33 RUNS, 35 HITS, ONE LOSS

Cal Poly and Fresno State take it to ten innings in a high scoring Bulldogs defeat.

From gobulldogs.com:

The Fresno State baseball team took No. 13 Cal Poly to extra innings in a midweek contest, but fell 17-16 in the 10th inning. It is the second game that the Bulldogs have gone into extra innings in 2009.

The Bulldog offense exploded for three home runs from Tom Mendonca, Alan Ahmady and a grand slam by freshman Dusty Robinson. The `Dogs scored 16 runs on 16 hits and have a 20-23 overall mark.

Fresno State’s pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts, which is the most the Bulldogs have struck out in a single game.

The two teams faced off earlier this season at Beiden Field in Fresno and the Mustangs came out on top winning, 13-11.

Leadoff batter Danny Muno walked. Mendonca launched a home run over the left field wall giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. Mendonca has 17 home runs on the year.

Designated hitter Kenny Wise singled to right field. Wise safely slid into second base. It is the freshman’s fifth stolen base in 2009. Right fielder Brennan Gowens doubled to center field and Wise crossed home plate extending the `Dogs lead to 3-0.

Cal Poly answered with three runs in the bottom of the first inning tying the game at 3-3.

In the second inning, shortstop Ryan Allgrove singled to shallow left field. Muno singled passed the second baseman and Allgrove advanced to third base. Ahmady knocked one over the left field wall, his third of the season, and the Bulldogs regain the lead, 6-3.

The Mustangs responded with six runs in the second inning taking a 9-6 lead. Sophomore Gene Escat came out of the bullpen for the `Dogs recording back-to-back strikeouts to retire the third inning.

Left fielder Dusty Robinson reached base on a fielding error. Ahmady walked and Robinson advanced to second base. Mendonca singled to right field as Robinson scored and Ahmady advanced to third base. The Bulldogs trail 11-7.

Pinch hitter Jake Johnson grounded out to the shortstop allowing Ahmady to cross home plate and the Bulldogs trail 11-8.

Junior Zac Bischoff came in relief in the fourth inning and sat down the Mustang batters 1-2-3. The righty threw two scoreless innings and struck out a career-high five batters.

Senior Gavin Hedstrom reached base in the fifth inning after getting hit by a pitch. Allgrove walked moving Hedstrom to second base. Muno walked to load the bases. Robinson hit a grand slam over the left center field taking the lead, 12-11.

Robinson’s grand slam is the third time this season the `Dogs have hit a home run with the bases loaded.

Cal Poly tied the game at 12 runs apiece in the sixth inning.

In the seventh inning the Bulldogs scored four runs regaining the lead. Muno reached base on a fielding error. Robinson hit a single to left field advancing to third base. Robinson advanced to second base on the throw to third base. Ahmady singled up the middle allowing two runners to score giving Fresno State the lead, 14-12.

Mendonca reached on an error moving Ahmady to third base. Mendonca advanced to second base on the error. Gowens hit an RBI single to second base increasing the `Dogs lead, 15-12.

Hedstrom grounded out to the shortstop allowing Gowens to advance to second base and bringing Mendonca home as the Bulldogs lead, 16-12.

Left-hander Josh Poytress came out of the bullpen in the seventh inning and sat down the Cal Poly batters in order.

In the eighth inning, Muno walked. Muno walked three times on the night bringing his career total to 100. He needs two more to tie eighth place on the all-time list. Muno stole second base and he has 11 stolen bases this season.

The Bulldog infield turned their 35th double play of the year retiring the eighth inning preventing the Mustangs from scoring.

Cal Poly scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game, 16-16.

The Mustangs scored in the bottom of the tenth inning to earn the 17-16 victory.

The Bulldogs return home to face Nevada in a four-game series starting Friday, May 1 at 6:05 p.m. in Beiden Field.

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LOVE THE TEAM, %$!@ THE OWNER

Time to rant.

My beloved Oakland Raiders (I mean Al Davis) drafted Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick in the NFL Draft Saturday.

I’m still trying to get over it today (Wednesday, April 29, 2009).

Texas Tech wideout Michael Crabtree was my choice. Missouri pass catcher Jeremy Maclin was my second choice. Heyward-Bey wasn’t even on my radar screen. He wasn’t on most Raiders fans’ radar screens. Note to self: when the Raiders go looking for a receiver, find out who has the fastest 40 time.

