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Tag: Romeo Bryant

  • San Juan High School celebrates Senior Night as basketball season wraps up

    San Juan Spartans senior basketball players class of 2020, left to right: Alejandra Perez, Trinity Dudley, Cristian Angulo, Wyatt Winalski, Romeo Bryant, Elijah Vernon. // Marcus Smith

    *Local sports coverage on The Sentinel is made possible by generous support from Stones Gambling Hall.

    By Marcus D. Smith–
    It was a true battle back and forth as San Juan High School girls and boys varsity teams battle-tested the Golden Sierra Grizzlies during the Spartans’ Senior Night on Friday.

    The Spartans basketball program honored six seniors total, two from the girls team and four from the boys team. Trinity Dudley and Alejandra Perez represented the San Juan girls varsity basketball team, while Cristian Angulo, Romeo Bryant, Elijah Vernon, and Wyatt Winalski represented the boys varsity team.

    The players were honored inbetween the girls and boys basketball game with flowers, chocolates, and mini basketballs that showcased their 2020 varsity basketball season.

    The San Juan High School coaches and faculty put on a ceremony that highlighted the players and some of their greatest moments throughout their tenure as a Spartan leading up to their special evening.

    “I got the privilege to play with these boys and especially with the young talent that’s on the team and I couldn’t be thankful enough for them, for a great season, and I’m just ready for baseball,” said boys varsity senior Wyatt Winalski.

    Winalski will be playing baseball, which is his main sport. Winalski also played quarterback for the San Juan Spartans varsity football team.

    As basketball comes to the end of the road for many of the students, most have plans to attend college after high school. Whether a two-year or a four-year college, the aspiration for higher education hasn’t decreased.

    There is a certain empty feeling you get when there’s no more practices to attend, no more obligation to act for someone other than yourself. The end of high school sports can be a bittersweet reality to a lot of futures.

    “It’s been an amazing three years for me, for my home girl (Alejandra Perez) it’s been an amazing four years for her,” said girls varsity senior Trinity Dudley of her teammate that she battled with. “Being able to be with that team is just amazing.”

    Dudley plans to attend Sacramento City College to study for nursing school.

    The bonds will forever hold value as the camaraderie that was created through the blood, sweat and tears that were shed fighting on the hardwood together will forever hold its core.

    For the last four months, the seniors were able to set the bar for the next class of athletes, as they carry on the tradition of San Juan High School and continue to build on the culture that was established this past season.

    “I think what I’m going to miss most is the connection that I created with all my teammates,” said girls varsity senior Alejandra Perez. “Being here for four years, that bond really gets strengthened (with the team) and with my coach who’s helped me tremendously over the last four years.”

    Perez hopes to attend UC Berkley or UCLA next year.

    She and her fellow teammates helped create a culture of hard work, dedication and passion, not only for the game but also for one another. The chemistry of the athletes translated on to the court because of the trust that was gained off the court.

    The respect that was mounted was transcendent into the way the team interacted with each other. Through each win, loss, or hard battle, the Spartans retained a tight bond and could come to the defense of their fellow soldier when the time came about.

    “They mean a lot, you know, making friends,” said boys varsity senior forward Cristian Angulo. “We’re a brotherhood now. It goes on for life and it feels good to have these memories.”

    Angulo is looking to attend Sierra College or American River College, with hopes to walk-on and play sports.

    San Juan Spartans Cheerleaders preparing for the senior night ceremony. // Marcus Smith

    Both the girls and boys lost against the Golden Sierras Grizzlies. The boys lost by one point, 58-57, while the girls lost by seven, 37-30. San Juan High School basketball programs will not qualify for the playoffs. The outcome of the scoreboard and their playoff hopes was overshadowed by the meaningfulness of the evening and the ceremony that was put on for the kids.

    “Tonight it was just about them, right?” said San Juan High School boys varsity head coach Fred Bryant, on the students’ Senior Night despite the losses. “[It] was about the seniors, for them it being their last home game of the year. How do they want to go out? Have fun, compete, everybody just have high energy.”

