Two area softball coaches step down

Spencer Patterson

Friday, June 5, 1998 | 8:40 a.m.

Two of the area's most decorated high school softball coaches won't be back with their teams next season.

Chaparral's Tona Lytle and Green Valley's Cindi Davis recently announced their intentions to step down, although both will remain at their respective schools next year as physical education teachers.

Lytle has spent the last 20 years coaching softball for the Cowboys, the final 18 as the program's head varsity coach.

An eight-time Southern Nevada coach of the year, Davis' 204-129 varsity record includes 10 zone tournament appearances, two state tournament berths and the 1983 3A Nevada state title.

"I'm sure it's going to be sad next spring, but I'm a little burned out right now," Davis said. "I just need a break."

Davis, who worked for 10 years as an assistant under Lytle at Chaparral, took over the Gators' program in 1993 and compiled a 115-52 record at the Henderson school.

Under Davis, Green Valley won four Sunrise Division titles and qualified for the 4A state tournament the past two years.

"It's been a great experience, but it's been very time consuming and it's limited what else I could do," said Davis, who plans to serve as a Green Valley assistant volleyball coach next fall. "Softball has been a part of my life since fourth grade. You can only give so much."

* ALL-STAR HOOPS: The 16th annual Sunrise vs. Sunset Division All-Star Basketball Classic will be held Saturday night at Valley High School. The festivities will tip-off at 5:15 p.m., with Clark and Las Vegas matching up for the Spring League Championship. The Chargers are led by junior guard Kevin Gaines, widely considered the area's top returning player, while the Wildcats' top player this spring has been junior center Casey Reid-Crockett. At 7 p.m., the real fun starts when the top graduating seniors from the Sunrise and Sunset will take the court for the annual all-star game. Valley's Alex Hernandez and Dion Jackson, Las Vegas' Ronnie Jones and Mario Finley and Green Valley's Jamar Glasper are slated to play for the Sunrise squad. Western's Jimmy White and Vance Lawhorn and Bishop Gorman's Moe Terry highlight the Sunset roster. Slam dunk and 3-point contests will take place during halftime of the all-star game. Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children.

* ALL-STAR SOCCER: The sixth annual Green Valley Rotary Club All-Star High School Classic soccer games will be held Saturday at UNLV's Peter Johann Memorial Field. The girls game, which will feature graduating seniors such as Green Valley's Kelly McCall, Eldorado's Rami Jones, Bishop Gorman's Lora Crammer and Cheyenne's Jillian Dreyer, will get started at 6 p.m. The boys game, which is slated for 8 p.m., will include talented area stars such as Cimarron-Memorial's Kevin Lunkwitz, Rancho's Ruben Kihuen and Basic's Tino Diaz. Tickets are $3, with proceeds going to support youth programs and the Green Valley Rotary Club's education mini-grant program.

* BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST: Several local track and field stars performed well at last weekend's Great Southwest Classic Meet at Arizona State University in Tempe -- an event which featured athletes from Oklahoma, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Cimarron-Memorial freshman Shameka Davis posted the Las Vegas-area's top girls result, finishing second in the girls 400 meters with a time of 56.21 seconds. For the boys, Las Vegas' Anthony Park took second in the triple jump. Mojave sophomore Nicole Ireland also made a name for herself, coming in sixth in the 100 meters and placing fourth in the 100 meter high hurdles. Cimarron's Emily McCarter wound up third in the high jump while Silverado's Larye Saye took third in the discus. Cimarron's Charles Ehizuelen finished fifth in the triple jump.

* GATORS MOVE UP: Green Valley improved one spot to No. 4 in this week's USA Today Top 25 poll. The Gators, who finished the season with a 33-2 record and the 4A state title, moved up when Toledo (Ohio) -- last week's No. 1 ranked team -- lost a regional playoff game. Toledo (27-1) slipped all the way to No. 24.

* EAGLES HONORED: Boulder City junior shortstop Christina Mooney received the Class 3A Division III co-softball MVP award this week, sharing the honor with White Pine senior pitcher/catcher Amie Farnsworth. Four other Eagles were named to the all-conference first team: pitcher Denise Haley, infielders Danielle Sanchez and Sarah Meng and outfielder Melissa Moynihan.