Davis sees a 6′2″ Cliff Branch when he sees Heyward-Bey fly down the field. Whether he catches it or not is the $25,000 dollar question. Critics have questioned his hands. Heyward-Bey said on the “Chronicle Live” show that if he couldn’t catch the ball, he wouldn’t be where he is now. That’s true. But if he drops ONE pass, he’ll hear it from The Nation.

Now, is that fair? Absolutely not. Will he forever be linked to Crabtree, who was selected by the rival 49ers three picks later? Definitely. Heyward-Bey will be watched like a hawk by everyone who loves Raider football, so here’s hoping he won’t crumble under the pressure.

Raiders head coach Tom Cable says this pick is as much on him as it is Davis. Not buying it, Mr. Company Man. This has Al Davis written all over it, and I’ve never heard so many devoted Oakland fans asking for Davis to hand over his baby like this before. This was the final straw for some. And come on, Tom! Don’t tell me DHB was your guy when you’re an offensive line coach by trade leading a team in dire need of young offensive tackles! In fact, Oakland could have traded down in the first round to get Heyward-Bey AND offensive line help with the extra picks they could have received.

For the record, Heyward-Bey said he knew the Raiders were going to pick him for sure only two minutes before the announcement. Uh huh. Then how did he get a Raiders hat on his head so fast?

Ever since the Marcus Allen debacle, I have loathed Al Davis. Allen was probably the greatest Raider ever, but you wouldn’t be able to tell in the media guides. Why he treated Allen the way he did, I have no clue. Davis tried to replace him with Bo Jackson, Napoleon McCallum, Roger Craig, Greg Bell and Eric Dickerson, and probably would have started Vance Mueller over him if he really wanted to.

Bottom line: Davis is calling the shots, and you can’t convince me otherwise. In an interview with ESPN, Cable said the Raiders are going to run through defenses and throw over them. I swear I heard Davis and saw Cable. I now also know why he’s the head coach.

Ever since the Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers, Davis and the Raiders have lost 11 games or more for six consecutive seasons (an NFL record), overspent on free agents (Randy Moss, Javon Walker, Terdell Sands), made horrible trades (DeAngelo Hall, Moss), have gone through five head coaches (Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable), brought back the overhead projector, and now fumbled their way through the draft. Commitment to Bizarro World Excellence. The Raider pirate is wearing two eyepatches these days.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Maybe. The AFC West isn’t exactly the toughest division in the NFL and the Raiders have a young and talented nucleus, Heyward-Bey included. But with Al still in charge, you never know.

Hey, there’s always the 2010 draft. Davis’s search for the fastest offensive tackle has begun.

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POINT TAKEN; SHEPP JOINS BULLDOGS

Steve Shepp will be on the court for Fresno State for the next three seasons.

From gobulldogs.com:

Head Coach Steve Cleveland added another key piece to his “Built to Last” program by signing point guard Steven Shepp of Woodbridge, Va., to an Athletic Aid Agreement. Shepp will compete to direct a Bulldog offense that has topped the Western Athletic Conference in 3-point shooting the past three seasons.

“The thing that I love the most about Steven is that he makes everyone around him better,” Cleveland said of his first spring signing for the 2009-10 season. “He is a pass-first point guard that has great range to knock down 3-pointers and does the little things that are needed to excel at the Division I level since he has such great court vision.”

Shepp (6-1, 180) sparked Allegany College of Maryland to the JUCO Nationals by winning the Maryland state JUCO tournament this past season. He led the Trojans in the NJCAA Region 20 by distributing the ball efficiently, running a dynamic offense and exhibiting exceptional leadership characteristics. On the season, Shepp averaged 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals per game. He also completed over 36 percent from his attempts beyond the 3-point arc. In the JUCO National Tournament, Shepp led the way with an average of 16 points and six assists per contest.

“Steven is a great young man, who is humble, but a strong leader,” Cleveland added. “He understands and respects the game. He has a very high basketball IQ and his passion for the game will do very well with our group of young men that have the same passion for the game that he brings every day.”

Shepp also earned respect from scouts across the country, including Tony Jimenez, who rated the JC standout as a high mid-major prospect.

“He is quick, a good ballhandler who jumps well and is a very good passer,” Jimenez said in an independent scouting analysis of Shepp.

But the fire to go hard for every ball and play to the whistle won over Cleveland.

“One of the things that impressed me the most early on was how he dove for every loose ball, took a charge and got in position to get rebounds,” Cleveland said. “He is a threat to drive down the lane and also hit shots from 22 to 25 feet from the hoop.”

