Here are the local sports headlines you'll find in this afternoon's Enterprise.
Ags hope they’re ready
It was fitting, given that so many of the memorable moments of UC Davis’ transition to Division I have come at the expense of Pac-10 teams. When Eddie Gamboa struck out Washington State’s Mike Gilbert on a 2-2 breaking ball, it clinched a series win for the Aggies in the athletic department’s final event as a reclassifying D-I team.
Cats remain one-run wonder
WEST SACRAMENTO — Though they trailed by a run going into the bottom of the eighth on Wednesday, it was hard to count out the Sacramento River Cats out at Raley Field.
The Albuquerque Isotopes (27-26) found out why as Sacramento scored once in the eighth and once in the ninth to squeak out a 5-4 victory.
Moore, O’Rourke, Bishop to be honored by Aggies
Three athletes and three teams have been named recipients of UC Davis’ annual student-athlete awards and will be presented with those honors at the Cal Aggie Athletic Hall of Fame and Student-Athlete Awards Ceremonies at Freeborn Hall on Saturday.
Wrestler Derek Moore has been named as the 2006-07 winner of the Colby E. “Babe” Slater Award as the outstanding male athlete of the year, Water polo’s Katherine O’Rourke has been selected as the Dr. Hubert Heitman Award winner as outstanding female athlete of the year, and men’s golfer Louie Bishop is the recipient of the W.P. Lindley Award for achievement in athletics, academics and in the community.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Ags end season with a win
UC Davis third baseman Daniel Descalso just missed in his attempt at program history. The Aggies, meanwhile, hope Eddie Gamboa gave the team a glimpse into the future.
Making his first start of the year in the season finale, Gamboa flummoxed Washington State in a 4-2 Aggie victory Sunday at Dobbins Stadium. UCD took two of three from the Cougars, who finished tied for sixth in the nine-team Pac-10 standings this season. UCD went 24-32 against what the baseball ratings website Boyd’s World called the 35th most difficult schedule in the nation.
Gamboa, who missed most of last season with elbow problems that required Tommy John surgery, threw 35 1/3 innings in relief before making his start Sunday. In his role as a starter, he had minimal trouble with Washington State lineup. He pitched a complete game, fanning seven batters and allowing just two runs.
“I expected to go five or six innings and get out of there,” Gamboa said. “It felt good (to start again). It felt kind of like home again. It was me against the batters, and it was nice.”
Descalso, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 for the Aggies. He finished the season the season with a .397 batting average. He had spent the entire season hovering around the .400 mark, threatening to become the first UCD player since Dave Nix in 1995 to reach that mark.
He came up just short, going 4-for-12 in the series against the Cougars, but said it was impossible to be dissatisfied with that sort of year.
“I can’t complain,” he said. “It would have been nice to hit .400, but I can sleep at night with .397.”
Descalso is a junior, but is expected to be selected on the first day of next week’s MLB Entry Draft.
The junior was part of the Aggies’ three-run fourth, an inning in which the Aggies needed just one hit to post that total. Descalso reached second on when his grounder to shortstop was thrown into the UCD dugout, moved to third on an inexplicable pickoff throw by catcher Mike Gilbert that sailed over the uncovered base into centerfield and scored on Aaron Hanke’s grounder to short.
Then -- after an hit batter, error and walk loaded the bases -- Michael Jacobellis chopped a two-run single back up the middle.
Jacob Jefferies’ sacrifice fly in the eighth inning scored Brandon Oliver to add an insurance run.
The game was the final athletic event of the campus’ four-year transition to Division I. The Enterprise doesn’t publish on Monday because of Memorial Day, but we’ll wrap up this baseball season in the coming days. Then we’ll talk more about the end of the transition, which still has some administrative machinations left, but is done in terms of on-field activity.
Making his first start of the year in the season finale, Gamboa flummoxed Washington State in a 4-2 Aggie victory Sunday at Dobbins Stadium. UCD took two of three from the Cougars, who finished tied for sixth in the nine-team Pac-10 standings this season. UCD went 24-32 against what the baseball ratings website Boyd’s World called the 35th most difficult schedule in the nation.
