NorCalPrepScores.com - Cal-Hi Sports - Athlete of the Week - Week 11 Fall 2007

This week’s winning duo may very well make the most interesting stories we’ve had running at the same time in the history of this feature. Not only do they share something in common when it comes to having siblings as roles models, albeit in a directly opposite manner, but it’s even animal friendly as we feature a duck and a bear. As a result, we are splitting them up and doing them on separate days.

After getting the girls’ nomination from James Helming of NorCalPrepScores.com, we then make a return trip to the school that straddles the Berkeley-Albany border to honor a young woman whose family has an amazing athletic and academic tradition the baby of the family is determined to continue.

To get the photos and quotes we needed from our girls winner, the caravan went on the road and made the trip over the Richmond-San Rafael Bay Bridge.

Before watching an incredible performance by our honoree, we were also treated to what is the greatest four octaves, Lou Rawls style rendition of the national anthem we’ve ever heard at a high school event. So impressive was this man that the kids who adore hip-hop gave him a standing ovation, as did yours truly along with Contra Costa Times writer Ricardo Sanchez and his girlfriend.

I looked at the guy and I thought, I haven’t seen my old high school mate Olaf Pollard in 35 years…but he can still do it all. He’s even the AD at neighborhood St. Leo’s.

We then ventured out to Stockton where Cal-Hi Sports Executive Editor Mark Tennis’ nominee, who despite a rocky road in which he’s stayed the course, has dazzled the entire town, and even Mark’s own son.

Tarah Murrey (St. Mary’s, Berkeley)
With a right arm that propels balls downward on spikes like a rocket-launcher, this 6-3 power-package who has lead her Panthers team into the Northern Regional volleyball semifinals, has just as much to be thankful for with respect to having siblings as role models as our boys honoree featured yesterday and shown below. Fortunately for Murrey, the examples shown her by two older brothers and one older sister have been all positive.

We’ll expand on family later but for now let’s talk about a young woman whose dominance on a volleyball court and 3.4 GPA made her one of the most sought after players by colleges and universities in the nation, and when she eventually did commit to Cal-Berkeley her family had a hand in that decision also.

To give you an idea of just how dominant Murrey is when she’s at the net or on the back line, we take you to the Regional semifinal Nov. 20 in Berkeley where St. Mary’s hosted Ripon.

In a four game match won by the Panthers 25-22, 25-23, 24-26 and 25-19 Murrey was more than spectacular, single-handedly accounting for 46-percent of the teams offense with 38 kills, seven aces and 11 digs (by our count as well as the Contra Costa Times). Plus, by our count she successfully received 100-percent of the 24 serves sent her way on defense.

Tarah’s performance against Ripon even overshadowed the performance she was nominated for by James Helming of NorCalPrepScores.com in a 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 27-17, 25-14) NCS Div. IV championship victory Nov. 17 by the Panthers over Justin-Siena of Napa. In that match Murrey had 30 kills and 10 aces and was on the successful end of all nine serves she received.

For the season Murrey’s numbers border on astronomical. No offense to Tarah’s teammates but she doesn’t have former honoree Blaire Safir of Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) setting the ball for her on a dish. Even so, Murrey has 375 kills and a 58-percent kill ratio, 59 aces for a 27-percent ace average with a 90-percent serving accuracy, 134 digs and 29 blocks. As a service receiver Tareh has taken 168 serves with only nine errors, an amazing 95-percent.

“The biggest and most important thing about Tarah is even how dominant as she is, its what she is to her other teammates,” said first year Panther coach Cassie Aschinger, who recently moved west from St. Louis with her actor/improvisational comedian husband who performs in San Francisco. “She never wants to take any credit, and when she’s off she wants the ball to go to others. When she’s on though, she wants the ball.”

She definitely wanted the ball in the match against Ripon, especially after St. Mary’s dropped the third game and was in danger of losing the fourth game as Ripon was leading 15-14 at the game’s midway mark.

