Throughout the year we feature our athletes who do wonderful things on their field of play without ever acknowledging all those athletes who make up the rosters that don’t get as much of the spotlight. This week we have the opportunity to feature two such athletes who played a part in each of their teams advancing to the next round of state playoffs.

Alex Scardina is the choice from our softball team. Alex who is from Laguna Creek High School hasn’t been in the starting lineup much of the year but when the moment came, she was ready. Against Feather River College in the first round, Alex got the call to start at second base and while her stats wouldn’t give you the thought it was the right call, the results showed otherwise. Alex came into the game without a hit all season although admittedly she had a small number of at bats. Not only did she come up with her first hit of the year, it was in a pressure situation where the team needed her to come through. It could have been a confidence booster because in game two not only did she come through with another hit in a big inning, it was a booming double that drove in a run as well. Not to be thought only of as a hitter, Alex made a really nice diving stop of a shot off a Feather River player’s bat in the top of the last inning of the game.

Daniel Enes is the choice from our baseball team. Daniel, who is from Rosemont High School, is another player who doesn’t shine in the spotlight as much as some of his teammates who get the headlines regularly do. Daniel is usually a late inning replacement in the outfield, someone who fields well and throws well but may not have the gaudy batting statistics. Daniel showed up strong in the deciding game against College of Marin, as it was a nail biter from the beginning. Daniel had walked and had been hit by a pitch earlier in the game, not glory filled, but on base giving his team a chance as both starting pitchers were locked in a no-hit duel for the first six plus innings. In the CRC half of the sixth, after another player had broken up the opposing pitchers no-hit dreams, and after a couple of walks, up comes Daniel. Now in baseball, the old saying is, ”just put the ball in play and see what happens.” Truer words were never spoken as Daniel grounded an unassuming ball to the shortstop, with a take out slide by another player, the inning ending double play was averted and in fact allowed a run to score, the only run in a 1-0 game that decided the playoff series.

Glory moments in the grand scheme of things for their teams, I doubt it. But, so many athletes come here and do their job hoping for the chance to help their teams garner a victory. Student athletes move on academically to their chosen profession, which may be the perfect choice for them while their dreams of athletic glory may never be realized. But because of moments like these, this week, Alex and Daniel are standing tall as athletes, in the CRC Spotlight as Athletes of the Week.