Etiwanda baseball coach Don Furnald has added athletic director to his list of duties this school year.
Dave Masucci had been the school’s athletic director since the 2011-2012 school year, but he stepped down from that position after moving to Idaho on a permanent basis. Masucci also had been Etiwanda’s softball coach since 2003.
Furnald, Etiwanda’s baseball coach since 2012, was the assistant athletic director under Masucci last school year.
“I am excited to take on this position and having the opportunity to continue to advance Etiwanda athletics,” Furnald said Monday morning. “Our school district allows athletic directors to continue coaching, and Dave has shown you can be successful in handling of both roles. I still love being a coach, and I’m definitely not ready to leave that behind just yet.”
Masucci won approximately 400 games during his 19 years leading the Etiwanda softball program. He guided the Eagles to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship in 2009, the program’s second section title.
Furnald said the softball position has not yet been flown but expects the position to attract strong candidates.
“These are going to be big shoes to fill,” Furnald said about Masucci’s departure. “We will miss him dearly, but at the same time we are happy for Dave and family in this new chapter of life.”
CHAPARRAL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL OFF TO STRONG START
The Chaparral girls volleyball team opened the season by winning the title at the Blackhawk Classic hosted by Citrus Valley High School. The Pumas swept Bonita 25-15, 25-17 in the championship match.
Senior setter Saige Rivera was selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after registering 119 assists, 19 digs, eight aces and three blocks over the five matches Chaparral played Saturday.
Junior opposite Bella Rittenberg and senior middle blocker Jenna Salyer also were selected to the all-tournament team. Rittenberg led the Pumas with 37 kills and also added 20 digs. Salyer tallied 14 kills and eight blocks. Senior outside hitter Maddie Hudson finished with 22 kills and 18 digs.
Junior Amore Mason and sophomore Sara Wilson were Bonita’s selections to the all-tournament team.
Citrus Valley and Hemet finished third and fourth, respectively, at the tournament.
EVANS AND BOSWELL FINALISTS FOR USA BASKETBALL TEAM
Hillcrest’s Dennis Evans has been selected as a finalist for the USA Basketball U16 national team.
Evans, a 7-foot-1 junior center, is among 16 players vying for 12 roster spots for a team that will compete at the FIBA Americas U16 Championships in Xapala, Mexico, from Aug. 23-29. Evans averaged 11.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 5.6 blocked shots per game during his sophomore season at Hillcrest.
Kylan Boswell, who helped Centennial capture the CIF Southern Section’s Open Division championship in the spring, also is a finalist. Boswell has transferred to Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz. Boswell, a junior guard, was selected the state’s Sophomore Player of the Year by CalHiSports.com.
The final 12 roster spots will be determined later this week before the team departs for Mexico.
CENTENNIAL FOOTBALL STILL LOOKING FOR OPPONENT
The Centennial football team is still searching for an opponent to complete its 2021 schedule, Huskies athletic director Bill Gunn said Monday morning. The only open date on the Huskies schedule is in Week 5 (Sept. 23-25).
Centennial had to drop its Week 0 opener against Mater Dei after two players tested positive for COVID-19 and multiple players had to go into quarantine because of contract tracing. Those players would not have had enough practices in full pads to play in a sanctioned game in accordance to CIF rules.
Centennial has found two opponents for a scrimmage on Friday, Aug. 20. The Huskies will be hosting Damien and Mater Dei. Centennial and Mater Dei can participate in a scrimmage this week because scrimmages are considered practice opportunities for teams.
