Playoff fever running high

While 26 combined Mid-Valley area baseball and softball teams are set for the 2009 spring postseason, one team is still grasping for hope.

The necessary steps to complete the athletic transfer of a River Valley High student this year fell short, and so did the Falcons' first-ever playoff bid.

The original paperwork for baseball player Sam Tanner, who transferred from Yuba City High to River Valley this past season, was lost in the shuffle and was never mailed to the California Interscholastic Federation, which forced the Falcons to forfeit their games this season.

"If the paperwork would have been properly filed, we would have been OK," said River Valley High principal Larry Bonds, who also said an appeal process is forthcoming. "We are looking for some possibilities in that realm and do what we can do to explore all options. If we can't do x, we try y."

According to head coach Todd Artist, assistant principal Brian Brown has already began taking up the appeal process.

And he's keeping his fingers crossed.

"We have to keep our hopes up. Our parents have done a good job and I know Brian Brown has done a good job as well, I'm keeping my hopes up," Artist said.

Bonds has been told that if the original paperwork were to be found, the CIF would make a ruling on Tanner's application.

It's still unclear whether or not the paperwork ever reached the office of River Valley athletic director Thomas Zaragoza.

"Bottom line is our athletic director did not turn in the paperwork and he told a kid he could play," Bonds said. "I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I heard of this, we've began working with the CIF to get through this, so we'll see."

For most teams however, playoff fever has already began.

The Northern Section kicks off Tuesday.

The top seeds in their respective brackets are East Nicolaus and Maxwell baseball, and Colusa and Sutter softball. Meanwhile, Princeton and Colusa baseball were granted No. 2 seeds, along with Maxwell and Wheatland softball.

Williams baseball snuck into the postseason with a No. 8 seed and will play win Division IV with Biggs, which will visit Esparto.

Also traveling will be Live Oak, which will play at Trinity and Pierce, which will visit Hamilton.

Wheatland, Gridley and Sutter are stuck in the middle of the Division II bracket. While Gridley and Sutter will take to the road, Wheatland will host West Valley.

If Biggs can get by Burney in the first round of the Division V softball bracket, it will face Colusa later on Tuesday. Meanwhile, East Nicolaus will play Portola in Etna. The Live Oak softball team will visit Winters and if victorious will match up against powerhouse Sutter on Thursday.

The Sac-Joaquin Section begins Wednesday and Yuba City baseball is set to take on El Camino at Sacramento State. If River Valley's request for re-entry into the postseason was granted, the Falcons would play Vanden on Wednesday.

Both Faith Christian teams are set for Thursday, while Marysville baseball will play against Victory Christian in Lodi on Thursday.

Contact sports editor Bryan DeMain at bdemain@appealdemocrat.com or call 749-4715.