After using a medical redshirt during his first year at Allegany, Shepp will enter Fresno State as a sophomore with his AA degree and three years of eligibility for the Bulldogs. He will be expected to contribute immediately, improving an already loaded 2009-10 recruiting class as signees from the early signing period – Greg Smith, Garrett Johnson and Jerry Brown, Jr. – were ranked as the 12th best mid-major group by Rivals.com before the addition of Shepp.

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Here are the links to all four of the valley’s NFL draft selections on their new teams’ websites!

QB TOM BRANDSTATER (Turlock HS-Fresno State-Denver Broncos):
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=2492

LB ZACK FOLLETT (pictured-courtesy Getty Images) (Clovis High School-Cal-Detroit Lions):
http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=484105

TE BEAR PASCOE (Granite Hills HS-Fresno State-San Francisco 49ers):
http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=5266

LB DAVID VEIKUNE (Fresno City College-Hawaii-Cleveland Browns):
http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/article.php?id=9530

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WITH THE _TH PICK…

Brandstater, Pascoe, Follett are all selected on day two of the NFL Draft.

By Andrew Marden
VSP Senior Writer-

The NFL Draft is an inexact science. Sometimes high-round draft picks turn out to be busts and sometimes late-round picks turn out to be the face of a franchise.

Tom Brady was once in the latter category (6th round in 2000). As of this year, so are Fresno State’s Tom Brandstater (QB) and Bear Pascoe (TE).

“I come in as the 3rd guy, obviously,” says Brandstater, a 6th round selection of the Denver Broncos, who already have quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Chris Simms on their roster. “But I’m gonna work like the starter, do what I can to give myself a chance.”

Says Pascoe, a 6th round selection of the San Francisco 49ers, “I’m gonna go into this thing with an open mind. I’m planning on working hard everyday at practice and I’ll do whatever they need me to do, do whatever I can do to help this program.”

Being drafted that late, though, means neither player gets guaranteed money or even a roster spot at this point.

Former Clovis High linebacker Zack Follett knows all about that. The Cal standout, who was third in the nation with 23 tackles for loss last season, fell to the 7th round because of neck issues.

“I have some disc bulges in my neck,” says Follett, who was projected to go as high as the 3rd round before being taken with the 235th overall pick by the Detroit Lions. “I failed a lot of teams’ physicals because of that. A lot of teams didn’t want to spend a lot of money to take that risk, knowing that I could hurt it more and be done.”

Follett did not hear his name called Sunday morning and says he was prepared to not hear it at all.

“It was coming down to the wire, teams were calling me to be a free agent,” he said.

The odds of making an NFL roster that way are not very high. Return specialist Clifton Smith (Edison HS/Fresno State) is the exception, making the Pro Bowl for Tampa Bay last season after going undrafted.

“I’d been hearing all week I was projected from 3rd to mid 4th, maybe into the 5th,” added Pascoe. “So when you drop down to the 6th, a little doubt starts coming into your mind. ‘Maybe I’m not gonna get drafted at all, maybe I have to make it as a free agent.’”

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

The truth of the matter is, all three of these guys already have their feet in the door. They’re going to mini-camp in roughly five days.

“The realization that I’m gonna be a professional football player, it’s kind of crazy to think about it,” says Brandstater. “I just looked at the Denver Broncos’ website and there I am.”

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SPRING SEASON ENDS ON THE OFFENSIVE

From gobulldogs.com:

It was a great day for Bulldog football.

The final spring scrimmage, held in front of nearly 3,000 fans on a picture-perfect day at Bulldog Stadium, was a showcase of what can be expected from the Dogs in 2009.

Head coach Pat Hill ran his team threw nearly 70 plays in the scrimmage, in which the offense completely dominated the defense.

The Dogs scored nine touchdowns and kicked two field goals, including scoring of five of six attempts in the red zone with three touchdowns.

“This week it was the offense and last week it was the defense,” said Hill. “That’s just the way it goes in the spring. We saw some really good things our here. The quarterbacks all looked crisp. I think we have three very good quarterbacks and I know some places wish they had just one. The defense was limited in what it could do. We played a lot of base packages and little blitzing. It was a great day out here and I’m glad our fans came out and showed their support.”

Leading the scoring charge for the Dogs was running back Ryan Mathews, who scored a touchdown on a 6 yard screen pass play and then on a 5 yard run. He had three carries in the scrimmage for six yards and two receptions for 25 yards.

