National title for Carmel Valley Ranch tennis team
The Carmel Valley Ranchers are national tennis champions in their respective age division and level.
Competing in the 40-over 4.5 level, the group of 11 women put on an exhibition from among 16 different regional winners to capture the United States Tennis Association national title in Scottsdale.
The group went undefeated at the sectionals and nationals as a team, finishing with a 10-0 mark. On the season, the club was 16-1.
Robin Balowitz, Andrea Bohn-Eisinger, Gena Sagin, Jaclyn Marcus and Chris Fleige were all undefeated at the nationals. Balowitz was 14-0 on the season, while Marcus was 11-0.
The Ranchers beat the sectional champions from the Eastern, Mid-Atlantic, New England and Pacific Northwest regions to advance to the semifinals, where they handled the Northern regional champion.
Carmel Valley Ranch closed out the national tournament by beating the Southern California regional champion in the finals.
Rounding out the team were Allyson Weston, Laura Ravalin, Lysbet Verlenden, Stephanie Nichols, Stephanie Scattini and captain Susan Ajeska.
The group — many of who didn’t start playing tennis until after the age of 30 — range in age between 40 and 66.
During the season, the Ranchers went 52-16 in individual matches, with Weston finishing 13-2, Eisinger 12-1, Sagin 11-1 and Scattini 10-2.
RICHARDSON COMPLETES FIRST COLLEGIATE PASS AT NORTHWESTERN >> Seeing action off the bench in his third game as a sophomore, Carl Richardson completed his first two passes of his collegiate career for Northwestern.
The 6-foot-4 Richardson was 2-of-4 for 19 yards in the Wildcats’ loss to Michigan. He has also carried the ball twice this year.
Richardson, who is the fourth quarterback to see action in a game for the Wildcats, has come off the bench in three of the team’s last four games.
The Herald’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, Richardson graduated early from Salinas to join Northwestern in the spring of 2020 before the pandemic closed all colleges.
Richardson shattered the Salinas single-season and career passing records, throwing for 7,181 yards and 61 touchdowns.
SYNCHRONIZED SENSATIONS >> Competing in its first United States Synchronized Artistic Masters National Championships in two years, Corinne Harris took home a pair of gold medals in Henderson, Nevada.
A member of the Cypress Swim Club, Harris competed in the Athletes with Disabilities class, capturing a gold medal in the solo routine and in figures.
Leslie Perez Palma was third in the solos in the 20-29-year-old division, and fifth in the figure routine. Teammate Stephanie DeSousa was fourth in solos and sixth in figures.
MARTINEZ RETURNS TO UC SAN DIEGO FOOTBALL LINEUP >> Having missed the past two games because of a high ankle sprain, Emilio Martinez returned to the University of San Diego lineup last week, providing 81 yards in total offense and a touchdown.
The Palma product rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown, and caught three passes for 39 yards. San Diego has won four consecutive games after an 0-4 start.
The senior, who is second all-time in rushing yards, is 116 yards shy of 3,000 rushing yards for his college career.
Martinez is 461 yards away from 5,000 multipurpose yards and has either rushed or caught 32 touchdown passes in 47 career games.
The Monterey County single-season rushing record holder, Martinez rushed for 2,488 yards and 39 touchdowns in 14 games as a senior at Palma.
MAKER FINDING HER ROLE FOR THE NEVADA VOLLEYBALL TEAM >> Salinas High grad Savannah Maker is battling for time on the court for the University of Nevada volleyball team, compiling 17 blocks in 11 matches.
The 6-foot-4 redshirt sophomore, who missed all of last season after blood clots were discovered in her lungs and leg, is seeing her first action in two years.
A middle blocker for the Wolfpack, Maker also has 26 kills and five digs, recording a college career-high five kills against Butler, and three blocks against Boise State and Sacramento State.
A member of The Herald’s All-County volleyball team in 2018, Maker finished her senior season with nearly 400 kills for Salinas.
COACHES NEEDED >> North Salinas is looking for a varsity boys tennis coach for next spring. Email jeankinn.ashen@salinasuhsd.org
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR TAYLOR MADE PEBBLE BEACH INVITATIONAL >> The Taylor-Made Pebble Beach Invitational is seeking volunteers for the leaderboard, transporting contestants, and marshals between Nov. 18-21 at Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay golf courses.
Transporting contestants are needed Nov. 1621. Drivers must be at least 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license.
Two days of volunteering entitles each individual to a day of golf and buffet luncheon at Del Monte Golf Course on Jan. 10.
Shares of proceeds from the tournament are donated to the Pebble Beach Junior Golf Association and Kiwanis Club of Monterey for distribution to scholarships and local charities.