Starting its second decade of honoring Antioch’s “Best of the Best”, the Antioch Sports Legends, a program of the Antioch Historical Society, will be honoring its eleventh class of Inductees. Legends Weekend kicks off with the Sports Legends Alumni Golf Tournament, open to all golfers, on October 6th at 12:00 Noon. A welcome reception will follow at 6:00 PM and the culmination of the weekend will be the Induction Gala the following night at 6:00 PM. All events will be at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center.

This year they celebrate and recognize a stellar and diverse group of athletes, a team, a coach and a community service recipient. Antioch Sports Legends Class of 2017 Inductees are:

Brian Boccio, Football AHS 1993  

The speedy running back held school records in single season and career rushing yards and touchdowns for 22 years until Najee Harris eclipsed both.  He was a two- time All-BVAL running back and team MVP as a senior. Boccio went on to the University of Nevada at Reno where he earned three varsity letters and became the Wolfpack’s starting outside linebacker

Daniel Denham, Baseball, DVHS  2001

With a blazing fastball Daniel Denham dawned the young Deer Valley baseball program in 1998. He was a four-year starting pitcher and earned All-BVAL 1st Team in 1999, 2000 and 2001.  Denham was named All-State and 2nd team All-American his senior year.  He was drafted with the 17th pick in the 1st round by the Cleveland Indians and pitched professionally for nine years and was named to three All-Star teams.

Brian White, Cross-Country   AHS 1991

Two-time team MVP White had an amazing senior year finishing 6th overall at the State Cross-Country Championships and followed that up with a blistering track season where he set school records in the 2 Mile and 5,000 Meter Runs.  He won the 1,600 and 3,200 at the BVAL meet and ran the 3,200 at the State Track Meet.   White later went on to DVC and set a school record in the 10,000 Meters and ran in the state community college championships in both sports.

Willis Ball, Track and Field Coach AHS

Ball coached track and field at Antioch High for over 25 years and was instrumental in the growth of so many athletes. His specialty was the Shot Put and Discus and his athletes won over 50 individual league or section titles. Six of his athletes finished in the top eight at the California State Meet.   In 1990 Ball was recognized by his peers as the Honor Track Coach of the North Coast Section.

Angela Lindsay, Water Polo AHS 1996

Lindsay was named to back to back All-BVAL and East Bay first teams and garnered Honorable Mention All-American Honors.  In her senior year, she was one of only 13 players nationally to be selected and play for the Under 17 USA Water Polo team.  Lindsay was a two-time team MVP and selected twice to the Top 50 Female Athletes by the CC Times.  She earned five varsity letters at UC Davis in Water Polo and Swimming.

Horace “Zedo” Catollico, Community Service Recipient

“Zedo” as he is known to so many, started coaching little league baseball in 1970 and his coaching career would continue through the turn of the century.  His teams won over six championships and he led three all-star teams to post season success.  Catollico was also a director for the Junior Giants and Junior Warriors programs and worked with the Antioch Recreation Department for 18 years setting up baseball and softball fields.

Tasha Cupp, Softball AHS 1994

Cupp was named 1st Team All-BVAL and All-East Bay in 1994.  She was the team and leagues Most Valuable Player.  Upon graduation Cupp enrolled at Harvard University and rewrote the Crimson softball record books.   She was named to four All-Ivy League teams and in 1998 she led Harvard to its first post season appearance in school history while earning League Pitcher of the year.  Her perfect game that year is still listed as a top 25 moment in Harvard sports.  Cupp was inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club’s Hall of Fame in 2013.

Herb Miles, Wrestling  AHS 1965

A three-sport star at AHS, Miles excelled on the wrestling mat winning the DVAL Championships and placing 2nd at North Coast and going on to wrestle in the Northern California Championships his senior season. After playing baseball for two years at DVC, he embarked on a boxing career that earned him a Golden Gloves Championship and an invitation to the Olympic Trials in 1976 where after two victories a broken hand ended his career.   He was a sparring partner of Heavyweight Champion of the World, George Foreman.