    “I didn’t put a lot of emphasis on the game, but on the night and what that meant for them and their families,” said Bryant.

    The season will officially conclude Tuesday, when the Spartans travel to Vacaville Christian to conclude the season.

    Marcus D. Smith
    Marcus D. Smith

    Follow local sports with a subscription to The Sentinel for just $4/mo: click here to subscribe.

    Sports Reporter Marcus D. Smith covers high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.

  • Local Sports: Here’s what’s going on with Citrus Heights HS basketball

    Team Captains: Senior Alejandra Perez and junior, Paris Burney. // Marcus D. Smith

    By Marcus D. Smith–
    San Juan High School boys and girls basketball teams each had games on Tuesday and face upcoming games this Friday.

    The girls’ Jan. 14 game was about as flawless as they’ve been — a pure example of the way you’d want your team to respond during your home-opener.

    San Juan High School’s execution was unmatched for Linden, as they led the entire game on their way to a 55-25 victory against the Lions.

    “[I’m] happy they played better. They had some nice passes in the first half, they were really spectacular,” said Spartans Girls Varsity Head Coach Amir Taheri. “I’m just happy to see that it wasn’t a struggle win. It was a real win.”

    The play of the Spartans that night was just the response they needed from their 45-38 overtime loss on Jan. 10 against Highlands. They received help from their guard play, as they combined for 35 points.

    Senior Alejandra Perez led the team in scoring with 18 points. Paris Burney, a junior, was right behind her with 17 points to add.

    “We controlled the game…everyone played well, I was really proud,” said Taheri.

    San Juan managed to increase the intensity in the third quarter when they held the Lions to two points. The Spartans outscored them that quarter, 18-2, and would keep fuel on the fire.

    They look to keep that fire when they host Rio Vista (1-1) in another home game. Rio Vista is coming to San Juan (1-1) off of a loss against Golden Sierra, 40-35. San Juan will tip-off at 6 p.m. this Friday.

    “Last time we played them, we won by two,” said Taheri, regarding Rio Vista. “We want to make sure we come out [and] really give our full effort and make some noise.”

    Senior Guard Romeo Bryant head on a swivel looking for the on-ball screen. // Marcus D. Smith

    San Juan Boys Varsity
    The Spartans started the game on the wrong side of the scoreboard. With about four minutes left remaining in the first quarter, they were down 10-0 before they turned up the tempo and slowly climbed back in the game.

    It turned out to be a neck-and-neck game as the Spartans battled all night long against the Linden Lions, which came down to fouls-for-free throws. In the end, the Spartans were not able to come away with the win, falling 82-79 to Linden.

    “We put ourselves in a hole, missing layups, some key turnovers at the end hurt,” said Spartans Boys Varsity Head Coach Fred Bryant. “Our kids fight man, so I’m proud of them.”

    One positive takeaway was the competitiveness that the Spartans showed throughout the game and their continued hustle all night. San Juan never led in the game, but fought, clawed, and scratched their way back throughout the game.

    “We show a lot of resilience, but we backed ourselves into a corner,” said Bryant. “We put ourselves in a position where we had to fight and claw. Which shows you that we have fight.”

    There will be a home game against Rio Vista on Friday for the Spartans. They will look to get their first win of league play. Tip-off will begin at 7:30 p.m.

    Mesa Verde
    Boys and girls are facing games this Friday against Mira Loma at Mesa Verde High School. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

    Marcus D. Smith
    Marcus D. Smith

    Sports Reporter Marcus D. Smith covers high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.

  • Spartans lose to VCS, 55-6, as tension boiled

    Spartans lose to VCS, 55-6, as tension boiled

    San Juan Spartans under the Friday night lights, while playing Vacaville Christian Falcons. // Marcus D. Smith

    By: Marcus D. Smith—
    Frustration boiled over as the Spartans fell to 0-1 in league play after suffering a 55-6 loss in a chippy game against the Vacaville Christian Falcons on Friday.