Gamboa, who missed most of last season with elbow problems that required Tommy John surgery, threw 35 1/3 innings in relief before making his start Sunday. In his role as a starter, he had minimal trouble with Washington State lineup. He pitched a complete game, fanning seven batters and allowing just two runs.
“I expected to go five or six innings and get out of there,” Gamboa said. “It felt good (to start again). It felt kind of like home again. It was me against the batters, and it was nice.”
Descalso, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 for the Aggies. He finished the season the season with a .397 batting average. He had spent the entire season hovering around the .400 mark, threatening to become the first UCD player since Dave Nix in 1995 to reach that mark.
He came up just short, going 4-for-12 in the series against the Cougars, but said it was impossible to be dissatisfied with that sort of year.
“I can’t complain,” he said. “It would have been nice to hit .400, but I can sleep at night with .397.”
Descalso is a junior, but is expected to be selected on the first day of next week’s MLB Entry Draft.
The junior was part of the Aggies’ three-run fourth, an inning in which the Aggies needed just one hit to post that total. Descalso reached second on when his grounder to shortstop was thrown into the UCD dugout, moved to third on an inexplicable pickoff throw by catcher Mike Gilbert that sailed over the uncovered base into centerfield and scored on Aaron Hanke’s grounder to short.
Then -- after an hit batter, error and walk loaded the bases -- Michael Jacobellis chopped a two-run single back up the middle.
Jacob Jefferies’ sacrifice fly in the eighth inning scored Brandon Oliver to add an insurance run.
The game was the final athletic event of the campus’ four-year transition to Division I. The Enterprise doesn’t publish on Monday because of Memorial Day, but we’ll wrap up this baseball season in the coming days. Then we’ll talk more about the end of the transition, which still has some administrative machinations left, but is done in terms of on-field activity.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Herd thunders into Section final
SACRAMENTO – Elk Grove scored four unearned runs in the top of the seventh inning to break a tie and won the Sac-Joaquin Division I North section title with a 6-2 victory on Friday at American River College. The Thundering Herd (21-10) have now won 16 consecutive games in section play dating back to 2004.
Josh McMahon grounded out to second with the bases loaded to bring home Miguel Rubio with the go-ahead run. Nolan Cassidy followed with a single to left to score two more and starting pitcher Troy Watson capped the inning with an RBI single to left.
In going the distance, Watson allowed three hits and five walks while striking out eight.
The Blue Devils (23-9) tied the game at two in the bottom of the sixth when Joel Baroody scored on a passed ball with John Prato Matthews batting but were unable to take the lead.
Josh McMahon grounded out to second with the bases loaded to bring home Miguel Rubio with the go-ahead run. Nolan Cassidy followed with a single to left to score two more and starting pitcher Troy Watson capped the inning with an RBI single to left.
In going the distance, Watson allowed three hits and five walks while striking out eight.
The Blue Devils (23-9) tied the game at two in the bottom of the sixth when Joel Baroody scored on a passed ball with John Prato Matthews batting but were unable to take the lead.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Coming this afternoon
Here's what coming this afternoon, when The Enterprise's super Sports section rolls off our presses in downtown Davis.
Experience, newbies at Masters
The Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet can be a different experience for athletes. Although there isn’t as much competition as meets like Arcadia and Stanford, there’s certainly more on the line. That’s where athletes like Chelsea Reilly, Lauren Guerrieri and Brendan Gregg can be of help to other Davis High athletes. They’ve been there and conquered.
The three DHS seniors will hope for more company at the CIF State Track and Field Championships next week. The top three athletes in the Masters finals advance to state.
Barton trying something new
WEST SACRAMENTO – Daric Barton’s eyes were bright red as he hit the postgame buffet Wednesday, but it had nothing to do with the River Cats’ 7-2 loss to Salt Lake. Barton wears red contacts during day games to cut down on glare in a stadium where night baseball is the norm. He’s not sure they make much difference, but it’s worth a shot. He has a similar attitude toward life at third base, where he played Wednesday for just the second time this season.
