Please help me decide between Eastern Europe and Japan for vacation.

I have never been to Eastern Europe or to Japan. I have mapped out itineraries for each.

The Eastern Europe itinerary begins in Prague, takes a side trip to Cesky Krumlov, then goes to Krakow, Auschwitz, Warsaw, (Vilnius), St. Petersburg, Peterhof, and Moscow.

The Japan itinerary begins in Tokyo, then Nikko, then to Kyoto, Nara, Horyu, Himeji, and Hiroshima.

Am I missing anything I would regret? I think I might like to see the churches on Kizhi in Lake Onega, but this would involve drafting a new, Russia-only itinerary. Has anyone been? Is it worth changing my plans for?

Finally, which of these trips should I take first? Why?

Thanks so much for your advice/help in advance!

Interviewed by Sandra Parshall

Erin Hart, one of my favorite writers, is back after much too long an interval with her third mystery featuring American pathologist Nora Gavin and Irish archeologist Cormac Maguire. Like her first two books, Haunted Ground and Lake of Sorrows, False Mermaid has received glowing reviews for its beautiful writing and deep characterizations.

Before turning to writing, Erin worked in theater. She also co-founded Minnesota’s Irish Music and Dance Association. She lives in Saint Paul, MN, with her husband, Irish musician Paddy O’Brien, with whom she frequently visits Ireland to carry out research in bogs, cow pastures, castles, and pubs. Recently she talked with me about False Mermaid and her writing life.

Q. Tell us about False Mermaid. What are Nora and Cormac up to in this book?

A. The story takes up where Lake of Sorrows finished, with Nora on her way home to the States, and with Cormac headed up to see his ailing father in Donegal. Nora is determined to crack her sister’s cold case murder once and for all, even if it means that she has to face up to some unsettling truths about her sister—and about herself. Nora’s worst fear is that her eleven-year-old niece may be reaching an age where she’ll begin to defy her father, putting her on dangerous ground with the man Nora has long suspected as her sister’s killer.

Cormac, trying to come to grips with a strained relationship with his own father, also becomes caught up in the century-old disappearance of a Donegal woman believed to be a selkie, a seal who could shed her skin and became human. Did the woman simply abandon her family to return to the sea, or was there something more sinister about her disappearance? As usual, I have parallel mysteries—one contemporary and one historical—and I hope readers will perceive the connections between them.

Q. What inspired the story? And what does the intriguing title mean?

A. I always knew that I’d have to solve the murder of Nora’s sister; it was just a matter of finding the right way to do it. I wasn’t certain in my own mind what had really happened to Tríona, even as I revealed details of her murder as part of Nora’s backstory in the first two novels. As a starting point, I had to rely on the few bits of information that Nora had revealed about the murder, and use them as a place to begin this story. Even though Nora suspected her brother-in-law from the start, it obviously wasn’t an open-and-shut case, since he was never charged, never even arrested for the crime. I knew that I had to give Nora’s investigation some unexpected twists and turns.

I also wanted to explore the idea of the Otherworld, which is so present in Irish culture and mythology. So I began pulling in the selkie stories, and finding all kinds of psychological parallels in modern life—there’s a duality in all of our lives (especially for women, I think) between our rational and emotional lives, between our public and the private selves, between the loyalty we owe to ourselves and to the people we love. The mermaid or selkie is a sort of physical embodiment of that impossible duality, a woman literally divided, unable to exist wholly in either world.

The title, False Mermaid, has multiple meanings, some of which I can explain, and others that I really should leave for readers to discover! Most obviously, the title is a reference to the mermaid and selkie myths that figure in the story. ‘False mermaid’ is also the common name of Floerkea proserpinacoides, an endangered plant that grows along North American floodplains and marshy areas. The seeds of that rare plant actually provide a clue in the murder case. And I must say that I enjoyed playing with the various meanings of ‘true’ and ‘false’—what is reality, and what is myth, how do we know what’s true? True and false lovers come up a lot in old traditional songs, so there’s yet another layer of meaning, all tied up with fidelity and faithfulness. A lot to explore!