First Tarah received a serve perfectly to set up a point for teammate Genny Pezzola. Then Murrey smashed a ball so hard it seemed to rattle off all four walls of the gymnasium after flying by Ripon defenders to put the Panthers up 16-15, and they never looked back.

Murrey had big time kills for 18-15 and a back row kill for 19-16, and then served consecutive aces for a 21-16 Panther lead that secured the match. For good measure she made a perfect dig that forced a Ripon error to end the final game.

It should come as nor surprise that the baby of the family may very well become its most prodigious athlete. Father Doug, the Deputy Fire Marshall for the City of Richmond, was a basketball and football star at St. Mary’s before playing basketball at San Jose State where he met his wife Barb. Tarah’s mom, her biggest fan and a Facilities Coordinator for the City of Piedmont, hails from the Peninsula where she starred in volleyball at Carlmont (Belmont) before playing at San Jose State, meeting Doug and proceeding to raise four children.

All three of Tarah’s siblings are still currently athletes at the college level and not only has each one been a role model but also an inspiration for her to strive for excellence. Oldest brother Russell, an El Cerrito High graduate, is now a fifth-year senior at Adams State College in Colorado where he’s on the basketball and track teams. Another brother Jerryck, also an El Cerrito graduate is currently a senior at Western Illinois where he is on the basketball team.

While the experiences of her parents and brothers have helped shape and guide Tarah, it’s her sister Brittney, a St. Mary’s grad currently a sophomore volleyball player at UC Riverside who’s made the biggest impression in her life.

“My family’s so important to me. When I made my decision on college they all helped me and gave me input but Brittney and I are the closest,” Murrey told Cal-Hi Sports. “When I was growing up I wanted to do everything my sister did. As we got older she became like my third coach, teaching me things and showing me the way in club and high school where we had one great year together.”

We have no doubts this attractive and personable young woman will reach a similar goal as this week’s boys honoree of becoming a sports commentator or something else in the broadcast business. She plans on majoring in sports medicine with a minor in communications next year at Berkeley.

First though is an upcoming match in Berkeley on Saturday Nov. 24 where the No. 3 seed Panthers host CCS runner-up and No. 2 seed Harker School in the NorCal semifinals. In order to win, Murrey will certainly need to have the same kind of numbers she’s posted in the past two matches. That’s a lot of pressure on a high school player.

“I’m excited about Saturday’s match and how well we’ve played this season. I think we’ll be very competitive. All I can do is just go out and play my game,” Tareh said.

Win or lose against Harker, if Murrey has 30-plus kills the Panthers will definitely be in the match. One thing for sure, there will definitely be some rocket-like spiked volleyballs raining down on the girls from San Jose.

Dewitt Stuckey (Lincoln, Stockton)
When the first thing out of a guy’s mouth who’s been coaching football for 37 years (11 as head coach) at the same school is, “you guys found the right kid this week,” as said Lincoln coach Jim Rubiales, somehow you anticipate the story getting real good. Not only is this story good, it’s an amazing saga about a young man determined to help show kids the right way.

We all have role models and heroes in our lives, many times a brother or sister. Then, there are the situations where a potential role model within one’s family must be shunned or the path could lead to destruction for both individuals.

Dewitt Stuckey could be following in the footsteps of his 31-year old brother who has battled alcohol and drug addiction, but instead he’s using his brother as an example of what not to do and show kids they should walk the path he is walking.

“I watched my brother battle addiction so I tell kids about my experiences with drugs and alcohol. I compare him and me and show them what can happen by talking about myself, comparing and contrasting our two lives,” said Stuckey, who regularly speaks to classes about saying no to drugs, including the Stockton elementary school class of Cal-Hi Sports Executive Editor’s son Sean. “They can go his way or they can follow me,” Stuckey said emphatically.

What Stuckey tells them about is a young man resolute in not following the wrong path. A young man who came to the realization in his freshman year and after his mother died that he would do the work to make his dream of going to college, getting an education, and playing at the next level, come true.

