SPRING SPORTS SENIOR NIGHT
May 3, 2020
With large gatherings and all CIF sport competitions cancelled, Eye of the Tiger’s Bella Ayala compiled a list of all spring sport seniors to honor their hard work put into their sport. Sports recognized include baseball, softball, boys volleyball, boys golf, boys tennis, track and field, swim, and stunt.
Coaches were sent questions for seniors to answer about their high school careers, and the honored only include those who sent in their responses.
Baseball
Braden Holcomb
Senior Braden Holcomb is a three-year player on the varsity baseball team and served as team captain in his senior year. After high school, Holcomb will be attending the University of Alabama where he will major in operations management and plans to possibly play club baseball for the Tide. Holcomb’s favorite RHS baseball memory is being the back half of the pitcher-catcher battery with senior teammate Dylan Ranallo for the past 4 years.
Dylan Ranallo
Senior Dylan Ranallo dedicated four years to the RHS baseball program and in his senior season served as team captain on the varsity team. In his junior season on varsity, Ranallo earned CVC 1st Team All-League honors and had a .328 batting average. Ranallo will be continuing his baseball career at Sierra College next year as a criminal justice major. Ranallo’s favorite memory is pitching to senior teammate and lifelong friend Braden Holcomb for the last time ever this season.
Brennan Eid
Senior Brennan Eid is a two-year member of the varsity baseball team and served as a team captain on the team this year. After high school, Eid will be attending San Diego State University where he will be studying business. Eid cannot pick just one favorite memory, because he has made so many great memories playing with this group of guys over the past four years.
Cameron Belton
Senior Cameron Belton is a two-year member of the varsity baseball team. Next year, Belton will be attending the California State University, Chico and will be majoring in kinesiology. Belton’s favorite RHS baseball memory is the team’s tradition “wife-beater Wednesdays.”
Dylan Rose
Senior Dylan Rose has played in the RHS baseball program for two years and has been captain twice during his time. Next year, Rose will be attending Sierra College as an undecided major. Rose’s favorite memory was winning league on the freshmen team.
Boys Golf
Arturo Zavala
Senior Arturo Zavala is a four-year member of the boy’s varsity golf team and has severed as team captain for two years. Zavala earned CVC 1st Team All-League honors and qualified for the CIF-SJS D2 tournament in his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons. As a junior, Zavala won a three-player sudden-death playoff to advance to the CIF-SJS Masters tournament. Zavala will be continuing his golf career at Folsom Lake College where he also plans to major in either communications or education. Zavala’s favorite RHS golf memory was winning the playoff his junior year against two players from River Valley High School who happened to be brothers, to advance to the Masters tournament.
Cody Rampenelli
Senior Cody Rampenelli dedicated three years to the RHS golf program and is a two-time captain. Next year, Rampenelli will be attending California State University, Chico. Rampenelli’s favorite RHS golf memory is when his teammate Logan broke three clubs in a row.
James Damate
Senior James Damate has been in the RHS golf program for two years. Damate plans on attending Sierra College for 1-2 years after hopes to transfer to the University of Hawaii to major in botany and business. Damate will continue to play golf in his spare time for fun. Damate’s favorite memory was when teammate Arturo Zavala topped his drive on the first hole of a match that only went 10 yards.
Connor Jamison
Senior Connor Jamison is a four-year member of the boy’s golf program and was on the varsity team for his final season. Next year, Jamison will be attending Sierra College. Jamison’s favorite RHS golf memory were the team van rides.
Boys swim
Drew Salisbury
Senior Drew Salisbury has been on the varsity swim team for all four of his years at RHS. Salisbury made sections in his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons. Next year, Salisbury will be attending the University of Utah where he will be on the pre-med track. Salisbury’s favorite RHS swim memory is competing in sections in his freshman year with the upperclassmen.
Ryan Murphy
Senior Ryan Murphy is a two-year varsity swim team member. After high school, Murphy will be attending the California Polytechnic State University, San Louis Obispo where he will be majoring in civil engineering. Murphy’s favorite RHS swim memory is when his relay team cannonballed into the pool instead of diving during the race.
Ethan Bandy
Senior Ethan Bandy dedicated three years to the RHS swim program. Next year, Bandy will be attending Sierra College where he will be studying administration of justice and political science. Bandy’s favorite RHS swim memory is the Rio Linda relays.
Boys tennis
Tommy Vu
Senior Tommy Vu is a three-year varsity player for the boy’s tennis team. In his junior season, Vu and the team won a CVC league championship. Vu has not yet chosen a college but will be majoring in biological sciences. Vu’s favorite RHS tennis memory is winning the Fresno tournament and league in his junior season.
