Trey Caldwell runs to NCS cross country title with Jack Rattary second

Trey Caldwell, De La Salle High.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Dec. 10, 2023) — Trey Caldwell of De La Salle won the North Coast Section boys Division II cross country championship and placed fourth a week later at state to conclude an outstanding junior season.

DLS were second at NCS in the team standings with College Park third and Clayton Valley Charter ninth.

College Park’s Jack Rattary, another junior, was second to Caldwell at NCS and 13th at State. Clayton Valley Charter’s senior duo of Daniel Messer and Daniel Martinez were fourth and eighth, respectively at Section and 16th and 19th at State.

Northgate girls were fifth and Carondelet eighth at NCS Division III. In D-II girls Clayton Valley was fifth and College Park 10th.

Northgate boys took fourth in D-III with Robert Benard and Nicholas Knisley both top 10.

Three Clayton Valley Charter runners made a mark at the CIF State Cross Country Championships at Fresno’s Woodward Park late last month. The Ugly Eagles contingent included, from left, coach Keisha Lowe, Daniel Messer (16th place), Skylar Bennett, Daniel Martinez (19th) and coach Kevin White. Martinez, Messer and Bennett spent all four years in the cross county program. Bennett ran in spite of an illness to complete her high school XC career. Based on their Fresno times, Messer is second and Martinez fourth all-time for the Concord school. (Photo by Corinne Jeandheur)

No NCS Polo titles for locals this year

The last three years at least one local school won an NCS water polo championship. This year the four teams to progress farthest in the playoffs each lost to the eventual champions.

De La Salle had defeated Miramonte for the Open Division crown the past two years, but the Mats reversed that result with a 12-10 win in the finals this fall over the Spartans.

Carondelet also fell to the Orinda team in the girls Open semifinals.

College Park was a losing semi-finalist in the boys Division I to Redwood. The Northgate girls were also eliminated in the semis by Archie Williams.

Cougar golfers 3rd

Carondelet golf was third at NCS and eighth at NorCals. Lily Peng and Kate Keith posted the lowest scores for Carondelet at NCS.

Jay Bedecarré
Jay Bedecarré
Sports and Schools Editor at The Concord Clayton Pioneer | sports@pioneerpublishers.com | Website

Jay Bedecarré is a long-time resident and writer in Concord and Clayton. He began his newspaper writing career while still a senior at Mt. Diablo High School and he has been part of The Pioneer since its inception in 2003. Jay also operates Bay Area Festivals, presenting events around the San Francisco Bay Area including Bay Area KidFest annually in Downtown Concord.

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