Graphic by Coach Conrad Diaz.

By Luke Johnson 

Lucky number seven is the charm.

After six-straight losing seasons, the boys’ soccer team at Antioch High School reached the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

The Panthers (13-8-1) have a fierce offensive attack with four players finishing in the top eight for goals scored in the Bay Valley Athletic League.

At the top of the list is senior striker Ian Scheringer, who scored 21 goals in 17 matches — far more than anyone else in the league.

However, head coach Conrad Diaz said senior goalkeeper Melvin Morales is the real MVP. Morales is averaging 0.917 goals allowed per game this season.

Diaz said the Panthers are only getting better with the roster full of youth. There are three freshmen currently on the varsity team — one of whom Diaz gave extremely high praise.

“I think he can be the Najee Harris of soccer,” Diaz said.

Freshman midfielder Alvaro Picon only played 11 matches, but made his presence known with eight goals and 11 assists. Picon is also part of the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program — which recruits the highest caliber players around the country to train them to potentially play for the U.S. men’s national team.

The Antioch boys’ soccer program reached the peak of its success a decade ago by winning back-to-back league championships in 2009 and 2010 respectively — the only two BVAL Championships in school history. Shortly thereafter, the Panthers finished seasons with goal differentials of 17-48 (2015) and 25-89 (2016). This season Antioch has a goal differential of 50-20, so far.

The Panthers faced Division I opponents in the Bay Valley Athletic League but, will compete in the Division II bracket of the North Coast Section Playoffs. Diaz said this gives his team an advantage, because his players are battle tested.

Antioch will play at Vallejo High School (17-4-4) in the first round of the playoffs Wednesday evening. Vallejo has a goal differential of 88-29 this season.

“They scored 88 goals, but they beat a team 18-0, and they’re playing Division IV and V teams,” Diaz said.

The furthest Antioch has gone in the NCS Playoffs was the semifinal round in 1995. For Diaz, this his return to the NCS Playoffs after a 45-year hiatus. He last competed in the NCS Playoffs as a player with Mission High School (San Francisco) in 1975.

By Lieutenant Powell Meads #3917, Antioch Police Field Services

On Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, at approximately 4:26 PM, Antioch PD officers were dispatched to the report of a single vehicle collision on James Donlon Blvd. near Hummingbird Drive. Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle and it’s three occupants near the intersection. An 18-year-old female (passenger) had been ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead on scene. Two adult males, ages 19 and 20, sustained major but non-life-threatening injuries and were trapped inside the vehicle. Contra Costa Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and extricated the two males. They were subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The Antioch Police Department Traffic Unit responded to the scene and took over the investigation. Initial indications are that excessive speed contributed to this collision.

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Division. Anyone with information or who witnessed the collision is asked to contact Officer Prieto at (925) 779-6900 ext 85936 or cprieto@ci.antioch.ca.us. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Deer Valley’s #50 Pacifica Tumanavao drives in for a layup for the Wolverines’ during their game against the Heritage High Patriots on Thurs., Feb. 12, 2020. Photos by Jamauri Bowles.

End season in first place in BVAL; playoffs begin next week

By Jamauri Bowless

Deer Valley’s #23 Adegoke Adeyemi goes up to block a shot.

The Deer Valley High boys’ varsity basketball team ended their undefeated in league season with a to Heritage 42-40 on a game-winning shot with under three seconds left in the game. The Wolverines finished 17-9 overall, with a 9-1 league record.

The end the season in first place, trailed by Pittsburg, Liberty and Heritage tied for second with 5-5 records in league play, Antioch ended in third place with a 4-6 record, and in last place is Freedom with a record of 2-8.

Assistant Coach Quincy Smith said the team will find out seeding this Sunday when the North Coast Section (NCS) Division 1 playoff schedule is released.

Please check back with the Antioch Herald for more details.

By Jamauri Bowles

Tonight, (Thurs., Feb. 13) the Deer Valley High boys’ basketball varsity team plays its final regular season game at Heritage High in Brentwood. The Wolverines enter with a 17-8 overall record, while going 9-0 in league play. With a win tonight against the Patriots, the Wolverines will finish with a perfect 10-0 record in the Bay Valley Athletic League.

The Wolverines won 11 of their last 12 games and hope to finish on a four-game winning streak. The previous three wins came against teams in their league; Deer Valley defeated Liberty 75-55 on Feb. 4, defeated Pittsburg 92-69 on Feb. 7, and defeated Freedom Monday night 72-54. The Wolverines also beat their crosstown rival, Antioch High Panthers 71-48 on Jan. 31 after barely beating them 49-47 on Jan. 14.

Both Rob McCune, the head coach of the Wolverines, and Quincy Smith, an assistant coach for the team, acknowledged the successful season, as the team has its best league record since the 2012-2013 season, when the team finished 9-1. By clinching the best record in their league, the Wolverines qualify for the playoffs.

