Athletes from the Napa Track Club attended a Sectional Qualifying Meet in Novato April 14. Despite cool, cloudy conditions and periods of rain, the young competitors (ages 7-14) had several outstanding performances.

Five jumpers from the club earned first-place honors in their age groups, and many others had high finishes and attained personal records. A total of four athletes from Napa have now set marks high enough to qualify for the Youth National Championships in Chicago.

Sarah Tracy, 11, won the midget girls long jump with a leap of 11-10. She also had a second-place finish in the high jump. Teammate Ashley Agustus, competing in the same division, finished second in the long jump and fourth in the high jump with personal records in both events.

Mackenzie Mills won the midget girls high jump with a clearance of 4-0. She also ran strong races in the 200 and 400 meters. Claire Miller took third in the high jump with a clearance of 3-10 and was third in the 800 meters with a time of 2:44, attaining personal records in both events.

Chris Bozzini won the midget boys high jump with a personal best of 4-7. He also had strong performances in the long jump and turbo javelin. Other boys performing well in the midget high jump were Brendan Cardey, who took third, and Sean Carlo Uribe, who took fourth with a personal record of 3-10. Uribe also had a PR in the 80-meter hurdles, while Cardey set a personal best in the long jump and javelin.

Eight-year-old Finn Heidenrich, competing in the high jump for the first time, won the bantam boys age group with a jump of 3-0. Erin Mills ran an excellent race in the bantam girls 800 meters, clocking a time of 3:06.

Olivia Husted, 13, was victorious in the youth girls high jump. Her winning mark of 4-7 was just an inch shy of qualifying for nationals. Also jumping in the youth division, Lauren Cardey finished third, Julia King took fifth, and Nicole Kampton came in sixth.

In the youth boys division, Eric Zoller had a fourth-place finish in the 400 meters, and Kennedy Salsman had a sixth in the high jump. In the intermediate boys high jump, Mark Bozzini finished second and Sam Piper placed fourth.

The club’s next competition will be a sectional qualifying meet May 5 in Santa Clara.

Vintage High mountain bike riders fare well

Vintage High School mountain bike riders Jimmy Vietor and Julio Santaro both finished strong at the Northern California High School Mountain Bike League’s April 1 race at Toro Park in Salinas, riding together the entire race and moving the Vintage team up to the 15th spot in NorCal’s Division 2.

The Carrera del Toro course started with a climb of nearly 1,000 feet, followed by a long, windy, single-track descent, offering very tough and technical riding. 

“It was a great venue for the race,” said Mike Cromwell, the hospitality instructor at Vintage and the team coach. “The boys rode three five-mile loops, and turned in nearly identical split times for each lap, finishing within five seconds of each other. It was great to see them working together and helping each other.”

Vietor and Santaro have been receiving instruction from Jeff Caton, a science teacher at Vintage and an elite road bicycle rider.

The Vintage team, sponsored by Napa’s Eagle Cycling Club, races April 22 at the difficult Angel’s Camp course in the Sierra foothills.

 

Napa Valley Express softball scholarship opportunities

The Napa Valley Express softball organization will be accepting applications for scholarships for 2007 graduating seniors. Applicants must have played with the organization during the summer season at least three out of the last five years.

To obtain an application, go to www.napavalleyexpress.org, or contact Teri Price at 255-6050, or e-mail dandtprice@aol.com. The deadline for submission is April 25.

Youth soccer sign-ups today at Bel Aire

Registration for the Napa Youth Soccer League recreational league season continues April 21, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Bel Aire Elementary School.

The 2007 season runs from Sept. 8 through Nov. 11. Registration fees are $70 per player. Go to www.NYSL.org for multi-player discounts and additional information about the league. To help out as a volunteer, contact Jennifer Patefield at 255-7865.

Shannon Lemieux Fun Day at the Pool today at Napa High

The Shannon Lemieux Memorial Scholarship Fun Day at the Pool is scheduled for April 21, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Napa Community Pool at Napa High School. The meet was moved to Napa High due a problem with the pump at the college pool.

Swimmers, divers and water polo players from Justin-Siena, Napa and Vintage will compete. There are plans for timed master’s swimming events, a diving exhibition, a water polo demonstration and match, fun team races, and a silent auction. A donation of $5 for adults and $3 for students and children is requested for admission. There will be a silent auction and snack bar to raise money for the Shannon Lemieux Memorial Scholarship Fund.

For more information, or to make a donation to the silent auction, contact Bob Saunders at 255-5409, or e-mail resaun@gmail.com, or call 225-2085.

Napa Valley Soccer Club tryouts continue today

Napa Valley Soccer Club tryouts will be held at the Redwood Middle School East Field.

To be eligible to try out, players are required to bring the following — birth certificate (copy), a 2x2 recent picture, Napa Youth Soccer League registration form (available at tryouts), $70 registration fee, and a parent signature on the form.

Tryouts will be held on the following dates and times:

• Under-13 and 14, April 21-22. Boys will try out from 9 a.m. to noon, and girls will try out from 1 to 4 p.m.

• Under-15 boys and girls and under-16 and up boys, April 28-29. Boys will try out from 9 a.m. to noon, and girls will try out from 1 to 4 p.m.

• Under-16 and under-18 girls only, May 12, 9 a.m. to noon.

Napa Valley Joe DiMaggio Baseball League sign-ups Sunday

Sign-ups for the 2007 Napa Valley Joe DiMaggio Baseball League, a competitive summer baseball league that was founded in 1972, are April 22, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Justin-Siena High School varsity field.

The cost is $150 per player. Players are asked to bring a copy of their birth certificate. Players can not be 20 years old before Aug. 1, 2007. Tryouts will be announced at a later date. Those not selected will be given a full refund.

Napa Valley Joe DiMaggio Baseball will have three teams, with each playing at least 23 games. Games begin Memorial Day weekend and will culminate with the World Series in Carson City, Nev., July 26-31. Games are usually played on Wednesdays with three games on the weekends. Games will be played at the Veterans Home of California’s Cleve Borman Field in Yountville, Justin-Siena High School, Napa High and St. Helena High.

The league will sponsor four scholarships to graduating seniors who have played at least two years, including their senior year. 

The league will once again sponsor the Keith Connelly 4th of July Tournament that showcases 16 teams from throughout the Bay Area and Nevada.

For more information, call Steve Meyer at 255-5094.

American Legion tryouts Sunday at Vintage

Tryouts for the Napa Riverdogs’ American Legion and Junior American Legion baseball teams — 19-and-under, 17-and-under and 16-15s — will be held on April 22 at Vintage High School’s varsity baseball field from 12 to 2 p.m.

For more information, call Kyle Rasmusen at 326-9225 or Billy Smith at 953-8153.

Napa Valley Dirt Classic Sunday in Angwin 

The 17th annual Napa Valley Dirt Classic bike race takes place in Angwin on April 22. This 22-mile circuit at 1,667 feet elevation is a part of the 2007 NorCal Mountain Bike State Championship Series and is open to riders of all levels. The race takes place on trails on Pacific Union College property, and funds raised from the event benefit PUC recreational projects. Awards are presented after the race, with purses to first-, second- and third-place male and female pro finishers, and custom trophies to top finishers in all categories. Complete information and online registration is available at www.puc.edu/Pioneers/NVDC.