Baseball:

By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor

Rio Hondo Prep three-sport athlete Alex Vazquez didn’t see his name in the headlines very often.

Evan Foor, Jack Van Cleve, Jake Lang, Jonathan Guerrero and others got the lion’s share of the credit for the success of the Kares’ athletic programs by those of us in the media.

But if you talk to his coaches and teammates, they said unanimously that RHP would not have won the school’s first CIF-SS baseball championship last season without the contributions and versatility of Alex Vazquez.

He also played a significant role in RHP winning their first 10 games of the 2019 football season just eight months ago, which included a Prep League championship.

If that weren’t enough, his 12 points and 10 rebounds per game paced the Kares basketball program during the 2019-20 season.

One of the many things that makes Vazquez special is not giving a rats (butt) who gets the credit as long as he contributes and Rio Hondo Prep wins games.

Vazquez, who lives in Upland, went to RHP his freshman year and decided he was going to forego that 25 mile drive and attend Upland High School.

After spending his sophomore year near his home, he realized what he was missing and returned to Rio Hondo Prep for his junior and senior years.

The school and the athletics programs were better because of that decision.

In fact, Vazquez said RHP helped him in ways that will affect the rest of his life.

“They challenge us academically, but we also receive the attention needed in the classroom. I was also forced to grow up and it is there where I was able to build a relationship with God,” he said. “I am so thankful to all the teachers, coaches, my friends and my teammates for helping enrich my life and I’ll take those life lessons with me wherever I go.”

On that run to a CIF-SS Division 6 title, Vazquez hit .467 in playoff victories over St. Genevieve (14-3), No. 2 seeded Sultana (6-0), Carpinteria (5-0), St. Anthony (8-5) and a title-clinching 9-7 triumph over Costa Mesa on May 18 of 2019 at UC Riverside.

In the championship game, the Kares fell behind 4-0 in the top of the first inning and Vazquez admits he thought to himself, “it seems this is going to be a long day.”

But his boys reacted by scoring three in the bottom of the first and Vazquez actually singled home the ninth run in the 9-7 win.

Ironically, the Kares entered the playoffs on anything but a high note.

They lost four of their last five regular season games, including a three-game sweep to Flintridge Prep by a combined margin of 20-6.

That’s when baseball coach JT Parker started over just before the first postseason game with St. Genevieve.

“We had finished getting swept by Flintridge Prep and we took infield, did situational drills, first and third drills, situational hitting and so many other things that helped us focus on our task ahead,” he said. “During batting practice, we had four balls for each round and we had to hit line drives or ground balls. If we hit a fly ball, we lost a round of BP. And I think it really forced us to focus and paid off, because we played our best baseball of the season during the playoffs.”

During the 2019 season, Vazquez hit .295, with 18 hits, 19 runs, 18 RBIs, one double, one home run and 18 stolen bases.

This season, in just seven games, he upped his average to .368, with seven hits, five runs, six RBIs, one double and six stolen bases.

He said it was of course heartbreaking to miss the final three-fourths or so of his senior baseball season, but Vazquez said the writing was on the wall and it was something they expected after having to do their classwork from home.

His senior football season did play itself out and that too was a remarkable story for Coach Mark Carson’s program.

Week in and week out, the little guys from that small campus kept putting their foot on an opponents throat and began the season 10-0.

The Kares outscored their opponents, 409-114, and rushed for just under 3,000 yards and 44 scores on the ground.

Vazquez had one rushing TD, caught nine passes for 208 yards, including a pair of TD passes from quarterback Jack Van Cleve.

After beating perennial Prep League champion Poly, 28-21, on the Panthers’ field to claim the league championship, RHP defeated Northwood, 41-22, in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 12 playoffs.

A week later, the perfect season came to an end, 36-29, at Jurupa Hills.

But it couldn’t take away from the success and memories that everyone involved with the program will have for a lifetime.

These days, Vazquez, like many of the senior athletes who will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level, spends a lot of time on the treadmill and lifting weights from home.

He admits he watches his share of Netflix and has been known to play Fortnite until 3 a.m. with his buddies.

In a few months, if our world returns to normal by then, Vazquez will play for longtime Owls’ football coach Ron Ponciano at Citrus College in Glendora.

Vazquez is well aware of Ponciano’s no-nonsense, intense style, and said he looks forward to it.

He hopes to earn a spot as the Owls’ tight end, but at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds or so, there are many ways he’d be able to contribute.

Vazquez will finish his final chapter at RHP with a 3.5 GPA and said his favorite class was English and that Mr. Edwin Ixta was his favorite teacher.

When asked what he’ll take away most from RHP, Vazquez said, “the environment at the school gave me a sense of belonging and enrichment. They helped me find myself and understanding God’s role in my life and the people there are really cool.”

Even though he graduated in 2019, Evan Foor, who plays baseball at Rio Hondo College, is still Alex’s best friend, and has been for many years.

The opportunity to win the school’s first and only CIF baseball title made it so much more special for Vazquez because he got to share it with his best friend.

He remembers playing first base with the potential tying runs on second and third base and Jack Van Cleve inducing a ground ball to second baseman Gio Ortega.

“I could swear everything seemed like it was going in slow motion and the throw was a little high, but I was able to come down with it. I remember dropping to my knees and crying and I looked for Evan and wanted him to be the first hug I got. But it was actually the last and it felt really special, because everyone on this team, including the coaches put everything they had into this title run. We made history together and no one can take that from us.”

How did Vazquez, who admitted he wasn’t always the best kid turn out so mature and respectful?

Two reasons: Natalia & Juan Vazquez, his parents.

“They have been so supportive. It’s hard to put into words how much they mean to me. They weren’t easy parents. They were hard on me when I made mistakes. I’d wake up from time to time being mad at my parents, but I know they were looking out for my best interest. Every day, I work hard in the hopes of making my parents proud. What makes me most proud to be their son is the example the set for my sister Ava and I through all of their hard work and all the sacrifices they made and continue to make for us.”

Quotable:

RHP football coach Mark Carson: “I’ve always been impressed with Alex’s work ethic. Whether it was staying after practice to run routes during football, or hitting off the tee at lunchtime during baseball. He’s a tireless worker. Alex was our second leading receiver, and also did an outstanding job blocking in the run game, often times right at the point of attack.”

Former RHP star Evan Foor: “He works hard, loves playing the game, keeps everybody loose and is a big jokester. He’s gonna keep getting better at the next level too. You can expect for him to contribute to the team no matter what the sport is.”

Former RHP star Jake Lang: “Alex is one of the hardest workers on the field. He is always willing to hit, field, throw extra whenever you ask him. In our championship year, Alex was the guy I could count on to drive me in no matter the situation. I really respect how he always stays loose and keeps the team pushing to get better, no matter the sport.”

RHP junior Jack Van Cleve: “Alex played a big part on our team. He set an example for us younger guys. He was willing to put in extra work before and after practice.”

Alex Vazquez Junior & Senior Year Statistics at RHP:

2020: .368, seven hits, five runs, six RBIs, one double, six stolen bases (in seven games)

2019: .295, 18 hits, 19 runs, 18 RBIs, one double, one home run, 18 stolen bases

On the mound: 1-0, 2.10 ERA, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts in 10 innings of work