The race is nigh.

The Amgen Tour of California will soon be zipping along Alfred Harrell Highway as thousands cheer on from the starting point at Bakersfield College or other vantage points along the route. It's been two years since Bakersfield hosted, and with pent-up anticipation and massive advance coverage organizers are expecting even more of a turnout than in 2010.

The race is nigh.

The Amgen Tour of California will soon be zipping along Alfred Harrell Highway as thousands cheer on from the starting point at Bakersfield College or other vantage points along the route. It's been two years since Bakersfield hosted, and with pent-up anticipation and massive advance coverage organizers are expecting even more of a turnout than in 2010.

Youth football

Bakersfield Raiders tackle football sign-ups on Saturdays at Lowell Park from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Juniors and seniors team sign-ups, ages 10-12 and 12-14. Contact coach D or Tammy at (661) 322-7441, 847-9144 or e-mail:bakersfieldraiders@yahoo.com.

Youth football

Bakersfield Raiders tackle football sign-ups on Saturdays at Lowell Park from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Juniors and seniors team sign-ups, ages 10-12 and 12-14. Contact coach D or Tammy at (661) 322-7441, 847-9144 or e-mail:bakersfieldraiders@yahoo.com.

Liberty High graduate Cassidy Bell, now playing softball for Penn State, finished off a record-breaking season in Saturday's 4-1 loss to Ohio State.

The junior shortstop went 2-for-3 in the Nittany Lions' season finale, raising her batting average to a school-record .423, eclipsing a 24-year-old record of .413 by Nan Sichler.

Liberty High graduate Cassidy Bell, now playing softball for Penn State, finished off a record-breaking season in Saturday's 4-1 loss to Ohio State.

The junior shortstop went 2-for-3 in the Nittany Lions' season finale, raising her batting average to a school-record .423, eclipsing a 24-year-old record of .413 by Nan Sichler.

MADERA -- There is no such thing as home-course advantage in golf, at least not technically speaking.

That theory was put to the test Monday at Riverbend Golf Club, where the Fresno-area boys teams dominated the Central Section team championships.

MADERA -- There is no such thing as home-course advantage in golf, at least not technically speaking.

That theory was put to the test Monday at Riverbend Golf Club, where the Fresno-area boys teams dominated the Central Section team championships.

Donald Lutz went 5-for-5, including his California-league leading 11th homer, to lead the Bakersfield Blaze to an 11-6 win Monday over the Stockton Ports at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

Lutz's two-run homer in the eighth tied him for the league homer lead with Lancaster's Telvin Nash. Lutz was a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

Donald Lutz went 5-for-5, including his California-league leading 11th homer, to lead the Bakersfield Blaze to an 11-6 win Monday over the Stockton Ports at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

Lutz's two-run homer in the eighth tied him for the league homer lead with Lancaster's Telvin Nash. Lutz was a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

Ten Stockdale athletes who signed letters of intent to play college sports throughout the year were honored Monday at their school.

Two seniors from the Mustangs' section championship boys cross country team headlined the group: Cameron Miller, who signed to run at Stanford; and Curtis Kelly, who's going to Mississippi State.

Ten Stockdale athletes who signed letters of intent to play college sports throughout the year were honored Monday at their school.

Two seniors from the Mustangs' section championship boys cross country team headlined the group: Cameron Miller, who signed to run at Stanford; and Curtis Kelly, who's going to Mississippi State.

A Bakersfield mother of two who took up competitive cycling nine months ago after an injury ended her marathoning career died Sunday while competing in a bicycle race outside Yosemite National Park.

Authorities reported that Suzanne J. Rivera, 47, was part of a group of riders racing down a winding road in the Mariposa County Women's Stage Race when she slammed into a support vehicle parked on the shoulder.

A Bakersfield mother of two who took up competitive cycling nine months ago after an injury ended her marathoning career died Sunday while competing in a bicycle race outside Yosemite National Park.

Authorities reported that Suzanne J. Rivera, 47, was part of a group of riders racing down a winding road in the Mariposa County Women's Stage Race when she slammed into a support vehicle parked on the shoulder.

EUGENE, Ore. -- Shafter High graduate Anna Jelmini earned her second title of the weekend at the Pac-12 Track & Field Championships on Sunday, earning a win in the women's discus a day after winning the shot put.

Jelmini, a sophomore at Arizona State who also won the Pac-12 (then Pac-10) discus title as a freshman, had a top mark of 193 feet, 4 inches, on her second of six throws. She fouled once, and the shortest of her five legal throws was 186-4. The next farthest throw was 180-9 (Alyssa Hasslen, Arizona).

EUGENE, Ore. -- Shafter High graduate Anna Jelmini earned her second title of the weekend at the Pac-12 Track & Field Championships on Sunday, earning a win in the women's discus a day after winning the shot put.

Jelmini, a sophomore at Arizona State who also won the Pac-12 (then Pac-10) discus title as a freshman, had a top mark of 193 feet, 4 inches, on her second of six throws. She fouled once, and the shortest of her five legal throws was 186-4. The next farthest throw was 180-9 (Alyssa Hasslen, Arizona).

In just a week's time Justin Schweitzer went from being an unhappy race car driver to one on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

A trip to Victory Lane was all it took.

In just a week's time Justin Schweitzer went from being an unhappy race car driver to one on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

A trip to Victory Lane was all it took.

As a runner, Chris Schwartz seemed to have everything going his way his final two years at Foothill High.

He won the state CIF Division I cross country championship as a junior and was the boys 1,600-meter state champion as a senior. Schwartz accepted a partial scholarship offer to Cal Poly, a solid track and cross country program.

As a runner, Chris Schwartz seemed to have everything going his way his final two years at Foothill High.

He won the state CIF Division I cross country championship as a junior and was the boys 1,600-meter state champion as a senior. Schwartz accepted a partial scholarship offer to Cal Poly, a solid track and cross country program.