Experience, newbies at Masters
The Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet can be a different experience for athletes. Although there isn’t as much competition as meets like Arcadia and Stanford, there’s certainly more on the line. That’s where athletes like Chelsea Reilly, Lauren Guerrieri and Brendan Gregg can be of help to other Davis High athletes. They’ve been there and conquered.
The three DHS seniors will hope for more company at the CIF State Track and Field Championships next week. The top three athletes in the Masters finals advance to state.
Barton trying something new
WEST SACRAMENTO – Daric Barton’s eyes were bright red as he hit the postgame buffet Wednesday, but it had nothing to do with the River Cats’ 7-2 loss to Salt Lake. Barton wears red contacts during day games to cut down on glare in a stadium where night baseball is the norm. He’s not sure they make much difference, but it’s worth a shot. He has a similar attitude toward life at third base, where he played Wednesday for just the second time this season.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A funny story about Tommy Lasorda
Perhaps because this is Giants/A's country here, and also because basically every Davis High team was in playoff action last weekend, but we mostly missed Tommy Lasorda's visit to town. He was here for the UC Davis baseball hall of fame banquet. I'm sorry I missed it. Scott Marsh, famous from Aggie basketball broadcasts and his regular appearances on Comcast Sports Net, informed me that Lasorda is one of the best speakers in the world. So here's a story about Lasorda, courtesy of Enterprise special sections editor Tanya Perez.
A friend of Tanya and her husband's attended the dinner with Lasorda. The friend had been told that he'd become a Dodger fan after hearing Lasorda talk. After the talk, the friend approached Lasorda and said, sadly, he had not been converted to rooting for the Dodgers. Then he told Lasorda he knew someone who was an even bigger Dodger fan. He was talking about Tanya's husband, Steve, who doubles as a big-time economics professor. I'll let Tanya pick up the story:
A friend of Tanya and her husband's attended the dinner with Lasorda. The friend had been told that he'd become a Dodger fan after hearing Lasorda talk. After the talk, the friend approached Lasorda and said, sadly, he had not been converted to rooting for the Dodgers. Then he told Lasorda he knew someone who was an even bigger Dodger fan. He was talking about Tanya's husband, Steve, who doubles as a big-time economics professor. I'll let Tanya pick up the story:
Tommy responded, "Get your friend on the phone!"I thought it was a nice story.
So, (the friend) called up Steve, who bleeds Dodger Blue, and said, "Hey, Tommy Lasorda wants to talk to you." As Steve waited for (the friend) to get back on the phone using his best Tommy impersonator voice, he was shocked and awed to find out it was Tommy himself.
"Hey, Steve, it's Tommy Lasorda. How ya doin'?"
Steve nearly choked on his tears of joy and responded, "Hello, Mr. Lasorda. It's an honor to talk to you. I've been a Dodger fan since before you managed, and you've made some wonderful memories for me."
Ever the gentleman, Tommy responded, "Well, thanks, Steve. I appreciate it. You take care..."
Steve felt like he was 10 years old again, and all was right with the world.
Coming this afternoon
Here's what you'll find today when our scrumptious sports section starts rolling off the presses in mere minutes.
Roller-coaster season on right track
After a rough start to the season and to his career, UC Davis thinks Bryan Evans finally is on the right track.
Herd deliver knockout
SACRAMENTO — Big innings in baseball can be either the savior or death of a team, depending on the side. On Monday night, Davis High was on the wrong side. Elk Grove scored five runs in the third inning and sent the Blue Devils into the loser’s bracket with a 6-3 win at American River College.
Raber advances to state
Davis High School junior Tyler Raber shot a 74 Monday to tie for fourth place at the Northern California championships at Brookside Country Club in Stockton. Raber advanced to the state championship at Poppy Hills on June 6.
Roller-coaster season on right track
After a rough start to the season and to his career, UC Davis thinks Bryan Evans finally is on the right track.
