Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 440

Gray flirts with perfect game as SF Giants finish tough road trip with a dud

Last year, the Giants didn’t reach six games under .500 at any point after May.

With their fifth straight loss on Sunday, the Giants have plummeted to that point now, and are showing real signs of cracking.

San Francisco is missing LaMonte Wade Jr. and Jung Hoo Lee and has gotten practically nothing from Blake Snell, Keaton Winn, Tristan Beck, Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb due to injuries or underperformance. The bullpen is stressed as only Logan Webb and Jordan Hicks remain in the rotation as healthy starters. They’re losing on the margins and elsewhere, finishing up their taxing — physically and emotionally — road trip from Chicago to Birmingham to St. Louis at 1-5.

Against Sonny Gray and the Cardinals in Busch Stadium, the Giants failed to put a baserunner on for the first six innings. Webb struck out a season-high eight, but took the loss by allowing four runs on nine hits while struggling to keep base-stealers at bay. A late rally from San Francisco (36-42) against the Cardinals bullpen wasn’t enough in a 5-3 loss.

“It’s not good,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Not good. We win the first game and then we don’t win any after that — that’s a bad road trip. I know we’ve got a lot going on, but so did (the Cardinals). So look, we fought and had a chance at the end, it didn’t look good early in the game, obviously. We continue to do that against late-inning relievers, it’s putting pressure on early in the game that we’re having trouble with.”

The score didn’t reflect how thoroughly the Giants got outplayed. They tallied two hits to the Cardinals’ 11, allowed four stolen bases and notched just two of the 10 hardest-hit balls.

Webb gave up a run on his first three pitches — a leadoff double to deep center and a slashed single — in a tough first inning. He couldn’t land a knockout punch afterwards, surrendering two more runs with two outs despite getting Cardinals hitters into two-strike counts.

In that first-inning flurry, Alec Burleson stole second without a throw from catcher Patrick Bailey. The outfielder stole three total bases last year and ranks in the 12th percentile in sprint speed, per Baseball Savant. He just took advantage of a soft spot in San Francisco’s armor.

An inning later, catcher Pedro Pagés logged his first career steal, taking off from first before Webb even lifted his leg. Getting into scoring position allowed Pagés to score on a two-out chopper up the middle, giving the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.

Burleson swiped second again after Webb used two of his pickoff attempts. Nolan Gorman later gave St. Louis its fourth steal in the first five innings.

It’s not just a Webb problem. Base stealers on this trip are now 12 of 13 against the Giants. It’s not just a recent problem, either; on the year, the Giants have allowed an MLB-worst 86 steals.

The Giants, meanwhile, were totally stuck in mud. Gray, the former Athletic, needed just 66 pitches to retire the first 18 Giants of the game. They were so helpless against the Cardinals starter, first baseman Trenton Brooks tried to lay down a bunt at one point.

Up in the count 3-1 with two outs in the top of the sixth, Austin Slater watched a perfect low-and-away fastball and then swung through another heater at the top of the zone for Gray’s sixth punchout.

Gray got within seven outs of a perfect game before Patrick Bailey turned on an inside curveball for a foul pole-scraping solo home run. Bailey’s shot represented the Giants’ first hit, base runner and run. Gray had retired the first 20 batters he faced.

On a day the Giants hardly mustered any hard contact against Gray, Bailey’s homer left his bat at 103.9 mph and would’ve cleared the fence in every Major League ballpark.

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Cardinals manager Oli Marmol pulled Gray after 80 pitches, and the Giants drew a pair of walks against his replacement, reliever JoJo Romero. And with the tying run at the plate, Wilmer Flores smoked a ground rule double to make it 4-2. Thairo Estrada scored on a sacrifice fly to bring the Giants within one.

But the threat ended when Brandon Crawford, the Giants legend, made a heads-up play at third base — in his second-ever start at the position — to beat Wilmer Flores to the bag in a foot race.

“We fought hard there at the end,” Melvin said. “It didn’t look good there for a while. For a while, it felt as bad as any game we’ve played this year, then all of the sudden we’re in striking distance. We continue to fight. But just coming up short, it’s frustrating.”

Then in the bottom of the eighth, Crawford — who’s hitting .196 — delivered an insurance run with a two-out double. Closer Ryan Helsley had no issue shutting the door for his MLB-leading 26th save.

Bailey’s home run saved the Giants from being on the losing side of baseball history. But it didn’t prevent an undignified end to their road trip.

Stanford denies it’s dismantling disinformation research group

Stanford University officials have denied that the school is shutting down its prominent research group studying online harms, the Stanford Internet Observatory, but acknowledged funding challenges.

“Stanford has not shut down or dismantled SIO as a result of outside pressure,” the university said in a recent statement following reports of its demise.

A June 13 Platformer article alleged Stanford “is quietly dismantling” the SIO. Founding director Alex Stamos left his position in November, the center’s research director, Renee DiResta, left “after her contract was not renewed” recently and other staff members were “told to look for jobs elsewhere,” the article wrote.

In a LinkedIn post Tuesday, DiResta wrote that “it’s unclear what the future holds, but several of us are no longer there.”