Q. Was it a challenge to write parallel plots, with Nora and Cormac in different countries, pursuing different goals?

A. Well, I always have parallel plots, so that in itself wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but I won’t say it’s ever easy. The biggest challenge was figuring out a way to tie the two threads together, so that they complemented and pulled against one another in an interesting way. I’ll leave it up to readers to decide whether it works or not…

Q. I know you don’t want to give away too much, but can we expect Nora’s life to be changed after she investigates her sister’s death? Will her relationship with Cormac be altered by what happens to both of them during their time apart?

A. You’re right—I don’t want to give anything away! So I’ll just say I know that Cormac and Nora have been going along rather tentatively for a while (frustrating quite a few readers who wish they’d knock it off!). But given their histories, I think they’re both understandably skittish about commitment. And we find out in False Mermaid that Nora may still feel something for Frank Cordova, the Saint Paul police detective who investigated her sister’s death. And the story is about a woman feeling pulled in two directions at once…

Q. The creation of a character is often a mysterious process (no pun intended), even to the writer. Looking back, can you see how Nora and Cormac came into being? Did you flesh them out slowly as you wrote your first book, or were they fully formed before you started writing?

A. I still don’t feel as if I know them all that well! They’ve revealed themselves slowly over time, which is all part of the writing process. For me, writing is like archaeology, digging down, stripping layer upon layer, finding my way to the end of a story. There were certainly things about Nora Gavin that I didn’t find out until I started writing False Mermaid, things that she didn’t seem to know herself. I’m fascinated by how little we know ourselves. All my characters seem to rise up out of my subconscious with rather complicated backstories; they all struggle to know their own minds and hearts. How can I, even as their creator, ever know them completely? I don’t feel finished with these characters; the question is how they will continue to grow.

Q. So much in the book business has changed in a few short years – independent stores failing, chain stores closing, blogs and social networking becoming more important to authors than book tours and other traditional forms of promotion. Has your own approach to promotion changed? Will you be doing anything this time around that you didn’t do for your first two books?

A. It’s been so long since my last book was published that the whole social networking thing is completely new since then. I’m on Facebook and Twitter, and am doing some guest blogging, and none of that was even around in 2004. But otherwise, I’m doing many of the same things: book signings, library events, all-city reads, book clubs. I’m also touring with my husband Paddy O’Brien and his Irish band, Chulrua—we’ve done a bit of this before, but are expanding on it this time around. My background is in theater and communications, so events and promotion come sort of naturally to me. The challenge is in keeping enough creative time to write a new book!

Q. Will we see Nora back in Ireland for the next book? Do you think you’ll use the U.S. as a setting again in the future?

A. I’m working now on a fourth book featuring Cormac and Nora (working title: The Green Martyr), about a ninth-century manuscript that turns up in an Irish bog, slightly damaged, but still readable. This actually happened a couple of years ago—I like to start with some kernel of a real-life story and then ask, ‘what if?’ Of course in this case, I’m thinking, what if they found not just the manuscript, but the ninth-century monk who penned it? I’m still working on what sort of modern mystery would tie in with that story…

Q. Where can readers meet you this year? Will you be doing signings and attending conferences?

A. I have a HUGE list of events on my website, with tour dates at bookstores and libraries in Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, New York, Boston, Texas, Arizona, California, and Oregon. I’m also hoping to get to the San Francisco Bouchercon in October. I’m unfortunately going to miss Left Coast Crime, the Edgars, and Malice Domestic this year, because of other commitments. But I am making a concerted effort this year to hit more Midwest conferences, perhaps Omaha’s Mayhem in the Midlands and Magna Cum Murder in Muncie, Indiana. I’m also doing several Irish festivals around the country, including the Milwaukee Irish Fest, and the Rocky Mountain Irish Festival in Loveland, Colorado, both in August.

