Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht

There were 20 high school baseball players chosen for USA Today's All-USA team and Cloverdale's Mitch Delfino was one of them. Pretty amazing.

Delfino was one of three Californians selected to the second team and there were two Californians picked for the first team, including Player of the Year Matt Hobgood of Norco High, the fifth player taken in the pro baseball draft, by the Baltimore Orioles.

Mitch and his dad Charlie weren't too sure how the selections were done, but in the edition that carried the teams, it was noted that Jim Halley selected the team after discussions with high school baseball coaches and USA Today editors.

Nearly all the first-teamers were chosen in the pro draft.

Delfino is currently playing for the Bay Area Warriors, a traveling team out of Marin. Delfino, who wasn't drafted, but had already committed to the University of California, is playing third base for the Warriors, but also doing some pitching.

While everyone pretty much knows Delfino can hit -- he batted .591 at Cloverdale with excellent power -- he really hadn't been a full-time pitcher since youth leagues. He struck out nearly twice as many innings thrown and had and 0.45 ERA. Cal, which planned to play Mitch at third base, first or possibly the outfield, is now considering letting him pitch as well.

I saw Mitch play this season and he's an impressive hitter. He's 6-foot-3 and has very quick hands and showed a good ability to go with the pitch. I saw him hit two triples in a game, both solid line drives.

I've got a feeling we haven't heard the last of Mitch Delfino.

Montgomery High pitcher Taylor Stroud has verbally committed to Sacramento State.

Stroud went 19-2 and had a 0.25 ERA as a junior this past season to lead the Vikings to a 26-2 record and the North Bay League title. Montgomery lost to Pinole Valley, 1-0, in the North Coast Section Division II title game.

Sacramento State, a Division I program, went 28-23 this past season. The Hornets play in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, which includes Santa Clara and St. Mary's.

I'll have a story on Stroud's signing in Thursday's paper.

Posted by: Staff Writer Eric Branch

Casa Grande pitcher Matt Nadolski has been selected in the 32nd round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Nadolski, the 956th overall selection, had a 6-2 record and a 2.38 ERA as a senior. He has also signed a full scholarship with San Diego State.

Nadolski said he is leaning towards going to college, but doesn't plan to make a firm decision until later this summer.

Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht

Nick Montana, son of 49er great Joe Montana, has committed to play quarterback for the University of Washington.

Nick Montana, the youngest son of Joe and who played youth basketball in CYO leagues in Santa Rosa, will be a senior this fall at Oaks Christian High School in West Lake Village near Thousand Oaks. He transferred from De La Salle in Concord before last season. Last year he threw 33 TD passes for Oaks Christian.

Nick's older brother Nathan, who played JV football at Cardinal Newman and varsity basketball before transfering to De La Salle, is a freshman quarterback at Notre Dame, his father's alma mater.

Ironically, Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame's starting quarterback, graduated from Oaks Christian.

According to Rivals.com Montana had plenty of college options and suitors included Arizona, Arizona State, Stanford, Washington, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Florida State, Maryland, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Nick Montana is 6-foot-3, 186 pounds. Brother Nate is 6-4, 200 pounds.

Nick Montana said he originally planned to take most of the summer before deciding on a college, but he sold himself on UW after a visit last weekend.

Washington went 0-12 last year and has a new coach, Steve Sarkisian, a USC assistant.

Posted by: Staff Writer Eric Branch

Montgomery senior guard Brittany Jones will walk on on the basketball team at Cal Poly Pomona, a Division II school with a roster that includes Sonoma County products in Sarah Semenero (Sonoma) and Kaitlyn Derby (Petaluma).

Jones, a 2009 McDonald's All-American nominee, averaged 19.9 points, 5.0 assists and 4.1 steals as a senior and is the school's second all-time leading scorer with 1,434 points.

She was a four-time North Bay League selection and the Vikings had a 70-22 record during her career. Jones played her freshman year at Ursuline.

Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Eric Branch

Petaluma senior Sterling Lockert broke an Empire record in the 3,200 meters and finished 10^th in the event. Lockert finished in 9:01.32 and broke the record of 9:06.95, set by Petaluma's Jon Sisler in 1974.

Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Eric Branch

Ursuline junior Michelle Stone placed seventh in the pole vault and set an Empire record with a mark of 11 feet, 10 inches. That broke the mark of 11-8 that Stone held with Santa Rosa's Emely Flores, who set the record in 2004.

Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Eric Branch

In the finals of the CIF Track and Field Championships in Clovis, Casa Grande junior Jacque Taylor finished fourth in the 1,600 meters in a time of 4 minutes, 50.70 seconds. Senior Sammy Silva of Our Lady of Peace in San Diego, the top seed in the event, took the lead on the opening lap and never looked back, winning in 4:47.67.

Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Eric Branch

In the finals of the CIF Track and Field Championships in Clovis, Windsor senior Mike Tracy, one of 11 finalists, failed to clear 6-foot-7 and is out of the competition. Tracy, who will compete at Cal next year, cleared the opening height of 6-5 on his second attempt. The competition is ongoing and it is not immediately known in what place Tracy finished.

Posted by: Press Democrat Staff Writer Rich Rupprecht

Potter Valley coach and athletic director Fred Austin, 62, is retiring from both teaching and coaching.

Fred coached varsity football at the school, his alma mater, for 31 years and leaves with a lifetime record of 157-134-3 meaning he coached in nearly 300 games. Fred has also coached girls' varsity basketball most recently.

This past season, the Potter Valley girls won the NCL II North championship at 14-0 and reached the NCS playoffs with a 23-3 record.

Fred always seemed to get the most out of his players and still managed to produce strong teams, and championships, with one of the smaller enrollments in the Empire.

There were never stories of undisciplined players or questionable coaching methods during Fred's coaching tenure.

From a reporter's standpoint, who counts on high school coaches to call in results and provide the Press Democrat with information, Fred was at the top of the list for helpfulness.

I'll miss Fred Austin, and I'll bet Potter Valley will too.