Sports: The Southwest Voice

Sports shorts: On the road with the ’Runners!

Road Trip — This columnist had the humble pleasure of traveling with the Cal State Bakersfield men’s basketball squad as they embarked upon their first roadie of the ’08-’09 season. What a treat it was!

We flew out of Bako and headed for Denver where we caught our charter bus to Laramie, Wyo. for the season opener. Now, I must tell you that Laramie is probably not on the radar as far as vacation destinations go! At 7,200 feet, I would describe the area as high plains. As we drove through the middle of town we passed numerous cowboy-themed watering holes — thus, the aptly named team: Wyoming Cowboys! It looked sunny and balmy outside, but as we disembarked from the bus we grouped together and leaned at a 45-degree angle so as to cut through the 35 mph wind.

At the on-campus arena that evening, players and coaches worked diligently on their game plan. The next morning we awoke to a 4-inch layer of snow and 20 degree temperatures. It looked pretty from the hotel window, but the bent, leafless trees told of the continuing wind thrust. When the ball tipped at 7 p.m., the players and coaches were ready. All was well for CSUB for the first six minutes of the game, but we were not able to overcome a couple of scoring droughts and ended up on the wrong side of a double-digit loss.

The next morning, with bumped, not bruised, egos, we set off in our bus for Colorado Springs to do battle with the Air Force Academy Falcons on Sunday. At 5,000 feet and with trees with leaves still attached, Colorado Springs was more picturesque. It was quite striking how the campus and its buildings are literally carved into the side of a mountain range just west of the city. Sir! Yes, sir! There was a very special feeling being on the grounds of the Academy as one felt honored and carried a sense of patriotism.

When playing the Falcons, CSUB held a three-point lead at the half, but the Falcons flew to a 10-point lead in the second half and the ’Runners fell by eight. CSUB represented well, playing two Mountain West Conference teams on the road within two days of each other.

CSUB basketball players are an exemplary group of very respectful young men. Likewise, Coach Keith Brown and staff epitomize professionalism. A team going through this transitional process should be judged by inroads made through scheduling and recruiting. The current marquee schedule, and recent Garces recruit Stephon Carter, evidence this. Drive on down to the Rabobank Arena as the Roadrunners climb the invisible ladder to the status of Division I athletics. Yours would be but a short road trip!

CSUB men’s basketball: Home game schedule

Monday, Dec. 1 — University of San Diego

Saturday, Dec. 20 — Boise State

Tuesday, Dec, 23 — Cal Poly

Tuesday, Dec. 30 — University of Portland

Friday, Jan. 2 — Saint Mary's College

Monday, Jan. 12 — San Jose State

Saturday, Jan 17 — UC Riverside

Saturday, Jan. 31 — Utah Valley University

Monday, Feb. 16 — Seattle University

Tuesday, March 3 — Cal State Fullerton

All CSUB men’s basketball home games are played at Rabobank Arena, 1001 Truxtun Ave., and start at 7 p.m. with the exception of the Jan. 31 game against Utah Valley, which begins at 2 p.m.

Youth Athlete of the Month

Olivia Bryant is an 11 year old black belt, in the art and sport of taekwondo. She finished first winning the gold medal in the 11-12 lightweight division at the annual Jimmy Kim Invitational Taekwondo Championship (www.thejki.com) held on Saturday, September 27, 2008 at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of Cal State Long Beach.

Olivia had three fights on her way to the gold winning the first two by point gap (7 point gap ends the contest). Her first match was against Evangeline Tsai of California which ended 11-4 her second match of the day was against Rebeca Acuna of Mexico 7-0, with the final victory over Justine Junio of California which ended in a much closer 8-6 win for Olivia.

The clear high point of the day was the fight with Rebeca Acuna which left those in attendance in shock. In a match that was scheduled for two 90 second rounds, Olivia reached the point gap ending the match in an unprecedented 15 seconds. The entire match can be seen here.

This marks the beginning of her 2008-2009 tournament season and she's off to a great start! More information on her upcoming competitions & training, will be posted on her website at www.teamlibbytkd.com.

Team Libby Taekwondo - Because Champions Don't Start Training At 35!