Learn more about Erin and her books at www.erinhart.com.

Photo: Emma Bee Bernstein 1. Ernst Jandl, Bist eulen? 2. William Kentridge – Stereoscope 3. Samuel Beckett – Quadrat 1+2 4. Cheryl Donegan – Refuses 5. VerbiVocoVisual Concrete Poetry and Music (1956-1970) 6. Merce Cunningham – Points in Space (1986) 7. Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt – Mono Lake 8. Caroline [...]

• Sven Kramer loses out on second Vancouver gold due to error
• Kramer's earlier 'stupid' outburst leads to American glee

Can anyone say karmic retribution Olympics-style? One week after asking an American television reporter in Vancouver: "Are you stupid?" the Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer was facing the same question himself after an elementary mistake cost him a second gold medal at these Games.

Kramer, who won the 5,000m speed skating last weekend, finished first in Tuesday's 10,000m event only to then be disqualified for skating in the wrong lane for the last eight laps of the 25-lap race. Korean skater Lee Seung-hoon was awarded the gold medal.

The Dutchman, meanwhile, was left to contemplate nine days in Vancouver which have seen his reputation as the best speed skater in the world overshadowed by his now infamous remark in response to television reporter who asked him after the 5,000m finish to identify himself and the colour of medal he had just won. The video clip has become an internet hit. Asked about it on Dutch television, Kramer was unrepentant, describing the interviewer's request that he identify himself as "bullshit", while the clip itself shows he was happy to answer more traditional questions along the lines of "How do you feel?"

The exchange between the American reporters and the athlete sparked a debate around Vancouver and elsewhere, although in a postmodern twist there was a debate about whether the debate should be about the ignorance of American TV reporters or the rudeness of Dutch speed skaters. Surprisingly, Kramer was happy to answer questions in the aftermath of his 10,000m disappointment, although it is unlikely that his coach, Gerard Kemkers, was happy to hear what he had to say.

As Kramer came across the line, he flipped down his hood and threw up his arms, believing he had won his second gold. Then, as he was coasting along on the back stretch, Kemkers delivered the stunning news to his skater: instead of a victory, he had been disqualified for failing to switch lanes on the 17th of 25 laps.

"I knew my world had just collapsed on me," Kemkers said.

After the race was over, the skater was heard shouting at the coach, "What did you do?" Kramer ripped off his protective glasses, threw them into the infield and then kicked at the small rubber lane markers.

"Usually, I don't want to blame anyone else, but this time I can't do anything else,'' the skater said afterwards. "I wanted to go to the outer lane, then just before the cone Gerard shouted: 'Inner lane.' I thought: 'He's probably right,' and went to the inner lane. You have to decide in a split second. I should have gone with my own thoughts, but I was brought into doubt. This is the worst moment of my career."

Lee realised the mistake before Kramer even finished, hugging his coaches on the infield. "I know I was really lucky to get this gold medal," said Lee, who switched from short track only seven months ago.Lee won with an Olympic-record time of 12min 58.55sec, breaking the mark of 12:58.92 set by Jochem Uytdehaage of the Netherlands at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

There was sympathy for the Dutchman from his team-mate Bob de Jong, who was elevated into the bronze medal position after Kramer's disqualification. "You don't want to win like this, but everybody has to cross over 25 times," he said. "Your bad dreams all becoming true, to make a mistake in the crossing over. You wake up really wet."

Little sympathy was to be found in the American media, and even less originality, with headline writers all asking the same question: Who is stupid now?

It is safe to say the question was a rhetorical one, although Kramer will be in a position to give an answer on Friday and Saturday, when he will be a member of the Dutch squad in the men's pursuit event. "We have to change heads, to change minds," the pursuit coach, Wopke de Vegt, said. "The Olympics are not over."

American television reporters at the speed-skating rink, please take note.

Britain's first individual gold medallist for 30 years must prepare for life in the fast lane after skeleton victory

Life will never be the same for Amy Williams, but as she took a seat in the aftermath of her gold-medal victory in the Olympic skeleton event, her face flushed and a Union Jack still draped around her neck, she looked undaunted.

