Foothills Sentry April 2023

Foothills Sentry Page 14 April 2023 COMMUNITY SPORTS BY CLIFF ROBBINS AND CHAD CLINE Canyon celebrates 50 years Four inducted into Hall of Fame The Canyon High School Foundation rolled out the gold carpet in honor of the school’s 50 years at the ninth annual Hall of Fame and Gala, “The Road Be- fore Us,” held March 18 at the Highway 39 Event Center. Inducted into the Hall of Fame was Amanda Wyatt-Pedriana (1992). She was on the swim team for four years, and per- formed with dance choreography and production for two years. After Canyon, Wyatt-Pedriana attended Orange Coast College and worked as a production co- ordinator for an entertainment company. Having been a dancer, she enjoyed being on stage. But working in a producing role, she found that she enjoyed “behind the scenes” just as much. Her time as a production coordinator gave her the opportunity to travel globally, setting her trajectory into the entertainment industry. Wyatt-Pedriana turned to casting, and found her passion. Over the last 18 years, she has cast and di- rected voice actors in nearly 100 video games. She was honored with the Laureate Award for her dance achievements. David Buehler (2205) played football, volleyball and golf, let- tering in all three sports. Buehler was also the ASB vice president his senior year, participated in the Best Buddies Club for two years, and was a Top 25 scholar. As a football player, Buehler was named First-Team All-Century League, and in his senior year was both a Student-Athlete of the Week and Orange County Athlete of the Week. Buehler went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys for five years. Eric Valent (1995) played soc- cer and baseball. While a student at Canyon, Valent was named All-Century League three times, All-County in 1994, and during his senior year, was named All- County, All-CIF, and USA Today All-American. After Canyon, He attended UCLA, where he was a three-time All-American, two- time Academic All-American, and Pac 10 Player of the Year in 1998. Valent was inducted into the UCLAAthletics Hall of Fame in 2015 and is still the career Pac- 12 HR leader with 69 home runs. He helped lead UCLA to the 1997 College World Series. In 1998, after three years at UCLA, Valent was selected in the first round by the Philadel- phia Phillies. He worked his way through the minor league system, made his major league debut for the Phillies on June 6, 2001, and got his first hit off of Derek Lowe of the Red Sox. Valent went on to play for the New York Mets. He hit for the cycle in Montreal while playing for the New York Mets in 2004. After retiring from major league baseball in 2008, Valent coached the Williamsport Cross- cutters, a single-A affiliate of the Phillies, then transitioned into scouting in 2009. He is currently a national scouting supervisor for the Miami Marlins. The fourth Hall of Fame in- ductee, Mitchell Cook, began his years at Canyon High as a football player in the summer of 2013. He was stricken with sudden cardiac arrest at football practice on Au- gust 7, 2013. Despite his short life, his im- pact on schools and safety con- tinues. OUSD renamed its health policy and implemented an AED program and training in his honor. The CHS team annually honors a member of the team with the Mitchell Cook Award, and the Mitchell J. Cook Scholarship is awarded annually to a senior who exhibits the traits of Mitchell’s zest for life. Foothill’s golf team holds the Franklin Cup Trophy after beating Beckman High School for the second year. Left to right, are Coach Brian Tomczak, Ethan Cunanan, Ethan Wong, Will Tanaka, Shane Walker, Daxton Deering, Micah Madden, Andrew Karr, Michael Bold, Vincent Johnson and Kellan Dobbins. Alyssa Jauregui from Santiago Canyon College reaches out for a hit against Saddleback. Santiago lost, 4-3, to Saddleback. Riley Piattoni from Santiago Canyon College lays down the perfect bunt. Piattoni’s previous at-bat sent one over the fence in the second inning. Micah Madden from Foothill High School shot a low 35 to secure Foothill a Franklin Cup Championship. Claire Greene (Villa Park), a sophomore on the Santiago Can- yon softball team, warms up on the sidelines. FEATURING FOOD, BEER, & WINE FROM 40+ TOP LOCAL RESTAURANTS & BREWERIES! MAY 7 TH • 3 PM - 7 PM All proceeds benefit Orange Blossoms, an auxiliary of the Assistance League of Orange Orange TASTEOFORANGE.COM TASTE OF ORANGE Purchase tickets at: Brenda Villa and Lauren Steele from OLu named Coach and Player of the Year The Girls Water Polo All-CIF teams were presented by the LA84 Foundation, as selected by the California Water Polo Coach- es’Association. In the Open Division, Lauren Steele (G, 11) from Orange Lu- theran was selected as Player of the Year, and Brenda Villa, also from OLu, was named Coach of the Year. Sara Naulty (12) and Al- lison Cohen (9), both from OLu; Rachel Gazzaniga (12), Rachel Kirchner (G, 12) and Deirdre Murphy (11), all from Foothill High, were named to the Open Division First Team. In Division 2, Delanney Ew- ing (11) from Canyon High, was named to the First Team.