Herd deliver knockout
SACRAMENTO — Big innings in baseball can be either the savior or death of a team, depending on the side. On Monday night, Davis High was on the wrong side. Elk Grove scored five runs in the third inning and sent the Blue Devils into the loser’s bracket with a 6-3 win at American River College.
Raber advances to state
Davis High School junior Tyler Raber shot a 74 Monday to tie for fourth place at the Northern California championships at Brookside Country Club in Stockton. Raber advanced to the state championship at Poppy Hills on June 6.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Coming this afternoon
Davis High's playoffs and the events at Raley Field pack today's Enterprise glorious gold-flagged sports section. And don't forget to tune in Sunday, when we add UC Davis baseball to mix.
Devils are turf tough
FOLSOM — Behind two goals from star forward Julie Gallaudet, the Blue Devils earned a berth in the section finals by eliminating the defending champion St. Francis 2-1 on Thursday night. Gallaudet’s goals equaled the total number St. Francis had allowed in 22 other games this year.
DHS baseball is battle tested
For eight teams, including Davis High, the Sac-Joaquin North Section Division I baseball playoffs start on Saturday at American River College. Four of those teams will also see their playoff runs end on Saturday, as the first round is single elimination. The day, known to participants as “Suicide Saturday,” is often more mentally challenging than physical.
DHS softball likes underdog role
It was a five-year dry spell for the Davis High School softball team, so the Blue Devils are taking a nothing-to-lose stance heading into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Playoffs. And why not? The Blue Devils only feature two seniors and clinched their berth on the final day of the regular season. DHS (9-10) takes on ex-Monticello Empire League foe, Napa (24-3), at noon Saturday at the Sacramento Softball Complex.
Another big Double Century is expected
Saturday is a big day for the Davis cycling community as well as anyone who has the ability to ride a bicycle for 200 miles. The 38th Davis Double Century is the most popular ride of its kind on the California Triple Crown schedule, often attracting close to 1,000 riders from all over the country and Canada.
Melillo helps depleted Sacramento edge Sky Sox
WEST SACRAMENTO -- The roster roller coaster continued for the River Cats, but a home run and double from Kevin Melillo put Sacramento past Colorado Springs.
Devils are turf tough
FOLSOM — Behind two goals from star forward Julie Gallaudet, the Blue Devils earned a berth in the section finals by eliminating the defending champion St. Francis 2-1 on Thursday night. Gallaudet’s goals equaled the total number St. Francis had allowed in 22 other games this year.
DHS baseball is battle tested
For eight teams, including Davis High, the Sac-Joaquin North Section Division I baseball playoffs start on Saturday at American River College. Four of those teams will also see their playoff runs end on Saturday, as the first round is single elimination. The day, known to participants as “Suicide Saturday,” is often more mentally challenging than physical.
DHS softball likes underdog role
It was a five-year dry spell for the Davis High School softball team, so the Blue Devils are taking a nothing-to-lose stance heading into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Playoffs. And why not? The Blue Devils only feature two seniors and clinched their berth on the final day of the regular season. DHS (9-10) takes on ex-Monticello Empire League foe, Napa (24-3), at noon Saturday at the Sacramento Softball Complex.
Another big Double Century is expected
Saturday is a big day for the Davis cycling community as well as anyone who has the ability to ride a bicycle for 200 miles. The 38th Davis Double Century is the most popular ride of its kind on the California Triple Crown schedule, often attracting close to 1,000 riders from all over the country and Canada.
Melillo helps depleted Sacramento edge Sky Sox
WEST SACRAMENTO -- The roster roller coaster continued for the River Cats, but a home run and double from Kevin Melillo put Sacramento past Colorado Springs.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Coming this afternoon
There's plenty to enjoy this afternoon when The Enterprise's brilliant B Section comes rolling off the presses our presses near G Street this afternoon. And in addition to these stories, there's also the youth page.
