Kevin Appino (Cordova High ’80)
Appino starred in football, baseball and basketball for the Lancers during Cordova’s “decade of dominance,” the 1970s. Appino and Greg Krajewski anchored a 1-2 punch at linebacker, were named Optimist All Stars and later reunited with Coach Dewey Guerra at American River College. In baseball, Appino was a power-hitting outfielder whose .488 batting average earned him All-Camino Norte Conference MVP in 1983 at Sacramento City College. Appino spent two seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system, enjoying his best year in 1983, batting .306 for Paintsville.
Donald “Dek” Bake (Cordova High ’02)
Finishing his schoolboy career at 6-5 and 230 pounds, Bake was one of the most feared defensive linemen in the Sacramento area. During his senior year at Cordova, Bake had 49 tackles and seven quarterback sacks, including five in one game – numbers that resulted in a 1 st team All Sierra Valley Conference selection. Bake later played for Texas Tech and professionally for the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Rough Riders and the NFL’s New York Giants.
Yvette Collins (Cordova High ‘84)
A basketball phenom, Collins starred for the 1983-84 Section Champion Cordova High girls’ team. Collins was a three-year varsity starter, averaged better than 16 points and rebounds as a senior enroute to a 1st team All-City selection on that storied 32-1 1983-84 team. Collins, along with boy’s counterpart Kevin Nixon were inducted into the Sacramento Hall of Fame in 1984. Today, Collins and her husband Edwin own and operate Yahuah’s Kingdom Academy Foundation, a Pre-K thru 6 th grade school in the City of Accra, Ghana, West Africa.
Brett Jenkins (Cordova High ‘88)
One of Cordova’s finest baseball players, Jenkins was a three year starter, earned All-League twice and was a 1st team All-City selection. A shortstop, Jenkins’ 68 base hits as a senior set a new state prep record, breaking the previous mark by former Lancer Scott Sellner (62). Jenkins led the area in hitting at .557, added 10 homers, 40 RBIs and 19 steals to an impressive senior ledger. Jenkins later went on to star for USC and played professionally in the Expos, Giants and Milwaukee Brewers organizations.
Robert “Bob” Jones
During a 28-year Cordova High School career, Jones coached the Lancer boys’ basketball team to five league titles and earned Metro League Coach of the Year honors three times. A two-time Optimist All Star coach, Jones coached some of Cordova’s top basketball players over the years, including David Crouse, Ray Cooper, Jake Weathers, James Rogalski, and Gerald Ayers. Jones played his college ball at Ventura Community and Chico State College.
Ron Kerekes
The second of our two coaches, Kerekes has enjoyed a 50-year high school coaching career that include key roles in Cordova’s run of football greatness during the 1970s. He was the Offensive Line Coach from 1973-1977 and served as Offensive Coordinator from 1978-1980. Along the way, Kerekes coached in various varsity football capacities at Folsom, Rio Americano, Jesuit, Christian Brothers and Franklin. He rejoined Coach Ron Lancaster at Enid High in Oklahoma from 1982-84 where those teams went 21-3 including a 1983 Oklahoma 5A State Title.
Joe Lashinsky
Affectionately known as “Cordova Joe,” Lashinsky was a beloved “Custodian Extraordinaire” around the Rancho Cordova athletic scene for more than 35 years. A model of work ethic, humility and respectfulness, Cordova Joe came to Rancho Cordova after 20 years in the US Air Force, and quickly found his calling at Cordova High School. From working the chains at football games, to fixing PA systems or tending to a coach’s minute needs, no job was too small. Lashinksy will be honored posthumously as he passed away earlier this year.
Terry Peyton (Cordova High ‘79)
Considered one of Cordova High School’s elite swimmers, Peyton was a multiple All American and part of Cordova’s “triple threat” along with Ryan Yantis and Scott Mefford. Peyton established Metro League marks in the 100-yard breaststroke and 400 free relay. A 1981 Sac Metro Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame Inductee, Peyton set new records at American River in the 100 and 200-yard breast stroke. Peyton has coached for more than 40 years for various teams, including Arden Hills, St. Francis, Valley High School, Sacramento City College and Christian Brothers. Today, he is Head Swim Coach at Sacramento Aquatics and Bradshaw Christian High School.
