NOTES AND QUOTES for a Monday in the Napa Valley:

Brittney Accardo isn’t playing softball any more, but she believes that college has opened a new door for athletic competition.

Accardo, a 2007 Vintage High School graduate and former softball player for the Crushers, was selected as the coxswain for the Sonoma State University women’s rowing team. She is on eight- and four-person boats. As a coxswain, Accardo is responsible for steering the vessel as well as keeping stroke counts and constantly encouraging the rowing members.

“I miss playing softball and cherish the friendships I made, but sometimes a sport outgrows you,” said Accardo. “College softball was not in my future. I had to give it up. I had no idea I would later be competing at the collegiate level in anything, much less crew. I am very proud of my team and I hope to someday get a scholarship to an even larger school and program.”

Accardo said that her years of playing softball have prepared her for the rigors of being a coxswain.

“Teamwork plays a huge role in the operation of the boat,” she said. “Without my high school softball experience, I may not have been ready to take on the coxswain responsibilities at Sonoma State. (Vintage) coach (Ward) Mullins definitely helped me in preparation.”

Recently, Accardo and the Sonoma State team placed second at Sacramento’s Lake Natomas. Six other colleges attended the competition.

In the upcoming months, Accardo’s team will compete in San Diego as well as a national competition in Pennsylvania.

Justin-Siena is one of eight schools listed on the bubble in the Redwood Empire baseball rankings, which are assembled by Harold Abend, a correspondent for Cal-Hi Sports.

At their last home gymnastics meet of their career with the North Bay Athletic Association of Vallejo, Napa High seniors Haylee Yepson and Mary Kathryn Peck dominated the Level 10 competition in all age groups.

Yepson was first on bars (8.75), beam (8.9), floor (9.0) and the all-around (35.1). She was also second on the vault.

Peck won the vault with a high score of 9.175 and was second in the all-around (34.850). She also placed second on bars, third on beam and third on floor.

Both gymnasts have qualified for the Level 10 State Meet, to be held next month.

As graduating seniors, they will be honored by the NorCal Gymnastics Association for their dedication to the sport.

Due to the construction beginning at Braves’ Field, there will be some location adjustments for girls soccer and track and field at Justin-Siena.

Beginning April 1, all girls soccer home games will be played at Napa Valley College at 4:30 p.m. The soccer team will still practice on campus after school on the east field.

Track and field will require off-campus practices. The shot put and discus throwers will continue to practice on campus after school using the discus area on the east field. All other events will have to practice off-campus beginning on March 31 at 4:45 p.m. No track members can be on those middle school campuses prior to 4:45 p.m. Those in jumping events will be at Harvest Middle School and those in running events will be at Redwood Middle School.

The installation of a synthetic playing field, to be used for football, soccer and lacrosse, and an all-weather track is expected to start later this month or in early April as Justin-Siena is moving forward with a $2 million redevelopment project to upgrade its athletic facilities through a private-public partnership.

Gone will be the grass field and dirt track. In its place will be brand new surfaces that don’t require nearly as much maintenance.

Justin-Siena’s board of trustees and the Lasallian Education Corp., recently approved the project, which has been donor-initiated. There are in the neighborhood of 50 contributors.

The actual footprint of the stadium remains the same; both the stands and lights will stay where they are. But the track and field setup will allow for spectators to see everything, including all field events, from the bleachers. There will be a warm-up/staging area, with additional equipment storage buildings planned.

E-mail Executive Sports Editor Marty James at mjames@napanews.com or call 256-2223.