“This was a goal we set in the beginning of the season and have been striving for all year,” Smith said. “Hopefully the community comes out and supports the boys. We play an exciting brand of basketball, and we are winning so it’s been really fun this year.”

Both coaches point to the juniors on the varsity team as being a huge part of next season’s team. Smith said they will provide the winning mentality that the team developed this year.

“This is a talented team. … They all know how to play (basketball),” McCune said. “I just hope this year that they’re learning the leadership qualities.”

The season has not come without adversities. The Wolverines have struggled with injuries throughout the year, so different players have been utilized under the “next man up” mentality. Also, Smith felt that at times early in the season, the team would play down to the level of their competition, against teams not as talented as the Wolverines. McCune said it was a tale of two seasons for the team, starting off with trying to set a standard that was not put in place before.

McCune also referred to the environment, as he feels there is a “negative stigma around our team because of where we’re from.” But, between the struggles off the court and the challenges on the court, he is proud that his team “found a way to persevere through it all.” He added that the team took its lumps, and now they all are seeing the results of their hard work. For him, it has been a season where “learning to love each other has determined our success.”

Smith said they have “set a standard for hard work, consistency and accountability” to move forward with. He added, “We are trying to build a foundation of winning here at Deer Valley High School and hopefully be able to get players scholarships to play on at the next level.”

From their collective success this season, McCune hopes his players “continue to take their greatness into the other area of their (lives)”.

Playoffs begin next week with the first game either next Tuesday or Wednesday according to Coach McCune.

Please check back here, Friday for photos, score and highlights from tonight’s game.

Posts about the passing of Deer Valley High School student Jonathan “John John” Parker on Facebook by Theresa Cuevas and Instagram by alleexx_dj925.

Identified by friends and relatives on social media as Jonathan “John John” Parker

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: While I understand the concerns of some about the posting of the video, here and on the Antioch Herald Facebook page, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of Jonathan Parker, while disturbing, it does not show him being shot, but only includes the sounds of the gunshots. Hopefully by sharing the video it will allow those who choose to watch and listen to help identify anyone who was involved and lead to the arrest of the shooter or shooters by the Antioch Police, with whom the video has also been shared. Allen Payton, Publisher.

By Jesus Cano

Jonathan Parker DVHS shooting victim posted on Instagram by chris27ul.

The 16-year-old male student shot Friday night at Deer Valley High School has passed away from his injuries, the Antioch Unified School District confirmed. He was identified by relatives and friends on social media as Jonathan “John John” Parker. (See related article).

A post on the AUSD Facebook page Sunday afternoon reads as follows:

“Dear AUSD families and the larger Antioch community,

On Friday night, following a peaceful athletic event, a DVHS student was shot in the parking lot. The student has since passed away from his injuries. Our hearts and sympathies are with the families during this time of unimaginable pain.

We, along with the rest of AUSD, denounce this senseless violence and call on the community to come together to address such vicious brutality. Our children must be taught that solving disagreements with violence is not the answer and that there are other ways to resolve our differences that do not result in the unjust and unnecessary killing of our youth. Finally, we ask that everyone in this community and nearby communities, model the love and peace they hope to create.

Grief counselors will be on site tomorrow.

With heavy hearts,

Stephanie Anello, Superintendent

Bukky Oyebade, Principal Deer Valley High School”

At 8:44 p.m. Friday night, Jan. 31, 2020 Antioch police were dispatched to a report of shots fired at the school on Lone Tree Way.

A fight broke out between multiple juveniles after a basketball game between Deer Valley High and Antioch High. The victim was shot in the hip three times during the melee.

When police arrived, they found the victim, a Deer Valley student, and identified on social media by suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a local medical facility where succumbed to his injuries.

In an exclusive video sent to the Herald from a student who has chosen to remain anonymous, a brawl involving over a dozen students can be seen. Off camera, the firing of five gunshots can be heard. (Warning video contains graphic scenes of violence and disturbing sounds of gunshots) – Video of fight & sounds of gunshots at DVHS 01-31-20

No arrests have been announced yet by the Antioch Police Department, and their investigation into who the shooter or shooters were continues. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Smith at 925-779-6876, or 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.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

For the sixth consecutive year, the East Bay Regional Park District will host two Youth Job Fairs designed to raise awareness of employment opportunities for youth in the East Bay. The fairs are scheduled in Hayward on Saturday, January 25, 2020, and in Pleasant Hill on Saturday, February 1, 2020. Both events offer attendees an opportunity to learn about the specific Park District jobs available and interact with current employees to get insight into what it’s like to work for the Park District. Positions include: Interpretive Student Aides, Public Safety Student Aides, Recreation Leaders, Lifeguards, Gate Attendants, Park Services Attendants, Student Laborers, Field Interns, and Interns.

