Rather than possibly go unspotted in the soccer doldrums of the Napa Valley, four senior high school standouts will sail the open waters with the Jefferson College Vikings, hoping to one day be picked up by a high-flying four-year program.

Shannon Rankin scored 12 of her 24 points in the fourth quarter as first-place Napa High’s girls rallied to defeat visiting Wood 76-65 in Monticello Empire League basketball play on Tuesday.

Sierra Young scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help lift Vintage High’s girls to a MEL win over host Armijo in Fairfield.

The Indians played without point guard Tyler Imhoff and forward Brandon Washington in the 24-point loss. Imhoff was out sick. Washington was sidelined by academic issues, according to coach Chuck Johnson.

Janelle Travis ended the first half in dramatic fashion and she carried that right into the third quarter of Tuesday night’s Marin County Athletic League tournament.

Two free throws by Barb Speth with two seconds left in regulation forced overtime for Vintage in the MEL loss.

The black bear nicknamed “Lil’ Smokey” by his rescuer was returned to the wild recently by DFG personnel. The bear was released at a remote site in western Siskiyou County.

NOTES AND QUOTES for a Wednesday in the Napa Valley:

Dave Houck recently took his 5-year-old sons, Russell and Bradley, sturgeon fishing at the mothball fleet.

It sounds like a broken record, but fishing is not hot right now.

The Register’s Web guy, Brian Kennedy, is a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan. As a byproduct of that devotion, he is a huge follower of Cy Young Award-winning ace pitcher Tim Lincecum.