Good-bye 2014

The year that now was leaves a long-lasting legacy in area sports. It was a year of champions, near champions, records, firsts, disappointments and sadness.

Pairing 2014 down to the top 10 stories is a near impossible task, but tradition and space dictate that we hold it to just 10. That means that many major accomplishments get slighted, but those not mentioned will be long remembered by those who participated, watched and appreciated them.

So significant were the happenings of the year just past that not one football team was able to crack the elite 10. This despite all four local teams making the North Coast Section playoffs, Casa Grande staging an amazing season turnaround, Petaluma having its best season ever for coach Ricky Krist, St. Vincent winning another league championship and Tomales reaching the NCS playoffs in what may be its last season as an 11-man team.

We had several of our young athletes make junior national teams in different sports and Sawyer Lloyd and Heather Mahoney from the Petaluma Valley Athletic Club competed in the World Junior Racquetball championships.

It was that kind of year.

Here then are the sports stories that made the cut - the Top 10 Petaluma sports stories of 2014.

1. Doug Johnson retires

Several sporting eras came to an end at Petaluma High School when Doug Johnson retired as girls basketball coach. His resignation, announced before the start of the season, brought to an end a 36-year run as leader of the T-Girls.

His record, going into his final season was 660-326, a 669 winning percentage. His teams won nine league championships and four times were undefeated in league play. He was named league Coach of the Year on numerous occasions and twice was North Coast Section Coach of the Year. In 2009, he received the Community Award for Service to Youth.

His 1999-2000 team played for the state championship, capturing the admiration of the entire community in its run to the state playoffs.

“Winning was important, but what was really important was what was right,” said Steve Ellison, Johnson’s friend and long-time Petaluma football coach. “He is one of the most creative teachers I’ve ever been around. He is a unique individual, but in a good way. He is unlike anyone I’ve ever met. He taught me a lot.”

Janelle Lombardi Robello, a former player and, for the last several years, Johnson’s assistant, was named to succeed Johnson, who will remain the Petaluma track coach in the spring.

2. Super seven sign

On national signing day when high school athletes become eligible to officially sign to play for the college of their choice, seven Petaluma High School athletes - all girls - held a combined signing ceremony, agreeing to play for some of the nation’s top colleges.

The seven - all friends and most friends since elementary school - included Samantha Lamos (rowing), Allison Scranton (track and field), Joelle Krist (softball), Brie Gerhardt (softball), Riley Scott (swimming), Kara Jones (gymnastics) and Maddie Mehciz (volleyball). Each, during their careers at Petaluma, have established athletic and academic credentials that will ultimately qualify them for the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Lamos signed with UC Berkeley, Scott with USC, Jones with UC Davis, Krist with the University of Arizona, Gerhardt with Lehigh University, Scranton with Utah State and Meheiz with Western Oregon.

The seven girls weren’t the only local athletes to sign with big time programs. Earlier, the leaders of Casa Grande High School’s spectacular 13-1 football team, quarterback Jawaun Lawson and running back John Porchivina agreed to play for D1 schools - Lawson at New Mexico University and Porchivina at the University of California, Berkeley.

Casa Grande kicker Matt Abramo signed with Washington State University and Casa pitching ace Eric Parnow agreed to play for Oregon State.

3. Petroni Honor Coach

Ron Petroni has never been a head varsity football coach, but he is among the most respected football coaches in Northern California. Just how much respect the Casa Grande High School coach has earned from his fellow coaches was reflected by his selection as the North Coast Section Honor Coach of the Year. Just how much respect and affection he has earned from his fellow teachers and the student body at Casa Grande was reflected by the schoolwide assembly held to acknowledge his honor.

Petroni has grown up as a teacher, mentor and coach right along with Casa Grande High School. A high school star at Tomales, he coached at Casa Grande for 34 years as both assistant football coach and head baseball coach, helping develop the skills and lives of hundreds of young people.

4. SV girls reach state

The St. Vincent High School girls basketball team made school history by becoming the first St. Vincent girls court team ever to reach the state playoffs. The Lady Mustangs, despite playing several much larger schools during the pre-league season, finished with a 26-6 record, blitzed their way to the North Central League II championship, finished second in the North Coast Section playoffs, won a state game by beating Ripon before the dream season ended with a lost to Eastside Prep in the second round of the state playoffs.

5. History for runners

The Casa Grande High School boys cross country team ran its way into history and knocked off an arch rival in the process in the North Coast Section championships at Hayward High School.

The Gaucho boys became the first boys team from Casa ever to win a North Coast Section championship when it beat nemesis Maria Carrillo. The Pumas, who had edged Casa Grande for the North Bay League championship via a sixth-man tie breaker, were third, finishing behind the winning Gauchos (97) and Dublin (117) with 126 team points.

Both Casa Grande and Maria Carrillo advanced to the CIF state meet in Fresno.

