By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Each day, on his way to work as the Social Media Manager for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, Mario Cendejas takes time to think about his journey in life – including his years at Napa Valley College and also Napa Valley 1839 FC, a men’s semi-pro soccer team.
For Cendejas, there is a lot to reflect on – which goes back to getting his start as a photo intern with Napa Valley 1839 FC and then taking on more and more duties, such as sports marketing and videography.
“Despite having to leave home and working in my backyard, had it not been for 1839 FC, I don't think I would be where I'm at now,” Cendejas said, recently. “And that's why, on my way to Oakland, my commute during the week, it’s a time of reflection for me. I get to reflect and realize how much I've accomplished. I had no idea where I was going with this. But now, I've gotten somewhere.”
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College women's soccer team concluded its 2023 fall season, traveling to Mendocino College in Ukiah and battling to a 2-2 tie in a Bay Valley Conference match on Nov. 9.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Head coach Mark Corbett called the Napa Valley College women's soccer team’s 4-1 Bay Valley Conference win over host Merritt College-Oakland Tuesday the “best team performance of the season so far.”
Napa Valley (5-6-1 overall, 4-4-1 Bay Valley) had all 12 players available for the match.
Annie Sanchez, a freshman forward, scored two goals to lead the Storm.
Brianna Munoz, a freshman defender, scored a goal.
Melina Shaline-Solis, a freshman forward, scored a goal.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Mark Corbett can’t say enough about the all-around effort and quality of play that his Napa Valley College women’s soccer team – with just 11 players and no reserves – consistently puts forth in matches.
“I think it was a team-collective effort,” Corbett said, following the Storm’s 6-1 loss on Tuesday at home to Los Medanos College-Pittsburg, the Bay Valley Conference’s first-place team. “We spoke about not stopping, getting back when we lose the ball, getting back behind it.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
It doesn’t matter to Annie Sanchez, a freshman forward, if it’s eight, nine or 10 players who are on the field for the Napa Valley College women’s soccer team.
The consistent all-out, all-around effort, both in the first half and second half, is still going to there for the Storm, which is playing with limited numbers this year, said Sanchez.
“We all know that it's a team effort. And at the end of the day, we all kind of have to muscle through it,” said Sanchez. “We just push through it together, even if it's painful for all of us. So why not stay in pain together.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Annie Sanchez scored all three goals, a hat trick, to lift the Napa Valley College women’s soccer team to a 3-2 Bay Valley Conference win over visiting Merritt College-Oakland on Friday, Oct. 6.
Sanchez is a freshman forward for the Storm (2-3 overall, 1-1 Bay Valley).
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College went into Tuesday’s Bay Valley Conference women’s soccer opener with just 11 players, as the Storm was missing Ariel Nunez, a freshman goal keeper. Nunez was out due to a concussion that she suffered near the end of a practice on Monday.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had injuries, and it put us up against a big disadvantage in terms of losing a fantastic goalkeeper,” said Storm coach Mark Corbett. “We’re pretty limited in terms of being able to make changes.”
Areli Ramirez-Ruiz, sophomore defender, took over at goal keeper for the Storm.
Mark Corbett doesn’t have one job. He has four jobs.
Corbett is the head coach for Napa Valley 1839 FC, a National Premier Soccer League team, that plays in the West Region’s Golden Gate Conference.
He is the head coach for Napa United’s under-19 girls team.
He is the head coach for the Napa Valley 1839 FC under-23 women’s team.
He is also the head coach for the Napa Valley College women’s team, which after a one-year absence of not playing due to not having enough players, is back on the field and off to a 1-1 start in nonconference matches.
Mario Cendejas’ journey from the Napa Valley to Oakland Roots Sports Club
February 02, 2024By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com Each day, on his way to work as the Social Media Manager for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, Mario Cendejas takes time to think about his journey in life – including his years at Napa Valley College and also Napa Valley 1839 FC, a men’s semi-pro soccer team. For Cendejas, there is a lot to reflect on – which goes back to getting his start as a photo intern with Napa Valley 1839 FC and then taking on more and more duties, such as sports marketing and videography. “Despite having to leave home and working in my backyard, had it not been for 1839 FC, I don't think I would be where I'm at now,” Cendejas said, recently. “And that's why, on my way to Oakland, my commute during the week, it’s a time of reflection for me. I get to reflect and realize how much I've accomplished. I had no idea where I was going with this. But now, I've gotten somewhere.”
