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2008 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

Mendocino College will be hosting it's third annual Athletic Hall of Fame dinner/induction on Saturday, February 16, 2008 at the Barra of Mendocino winery (formerly Redwood Valley Cellars) wine tasting room, 7051 N. State St. Redwood Valley. A wine tasting, no host social hour will start at 6:00 p.m., followed by a catered meal at 7:00 p.m., with the induction begining promptly at 8:00 p.m. Tickets ($35/ea) can be obtained by contacting Anna Daugherty at 468-3255.

This years student/athlete inductees include: former Eagle and University of California scholarship football player Jeff Schueller (1988), All-State softball athlete and Sonoma State graduate, Desiree Schroeder (2001-03), MC college All-American baseball player, Academic All-American, and scholarship athlete at Cal State Fullerton, Matt Belfanti (1988-89), Former MC basketball standout and Chico State athlete, Yancy Clark 1979-81, and two sport athlete (baseball and football), from the Eagles first football program, Dale Fischer (1977-79).

NFL player highlights Mendocino College 2007 Athletic Hall of Fame selections Ukiah, CA –

Five new members were selected to the Mendocino College Athletic Hall of Fame in December, 2006.

Ronnie Cruz, who played football from 2000-2001, was selected to first team all-conference both seasons. He is the single season rushing leader for Mendocino College with 1,752 yards.

After being named all-state and finishing second in the state in rushing in 2001, Cruz accepted a scholarship to play at Northern State University (SD).

The former Clearlake High School standout was the starting fullback for the National Football League’s (NFL) Kansas City Chiefs this season prior to being injured.

As an outfielder, Tim Angiolini (Upper Lake High School) was selected first team all-conference, All-Northern California and All-American in 1996 and 1997. Along with his accomplishments on the field, Angiolini also achieved success in the classroom and was named academic all-conference in 1997.

After playing for Mendocino College, Angiolini earned a scholarship to the University of South Carolina and was named All-Southwestern Conference.

Bernie Sopp (Ukiah High School) was selected all-conference and all-state as a defensive lineman in 1993 and was a member of two championship teams in 1993 and 1994. Sopp earned a scholarship to the University of Montana, where he was a two year starter.

Angela Mantele (Lower Lake High School) played volleyball from 2000-2001 and was selected all-conference and academic all-conference. In 2001, Mantele was selected California Community scholar athlete of the year and earned a scholarship to Holy Names University in Oakland, CA.

Warren Galletti (Ukiah High School) played both basketball and baseball while attending Mendocino College from 1984-1986. Galletti was selected first team all-conference in baseball and was captain on the basketball team. Galletti earned a scholarship to play baseball at Division I University of San Francisco and presently is the head basketball coach and principal at Point Arena High School.

Receiving special recognition is Glenn Erickson, who served for several years as the Ukiah Daily Journal’s sports editor.

Currently, there are 12 members in the Mendocino College Athletic Hall of Fame. To be eligible for selection to the hall of fame, student-athletes must be five years removed from competing at Mendocino College.

The Athletic Hall of Fame induction will be held on February 24 at the Redwood Valley Cellars in Redwood Valley at 8 p.m. Prior to the induction, there will be wine tasting at 6 p.m. and a dinner at 7 p.m. Cost of the event will be $35 per person.

For additional information, please contact Mendocino College Athletic Director Gary Garabato at 707-468-3165 or ggarabat@mendocino.edu.

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12 Inducted to 2006 Athletic Hall of Fame at Mendocino College

Monday, February 20, 2006

By Brian Sumpter -- Record-Bee sports editor

REDWOOD VALLEY -- Rik Hayes enjoyed every aspect of his playing days at Mendocino College ... with one notable exception.

"Who picked the colors of the uniform we had to wear?" Hayes joked on Saturday evening while giving his induction speech as the inaugural class of the Mendocino College Hall of Fame was honored during a four-hour-long ceremony before a packed house at Redwood Valley Cellars in Redwood Valley.

Hayes was one of three former Lake County prep standouts and one of two Clear Lake High School graduates in the field of 12 who made up the inaugural class. Eleven were in attendance and the 12th, longtime Mendocino College teacher, coach and former athletic director Dan Drew, was honored posthumously. Drew succumbed to Lou Gehrig's Disease last August, not long after being selected for induction by the nominating committee.

A video presentation introduced each inductee to the 275 people who were in attendance. Each inductee also selected a presenter to say a few words -- and in some cases a lot more than that -- describing the individual and his/her accomplishments. After that, the inductee addressed the audience.