The Casa Grande boys were joined at the state meet by junior Adria Barich, who ran fifth in 18:43. As a team, the Casa Grande girls were third with 152 points behind winner Redwood (36) and Maria Carrillo (106). Last year, third would have put the Gauchos into the state meet. This year, only the top two teams qualified.

The Casa Grande boys were led by junior Matt Salazar who ran an outstanding race over a treacherous and slippery three-mile course, finishing second to Redwood’s Andy Ehrenberg. The winner was timed in 15:32, while Salazar ran 15:35.

Salazar was followed for the Gauchos by Nicholas Rauch, fifth in 15:56; Zachary Nussdorfer, 13th in 16:24; Adam Harwood, 35th in 16:57; Chad Nathanson, 42nd in 17:04; Max Bechtel, 57th in 17:26 and Zachery Esponda, 72nd in 17:48.

Petaluma’s Madison Parratt reached the state meet for the second time.

Her state meet appearance capped a strong finish for the senior.

After becoming the first Petaluma High School girl runner to win the Sonoma County League meet championship since 1994, she went on to finish 12th out of 107 runners in the North Coast Section championship meet to qualify for the CIF state meet championships for the second straight year.

6. Scott All-American

After swimming on the U.S. National team in Dubai, Petaluma’s Riley Scott earned High School All-American by the National Interscholastic Coaches Association.

Scott was selected All-American in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke. Her IM time of 1:59.98 was the 12th best time in the nation, while her 1:00.52 breaststroke time was the fifth best in the country.

The Petaluma High swimmer was also the Press Democrat’s All-Empire Girls Swimmer of the Year.

The honor came after she became the first Petaluma High School swimmer in more than a decade to win a North Coast Section swimming title. She won the 200IM in 1:59.98, the first time she had gone under two minutes in the event.

To cap off a great year, she announced she had accepted a scholarship to the University of Southern California.

7. Baseball marathons

Sometimes, baseball games seem like they take forever. Last spring, Petaluma and Analy games almost did. The two Sonoma County League teams took 27 innings to play what were scheduled to be two seven-inning contests.

In a game that started at Analy and was completed two weeks later at Petaluma, Analy finally prevailed with two runs in the 12th inning, 9-8.

The two teams followed immediately with a scheduled game on the Petaluma diamond and toiled for another 15 stomach-churning innings before Analy finally managed to push across a run and win, 1-0.

The Analy wins proved to be the difference in the race for the SCL championship, with Analy finishing first and Petaluma second.

8. Tomales changes

There were historic changes at Tomales High School in 2014. The first was definitely good when running back/linebacker Anthony Feliciano accepted a scholarship from Benedictine College in Kansas. He is believed to be the first student/athlete from the small school to receive a football scholarship. An era ended when his father, Leon Feliciano, announced that his 19th season as head Tomales football coach would be his last. The Braves responded by reaching the North Coast playoffs for their coach, who has three NCS titles and numerous league crowns to remember from his Tomales coaching days.

His departure might mean a dramatic change for the Braves. As the year ends, the school, with around 150 students, is considering switching to eight-man football.

9. Lights turned on

After years of planning and discussion, the Petaluma American Little League has a lighted field allowing its baseball teams to play night games on its Major League diamond at Lucchesi Park.

The lighting structures, which include two 70-foot light poles for the outfield and two 60-foot poles for the infield, are the first for a Little League field in Petaluma, and only the second installed in Sonoma County. The lights cost about $120,000, which the league raised through donations and fundraising events over several years.

Petaluma American League officials said the league has been working on erecting the lights at the Major Field for about seven years. Mike Larson, a volunteer who coaches a team and serves on the board of directors, said the board decided last year to make the commitment to install the lights for the 2014 season.

The Petaluma city Little League championship game was, for the first time, played under the lights.

10. Big losses

Petaluma lost two of its most beloved sports personalities in 2014 with the passing of Wayne Douglas and CJ Banaszek.

The year had barely begun when Douglas, 51, died unexpectedly.

The Petaluma native and former Petaluma High School standout athlete, won the hearts of thousands of close friends with his humor and genuine friendliness.

He was well known to the Petaluma sports community through his involvement with his four sons - Ryan, Dean, Logan and Shane.

Summed up friend Troy Sanderson, former president of the Petaluma National Little League. “Wayne was the man you hope your son grows up to become,” Sanderson said. “A kind, honest, generous, hardworking family man who cared deeply about his friends and his community. He will always be a role model in every sense of the term.”

Banaszek was just 13 when he finally lost a long fight against chronic myeogenous leukemia.

His courage and winning smile in the face of his illness became an inspiration for the entire community, especially to the students at Casa Grande High school. The term “CJ Strong” became a motto for the school and the community.

These 10 stories are completely arbitrary. Conflicting opinions are welcome.

Contact John Jackson at johnie.jackson@arguscourier.com with additions, substractions and comments.