Conservative groups and lawmakers have hit the institute with costly lawsuits and congressional investigations. The bulk of the controversy is related to the Election Integrity Partnership, a research project within the observatory and in collaboration with the University of Washington and others that studied disinformation related to the 2020 election. As part of their work, researchers would identify certain social media posts as misleading and refer some to social media companies.

DiResta talked about the lawsuits related to her work at the center in a piece published in The Atlantic earlier this month.

“Meanwhile, conservative groups are suing my former colleagues and me,” DiResta said in the article. “Stanford has run up huge legal bills. SIO’s future is unclear, and its effort to monitor election-related misinformation has been shelved.”

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan has spearheaded right-wing opposition to disinformation efforts, arguing conservatives are being censored when their social media posts are tagged as misinformation and alleging that the observatory is colluding with the government.

“Free speech wins again!” Jordan posted on X (formerly Twitter), after it was reported that the center would supposedly close down.

DiResta has denied that the center, with the Election Integrity Partnership, has the power to take down posts. Social media companies, not the observatory, have the ability to remove posts on their respective platforms.

The partnership, which culminated in an almost-300 page report, continued into the 2022 election. But, according to the EIP’s website, the project “finished its work after the 2022 election and will not be working on the 2024 or future elections.”

“The EIP’s collaborative model was tailored toward a specific event—Election 2020,” the researchers wrote in the report.

Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center said in a statement Monday that the SIO would “continue its important work” under the leadership of faculty director Jeff Hancock.

“SIO will continue its critical work on child safety and other online harms, its publication of the Journal of Online Trust & Safety, the Trust & Safety Research Conference, and the Trust & Safety Teaching Consortium,” its statement read. “Additionally, SIO faculty and staff will continue their work looking into psychological and media research questions associated with misinformation around the 2024 election.”

The center, which launched in 2019 with a $5 million grant from Craig Newman Philanthropies, openly admitted facing funding challenges.

“[The center’s] founding grants will soon be exhausted. As a result, SIO continues to actively seek support for its research and teaching programs under new leadership,” Stanford said.

The University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public will continue work on the 2024 election “along the same trajectory as our work with the Election Integrity Partnership in 2020 and 2022,” read a March post on the CIP website.

Kate Starbird, co-founder and faculty director of the CIP, wrote in a 2023 Seattle Times opinion piece that “[a]t the UW, we’re not buckling and won’t be bullied. Our team plans to continue our rapid research during the 2024 elections.”

“Though we are no longer collaborating on ‘rapid research’ with the original partners in the Election Integrity Partnership, our real-time election research at UW continues and we are forming new collaborations to support and share this work,” Starbird wrote in a recent email to this news organization. “We continue to collaborate with researchers at SIO on work related to online rumoring and misinformation.”

The Herald’s Male Athlete of the Year: Carmel’s Jackson Lloyd

CARMEL >> A few hours after committing to perennial national power Alabama to play football, Jackson Lloyd was back on the hardwood, joining his teammates for a summer league basketball game.

An escape from the pressure of a major decision? Perhaps. Yet, for the Carmel High three-sport standout, there’s not much better feeling than playing basketball with his friends.

“Growing up, basketball was my favorite sport,” Lloyd said. “Playing summer basketball with my teammates has helped take my mind off of this decision.”

A celebration of a milestone moment for the most recruited athlete to come out of the county was brief. Lloyd sent out a simple a social media post announcing his decision, then got back to business.

“That sums up Jackson,” Carmel baseball coach Mike Kelly said. “I remember he asked if he could take this call during a practice. He goes and sits on a lawnmower, comes out and says I got an offer from Tennessee, then gets back in the cages to hit. He went back to work.”

Jackson Lloyd played football, basketball and baseball for Carmel last school year. (John Devine — Monterey Herald)

Having played an integral part on three league titles teams, as well as leading the Padres to a Central Coast Section basketball title, Lloyd was named The Herald’s Male Athlete of the Year.

The 17-year-old Lloyd becomes just the fourth male from Carmel to earn the honor, joining Devin Pearson (2011, 2012), John Stivers (2017) and Kai Lee (2020).

A prominent figure on the football field as a 6-foot-7, 285-pound lineman, Lloyd was also the co-MVP in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division in basketball and a key element to Carmel’s run to a league baseball title.

Kelly got used to seeing football recruiters and college coaches at his baseball games, who wanted to see how athletic Lloyd was off the football field.

“Recruiters wanted to see him run the bases,” Kelly said. “He almost had an inside-the-park homer at Sollecito Park. He got thrown out at the plate diving headfirst. You do not see that athleticism in a kid his size.”

Whatever sport was in season, it had Lloyd’s full attention, as he was a double-double machine on the hardwood as well as a menacing presence as an offensive lineman in football.

“What’s different about baseball is you’re not doing something all the time,” Lloyd said. “When it’s time to lock in, you have to ready for the moment. Of course, if you’re pitching, the game is in your hands.”

For someone who often arrived four weeks late because of an extended basketball season, Lloyd put in the work, showing glimpses of his potential had baseball been his sport of choice.

“The sky would have been the limit had he focused on baseball,” Kelly said. “He’s got so much power. His length and size along with his release point would have made him an impact pitcher at the next level.”

As it was, Lloyd posted a 2-0 record with a save in a limited role on the mound for Carmel, while belting three homers hitting in the heart of the batting order.

