Preps: Tourney title vaults GV into rankings

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, April 16, 1998 | 9:10 a.m.

Adversity hasn't been a word heard very often around the Green Valley baseball clubhouse this season.

The Gators are in the midst of a 16-game winning streak, boast a near-perfect 19-1 overall record and entered this week's USA Today Top 25 as the nation's sixth-ranked club.

So it's not terribly surprising coach Rodger Fairless spent time in practice this week warning his players not to let their recent success go to their heads.

"(The ranking) is something the kids have earned, but it's also something that can go away real fast," said Fairless, whose squad is trying to win its sixth-straight 4A state title. "If the season was over and we were state champs and ranked sixth, then it would be something. Hopefully the kids are smart enough to understand it's just a piece of paper."

A victory today against winless Rancho would give Green Valley a perfect 7-0 league record at the Sunrise Division's halfway mark.

Around the horn

For the sixth-straight week, the Gators also remained atop the SUN's weekly baseball top 10 rankings.

Bishop Gorman, which improved to 17-4 overall, held onto the No. 2 spot, but Durango dropped a notch to No. 4 after an 11-0 home loss to the Gaels on Tuesday.

Bonanza, which wasn't in the top 10 just three weeks ago, continued to climb its way up the rankings, moving up another spot to No. 7 this week.

On the softball side, Silverado remained the area's top club at No. 3, while Durango jumped over Wooster into the fifth slot. Eldorado also stayed hot this week, flip-flopping with No. 9 Green Valley after defeating the Gators, 1-0, on Tuesday.

Smith selected

McQueen junior center Kate Smith, the SUN's 1998 girls basketball player of the year, has been named the Gatorade Circle of Champions Nevada player of the year.

Smith, who has led her squad to three straight 4A titles, averaged 20 points and eight rebounds for the Lancers this winter.

Baseball tryout camp

Local athletes ages 16-25 are eligible to participate in a Major League Baseball open tryout camp Wednesday, June 10 at 10 a.m. at Cashman Field.

The event, which is sponsored by the Major League Scouting Bureau, is free and does not require players to pre-register. Participants are encouraged to wear a uniform, and American Legion players must bring a letter of approval from a coach or company commander.

For more information, call Tom Valcke at (209) 434-2469.

Softball clinic

The third-annual Silverado Ladyhawk Softball Clinic will be held Saturday, April 25 for girls ages 6-15.

Players will be divided up by age group, position and skill level for the event, which costs $12 per individual or $9 apiece for a team of nine or more.

For more information, call Chuck Pope at 799-5790.