    The Spartans never led in the game, but were within striking distance after scoring on a Wyatt Winalski 50-yard pass to Matt Colter, who broke some tackles on the way to cut the deficit to two, 8-6, with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter.

    Senior defensive back, Romeo Bryant suffered an early game injury and did not return.

    From there, the game ultimately came down to readiness and turnovers. San Juan High School turned the ball overall five times on Friday with three interceptions by Winalski in the first half, and two more team fumbles.

    “This is the most physical team we played all season,” said Spartans Head Coach Andy Villegas. “They had good hits, good wrap-ups, they had really good communication. They’re all around a good team.”

    “The guys thought this was going to be an easy win… We’re going to have to bounce back next week.”

    The team was visibly upset and Vacaville Christian was able to take advantage of the mental breakdown sustained by the Spartans. En route to the lopsided final score, tempers began to rise and rise.

    The Falcons were clicking on all cylinders, while the Spartans just could not shake the funk that caused mistimed throws, missed tackles, and missed coverages.

    In between plays, especially at dead ball, little scuffles here and there emerged. Nothing egregious, but nevertheless, penalty flags were thrown for unsportsmanlike conduct.

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    Prior to the kickoff, both teams participated in the sportsmanship handshake game ritual, a display that is normally showcased at the conclusion of each contest.

    This rule change is newly administered by the board of directors of the Sierra Delta League, in hopes to remind players of the importance of sportsmanship, character, and integrity.

    “Our athletic director told us that there’s a new rule in SDL (Sierra Delta League), that the sportsmanship is done at the beginning of the game instead of, like we’re used to, at the end, so it’s new for us,” said Vacaville Christian head coach, Manny Tarango. “I don’t necessarily know why they changed that rule but, it seemed to work out alright.”

    Vacaville Christian Athletic Director Donna Hagans told The Sentinel that the rule change is in hopes that the boys will be more inclined to clean, fair play out there on the field.

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    She referenced a bevy of unsportsmanlike plays in past years and said, given the history of league rivalries, it was decided the rule change would be implemented in attempts to diffuse hostility and animosity among the teams.

    “Honestly, it’s going be a big talking to with the boys about attitude and behavior on the field,” Coach Villegas said. “They represent themselves, they represent the school, they are football players so everyone looks to them for leadership roles.”

    The Spartans go back to the drawing board this week as they prepare to take on the Rio Vista Rams in their second league game. This contest will be a home game at San Juan Stadium. Kickoff begins at 7 p.m.

    To continue The Sentinel’s local sports coverage, we’re looking for 100 new subscribers to sign up before the end of the season, for just $4/mo. Want to be 1 of the 100 who make local sports coverage possible? Click here to subscribe today.

    Marcus D. Smith
    Marcus D. Smith

    The Sentinel is pleased to introduce sports reporter Marcus D. Smith, who will be covering high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.

  • San Juan HS spoils Mira Loma’s homecoming with shutout win, 30-0

    San Juan HS spoils Mira Loma’s homecoming with shutout win, 30-0

    San Juan High School varsity football celebrates their victory against Mira Loma, 30-0. // Marcus D. Smith

    Publisher’s Note: The Sentinel’s coverage of local sports is experimental and will rely on the direct support of our readers to continue after this season. We are looking for 100 new subscribers to join The Sentinel for just $4/mo. before the end of the season. Want to be 1 of the 100 who make local sports coverage possible? Click here to subscribe today.

    By Marcus D. Smith–
    Entering the halfway point into the season it was a jubilant, breezy Friday evening and San Juan High School was looking to end a losing streak of back-to-back games when they faced the Mira Loma Matadors in a non-conference matchup at El Camino High School’s Abbott Field.

    Coming off their own homecoming loss against Mesa Verde in the Citrus Height Bowl, the Spartans looked to play spoiler to Mira Loma High School who were not just looking for a homecoming win, but also their first victory of the season.