“He treated baseball with a ton of respect,” said Kelly, who played football at Cal. “He would hang out after practice and take in extra work. He has intangibles you can’t teach, but can enhance.”

Before enrolling at Carmel in 2021, Lloyd had never put on a football uniform, playing flag football as a youth as a 305-pound quarterback and safety.

Once he put on the uniform and discovered a love for contact, Lloyd became a lineman with rare athletic skills, landing on college coaches’ radar by his sophomore season.

“After my freshman year, I started meeting some coaches,” Lloyd said. “Nothing too serious. The summer (before) my junior year, I got an offer from UCLA. It just took off from there.”

Carmel lineman Jackson Lloyd. (John Devine — Monterey Herald)

Lloyd still remembers a conversation he had with then-UCLA coach Chip Kelly, who is now the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

Kelly stressed the importance and benefits of playing multiple sports in high school in terms of gaining a mental edge from a competitive standpoint.

“Coach Kelly told me if you’re playing basketball and baseball, that’s another 30 or 40 games a year, instead of just 10 games.” Lloyd said. “It helps with the competitive spirit. Coaches loved that I am a three-sport athlete.”

Where Lloyd feels he’s taken the biggest strides as a football player is in the weight room, which was foreign to him until after his freshman season.

“I didn’t start lifting weights until the summer of my sophomore year,” Lloyd said. “My friends got me into it.”

What transpired was a body makeover as Lloyd shed as much as 35 pounds at one point, while growing three inches to his current height.

“You see potential in folks,” Carmel football coach Golden Anderson said. “It doesn’t always come to fruition. A lot of big people want to push opponents around. He’s worked hard on his technique. His aggression comes out. He has a lot of violence between the whistles.”

With his wingspan extending to 82 inches, Lloyd’s footwork from playing basketball has made him explosive off the ball, pummeling opponents in his path.

“I think it’s (football) one of the best team sports,” Lloyd said. “There is no sport like it. No other team sport allows you to hit people and push guys around.”

Because the sport is still relatively new to Lloyd, his ceiling is through the roof. The strides he has taken over the past three years turned him into a four-star recruit with untapped potential.

“He hasn’t focused on just one sport,” Anderson said. “And he’s young. There is so much room for growth. Coaches love his makeup. They know he’ll compete. He wanted to be around the best.”

The desire to play multiple sports didn’t keep Lloyd from meeting the demands of gaining strength in the weight room or excelling in showcase camps over the summer for football recruiters.

His attitude has brought teammates along for the ride when it came to putting in extra work – even after a game.

“He’s very diligent in the weight room,” Anderson said. “Even if it’s after a basketball or baseball practice, he takes it all very seriously. He knows it helps him prepare as an athlete. He’s a quiet leader.”

Three inches taller and 30 pounds lighter from his freshman season, Lloyd evolved into one of the premier basketball players in the county, dropping in 15.8 points a game, while pulling down nearly nine rebounds a night.

“What is so amazing about him is that typically a big man has good feet, but bad moves,” Carmel basketball coach Kurt Grahl said. “To have both at this level is so rare. That’s what gets you to Alabama, albeit in another sport.”

Grahl has watched Lloyd become more of a complete player, not only playing with his back against the basket, but showcasing a soft touch on the perimeter.

“Jackson will shoot the trail 3s,” Grahl said. “He was No. 2 for us in free-throw percentage. He’s a two-way threat. He can take a smaller player inside, or back out and drop shots on the perimeter.”

For someone, who couldn’t dunk entering his freshman season, Lloyd has improved his vertical leap substantially as shown with his two-handed jam at a recent summer league game.

There is no doubt in Grahl’s mind that if Lloyd was two inches taller, he’d have his share of Division I basketball offers as well.

“Being 6-7 in football with his athleticism is amazing,” Grahl said. “But going up against a 6-11 guy in the post makes it difficult to get to the next level. I’m sure if basketball was something he wanted to pursue, there would have been offers.”

Because there is a chance that Lloyd will graduate early and enroll at Alabama in January, he could be playing his last basketball games for Carmel during the summer.

“It will feel weird if I miss basketball season and leave early,” Lloyd said. “One of the main reasons to get on campus early would be for their strength program. But that’s not on my mind right now. I’m still at Carmel.”

His attention is on the upcoming fall football season, where after going 10-0 last year, the Padres were knocked out of the playoffs by eventual State Division 4A champion Soquel.

“For sure, 100 percent, we all feel we have something to prove,” Lloyd said. “There is some unfinished business. You can see the effort during the summer. The focus is already there.”

While Lloyd is not an emotional guy, or someone who exploits himself on social media, there is a sense of excitement in his voice moving forward.

“I’ve never focused on one sport,” Lloyd said. “I’ve only played tackle football for three years. I am excited to see how my game takes off at the next level.”

Some of Monterey County’s top female high school athletes

Here’s a look at who turned out to be the top high school female athletes in the county

Savannah Hardy, Pacific Grove>> A three-sport standout, Hardy was a member of The Herald’s All-County softball team, hitting .432 in helping the Breakers to the postseason. The junior showcased power at the plate, leading the team in homers. She also drove in a team-high 26 runs, and led Pacific Grove in doubles (11), walks (13) and on-base percentage (.511). On the basketball flook, Hardy averaged a team-high 15.8 points a game. She also led the team with 134 rebounds, as well as steals and assists. A defensive specialist in volleyball, Hardy finished among the team leaders in digs, compiling a season-high 29 in an epic battle with Stevenson.

