Latest news with #Schoenecker
Los Angeles Times
25-06-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Man dives off California waterfall, two others try to save him; all three drown
The bodies of three men who vanished after diving into a Northern California waterfall have now been recovered, authorities said. 'Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss,' the Placer County Sheriff's Office posted on social media Sunday. The sheriff's office identified two of the men as Matthew Schoenecker, 50, and Valentino Creus, 59, who both hail from the Los Angeles area. The third was identified as 44-year-old New Yorker Matthew Anthony. The three men went missing the afternoon of June 18, after they reportedly entered the water at Rattlesnake Falls in Soda Springs and did not resurface. The area is located about 40 miles west of North Lake Tahoe. The three men were part of a group of six who ventured to the falls, according to the sheriff's office. The other three people were airlifted out of the area that evening. Personnel from the sheriff's dive and search-and-rescue teams combed the area in search of the missing trio, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Technical Rescue Team. But authorities said those efforts were hindered by poor underwater visibility caused by debris and strong winds. Juan Heredia — a diver with the Stockton-based Angels Recovery Dive Team, a nonprofit that specializes in recovering drowned bodies for grieving families — discovered the trio Saturday morning. Heredia said he located Anthony's body about 45 feet underwater in the waterfall pool that leads into the North Fork American River. He found the bodies of Schoenecker and Creus together under the waterfall, at a depth of about 47 feet. Heredia said he was hired by a family friend and hiked about seven miles through rugged terrain to locate the site and the bodies. Creus, the least experienced of the trio when it came to diving, initially hesitated before jumping into the waterfall, according to Heredia. 'Big Matt [Schoenecker] tried to help Valentino, who was in trouble,' Heredia said, adding that Schoenecker was a former high school diving champion who knew the waterfall well. 'He started panicking and then the two Matts jumped in to save him, but they couldn't and they drowned.'
Chicago Tribune
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sandburg's Gianna Schoenecker calls her pitches ‘junk.' Olivia Miele, her catcher, disagrees. ‘It's like good junk.'
When asked to describe herself as a pitcher, Sandburg junior Gianna Schoenecker broke into a smile. They won't be playing the 'Fireball' walk-up song when she goes to the circle. 'Yeah… I'm more of an off-speed pitcher,' she said. 'I throw more junk than fastballs.' Sophomore catcher Olivia Miele broke into a laugh when told what Schoenecker said. 'Junk? I think it's good,' Miele said. 'It's like good junk. She has this curveball that's also like a change-up. I've caught her a few times, and it definitely fooled me.' Miele wasn't the only one to speak glowingly of Schoenecker's talent during Wednesday's indoor practice for the Eagles in Orland Park. Among the many positive phrases Sandburg coach Amanda Allison used, one stood out. 'Gianna is a player of the game,' Allison said. Allison didn't have to plead her case. It was easy enough to look up. Schoenecker was hands down the player of the game for Sandburg on April 8, 2024. On that date, the right-hander tossed a no-hitter in a 16-0 victory over Stagg. 'I was hitting all of my spots, but it was really all about the support of my team,' Schoenecker said. 'They had my back defensively. It was a good day overall.' Call it a superb sophomore moment. Allison expects there will be many more to come. 'We're really excited about Gianna,' Allison said. 'She'll be seeing a lot of time this season in the infield and she'll be getting some innings of pitching as well. She's going to be a key player.' Schoenecker has been playing softball since she was 6. The life lessons came quickly. 'I remember how we would go to Peoria once or twice every year,' Schoenecker said. 'The most fun were the hotel parts. I learned about bonding with teammates. You see one side of a person on the field, but you get to connect more with them off it.' Schoenecker grew up in Alsip and also lived for a time in Oak Lawn. She wasn't destined to be an Eagle until her family moved to Orland Park the summer before her freshman year. But she did have a connection to Sandburg. Irene Travis was an all-area and first all-state pick as a senior in 2019. She played in college at Missouri-St. Louis. 'She was actually one of my coaches when I played Prestige for 12U,' Schoenecker said. 'We didn't talk much about Sandburg because I wasn't supposed to go there, but I knew she played a lot and she knew a lot. She was a good coach.' Schoenecker started her freshman season on the JV team for the Eagles, but earned a late season call-up to the varsity. Surprise. 'I was a little bit shocked when I was brought up,' she said. 'There were already a lot of people on varsity as it was and I was fitting in pretty well on the JV.' It wasn't long before she made her first pitching appearance. A terrifyingly fun moment? 'I was nervous at first,' Schoenecker said, smiling. 'But after a while, it was all good.' As a sophomore, Schoenecker pitched on occasion behind junior Haley Tracy and senior Grace Fuller and also played second base and outfield. In all, she appeared in 16 games, batting .273 with a pair of doubles. She'll be bringing it all in 2025. Tracy, for one, can't wait. 'I'm glad Gianna had an opportunity to play last year and get to know the team and the expectations of being on the varsity,' Tracy said. 'And I mean, pitching a no-hitter is always good, no matter who you are or who you play. That's an amazing accomplishment. 'Seeing her as a younger athlete, even from last year to this year, she has grown and I'm proud of her. I think she's a really good player for this team, and we're going to need her.' Originally Published: March 19, 2025 at 10:20 PM CDT