Berkshire Eagle's Flag Football Team

Mr. Jason Pannell did an amazing job coaching the Berkshire Eagles flag football team. The Eagles were one game shy of playing in the championship, but they played with heart, determination and respect.

We thank Coach Pannell for all of his efforts!!

NW Baseball Champs!

The NW AAA Red Sox Baseball Team won their Division Championship on Nov.16th. They beat the Dodgers 12-8 to finish the season 10-3. The Red Sox are Christian Aquilar, David Gleason, Roman Lara, Jacob Miller, Mason Ross, Dean Cupp, Dakota Hornsby, Connor McCarty, Trenton Rebuck, and Harrison Sorenson. They are coached by Isaac Hornsby, Roman Lara and Aaron Gleason. GREAT JOB RED SOX!!

Congratulations, Lady Bulldogs!!

Congratulations to Buena Vista's Lady Bulldogs on making it to 3rd place in the Volleyball Tournament. Everyone at BV is so proud of you. All of the girls did such a wonderful job this season.

Way to go Lady Bulldogs!!

A great big thank you goes out to Mrs. Kostner for all your hard work. Your time and dedication towards the girls was greatly appreciated. Without you, they wouldn't have made it this far. You're an awesome coach!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

Love of the game propels speedy recovery

On Nov.24, 2007 my son Kyle Speaks was in a major motorcycle accident. We were camping for Thanksgiving and he was riding his dirt bike in the Randsburg area and was hit head on by a sandrail. We had to helicoptored in to KMC and he had a compound fracture to his femur and his ankle was broken in 2 places. He went through 2 surgeries in 3 days and we spent 7 days in the hospital. He was in sever pain for almost 2 months and on a very high dose of pain medicine. He also spent 3 months in a wheelchair unable to bend his leg or walk.

We had a rough road ahead of us but Kyle was very determined to get back to normal. Kyle is a very dedicated baseball player who plays for the Bakersfield Bulldogs. Our team was going to Cooperstown, NY to play baseball at Dreams Park in June 2008 and Kyle was determined that he was going to play no matter what it took. He worked extremely hard to show his team that he was there for them and worked hard to get back on the playing field.

Kyle did get to play in a some of the games there and it was a dream come true for him and our family. We are on a team of amazing players and parents. They have supported Kyle through all of his recovery and even when Kyle wasn't able to play in any games, we still traveled with them and made it to almost every game so Kyle could support his team. He has a heart that belongs to baseball and the Bakersfield Bulldogs team.

It has almost been a year and Kyle is almost fully recovering, playing baseball full time and enjoying life. He is a very lucky boy and we are so proud of his determination and accomplishment in his recovery. People are sometimes amazed at how well he is doing in less than a year. We thank God everyday along with everyone that supported Kyle during his recovery.

Way to go Buddy, I love you!!!!!

Sports Shorts

For sure, tears shall flow at the Icardo Center as former Stockdale High School volleyball standout Mystie McNaughton breaks the career digs mark for Cal State Bakersfield. With seven matches remaining, McNaughton will breeze past former Runner Camille Mitchell who holds the record with 1,793 digs. The senior has been a most integral part of CSUB’s transitional period into Division I as her skill and poise has led the Roadrunners through the sometimes rough gauntlet associated with the transition from D-II to D-I. OK — tears might be going a little overboard here, but you can be sure that there will be those who will be “Mystie-eyed.”

While on the V-ball subject, how about those Patriots from Liberty High? The SEYL undefeated girl’s team secured the league championship and are sure to be a high seed come play-off time. LHS is led by Mariah Alvidrez, among county leaders in both kills and digs, and by Emily Cote who is the standard bearer for assists as she averages a healthy 9.5 per contest. Guaranteed, these Pats are no patsies!

Running back to CSUB, Fresno State football coach Pat Hill’s yearly “anywhere, any time” proclamation may be considered apropos for Coach Keith Brown’s Roadrunner Basketball squad as CSUB has inked a pact to travel to Westwood next November to engage the mighty Bruins of UCLA. This is an astonishing feat for CSUB’s program as UCLA is synonymous with collegiate basketball elitism. When one thinks of college hoops, one immediately thinks of the UCLA lore. The scheduling of this game once again spotlights the rise of Coach Brown’s program and speaks volumes of the man himself for his ability to schedule and recruit.