Sheree Ogden,  Track and Field   AHS 1987

Regarded as one of the top weight throwers in Antioch High history. This three time DVAL champion became the first AHS track athlete to qualify for the State Meet in both the Shot Put and Discus in 1987, where her 7th place finish in the discus is the highest ever for a AHS female thrower.  Thirty years later Ogden is still ranked in the top three all time in both events.

Kris Gravelle, All-Around Female Athlete    AHS 1991

A six-time All-BVAL performer, Gravelle mastered three sports Volleyball, Basketball and Softball and capped a fabulous junior season by being named All- League in all three sports.   She then catapulted that success into a three-year varsity Volleyball career at UC Davis.   At UC Davis Gravelle earned All-Conference First Team, and Honorable Mention, was named to the All-Region and All-District Academic teams while leading her Aggie teams to three straight conference titles and NCAA post season appearances.

Chris Hurd, Football    DVHS 2001

The four-year starting quarterback for Deer Valley High earned All-State underclassmen honors as a sophomore and ALL-BVAL as a senior in addition to being named honorable mention “Best in the West”.  His career passing yards of 4,804 is the most ever by any quarterback in Antioch history.  Hurd earned a full ride scholarship to Washington State University where he was a member of the 2003 Rose Bowl team.

Chuck Stapleton, Football     AHS  1948

Stapleton was an All-Contra Costa County Athletic League selection on both offense and defense his junior and senior seasons.   This rugged tackle was a foundation for three of legendary coach Jack Danilovich’s teams of the late 40’s   He was selected to the All-Northern California team in 1946 and ‘47 and was team MVP his senior season. He later went on to be a very successful local business owner and community leader.

Shannon Felix, Wrestling    AHS 1982

Felix was a three-time DVAL Champion, a three-time place winner at North Coast Section and wrestled at the State Meet in 1982.  He followed up his stellar prep career by being named a Junior College All-American in 1984 and earned a scholarship to San Jose State University where he finished third at the Western Athletic Conference Championships in 1985.

Tom Rhoads, Track and Field     AHS 1976

Rhoads won the Diablo Valley Athletic League and North Coast Section Division championships in the discus his senior year setting the stage for a brilliant 5th place finish at the State Meet in 1976 and was named the Contra Costa Times Field Athlete of the Year. After 41 years, Rhodes’ top mark of 173’ 7” is still second-best discus throw of all time at AHS.

Ryan Walker, All-Around Male Athlete     AHS 1991

This amazing all-around athlete was a three-time BVAL and two-time North Coast Section champion in Wrestling and placed 4th at the State Meet in 1991.  He also was a Second Team All-BVAL performer as a ferocious hitting strong safety in football.  Walker capped his amazing senior year by winning the BVAL Diving Championship and took 5th at North Coast.  He accepted a wrestling scholarship to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo after turning down football scholarships from Hawaii and UNLV.

1995 AHS Boys Volleyball Team

Coach Lou Panzella’s fabulous team rode a perfect 10-0 league record and three Invitational Tournament Championships into the North Coast Section Playoffs where they ran through to the title match versus top-seeded College Park.  The mighty Panthers were too tough that day and downed the Falcons to earn its first NCS Banner.   The team was led by Larry Lentz II, Lawrence Lentz III, Joe Peck, Matt Dunn and Jon Tiernan.

The Class of 2017 will be enshrined on October 7th at the Induction Gala at 6:00 PM at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center. A limited amount of tickets are available for $65 from September 1-17 or when sold out. Checks can be made out to Antioch Sports Legends and sent to Joanne Bilbo, 234 Flagstone Drive, Antioch, CA  94509.

For details on the alumni golf tournament, open to all golfers, contact Steve Parks at (925) 550-3819 or sdparks43@gmail.com

More information about Antioch Sports Legends, the Induction Gala, Golf Tournament and becoming a volunteer is available at www.antiochsportslegends.com  or the ASL Office at (925) 757-1326 Ext. 12.