"I'll embrace it all, even though I haven't got a clue what it is going to be like,'' she said. "I will just have to wait until I get home and see what it is like."

She will, but there are some things that can be safely predicted, not least that the anonymity that followed her to ­Vancouver is now a thing of the past. She arrived in Canada as the lesser known (by some distance) of Britain's two women's sliders – behind Shelley ­Rudman, who won silver in Turin four years ago – and will depart as a history maker; the first Briton to win a winter Olympics ­individual gold since Robin Cousins, in the men's figure skating at Lake Placid in 1980. The search for the last woman to pull off the same feat must go back all the way to 1952, with Jeannette Altwegg in the women's figure skating competition.

It is safe to say, too, that the country will embrace the personable 27-year-old from Bath, the daughter of a chemistry professor and a former midwife.

Bubbly and with a mop of unruly long hair (her friends have nicknamed her "Curly Wurly"), Williams was an ­accomplished 400m runner and a ­budding artist until she discovered the skeleton. The year was 2002.

From ingénue to Olympic champion in just six years. Who could not fail to be impressed? Even Rudman, with whom Williams has a relationship as cool as Whistler's night air, rushed past waiting journalists so she could watch her rival come down the track for the fourth and final time.

"She came up and congratulated me afterwards,'' said Williams, momentarily putting up her guard. "I have got respect for her as an athlete and I always have done. It's nice that she came up and said 'well done'."

Clearly, Britain's two finest skeleton riders are never going to be best friends. Still, it is not as if Williams is short of friends – her brother and sister, along with a legion of friends, watched her victory and partied Friday night away in a pub near her family home in Bath. Nor is she short of high-profile admirers, Steve Redgrave being among them.

The five-time Olympic gold ­medallist was trackside to watch Williams's ­winning run and to hear the Team GB backroom staff testify to her coolness under ­pressure. "Before her race, I spoke to some of the guys and they couldn't believe how calm she was, and I was thinking, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

"I have been in the races where you get over the line in six minutes and you either finished first or third or sixth. To have all the waiting around time that she had [the Olympic skeleton event takes place over two days] is pretty tough – I know it would have been for me – and that we would find out what she was made of."

Suffice to say, Williams was not found wanting at any time during a week that had many competitors in the sliding events daunted by the track that claimed the life of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. "That was on the mind of all of us. It was definitely on my mind, but I had to tell myself, even though it was the same track, the skeleton is a different sport, with different steers and different equipment,'' she said. "It is a really fast track. From corner 10 onwards, you can't really see what you are doing because your head is on the ice and there is so much pressure. But you just have to go by feeling. You can feel that roof coming towards you and you have just got to hold tight."

Williams held tight from the first day of practise, surpassing even her own expectations while others, including Rudman, faltered. It was a similar story when the event started as she produced two track records in three runs to open up a half-second gap on her closest challenger.

That set her up for a final run for which the principal challenge facing her was simply to stay on the sled she has ­christened Arthur. "I didn't know how others had gone, but I knew this was the gold-medal run. I knew I had a big ­margin, but anything can happen,'' ­Williams said.

All that happened was that Williams confirmed she was better than the rest, although when she crossed the finishing line her first thought was that she had lost. "I looked up at the board and all I could see was the number three. I thought I'd finished third."

The raucous celebrations of the British fans and the sight of her mother crying in the stand soon put her right. She had won, although confirmation did not come for another hour while the judges ruled on a spurious challenge by the Canadian team, which objected to the design of her helmet. "They are obviously ­disappointed and they have to find something to bring me down,'' she said.

There is little chance of that. Williams is staying in Vancouver until the Games end next weekend to watch her boyfriend – a member of the Slovak bobsleigh team – compete and to catch a few other events. "I hope someone from Team GB will be able to get me some tickets,'' she said. One suspects they will.

