Wallace reaches 800 semis at NCAA championships

By Marty James

NOTES AND QUOTES for a Friday in the Napa Valley:

Cal State Sacramento sophomore Lea Wallace advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 800 meters after running a school-record time of 2:05.55 Wednesday at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Wallace, a Vintage High School graduate who won the Big Sky Conference title in the 800 and placed third at the NCAA West Regional, was fourth in the second of four heats of the event.

Wallace, a Napa resident, has the 12th fastest time in the 18-athlete field.

The semifinals were scheduled for Thursday evening.

“Lea showed what can happen when you compete,” Sacramento State coach Kathleen Raske said on the Hornets’ Web site. “She got bumped a little down the stretch but was able to overcome that. She was not afraid to go out and run her own race.”

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The Evolve youth volleyball club, which was started by Kelly Van Winden and Kelly Porter, has six teams playing in the Northern California Volleyball Association.

There are two 12-and-under teams that will finish their season at regionals this weekend. There is a 16’s team that will also complete its season at regionals this weekend.

Last week, the Evolve 18’s team took second place, losing to Peninsula Juniors 2-1 in the final match of a tournament and finishing the season ranked fourth out of 88 teams. The team consists of Napa High’s Christina Fonville and Danielle Aguirre; Vintage’s Marissa Moultak, Jessica Bruton, Miranda Sanderson, Noelle Pahk and Yessenia Gallegos; Justin-Siena’s Lauren Yanucci and Ali Channels; and St. Helena’s Missy Particelli, Jamie Marshall and Calie Flood.

Napa has two 14-and-under teams, which are coached by Van Winden of Napa Valley College and All-Bay Valley Conference players Emily Pahk and Jane Steir.

The 14’s Red team took second place in a recent tournament, finishing the area league in ninth place out of 166 teams. Tatiana Steen, Kathleen Horton, Janessa Caballero, Megan Schweizer, Sara Wieldraayer, Jenny Guffy, Claire Moffett, Emily Terry, Melissa Castilluci, Adlee Van Winden and Torrey Van Winden are on the team.

The 14’s White team finished 11th at the Northern California Area League Regional competition. Napa was 79th in point totals out of 166 teams.

Brittany Franzi, Bianca Llamas, Olivia McCoy, Amanda Mertens, Lena Music, Jessica Neelly Block, Bianca Roomian, Emily Wirick, Korrine Wallace, Madison Burningham, Anya Riedel and Andrea Fischer are on the team.

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The Pridmore Athletics continued their undefeated season, capturing the American League championship Tuesday with a 10-6 win over the White Sox and advancing to the Napa Babe Ruth League 13-15 division’s best-of-three city championship series starting tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Ballpark.

The Athletics will face the Reds or the Braves.

Jimmy Figueroa, Aaron Jaramillo and Alex Jones each had two hits and two RBIs. Griffin Abernethy, Zach Yates, Figueroa and Jones scored two runs each.

Jaramillo allowed one run on two hits in four innings.

Game 2 is Saturday at 10 a.m. at Kennedy. If necessary, Game 3 follows at 1 p.m.

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Dick Vermeil of NFL Network will take part in the annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, N.J.

The program, which runs from June 22-25, is directed by the NFL Broadcasting Department and covers a wide range of topics with instructors from each of the NFL’s broadcast partners — CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, NFL Network, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Westwood One Radio, plus local radio and TV.

Vermeil is a Calistoga native and former Napa Valley College football coach who won a Super Bowl as head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He is among the NFL broadcasting talent and production staff who will lend their expertise to the program, which involves 24 current and former NFL players.

It will include hands-on work in areas such as tape study, editing, show preparation, radio production, control room operation, studio preparation, production meetings, field reporting and game preparation.

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La Costa Canyon-Carlsbad won the CIF state boys golf championship Wednesday at Poppy Hills Golf Course. La Costa fired a team score of 21-over-par 381 to capture the championship by five strokes over Jesuit-Carmichael, which had a 386.

Westlake (388) was third, followed by Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (389), Great Oak (390) and Carmel (396).

Vista Murrieta’s Kevin Dougherty was the individual medalist, shooting a 70.

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

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