Epilogue: The Tampa Bay Rays’ light dimmed at the end of the weather-plagued World Series. They seemed to have fallen out of sync upon arriving in Philadelphia and they ultimately paid the price for it. Some personal caveats for the Rays not winning included: did not risk being fired by boss for missing four hours of work while handing out issues of The Southwest Voice at Truxtun and Chester avenues; did not clutter that particular corner on Election Day so as to hinder voters’ pathway; saved battery power on boom box; didn’t have to purchase a Rays hat; prevented possible scorn from authorities by not playing the Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up.” It would have been fun, but one must remember that you “can’t always get what you want!”

To the point

Fencing — to many this word means separating your property from that of another with a barrier or wall. It actually is the name of an Olympic sport with origins deep in the past. It is a sport that is fast and athletic — a far cry from the choreographed bouts seen on film or on stage. Instead of swinging from a chandelier or leaping from balconies, you will see two fencers performing an intense dance on a 6-by-44-foot strip. Movement is so fast that touches are scored electrically — much more like “Star Wars” than Errol Flynn in action.

Fencing for gold
Fencing is one of only four sports to be included in every modern Olympic Games since the first Olympics in 1896. Fencing was also a sport in the original Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. The tip of the fencing weapon is the second fastest moving object in sport; the first is the marksman’s bullet.

In April 2003, Keeth Smart was the first American fencer to achieve a No. 1 world ranking, winning the World Cup in Athens, Greece in men’s saber (also referred to as sabre) fencing. In 2004, Sada Jacobson was the first American woman to place No. 1 saber fencer in the world. Since that time, U.S. fencers have had great performances on the world stage, culminating this summer in Beijing, where the U.S. women’s team swept the competition by taking first, second and third place in saber. The men’s saber team took second place defeating the much stronger and higher rated European teams.

About the bout
Foil, épée, and saber are the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. While some fencers compete in all three events, elite competitors generally focus their energies on mastering one weapon. Competitors win a fencing bout, an individual “game,” by being the first to score 15 points (in direct elimination play) or five points (in preliminary pool play) against an opponent, or by having a higher score than an opponent when the time limit expires. Each time a fencer lands a valid hit (a touch) on an opponent, a point is scored. The time limit for direct elimination matches is nine minutes, three three-minute periods with a one-minute break between each.

Local sword play
There is a venue here in Bakersfield where those with ideas of swashbuckling and sword play can make them a reality. You can acquire swordsmanship skills that will allow you to compete in this high-tech sport. The local club has members from ages 10 to over 65 years old. It is a sport that has no age limits. Fencing athletes from Stockdale, East, and Garces high schools and Cal State Bakersfield, together with members of the general community, meet every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Fruitvale Norris Building, 6221 Norris Road. There, as the Guerra Fencing Club, the group participates in lessons and competition for two hours each week.

Ethan Childress, former CSUB Fencing Club instructor and East High School teacher, and myself, a chemical engineer and nationally ranked local fencer, formed the club with the assistance of many participants from the CSUB Fencing Club and the Stockdale High School Fencing Club. Their efforts engaged fencing master Jose Guerra, who has had international competition and coaching experience. Guerra travels weekly from Antelope Valley to coach the class and give private lessons.

Several club members participate in USFA sanctioned tournaments, including the yearly Summer National Championships. I obtained seventh place in saber during the 2008 National Competition and rank ninth in the nation in saber in the veterans over 60 group.

Fencing is an NCAA sport. Several former club members have continued fencing in college. Guy Rodgers, a former club member and visitor when in town, is on the UCLA fencing team. Kim Silken, formerly from Stockdale High School, is on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo fencing team.

Fencing is a great sport for families. Our club has a father and son who participate. This allows parents and children to develop a deeper understanding of each other and spend quality time together. As many martial arts do, fencing develops discipline, coordination, and stamina. Many call it “physical chess.”

