Instant replay: A year in review

Section championships, an Elite-8 appearance and a few stellar individual feats have topped our Stories of the Year list for 2008.

The stories represent a year in which 14 Mid-Valley teams hung section title banners in the gymnasium, five Mid-Valley teens signed national letters of intent with Division-I schools and hundreds of competitors laid it all out on the fields, tracks and courts.

Marysville High football

There was really no other story this year more shocking than Marysville High's football team and its amazing turnaround.

From flop to first, the Indians went from a 2-7-1 team in 2007 to a 10-2 powerhouse which captured a Division VI Sac-Joaquin Section Championship.

And if that wasn't enough, the Indians turned back their league rival from just over the river twice during the run. Marysville overcame Lindhurst, the section runner-up, making its first-ever football section championship even more memorable.

The smashmouth team was led by second-year head coach Cullen Meyer, who was not shy about sharing his early-season prognostication of a possible "section-championship" Indians team and backed up his words with the win.

Both Meyer and linebacker/ fullback James Chandless were named to the All-Area Appeal-Democrat team. Meyer was named co-Coach of the Year, while Chandless was named Defensive MVP.

Sutter sports

When a school earns five team section championships, and comes up just short in several other sports, a common denominator is always found in the athletic director.

Sutter is no different.

Sutter's Scott Turner wrapped up his final season as head coach of the football team after 22 years at the helm and went out with a bang following his team's 12-7 win over West Valley to capture his second-straight Division II Northern Section Championship.

During his reign, Turner led the Huskies to 10 Butte View League titles, five section titles and the most undefeated regular seasons of any team in the Northern Section.

He also finished on a high note by coaching his son Dane Turner, who, along with teammate Jon Garcia, earned all-section and all-area honors. They were named co-Offensive MVPs for the Appeal-Democrat and led the team to victories in both Oregon and Texas this season.

Turner created a monster in the athletics program at Sutter High. The football team, the girls soccer team, the volleyball team, and the baseball and softball teams also won section titles in '08.

Jason Spain led his girls soccer team to its fifth consecutive section title, Ann Reynolds led her spikers to their fourth straight section title and Mark Renfree led the baseball team to its second straight section championship. Raul Singh led the Huskies softball team to their fourth section title in six years.

But an outstanding wrestling program and tennis program also make Sutter sports elite.

A passing of the torches

While '08 was a year for Sutter fans to wish farewell to Turner, several schools watched first-year coaches take over programs long held by winning skippers.

Mark Varnum took over for Matt Ray at East Nicolaus, Mike Ziegenmeyer replaced Live Oak great Jim Arostegui and Scott Albertson took over Mike Mason at Lindhurst.

But the three transitions act only as examples to dozens of first-year coaches to take over teams in 2008, one of which was not Jim Stassi.

Yuba City High baseball

The Honkers were, and still are, one of the most captivating stories in the Mid-Valley.

Skipper Jim Stassi continues to lead the Honkers to success, and the 2008 team was no different.

The Honkers won their second straight Division III Sac-Joaquin Section title when they defeated Benicia 4-3 in the final contest.

Stassi's legacy continues to grow as his sons Brock Stassi, who worked his way up the University of Nevada-Reno Wolfpack pitching staff in '08, and Max Stassi, who signed with UCLA this year, are both expected to flourish beyond the prep ranks.

The Honkers were loaded with talent, including Justin Lamb and Aaron Crouch, both of whom signed with Sacramento State in 2008. James Haymore, Brandon Pope, Tyler Fry, Hunter Graves, Jake Stassi and, of course, Max Stassi were also among a handful of the team's standouts.

Jason Ramos and his Blazers

Wins and losses are an everyday occurrence in sports — recovering from a two-year battle with cancer is not.

Lindhurst High wrestling coach Jason Ramos and his life-threatening bout with lymphoma was by far the most inspiring story of 2008.