Hanke parks ball in win over Sac State
SACRAMENTO — It’s been a breakout season for UC Davis right fielder Aaron Hanke and the senior doesn’t necessarily think the end is near. Hanke had three hits, including a titanic blast off the Sacramento State parking structure in left field, as the Aggies crippled the Hornets 10-1 Wednesday at Hornet Field.
UCD coach Rex Peters said he thinks Hanke will join teammate Daniel Descalso and possibly center fielder Ryan Royster as Aggies who will taken by big league organizations in the June draft.
UCD cycling flying high
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The UC Davis cycling team completed defense of its 2006 National Collegiate Cycling Championship by taking second place overall at the Division I team competition over the weekend.
Stanford, one of 10 teams that UCD defeated at this season’s Western Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships, won the overall team title, which counts all individual scores for both men and women in the team time trial, road race and criterium events.
Hanke parks ball in win over Sac State
SACRAMENTO — It’s been a breakout season for UC Davis right fielder Aaron Hanke and the senior doesn’t necessarily think the end is near. Hanke had three hits, including a titanic blast off the Sacramento State parking structure in left field, as the Aggies crippled the Hornets 10-1 Wednesday at Hornet Field.
UCD coach Rex Peters said he thinks Hanke will join teammate Daniel Descalso and possibly center fielder Ryan Royster as Aggies who will taken by big league organizations in the June draft.
UCD cycling flying high
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The UC Davis cycling team completed defense of its 2006 National Collegiate Cycling Championship by taking second place overall at the Division I team competition over the weekend.
Stanford, one of 10 teams that UCD defeated at this season’s Western Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships, won the overall team title, which counts all individual scores for both men and women in the team time trial, road race and criterium events.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Coming Soon
Prep playoffs dominate The Enterprise's superb sports section today. Here's what's coming.
Fist-pumping victory
SACRAMENTO — Davis High (19-4) won their first section crown since 2004, edging the Marauders 5-4. DHS advances to the Northern California team championships Friday at UC Davis.
Troubadours rematch for Devils
Any time a team is coming off an emotional win over a quality opponent, there is always the risk of a letdown. The Blue Devils (22-2-3) didn’t have one of their best games of the year on Tuesday but were able to eliminate the Indians with a 4-2 victory at Yudin Field. DHS will play rival St. Francis, which beat Elk Grove 2-0, with a berth in the section final on the line.
Fist-pumping victory
SACRAMENTO — Davis High (19-4) won their first section crown since 2004, edging the Marauders 5-4. DHS advances to the Northern California team championships Friday at UC Davis.
Troubadours rematch for Devils
Any time a team is coming off an emotional win over a quality opponent, there is always the risk of a letdown. The Blue Devils (22-2-3) didn’t have one of their best games of the year on Tuesday but were able to eliminate the Indians with a 4-2 victory at Yudin Field. DHS will play rival St. Francis, which beat Elk Grove 2-0, with a berth in the section final on the line.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Coming this afternoon
It's all about the preps today in our glorious gold-flagged Enterprise sports. And how could that be a surprise. It's almost playoff season.
It’s been a good year for Anibaba
The honors just keep piling up for Davis High School soccer star Jalil Anibaba.
The graduating senior is already the only high school player on the United States under-20 national team. On Thursday, Anibaba was named the 2006-07 Gatorade California Boys Soccer player of the year.
No turf war for DHS girls today
Folsom High School is a dangerous team as it is, but the Bulldogs are even more lethal on their home field. And that’s why Davis High girls soccer coach Allen Carlson is thankful today’s first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Playoffs will be played at Yudin Field, instead of the artificial surface in Folsom. It’s been so long that the Blue Devils have lost at Yudin, Carlson can’t recall the last time it happened.
Devils found their mojo
The Davis High lacrosse team finished off a rocky season in style and won its first Senior Night game in six years. Senior Anna White had a hat trick and an assist Thursday as the Blue Devils took down Campolindo 12-8 at Halden Field. Zoe Schladow had two goals and two assists for a DHS team that won six of its final seven games.
