Wetnight passes away after battle with cancer




Ryan Wetnight JONATHAN ANDRADE/Acorn Newspapers

Ryan Wetnight JONATHAN ANDRADE/Acorn Newspapers

Ryan Wetnight, a Grace Brethren High football assistant coach and former NFL player, lost his battle with stomach cancer on May 1. He was 49 years old.

Wetnight is survived by his wife, Stacey, and middle-school-aged sons Scott and Zach.

An undrafted free agent out of Stanford, Wetnight spent seven of his eight NFL seasons playing tight end for the Chicago Bears, snagging 175 receptions for 1,542 yards and nine touchdowns in his pro career.

The coach, who lived in Simi Valley and worked in Westlake, spent only one season coaching at Grace Brethren. Inspired by Wetnight’s fight against cancer, the Lancers dominated the local scene in 2019: They finished 12-2 overall, captured the Camino League championship and spent every week at No. 1 in the Acorn Power Poll. Grace Brethren also notched a signature win against powerhouse Oaks Christian last fall, 54-28. Wetnight previously assisted under Mike Sanders at Thousand Oaks.

Former Acorn sports reporter Jonathan Andrade spoke with Wetnight the week of Grace Brethren’s game against Westlake in late September.

“It’s going to be a fight for my life,” Wetnight told Andrade. “To know there’s a lot of people out there that are rallying around me that are going to help me and my family, it definitely helps my mindset and my family.”

BASKETBALL STARS EARN ALL-CIF HONORS

Four Acorn girls’ basketball standouts earned All CIF-Southern Section accolades.

Taylor “The Garden State Gecko” Donaldson of Oaks Christian High made the Division 2A first team. She’s also the Marmonte League MVP. The Lions won 20 games and reached the playoff quarterfinals this winter.

Kayla Keshmeshian, a sophomore guard, and Karlee White, a freshman guard/forward, represent Viewpoint on the Division 3A first team. The Patriots, who won 20 games, reached the Final Four in the section playoffs and qualified for the Southern California regional tournament.

Mariah Elohim, a Westlake sophomore forward and two-sport star in basketball and softball, earned a spot on the Division 4AA basketball first team. The Warriors finished with 21 wins, the most in at least 15 years.

Oak Park’s Clark Slajchert (Division 2AA), Westlake’s Kyle MacLean (Division 3AA) and Simi Valley’s Angel Navarro (Division 3A) are local boys’ hoops All-CIF selections.

Slajchert, arguably the best pure scorer in Ventura County since Don MacLean, is bound for Penn of the Ivy League. His brother, Wes, plays basketball at Dartmouth.

Kyle MacLean, Don MacLean’s son, is the Acorn’s Comeback Player of the Year and a scholar athlete. The Marmonte League MVP is undecided on his next stop.

Navarro, the Acorn’s Newcomer of the Year, is a sophomore point guard who helped the Pioneers reach the Elite Eight in the section dance.

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