Mathews was one of the nation’s top running backs early in the 2008 season, ranked in the Top 10 in rushing and scoring, before suffering an injury that limited his ability in the second half of the season.

All three quarterbacks showed big play capability in the scrimmage, each accounting for at least two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Ebahn Feathers ran for two scores, including an electrifying 62 yard option run and another on a 6 yard run. In all, he rushed for 126 yards on 12 carries. He completed 2-of-5 passes for 40 yards, with a 19-yard completion to Chastin West and a 21-yard pass to Jamel Hamler.

Ryan Colburn threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to receiver Hamler and had a 58-yard completion to Darren Newborn. Colburn rushed the ball nine times for 59 yards, with a 32-yard run and a 15-yard touchdown run. He had a solid day through the air, completing 5-of-11 passes for 109 yards with one touchdown.

Derek Carr threw three touchdowns in the scrimmage, including a 19-yard pass ot West on the final play of the scrimmage. In all, he threw for 144 yards, completing 11-of-13 passes.

Offensive highlights:

None of the quarterback threw an interception
Eight different players scored touchdowns
Only one turnover (a fumble) in over 70 plays
Three touchdowns and two field goals in six attempts inside the compete zone
Newborn had three catches and had 83 receiving yards to lead all receivers. West had three catches for 53 yards and Hamler finished with three receptions for 40 yards. Seyi Ajirotutu, last season’s top pass catcher, had three receptions for 33 yards. Receiver J.J. Stallworth had a 40-yard reception from Carr.

Jamal Rashaad led all running backs with 55 yards on five carries, while Lonyae Miller had two carries for 29 yards, all of those yards coming on one play. Redshirt freshman A.J. Ellis had 24 yards on six attempts, including a 3-yard touchdown run. Fellow freshman Michael Harris had seven carries for 22 yards.

“It was nice to see the offense come out and make some plays and put it all together,” said junior center Joe Bernardi. “We have not been that consistent this spring, but we were able to put it together today. What can you say about those three quarterbacks? I think our fans are really going to enjoy watching No. 3, No. 4 and No. 15 play on the football field next fall.”

Bernardi was also quick to note that more work needs to be done in the off season.

“We are by no means a finished product,” he said. “Coach Hill hit it on the head. We have more work left. We have to get stronger and faster and in better shape coming into fall camp. We have a lot of work left to improve our fundamentals. But today was a good day. It was a fun day to see the offense deliver what we know it can.”

Hill implemented a new and unique scoring system for the scrimmage, which the offense easily won 86-31.

The Bulldogs held 10 offensive drives over the field and six drives in the Compete Zone (25-yard line) conducted similar to college football overtime rules.

Prior to the compete zone portion of the scrimmage, the offense built a 57-17 lead in the scoring system. The offense outscored the defense 29-14 in the compete zone.

Scrimmage Scoring System
Offense:
Touchdown: 6 points
Extra Point (all kicked from the 25 yard line): 1 point
First Down: 1 point
Field goal: 3 points

Defense:
Turnover: 7 points
Offense Makes a field goal under 40 yards: 4 points
Offense misses a field goal over 40 yards: 1 point
Offense Misses a field goal under 40 yards: 7 points
Holds offense to a three-and-out to start a drive: 2 points
Force a punt on a regular drive: 1 point
Missed extra point: 1 point

Bulldog defense got one turnover and only forced on punt, which Robert Malone hit for 42 yards. The offense did force five quarterback sacks, one by Kyle Knox who also recovered a fumble. Others getting sacks were Chase McEntee, Chris Lewis, Logan Harrell and Moses Harris. Harris led the defense with seven tackles. Shawn Plummer had six tackles and broke up one pass attempt.

Redshirt end Matt Akers continued to have an impressive spring session, adding five tackles in the scrimmage. Senior cornerback A.J. Jefferson, who is one of the nation’s most exciting return specialists, had five tackles and a pass deflection.

“We played slow on defense and we made a couple of mental errors,” said Harris. “We did some snow balling. There were no blitzes and we only played about five pressures. We played a generic defense and didn’t want to show all at once or give too much away. Overall I’m really happy with how we’ve progressed.”

The two Bulldog kickers got their fair share of time on the field, as sophomore Kevin Goessling made a 47-yard field goal and two of his three long PAT attempts. He missed a 57-yard field goal attempt. Andrew Shapiro made three PATs and connected on a 35-yard field goal while missing another field goal attempt.

This scrimmage concluded Fresno State’s spring session and was the 15th and final practice.