Contra Costa County Public Works Department will perform work on Marsh Creek Road from Deer Valley Road to the Clayton City limits, from September 5 through October 5, 2017. The work will occur Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to shape slopes, repair shoulders and erosion along the road edge. The work may be rescheduled based on weather conditions. Electronic message boards will alert drivers of the scheduled work. There will be traffic control through the work area and drivers can expect delays of 10-15 minutes.

Antioch Community Centers are ready to greet you if you need to escape the heat during the next few days. The Antioch Senior Center is a recognized cooling station and is open to all residents from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.  There is plenty of room and residents can visit and keep cool at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center during senior center hours. 

The Antioch Community Center at 4703 Lone Tree Way is open for all residents from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm; the lobby is a great place to rest and visit.  The community center will be open on Saturday and Sunday until 5:00 pm if anyone needs a place to get out of the heat.

The Antioch Water Park is open Friday, September 1st from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. Admission is only $4.00 per person.  On Saturday, Sunday and Monday the operating hours are 11:00 am – 6:00 pm; regular admission applies.  Monday, Labor Day, is half-price admission day for all visitors.  You can keep cool in the water for only $8.00 per person all day.  Come splash with us while you keep cool. There are five different pools and spray parks for all ages at the water park.

For additional help please call the Recreation Department at (925) 776-3050, ext. 0.

The Antioch Police Officers Association along with nearly all of the law enforcement associations in Contra Costa County have announced their joint endorsement of Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Graves for the position of Interim D.A. They issued the following statement, this week:

“We have either met or are very familiar with all five finalists for the interim District Attorney position. We watched yesterday’s Board of Supervisors public forum and have read the applicants’ platforms and listened to input from our members.

“The work of fighting and prosecuting crime is ongoing. An interim District Attorney must be experienced and ready to step into the position and function effectively immediately. We believe there is one clear choice ready to lead the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office at this critical moment, and that choice is Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Graves.

“County Supervisors have also expressed their desire to appoint an interim District Attorney who can hit the ground running, and Paul Graves is uniquely ready as someone who already knows how to lead other prosecutors. He has supervised both the Homicide Unit and the Family Violence units with distinction – two of the toughest units in the DA’s office.

“Paul Graves’ extensive experience also makes him the best choice for improving public safety. As law enforcement officers, we know that our ability to protect and serve our communities is greatly strengthened by the experienced, seasoned judgement that Paul Graves will bring as a prosecutor with 22 years of experience right here in Contra Costa County. He has tried over 70 jury trials and prosecuted two capital cases, and over the course of that career he has worked extensively with our colleagues in law enforcement to build strong cases and fight for justice for the victims of crime.

“We have witnessed Paul Graves’ commitment to preventative justice that reduces incarceration rates. At each step in his career, Paul Graves has taken a proactive approach to crime prevention that emphasizes youth and community engagement and other preventative measures as evidenced by his support of the Children’s Interview Center and especially his leadership in the fight against human trafficking in Contra Costa.

“We encourage everyone who hasn’t had the benefit of our years of working with Paul Graves to read his application for interim District Attorney. There you will see the thoughtful, experienced, professional that we’ve come to know and respect.

“One last important point. The law enforcement officers we represent share a ’24-7’ full-time commitment to public safety. We know Paul Graves is a prosecutor who shares that dedication. We’ve been able to count on him over the years for counsel and advice on any case at any time, day or night. We believe that character and commitment is what the people of Contra Costa will value most in Paul Graves. He’s a ‘24/7’ leader who is fully committed to serving the people with dedication and integrity at all times.

“We stand ready to fully support Paul Graves as interim District Attorney. We hope the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa will support him as well. The events of the last few months have led us to this critical moment, and Paul Graves is the experienced, trusted prosecutor who is ready to meet that moment and move all of us forward.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Antioch POA, Brentwood POA, Clayton POA, Concord PA, Contra Costa Co DA Investigators Assn., Contra Costa Co Deputy Sheriffs Assn. (County Probation, Orinda, Lafayette, Danville Officers), El Cerrito PA, Hercules POA, Martinez POA, Moraga POA, Oakley POA, Pinole PEA, Pleasant Hill PA, Richmond POA, San Pablo PEA, San Ramon POA, and Walnut Creek PA.