The Youth Job Fairs also include general information sessions on resume writing, application submittal, and job interviewing for youth looking to enter the workforce, whether at the Park District or elsewhere.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest employer of youth in the East Bay, hiring over 400 Bay Area youth each year to work in the District’s 73 regional parks and ten visitor centers. The Youth Job Fairs are key to filling seasonal summer positions, especially Recreation Leaders and Lifeguards.

2020 Youth Job Fair Details

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 121,000 acres in 73 parks including over1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and nature learning.

VACAVILLE, CA –  Travis Credit Union announced it will award twenty $2,000 scholarships to current high school seniors bound for college in the fall of 2020. This year marks the 17th year of the scholarship program by the Vacaville-based credit union. Since the scholarship was established in 2004, the credit union has awarded more than $397,000 in scholarships.

The credit union encourages all graduating seniors to apply. Each applicant must be a high school senior with a GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), bound for a two–or four–year college or university and a member of Travis Credit Union in good standing. Students who live in Travis Credit Union’s twelve-county service region and are not yet members may join the credit union and apply for a scholarship at the same time.

“Credit unions were founded on the philosophy of people helping people,” says Barry Nelson, Travis Credit Union’s president and CEO. “Offering scholarships to deserving high school seniors is just one way we assist our young members with the rising cost of high education, while reinforcing our commitment to the financial success of our country’s future leaders.”

The Travis Credit Union Board of Directors established the scholarship program in 2004. The program honors the late Mary Keith Duff, who passed away in 2004. Duff was the first woman to serve on the Travis Credit Union Board of Directors.

The 2020 scholarship application is now available online at traviscu.org/scholarship or at any Travis Credit Union branch location. Completed applications must be received at the credit union by the close of business of Monday, March 2, 2020. In addition to a completed application, applicants must submit a 250-word personal statement, a certified high school transcript and a letter of reference from a teacher. The scholarships will be awarded in mid-June by the credit union.
“In the last 17 years, we have received a tremendous response from young members who have exhibited a commitment to academic excellence and community service. We look forward to recognizing even more of our deserving young members this year,” adds Nelson.

Headquartered in Vacaville, California, Travis Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution serving those who live or work in Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Merced Napa, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, and Yolo Counties. Currently, Travis Credit Union is the 13th largest credit union in California with more than 214,000 members and more than $3.2 billion in assets. As one of the leading financial institutions in Solano, Contra Costa, Napa, Yolo and Merced Counties, Travis Credit Union’s strength lies in its faithful commitment to its members and the community; its solid, secure history; and its long-standing track record of dedicated service.

Antioch High students Dorismar Cervantes and Chris Garcia are honored by Vice Principal Jose Hernandez (left) and Principal Louie Rocha. Photo by AHS.

By Antioch Unified School District 

On Monday, two young heroes surfaced at Antioch High School.

As Dorismar Cervantes was about to exit the restroom in the 1100 hall, she saw that a fellow student looked ill and about to pass out. She was right.

The student, Daniela, was getting weaker despite her friends holding her up.

Dorismar quickly asked one of the friends to get help from nearby teacher Rebecca Quinones, who instructed her AP Spanish student Chris Garcia to assist while she called for help.
Since Chris is a trained lifeguard, he knew what to do. As he approached Daniela, he checked on several aspects, including that her airway was clear.

While waiting for paramedics to arrive, Dorismar and Chris kept vigil over the ill student, who was in and out of consciousness. They kept her in a safe, comfortable and proper position and checked her pulse several times as they knelt near her on the ground.

About 15 minutes later, the paramedics arrived and took over. It turns out the ill student is prone to fainting, especially when extremely stressed or anxious. She recovered by that night and was back at school on Wednesday.

While she doesn’t have official training, Dorismar received some basics from her mother and recently learned some first-aid skills at Los Medanos College.

Quite impressed by these fast-acting and caring students, Principal Louie Rocha and Vice Principal Jose Hernandez presented the dynamic duo with a certificate of appreciation and commemorative Panther Citizen pin. Teachers Edwin Matabuena and Shira Sweitzer suggested and applauded the idea.

“I was really impressed to hear about what you two did,” said Mr. Rocha. “It showed bravery and a willingness to step up. Some people might have just walked away. Thank you for taking care of our student.”

The two seniors reflected on the unusual school day they shared.

Chris said he felt “very proud being able to help and use my skills and knowledge. I felt responsible and calm handling this situation knowing I was able to help someone who is an every day student just like me going through their high school journey.” His family was naturally proud to hear that “I did an awesome deed for a fellow classmate.”

“I’m glad I was there to help her and make sure she didn’t get injured, and my family was happy I did something to help another person,” Dorismar said.

“My mom was glad I paid attention to her and at LMC – that’s why she wants me to become a nurse but I want to have kids and animals,” she added humbly.