Norma Tulua, Seaside>> A member of The Herald’s All-County basketball team, Tulua also earned all-league honors on the volleyball court for the Spartans. Tulua averaged just under 13 points a game, while leading the county in assists. She also pulled down a team-high 201 rebounds, while finishing among the team leaders in steals. The senior was a defensive demon at the net in volleyball, leading the Cypress Division champion Spartans in blocks, compiling eight or more twice. Tulua also recorded over 100 kills. Hitting in the heart of the batting order in softball, Tulua produced a .400 plus on-base percentage.

Malaya Carrillo, King City>> Having earned all-league honors in basketball and softball, Carilllo won 12 games in the circle for the playoff-bound Mustangs, producing 75 strikeouts. At the plate, the senior hit .342, driving in 22 while scoring 26. She also stole nine bases out of nine attempts. Carrillo led the Mustangs in scoring in basketball at just under 12 points a night, showing off her outside marksmanship with 30 3-point goals. Carrillo finished with a team-high 48 steals, while pulling down 105 rebounds. She also finished among the team leaders in assists. A three-sport standout, Carrillo was among the Mustangs’ team leaders in kills and blocks on the volleyball court, averaging nearly four blocks a match.

Emmerson Ferreira, Stevenson>> Dynamic in the water in the fall and spring, Ferreira produced 128 goals in leading Stevenson and the county to its first Northern California Division III water polo title. Ferreira produced 25 goals with 12 steals in the postseason and also set a school record for wins last fall. She also finished among the team leaders in assists. The incoming senior was among the Pirates’ top swimmers this past spring, capturing Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division titles in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events to advance to the Central Coast Section championships.

Clara Adams, North Salinas>> The freshman did unprecedented things on the track, breaking a 25-year-old county record in the 400 meters as a 15-year-old, clocking 54.46 seconds. Adams became the first North Salinas female athlete to qualify for the state meet in 27 years, and the first to win a Central Coast Section title in the 200, placing fourth overall at the state championships in the 400. She also reached the state meet in the 200 meters, clocking the second-fastest time in county history. Adams showed glimpses of her potential on the volleyball court last year in her first season playing the sport.

What you need to know about the California budget deal

California will make widespread cuts to state government operations, prisons, housing programs and health care workforce development in order to maintain its social safety net as it moves to close a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

The $297.9 billion spending plan, announced last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, also relies on reserves and pauses some business tax credits to address a remaining revenue gap estimated at $56 billion over the next two years.

“This agreement sets the state on a path for long-term fiscal stability — addressing the current shortfall and strengthening budget resilience down the road,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re making sure to preserve programs that serve millions of Californians, including key funding for education, health care, expanded behavioral health services, and combatting homelessness.”

The Legislature passed a budget more than a week ago in order to meet a statutory deadline, but it did not represent a final deal with Newsom as they continued to negotiate over whether to repurpose billions of dollars earmarked to increase payments for health care providers who treat low-income patients and whether to further delay minimum wage increases for health care workers, among other issues.

Their agreement — which the Democratic-controlled Legislature is expected to vote on through a series of bills  ahead of the July 1 start of the new fiscal year — does claw back the funding intended for Medi-Cal provider rates. It pushes back the health care wage hikes until at least October and potentially until next year, depending on the strength of revenue collections in the coming months. Despite heavy opposition from labor unions, the move could save California hundreds of millions of dollars.

The plan makes $16 billion in cuts, including a blanket 7.95% reduction in funding for nearly all state departments and the elimination of thousands of vacant positions, which are collectively expected to save nearly $3.7 billion. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will take an additional $385 million cut at the urging of progressive lawmakers, far higher than what Newsom had originally sought for the shrinking prison system.

Other major reductions include $1.1 billion from various affordable housing programs, $746 billion for health care workforce development and $500 million to build student housing. A scholarship program for middle-class college students will lose $110 million annually, about a fifth of what the governor had originally sought to cut.

More than $3 billion in previously promised funding to expand food benefits to undocumented immigrants, increase pay for providers who care for people with developmental disabilities, add new subsidized child care slots and build out broadband internet will be delayed.

This will allow the state to protect what Newsom and legislative leaders touted in their announcement as “core programs,” including an expansion of Medi-Cal, California’s health care program for the poor, to all adults regardless of their immigration status, as well as increased funding for behavioral health, welfare grants and supplemental income for seniors. Local governments will receive another $1 billion to address homelessness.

The budget deal shrinks a proposed cut to schools funding, following a tense negotiation with education groups during which teachers unions ran a television advertising campaign criticizing Newsom. About $5.5 billion will be delayed until future years.

“The Assembly fought hard to protect the public services that matter most to Californians, and we are delivering a budget that prioritizes affordability and long-term stability,” Rivas, a Salinas Democrat, said in a statement.

As part of their agreement, Newsom and the Legislature will pursue several additional measures to address the circumstances that led to California’s steep deficit. While the state experienced a historic surplus just two years ago, a delay in tax collections last year caused by winter storms shielded the extent of California’s weakening fiscal condition until after the governor and lawmakers had already committed to too much new spending.