All in all, Hill was pleased with the progress of the team during spring ball.

“Heck yes I’m pleased,” he said. “We saw a lot of improvement in a lot of areas. I think we are getting better fundamentally and we have seen that we have more team speed. I’m also happy that we got through spring drills with no serious injuries. That’s always a good thing. I’m very happy with the commitment of the team and our chemistry right now and really looking forward to the fall when we can get them back and start preparing for Sept. 5 and UC Davis.”

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TIMES CHANGE

By Dan Fleisher
VSP Racing Columnist

Racetracks come and go.

As the years go by, things change but also remain the same. Racetracks come and go and then come again, thank goodness. I started thinking of the many tracks that brought enjoyment to racing fans when they were built, and sadness when they disappeared. Do you remember the following, or are you too young?

At the conclusion of World War II, the “boys” came marching home again and life began anew. The housing and industrial boom in California’s once Golden State, reminded many of the Gold Rush days of 1849, when people flocked to the mines in search of yellow dust. Because of its ideal weather and expansive available land, Southern California in particular, attracted most of the populace growth but our San Joaquin Valley wasn’t far behind.

To offset the long, hard working hours that created the post-war booming economy, a great demand for entertainment arose. Hollywood’s film studios were putting out “flicks” in large numbers, but that wasn’t enough to fill the need. Alas, Midget Auto Racing whetted the appetite of thousands upon thousands of people. Racetracks sprung up like leaks in your garden hose to accommodate the sometimes seven-nights of racing per week.

In addition to the legendary Gilmore Stadium and Atlantic Speedway, which were built prior to the war, the greater Los Angeles area spawned tracks like the Pasadena Rose Bowl, Los Angeles Coliseum, Bonelli Stadium, Huntington Beach, Carrell Speedway, Culver City, Orange Show Speedway, Western Speedway, the Pomona Fairgrounds, and later, Ascot Park, most hosting weekly events. San Diego fans enjoyed Balboa Stadium and near-by Chula Vista’s Speedway 117.

Our Valley saw Murphy’s Thunderbowl Raceway come to life. There was also Bakersfield Speed Bowl (paved) and Bakersfield Thunderbowl (dirt), and Fresno’s Airport Speedway, which was renamed Kearney Bowl in 1959. Further north there was Stockton 99 Stadium and Sacramento’s Hughes Stadium.

To accommodate all the facilities, drivers traversed the Ridge Route continuously (it was only two lanes each way) racing every night from north to south. Life was great, racing was great, and heroes were born.

Marquee names included Fresno’s Bill Vukovich Sr., Johnnie Parsons, Troy Ruttman and Sam Hanks, legendary drivers who went on to capture the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indianapolis 500. Walt Faulkner, Johnny Mantz, Cal Niday, Mack Hellings, Freddie Agabashian and another popular Fresno native, Johnny Boyd, also starred at Indy after serving their apprenticeships at the local tracks.

No one imagined that one day the bubble might burst, but it did a short five years later. An over abundance of racing, the emergence of the “boob-tube,” along with other factors, came into play. Racing fans slowly but surely stopped attending the nightly affairs to sit in their living room lounge chairs in front of a 10” black and white screen, so empty racetrack seats translated into closed venues.

But the real culprits in my opinion were the land developers, who seized the opportunity to turn raw land into fortunes (the American Way which I don’t necessarily condemn), but it was downhill for the tracks per-say, not for the owners who drooled at receiving the big $$$.

Gilmore Stadium became CBS Television City; giant Hughes Aircraft (Howard Hughes) bought the Culver City property; Southern Ascot and Atlantic Speedway dried up, Carrell Speedway was bulldozed for a major freeway. Speedway 605 in Irwindale, Whiteman Stadium in Pacoima and Speedway 117 succumbed to urban sprawl as did Riverside International Raceway, and in later years, Ontario Motor Speedway. The Rose Bowl and L.A. Coliseum returned to their original format, football. After the demise of these Southern California tracks, only a few remained, mainly Ascot Park which replaced Carrell.

Fast-forward to 1990 and yes, you guessed it. Ascot’s land was purchased for a huge industrial development that was on the drawing boards. Another treasure, GONE. Rubbing salt into the wounds, the development never materialized and a good portion of the land still sits vacant to this day. The supposed reason for not building was: the land was too toxic from the deposits of oil and racing fuel and would cost a fortune to clean up.