    Spartans would makeup their woes from last week nabbing their second win of the season in a shutout, 30-0, improving their overall record to (2-3).

    “The guys lost their homecoming last week, so this was a big win for us,” said San Juan High School varsity football head coach, Andy Villegas. “The guys put in the work this week. Hard practice on Monday to make up for it, and then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday… everybody showed up and put the work in. Going into league, we knew we had to come back.”

    The Spartans struggled to find the end zone early in the game. Their first score of the game would come with 9:03 remaining in the second quarter off a dump off for Romeo Bryant that turned into a 20-yard touchdown.

    The Spartans went into halftime with just a 10-0 lead after a 34-yard made field goal by Cristian Angulo.

    In the second half is where the Spartans began to explode behind the Wyatt Winalski-Matt Colter connection began to unfold. Winalski threw three touchdowns in the second half alone to Colter, as the Matadors had no answer for the tandem.

    https://www.facebook.com/CitrusHeightsSentinel/videos/583340962204175

    Coach Villegas called Colter, his junior wide receiver, “one of my up and comers,” noting he played varsity as a sophomore last year. “The kid’s looking great. Phenomenal hands. Good speed. Good speaker. Good leader.”

    Villegas has currently has 15 graduating seniors and 10 juniors, including Colter.

    “Looking forward to having him again next year, thankfully,” said Villegas. “I graduate a lot of seniors, so it’s really good to know that I’ll have some talent coming back next year.”

    The Spartans will need him to replicate this performance and then some next week when Sierra Delta League play begins with San Juan High School going on the road to visit the Vacaville Christian Falcons on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.

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    The Spartans will have their work cut out for them as the Falcons currently sit at a 4-1 overall record on the season. League play is the chance to change the course of the season by excelling throughout the league games.

    “They’re a good team, we had a hard time against them last year,” said Coach Villegas, looking forward to next week’s matchup with Vacaville Christian. “I’m looking forward to having my boys, who are pretty athletic, go up against theirs.”

    Vacaville Christian will be coming off their first loss of the season, 28-26, courtesy of Woodland Christian High School. The 26 points is the lowest of their season so far, as the Falcons average 40 points per game. Defensively, they only allow 16 points per game.

    The two-point spread is also the closest game they have had thus far in the early part of the season.

    San Juan High School will enter the game coming off of an avenging, euphoric, 48-minute contest. They will have to find a way to keep that momentum and score points against the Vacaville Christian team who like to play shootout style football.

    The Spartans come into the game scoring an average of 19.4 points per game, and allowing 18.6 points per game. This past week was their best overall performance as a team, on both sides of the ball. The team’s 30 points was a season-high for the Spartans, topping their 23-point output against Foresthill on Sept. 13.

    Defensively, they were no slouch. En route to their shutout, the Falcons were able to stifle their opponent as they were able to force fumbles and deflect passes all night. They capped off a perfect defensive performance with a late-game interception by Justin Mattson with 1:30 remaining in the game.

    Mattson, recently-cleared transfer, played his first game for San Juan High School on Friday night.

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    With a goal to defeat Vacaville Christian, defense will be the main focal point and performances such as this one will be the critical to the success of the San Juan Spartans.

    Despite a great performance, there were defensive miscues that can be worked on heading into next week. The team still missed out on plenty of opportunities to take advantage of interceptions, and coach Villegas discussed how they would clean this up in the upcoming days in practice.

    “We’ve been working on a lot of pass defense. They’re a passing team and [we’re] knowing it’s going to be difficult,” Villegas said.

    The Spartans look to begin league play with a win and get their overall record back to .500.

    To continue The Sentinel’s local sports coverage, we’re looking for 100 new subscribers to sign up before the end of the season, for just $4/mo. Want to be 1 of the 100 who make local sports coverage possible? Click here to subscribe today.

    Marcus D. Smith
    Marcus D. Smith

    The Sentinel is pleased to introduce sports reporter Marcus D. Smith, who will be covering high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.