“Before she died my mom always told me not to follow in her or my brother’s footsteps. After she passed I promised myself and my grandmother (Tretha, whom he lives with and who also raised his brother) I would make my dream of going to college come true,” Stuckey told Cal-Hi Sports.

A lot of guys in Dewitt’s situation talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk. In Stuckey’s case, he’s stuck it to and run over opponents (not in a bad way) to get to where he wanted to go in life. “Dewitt is outstanding at all aspects of the game. Plus, he’s a load – put together like a rock,” said Rubiales.

Oh yes, we forgot to tell you, Dewitt Stuckey is one heck of a football player and an excellent student. With a 6-1, 230 pound frame and excellent speed and strength that has allowed him to make 166 tackles from his linebacker position (15.1 per game) and rush as a fullback when called upon for 422 yards on a mere 56 carries (7.54 yards per carry) with seven touchdowns, this 3.2 GPA academic All-American who takes tough courses is headed to Oregon on a full ride.

Some outstanding players have graced the Lincoln gridiron such as Shante Carver, who went on to Arizona State and the Dallas Cowboys, and Lewis Rankin, currently at the University of Washington, however according to Rubiales Dewitt is right in their class.

“Dewitt is a true leader who leads by example, by his voice, by his actions on the field, and in the classroom. He does everything you ask of him,” said Rubiales. “Especially the last couple of games when he’s taken over, taken control of the game, first on defense then on offense. We gave him the ball and on a couple of big plays for first downs he ran out the clock.”

One of the games Rubiales is referring to is the 37-20 season ending victory against Tracy when Stuckey had 16 tackles, a quarterback sack, and carried the ball 10 times for 75 yards and one touchdown. The week before in a 44-22 victory over Chavez of Stockton, Dewitt had 17 tackles, three sacks, and rushed five times for 56 yards and one score. This past week in a 49-0 Sac-Joaquin Section Div I opening round victory over West of Tracy, Dewitt had 16 tackles, two sacks, returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown and rushed six times for 47 yards.

“Its great to get awards and I’m happy people notice my hard work and dedication not only to my sport but my education, but I’m not satisfied yet. I still have a lot of work left to do,” said Stuckey who recently was honored by the Stockton Athletic Hall of Fame with the Frank Alustiza and McKay awards for outstanding athletics and academics. Plus the four year starter was named MVP of the San Joaquin Athletic Association League as a defensive player.

Dewitt Stuckey is a shining example to youth from all walks of life that hard work and dedication, coupled with knowing the difference between right and wrong, and living with that conviction, can garner enormous rewards. He’s also an example to young people he knows the hard work must continue throughout life.

Dewitt plans on studying business at Oregon with an eye on a career in broadcasting after majoring in sports marketing and communications.

Right now the business at hand however, is an upcoming game against Pittman of Turlock in the Div. I quarterfinals with the winner going up against the winner of the match between state-ranked Merced and St. Mary’s of Stockton.

There will be a bunch of people in Stockton including Dewitt’s grandma, and a whole lot of school kids who admire and look up to Stuckey, that hope he sticks it to Pittman.

Congratulations to Dewitt Stuckey and Tarah Murrey from CalHiSports.com and NorCalPrepScores.com.

Honorable Mention
This week we once again included some past winners who had gigantic efforts. Even though this is an award you can only win once, past winners are eligible any week for honorable mention.

Boys
Kiko Alonso, football (Los Gatos), Darius Bell, football (Riordan, San Francisco), Kyle Hardwick, football (Scotts Valley), Andre Island, football (McClymonds, Oakland), Ken Johnston & Alex Martinez, football (Carmel), Stephon Mathis, football (Merced), Seta Pohahou, football (Aragon, San Mateo)

Girls
Sydney Burlison, golf (Robert Louis Stevenson, Pebble Beach), Emily Childs, golf (Alameda) Amada Gil, volleyball (Mitty, San Jose), Grace Na, golf (Alameda), Sarah Sumpter, cross country (Healdsburg)