While his story actually took place from 2005 to the beginning of '08, Ramos' story of courage, grit and strength is one that can't be matched.

The Blazers captured their fourth straight Golden Empire League title in wrestling and was led by all-area grappler Ryan Hodges, who capped off a tremendous story for Lindhurst.

Yuba College basketball

Yes, the Yuba College men's basketball program did it again — an Elite-8 appearance. The third in the past six seasons.

Doug Cornelius and Ken Griffin put together another stellar squad in '08. So good, nine of them transferred to four-year schools after their 32-4 year. Royal Edwards, Xavier Crawford and Kyle Rische are now playing at University of the Pacific, California State Uniiversity-Northridge and University of Alaska-Fairbanks, respectively.

The 49ers topped their wins record (32), cruised through the Bay Valley Conference and delivered a strong performance in the postseason before falling in the Elite-8 opener in Stockton.

The Gold Sox

The Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox rolled out another successful season and provided the fans with enough talent to exceed the attendance record and set a new high of 3,630.

A handful of local products took the field in 2008, but it was also a year in which vandals gutted the announcer's booth at All Seasons RV Stadium before the start of the season.

Two local men were arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and vandalism. More than $10,000 worth of damage was said to be done to the booth.

On the field, it was Yuba City's Brock Stassi who was named team MVP, while Jack Johnson was named Manager of the Year. Grayson Adams, Brock Floro and Stassi were all named Horizon Air Summer Series first team. The Gold Sox finished 35-11.

Marysville Raceway's 40th anniversary

Kelseyville's Brent Dothage entered the final points race of the season with a six-point lead over Yuba City's Korey Lovell in the sprint car division and took home the title when Lovell couldn't keep his car on the track.

Lovell, who was looking to capture an unprecedented fourth track title, spun out on lap six and had to be reshuffled to the back of the field, opening the door for Dothage.

Lisa Shelby and Joel Giusti captured the final two local divisions at Marysville Raceway Park.

Shelby of Yuba City wrapped up the street stock points championship. Shelby finished the season with 1,109 points. Giusti, of Sutter, captured the mini-stock crown.

Individual performances

While Lindhurst High's Joey Villasenor was named Male Athlete of the Year and Gridley's Sarah Nichols was named Female Athlete of the Year, 2008 was filled with outstanding individual performances.

Villasenor lettered in five sports his senior year, reached the finals of the 800 meters at the State Track and Field meet in the spring and won the Golden Empire League championship in cross country.

Gridley High's Sarah Nichols played three sports and won the Northern Section titles in the long jump and 300-meter low hurdles.

But they weren't the only ones to shine.

Yuba City High's Max Stassi is already being touted as the nation's top Major League Baseball prospect at the catcher position, and while he's signed a national letter of intent to play at UCLA in 2010, he's expected to get drafted in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft.

Yuba College's Tristan Wilson has climbed the ranks to being named an all-american community college basketball player. He recently signed with Long Beach State University and is expected to make a big impact on a young Yuba team this season.

Speaking of young Yuba team, how about Keenan Prince?

The former Marysville High hoopster went from barely making the team, to nearly leading the team in scoring early on.

A few runners posted outstanding seasons, including Wheatland's Jessica Carpenter, Sutter's Darius Ray and Tony Perez and River Valley's Abdul Ghafour, who was named Tri-County Conference MVP.

In wrestling, it was Wheatland's Alex Pinto, Sutter's Timmy Nevarez and Hodges of Lindhurst who led the Mid-Valley.

Meanwhile, Live Oak's Rachel DeWitt unveiled another outstanding year in tennis.

Isaiah Frey, of Olivehurst, earned a spot as a starting cornerback for the Nevada Wolfpack football team and, along with Yuba City's Jordan Holmes, played in a college bowl game.

Also making a splash was Jessica Moore. The dominant athlete, who plays three sports with Sutter High, signed her national letter of intent with the University of Oregon to play softball.