Sports briefs: 15 Devils accorded all-DVC football honors

Fifteen Davis High football players have earned all-Delta Valley Conference honors according to a recent announcement by school officials.

Five Blue Devils — C.K. Hicks, Grant Dickerson, Brendan MacDonald, Bailey Murray and Adam King — were named to the first team.

Quinn Williams, Kevin Sorensen, Ahmari Hayes, Brian Stabenfeldt and Winfred Roberson garnered second-team kudos, while honorable mention status was accorded to Austin Lampley, Nick Denton, Adam Inouye, Mike McTygue and Bray Harwood.

“I’m really proud of what our team accomplished this year,” third-year DHS head coach Steve Smyte told The Enterprise. “These players represent the most all-league selections we’ve had in a long time.”

Smyte said the opposing coaches have “noticed the improved play” of the Devils and these honors mean a giant step forward.

Hicks, a junior wideout, was among the league leaders in catches (34) and receiving yards (639). He caught four TD passes.

Quarterback Dickerson passed for 1,701 yards and 16 scores. The senior also played occasional defense.

King, a 12th-grader, was team’s second-leading tackler. Supporting run-stop from his safety position, King also caught five balls for 51 yards as an end and was one of the region’s top kickoff returners.

Murray, a junior, was “our best lineman,” according to Smyte. Playing both ways, the 6-foot-3, 275-pounder recorded six solo tackles in the season-ending 17-10 loss to Elk Grove.

Linebacker MacDonald, also a junior, led the Devils in tackles — including a 14-stop game in finale on Nov. 2.

Elk Grove running back Robert Frazier was the league’s Player of the Year and Franklin’s Mike Johnson was Coach of the Year.

Smyte said he was “pleased about what the other DVC coaches felt about his team’s performance — and character.”

“The great thing is we put more guys on first and second teams and are getting more respect,” Smyte continued. “Talking to the other coaches, we were the only school who did multiple charity and community service, had zero disciplinary issues, had 100 percent eligibility and a 3.3 grade-point average — no one else could claim this — and had the biggest improvement (for) won/lost, point differential, points for and points allowed.

“Things are looking up.”

Some good news after missing postseason play with a 5-5 overall record.

Davis rugby

The Davis Rugby Club is creating high school varsity and JV rugby teams for boys in grades nine through 12. Interested athletes and parents should attend an informational meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Blanchard Room of the Stephens Branch Library, 315 E. 14th St.

Practices will begin in later this month with games starting in January.

Rugby, a sport that is getting big in Northern California, is a played by kids of all shapes and sizes, and no experience is necessary. Safety is emphasized by the coaching staff, which is headed by former UC Davis Rugby coach Steve Gray and includes Andy Malpass another former Aggie mentor.

For more information, call Gray at 530-756-9111 or Mike Goodison at 530-758-6761.

High school girls interested in playing for the Lady Blue Devil rugby team can contact coach Jordan Apodaca at apodacajordan55@yahoo.com.

Little League

Davis Little League registration is now open for the spring season. Little League is open to boys and girls ages 4-14 (based on player’s age as of April 30, 2013).

DLL has levels from Tee-ball to Juniors and serves nearly 1,000 Davis players each season. Register at http://davislittleleague.org/index.php.

Costs are $100 for Tee-ball; $155 for Farm ball, AA, AA and Majors; and $250 for Juniors. Late fees apply on and after Jan. 1.