Bozzini eighth in Golden West 400-meter run

NOTES AND QUOTES for a Monday in the Napa Valley:

Michael Bozzini, a senior from Justin-Siena High School, finished eighth in the “A” Section of the boys 400-meter run in Saturday’s 50th Golden West Invitational at Folsom High. Bozzini’s time was 51.01 seconds. He qualified and was seeded ninth.

There were eight other runners in the race, which was won by Tavaris Tate of Starkville (Miss.) in a time of 46.46. There were windy conditions at Prairie City Stadium.

The Golden West drew 440 athletes from around the country.

Bozzini also received an invitation from the prestigious Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina next weekend. Bozzini, who will run for Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., next year on an academic scholarship, has been placed in the Emerging Elite Division on June 19.

The meet will draw close to 2,400 of the country’s top young men and women track and field athletes.

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Lea Wallace closed out the 2009 track and field season for Cal State Sacramento Thursday by placing seventh in the second heat of the women’s 800-meter run in a time of 2:07.27 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark.

Wallace, a sophomore from Napa, did not advance from the semifinals to the finals. Wallace’s time on Thursday placed her 15th out of 18.

The Vintage High graduate reached the semis after breaking the school record in the opening round on Wednesday.

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Upvalley players are well represented on the Santa Rosa Press Democrat’s all-Empire small schools basketball teams.

Maddy Densberger, a sophomore guard-forward for St. Helena, was named as the Player of the Year on the girls team. Densberger was the North Central League I South MVP, averaging 13.2 points per game. Densberger, the Defensive Player of the Year on the all-Napa County team, also averaged 6.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 6.6 steals per game as St. Helena (23-3 overall) won its first league title in school history and advanced to the CIF North Coast Section Division IV playoffs.

St. Helena’s Holle Depina, a freshman, and Kate Wignall, a senior, were named to the Second Team. Calistoga’s Megan Hunt, a senior, was chosen Honorable Mention.

On the boys side, St. Helena’s Cole Ballentine, a sophomore, was named Honorable Mention.

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Napa Valley Country Club’s team of Rod Stone, Michael Ledwich, Tom Feutz and Dan Harberts finished fourth, shooting rounds of 139 and 129 for a 268 total, during the Northern California Golf Association North Bay Zone Championship at Poppy Hills last month.

Meadowood Napa Valley (Trent Moffet, Allan Armstrong, Peter Philbin, Richard Wilson) tied for fifth, 139-130 — 269; Aetna Springs (Michael Herdell, Kip Duarte, David Lee, Joseph Herdell) was seventh, 136-134 — 270; Mount St. Helena (Edgar Massoletti, Jerry Fechter, Raymond Fechter, Randy Pugh) tied for eighth, 142-130 — 272; Napa Golf Course (Bruce Bogner, Bill Hoy, Art Sakata, Daniel Villanueva) tied for 12th, 139-135 — 274; Silverado Resort (Scotty Barbour, Denny Olmsted, Christopher Bias, Victor Valdez) tied for 15th, 137-138 — 275; Vintner’s Golf Club (Gregory Winkle, Rudy Ornelas, Daniel Sakai, Troy Ornelas) tied for 19th, 137-142 — 279; and Vineyard Knolls (Kevin Hall, Marcelo Cortez, Eric Blatt, Loren Corotto) was 25th, 149-141 — 290.

Mayacama won with a 255 total. The Mayacama and Bodega Harbour teams advance to the NCGA Zone Championships, to be held at Spyglass Hill and Poppy Hills Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

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Kellani Ricketts of Archbishop Mitty-San Jose has been named as the 2008-09 Gatorade California Softball Player of the Year. The award was announced in partnership with ESPN RISE.

Ricketts, a pitcher, led Mitty to a 32-0 record and the CIF Central Coast Section Division II championship, the school’s fifth straight title. Ricketts (22-0) finished the season with 347 strikeouts and just nine walks, with six no-hitters and four perfect games. Ricketts, who will play softball on scholarship at the University of Oklahoma this fall, allowed just 25 hits and held opponents to a 0.55 batting average. She also batted .480 with nine home runs, 36 RBIs and a .836 slugging percentage.

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

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