Latest news with #MetroPlayeroftheYear
San Francisco Chronicle
21-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
De La Salle's Tyler Spangler, All-Metro POY, draws big comparisons, posts huge numbers
De La Salle-Concord baseball coach David Jeans couldn't help himself watching Tyler Spangler one day at practice. He had to voice a comparison. Big frame. Big bat. Durable. Smooth. Quiet demeanor. 'You remind me of a young Cal Ripken Jr.,' said Jeans, who figured his junior shortstop wouldn't be familiar with the 19-time All-Star and two-time MVP who was out of Major League Baseball seven years before Spangler was born. Spangler thought for a moment and nodded gratefully. 'He had a pretty good career, didn't he, Coach?' Spangler said. Of course Spangler knew who Ripken was, Jeans reminded himself. This was Spangler, 'the throwback,' Jeans said. Never rattled. Nothing flashy. The consummate team player. Mature beyond his years. Never too up or too down. Ripken is a player Spangler would naturally emulate. But because he bats left-handed, Spangler is more often compared to Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager. Spangler's baseball idol is Barry Bonds. 'Utterly coachable,' Jeans said of Spangler. 'You tell him one thing to work on, he applies it right away. He processes it, works on it and gets it done.' Here's one thing he might not easily process: Spangler is the Chronicle's 2025 Metro Player of the Year. The modest 6-foot-3, 190-pounder led the Spartans (29-4) to their seventh North Coast Section title in eight seasons and third Northern California crown in four years, utilizing every facet of a nearly flawless all-around game. He entered the season having secured a scholarship to Stanford and was ranked the third-best junior in the nation (No. 1 in California) by Prep Baseball Report. He then went out and met all expectations, hitting a team-best .430 (43 hits, 100 at-bats) with 42 runs scored and 40 RBIs. He tied a De La Salle record with 10 home runs to go along with eight doubles and six triples, for a hefty OPS of 1.470 and slugging percentage of .930. On a team filled with stars — he's joined on the All-Metro first team by pitcher Graham Schlicht, infielder Antonio Castro and outfielder Alec Blair — Spangler was the obvious team and East Bay Athletic League MVP. 'He's the best player I've ever played with,' said senior Ethan Sullivan, a second-team All-Metro outfielder. 'His bat control, his hitting and defense is amazing. He's a great teammate, too. Super modest.' When asked about his junior campaign going into the season's final week, the third-year starter said: 'As long as we're winning, it doesn't really matter what I'm doing. As long as we're winning, it's all good and I'm happy.' Spangler rarely swung at pitches out of the zone and would often take the ball to left. He did so twice in the NorCal title game, lacing RBI doubles in the first and seventh innings down the left-field line, igniting the Spartans to a 5-4 win over Serra to close the season. It was a perfect conclusion to a season for Spangler, who made just five errors in 102 total chances, while leading the team with 63 assists. The Spartans made a program-low 25 errors this season, with Spangler also having a hand in a team-best 15 double plays. 'There's nothing he didn't do for us,' Jeans said. 'He's not fazed by exterior or interior expectations. If he makes a mistake, he corrects it, all with a very quiet confidence.'
San Francisco Chronicle
08-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Minton brothers lead Serra to WCAL championship with no-hitter, 4-for-4 day
Like many athletic programs, Serra baseball prides itself on family — and, boy, did the Minton brothers offer one heck of a championship performance on Tuesday. Davis Minton, a senior pitcher and infielder, fired a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and one walk in a 13-0 victory at Riordan to clinch the West Catholic Athletic League outright regular-season title, setting off a double celebration. Davis also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a couple of runs, only to be outdone offensively by his sophomore brother Aaron, who went bonkers, going 4-for-4 with a home run and six RBIs. Aaron, who struggled earlier in the year, is 7-for-7 in his last two games with two homers and 10 RBIs. All of it added up to a joyous day for the Padres (21-5, 11-2) who won their second straight regular-season crown; they shared it last season with Valley Christian. It was the first time back-to-back titles had been won in the WCAL in 12 years. Serra closed the regular season Thursday at home against Riordan before next week's WCAL tournament. 'It was a heck of a way to celebrate a championship,' said Serra second-year coach Mat Keplinger, whose previous experience was in college at San Jose State, USF and San Joaquin Memorial JC. 'It's definitely a competitive, tightly knit group who really care and love one another. They've learned to play together and found different ways to win.' With 18 seniors graduated from last year's powerhouse team, including 10 now playing in college, the Padres have gone from a big-inning, long-ball team to emphasizing speed and execution — classic small-ball stuff. Serra has stolen exactly 100 bases, led by Metro Player of the Year candidate Ian Josephson with 22. Combine that with his team-leading .500 batting average (41 of 82) with nine doubles, six home runs and 32 runs and Keplinger couldn't come up with enough superlatives for Josephson, a St. Mary's signee. 'Just a monster season,' he said of the team's starting shortstop who was a starter at first base last season. 'So many of these guys have had to adjust from their roles last year.' That includes Davis Minton, the team's closer last season. He battled arm problems through the fall and winter and has slowly been transitioned into a starting spot on the mound. He's been more than solid at third base while hitting .350 with 28 hits and a team-best 21 RBIs to go along with three doubles and three home runs. Senior Evan Bradshaw is second on the team with a .417 batting average and 35 hits and 20 RBIs. The mainstay on the mound has been junior right-hander Riley Lim (5-0, 2.55 ERA), while Keplinger has mixed-and-matched the second starting spot most of the year with Aiden Watters (5-0, 1.25), Richie Calderon (4-0, 2.62) and Kelley Crawford (3-2, 2.42). SFIAC event: The ninth annual San Francisco High School Awards are scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, with proceeds benefiting the Academic Athletic Association. Among the many to be honored for being the best in their sports are Jarious Hogan (St. Ignatius, football), Jasir Rencher (Riordan, boys basketball), Tara Dacic (Riordan girls basketball), Carol Manu (St. Ignatius, girls volleyball), Archer Horn (St. Ignatius, baseball), Kate Kennedy (University) and Nes Emeneke (Riordan) as scholar athletes. Top overall athletes to be honored will be Ellie McCuskey-Hay (St. Ignatius) and John Tofi Jr. (Riordan), with additional honorees including Joseph Smith (Balboa football), Naomi Mendez and Zoe Ivatt (Lowell girls soccer), Lincoln's Ceyan Lutt and University's Lucas Lau (boys basketball) and Patriceia Walsh (Lowell girls basketball). For tickets, call 415-781-0166 or visit Aumua, a 5-foot-10 first baseman and Auburn signee, broke the NCS career home run record on April 30 with two homers against Dublin, giving her 43. She now has 46 with one more regular-season game remaining, along with the postseason. Granada is 13-9. 'It means a lot to break another record,' Aumua said. 'It's another reflection of the work I put in day in and day out.' Briefly: Angelique Boccara has been named the new head girls basketball coach at St. Ignatius. … Some 40 to 50 college football coaches are expected Wednesday night at Serra's Brady Stadium for the Serra College Showcase. De La Salle-Concord (6-6:45 p.m.), Sacred Heart Cathedral (6:45-7:15) and Serra (7:15-8) will do drill work and then be able to mingle with coaches. 'We had a couple kids offered scholarships that day,' said Serra coach Patrick Walsh. 'It's a great event for the kids, coaches and community.' The public is invited to the free event.
