2012 milestones

MaxPreps turns 10 — America’s top Website for prep information celebrated its 10th anniversary with a company-wide dinner-dance at Rancho Cordova’s Marriott Hotel last August.

Founded by Cameron Park’s own Andy Beal in 2002 and located in Cameron Park, MaxPreps is the leading online resource for high school sports not to mention a sports writer’s best friend.

Beal first launched SacPreps to an audience of area prep football coaches. He then took a series of steps before going national. The company was acquired by CBS in 2007 with Beal remaining as its President. Beal was humbled to have Lee and Kathy Rees, early investors who backed Beal’s initial business plan, attend the celebration.

Mark Hendrix honored — Long-time Golden Sierra varsity baseball coach had his uniform No. 15 retired in an April ceremony in front of friends, family, work colleagues and former players.

Hendrix threw out the first pitch and turned to watch his jersey unveiled on the right field fence. He coached 19 years guiding the Grizzlies to three leaqgue titles and the 2007 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI title.

Local car owner wins Speedway title — Placerville’s Tony Fonseca joined rare company when his self-built, Red Hawk-sponsored Midget Lite race car won the Bay Cities Racing Association Traveling series. Fonseca’s driver last fall was Scott Kinney. The last local owner to win a race title was Butch Wylie in 1995 with driver Ray Rust.

Ducks Unlimited celebrates 75 years — The local chapter of Placerville Ducks Unlimited celebrated 75 years with a dinner/raffle/silent auction in early May at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conversation organization with over a half million members dedicated to preserving their waterfowl hunting heritage through habitat conservation to promote healthy waterfowl populations.

Martha Downing — Long-time area tennis pro Martha Downing was elected into the NorCal USTA Tennis Hall of Fame. Locally, Downing held the position of Tennis Director at the Millenium SportsClub in Shingle Springs for 19 years. She’s currently active on the senior circuit, most recently a part of the USA World Cup team.

Trent Williams inducted — The former 1989-91 El Dorado wrestler and 2001 coach was inducted into the school’s Sports Hall of Fame. Williams was a two-time state qualifier and a league and sub-section champion who helped the Cougars win a championship.