To offset the “carnage,” only three tracks come to mind that have been built since 1991; Perris Auto Speedway, Irwindale Raceway and California Speedway, which replaced Ontario.
Likewise, Northern California suffered it casualties: Baylands, and later San Jose, were doomed for development but once again, part of the land at both locations sits vacant. Years prior, the Central Coast saw the closure of Carpenteria.

Our Central Valley was also victimized when Fresno’s Redevelopment Agency purchased the Kearney Bowl property to build housing in 1970 (the final race was on Sept. 18, 1970) and the racetrack was demolished. Meanwhile Tulare suffered the loss of Murphy’s Thunderbowl Raceway, although fortunately, it was replaced by the current facility at the Tulare Fairgrounds.

At least the following venue didn’t go to developers! Marchbanks Speedway, located a few miles east of Hanford, close to Hwy. 198, was built by local farmer B. L. Marchbanks. It began as a half-mile dirt track but later paved as a 1.4-mile high-banked track. At one time it was owned and operated by Kal Simon but J.C. Agajanian leased the track and promoted USAC events, including three Indy Car and a couple of Stock Car shows.

The last event was in spring 1969 when legendary Mario Andretti sped to victory in his rear-engine Indy Car. It’s reported that Firestone conducted some tire tests in early 1970 with Gary Bettenhausen behind the wheel and then placed back on the 1971 schedule. However, USAC deemed the facilities inadequate without upgrading but no one wanted to provide the financing. That was pretty much it although there were sporadic reports of reopening including Warren Fry’s announcement of major plans in the mid-’70s, but nothing happened. The track sat dormant until 1984 when it was bulldozed and reverted to being a cotton field.

Five years into the new millennium it happened once again. Bakersfield’s Mesa Marin, run by the Collins family for 23-years, who successfully hosted the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in addition to their weekly shows, succumbed to the enticing offer from a land developer as growth in the Valley spread, and continues to spread like wildfire. Porterville Raceway also bit the dust.

Another example is El Cajon Speedway, a very successful paved facility on the outskirts of San Diego, which shuttered several years ago when its lease wasn’t extended due to the expansion of a small, insignificant airport called Gillespie Field.

The question gnawing on the minds of Valley racing fans is: can Bakersfield Speedway (Oildale), only a stones-throw from Mesa Marin, be far behind with the onslaught of homes already in their area? Let’s hope not. It was scary enough when Madera and Stockton 99 were almost lost to shopping centers a couple of years ago. Fortunately, for the time being, we still have the latter three in addition to Merced, Thunderbowl, Kings, Chowchilla, Plaza Park, and Lemoore.

Other California tracks like Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino, Ventura Raceway in Oxnard and picturesque Santa Maria Speedway, have been under the threat of closing for years and probably won’t be left standing very much longer.

Like the Roulette Wheel’s slogan, “Round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows,” is true. But race fans, don’t mourn the past and ponder the future, just sit back, relax and relive the great memories that accompanied each of the long-gone facilities.

4/18 RESULTS:
KINGS SPEEDWAY:
West Coast Sprints: Cory Kruseman, Peter Murphy, Rusty Carlile, Kevin Barnes, Austin Mero

PLAZA PARK (4/17):
Junior Sprints: G. Scelzi, Volpa, Shepherd, Danell, Brown
Restricted 600: D. Scelzi, Liggett, C. Smothermon, B. Smothermon, Stone
Super 600: Jace VanderWeerd, Richard VanderWeerd, Faccinto, Jared, Hamblin

LEMOORE (4/18):
Restrictor 600s: Scott Parker
Stock 600s: Dustin Rhodes
Wingless 600s: Sean Thompson
Multi 600s: Richard VanderWeerd
Junior Sprints: Giovanni Scelzi:

CHOWCHILLA:
Western Modifieds: Hogge, Papenhausen, Stanford, McDaniel, Chadwick
Western All Star Supers: Chadwick, Decker, Stanford, Hogge, Johnson
4-Bangers: Humphreys, Thorburn, Koontz, Darter, Hull, Cooksey Jr.
Hobby Stock: Camperud
Super Stock: Shepherd, Enos, Hart, Lefler, Weaver

STOCKTON 99:
Bombers: Lewis II, Lancaster, Johnson Jr., Miller, Masoni
GAM: Winters, Miller, Ostrowski, Tankersley, Crouch
Street Stocks: Solari, Coonfield, Anderson Sr., Ahl, Anderson
WLM: Ranuio, Beeler, Philpott, Belletto, Cooksey Jr.
This writer can be reached at: danfleisher1@yahoo.com

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PFC BEST OF BOTH WORLDS II

By James Gilliland
VSP MMA Columnist

Lemoore – The Tachi Palace presented the PFC Best of Both Worlds II, the second hybrid card of boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

In the main event for the MMA portion featured Art “King Arthur” Arciniega (7-3) as he went toe to toe with Hanford native Chad “Money Shot” Mendes (2-0).