The budget deal proposes legislation, to be taken up in August, that will require the state to set aside a portion of future projected surpluses so that it cannot be spent until the money is collected. It also suggests putting a constitutional amendment before voters in 2026 to grow California’s main reserve account.

In the meantime, the state plans to dip into that rainy day fund, pulling out more than $12 billion over the next two years to address the fiscal shortfall. It will also suspend the net operating loss for companies with more than $1 million in taxable income and limit business tax credits to $5 million annually — strategies that it previously employed at the height of the coronavirus pandemic — to raise an estimated nearly $15 billion in new revenue over the next three years.

“Make no mistake: This is a tough budget year, but it also isn’t the budget situation we were originally fearing,” McGuire, a Healdsburg Democrat, said in a statement. “This balanced budget helps tackle some of our toughest challenges with resources to combat the homelessness crisis, investments in housing, and funding to fight wildfires and retail theft.”

Some of Monterey County’s top male high school athletes

Here’s a look at who turned out to be the top male athletes in the county:

Simeon Brown, Carmel>> One of two players to earn Herald All-County honors in two sports this past year, Brown was a part of two league title teams and a section championship. Last fall the 6-foot Brown turned 36 catches into nearly 800 receiving yards, averaging 20.1 yards a reception, sharing the team lead with eight touchdown catches. Brown also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including a 60-yarder in the final minute to help Carmel erase a 14-point deficit to Alisal. The incoming senior was dynamic on the basketball court, averaging just under 14 points a game for the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division and Central Coast Section Division IV champion Padres. Where the guard made the biggest impact for the Padres was with his tenacious defense and unselfish attitude, leading the team in steals and assists, finishing second in rebounds. Brown strengthened himself in the spring by competing in track and field, where he helped Carmel’s 400 relay team reach the Central Coast Section trials.

Kavon Collins, Monterey>> A highlight reel on the football field, Collins’s best performance may have come on the basketball court when he scored 17 points in the State Division IV title game. Football will be the senior’s ticket in college, coming off a year in which he caught 69 passes for 1,023 yards and a county-high 16 touchdown catches in sharing The Herald’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year award. Collins set a school record for reception yards with 211 in a four-touchdown performance against Aptos, adding a fifth on a game-winning 91-yard kickoff return with no time left on the clock. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Collins was at times the best player on the floor for the Toreadores in their State Division IV basketball title run, averaging over 14 points a game. The incoming senior created havoc with his ability to penetrate the paint, finishing second on the team in assists, while often guarding the opponents top scoring threat. Collins, who is on several colleges’ radar, also ran track in the spring to improve his speed, shaving time off his 100 meter mark.

Logan Saldate, Palma>> Bound for the University of Notre Dame in the fall, Saldate lived up to the expectations with a county co-leading 16 touchdown catches last season. Brought up as a freshman four years ago, Saldate caught 68 passes for 1,275 yards last season, with eight touchdown catches being 50 yards or more. The Herald’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year in football, Saldate caught six passes for 93 yards, 54 on a touchdown catch in Palma’s state title win over Mission Oak of Tulare. The school record holder in the long jump at 24-feet, ½ inch, Saldate won the Gabilan Division long jump title and ran a leg on the winning 400 relay team, helping Palma to a track and field team title this past spring. A hamstring injury suffered at the league finals prevented him from chasing a second straight state podium finish in the long jump.

Messiah Johnson, Alvarez>>A two-time member of The Herald’s All-County basketball team, it’s Johnson’s talents in football that are taking him to the next level in college. The 6-foot-6, 290-pounder landed at Idaho State, where he became the first Alvarez athlete out of high school to earn a football scholarship. Johnson was a physical specimen in the trenches last season for Alvarez, pancaking opponents who crossed his path, while protecting the quarterback’s blind side in earning all-county honors. The recent Alvarez graduate was a double-double machine on the basketball court, averaging just under 14 points and 12 rebounds a contest. Johnson recorded 18 double-doubles for the Eagles, who had a seven-game improvement in the win column in finishing with 16 wins.

Adrian Perez, Gonzales>> Somewhat overshadowed down in South County, Perez landed a spot on The Herald’s All-County football team and was an all-leaguer in three sports at Gonzales. Perez caught a team-high 45 passes for just under 800 yards and eight touchdowns, compiling over 1,000 yards in total offense. On the basketball court, the playmaking guard averaged 21 points a game, including a career-high 30 in one game, earning Cypress Division all-league honors. Perez finished among the team leaders in assists and steals for the Spartans, recording a season-high seven steals in one game. An all-league selection in the Cypress Division in baseball, Perez helped lead Gonzales to the program’s first-ever league title, hitting .464, finishing among the team leaders in runs batted in and runs scored.

The Herald’s Female Athlete of the Year: Monterey’s Ella Myers

MONTEREY >> Not playing multiple sports, instead focusing on just one sport, is something Ella Myers can’t imagine.

Yet, the reality for the 17-year-old who has a softball scholarship to UC Santa Barbara in 2025, is that day is coming.

“When you cut off a sport that I love, it kind of feels like I will be cutting off one of my limbs,” said the Monterey High three-sport standout.

Her dominance in multiple sports has led her to be named the Herald’s Female Athlete of the Year.

