Page 9 - Mid Valley Times 7-8-21 E-edition

'08 alum is new DHS football coach
Thursday, July 8, 2021
Reedley
Youth
Football,
Cheer
signups
MVT Staff Report
Signups for Reed- ley Youth Football and Cheer for the 2021 sea- son continue on four more dates this month.
Football signups began in June and re- sumed July 6, with a second round sched- uled for 6-8 p.m. Thurs- day, July 8, at Pioneer Park. Other signup dates are Saturday, Ju- ly 10 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.), Thursday, July 22 (6- 8 p.m.) and Saturday, July 24 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.).
Conditioning period will be from July 26 to Aug. 6, with location and start times to be announced soon. Divi- sions are Junior (grades 5-6, maximum age 12), Pee Wee (grades 3-4, maximum age 10) and Mighty Might (K-2, maximum age 8).
For more informa- tion, text or call/mes- sage Mike Padilla (559- 307-4745) or email to reedleyyouthfootball@ comcast.net.
C.J. Lester brings his defensive skills to Emps' program
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Dinuba High School begins a new chapter in its football program with a familiar face in C.J. Lester.
A 2008 DHS graduate, Lester moves up to the head coaching position after serving as defen- sive coordinator during this past spring's 0-4 season. He replaces Carlos Barajas, who went 5-11 in his two seasons at the helm.
Lester said he, the staff and team are excited after a sum- mer passing league season that showed promise. The Emperors completed summer workouts on July 2.
"Seeing 50 to 60 kids in the weightroom after the pandemic has been huge for us," he said. "The kids bought in from the jump. They've been excited, I've been excited. It's all been good."
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
New Dinuba High head football coach C.J. Lester, right, describes pass rush lanes to Emperor lineman during the team's final summer condi- tioning session on July 2.
ing able to suit up, especially for the seniors that got a chance to play."
"That's four games more than other kids that didn't get to play," he said, citing Visalia Unified's decision not to play football in early 2021. "I saw last year as a blessing for them to be able to play those. Even though they didn't go the way we want- ed them to go. Just being able to suit up, especially for the se- niors that got a chance to play.
Lester said sophomores also had a chance to improve their skills with daily practice and getting some game repetition earlier this year and during the summer session.
"We had three sessions of the passing league. Our kids are excited. They've been put- ting the work. Defensively, they're starting to pick up the schemes."
Lester said the team now is in voluntary workouts and weight training. Fall practices will begin on Monday, July 26, as the Emperors prepare for a traditional 2021 fall season.
Lester played collegiately at College of the Sequoias and then for Delta State University in Mississippi after graduating from DHS. He began his coach- ing career at Woodlake High School for three seasons, then returned to his alma mater as defensive backs coach in 2019.
He said the team has plenty to be thankful for despite an ab-
breviated, winless spring cam- paign.
"That's four games more than other kids that didn't get to play," he said, citing Visalia Unified's decision not to play football in early 2021. "I saw last year as a blessing for them to be able to play those. Even though they didn't go the way we wanted them to go. Just be-
Sanger Youth Soccer in need of commissioners
MVT Staff Report
The current Sanger Youth Soccer League board will soon vote on replacing available lead- ership spots, but said it needs to fill a number of school commissioner positions.
The board said on its Facebook page that commissioner positions remain open at Quail Lake, Centerville, Wil- son, Jackson, Sequoia, Lone Stars and Wash- ington Academic Middle School (U14 team).
The board invites the public to attend its Thursday, July 8 meet- ing (7 p.m. at Green-
wood Park, bring a chair) and encourages them to apply for board and commissioner posi- tions.
Without a returning commissioner, young athletes will not have the ability to play for their affected school. Those approved to play with another school will practice at that school.
Current leaders also said until a new board is named and a calendar finalized, there will be no information on regis- tration dates. Players at schools without a listed commissioner have no guarantee to play this
season, as current com- missioners are now re- quired to accept players from other schools.
Board position open- ing also include Coach
Coordinator, Referee Coordinator, Field Coor- dinator and Tournament Coordinator. Primary positions are President, Vice President and Sec-
retary.
All available updates
to the league's status will be posted on the SYSL Facebook page (Sanger Youth Soccer).
Los Mets win Dinuba Majors title
MVT Staff Report
The Kiwanis Bilingual Los Mets captured the Dinuba Youth Baseball Majors championship for 2021 with a perfect 9-0 re- cord.
The team won its title game by a 12-3 score, breaking a 4-3 score late on a bases-loaded triple by Domenick Hernandez. Clayton Wakertin and Sebastian V. Urrutia combined for the pitching victory.
Los Mets players are Sebas- tian V. Urrutia, Manuel Garza, Clayton Wakertin, Derek Ri- vera, Sebastian Felix, Jacob Martinez, Sergio Correa, Aiden Aguirre, Domenick Hernandez,
Photo Contributed
The Kiwanis Bilingual Los Mets recently captured the Dinuba Youth Base- ball Majors championship.
Andrew Soltero and Jakobe Sotelo.The coaches are Sebas-
tian Urrutia, Eric Wakertin and Manuel Garza.
Reedley High 2020-21
Athletic Awards
Held June 23 at RHS
ATHLETES
OF THE YEAR Boys — Max Sauceco
(football)
Girls — Rylee Kubo (volleyball, badminton)
VARSITY TEAMS' MOST VALUABLE Fall Sports
Boys Cross County—
Francisco Ramos
Girls Cross Country —
Araceli Villarreal
Girls Golf — Hannah Medina and Melanie Davila Football — Mike Rios Girls Tennis — Brianna Enriquez Hernandez
Girls Volleyball — Rylee Kubo
Boys Water Polo — Jacob Laine
Girls Water Polo — Alina Hodges
Winter Sports
Boys Basketball —
Marcus Heinrichs
Girls Basketball — Miah Paz
Boys Soccer — Levy Alcantar and Gustavo Ledesma
Girls Soccer — Diana Rico Boys Wrestling — Phillip Arroyo
Girls Wrestling — Sarah
ReyesSpring Sports Badminton — Rylee Kubo Baseball — Will Gagnon Boys Diving — Daniel Peters
Girls Diving — Christian Cortez
Boys Golf — Fernando Garcia
Softball — Alexa Valdez Boys Swimming — Jacob Laine
Girls Swimming — Morgan Gates
Boys Tennis — Matthew Hernandez
Boys Track & Field — Yeshua Ramos
Girls Track & Field —
Lindsay Lunsford
Boys Volleyball — Austin Botello
of the Week
Rylee Kubo Reedley High baseball
Class of 2021 graduate Rylee Kubo was named Reedley High School’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2021 on June 23. Kubo starred in volleyball, where as a setter she was voted the North Yosemite League’s Most Valuable Player, and in badminton
for the Pirates. She lettered in badminton for four years, earning a Gold Stripe award for badminton and Gold Star award for a combination of badminton/volleyball.
REEDLEY 555 I STREET
559-638-2300
www.xceleratefitness.com
DINUBA ATHLETIC PROFILE
C.J. Lester
Dinuba High
football coach
C.J. Lester is the new Dinuba High head football coach for 2021. Lester is a 2008 DHS graduate who played football for the Emperors for four seasons, and played collegiately at College
of the Sequoias and Delta State University in Mississippi. He was defensive coordinator at Woodlake High for three season, then returned to his alma mater as a PE teacher and defensive backs coach in 2010-20 before serving as defensive coordinator this past spring.
Athlete
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