hi-lo league preview & schedules

We don't often hear much about the schools located out in the desert, and sometimes there's a good reason for that, i.e., there's not much to hear about. But even if there was, the news comes very slowly out of the high and low desert regions among the smallest enrollment schools principally because each of the schools in this league are so geographically diverse and there's just no metropolitan daily providing them with constant ink. Baker Valley, Death Valley, Big Pine, Lee Vining and Owens Valley are about as far from the metropolitan Los Angeles megalopolis as you can get and still be in what passes for civilization. Of course, many believe that out there it's much more civilized, and with satellite tv, no overcrowding, clear skies and low crime rates, who are we to argue. If you were ever curious about checking out a game at one of these schools, just get a map and look for highways 395 and 14, and try not to run over any wildlife on the way there. Many of the schools in this league wind up playing teams in Nevada given their proximity, but the bottom line is that we know very little about what these schools will be like this year.

Last season Big Pine made it to the V-A playoffs and lost to Apple Valley in the first round; Trona also lost in V-A first round polay to Joshua Springs, and Owns Valley, the No. 4 team in the league lost to Cal Lutheran, the Metro League's No. 1 team. Immanuel Christian, the No. 1 team in the Hi-Lo league was seeded in the V-A playoffs opposite Acaciawood, at that time a Free Lance team which has since joined the new San Joaquin League, and lost in the first round. How any of these teams will do this year is just a complete mystery. We've got some roster info, but it's very limited, as is some of the scheduling info.

We're working here with very limited information as far as "previews" are concerned. What follows is what we know about the teams thus far this season, which means we're looking at old rosters and trying to predict who will be returning and which younger players will be stepping up. The schedules are accurate as far as we know. We encourage coaches to send us their official rosters (via e-mail, not on the message board, please) and any other information about their teams so we can update the previews and rosters as the season progresses.

Hi-Lo League Rosters	Hi-Lo League Schedules
Immanuel Christian--10-2, 10-8 (1st) "Crusaders" Frank Graham 5'-7" So. G Charles Walters 5'-4" Jr. G Curtis Staples 5'-10" Sr. G Matt Minnick 5'-11" Sr. F/G Gret Teeter 6'-3" Sr. C/F Kevin Spargo 5'-11"Jr. F/G	Immanuel Christian Coach: DID NOT SUBMIT SCHEDULE
Big Pine--9-3, 13-6 (2nd tie) "Warriors" Big Pine appears to be returning most of the roster from last season: Elliot Thomas 5'-10" Jr. G Trevin Wilson 5'-8" Jr. F Kodi Pihner 5'-8" Sr. G Ruben Bradley 5'-8" Jr. G Jose Rico 5'-9" So. G Marcin Rico 5'-9" Sr. G Jason Fronczak 6'-0 Jr. F Dylan Howall 5'-6" Jr. G Alfred Patterson 5'-6" Sr. G Brandon Dixon 5'-10" Sr. F Carlos Meza 5'-8" So. G Brandon Majors 6'-2" Sr. C Johnny Madina 5'-7" So. F James Mahoney 5'-=7" Jr. F Nadua Bacoch 5'-11" Sr. F	Big Pine Coach: Darrin Chirrick N 28 Boron 30-31 @ Coleville Tourn D 04 @ Gabbs, NV 07 Mammoth 14 @ Trona 18 @ Mammoth 20-21 @ Boron Tourn J 08 @ Lee Vining 11 @ Owens Valley 12 Immanuel Christian 22 Lee Vining 25 @ Immanuel Christian 26 Owens Valley 29 @ Lee Vining F 01 @ Owens Valley 02 *Immanuel Christian 07 @ Hi-Lo Lg Playoffs
Trona--9-3, 10-8 (2nd tie) "Tornadoes" Trona should return the following players: Andy Ramos 5'-3" Sr. G JT Thompson 6'-0" So. G Kris Doss 6'-2" Sr. G Asa McCurdy 6'-2" Sr. F Cody Hill 5'-7" Sr. G Jacob Rivera 5'-11" Sr. G Michael Parks 5'-11" Sr. G Travis Ball 6'-1" Sr. F Cody Corrion 6'-3" Jr. C	Trona Coach: Dave Barrett N 30 @ Boron D 04 Bethel Christian 07 @ Bethel Christian 13 Apple Valley Chr 26-28 @ Victor Vly Chr Tourn J 08 @ Aca of Acad Excel 11 Death Valley Aca 12 @ Baker 14 @ Immanuel Christian 16 @ Owens Valley 17 Big Pine 22 Aca of Acad Excel 25 @ Death Valley Aca 26 Baker 29 @ Aca of Acad Excel F 02 @ Death Valley Aca 04 @ *Baker
Owens Valley--7-5, 11-11 (4th) Oens Valley made the playoffs as the No. 4 team in the league, but we didn't receive any CIF media sheet and thus have no information. They lost in the first round to California Lutheran last season in the V-A playoffs.	Owens Valley Coach: TBA D 04 Mammoth 6-8 @ Joshua Springs Tourn 14 @ Gabbs, NV 18 @ Trona J 08 @ Immanuel Chr 11 Big Pine 12 @ Lee Vining 14 Acad of Aca Excel 18 @ Acad of Aca Excel 22 Immanuel Chr 25 @ Lee Vining 26 @ Big Pine 29 @ Immanuel Chr F 01 Big Pine 02 *Lee Vining
Lee Vining--5-7, 6-9 (5th) No roster, no schedule. Nada.	Lee Vining Coach: DID NOT SUBMIT SCHEDULE
Death Valley Academy--1-11, 1-11 (6th) Ditto for Death Valley. No roster, no other info except what looks like about half a schedule.	Death Valley Coach: Joe R Davis J 08 Baker Valley 11 Trona 12 Acad of Aca Excel 22 @ Baker Valley 25 @ Trona 26 @ Acad of Aca Excel 29 Baker Valley F 01 Trona 02 *Acad of Aca Excel
Baker Valley--1-11, 1-14 (7th) Baker Valley won only 1 game last season, and only played 15 games. This year, the schedule doesn't show any preseason tournaments, and there are 10 games, which means they are about 6 short (considering there are 8 teams in the league), so our guess is that the schedule at right is only half complete.	Baker Valley Coach: Duane Bemis D 27 @ Joshua Springs J 08 @ Death Valley Aca 11 Aca of Acad Excel 12 Trona 22 Death Valley Aca 25 @ Aca of Acad Excel 26 @ Trona 29 @ Death Valley Aca F 01 Aca of Acad Excel 02 *Trona
Academy of Academic Excellence New to the league this year, freelance last season.	Academy of Academic Excellence Coach: TBA N 26 Mesa Grande D 18-30 @ Victor Vly Chr Tourn J 03 @ Mesa Grande 08 Trona 11 @ Baker Valley 12 @ Death Valley 15 @ Owens Valley 17 Immanuel Christian 18 Owens Valley 22 @ Trona 25 Baker Valley 26 Death Valley 29 Trona 31 @ Palm Valley F 01 @ Baker Valley 02 @ *Death Valley