Fall sports end on a high note

The Yosemite High School fall sports program has ended and winter sports have begun. The fall teams racked up some impressive statistics as they worked their way through the season.

Varsity football

The varsity football team was scheduled to meet Clovis East Friday, November 30, in the playoffs. The Badgers beat the Arvin Bears November 23 in the opening game of the Central Section Sequoia Division Large Schools playoffs 59-24, allowing the YHS team to play Clovis East.

Scoring touchdowns for the Badgers in the Arvin game were Jeff Easley (two), Quint Brown (two), Becher Marr, Jason Price, Zack Dorn, Bryan Rold and Matt Troutner.

Junior varsity football

The YHS junior varsity football team ended its season 6-4 overall and 2-2 in league play. In its final game, the JV team beat San Joaquin Memorial 30-16, giving the Panthers their first league loss. However, the SJM junior varsity team still took the Central Sequoia League title with a 3-1 record.

Varsity volleyball

The YHS varsity volleyball team made it all the way to the state playoffs before losing to a Southern California team, the Bishop Montgomery Knights, 15-11, 15-3 and 15-9.

The Badgers won the Central Section Division 3 championship by beating Exeter 15-7, 15-3 and 15-10. Before traveling to Yosemite November 17, the Exeter Monarchs had a 17-0 overall record and a 10-0 league record.

Sharleena Hanft earned the league’s Most Valuable Player honor and Joy Bonham was named Defensive Player of the Year.

Kristen Lownsbury, McKen-zie Cox and Jennifer Kurtley were named first team all-league and Jessie Young and Micaela Young made second team all-league.

Cross country

The YHS Badger cross country team took first place in all divisions of the Central Sequoia League finals. This is the sixth year in the past eight that YHS has won all four divisions.

In the finals, the girls’ frosh-soph team scored a perfect 15. The five-girl team finished in positions two through six. The boys’ frosh-soph team also scored a perfect 15.

The girls’ varsity team also finished first after a close race with San Joaquin Memorial. Although SJM took first and second place, the “pack running” of the YHS team allowed the Badgers to finish first overall.

The YHS boys’ varsity team beat SJM and Sierra to bring home league and individual championships. Senior David Padilla won the boys’ race and took the league championship as the fastest runner. He ran three miles in 17:38.

Girls’ tennis

The girls’ tennis team finished fourth in the league and the team’s number one player, Amber LeRoy, finished in the top four players in the league and goes on to the All-Valley Tournament in Bakersfield.

Coach Stan Lawrence said that the last match against Sierra High was the “best all year” when the Badgers won in the second round with a score of 5-2. They also beat Selma 4-3 to win fourth place in league.

Lawrence looks forward to next season because of the young players he had on the team this year. Their experience will really make the team do well next year, he said. He hopes to place second or even first in league next season.