DHS softball clinches berth on final day
The Davis High School softball team clinched a Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth on the final day of the regular season, blowing out host Laguna Creek 17-1 Thursday in Elk Grove. On Tuesday, the Blue Devils beat Kennedy 3-1, a game that helped them lock up the third and final playoff spot from the Delta Valley Conference. DHS (9-10, 5-5) will take on Napa at noon in the first round of the postseason May 19 at the Sacramento Softball Complex.
It’s been a good year for Anibaba
The honors just keep piling up for Davis High School soccer star Jalil Anibaba.
The graduating senior is already the only high school player on the United States under-20 national team. On Thursday, Anibaba was named the 2006-07 Gatorade California Boys Soccer player of the year.
No turf war for DHS girls today
Folsom High School is a dangerous team as it is, but the Bulldogs are even more lethal on their home field. And that’s why Davis High girls soccer coach Allen Carlson is thankful today’s first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Playoffs will be played at Yudin Field, instead of the artificial surface in Folsom. It’s been so long that the Blue Devils have lost at Yudin, Carlson can’t recall the last time it happened.
Devils found their mojo
The Davis High lacrosse team finished off a rocky season in style and won its first Senior Night game in six years. Senior Anna White had a hat trick and an assist Thursday as the Blue Devils took down Campolindo 12-8 at Halden Field. Zoe Schladow had two goals and two assists for a DHS team that won six of its final seven games.
DHS softball clinches berth on final day
The Davis High School softball team clinched a Sac-Joaquin Section playoff berth on the final day of the regular season, blowing out host Laguna Creek 17-1 Thursday in Elk Grove. On Tuesday, the Blue Devils beat Kennedy 3-1, a game that helped them lock up the third and final playoff spot from the Delta Valley Conference. DHS (9-10, 5-5) will take on Napa at noon in the first round of the postseason May 19 at the Sacramento Softball Complex.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Coming this afternoon
Today B Section is filled to the brim. Here's what you'll find when the paper rolls off the presses this afternoon.
Coming up for air
Pete Motekaitis has been coaching swimming at Davis High in some capacity for 24 years. But after this season, his run at DHS will be over, not coincidentally because his daughter Sam is a senior this year and will be heading off to college.
Change doesn’t hurt Devils
Despite playing from the black tees for the first time this year on Wednesday, the Davis High School boys golf team still had the home-course advantage. Presented with a golden opportunity to play the Sac-Joaquin Division I North sub-section at Wildhorse Golf Club, the Blue Devils made the most of it, finishing second and advancing to Masters competition next week.
Devils bite ’Dogs 9-0 in playoffs
It was business as usual for the Davis High boys tennis team as it prepares for a seemingly inevitable rematch with Jesuit for the section crown. The Blue Devils didn’t drop a set in cruising to a 9-0 win over Turlock to advance to the Sac-Joaquin Division I section semifinals on Monday.
Ags put up QB decision for later
If the football season started June 1, Tim Plough would be UC Davis' starting quarterback. But it doesn't start until September 1, and because of that Aggie coach Bob Biggs wants to see more.
Coming up for air
Pete Motekaitis has been coaching swimming at Davis High in some capacity for 24 years. But after this season, his run at DHS will be over, not coincidentally because his daughter Sam is a senior this year and will be heading off to college.
Change doesn’t hurt Devils
Despite playing from the black tees for the first time this year on Wednesday, the Davis High School boys golf team still had the home-course advantage. Presented with a golden opportunity to play the Sac-Joaquin Division I North sub-section at Wildhorse Golf Club, the Blue Devils made the most of it, finishing second and advancing to Masters competition next week.
Devils bite ’Dogs 9-0 in playoffs
It was business as usual for the Davis High boys tennis team as it prepares for a seemingly inevitable rematch with Jesuit for the section crown. The Blue Devils didn’t drop a set in cruising to a 9-0 win over Turlock to advance to the Sac-Joaquin Division I section semifinals on Monday.
Ags put up QB decision for later
If the football season started June 1, Tim Plough would be UC Davis' starting quarterback. But it doesn't start until September 1, and because of that Aggie coach Bob Biggs wants to see more.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
And the starting quarterback is...
still to be determined.
