Just weeks after being inducted into the Salinas Valley Athletic Hall of Fame, legendary track and field coach Dick Casper died unexpectedly.
Prior to his retirement as a coach at Hartnell College, Casper, 87, spent four plus decades coaching track at the youth, high school and collegiate level in Monterey County.
Having earned a track and field scholarship to Cal as a miler out of Hartnell, the former Salinas High distance ace returned to the area to teach history and coach basketball and track.
Casper’s ties to the community included coaching at North Salinas and Alisal. He formed the Salinas Valley Track Club in 1968.
Joining the Hartnell track and field staff in 1980, Casper and the late Gary Shaw helped turn the women’s program into a power that remains today.
Inducted in the Hartnell College Hall of Fame in 2019, Casper was a motivator with an infectious smile, providing a belief that his athletes bought into.
As an athlete, Casper is still No. 7 all-time at Hartnell in the 800 meters, clocking 1 minute 53.94 seconds in 1956 to finish second in the state finals. He also ran a 4:10.0 mile on a dirt track.
Carmel’s Garello playing for Marine Corps basketball team
Joey Garello is continuing his basketball career for the United States Marine Corps, starting as a guard.
The former Carmel High playmaker was hand-picked for the second straight year to be a part of the Marine Corps team.
Garello was instrumental in the team’s gold medal game in the All-Armed Forces basketball tournament, scoring 12 points, including the game-winning 3-point goal over Navy.
Last year, Garello engineered the offense, while playing tenacious defense in helping the Marine Corps to a silver medal in the tournament.
Garello averaged 13.3 points a game during his senior season at Carmel in 2019, leading the team in 3-point goals and to a Central Coast Section Division IV title.
Pavlett receives honoree jersey
Palma grad Ethan Pavlet was voted by his peers to wear the No. 4 memorial jersey of former Cal lacrosse legend Doug Sciutto for this upcoming spring.
Sciutto, a former team Most Valuable Player in lacrosse, died in a fire in 1990 at Cal while attempting to rescue friends.
His number, which was retired after his death, was brought back in 2015, and is now worn each year by a senior who best demonstrates Sciutto’s qualities of courage, commitment and selflessness.
Pavlet will be a senior captain this spring for the Bears. Last year he earned second-team all-WCLL honors as a defender.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Pavlet, who was also a MCLA Scholar-Athlete, has recorded the fastest shot at Cal, and is considered one of the best stickhandlers on the Bears.
Garcia, Lomeli close out soccer seasons
Joel Garcia and Isaac Lomeli both logged career highs in minutes played in their final collegiate soccer season for San Jose State.
Named to the 2023 West Athletic Conference preseason team, Garcia finished with two goals and an assist this past fall, logging 1,287 minutes over 15 starts.
The former Alisal High defender, who was named to the WAC All-Freshman team in 2020, started 33 games over his four-year career for the Spartans, compiling six goals.
A midfielder, Lomeli finished with a goal and two assists for the Spartans, starting 15 matches and logging 1,151 minutes.
A former Hartnell College All-American, Lomeli started 32 games in two seasons for San Jose State, scoring two goals and assisting in five
Stevenson’s sailing sensations
With its two silver division teams placing in the top four among 31 teams, Stevenson won the Statewide Regatta at Newport Harbor Yacht Club.
Placing in the top 10 in all six races, Max McCormick and Patrick O’Hara produced the lowest score to claim individual honors in the silver division.
Teammates Sadie Marinerstein and Abbie Zhang placed fourth overall, enabling Stevenson to produce a score of 88, outdistancing the runner-up by 11 points.
The third of five statewide regattas by the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association will be the Rose Bowl Regatta in January in Long Beach.
Officials needed
Peninsula Sports Incorporate (PSI) is looking for high school and middle school officials for all sports this season. Varsity officials are paid $100 a game.
There is an immediate need for officials in the winter for boys and girls basketball, wrestling and soccer. Training is provided. Call Tom Emery at (831) 241-1101.
Coaches needed
Soledad is looking for a head softball coach. Go to aztecathletics@soledad.k12.ca.us.
Carmel is looking for a varsity boys and girls lacrosse coach and a varsity softball coach. Go to www.carmelunifield.org
Notre Dame is looking for a JV girls basketball coach. Go to nhuihui20@yahoo.com