Mountain biking started about 40 years ago when a ragtag group in Marin County started bombing down Mount Tamalpais’ dirt roads on converted beach cruisers they called klunkers.
Since then it has become a multi-million-dollar sport with sophisticated full-suspension bicycles, an international race scene and, since 1996, been included in the summer Olympics.
As a result, it is little surprise that middle and high school athletes across Southern California wanted to get in on the action, forming a league that has grown to 64 teams and a five-race series. COURIER photo/Steven Felechundneff
Claremont guard Isaiah Love shoots for two during the Pack’s 78-60 victory over Diamond Bar on Thursday at CHS. With the victory Claremont’s Palomares League record advances to 7-3 and a three way tie for first place with the Brahmas and Bonita. As a result all three teams will be Palomares League champions. COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
Claremont High School girls water polo, with their coaches, celebrates their, 13-3 win over Diamond Bar on Tuesday in Diamond Bar. With the win the Pack finishes the season undefeated in Palormares League play and the first ever league title in the program’s history. Claremont will now move on to the CIF tournament with first round games toe be announced this weekend. Photo by Kelly Sandhagen
Claremont High School boys basketball is having one of the best seasons in recent history and, if they keep winning, will add a Palomares League title banner to the CHS gym.
Claremont and Diamond Bar currently have the same league record, 5-2. However, the Brahmas narrowly won the first time the teams met, so the Pack is relegated to second place.
The stars aligned perfectly for Claremont High School girls soccer Thursday night in two unexpected results. First and most important, the Wolfpack stunned top ranked, and undefeated, South Hills with a 4-0 drubbing at home.
Claremont junior Helena Sandhagen takes control of the ball on Tuesday as the Pack easily defeats Glendora, 18-6, in their Palomares League matchup at CHS. The girls, 5-0 in league, are first in place. COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
Bonita junior Jarratt DanceKelly gets the upper hand on Claremont’s Eddie Flores during Palomares League dual wrestling meet on Thursday at CHS. DanceKelly eventually pinned Flores to win the 220-pound match and clinch the win, 45-33, for Bonita. Claremont has yet to win a dual meet this year however they have been ever so close. More in our next edition.
During a break in the action on Friday, the theme song from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” blared from the loudspeakers, adding an appropriate description to the girls varsity soccer match between Claremont and Glendora.
The good included an aggressive, exciting match between last year’s Palomares League co-champions that ended in a 2-2 tie after two overtime periods.
On Tuesday, Claremont High School officials unveiled the school’s newly overhauled main gym—almost.
Scheduled to coincide with the first Palomares League game for both boys and girls basketball, the remodeled gym makes a stunning first impression with its bright lights, comfortable bleachers and shiny new floors. Behind the scenes, however, much work still needs to be done. COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
Claremont junior Matthew Dirckx shoots for two points during the first half of the Pack’s 61-47 defeat of the Glendora Tartans on Friday in Claremont. The game was the Palomares League opening match for Claremont and, with the girls game played just prior, a return to the main gym at CHS following recent renovations. COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
During an eventful Friday night at Claremont High School, the girls varsity soccer team ended up in a 2-2 tie with Glendora after regulation time and two overtime periods. It was a very competitive match that was unfortunately marred by a hair pulling incident that turned into a brawl, which prompted a Glendora fan to throw an item onto the field. One Claremont player and one Glendora players were ejected from the game and the referee cleared the bleachers on the Glendora side because no one would admit to throwing the item. More in our next edition.
One longtime educator replaced another as Athletic Director Rick Dutton retired in June, only to be replaced by former football coach Mike Collins.
Mr. Dutton was the football program’s offensive coordinator from 1978 to 1997, including CIF title years 1984 and 1985. He became a full time health and physical education teacher at CHS in 1984. In 1995 he became Claremont’s athletic director.
Claremont High School boys soccer scored a win Wednesday night in Claremont, defeating Alta Loma, 1-0, but they have a lot of work ahead to secure a championship.
“We were very inconsistent in the things we want to do,” Coach Fred Bruce-Oliver said. “The key is that we need to keep the ball more, and we had too many turnovers.”
When the girls water polo season started two weeks ago the Pack wasn’t on anyone’s radar, but then they started to win.
They defeated nearly all comers, including highly-ranked Palos Verdes and Esperanza, only losing once to Valhalla, a Division 1 team from El Cajon. So when the CIF Division 3 rankings came out this week, the Pack had surged to the top. See our complete sports roundup inside.
COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