UC Davis coach Bob Biggs said Wednesday he will put off choosing between Tim Plough and Matt Engle until August. To read his reasoning, check out Thursday's Enterprise.
UC Davis coach Bob Biggs said Wednesday he will put off choosing between Tim Plough and Matt Engle until August. To read his reasoning, check out Thursday's Enterprise.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Meanwhile, in Southern Ohio...
Photographic proof that UC Davis' Tony Kays is in Bengals camp. This photo, from the Cincinnati Enquirer, shows Kays working against the team's first-round draft pick, Leon Hall of Michigan. It looks like Kays made that catch. And in the rain, no less.
Friday, May 4, 2007
A viewer's guide to the Spring Game
The UC Davis football team's spring game is Saturday morning at Aggie Stadium. The practice starts at 8:30 a.m. The full-contact portion should begin around 9, and last about two hours. The football team must be out of the stadium by 11:30, to make way for Day 2 of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation lacrosse tournament.
--The format will be such that the first-team defense will always be facing the first-team offense and the second-teams will be facing each other at all times. As for quarterbacks: Matt Engle will take the first snap because he won when the quarterbacks drew lots. He and Tim Plough will alternate series with the first-team offense. As reported in today's Enterprise, those two QBs are neck-and-neck right for the starting job. Freshman Greg Denham will take two-thirds of the series with the second-team offense. Danny Alfaro will pick up the rest.
--Expect a lot of four-linebacker looks from the defense. The position where the Aggies are thinnest this spring is defensive end, and the 3-4 formations can cover for that. Also, the defense will be using its full compliment of blitzes, while the offense will be using very little of its usual pre-snap motion.
--If past precedent holds, the numbers worn on the practice field will have little to do with the numbers on the official roster. The irresponsible rumormongerers over at Aggiesportstalk.com have done their best to compile a practice jersey roster, so if you're curious that might be worth checking out.
--Defensive end James Amos (shoulder), wide receiver Chris Carter (shoulder) and cornerback Adam Cook (shoulder) are the three returning starters expected to miss the spring game.
Also, unlike in past years, there will be points awarded to the offense and defense during the scrimmage. Here is the scoring system, as UCD coach Bob Biggs told it to me:
Offense
Touchdown = 6 points
Field Goal = 3 points
PAT = 1 point
Two straight first downs = 1 point
Run play over 12 yards = 1 point
Pass play over 16 yards = 1 point
Defense
Turnover = 3 points
Missed field goal = 3 points
Sack = 2 points
Tackle for loss = 1 point
three-and-out = 1 point
I don't know if that's the entire system, or if the stats will be kept live at the stadium. It would be a nice excuse to turn the scoreboard on.
--The format will be such that the first-team defense will always be facing the first-team offense and the second-teams will be facing each other at all times. As for quarterbacks: Matt Engle will take the first snap because he won when the quarterbacks drew lots. He and Tim Plough will alternate series with the first-team offense. As reported in today's Enterprise, those two QBs are neck-and-neck right for the starting job. Freshman Greg Denham will take two-thirds of the series with the second-team offense. Danny Alfaro will pick up the rest.
--Expect a lot of four-linebacker looks from the defense. The position where the Aggies are thinnest this spring is defensive end, and the 3-4 formations can cover for that. Also, the defense will be using its full compliment of blitzes, while the offense will be using very little of its usual pre-snap motion.
--If past precedent holds, the numbers worn on the practice field will have little to do with the numbers on the official roster. The irresponsible rumormongerers over at Aggiesportstalk.com have done their best to compile a practice jersey roster, so if you're curious that might be worth checking out.
--Defensive end James Amos (shoulder), wide receiver Chris Carter (shoulder) and cornerback Adam Cook (shoulder) are the three returning starters expected to miss the spring game.