Group lessons and private lessons are available. Fees are $65 per month and equipment is available for rental. If you are interested in participating or learning more about this Olympic sport, call Jose at 992-7327, or me at 319-2235.

LOCAL DOG PULLS OFF " BIG WIN "

Eddy Aldridge and Deerwoods Sheila, pull off winning first place Saturday & Sunday Nov 8th & 9th,, 2008

Winning High In Trial both days, with scores of 137 & 139.5 out of a score of 150..

at the AHBA, Parcours "A La Francaise, French Ranch Large Flock trial.. "Advanced Level" Competting againest dogs From Nevada, Ca, Washington, & Oregon...

In Wilton Ca..

I would like to thank Laurie Batson for Sheila,

my dad for going to all the trials with me to make sure I get up every morning,

and trainer Karen Wessinger of Leona Valley, for all her help,...

But most of all I would like to thank Sheila for pushing my limits, even though she can a hard to handle dog, she always gets the job done...

For more info on French Trials here in Ca,, please check out this web site...

http://www.herdingontheweb.com/french-ca.htm

Hope to see you at PetCo on Rosedale every first Saturday of the month for the Kern County Shelter dog adoption day...

Eddy

A proud moment: Completing my ultimate challenge

Almost three months ago I began training for the Volkslauf Mud Run to challenge myself to become more active and in overall better shape. I started out strong and was doing well in my training along with Team TW and awesome trainer Leigh Pozas of Total Woman. My eating habits changed and I was improving in my physical activities daily. In early August I dragged myself across the river bed and along trails. I stayed with it, and in just five weeks I improved my performance in physical training, workouts and improved running the timed mile by three and a half minutes! This in itself was a great accomplishment for me — one of the many I knew I had to look forward to before the “Ultimate Challenge” of the Volkslauf.

Being just half way through training, I was very confident that by the end of my 10 weeks I’d be in even better shape! I was ready to push myself to the next level and endure the pain of physical gain ... then life got in the way.

I lost my focus on training when I had to turn it on other things in my life that would affect my family — it was my priority and new challenge. I was forced to move out of my comfort zone and find a new home. Everyone faces different obstacles and sometimes they just come up unexpectedly. I was literally stumbling over my obstacles in life while training to run the 10K obstacle mud run and I was ready to give in to my exhaustion and stress. But because of the people who surrounded me and passed on encouraging words or shared their own struggles, I was inspired to keep on keeping on. I was so nervous up to the day of Volkslauf, I no longer felt ready and confident. It was more like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m doing this ... and why?” Although I may not have done as well as I would’ve liked, I am pleased to say I completed the run in a little over two hours. As Leigh said in the beginning, it’s just an awesome feeling of accomplishment when you pass that finish line — then you can breathe!

Overall I did meet my goals by improving my physical abilities, and lost some inches along the way. My finish time for the timed mile was just under 12 minutes, I can do a couple of pull-ups assisted, and I can jog a steady pace for a longer period of time. The different experiences I’ve had over the last couple of months have made me a stronger person physically, emotionally and spiritually. I thank God for giving me strength and faith — through him I can do all things. Thank you to Leigh the leader of the pack, to Valerie for sticking through it, too; to Ronda for running with me at the event; Natalie for her kind words and allowing me to share mine; and to every one else who took the time to say hello and acknowledge when I was there or not — you helped me keep coming back. And to my husband, Marcos, who told me not to let anything get in the way of what I want to do — he is my support and my back bone. I had a great time and I’ll be back!

Youth Athletes of the Month

Taja Pickett and Zaire Pickett are brother and sister who attend Buena Vista Elementary School. Taja is in the sixth grade and Zaire is in the third. They both attend Hans Tae Kwon Do Academy, here in Bakersfield. Taja and Zaire both started Tae Kwon Do in 2008 and have advanced beyond anything I could have ever dreamed for. Earlier this year Zaire won Gold at the Junior Olympic National Qualifier making him the U.S. Western Regional Champion and just last weekend at the California Junior Championships in Fullerton California, he took Gold in sparring. His older sister Taja, won the National Championship at the Junior Olympics held in Detroit Michigan in July, additionally, she also won Gold in sparring at the California Junior Championships this last weekend. They both plan on training very hard and competing at future tournaments in hopes of having another great performance at the 2009 Junior Olympics. As their Father I couldnt be prouder of their how hard they work. The wins are great but just them trying their best makes me so happy and I love them very much.