Myers will have one more year to treasure playing water polo and chasing a podium finish at state in wrestling.

Oh, and one more spring to leave a legacy in softball – not only at Monterey, but in the county, where she is within reach of a handful of milestones.

“Her work ethic is probably the hardest I have ever seen in a high school athlete,” Monterey pitching coach Brian Wedderburn said. “She’s driven, humble and takes a lot of pride in what she does.”

Ella Myers of Monterey, CCS champion at 140 pounds.(Courtesy photo)

A throwback when it comes to excelling in multiple sports in high school, Myers is a softball player first, who just happens to be among the best wrestlers in the state.

Having pitched and hit the Toreadores into uncharted waters in softball over the past three years, she is also a two-time state meet qualifier in wrestling.

“If it wasn’t for softball, I might have considered wrestling in college,” Myers said. “I have a passion for the sport. It’s a fight. You have to stay in it mentally the entire time.”

Jumping a weight class this past year, Myers became a Central Coast Section champion in two sports during her high school career when she brought home a section wrestling title at 140 pounds.

A three-time Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division champion, Myers went into the state championships sporting a 34-1 record before dropping two of four matches.

“I hate to lose more than I like to win,” Myers said. “State was disappointing. I got further than I did the previous year. But, yeah, it irks me. I’m glad I have one more year.”

Myers will likely go over 100 career wins in wrestling by the time her senior year ends, with hopes of becoming the first Toreadore to win four consecutive league wrestling titles.

“Wrestling is kind of unorthodox,” Myers said. “But it pushes you in another way. It’s like nothing I have ever experienced. It pushes you to your mental and physical limits.”

While there are risks for the sport, it’s never been a consideration by her parents to ask Myers to drop the sport and put more of an emphasis on softball.

“I remember watching this kid pitching for Oklahoma,” said Myers’ dad Jason. “It was brought up that she wrestled in high school and wouldn’t stop until she won a state title. I thought there you go. Well, she won a state title in Hawaii her sophomore year and stopped wrestling. That blew my theory.”

A physical therapist, who was also a state meet wrestler in high school, Jason Myers understands the risks of the sport, but embraces his daughter’s desire to compete.

“I know the sport is dangerous,” Jason Myers said. “But I love the idea of her playing a variety of sports. I like that Ella uses different parts of her body.”

The sport has also taught Myers more about her body, what its limits are, where the movements on the mats pale in comparison to floating in the water or throwing a 65 mph riser.

“Your body moves in ways it doesn’t for any other sport,” insisted Myers. “Being in shape is only part of the process. You have to be in control of your body. There is no real way to prepare for it.”

Perhaps, that’s the spark that fuels Myers’ desire to put herself through the rigors of a sport that demands weight control, as well as the physical abuse her body absorbs.

“I’m understanding the sport and my physical limits,” Myers said. “If you get taken down, you fight back. There are similarities to softball. Once you’ve done wrestling, everything else seems easy.”

Monterey High starter Ella Myers delivers in the first inning against Salinas during the CCS Division I Championship at West Valley College in Saratoga. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)

That includes water polo, where Myers has learned to embody a sport she wasn’t originally attracted to, but uses it as a means to improve her stamina.

“I did not start off loving water polo,” Myers said. “But it is a way to push myself. If I were to cut it out, I would be doing myself a disservice. It has a place in my heart.”

Myers has continued to grow with the sport, taking advantage of her rocket right arm to take aim at goalies from the outside of the 2-meter position, evolving as a scoring threat.

“Being in the water, I felt it would be different from land sports,” Myers said. “The sport is so good for your health. It’s a nice way to work myself to death.”

The fire that burns in Myers’ eyes when she’s in the circle on the wrestling mats or softball field, can be witnessed in the water when she soars above an opponent to launch a shot attempt.

“I’m invested in it,” Myers said. “I feel I can contribute more to the team than I have before. I am an athlete that just happens to play water polo.”

Living up to the hype as a softball player upon arriving on campus as a freshman in 2021 meant Myers had to be thick-skinned in ignoring the resentment that came with the territory.

“There was some animosity when I arrived my freshman year,” Myers said. “Some kids felt like they deserved the spot. If you’re good enough to play, who cares what year you are.”

Myers squelched those rumblings, having pitched and hit Monterey to a pair of CCS Division II titles and the county’s first-ever Northern California softball championship.

Last spring Myers won a career-high 17 games – including the program’s first win over Hollister in over a decade – in hurling the Toreadores to a third straight CCS finals appearance.

“I didn’t have the year I wanted,” Myers said. “The expectations that people had for me have risen as well. We tried to rise to the challenge. I felt I could have done better in all aspects. I’ve got more shot at it.”

Those expectations Myers has are often self-inflicted. The 5-foot-6 right-hander expects to win every game.

“She’s a student of the game,” said Jason Myers. “She’ll spend a couple of hours at night before a big game jotting notes on what an opposing hitter likes and what adjustments need to be made.”

Her tenacious attitude has become contagious with some of the younger players on the Toreadores, as well as a veteran coaching staff.

“I’ve learned from her,” Wedderburn said. “There are only a handful of kids that get you excited to practice. It’s a 100 percent effort, with no excuses. Ella makes us all better as coaches.”

