County Sports League wraps up football, volleyball seasons

GARDEN VALLEY — The El Dorado County Sports League saw the conclusion of its flag football and girls volleyball seasons with two fine tournaments.

In girls volleyball, 12 schools met at Golden Sierra High School to determine 7th and 8th grade league champions.

In the 7th grade, Herbert Green rolled through pool play without a loss or a close set. In the semi-finals, competition stiffened as Sierra Ridge won the second set, but Herbert Green’s girls prevailed in the third set to move to the championship match, where they defeated Golden Hills in two sets to win the title.

In the 8th grade, Marble Valley, small in numbers but very talented, rolled into the semi-finals to face last year’s 7th grade champion, Herbert Green. Marble Valley’s girls faced an always tough Miner team, but this time downed the Herbert Green six in two sets to move to the title match against Sierra Ridge.

Marble Valley carried that momentum into the first set, winning that one comfortably. Sierra Ridge put up a tough fight and won the second set easily, but in the third and deciding set Marble Valley held off Sierra Ridge 15-11 to win the championship.

Pleasant Valley hosted the flag football tournament and was able to get its 7th grade team to the championship game against undefeated Herbert Green. Both teams rather handily prevailed in their semi-final matches: Pleasant Valley controlling Sierra Ridge 12-6 and Herbert Green rolling over Golden Hills 33-0.

In the championship game, Herbert Green won 27-6, controlling the ball most of the game and allowing Pleasant Valley only a single score in the third quarter on a double reverse carried 15 yards by Kyle Padilla.

Herbert Green’s Miners, meanwhile, scored in three of the four quarters, first on the opening drive on an 8-yard pass from Adam Saich to Justin Beckham. Then after an interception and a short drive, Nolan Nordquist sped in from 2 yards out. As the half ended quarterback Adam Saich burst into the end zone on a goal line stand.

In the second half, Nolan Nordquist found the end zone again, this time from 15 yards out, closing out the scoring of a well-played game full of the sportsmanship everyone likes to see.

The 8th grade football tournament produced more excitement. In the semi-finals Herbert Green squeaked by Marble Valley 14-12, with two extra-points the margin of victory. Camino outlasted Pleasant Valley in the semis 13-6, to set up a re-match of last year’s 7th grade title game.

Big plays ruled the action in this otherwise tough defensive battle, which saw Camino come from behind in the fourth quarter on a Manuel Morales 65-yard touchdown blast up the middle to win 14-12. Once again, extra points made the difference. Herbert Green scored twice in the first half, first on a 50-yard screen pass and run by Hank Hasemeir and then on a 13-yard pass from Keefe Pesko to CJ Volek.

Camino’s Danny Ortega sped into the end zone in the second quarter from 23 yards out to keep Camino close. Making the extra point then and after the Morales run in the fourth were the deciders as Camino won the title.