PETALUMA ARGUS-COURIER • THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 B3 Seven strong, Tomales ready to take on NCL II Braves have small, fast team that coach get stops on defense, it will “Nick is one of our main make using our speed a lot shooters,” the coach said. Reynolds hopes will find some success easier.” Woodward and 6-foot, Leading the Braves are 5-inch Concho Padilla give By JOHN JACKSON varsity) is crucial to co-captains Andy Azeve- them height underneath. ARGUS-COURIER SPORTS EDITOR making our team grow,” do, Brady Woodward and “Padilla has a huge wing For the Tomales High explained Tomales coach Tony Romo. All three are span,” Reynolds pointed School boys Tyler Reynolds. juniors. out. “He is getting better team, monitoring fouls is Although he has just Azevedo is an excellent and better each day.” more than important, it is seven players on the varsi- all-around player who can Junior Riker Wright and a matter of survival. ty roster, one of Reynolds’ score and is also a good the team’s lone senior, Javi The Braves have already major challenges is getting ball handler. Flores, also are valuable had to finish one game this two returning players, Woodward, at 6-foot, contributors. season with four players three players up from the 3-inches, is one of the Reynolds, who also on the floor. The problem junior varsity and two who taller of the Braves. He co-coaches the isn’t that the Braves foul have never played high got a slow start due to a team, is originally from In- a lot. It is that they don’t school basketball to gel lingering football injury, diana and has seen a lot of have bodies to spare. into a cohesive unit. but in his first game on the good basketball. He hopes Tomales has just seven “We have athletes and court, he pulled down 11 to see a lot more at Tomales. bodies on its varsity. There good speed. We have to use rebounds. He said coaching at are nine players on the that to our advantage,” Romo is one of the Tomales has been a learn- junior varsity, but all those said the coach. Braves’ all-around athletes ing experience, but he is players are either fresh- “Our basketball IQ and who is being counted on thoroughly enjoying that men, or have never played skills are a work in prog- for scoring and defense. experience. the game or the high- ress. We’re getting better With Romo, Azevedo “It has been kind of a JOHN JACKSON / ARGUS-COURIER STAFF school level. every game. and promising sophomore learning curve,” he ex- Tomales High Coach Tyler Reynolds oversees Andy Azevedo “The development of “The key thing for us is Nick Wright, the Braves plained. “But I love being and Nick Murphy as they drill. The two are being counted on those kids (on the junior defense. If we are able to have three solid guards. here at Tomales.” to be point producers for the Braves. Tennis group seeks captains T-Girls go dry at finish ARGUS-COURIER STAFF captain, respond to the each captain’s contact Approximately four email call-out for captains information. ARGUS-COURIER STAFF weeks prior to a USTA or send the league coordi- Members are respon- Petaluma’s T-Girls went team registration opening nator an email. sible for contacting team dry in the fourth period date, the Petaluma Tennis Once team captains captains directly to last week, losing their Association will send an have been confirmed, they express interest in playing final tune-up prior to the email to PTA members are required to submit a on a team. start of Sonoma County about captaining opportu- philosophy statement — a Captains are responsi- League play to Rancho nities for the coming USTA short summary of the ble for forming their own Cotate, 55-45. or Sonoma Napa Marin type of team they intend teams. The PTA encourag- Rancho Cotate sizzled Women’s Tennis League to form and their expecta- es captains and teams to for 21 first-quarter points, seasons. tions of team members. be open and inclusive to all but the T-Girls hung on, Since captaining is The PTA will then send level-appropriate mem- reaching halftime down voluntary, there is no a follow-up email to PTA bers expressing a desire just 31-27. Petaluma guarantee that all levels members with the names to play on a team, but it is continued its high scoring of play will form teams in of confirmed team cap- the right of the captain to in the third period and any given season. tains and their philosophy form their team as they went into the last quarter To volunteer to be a statements, along with choose. trailing just 44-43. However, the T-Girls scored just two points in the final period, losing their fifth game with eight wins. Ex-SSU player signs with Giants Sheriene Arikat led Petaluma with 12 points, DWIGHT SUGIOKA / FOR THE ARGUS-COURIER ARGUS-COURIER STAFF games as a freshman and sophomore. while Nichole Cota added Petaluma and Rancho Cotate had quite a tussle in the Former Sonoma State University Abrams is the third member of the eight, Angelina Scaccalosi final pre-league game of the season, before Rancho finally baseball player Trevor Abrams has 2017 squad to sign a professional con- seven, Jaden Krist six and prevailed, 55-45. signed a minor league contract with the tract. Pitcher Matt Hammonds was draft- Kaileigh Pate five. . Abrams, a native ed by the Baltimore Orioles in the 29th Petaluma was to have Wednesday night at Friday at home against El of Rocklin, becomes the 121st Sonoma round of the 2017 played its first SCL game Healdsburg and will play Molino. State student-athlete in the history of the First-Year Player Draft and competed baseball program to be drafted or signed for the Gulf Coast League Orioles at to a professional contract. the MLB Rookie level, making four Abrams played his junior and senior appearances (one start) for a total of 7⅔ campaigns in the Seawolf uniform in 2016 innings. Another pitcher, Dylan Hecht, and 2017, and he enjoyed a breakout year signed with the Pittsburg Diamonds and in his final collegiate campaign, hitting appeared in 10 games last summer. .293 with a team-best 10 doubles as SSU’s A total of 11 former SSU baseball play- everyday third baseman in 2017. He be- ers have signed contracts with the San gan his career at Division I Saint Mary’s Francisco Giants organization. The last College in Moraga, where he played in 20 was Gary Moran in 2009.