As passionate as Monterey’s career home run leader is, her compassion and humbleness comes out when being a leader.

Monterey High School team captain Ella Myers consoles Taylor Page after receiving the runner-up award in the CCS Division I Championship against Salinas at West Valley College in Saratoga. (Raul Ebio – Herald Correspondent)

“I try and lead by example, more than vocally,” Myers said. “But I remind our players to be humble, keep our chins up and voices down. Don’t shove it in people’s faces.”

Having recorded her 500th strikeout this past spring, Myers has another goal in mind next year and that is the county career home run record of 36, set this past spring by King City’s Lisa Villanueva.

With 26 home runs through three years, she is 11 away from eclipsing that mark, although it may be a challenge if opponents aren’t willing to pitch to her in the Gabilan Division.

“It’s a goal, but it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t happen,” Myers said. “I have high expectations for myself. I will probably never have the year I want. Perfection is what I strive for. Realistically, that is not going to happen.”

Compiling a .582 on-base percentage at the plate last year, Myers struck out 187 hitters over 136 innings, with six shutouts and a no-hitter, finishing with a 1.54 earned run average.

“I can’t tell you which pitch is her best,” Wedderburn said. “She executes all her pitches with precision. She’s gotten more confident in throwing her change and going after hitters. She’s grown to understand when to throw a certain pitch.”

While having committed to Santa Barbara as a pitcher, Myers will be given an opportunity to play the field when she’s not in the circle, likely at second base.

“The coach told me they’d love to have another middle infielder,” Myers said. “I still have to earn that spot. It might be harder if I’m pitching a lot. I will have to prove I deserve a spot on the field.”

Knowing this is the last year she’ll be competing in water polo and wrestling, Myers will cherish the moments, with the same fire she’s displayed since she was old enough to pick up a softball.

“It is going to be weird when it’s over,” Myers said. “It will be an itch I won’t be able to get rid of. I might have to jump on a wrestling mat in college on the weekends.”

Horoscopes June 23, 2024: Jason Mraz, trust your instincts

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Melissa Rauch, 44; Jason Mraz, 47; Frances McDormand, 67; Randy Jackson, 68.

Happy Birthday: Take a step forward. Don’t fear change. Try something new and exciting, and you’ll meet people who encourage you to thrive and discover who you are and the possibilities available. Sign up for something that inspires a positive shift in your life. Trust your instincts instead of letting someone else intervene. Invest time and money into what you want to do with the rest of your life. Your numbers are 7, 12, 21, 27, 32, 38, 40.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Check all the boxes before moving. Someone will trick you into thinking something is OK when it isn’t. Question, observe and put your energy into getting facts and figures before you commit to something that puts you in a vulnerable position. 2 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take the initiative and get things done. Complaining is a waste of time and energy that needs a positive outlet. Show enthusiasm, and friends and relatives will help. A small incentive will lead to a robust support system. Romance is on the rise. 5 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Live, learn, laugh and play, and you’ll attract people who embrace life and love as much as you do. An opportunity to experience something exciting will raise your interest and encourage you to take on an exhilarating challenge. Refuse to let anyone stifle your plans or dreams. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Say yes and enjoy the moment. Take hold of an opportunity instead of daydreaming about aspirations. Discuss, plan, follow through and shift your energy positively. It’s up to you to implement a positive change. It’s your move; make romance a priority. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep your money, possessions and passwords private. Refrain from giving newcomers a chance to take advantage of you. Focus on personal gain and surround yourself with trusted friends and partners that stand the test of time. Listen, observe and preserve what’s meaningful to you. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take in events or activities that make you think and give you a unique perspective regarding what’s possible. A change will be uplifting and encourage you to consider allotting more time to explore what makes you happy. Express your feelings. 5 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Think twice before you make promises. Assess your domestic situation and consider how to make it less expensive. A move or investment looks beneficial and can prompt a professional change that allows you to use your tools and skills to your liking. 2 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll come across a great idea or someone who offers something that resonates with you mentally, physically or emotionally. Don’t let an opportunity pass you by when a change is what you need. Jump at the chance to try and experience something new. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Rethink your plans before you proceed. You’ll get a false impression from someone hyping a lifestyle that intrigues you. Opportunity begins with you not buying into someone else’s dream. Come up with a plan you can call your own. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Share your thoughts and feelings, and you’ll get valid input to help you decide what’s next. A change at home or to your lifestyle will encourage new beginnings and the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream. Following your heart will lead to stability and satisfaction. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Emotional energy will skyrocket. Prepare to direct positive vibes if you want to avoid a negative response. You must offer or discover opportunities, incentives and an enthusiastic presence to attract people vying for similar challenges and outcomes. Finding your tribe will lead to magical results. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Be innovative; something you discover will change your perspective, pointing you in a new direction. Get the lowdown and put a budget in place before you begin, and you’ll gain the confidence of someone you want to join you. Make romance part of your plan. 4 stars

Birthday Baby: You are enchanting, empathetic and intuitive. You are knowledgeable and supportive.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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Grand Prix of Monterey: Palo Alto teenager riding the rollercoaster of IndyCar circuit

Most teenagers haven’t had a month like Nolan Siegel, and it’s not over yet. The 19-year-old Palo Alto native is fresh off his first Indy 500 attempt and a class win at Le Mans. Monday, he signed a multi-year contract with Arrow McLaren to race full-time in IndyCar.

