Six local students from Foothill, West Valley and U-Prep delivered strong performances that warranted earning the top weekly honor for sports in Redding.
Foothill High School produced two athletes who won three events at the CIF Northern Section Track and Field Championships and two trap shooters who fired near perfect scores at the NorCal Trap Tournament.
A West Valley softball pitcher ended a 15-year title drought and a U-Prep girls runner set a school record while winning two events at the CIF Northern Section Track and Field.
These performances occurred in Redding and Cottonwood between May 15 and May 21.
It’s time to meet the six Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week from Foothill, West Valley and U-Prep.
Cabria Childers
Sport: Softball
School: West Valley
Class: Senior
Team contributions: There was little West Valley rival U-Prep could do to hit the pitches being thrown by Childers. Childers threw a complete game and allowed one earned run on four hits and three strikeouts to help West Valley beat U-Prep 6-2 in the CIF Northern Section Division IV title game in Cottonwood. Childers also went 2-for-4 with two doubles at the plate and helped West Valley claim its first CIF Northern Section softball title since 2008.
Chris Hall
Sport: Foothill
School: Track and Field
Class: Junior
Team contributions: Hall demonstrated a high caliber of athleticism and speed during the CIF Northern Section Track and Field Championships at West Valley High School last Friday. Hall won three events including the long jump in 22 feet and 2.75 inches, the triple jump in 43 feet and six inches and was a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay that finished in 42.91 seconds. He will compete in all three events at the CIF State Track and Field Championships beginning this Friday. Hall is the Foothill long jump champion and remains 1 foot and 4 inches off the triple jump record held by 1999 graduate Jared Hathaway.
Emma Gaddy
School: U-Prep
Sport: Track and Field
Class: Senior
Team contributions: Gaddy put together impressive performances in the 200 meters and 400 meters during the CIF Northern Section Track and Field Championships at West Valley High School. Gaddy set a new school record running the 200 meters in 26.01 seconds. Gaddy won the 400 meters in 58.73 seconds. She needs to run under 58 seconds in the 400 meters to pass 2010 graduate and school event record holder Kim Micheletti. Gaddy will run both events at the CIF State Track and Field Championships this Friday in Clovis.
Caden Rowe
School: Foothill
Sport: Track and Field
Class: Senior
Team contributions: Rowe followed Hall becoming a 3-event CIF Northern Section champion in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and 4 x 400-meter relay. Foothill’s 4 x 400 team ran the event in 3 minutes and 27.26 seconds. Rowe won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.41 seconds and 300-meter hurdles in 39.66 seconds. Rowe is the school record holder in the 300-meter hurdles and is the third ranked 110-meter runner. Rowe will compete in all three events at the CIF State Track and Field Championships in Clovis.
Mia Taylor
School: Foothill
Sport: Track and Field
Class: Senior
Team contributions: Taylor had the best performances in the women’s bracket of the 2023 NorCal Trap Shoot at the Redding Gun Club. Taylor hit clay targets against over 100 male and female performers from U-Prep, Hamilton, Yreka, Tulelake, Orland and Etna. Taylor shot 48 of 50 moving targets from 20-40 yards away. Taylor was the awarded the top female shooter and will compete at the California State Trap Shooting Championships at Kingsburg Gun Club on June 3rd.
Conner Shabazian
School: Foothill
Sport: Track and Field
Class: Senior
Team contributions: Shabazian was one of only two performers to score 50 of 50 perfect scores during the NorCal Trap Shoot at Redding Gun Club last Sunday. Shabazian went to a five round “choose your spot” shootout – a game where the performers choose a spot on the firing track to hit a target – with Wyatt Collier of Yreka. Shabazian matched Collier for four rounds before missing in the fifth. Shabazian took second place in the male bracket and helped Foothill win the overall team title. He’ll be competing at the California State Trap Shooting Championships in Kingsburg on Saturday, June 3rd.
Each week, the Record Searchlight selects the girl and boy athletes who stand out based on merits from their performance in the prior week. Profiles highlight their accomplishments on the field or inside the gym and provide a glimpse into who they are as students. To make suggestions for R-S Athletes of the Week, email sports reporter Ethan Hanson at ethan.hanson@redding.com or go to bit.ly/3HuxlfW
Ethan Hanson started working for the Redding Record Searchlight after four years with the Los Angeles Daily News as a freelancer. His coverage includes working the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in South Bend, Indiana, and writing about the St. Louis Rams’ move to Los Angeles with the Ventura County Star. He began his career as a play-by-play broadcaster for LA Pierce College from 2011-2017. Follow him on Twitter at @EthanAHanson_RS.
