Hometown Report

The thought of driving five hours to Bakersfield and spending three days wearing dark long sleeves while roasting under the sun would have made Tony Bloomfield wince months ago.

Baseball is the easy part, a reprieve from the reminders of real life.

Three coaches with the area's best neck tans have a pact to really bronze it up in the coming days.

In the same half-inning, Jolene Henderson can be full of cheer – or full of fury.

Dan Bunz sustained many "bell ringers" when he crashed into ballcarriers as a prolific tackler for Oakmont High School and many more concussions during an eight-year NFL career that included two Super Bowl triumphs with the 49ers as a linebacker and special-teams player.

Ashley Osier can't deny it.

With Dan Carmazzi leaving Jesuit after 34 seasons for his alma mater, Christian Brothers, the buzz within the prep community has been twofold: How does Carmazzi revive a CBS program that hasn't won a playoff game since 1986, and who takes over at Jesuit?

Bernie Church does not want to waste anyone's time.

Two no-hitters in one game, a titanic home run and the view.

Big linemen from the Sacramento region have been making a big splash recently.

Well before he broke the color barrier in major league baseball with his Brooklyn Dodgers debut 65 years ago last Sunday, Jackie Robinson marched through Sacramento.

Coaches said they were good, really good.

Guss Armstead is a strength and conditioning coach by trade. But lately, he has played the role of taxi service, hauling heavy cargo.

The basketball fan in Sara James is ecstatic.

The CIF State Basketball Championships will continue for three more seasons at Power Balance Pavilion, where the event has been held for 16 of the past 21 years.

Jerry Manuel still lives baseball. He watches it, studies it and breaks it down for the MLB Network.

March Madness isn't limited to college basketball. High schools have joined the craziness, too.

Thirty years ago, Dave Parsh ambled home from workouts exhausted. He had to guard Sacramento High School teammate and future NBA star Kevin Johnson in practice. Parsh wasn't nearly as quick as Johnson, the state's scoring leader.

Steve DaPrato insists everything is in working order from the neck up. He is back in football, coaching for one simple reason:

For 10 years, it wasn't much of a gymnasium at all.

Kids these days. Can't underestimate them or appreciate them enough.

Fifty years ago, two Petes met in Green Bay, Wis., and closed a generation gap.

In a word, Joey Montoya sized up his defensive tackle.

Yuba College men's basketball coach Doug Cornelius periodically asks his wife, Vicki, if coaching makes him look haggard. Her rolled eyes say yes.