Mendes, an NCAA wrestling champion, showed his champion caliber wrestling taking down Arciniega at will. Mendes would wrestle his way to a unanimous decision victory. “He was a former champion, I expected a tough fight,” said Mendes. “I put together the perfect game plan and executed it.”

The three round battle began with the fighters squaring off eventually ending up in the clinch. Mendes would score a takedown, while on the ground the fighters were in a stalemate. The referee would stand them up closing out the round.

In round 2, Mendes continued his takedown fury scoring three takedowns, ending a non-eventful round.

Sensing he was behind on the score cards, Arciniega came out and avoided the first takedown attempted. But after getting in the clinch, Mendes would score another take down and it was too late for Arciniega.

“I have some of the best training partners in the world,” said Mendes. “You can’t hope but get better when have great guys working with you.” He’s referring to his fight team and one of his training partners, Urijah Faber, former World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion.

Another high profile fight had Team Quest fighter, Enoch Wilson, wage war with former PFC featherweight champion, Shawn Bias.

The first round started with Bias throwing a kick but he to slow as Wilson grabs the leg and scores a takedown. After the referee brings the fighters up to the standing position, Bias still too slow gets caught after throwing another kick. Wilson would take him down again, but Bias would gain Wilson’s back the round would end with Bias in the half-guard position.

In round two, the fight goes to the ground Bias attempts a guillotine from half-guard, but Wilson had other plans submitting Bias with a kneebar in round 2 at 0:21.

The battle of the Sergio’s as Lemoore’s Sergio “Outlaw” Quinones (4-3) clashed with Sergio Cortez (4-5). Quinones established his wrestling early taking down Cortez twice in the first round. Round one finished with both fighters attempting leg locks.

Round two, Quinones would get a third takedown and would take Cortez’s back. Cortez avoided submissions a majority of the round working to a better position, finishing the round in guard. Round three, was more of the same with both fighters working for a better position and submission attempts. Cortez wins by split decision making him 5-5.

The women’s MMA was one of the more aggressive fights of the night. Sarah Kaufman fought Sarah Schneider; they both came out swinging for the fences. Schneider takes Kaufman to the mat. Schneider attempted numerous submissions Kaufman put on a clinic in submission defense to finish the round.

The second round, Schneider gets a takedown but Kaufman gains the upper hand and the win beating Schneider by technical knockout with ground and pound at 1:43.

The first MMA fight saw an exciting ending as Kengo Ura (5-4) submits Doug Hunt (4-2) by rear naked choke 2:44 in the first round. Hunt went for a takedown but ended up on the bottom; Ura advantage by taking Hunt’s back and submits him.

As for the boxing portion of the card:

In the boxing main event, Hanford’s Shawn Estrada (4-0) clashed with Nick Runningbear (3-1).

Estrada came out swinging and berated Runningbear with punches, knocking him down late in the round. Referee Marcos Rosales had seen enough stopping the fight after the first round. Estrada wins by knockout staying undefeated with all of his victories coming by way of knockout 5-0.

Jeff Brownfield (9-7) is knocked out of the ring at 2:59 of the first round causing the referee to stop the fight giving Wasco’s Manuel Quezada (26-4) the victory.

In women’s boxing, Jessica Rakoczy (29-3) takes the unanimous decision over Belinda Laracuente (23-24-3) after the six-round battle with all three judges scoring the fight 58-56.

Gerald Valdez (0-0) made an unsuccessful pro debut as he is knocked out at 2:39 in the second round by 2008 Olympic boxer, Javier Molina (1-0)

Bakersfield’s Michael Dallas Jr. (7-0-1) stays undefeated as he wins a unanimous decision over Marcus Brashears (6-11-1).

Ephraim Martinez (1-0) wins a split decision over Visalia’s Aaron Alafa (2-0); giving Aaron his first loss as Martinez dominated a majority of the fights.

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RAMS’ BATS LEAVE HAGINS, DEVILS FEELING BLUE

By Andrew Marden
VSP Senior Writer

FRESNO, Calif – Bradin Hagins isn’t used to losing.