Sports Shorts

Hey everybody, do you know how the Major League Baseball team from Tampa Bay was able to rid themselves of the devil? They simply dropped “devil” from Devil Rays and became the Rays! And a special ray of light has shone on these “boys of summer” as they have advanced to the American League Championship Series versus Boston. This special baseball team is being mentioned in this column due to the fact that the team has on it a sprinkling of former Bakersfield Blaze players, most prominently Rocco Baldelli, who has played on a limited basis due to illness. The Rays are perhaps the most anonymous team in all of baseball as they play before very sparse crowds at home and possess one of the lowest payrolls in the majors. They finished last in all of baseball last year! Manager Joe Maddon booms out The Rolling Stones to get his vibe on prior to crucial games. As well as they have played to date you can be sure that Joe hasn’t been playing “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”!

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more intense high school rivalry, in any sport, than that of Stockdale High School versus Centennial High School! And it continued as the Mustangs from Stockdale nipped the Golden Hawks 45-44 in prep football. SHS ran their overall record to 4-0 and garnered their first SWYL victory as Malik Henderson pounded out 130 rushing yards and found pay dirt for two touchdowns. Simply another classic between two proud programs.

Bakersfield High scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to stun Liberty High 17-10 in their SEYL opener.

Liberty’s varsity volleyball team swept Golden Valley, East and Highland high schools, all in three sets, to advance their SEYL record to 4-0.

In girls tennis Stockdale edged Liberty by a 7-5 score in a match-up of top tennis teams in town.

The Ridgeview boys cross country team ran their SWYL record to an unblemished 4-0 via a 16-45 victory against Frontier. The score sounds strange, eh? But then again, less is more when it comes to cross country!

Quote of the day: “I shall stand at the corner of Truxtun and Chester avenues from 8 a.m. ‘till noon on Nov. 4 passing out issues of The Voice with The Stones playing from my boom box if the Tampa Bay Rays win the ‘08 World Series!”

Sports Shorts

Announcer: “With just seconds to go in the game and down by one point, coach Mike Shanahan has elected to go for two points and the win at home!”

Announcer: “With just seconds to go in the game and down by one point, coach Mike Crews has elected to go for two points and the win at home!”

Parallel scenarios to be sure. The Shanahan-Denver Broncos attempt was successful, but the coach Crews-Ridgeview Wolf Pack try was negated as the Foothill Trojans held on for the thrilling 35-34 victory. Kudos to the Pack for having the guts to go for the gusto in that situation. The coaching staff knew that overtime was not an option in the non-league tilt. Besides, who would have wanted to kiss their sister if a tie would have occurred?

New boys on the block

Stockdale High School’s exciting 34-29 victory over defending Division I Central Section Champion and perennial powerhouse BHS was a feather in the cap for new head coach Mike Snow as he trotted out his version of the Wing T offense to the delight of the Mustang faithful. Stockdale’s 2-0 start equals their victory total for all of last season and hopefully signals a reversal of fortune for the proud tradition of Mustang Football. Stephen Silva and Malik Henderson ran roughshod over the Driller defense as each eclipsed the century mark in rushing yards, garnering 116 and 113 respectively.

Quick hitters

Stockdale’s boys and girls cross country teams ran away with victories over their counterparts from Frontier High. BHS boys and girls cross country teams exacted the same versus Garces High. Stockdale High’s girls tennis team whitewashed both West and South by identical 12-0 scores to run their unblemished SWYL record to 5-0. CSUB’s women volleyballers recently brought home the 2008 Aggie Invitational first-place trophy from UC Davis behind the stellar play of tourney MVP Sarah Norman out of Stockdale High School.

Today’s quote: “Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, drive, perseverance, selflessness and respect for authority are the price each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” —Vince Lombardi

Some diamonds don't last forever

I would have to say that my favorite memory of Yankee Stadium, if not for the many references in the hit television show “Seinfield”, would be Aaron Boones game winning homerun against the Boston Red Sox, or Johnny Damons upper deck homerun as a member of the Red Sox. Let’s also don’t forget that Yankee Stadium was not only a cathedral built for baseball, but has been home to many memorable moments including a concert by the Beatles in 1965.

