Denair cross country runner Sal Virgen will compete one more week thanks to his finish in the Sac-Joaquin Sub-Section Meet, but the rest of his teammates just missed out on the final qualifying spot.
Virgen, a junior, covered the three-mile Frogtown course at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in 18 minutes, 57.2 seconds on Saturday, placing him 22 nd overall out of 162 runners.
The top 10 schools plus the top runners not on those teams qualified for the Section Meet this Saturday at Willow Hills Reservoir in Folsom. Denair’s team missed by just one spot, finishing 11 th overall.
The other Coyotes who ran last weekend were Jose Ponce (45 th overall, 20:11.7), Simbalenko (53 rd , 20:23.7), Angel Rodriguez (113 th , 23:24.8) and Adrian Monzon (139 th , 24:48.7). Denair was missing its No 3 runner, Isaac Maldonado, who was sick.
“I am proud of my team for the way they ran,” said Coach Matthew Groom. “We were one spot short of qualifying as a team, despite missing one of our top runners. … Sal did really well. He pushed himself to get one of the medals for the event. This will be Sal’s first trip to Folsom and I expect him to compete well.”
For Virgen to make it to the State Meet on Nov. 29 in Fresno, he would have to finish in the top 12 in Folsom.
One of the goals for all schools in the Denair Unified School District is to create a welcoming
environment where every student feels valued and empowered to reach their full potential.
There are many ways to accomplish that. At Denair Middle School, one of the strategies involves athletics and a program known as the Purple Squad.
At Thursday night’s meeting of the district’s Board of Trustees, two DMS coaches and Principal Gabriela Sarmiento explained how increased participation in sports helps to reduce barriers and make students feel more included.
The Purple Squad is a way for students who are not selected for the competitive teams in girls volleyball and boys and girls basketball to have an opportunity to play recreationally in an organized environment led by coaches Mary Ann Urrutia (volleyball), Elvia Brizuela (volleyball and girls basketball) and Sarah Rush (boys and girls basketball) and Athletic Director Gavin Souza.
“The opportunity for students to engage helps them develop their skills and confidence,” Sarmiento explained. “They don’t have to be the best athlete. They just need to learn how to be part of a team.”
Of the 40 or so girls who played volleyball earlier this fall or are playing basketball now, about 90% have participated in both. A couple of dozen boys are expected to be part of the Purple Squad basketball squads starting in January. The teams are mostly comprised of sixth-graders, but there are seventh- and eighth-graders as well.
All the students benefit from the coaching – which focuses on each sport’s fundamentals – and gain valuable experience. At an age where youngster’s bodies are maturing at different rates, it’s not unusual for Purple Squad participants to improve to the point where they make the competitive teams at DMS or the high school next door in future years.
“If I hear of a young lady who didn’t make the seventh- or eighth-grade team, I encourage her,” Urrutia said. “Maybe all she needs is the coaching and a chance to build her skills.”
Purple Squad alumni who are members of the high school teams have come back to help coach, Urrutiasaid, providing real-life examples of how young athletes can improve with time and experience.“There’s a reason we have freshmen, JV and varsity teams (at the high school). It’s because you guys have created a pipeline,” Trustee Ray Prock Jr. said. “It’s also cool to see older students come back and help coach.”
Added Trustee Crystal Souza: “I love how the seventh- and eighth-graders who don’t make the competitive teams have a chance. Sometimes, all they need is an opportunity to develop that skill before they reach high school and can try out again.”
Reaction from players in the Purple Squad program is universally positive.
“I’ve enjoyed spending time with my friends and also being able to play with people I didn’t know,” said sixth-grader Naomi S., whose goal is to make the competitive volleyball team next year.
Emma M. said she has “enjoyed making new friends and learning to serve overhand (in volleyball).”
“I learned how to serve, pass and just play volleyball,” said sixth-grader Zoe C., who like Naomi hopes to be on the competitive team next season.
Brooke Pedro, who played volleyball for Urrutia in 2023, wrote her a thank you note for challenging her and teaching her new skills. “I hope I will make you proud.”
Rush, who has coached in the program for nine years, recalled a special moment last season on her boys basketball team that was about more than just skill development.
“Last year was my first year to have a student with disabilities on the team and to watch my players helping him and cheering him on was a special moment for me as a coach and as a para in the special education department,” she said. “I would really love to see more students with disabilities come out for sports and be fully included in our sports programs.”
Denair Superintendent Terry Metzger thanked the coaches for their work in the Purple Squad program, which has seen a steady growth in participation. She also linked the program to improved academic achievement at DMS and credited it with helping to build a positive campus culture.
“It’s a beautiful example of how it all works together,” she said.