That kicked off an emotional rollercoaster of events with as many twists and turns as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca where Siegel will drive in Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.

Siegel is a hot prospect in IndyCar. A third place in the 2023 Indy NXT championship and the recent Le Mans win are the teen’s greatest accomplishments. And while Siegel crashed out of Indy 500 qualifying and didn’t compete in the race, he got another shot at the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America.

“It was a very long journey, an 11-12 year journey (to an IndyCar contract),” Siegel said Friday. “But I’m really excited for it to culminate with this opportunity.”

Siegel’s journey began with go-karts and quickly turned to open-wheel single-seaters, starting with Formula 4 in 2019 and accelerating to a full season in Indy NXT four years later. His first appearance in IndyCar came in April.

But before there was any engine noise from Siegel’s No. 6 Arrow McLaren, there was a lot of noise on social media about him. That’s because his road to IndyCar meant the end of the road for Theo Pourchaire, who was bumped mid-season from Arrow McLaren when Siegel joined.

The former Super Formula driver’s release was not based on ability, according to Arrow McLaren Sporting Director Tony Kanaan.

“It wasn’t because of his performance, he’s done whatever he could do,” Kanaan said online.

This ignited frothy speculation about the root of the driver swap, including possible monetary incentive for Arrow McLaren. Mark Siegel, Nolan’s father, is a partner with Menlo Ventures, a venture capital firm with more than $5 billion in assets under management. Menlo Ventures sponsored Siegel’s Indy NXT car and online chatter wondered if a similar sponsorship influenced his signing.

Sponsorships are motorsport’s lifeblood. It can cost $10 million to operate an IndyCar racer; the opportunity to sign a rising star with major sponsorships can be tempting.

Earlier this week, Arrow McLaren team principal Gavin Ward didn’t give a definitive response if sponsorship was a factor in Siegel’s arrival and Pourchaire’s departure.

However, prior to Practice 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Nolan Siegel clarified the situation with a single word when asked if sponsorship led to his new contract.

“No,” said Siegel.

Siegel said sponsorship wasn’t what brought him to Arrow McLaren. Instead it was a “mutual interest” that accelerated at Road America.

“The car is obviously covered in branding and that’s how McLaren makes it work,” Siegel said. “They’re one of the most commercially successful teams in the paddock and that’s not how this happened.”

Shortly after Siegel’s clarification, Ward attempted to do the same.

“I think that this one’s (the sponsorship controversy) a little bit overblown,” said Ward. “Siegel earned his place. … Is the sponsorship involved? Yes. … I think it’s the nature of the business. … There’s always some level of commercial involvement with the drivers.”

Friday practice marked Siegel’s first in the No. 6 car and another turn in the rollercoaster of events.

Siegel lapped the circuit slowest in Practice 1 and was four tenths slower than second-slowest. A new car often has a learning curve, especially with WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s unpredictable grip.

Saturday, Siegel posted the second-slowest time. He fared slightly better during qualifying, and will start the race 23rd of 27 drivers.

Siegel’s next chapter unfolds Sunday during the 95-lap race, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

Mason Bloom is a student journalist at Aptos High School. 

Pro Soccer: Trager, Dixon lead Monterey Bay F.C. past Oakland

SEASIDE — An injury plagued season has forced Monterey Bay F.C. to dig into their depth and test their youth in matches with meaning.

While the offensive struggles have been well documented throughout the first half of the season, Saturday was not one of those afternoons as the Union got goals from their two most prolific scorers in Tristan Trager and Alex Dixon.

The result was a 2-1 win over the Oakland Oaks — sweeping the season series from their Northern California rivals and climbing into fourth place in the United Soccer League Championships Western Conference.

Despite a stretch of going just 1-6-2 coming into Saturday’s matinee — which was seen on ESPN2, Monterey Bay F.C. is just three points off the pace at 6-7-4, improving to 4-2-3 at Cardinale Stadium.

The win jumped the Union two spots, moving them to within a point of the Oaks, who saw their three game winning streak end, falling to 7-8-2 overall.

Oakland, who has failed to produce a goal in the first half 11 times this year, found itself starring at a 1-0 halftime deficit when Trager scored his team leading sixth goal of the season.

Trager, who helped Charleston reach the USL title game last year and is tied for third in goals in the Western Conference, took a pass from former Cal State Monterey Bay sniper Walmer Martinez and headed it through the net.

The goal snapped a scoreless streak that had stretched over 235 minutes for the Union, who produced a second goal minutes into the second half when Dixon scored at the 48-minute mark.

Dixon, who has been slowed by injuries, set the franchise single-season team record for goals in his first season last year for Monterey Bay F.C. with 11.

The Union, who beat Oakland 1-0 on the road in the teams’ first meeting on April 6, turned to 6-foot-5 goalie Antony Siaha, who added a handful of saves between the pipes in improving his USL leading save total to 64.

Martinez — who missed four USL games earlier this year — shares the team lead with Carlos Guzman for assists for Monterey Bay F.C. with his third.

As the Union begin the second half of the season on June 29 at Colorado Springs, their roster is expected to receive an infusion of healthy players over the next two to three weeks.