A standing ovation

Locals athletes and teams dazzled in a memorable year




SILVER AND GOLD—Oak Park High football linebacker/fullback Wyatt Piurkowsky scores a touchdown against Agoura in the Kanan Bowl on Oct. 26 at home. Agoura held on to win the rivalry game, 28-27. Photos by RICHARD GILLARD and MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers

SILVER AND GOLD—Oak Park High football linebacker/fullback Wyatt Piurkowsky scores a touchdown against Agoura in the Kanan Bowl on Oct. 26 at home. Agoura held on to win the rivalry game, 28-27. Photos by RICHARD GILLARD and MICHAEL COONS/Acorn Newspapers

The Grinch might be knocking, but we won’t let him in. The troll might be trolling, and we must ignore the bait.

In this space, we celebrate champions, serenade the mighty and revel in the athletic achievements of local teams and athletes.

As another year rolls to an end, let’s honor the best sports moments of 2018 in Acorn country. Think of this as the Oscars, without the controversy.

Get on your feet, folks, and start clapping.

A CROWN FOR THE CATS

Newbury Park High’s boys’ cross country team captured the CIF State Cross Country Division II championship on Thanksgiving weekend at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Nico Young, a junior, breezed to first place in 14 minutes, 59 seconds while helping the Panthers snare the biggest prize in the Golden State. Panther teammates Ethan Ronk and Jace Aschbrenner are also among the fastest runners in California.

Sarah Shulze, an Oak Park senior who signed a scholarship with Wisconsin, earned silver in the Division III girls’ race with a personal-record 17.34.

MEMORY LANE—Clockwise from above: Westlake baseball player Kevin Taylor signed a scholarship with Hawaii; Oliver Martin had his number retired by the Calabasas boys’ volleyball team; Oak Park boys’ basketball star Riley Battin, who has a CIFSouthern Section championship ring, graduated as Ventura County’s career leader in points and rebounds; and Agoura girls’ volleyball player Jazz Vickers waits for Calabasas to serve.

MEMORY LANE—Agoura girls’ volleyball player Jazz Vickers waits for Calabasas to serve.

The Panthers and Shulze qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals in Rip City, otherwise known as Portland, Ore.

FASTEST GIRL IN CALIFORNIA

De’Anna Nowling of Calabasas earned the title “Fastest Girl in California” by winning the 100-meter dash at the state track and field championships in June.

Nowling blazed through the finish line in 11.47 seconds to become the first Calabasas athlete, in any sport, to capture a state crown.

She announced her commitment to Miami in a video with comedian Kevin Hart.

YELICH EARNS MVP WITH BREWERS

Christian Yelich, a Westlake product, was a solid Major League Baseball pro with the Miami Marlins.

He catapulted into superstardom after getting shipped to the Milwaukee Brewers before the season.

Yelich helped the Brew Crew reach the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers while earning the NL MVP.

MR. BASEBALL— Christian Yelich, a Westlake High grad, earned the National League MVP in his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers. Yelich led the Brewers to the NLCS against the Dodgers this fall. Courtesy of Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club

MR. BASEBALL— Christian Yelich, a Westlake High grad, earned the National League MVP in his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers. Yelich led the Brewers to the NLCS against the Dodgers this fall. Courtesy of Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club

He nearly became the first person in more than half a century to win the Triple Crown in the Senior Circuit, batting .326 with 36 home runs and 110 RBI.

PANTHERS RULE THE DIAMOND

A special senior class, including SeaEnna Satcher, Serena Huchingson and Paige Barth, helped Newbury Park’s softball team seize the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 championship.

The Panthers defeated ML King 3-1 in the title game on June 2 in Irvine. Satcher, who now plays for Charleston Southern University, drove in all three runs for the Black Cat Attack.

Newbury Park teams won Marmonte League titles in wrestling, boys’ volleyball and boys’ soccer.

LIONS DAZZLE ON THE GREENS

Oaks Christian’s boys’ golf squad captured its second straight CIF-SS Central Coast Division title in the spring.

Jake Marek and Tristan Gretzky—the son of Wayne “The Great One” Gretzky, the greatest hockey player to ever lace skates—led the Lions on the links. Cole White, Jett Thorson, Blake McGovern, Andrew Ackerman and Francis Catalano also played well for Oaks Christian.

HOOPS HERO

Riley Battin of Oak Park became the all-time leading scorer (2,971 points) and rebounder (1,528 rebounds) in Ventura County boys’ basketball history.

The superstar notched 43 points and 15 rebounds in his last high school game, a loss to Long Beach Poly in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals at home in the Bird Cage.

“I love basketball. Growing up, you dream of these moments,” Battin told the Acorn after his final game.

Battin, now a freshman forward at Utah, shattered the county scoring mark previously held by Simi Valley’s Don MacLean. Battin never lost a league game in his prep career.

 

 

SUPER CHARGERS

The Agoura girls’ water polo team won its 150th straight Marmonte League game, extending its CIF-Southern Section record.

That record will stay at 150, however. The Chargers moved into the Coastal Canyon League this winter, and the section does not recognize streaks when schools switch leagues.

Agoura’s last Marmonte win was 12-5 against Thousand Oaks on Feb. 5, 2018, at home. Head coach Jason Rosenthal also eclipsed 700 career wins (for girls’ and boys’ teams) last season.

WARRIORS’ REIGN CONTINUES

The Westlake girls’ volleyball team won its sixth straight Marmonte League championship this fall under head coach Ernest Rittenhouse.

Jen Trephan, Ashley Webb, Elizabeth Crisp, Paris Short, Olivia Dinardo and Lorelei Lemon are seniors for the Warriors, arguably the most dominating volleyball outfit in the area.

A LANCER IN CANADA

Alex Singleton is the best defensive player in the Canadian Football League.

Now, he’s a champion.

Singleton, a Thousand Oaks grad, helped the Calgary Stampeders win the Grey Cup, the Canadian equivalent of the Super Bowl. Calgary defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 27-16 on Nov. 25 in Edmonton for the championship.

“It’s awesome to finally win it,” Singleton told the Acorn.

In one of the sweetest moments of the season, the linebacker (who led the CFL with 138 tackles this year) gave his sister Ashley a bear hug on the field after the win.

AND FINALLY

I want to put a bow on this list by giving an extra round of applause to the athletes who inspired us in ways that go way beyond winning and losing.

They include Brison Cronenbold, a Thousand Oaks man who survived a life-threatening car accident and went on to play Division I baseball for Nebraska; Dylan Parker, a Calabasas girls’ soccer player who didn’t let violent bullies slow her down; Basem Alhashim, a champion special needs swimmer for Agoura who racks up the laps; and Vanessa Jacquez, a Moorpark softball star who kept her promise to her father, Rudy, who died of an aneurysm in 2015, by trying to earn a scholarship.

Jacquez signed a scholarship with Cal State Monterey Bay.