On September 21, 2008, one of the saddest moments in Yankee history, second only to the announcement of Yankee great Lou Gehrig’s failing health and goodbye to his retirement in 1939. Baseball fans across the country said goodbye after 85 years to a building built on memory after memory. Never again will any player patrol center field like DiMaggio or Mantle, or sit behind home plate like Berra or Munson, to step into the batter’s box like Ruth or Gehrig. The stadium will close its doors for the final time and those moments and memories of the “House that Ruth Built” will be left in the minds of those who witnessed them.

Great Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan made one last appearance to sing God Bless America one more time as he did during every playoff game in recent memory at the stadium, and one of the greatest pitchers in Yankee history made his final appearance in the only building he has ever called home. Mariano Rivera took the mound one more time to pitch the final inning in the history of the ballpark. It was a fitting end for one of the most storied and historical buildings in the country.

So many Yankee greats were in attendance. Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra joined the broadcast booth for a couple innings of stories and memories. They talked about some of the old timers and especially the likes of Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. Reggie Jackson later joined the booth. He showed his honor and respect for the stadium and talked about how days earlier he had made a trip out to the black seats where he hit his third and final home run during the clinching game of the 1977 World Series. He said that he was a little teary about the event because he “Felt like I was losing a friend.”

With an appropriate tribute to every great Yankee to ever grace the field, the Yankees and everybody in attendance were treated to one last chance to remember every great moment and every great player together.

Every baseball fan in the world came together to watch this final game at the greatest baseball stadium ever built. This years Yankees team record could not spoil the pageantry. All that mattered was the Stadium, and the legacy that went with it. Truly a tribute to the sport of baseball.

Sure as the New Yankee Stadium is born, so too will the memories and moments to come from the next generation of Yankee fans and their beloved boys in pinstripes.

We will miss you - Yankee Stadium 1923-2008

Retired Hall of Famers bring motorcycle racing to fair

Once again this year, on the first Saturday night of the 2008 Kern County Fair (Sept. 20), the Arena will welcome back the roar of dirt track motorcycle racing. This will be the fourth year in a row that Eddie Mulder LTD. will present the Digger Helm Short Track National.

Mulder, who lives in Littlerock, Calif., and Bakersfield’s Digger Helm have been friends for over 50 years and grew up racing each other. Both were touring professionals for many years, and Mulder went into the movie stuntman business when he retired from racing. Both Mulder and Helm are members of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

They both remember how tough it was on the road — racing in a different town night after night. In their early years, sponsors were unheard of. After attending one of Mulder’s events, Helm decided to sponsor what is now called the Digger Helm Pro Class.

“I felt that if we could get some money in the pockets of these young riders, they could have a chance to chase their dream like we did,” said Helm.

This year will be a special one for local 2-wheel fans. So far seven “touring pros” have confirmed that they will be on hand to take part in the Bakersfield event. Henry Wiles of Blanchard, Mich., the latest National Championship Short Track winner heads that list. Wiles won the final short track National in Springfield, Ill. on Aug. 30. Jared Mees from Clio, Mich, who is a former winner of the local event and twice runner up for the No. 1 national ranking, will also take to the track.

“We’ve heard rumors about some other pros that may show up, but nothing official at this time,” said Helm.

According to Mulder, they run classes for all ages. Last year the youngest rider was 5 years old. The oldest rider? Retired stuntman Bob Harris at 85 years young. This will be the first race back for Harris, who was injured two months ago in Hanford, Calif.

“Bob is one tough little dude,” said Helm. “He went end over end three times. Most of the younger riders would have just taken the rest of the year off ... but not Bob.”

The highlight of the evenings races will be the final event of the night, the Digger Pro Main Event. With over $12,000 in prize money up for grabs, this event is the highest paying short track in the Western U.S.

The event is free to anyone who attends the fair on Saturday, Sept. 20. Practice will start at 4:30 with the first qualifying heat starting at 6 p.m.