Top freshman bids farewell to Moreau
During the busiest weekend of the spring season, another off-the-court basketball item takes center stage.
Kyree Walker, the MaxPreps national Freshman of the Year, announced Monday morning on Twitter that he would be transferring from defending Northern California Division II champion Moreau Catholic-Hayward to Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix.
The 6-foot-6, do-everything guard averaged 21.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the Mariners. He’s rated the top player from the Class of 2020 in many publications.
It wasn’t an easy decision for Walker or his family, who met with Moreau Catholic coach Frank Knight two weeks ago. Knight said Walker was moved to tears when the decision became final.
But the cost of living in the Bay Area, coupled with promised employment — Walker’s father, Khari Walker, accepted the team’s associate headcoach position — and the ability to move a grandparent into a larger home, made this more of a family decision than basketball.
Last season, Hillcrest added the nation’s No. 1 senior DeAndre Ayton (Arizona signee) and former Sacred Heart Cathedral player Alfred Hollins (Oregon State). “It’s tough to lose the No. 1 player in the class,” Knight said. “But with a kid of his talent, going to a place that will be better and less stressful for his parents, I wish him and the family nothing but the best. I’m just happy to have been a part of his life for a year. He’s a great kid. I hope we were able to have taught him some things.” Same message, same result: St. Ignatius tennis coach Craig
Law, who ended his career as a player in college because of burnout, said he preaches the same message every year to his teams.
“I don’t care if they go winless as long as they bond, make lifelong friends and create memories,” Law said.
For the second straight year, the Wildcats (27-0) made lasting ones, repeating as Northern California and Central Coast Section champions.
A largely middle-of-the-pack West Catholic Athletic League school for years, St. Ignatius has turned into a Northern California power. The Wildcats defeated perennial Northern California champion Menlo School-Atherton 6-1 for the CCS crown two weeks ago and 4-3 on Saturday in Folsom for the Northern California title.
The freshman doubles team of Marshall Leung and Daniel Boudagian clinched Saturday’s match with a three-set comeback win as the Wildcats swept the doubles. Campbell Nakayama was a winner at No. 2 singles for St. Ignatius. The doubles teams of Ryan Ali-Mason Fung and Ethan Smith-Josh Belandres won in straight sets. No. 3 singles players Daniel Landa is the only senior on the ladder, which features four sophomores, including singles players Ryder Jackson (No. 1) and Jack Carroll (No. 4). Jackson is ranked 11th nationally among U.S. Tennis Association 16-year-olds.
Law, in his 16th year, also coached St. Ignatius’ girls to a first Northern California title in the fall.
“Someone came up to me in Folsom and said, ‘Man, St. Ignatius tennis has come a long way,’ ” Law said. “He’s right. We’re just trying to keep this SI family train going.”
State champions: Seven Metro individuals and NorthgateWalnut Creek’s 400-yard freestyle relay team emerged with state titles at the CIF Swimming and Diving championships at Clovis West on Saturday.
Granada-Livermore sophomore Miranda Heckman was the only local double winner, taking the 200 (1:47.21) and 500 freestyle (4:46.28).
Other Bay Area winners were Menlo-Atherton senior Mia Paulson (diving, 514.80 points), Palo Alto junior Grace
Zhao (100 breaststroke, 1:00.66), Northgate junior Alexei Sancov (200 freestyle, 1:34.25), Palo Alto junior Alex Liang (200 individual medley, 1:46.68) and Foothill-Pleasanton sophomores David Calvin (500 free, 4:21.66) and Jonah Cooper (100 backstroke, 47.34). Sancov teammed with Zach Ledesma, Connor Seip and Andrew Rodriguez to win the relay in 3:02.97.
A long game: Owen Hamilton’s long home run to left Saturday ended one of the longest baseball games in recent history, a 19-inning, 2-1 Drake-San Anselmo defeat of Marin Catholic-Kentfield in the Marin County Athletic League title game.
The game began Friday, but was stopped in the 18th inning because of the curfew at San Rafael’s Albert Park. According to the Marin Independent Journal’s Danny Schmidt, the game lasted 5 hours, 20 minutes and featured nine pitchers.
Drake is the third seed in the North Coast Section Division 3 playoffs, which begin Tuesday. Marin Catholic is the eighth seed in D2.