History in the making for Nordhoff softball
Ojai Valley News photo by Ken Brown
The Nordhoff softball team celebrates after recording the final out against Polytechnic High School in the CIF Southern Section quarterfinals.
Mike Miller, Ojai Valley News reporter
The Nordhoff High School softball team has made school history. With playoff wins over Nogales (7-3), Notre Dame (2-1), Polytechnic (10-4) and Anaheim (3-0), the Lady Rangers have reached the CIF Southern Section finals for the first time ever.
Nordhoff Ranger football spring practice underway
Ojai Valley News photo by Ken Brown
The Nordhoff Ranger football team walks through plays and technique in a spring practice this week. The Rangers will host their annual spring game May 31.
Mike Miller, Ojai Valley News sports editor
If you rebuild it they will come. After years of winning football games, the Nordhoff High School program fell on hard times before hiring Lance Wiggins to overhaul the program. The NHS alumnus has produced results and took the Rangers back to the postseason last year after an 8-3 season.
Leichtfuss, Chiefs continue strong Sundowner play
The Sundowner golf season is now in full swing and players are starting to find their groove. The team of Chiefs IE has taken the lead over the field as players rounded the quarter pole May 14.
Bruce Leichtfuss led the way for the Chiefs with his best round of the year to date. He began the day with a birdie on the first hole and stayed hot throughout the round and finished with a gross round of one-over par 37 for 22 points. Leichtfuss is one of the highest scoring players in the league this season and is a major reason why the Chiefs sit atop the standings.
Ranger softball advances to quarterfinals
Ojai Valley News photo by Ken Brown
Nordhoff senior Elizabeth Hermosillo shows perfect sliding technique as she avoids the tag at home plate against Nogales High School.
Mike Miller, Ojai Valley News sports reporter
With playoff wins over Nogales and Notre Dame, the Nordhoff High School softball team advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 6 quarterfinals for only the second time in school history.
Nordhoff girls claim track and field league title
Photo submitted
The Nordhoff 4-by-100-meter relay team of Claudia Adelman, Carla Rodas, Karys Everett, and Vanessa Ramirez celebrate their school record at the Citrus Coast League championships.
Mike Miller, Ojai Valley News sports editor
The Nordhoff High School track and field program continues to have a have a great spring season. On April 25, the Rangers competed in the Citrus Coast league finals held at Carpinteria High School. The team came away with a league title and a number of personal best marks.
Garcia captures President's Cup
Photo submitted
Soule Park senior men’s golf club member Joe Garcia recently captured his second President’s Cup by defeating Jon Diegas in the finals. Along the way, Garcia also bested Larry Memel, Mark Grant and Glen Myersin his lead up matches. The annual President’s Cup event is played at the Soule Park Golf Course during the month of April. Garcia also captured the Cup in 2017, and Diegas is also a past winner of the club’s coveted prize.
The Soule Park Senior Men’s Golf Club hosts weekly golf tournaments every Monday morning at Soule Park.
In September, the club will celebrate its 50th year anniversary with a special luncheon, tournament and program. For more information on the celebration or the club in general, visit soulepark.com.
Ojai Valley School tracksters bring home hardware
Photo by Alex Alvarez
Senior Soham Kondle runs alongside his competitors at the track finals.
Avery Colborn, Ojai Valley News contributor
Ojai Valley School runners and throwers brought home nearly a dozen medals this past week at the school’s first Omega League final track meet with two athletes earning spots in CIF preliminary meet at Carpinteria High on Saturday.
Hoops for Hope aims to assist Ojai's homeless students
Photo submitted
Competitors from last year’s Hoops for Hope basketball tournament congratulate each other after a competitive 3-on-3 game. The 2019 tournament is slated for June 2.
Mike Miller, Ojai Valley News sports editor
Basketball players from all over Southern California will converge on Ojai June 2 for the Hoops for Hope Tournament to benefit homeless students in the Ojai Valley. The brainchild of Ojai resident Robert Stratton, the Hoops for Hope 3-on-3 basketball tournament has run for three years. Each year the proceeds go to benefit Ojai residents in need.
Youth tennis players honored by Ojai Valley Tennis Club
Photo by Holly Roberts
The nonprofit Ojai Valley Tennis Club, which also implements the long-standing (119 years) Ojai Tennis Tournament, recently awarded eight Ojai Valley students with youth tennis sportsmanship awards. The deserving winners were nominated by area tennis professionals and selected based upon their enthusiasm for the sport, ability and support of team members. The Lucking Award was a special honor for an outstanding youth offered annually by William A. Lucking Jr. and has received continued support and funding from the Lucking family.
Bogeymen take Sundowner lead
The Bogeymen avoided bogeys this past week and shot up the Sundowner golf league standings to take over the top spot. The team tied the league high this season with a huge 63 point day.
Jethro Todd led the way for The Bogeymen with a gross round of 43 for 24 points. The 24 points total is only one off the season high of 25 that was set by Sam Houseman during week 2 play. Todd, who also scored 23 points last week, is playing the best golf of his Sundowner career. He leads the league with 62 points scored for a 20.7 average.
Nordhoff football desperate to raise funds
Ojai Valley News photo by Ken Brown
The Nordhoff weight room and equipment are falling apart, making it difficult for student-athletes to workout effectively.
Mike Miller, Ojai Valley News sports editor
Nordhoff High School has one of the best football programs in Ventura County. It is rich in history and tradition, but it is struggling to raise money. According to head coach Lance Wiggins, the Nordhoff players are using pads that are close to 20 years old and helmets that are aged, outdated and borderline unsafe.
The 119th Ojai Tennis Tournament provides plenty of excitement
Ojai Valley News photo by Holly Roberts
More than 1,500 tennis competitors took part in the 2019 Ojai Tennis Tournament April 23-28. This year’s Pac-12 men’s title went to USC, while top-seeded Stanford won on the women’s side. In girls’ 16’s-singles action Weil Tennis Academy star Velizara Fileva (above) took down five-seed Kaia Wolfe to claim the championship, much to the delight of local tennis fans. For more results from this year’s tournament, visit theojai.net. The 2020 Ojai Tennis Tournament will be held April 22-26.
Leftovers sit atop Sundowner standings
James Casey, Ojai Valley News contributor
Bob Martin's Leftovers seized the top spot in the Sundowner Golf League this past week, thanks to the hot play of Scott Chapman. Chapman has helped the Leftovers to their best start of the season by scoring a league-leading 44 points through two weeks of play. The team has scored 115 points on the season and hold a four-point lead over their nearest competitor.
Chapman led the Leftovers in scoring again April 30, with 20 points behind a gross round of 45. He was supported by the play of Mark Robertson, who birdied his first two holes of the day on his way to a gross round of 40 for 19 points. The Leftovers have experimented with a variety of lineups over the past few seasons; but they seem to have found the right mix and are very much in the hunt for the trophy this season.
Soto named Physical Education Project Student of the Month
Photo submitted
Jairo Soto, an eighth grader at Matilija Junior High, was recently recognized by the Rotary Club of Ojai with the Physical Education Project Student of the Month award. Soto, who was accompanied by physical education teacher Brent Muth, was presented a plaque and a check for $300 for his extraordinary efforts. “Jairo is an excellent student and a great all-around young man. He consistently works hard and leads not only with words, but by example,” said Muth. Soto was joined by his father, Angel Soto, at the event.