Graves is one of five finalists who have applied for the appointment by the Board of Supervisors which is expected to make their choice at either their Sept. 12 or 19 meetings.

Today, Wednesday, August 30, 2017, The Salvation Army will send Hayward Corps officer Capt. John Kelley and Antioch Corps officers Capt. Randy and Major Sheryl Clarke to assist the Hurricane Harvey scene in Texas.  The officers will provide emotional and spiritual care in areas where Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services teams are located.  They are scheduled to be in Texas through September 12. 

The Salvation Army has had more than 50 canteens (mobile kitchens) deployed to the affected areas in Texas.  As of Monday evening, 6,288 meals, 7,162 snacks, and 5,664 drinks have been provided to evacuees and first responders. 

Both Kelley and the Clarkes are familiar working in emergency disaster scenes.  The officers worked together at the Clayton Fire (2016) and Valley Fire (2015) in Lake County.  They handled meal services, along with emotional and spiritual care. 

Donation Information

Monetary donations are only needed at this time.  The Salvation Army uses 100% of disaster donations in support of local disaster relief operations.

To give, visit www.helpsalvationarmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).  Donations by mail may be designated “Hurricane Harvey” and sent to:

The Salvation Army

P.O. BOX 1959

Atlanta, GA 30301

In-kind donations are not currently being accepted outside the disaster area.  However, these gifts are vitally important to your local Salvation Army. To give items locally, visit www.SATruck.com or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.

By Lieutenant D. Bittner #3252, Antioch Police Investigations Division

Early this morning, Wednesday, August 30, 2017, a Pittsburg resident called the Antioch Police Department to report that he located his stolen vehicle parked in the City of Antioch. While waiting for police to respond, the victim confronted several suspects who approached the stolen vehicle. During the confrontation, one of the male suspects brandished a pistol and fired one round. The victim fled the area and later gave officers a description of the suspects and the vehicle the suspects fled in. The victim was not struck by the gunfire.

At approximately 1:00 AM, an Antioch Police Department patrol officer located the suspect vehicle traveling on East 18th Street near Cavallo Road. The officer followed the suspect vehicle into a parking lot to initiate a vehicle stop. The suspect vehicle turned around in the parking lot facing the officer’s patrol vehicle. The driver of the suspect vehicle then rammed the patrol vehicle head-on as the officer was exiting the driver’s seat. The officer discharged his firearm at the suspect vehicle striking the vehicle several times. Afterwards, the driver of the suspect vehicle complied with commands and was taken into custody along with a passenger. The suspects in the vehicle were not injured, and the officer sustained minor injuries as a result of the assault.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

UPDATE: On Monday morning August 28, 2017, at about 1:14 AM, Israel Ayoko was safely located on Vasco Road by a citizen. He was transported to a local hospital for precautionary measures and is listed in stable condition. The Antioch Police Department and Israel’s family would like to thank the public for their assistance in locating him.  See original article, here.

By Corporal James Stenger 3604, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Sunday August 27, 2017, at about 12:30 PM, 63-year-old Israel Ayoko left his residence in the 3100 block of Mountaire Drive in Antioch, to attend church in Oakland. Israel has the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s and easily becomes confused and/or lost. Israel also has a heart condition that requires him to take medication. He did not take his morning medication and could suffer a medical emergency if he does not get his medication within the next day. Israel did not show up to church in Oakland and has not been seen since he left his residence. His vehicle was seen travelling westbound on Highway 4 near Somersville Road at 1:03 PM.

Israel is described as a 63-year-old black male, 5’ 7” tall, 165 pounds, white hair, brown eyes, last seen wearing a blue buttoned up shirt with black pants. It is possible that he is also wearing a black suit jacket.

Israel is driving a white 2004, Toyota Sequoia SUV with a California license plate of 6KSH083.

We are asking the public for help in locating Israel. Please contact APD Dispatch at (925) 778-2441 if he is seen.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.