In other action Thursday, trustees:
Voted unanimously to approve two out-of-town trips for Denair High students and chaperones next spring. The first is for up to 16 FFA students and advisors to attend the California State FFA Leadership Convention scheduled April 3-6 in Sacramento. The conference will include convention general sessions and workshops, a career show and an FFA national shop. The second trip is the annual Grad Night visit to Disneyland by graduating seniors on May 18-19.
It’s been five years since Denair qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs, a time marked by high effort from the players but low turnout for a program that celebrated a state Division 7 championship in 2018.
The lean years made the taste of victory all the sweeter Friday night as Denair made a triumphant return to the postseason with a commanding 49-16 blowout of Delta of Clarksburg in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 7 tournament.
“It felt great,” summed up Denair Coach Anthony Armas, whose club led 34-0 in the third quarter before Delta finally scored. “Playoff games have a different feel. Our players were playing at a different level.”
There were plenty of heroes for the home team.
Degan Butler carried 18 times for 174 yards, Jesse Ruelas gained 54 yards on the ground and scored three touchdowns, Alex Vargas ran for two touchdowns and caught two passes for another 46 yards, Derek Potter completed all four of his passes for 75 yards and a score, and Austin Silva caught a TD pass and also intercepted a pass on defense.
But the biggest play of the night, according to Armas, happened when 6-foot-5, 215-pound defensive lineman Brody McFarland returned a Delta fumble for a touchdown in the second quarter to make the score 21-0.
“We had just punted two plays before — our only punt of the game,” Armas said. “We were already playing at a pretty high level, but Brody’s scoop-and-score really took the energy of the team to another level.”
McFarland’s moment thrilled the partisan crowd at Jack Lytton Stadium, where most of the home fans were clad all in black – something the Denair players had been lobbying for all season.
“We told them if they wanted the blackout, we needed to host a playoff game,” Armas said. “The crowd was great. You could feel the energy in the stadium.”
Up next for the Coyotes (6-5) is a familiar foe – Stone Ridge Christian (8-2) of Merced, which earned a No.2 playoff seed and a first-round bye after tying with Delhi for first place in the Southern League. Denair finished in a third-place SL tie with Waterford.
The Knights and Coyotes faced each other on Sept. 20 in the SL opener, with Stone Ridge coming away with a 28-6 home victory.
“They are very talented and well coached,” Armas said.
What will it take for Denair to pull off an upset?
“We need to play good assignment football. Each person needs to do their job. No more, no less,” Armas said.
Kickoff Friday is at 7 p.m. in Merced. The winner will advance to the semifinals on Nov. 22 against the winner of this week’s game between No. 3 Elite (8-2) of Vallejo and No. 6 Rio Vista (6-5).
Voters in the Denair Unified School District appear poised to pass a $34.3 million bond measure that would support major upgrades, especially at the elementary and high school campuses.
With 100% of the early absentee ballots and votes cast at precincts Tuesday counted, Measure Z had 1,445, or 61.9%, “yes” votes and 889, or 38.1%, “no” votes. It takes 55% for the measure to pass.
The totals are from a 1:17 a.m. update from the Stanislaus County Election Office. There still are an unknown number of absentee ballots that were returned since Saturday to verify and count.
Measure Z would add $60 per $100,000 of assessed value to property owners’ tax bills, as indicated in the sample ballot provided to each voter. However, this tax rate will not be levied until the district’s 2001 election bonds are paid off in 2028. Therefore, the new Measure Z tax rate would be offset by a scheduled reduction in future rates, and there is no projected increase in overall bond rates to taxpayers.
Superintendent Terry Metzger said that the money raised from Measure Z would pay for a range of much-needed improvements in the district, many of them at Denair Elementary Charter Academy, the district’s oldest campus.
Construction of two new classroom wings Relocation of the kitchen to the gym (currently, much of the cooking for DECA students is done at Denair Middle School) Creation of a drop off/pick up and bus zone (like at DMS) on Madera Avenue for efficiency and safety Conversion of the old cafeteria into an administration building Security enhancements, including making DECA a single-point entry campus
Measure Z money also would be used to make Denair Charter Academy a single-point entry facility, Metzger said. At Denair High School, the 400 wing of portables would be replaced a permanent classroom building and other security upgrades completed. DMS, the district’s newest campus, would receive some classroom upgrades and repairs.
A grass-roots committee of parents, employees and community members worked on the Measure Z campaign. They got the word out through social media, talking with neighbors and friends, walking neighborhoods, texting, and direct mailers.
“Funds from Measure Z will be carefully spent to ensure that our children have campuses that support teaching and learning in a modern and safe environment,” Metzger said.
As part of its passage, Measure Z includes a bond oversight committee. Metzger encouraged residents interested in serving on the committee to contact the district office.