Nathan Sangria
Senior Nathan Sangria has been the RHS boys varsity tennis team for three seasons. Next year, Sangria will be attending the University of California, Davis where he will be majoring in civil engineering. Sangria’s favorite RHS tennis memory is winning a CVC championship in his junior year.
Girls swim
Caroline Mason
Senior Caroline Mason is a two-year varsity swim team member. Next year, Mason will be attending San Diego State University where she will be majoring in biology. Mason has enjoyed making lots of new friends during her years on the RHS swim team and will remember having fun at the Rio Linda relays.
Ellen Schonberg
Senior Ellen Schonberg competed on the varsity swim team for two years. After high school, Schonberg will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno where she will pursue a degree in social work. Schonberg’s favorite RHS swim memory is the craziness of the Rio Linda relays.
Chloe Castleman Svoboda
Senior Chloe Castleman Svoboda is a two-year member of the varsity swim. Next year, Castleman Svoboda will be attending San Jose State University. Castleman Svoboda’s favorite RHS swim memory is the Rio Linda relays.
Gabryella Supapo
Senior Gabryella Supapo swam on the varsity swim team for two years. Supapo beat her personal record in her events, freestyle and breaststroke, every subsequent swim meet. She has not yet chosen a college but Supapo plans to major in biochemistry. Supapo’s favorite swim memory is the Rio Linda relays and winning the most spirited award as a team.
Abby Edmondson
Senior Abby Edmondson dedicated four years to the RHS swim program and served as a captain for one of those years. After high school, Edmondson will be attending the University of New England where she will be studying marine biology. Edmondson’s favorite memory is hanging out with her friends during the Rio Linda relays.
Miki Yomogida
Senior Miki Yomogida is a three-year member of the varsity swim team and served as a captain for the team this season. As a sophomore, Yomogida was a member of the team’s section team. Next year, Yomogida will be playing on the water polo team at Sac City College where she will also be studying psychology. Yomogida’s favorite RHS swim memory is going to the Rio Linda relays and winning spirit award.
Leah Salas
Senior Leah Salas was on the RHS varsity swim team for two years. After high school, Salas will be attending the California State Univerity, Chico where she will major in liberal studies in hopes of one day becoming a teacher. Salas’ favorite memory is hiding in the bathroom during warmups at swim meets and has enjoyed meeting new people.
Alexia Garcia
Senior Alexia Garcia dedicated four years to the RHS swim program. Following high school Gracia will be attending Sierra College. Garcia’s favorite memory was always seeing her team cheer for everyone no matter who they were or what team they were on, she enjoyed seeing the positivity.
Julie Nguyen
Senior Julie Nguyen is a three-year member of the varsity swim team. Next year, Nguyen will be attending the University of California, Los Angeles where she will major in civil engineering. Nguyen’s favorite memory is the adrenaline kick she got after racing in her first race as a freshman.
Boys volleyball
Isaiah Lara
Senior Isaiah Lara is a two-year player and one-year captain for the boy’s varsity volleyball team. After high school, Lara will be attending San Diego State University as an undeclared major and hopes to keep playing volleyball whether it be beach or intramural. Lara’s favorite RHS volleyball memory is beating the Sheldon Huskies in the playoffs last year with a full crowd cheering the team on and has enjoyed being able to play volleyball with his friends.
Sam Angell
Senior Sam Angell is a three-year member of the boy’s varsity volleyball team and has served as team captain. In his junior season, Angell earned CVC All-League honors. Next year, Angell will be attending San Diego State University where he will be majoring in psychology. Angell’s favorite RHS volleyball memory is winning the Granite Bay JV tournament in his sophomore year.
Ashton Smith
Senior Ashton Smith is a three-year varsity player on the boy’s varsity volleyball team and has also been a team captain. Smith earned All-Tournament honors in the Granite Bay JV tournament in his sophomore year. Next year, Smith will be attending San Diego State University where he will major in computer engineering and also hopes to continue volleyball by playing club at SDSU. Smith’s favorite memory is playing the Rocklin Thunder in the playoffs in his junior season.
Parker True
Senior Parker True played on the boy’s varsity volleyball team for three years. True earned CVC All-League honors in his junior season. Following high school, True will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno where he will be majoring in computer science. True’s favorite memory is winning the boy’s varsity volleyball tournament in San Ramon sophomore year.
Aidan Henderson
Senior Aidan Henderson is a three-year boys varsity volleyball player. In his junior season, Henderson earned CVC All-League honors. Next year, Henderson plans on attending Sierra College. Henderson’s favorite RHS volleyball memory is winning the Granite Bay JV tournament in his sophomore year.
