Mira Loma, Encina boys soccer on rise
How appropriate that Tuesday's nonleague boys soccer match between Mira Loma and Encina ended in a 2-2 tie.
John Buchmiller and Joe Montalvo are the new Mira Loma coaches trying to revive a program that was 4-26-3 the past two seasons.
It also was Buchmiller, along with assistant Glenda Claremon, who turned the Encina boys soccer program into a beacon at a school that has struggled for years to be competitive in athletics.
When Buchmiller and Claremon took over the Encina program in 2005, the Bulldogs had been through a revolving door of coaches and players. There was no junior varsity team.
The Bulldogs won two games that year and struggled to put 11 players on the field.
Last fall, Encina won its third consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI boys soccer championship.
Claremon is now Encina's head coach, where one of her new assistants and JV coach is Luis Bravo, a former three-year Encina captain.
Claremon reports that Encina has 25 varsity and 15 JV players, its biggest squad ever.
Oliver helps lead class of '14 to upset win
Grant's Cameron Oliver was one of three players to score a team-high 19 points to lead the Class of 2014 to a 131-128 upset of the Class of 2013 in the fourth annual Nor Cal Clash on Sunday at Contra Costa College in San Pablo.
The boys basketball showcase game pitted many of Northern California's top juniors against the best seniors.
The 6-foot-8 Oliver, who is considered an emerging talent, played as a sophomore last season for a Pacers team that finished 12-15 and did not make the playoffs. He made 9 of 13 shots, had seven rebounds and three assists for the juniors.
National recruit Aaron Gordon of Archbishop Mitty of San Jose led the Class of 2013 with 41 points and 14 rebounds and was named the Player of the Game.
Sheldon's trio of Darin Johnson, Dakarai Allen and D'Erryl Williams scored 19, six and two points, respectively, for the seniors.
Former volleyball standouts return
It will be a homecoming this weekend for former volleyball standouts Cora Harms of El Dorado and Kayla Berringer of Oak Ridge.
Both will play for North Carolina in UC Davis' Aggie Invitational women's volleyball tournament.
The 5-8 Harms, a senior setter for the Tar Heels, was second on the team in assists last season with 441. She was The Bee's Female Athlete of the Year in 2009.
Berringer, a 6-1 junior outside hitter, was third on the team in kills with 326 last season as North Carolina finished 24-9. She was The Bee's Volleyball Player of the Year in 2009.
The Tar Heels will face Santa Clara on Friday at 5 p.m. They will play Saturday against Utah (1 p.m.) and UCD (7 p.m.).
– Bill Paterson
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