APTOS, CALIF. (APRIL 14, 2016) – Two world-renowned athletes in surfing and skiing, along with the greatest golfer and most-decorated track and field athlete in Aptos High history headline the list of 2016 inductees into the Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame, with the 11th annual awards dinner to be held April 30 at Seascape Golf Club.
Tyler Fox (Class of 2000), one of the leading big-wave professional surfers in the world, and Cody Townsend (Class of 2001), one of the most influential and recognizable big-mountain skiers in the world; will be joined by Eddie Olson (Class of 2005), the only Mariner golfer to win the State High School Championship; and Stephanie LeFever (Class of 2007), who won 11 league titles and still holds nine school records in track and field.
They will be among eight athletes being honored, along with legendary tennis coach Bob Wallace and the championship 1980 Mariner baseball team.
Dinner tickets are $50 each and may be reserved through Aptos High Athletic Director Mark Dorfman, at 688-6565, ext. 483 and mark_dorfman@pvusd.net
Fox, who paced the Mariners to third place in the California State High School Surfing Championships in 2000, competed on the world surfing tour before turning to the big waves. He has continued to surf the world’s iconic big-wave spots, finished fourth at the past two Mavericks and twice has been nominated for the Billabong XXL Award. Fox is CEO of Santa Cruz Waves and serves as Ambassador for the Save The Waves Coalition.
Townsend, an all-county quarterback for the Mariners, has starred in more than 20 big-mountain skiing films, earning numerous industry awards. While in high school, Townsend was a nationally ranked junior skier and won a Junior Olympic title. He has gone on to win numerous big-mountain skiing competitions around the world. He joins his father, longtime Aptos coach Jamie Townsend, in the Hall of Fame.
Olson played four years of varsity golf at Aptos, winning two league titles and a qualifying for the section tournament all four years. As a junior in 2004, Olson captured the individual title in both the Northern California Championship and California State CIF Championship – clinching the state title with a hole-in-one on the 16th hole. One of the top-ranked junior players in the country, Olson went on to compete at UNLV and in the summer of 2007 made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur.
LeFever competed in 12 different events during four years of competition in track and field, and also was a started on the volleyball team that went unbeaten in the SCCAL her junior and senior seasons. LeFever earned eight medals at the CCS Championships in her career and qualified for the State Meet all four years. She went on to compete in the heptathlon at UC San Diego, where she became an all-American and set school records in the heptathlon and long jump, qualifying for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in the long jump.
The Aptos High Sports Hall of Fame honor roll for 2016 also includes:
Kiersten Sambrailo (Class of 2007), who was a four-year varsity starter in basketball and three-year varsity starter in volleyball. A two-time league MVP in volleyball, Sambrailo earned a full-ride scholarship to play volleyball at Oregon State, where she was a three-time Pac 10 All-Academic Team winner.
Cristin Murphy (Class of 2003), who was a four-year varsity starter in soccer, three-time all-league (first team) and SCCAL Forward of the Year as a senior. Murphy went on to play two years at Cabrillo College, leading the Seahawks to a conference title, and then played two seasons at San Jose State, becoming an all-Western Athletic Conference selection.
Scott Ramsey (Class of 1980), who goes into the HOF “twice” this year – on his own, and as part of the 1980 baseball team. Twice named to both all-league and all-county teams for football (quarterback) and baseball (pitcher), Ramsey went on to pitch at San Francisco State University.
Tim Pedemonte (Class of 1980), who is considered one of the all-time best football players in Aptos history. He was an all-league and all-county selection on both offense and defense, and in in 1979 earned honors as SCCAL Defensive Player of the Year. Pedemonte went on to play defensive end at Humboldt State University.
Bob Wallace (1985-1998), developed a good boys tennis program in to a powerhouse, winning five league team titles and dozens of league singles and doubles champions. He was the winningest boys tennis coach in school history (until his successor and former Mariner star Mike Shiro surpassed him).
1980 Baseball Team, which was the first to qualify for the CCS playoffs, going 19-8 under the direction of coach Paul Barrington. The key seniors were catcher Ernie Cooper, the all-league and all-county MVP, pitchers Scott Ramsey and Kevin Daily, and powerful hitter Phil Ingram.
The Aptos Sports Foundation re-invigorated it’s Poker Tournament on Saturday
November 14 and once again was not disappointed by the outpouring of support for the kids of this community.
The fabulous atmosphere, food and drink at Seascape Golf Club made it easy for Texas
Holdem' players to settle in and compete for some serious bragging rights and impressive
prizes donated by many throughout Santa Cruz County.
A special thank you to Craig Robinson, Garrett Jewelers, The Holder Family as well as The Crow's Nest, Cafe Rio, and The Hideout to name just a few for their generous donations to the cause.
Rich Seadler was the last man standing and took top prize at the tournament, followed by
Jeff Zaharie, Jeff Harper, Charlie Scibetta, Dave Waite, Ken Kisner, Paul Crawford, and
Steve Ghio who all walked away with a prize.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the successful night will go directly to the
student-athletes of this community, improving the quality of sports at Aptos High School
and it's feeder programs.
Recently, the Aptos Sports Foundation approved funding for 12 permanent benches to be
installed at the high school tennis courts. We are also working to install scoreboards at
the softball field and pool for water polo use.
In the near future, the Foundation hopes to support a digital marquee at the entrance to
Aptos High School for announcements of athletic and various school events. Almost
every high school in the tri-county area currently has some form of digital signage and Aptos deserves to promote the wonderful activities happening at the school and keep the community updated on what students are doing.
None of this would be possible without our community support, so if you would like to
help, the ASF Golf Tournament is April 29, 2016. Or give a gift any time of the year
through the Foundation's new endowment fund.
For more information visit: aptossportsfoundation.com
Nine, yes nine, Aptos Mariners signed their letter of intent on November 13, 2015 committing to play college sports next season.
These stellar student-athletes are the reason the Aptos Sports Foundation does what it does. Not only are they gifted athletically, their hard work and dedication has paid off and now they will be representing the Aptos community across the
state and country.
Maddy Bol will play for the University of Chicago’s indoor volleyball team. Her
two teammates Madi Dueck and Karsen Welle are both on their way to UC
Berkeley, Dueck as part of Cal’s inaugural Pac-12 sand volleyball program, and
Welle will join the Lady Bear nationally ranked crew team.
Both baseball standouts, Jack O’Boy and Jack Harris signed letters of intent at
UC Davis and San Francisco State respectively.
Natalie Wendt will compete on Fresno State’s equestrian team and Ana Calero
will join the Spartan Women’s Soccer team at San Jose State.
Continuing the strong Aptos High running legacy, Mattie Peoples will compete for
the UC Santa Barbara women’s track and cross country team.
Finally, Christopher Staka who won the 100-meter backstroke at the CCS
Swimming and Diving Championships will swim for the University of Alabama.
These outstanding seniors as well as other student-athletes still competing for
Aptos High School will be our future community leaders in some form or another
and ASF hopes to continue to provide a quality student-athlete experience for the
youth of Aptos for generations to come.
You can be a part of that transformative growth at the high school, junior high
school and youth sports programs through the Foundation’s charitable giving
fund.
For more on this, please visit: www.aptossportsfoundation.com.
We wish all these Mariners much luck and success at the next level, they will
have the support of an entire town behind them!