Mitchell Lawrence
Senior Mitchell Lawrence is a three-year member of the boy’s varsity volleyball team and has also served as team captain. Freshman year, Lawrence was named MVP of the JV team, and as a junior on varsity earned CVC All-League honors. After high school, Lawrence is planning to attend Sierra College then transfer to a four-year university and major in sports nutrition. Lawrence’s favorite RHS volleyball memory is winning the Granite Bay JV tournament in his sophomore year.
Softball
Hannah Peterburs
Senior Hannah Peterburs has dedicated four years to the RHS softball program and is a two- year varsity player. As a junior on varsity, Peterburs hit .333 and earned Second Team All-League honors after stepping up as the team’s catcher, after the team’s starting catcher went down. Next year, Peterburs will be continuing her softball career at American River College where she will be majoring in graphic design. Peterburs’ favorite memory is beating the undefeated Yuba City Honkers 11-1 in last year’s senior night.
Emily Wright
Senior Emily Wright is a four-year player in the RHS softball program and has served as a varsity captain for the past two years. In her junior season, Wright had a .419 on-base percentage and earned First Team All-League honors. Next year, Wright is attending San Diego State University where she will be majoring in environmental engineering. Wright’s favorite RHS softball memory is beating the Whitney Wildcats, last year’s D1 section champions, at the start of this year’s season.
Bella Ayala
Senior Bella Ayala is a four-year varsity player and two-year captain in the RHS softball program. Junior year, Ayala earned First Team All-League honors and was named the team’s Defensive MVP. Ayala is continuing her softball career at Fordham University, where she will be playing D1 softball and majoring in business administration with a primary concentration in marketing and a secondary concentration in sports business. Ayala’s favorite part about her time with RHS softball has been being able to play the sport she loves every day with some of her best friends.
Stunt
Reilly Hays
Senior Reilly Hays is a two-year varsity STUNT member and team captain. Next year, Hays will be attending California Baptist University where she will be competing on the competitive cheer team and majoring in accounting. Hays’ favorite STUNT memory was qualifying for sections in 2019.
Madison Rogers
Senior Madison Rogers is a four-year member of the STUNT team and has also served as a captain during her time with the team. After high school, Rogers will be attending California State University, Chico where she will continue her cheer career and major in business marketing. Rogers’ favorite STUNT memory is going to sections.
Lilly Barnes
Senior Lilly Barnes has done STUNT all four years at RHS. Next year, Barnes will be attending Montana State University where she will be majoring in history. Barnes’ favorite thing about being on the STUNT team for the past four years was getting the chance to learn new skills.
Track and field
Nathan Gorgona
Senior Nathan Gorgona is a three-year member of the varsity track and field team. In his time with the team, Gorgona has made it to sections for the 4x100m, 400m, and 4x400m. Next year, Gorgona will be attending Sierra College and will major in kinesiology and plans to transfer to California State University, Sacramento after two years. Gorgona’s favorite memory is making a ton of new friends and being one of the fastest on the team consistently throughout high school.
Mandy Ruiz
Senior Mandy Ruiz is a three-year member of the varsity track and field team. In her junior season, Ruiz was named MVP and earned 2nd Team All-League honors. Next year, Ruiz will be attending American River College where she will continue to cross country and track and will also major in biology. Ruiz’s favorite RHS track and field memories are qualifying for the Masters meet and meeting her best friends.
Madysen Nickerson
Senior Madysen Nickerson has been on the varsity track and field team for two years. Next year, Nickerson will be attending Sierra College where she will be majoring in sociology. Nickerson’s favorite memory was placing 2nd in the CVC for discus in her first season.
Abby Macaluso
Senior Abby Macaluso has been on the varsity track and field team for one year. After high school, Macaluso will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno where she will major in biology. Macaluso’s favorite RHS track and field memory is tripping and sliding across the track when the team was racing during practice to see who the fastest thrower was.
Kristina Kravchuk
Senior Kristina Kravchuk has been on the varsity track and field team for one year. Next year, Kravchuk will be attending the University of California, Davis where she will be majoring in biological sciences. Kravchuk’s favorite memory was her first invitational at Oakmont High School.
Julie Haywood • May 4, 2020 at 7:10 pm
Wow!! Great write up! What an awesome way to honor the seniors and their sports! May the next journey in life be just as memorable!!
Yvette Zavala Van Zandt • May 3, 2020 at 6:36 pm
I am Arturo Zavala’s aunt. What a great job you all did putting this beautiful tribute together for the spring sports of Seniors. Thank you so much!! God bless you all as you prepare for the next chapter of your lives. Go Tigers!