In fact, Merced College’s sophomore pitcher, a first team all-Central Valley Conference selection from a year ago, hadn’t lost at all in 2009.

Until Thursday.
“He’s one of the best in the country, certainly the best in the league,” said Fresno City head coach Ron Scott after watching his team beat the Blue Devils 10-4 Thursday night, knocking Hagins out in the 7th inning. “I’m pleased. He was throwing 94 miles per hour.”

He’s no longer undefeated, though.

Hagins’ record is still impressive: 9-1. He was charged with nine of the Rams’ ten runs, but his ERA is only 2.58. That’s because in his previous 14 outings, the native of Denair, CA had only given up a total of 13 runs.

“From the first inning on, we got the bats going. We got in Hagins’ head real fast,” said FCC’s Brandon King, whose 2-RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning broke a 3-3 tie.

“I’m happy about that…He’s just another pitcher, he’s not anybody special.”

The Kansas City Royals respectfully disagree. They drafted Hagins in the 37th round last year.

“It doesn’t surprise me we hit Hagins,” said Scott, adding, “We’re playing really good baseball. We’re playing as good as we have in a long long time.”

Fresno City (29-11, 17-3 CVC) improved its win streak to five in a row and moved to within a game of first-place Merced (32-7, 18-2 CVC).

“It was a great win for us,” said FCC catcher Zach Sullivan, who contributed four hits including a two-run homerun. “We just need to wait for them to lose.”

“Hopefully we play them again,” says Scott, whose team is 2-2 against the Blue Devils this season. “It’ll be in the state championship.”

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THE DRAFT IS FAIR GAME

A couple of weeks ago in this space, I mentioned how little interest I have in watching the NFL Draft. Nothing has changed between then and now. I still find the draft to be thoroughly unwatchable (though when you’re working in-studio at a national sports radio network on Draft Day, well, you gotta make some sacrifices).

The NFL Draft to me is the sporting equivalent of the county fair. Every city/team/fan has their own slightly unique spin on it. But in the end, it’s the same event whether you’re in Dallas, Denver or Detroit.

Even the coverage leading up to the draft smells vaguely of cotton candy and horse manure. Sure, the stories are wrapped up in different packages and have shiny new bows on them, but don’t be fooled – a deep fried Twinkie slathered in chocolate sauce is still a Twinkie. Don’t believe me…follow along.

THE ANOINTED ONE (Matthew Stafford)

In the past, this slot gets filled early. He’s the can’t-miss, do-it-all, once-in-a-franchise type prodigy that you’d be insane to pass up. The question isn’t where he goes, it’s how much he’ll get. In recent years, we’ve Anointed by Default. The Guy With The Least Faults who by consensus will eventually drop the qualifiers and just become The Guy. Sometimes he becomes John Elway or Troy Aikman. Sometimes he’s Alex Smith.

THE HEAD CASE (Andre Smith)

Maybe the most frustrating yet predictable story leading up to Draft Day is the inevitable high first round pick who sees his stock fall through an astounding combination of lethargy, apathy and hard-headedness. Telltale signs include: Combine Invisibility, Agent Switching, Running Full Speed With Exposed Jiggling Man-Teats.

I’M A MAN! I’M (RUNNING THE) 40! (Various)

The most glamorized number in all of football consists of players setting up in a stance they’ll never encounter in their careers and running a distance some of them will never experience. Forget the fact that it doesn’t really equate to “football speed.” For instance, a friend once summed up former Raider and Olympic sprinter James Jett’s career: “If he’s so fast, how come he’s never open?”

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER? (Various)

The second most glamorized number in draft prospect-icity is the Wonderlic score. A fifty-question, twelve minute crucible that is supposed to be the NFL’s answer to the SAT. Ya know, for all the times a blitzing linebacker will ask you which is the ninth month.

THE HIGH RISER (Mark Sanchez)

Of course, what would the draft be without the guy who picks up steam the closer we get to D-Day? If this guy was a stock, the economy would be fit as a fiddle. Nevermind that he hasn’t run a sprint, thrown a ball or participated in a drill in weeks…the older the performance gets, the better it was. Throw in the towel now and who knows? In five years, you could be a Hall-of-Famer.

The list goes on and on. And like some annual national game of Mad Libs we plug new names into the old slots. After the weekend, the carnival will pack up its tent for another year and the cycle will begin anew.

Hm…maybe I’ll save myself the hassle and archive this post.

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