Paul Thomas (Jesuit High ‘87)
Thomas grew up in Rancho Cordova and set numerous schoolboy distance running records at Walnutwood Elementary where he held the nation’s 4th fastest, 1,500-meter time for an 11-year-old. Thomas continued his running prowess at Jesuit 3 High School, breaking several school marks while leading the Marauders Cross Country team to a No. 1 state ranking. Thomas’ best performance was winning the California State Meet in the 3,200-meter run. He was a key factor in four NCAA championships at the University of Arkansas and later turned to the Duathlon, where he was a two-time national champion and 1994 World Champion.
Steve Volmer (Cordova High ’67)
Cordova’s first bona fide three-sport star, Volmer was named to the Bee/KFBK/KOVR 1st team All City team at quarterback and 1st team All County at Safety. He was unanimously chosen as Team Captain in varsity football, basketball and baseball – an accomplishment that has yet to be duplicated at Cordova High School. Volmer parlayed his leadership skills in education, serving as vice principal and various high-level positions during a 30-plus year career with the San Juan Unified and El Dorado Union high school districts. He later helped develop a teamwork training course that was adopted by the nuclear power industry.
Demouy Williams (Cordova High ’83)
A football and baseball star, Williams quarterbacked Cordova to a 21-3 record during a two-year varsity career enroute to an Optimist All-Star selection. A speedy baseball outfielder, Williams was a main cog on Cordova’s 1983 section title team that went 32-6. He batted .407, and stole 28 bases from the leadoff spot, breaking Max Venable’s school stolen base record. A three-year football starter for the University of Washington, Williams dominated a defense that led the Huskies to a No. 2 national ranking in 1984. Williams’ accomplishments resulted in induction into the University of Washington Sports Hall of Fame.
Kristi (Yoshizawa) Flowers (Cordova High ’02)
Kristi is known as one of the more versatile softball players to come out of Cordova high School. A catcher/infielder and occasional pitcher, Yoshizawa culminated a stellar high school career in 2002 being named Cordova’s first Female Athlete of the Year and 1st team All Sierra Valley Conference. During her collegiate career, Kristi caught five perfect games including three at the University of Hawaii as a senior. Following college, she played in several international events including the 2012 International Softball Federation World Championship in Canada.
Mark Young (Cordova High ’84)
Few players electrified fans with breakaway speed more than Mark Young. His 28 touchdowns and 2,257 all-purpose yards as a senior led the Max Miller coached Lancers to an 11-1 record in 1983 and a 22-2 two-year varsity record. Young was an elite flanker, punt returner and tailback who was named to the Bee’s 1983 1st team All-Metro squad. Young’s signature football moment was a bewitching 53-yard TD catch-and-run as time was running out that gave the Sacramento State Hornets its first Causeway Classic win over UC Davis in 18 years, 31-28. Young played for the Chicago Bruisers in the Arena Football League and is an inductee into the Sacramento State Hall of Fame. He is the brother of 2015 Hall of Fame inductee Reggie Young.
1983-84 Cordova High Boys Basketball Team
Led by All City players Kevin Nixon and Mark Lewis, the Lancers rolled to a 27-5 record on their way to the Section Championship. The team joins the 1983-84 girls’ squad, which was inducted last year and dominated during a magical 4 season when Cordova High School won six league championships, with three, including the boys’ basketball team, advancing to the Section Finals. The team was coached by 2018 Hall of Fame Inductee and Sacramento Bee Coach of the Year Hub Morphew.
Team members include: Mark Avila, Greg Arnold, Keith Arrington, Matt Balantac, Andre Green, Isaac Johnson, Darrin Jones, Mark Lewis, Kevin Nixon, Scott Runge, Mark Stone, Greg Teague, Craig Thomas, Daryl Thompson, Randy Veres, and Mark Young. Assistant Coach: Mark Christen. Manager: Jeff Lilly.