and sleeping almost impossible,” he said. Sinan Continued from B1 The adventures continued as he biked through Germany, Belgum and Sweden. hosts at a bed and breakfast. Finally, after ferry ride from Stockholm Talking to her about the differences be- to Helsinki, he was within a short 100-mile tween the French and Americans, Sinan ride to his cousin’s home near Lahti. But reported on his website that the woman not everything goes according to plan, told him: “The French are like coconuts, even if you don’t have an exact plan. hard on the outside, but soft on the inside. The motorcycle that had taken him Once you crack their shell they are your across the United States and much of friends forever. Americans are more like Europe without a hitch, managed to pick avocados, soft on the outside, but hard on up a construction key that deflated a tire the inside. They are very friendly, but can as he started the last, short leg of his toss you aside rather quickly.” journey. “I can’t say that is wrong actually,” He ended up being assisted by a friend- Sinan wrote. “If we were speaking gen- ly passerby who arranged for a van to erally there is some truth. We all judge pick up the American and his cycle. After different cultures more than 11,000 and people off our miles on his motor- initial experiences, cycle, he finally ar- and it doesn’t help “Those heavy feelings of sorrow rived at his cousin’s when the media were followed by a sense of home in a van. shapes your think- Sinan said the ing, either. freedom, once you understand logistics of the trip With his empha- how they captured the beaches weren’t all that sis on World War difficult. He stayed II, Sinan couldn’t and towns. That feeling of at bed and break- miss Normandy. He sadness, yet joy, for them must fasts, hostels, an wrote on his website occasional hotel, after watching have been unfathomable.” campgrounds and videos and visiting —Scott Sinan, on watching videos and visiting what he called “wild the museum, “In museum dedicated to WWII invasion of Normandy camps,” spending the video there were the night in the heavy feelings being open. on the beaches and seeing the monu- “It was strange sleeping in a new place ments and names. Those heavy feelings almost every night,” he said. “Sometimes of sorrow were followed by a sense of I would wake up and not know where I freedom, once you understand how they was.” captured the beaches and towns. That He had planned to make the trip on $50 feeling of sadness, yet joy, for them must a day and ended up spending about $55. have been unfathomable.” “You think about it, and it really didn’t After leaving France, Sinan toured cost more than I spend at home,” he England and even got invited to play for noted. an Australian side in a rugby match in He said he always felt safe as he trav- Wales. eled through the different countries. “I He said some of the toughest of his Eu- felt the most danger in Chicago,” he said. ropean journeys were in Spain and Italy, “Every country was different. The best where it was very hot. “It made traveling part was when I connected with people.”

had playing the game. It is really one JJ Continued from B1 answer. Some people are better at teaching, qualified coaches are needed than there better at communicating and better at are school employees to meet the needs. understanding than others. Some coach- I’ve asked many coaches why they take es are better than others. on what can be a thankless job that re- Unfortunately, too many good coaches quires sacrifice and few tangible rewards. have to make a choice between family Without exception, there are two and coaching. It is a tough decision, but answers. They tell me it is either for the in the end, there is only one right answer. love of the game or a desire to help young (Contact John Jackson at johnie.jack- players enjoy the same experiences they [email protected])