West Valley Leads Northern Regional Championships Beginning this Friday

West Valley Leads Northern Regional Championships Beginning this Friday

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The California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Northern Regional Championships is set to kick off on Friday morning at San Joaquin Delta College with six men's teams and eight women's teams hoping to advance to championship Saturday and the CCCAA State Championship tournament.

MEN – North

(1) The yearlong, top ranked West Valley College Vikings (26-1) undoubtedly comes in as the top-seeded team in the north after another incredible year leading to a 32^nd consecutive Cost Conference Championship. As a team, the Vikings rank tops in the north with 490 goals, 18.15 goals-per-game, 58.8 shot percentage, and a lowly 83 turnovers. Their one loss on the season was to Division I Pepperdine, 17-12. They did not lose to a single two-year school all season.

The Vikings boast an impressive five players who have netted over 40 goals highlighted by sophomore Ante Buzov. Buzov, who was named the CCCSIA September Athlete of the Month, has scored in every game he has played highlighted by a nine goal showing against the South's top-seeded Golden West. Furthermore, he has scored five or more goals in seven goals and has not scored fewer than two goals in any game besides two.

Joining him on the scoring front is sophomore tandem Gojko Kapovic and Lucas Romaguera who have each netted 47 goals each, while sophomore Togan Ozbek follows with 44 goals.

(2) Sierra (11-9) earned the second seed after boasting a record just two games over .500 and showing up in the first two CCCWPCA rankings at 10^th overall. Sierra edged out third-seeded Diablo Valley in the Big 8 Championships last week. They ended their season on a three game winning streak to carry the hot hand into Friday action.

Leading the charge on the offensive front is freshman Chris Nihart who leads his team with 42 goals while adding 18 assists. Sophomore Filip Crnogoroc has hummed home 36 goals, while sophomore Johnny Frink follows close behind with 36 goals. Freshman Brendan Craft has staffed the pipes for the majority of the season with 134 saves and 13 wins.

(3) Diablo Valley (15-6) will look for sweet revenge as they enter in as the third seed before narrowly missing a Big 8 Championship last week. After dropping their first two games of the season, they went on a 10 game winning streak to pick up the pace.

Sophomore Ethan Braga has scored a team-high 77 goals to go along with a swiping a team-pacing 39 steals. He ranks second in assisted with 34, behind sophomore Casey Hammond who has tallied 35 assists. Sophomore Nathan Lyckfors has been a viable offensive option with 61 total netters.

(4) Las Positas (18-14) rounds out the top four seeds and will face off against (5) Merced (20-14). Diablo Valley squares off against (6) Ohlone to kick off the weekend action.

WOMEN – North

(1) To no surprise, it is West Valley (23-4) who enters into the regionals as the top dog. The Vikings, who were ranked in the top two all season, will look to reach the state tournament after winning their fifth-consecutive undefeated Coast Championship. The Vikings lone two-year loss was to the south's second-seeded Orange Coast College Pirates in mid-October, but the rest of the games were smooth sailing.

They have held opponents to under six goals 13 times on the season while scoring 18 or more goals in nine games.

Leading the charge is sophomore Johanna Scheer. She ranks first in the state with 160 total points and second in the state with 110 goals. She has scored in all but one game and has tallied five or more goals in 13 contests. She scored a season-high eight goals in a non-two-year game, followed by two seven-netter games.

Sophomore Grace Smith has earned 171 saves and only given up 79 goals for a 68.4 saves percentage, which leads the state. She has notched 10 double-digit save games after beginning the season on a five game double-digit saves streak.

(2) San Joaquin Delta (19-10) comes in as the second season after nothing a Big 8 title. They defeated two strong south competitors in Long Beach and Golden West entering into the conference tournament.

Sophomore Natalie Johnson is the ultimate pest on the defensive end while creating offense as well as she lead the state with a massive 102 steals and 94 assists. She has pocketed at least one steal in all but one game highlighted by

Sophomore Sophia Schwartz has scored a team-high 61 goals, while sophomore Hannah Wilson follows with 59 goals.

(3) Merced (17-8) comes in as the third-seeded squad after placing second in the Big 8 conference. They ended their season winning six of their last eight games after falling to West Valley in the championship showdown. 

Sophomore Libby Hamilton, who was named the CCCWPCA Week Five Player of the Week, leads their team with 69 goals and 60 steals. She has netted 30 goals in the last seven games featuring a seven-score surge against Foothill. Sophomore Alina Hodges follows with 59 goals, 23 assists and 28 steals, while sophomore Gabi Perez leads the team with 42 assists while chipping in an impressive 55 steals.

(4) Sierra (11-13) will square off against (5) American River (10-6), while (6) Marin (16-8) will look to upset Merced. (8) Ohlone has a tall task with top-ranked West Valley and (7) Diablo Valley will battle it out with San Joaquin Delta. 

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Release by Nicho DellaValle
CCC Water Polo Coaches Association SID
Director, Sports Information
Riverside City College
nicho.dellavalle@rcc.edu