Reedley High School's Female Athlete of the Month for May.
Garcia, Mulligan named
RHS Athletes of Month