Honored along with Hayes (football, 1976-77) and Drew (1976-2005) were former Clear Lake High School standout Randy Sondag (football, 1998-2000), former Upper Lake High School star Jerry Ward (baseball, 1973-75), Rod Dockins (baseball, 1973-75), Jeff Burrell (baseball and football, 1976-78), Dennis Willeford (football, baseball, 1977-78), John Gastineau (basketball, 1977-79), Kurt Ehmann (baseball, 1989-90), Anne Ibarra-Bobich (softball, 1990), Paul Cronin (football, 1992-94), and longtime Mendocino teacher, coach and athletic director Ed Boyle (1973-present).

Many of the athletes had their own individual rooting sections. Hayes, the father of seven, had one of the biggest as did Burrell, whose family members and friends wore No. 44 Burrell football jerseys. Burrell also had a Lake County connection as he coached varsity football at Kelseyville for two seasons (1984-85). Ibarra-Bobich, the only woman inducted, also was well-represented by family and friends.

The inductees all received beautiful 10-karat gold Hall of Fame rings as well as plaques. Identical plaques will also be on permanent display in the foyer at the Mendocino College gym in the designated Hall of Fame section.

Many of the induction speeches were memorable, if for different reasons.

Hayes said the only thing he regretted about playing on Mendocino's very first football team were the "ugly" power blue and yellow uniforms the Eagles had to wear.

"But I loved football so much, I played anyway," Hayes joked.

"Football helped teach and prepare me to be part of a family," Hayes said as part of his induction speech.

All seven of Hayes' children, two of which he coached at Clear Lake High School where he is the offensive coordinator, were in attendance and he thanked each one. He also thanked wife Luann for delivering daughter Jennifer early enough before a Mendocino game at Sierra College in Rocklin so that he could play in the game later that afternoon.

"She's a good sport," Hayes said.

Sondag, a three-sport star at Clear Lake in the late 1990s and the youngest member inducted, earned All-American honors in back-to-back seasons at Mendocino.

Said former Mendocino head football coach Lenny Wagner, who introduced Sondag, "This guy is a guy you'd all be proud of. He exemplified hard work and dedication."

Wagner credited Sondag with turning the Mendocino program around his second year at the school.

"We went 9-1 in 1999, won the conference championship and went to a bowl game," Wagner said. "Randy was our horse. Every award you could possibly win in junior college football, he's got it."

Ehmann, who played in the San Francisco Giants' farm system for many years, gave a moving speech about his dad and then dedicated his Hall of Fame ring to former Mendocino College president Karl Ehmann.

Ibarra-Bobich played just one season at Mendocino College, transferring to the school when the University of San Francisco, where she was attending on scholarship, folded its softball program.

In that one season the Eagles won 16 games -- then a record -- and Ibarra was the pitcher of record in those 16 victories.

"She's not just a great athlete, but a pioneer," said Lefty Olguin, a former Mendocino College athletic director who was instrumental in bringing the San Pedro resident to the school.

"She's the first female inducted," Olguin said of Ibarra-Bobich, who after winning 16 games in 1990 at Mendocino, transferred to Cal State-Dominguez Hills, where she threw three no-hitters in just two years.

"That's still a record at the school," Olguin said. "Next is two and that girl pitched four years."

Olguin coined a moniker for Ibarra-Bobich before leaving the podium, calling her "the first lady of sports at Mendocino College."

One of the funnier presenters was longtime Ukiah High School varsity boys' basketball coach Bill Heath, who introduced inductee John Gastineau, the longtime varsity boys' basketball coach at Cloverdale.

Paul Cronin, one of the Redwood Empire's all-time best high school quarterbacks out of Piner High School, was introduced by legendary Redwood Empire coach Ed Lloyd (Cardinal Newman and Piner), who served as an assistant coach at Mendocino for one season and helped bring Cronin to the school.

Cronin thanked several people for his success, including Drew, who helped land him a job.

There was just one problem. Twice while using an electric power saw to cut wood, Cronin sliced right through the cord.

"Dan was pretty calm and said he'd find me another job," Cronin said.

All of the inductees thanked current Mendocino College athletic director Skip Hunter for putting the Hall of Fame together and making it a reality. Himself a longtime employee at the school, Hunter presented for several of the inductees, any one of whom may get the chance to return the favor when Hunter is one day inducted.

Created: March 01, 2006 @ 01:54 PM
Last Modified: January 31, 2008 @ 09:11 AM