Also, unlike in past years, there will be points awarded to the offense and defense during the scrimmage. Here is the scoring system, as UCD coach Bob Biggs told it to me:
Offense
Touchdown = 6 points
Field Goal = 3 points
PAT = 1 point
Two straight first downs = 1 point
Run play over 12 yards = 1 point
Pass play over 16 yards = 1 point
Defense
Turnover = 3 points
Missed field goal = 3 points
Sack = 2 points
Tackle for loss = 1 point
three-and-out = 1 point
I don't know if that's the entire system, or if the stats will be kept live at the stadium. It would be a nice excuse to turn the scoreboard on.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Coming this afternoon
A baseball breakthrough and an academic issue highlight today's bountiful B Section. There is also The Enterprise's much-anticipated and never-duplicated Youth Sports Page. The paper hits streets around 1 p.m., so, please, try to be patient.
APR results mixed for UCD athletics
Softball and men's soccer were well below the cutoff line, but UC Davis' first full appearance in the NCAA's academic rankings was generally good.
Devils hand ’Cats first defeat
ELK GROVE — The Davis High baseball team handed Franklin its first conference loss of the year. John Prato Matthews turned in a strong pitching performance and the Blue Devils won 7-2.
APR results mixed for UCD athletics
Softball and men's soccer were well below the cutoff line, but UC Davis' first full appearance in the NCAA's academic rankings was generally good.
Devils hand ’Cats first defeat
ELK GROVE — The Davis High baseball team handed Franklin its first conference loss of the year. John Prato Matthews turned in a strong pitching performance and the Blue Devils won 7-2.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The academic data is out
The NCAA has just released the latest Academic Progress Rate data. For the first time, the entire UC Davis program has been included. The news is generally good. Five teams received perfect scores and the vast majority were well above the cutoff point. Five UC Davis sports failed to make the grade: women's indoor track (920), Men's golf (913), wrestling (907), men's soccer (894) and softball (841).
What do those numbers mean? The APR is the centerpiece of the NCAA's attempt at academic reform. It was designed as a real-time measure of an individual team's academic performance. A team receives one point for every athlete that remains eligible and another for every athlete that remains in school. Each athlete can score two points. After the data is gathered, calculations are done, and the result is expressed out of a possible 1000. According to the NCAA, the number 925 is considered passing and equates to about a 60-percent graduation rate. Programs that continally fail to make the grade are docked scholarships and could, eventually, be banned from postseason competitions. So failing is kind of a big deal.
Wrestling and gymnastics have been Division I for years and were included in the intial data release last year. UCD Wrestling has seen an improvement from 826 two years ago to 907 now. It will avoid penalties this year. The other sports won't be punished because there is only one year of calculations, but it's clear there is some work to do.
Among the most-watched sports: Football scored a 925, men's basketball earned a 962, women's basketball was at 982. Baseball came out at 946, a good number given the major concerns expressed this offseason about the sport's poor numbers overall.
We'll have a full story in Thursday's Enterprise.
UPDATE (1:11): Edits made to correct wrestling history and men's basketball score.
What do those numbers mean? The APR is the centerpiece of the NCAA's attempt at academic reform. It was designed as a real-time measure of an individual team's academic performance. A team receives one point for every athlete that remains eligible and another for every athlete that remains in school. Each athlete can score two points. After the data is gathered, calculations are done, and the result is expressed out of a possible 1000. According to the NCAA, the number 925 is considered passing and equates to about a 60-percent graduation rate. Programs that continally fail to make the grade are docked scholarships and could, eventually, be banned from postseason competitions. So failing is kind of a big deal.
Wrestling and gymnastics have been Division I for years and were included in the intial data release last year. UCD Wrestling has seen an improvement from 826 two years ago to 907 now. It will avoid penalties this year. The other sports won't be punished because there is only one year of calculations, but it's clear there is some work to do.
Among the most-watched sports: Football scored a 925, men's basketball earned a 962, women's basketball was at 982. Baseball came out at 946, a good number given the major concerns expressed this offseason about the sport's poor numbers overall.
We'll have a full story in Thursday's Enterprise.
UPDATE (1:11): Edits made to correct wrestling history and men's basketball score.
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