2013 Featured Stories Archive Stories

Unlike his new Marysville Gold Sox teammates, Ryan Pope is well-acquainted with the pitcher's mound at Appeal-Democrat Park. The right-hander went 5-3 with a 2.28 ERA in 67 innings as a redshirt freshman with the Yuba College 49ers this spring in the team's first season at the lakeside ballpark since 1967. An All-Bay Valley Confe

Before each summer, Marysville Gold Sox manager Jack Johnson has the task of assembling a baseball team comprised of players from colleges throughout the country, both big and small. It's not easy. Though the Gold Sox enter each season with the goal of winning the Horizon Air Summer Series title, Johnson has much more on his plat

When she was 10 years old, Aleqse Hawkins was hit by a car — her hips were never the same. She has gone through physical therapy, constantly debated how far to push her limits and even felt the grief of letting her teammates down. She's played through pain, rested when she could, but her passion for basketball, her father a

One conversation changed Cedrick Thomas' outlook on the game of basketball forever. Thomas already had raw athletic ability when he stepped on to the Lindhurst High campus as a freshman in the fall of 2009. He would frequent the Blazers' open gyms during the offseason and throw down one-handed slam dunks just for fun. Entering hi

As he and his teammates coasted along I-5 to Stockton, Triston Montoya was convinced he was a part of a team of destiny. On Nov. 10 of last year, River Valley High's senior goalkeeper walked on to the pitch at Lincoln High's Alex G. Spanos Stadium and knew nothing would get by him. His Falcons had come too far and been through to

Ray Miller stared down the lane at Nu Generation and thought about how many times he had been in this very position — 10th frame, last ball, a strike away from perfection. The 19-year-old amateur bowler flirted with a 300 game on multiple occasions, including just one week prior in a father-son tournament. On Feb. 23, Mille

When Josh Appelt stood on a scale that read 320 pounds, he knew something had to change. He didn't think that change would take him this far. At Lindhurst High, he was a two-time heavyweight state qualifier. He played varsity football all four years. He was competitive, very competitive. After graduation in 2002, Appelt played a

On the eastern wall of Faith Christian High's C.A. Summy Gymnasium hang a plethora of blue banners commemorating league championships won by the Lions over the years. Mixed in with the blue banners is a smattering of yellow pennants which signify Faith Christian teams that have played in or won section championships. Since the sc

Yuba College will host its 15th annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday night at Peach Tree Golf & Country Club as four former 49er athletes and two special inductees will be enshrined. Inductees are selected by a committee based on their contributions both on and off the field to the Yuba College athletic department.

The New Life High girls basketball team runs weave sprints back and forth until hands begin to hit the knees — the players are gassed. "All right, quick water break," Ron Strickland barks. "And then let's get back out there." The coach stands tall, stoic and intimidating, until he smiles. But he keeps his serious face on &m

Are you "Kaepernicking?" We want to see Yuba-Sutter residents striking the pose for inclusion in our mobile photo blog. Just email it to mobile@appealdemocrat.com. To view the approved pictures, just go to the Mobile Photo Blog link at the bottom of

Instead of packing his bags for Spring Training in Arizona, Mike Walker will be making a bit of a longer trip in February. The Marysville High graduate will play for Team Australia in the third annual World Baseball Classic as he was officially named to the roster in an MLB Network special on Thursday afternoon. Walker, who will

As monotonous as the routine is, Matt Vedo knows it will pay off later this year in the heat of August. The Seattle Mariners pitching prospect, clad in team-issued shorts, a Seattle Seahawks sideline cap and an Elite Fitness dry-fit shirt, just kept tossing a baseball at the wall. Every time he threw the ball against cement, the