• Britain's first individual gold since 1980
• Shelley Rudman finishes in fourth place for Britain

Great Britain planted its flag on the medal table last night with the most precious metal of all as Amy Williams won the women's skeleton event. It was ­Britain's first individual gold at a Winter Olympics since Robin Cousins took the men's figure skating title at Lake Placid in 1980.

Williams, who travelled to Vancouver as the No2 skeleton slider in the British team, behind Shelley Rudman, winner of the silver medal in Turin, swept aside the competition on the track at the Whistler Sliding Centre, with a winning margin of 0.56sec.

Two course records in her three runs left the 27-year-old with a half-second lead over her closest challenger, Melissa Hollingsworth of Canada, going into the fourth and final round of competition. Nothing is ever certain in the skeleton, especially on this controversial Whistler track, but with that kind of advantage Williams needed only to stay on her sledge to win. She did exactly that, and with aplomb.

Her victory is the first British gold medal at the winter Olympics since Rhona Martin's women's curling squad prevailed at Salt Lake City. Before that Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean won gold in the ice dancing at Sarajevo in 1984.

Williams's victory came at an opportune moment for the 52-member British team, which had secured a best-placed finished of eighth – by Zoe Gillings in the women's snowboard cross. It was also represented a ringing endorsement of the decision by UK Sport to invest £2.1m – out a total of £5.8 spent on winter sports ñ in the skeleton event.

She has been competing in the skeleton since 2002 and won silver at last year's world championships in Lake Placid, New York, and lives in Bath, training at her event and working on a degree in sports performance at Bath University.

Meanwhile, Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal won a crash-strewn super-G yesterday to deny the American Bode Miller a first Olympic gold and claim his second medal in a week having taken silver in Monday's opening downhill ahead of third-placed Miller.

The charging Miller, who was 11th out of the start hut on a bright and crisp morning, had to settle for the third silver of his career to become the first American to win four Alpine Olympic medals. His team- mate Andrew Weibrecht, who had started third, was a surprise bronze medallist on another good day for the U.S. skiers who also have a gold and two silvers from two women's races.

The Norwegian started 19th on Friday, with Miller's time of 1:30.62 looking good for gold until then, and was faster by 0.28. "I think I carried a lot of speed through Coach's Corner, I made a small mistake before that but managed to carry the speed and it worked out," Svindal said.

Norway's Marit Bjoergen dominated the women's cross-country 15km pursuit oto claim her second gold and third overall medal. She completed the course in 39min 58.1sec, 8.9sec quicker than Sweden's Anna Haag. Bjoergen stalked the leaders for much of the race before taking command at the 9 km mark.

Heat builds at Winter Olympics as long-standing feud between gold medal favourites and hosts comes to the boil

High Noon falls in Vancouver this week at 7pm on Saturday, when Great ­Britain's men, led by David Murdoch, will step on to the curling rink to face the ­Canadian squad, skippered by Kevin Martin, ­resuming a rivalry that, if nothing else, confirms the adage that in Olympic sport, as in life, it is always wise to keep your eye on the quiet ones.

But, this being the Olympics, there are some formalities to take care of, not least the fact that eight other countries are competing, two of which are determined enough and good enough to upset predictions that the curling tournament is a two‑team contest between the hosts, Canada, and the favourites, Britain.

If there was any doubt about that before, there can be none after today's ­opening session, which saw Murdoch's squad beaten 6-4 by Sweden while ­Martin and his men were taken to extra ends by Norway before winning 7‑6.

Being beaten at this early stage is an occupational hazard for an Olympic ­curling skipper rather than cause for panic – Britain's Rhona Martin lost four times in the round-robin stage at Salt Lake City in 2002 and still went on to win the gold – but it was the manner of Murdoch's defeat rather than the defeat itself that will have been troubling.

To put it at its kindest, the Scot was outplayed by his opposite number, ­Niklas Edin, the reigning European champion who, at 24, is the youngest skipper in the tournament. Murdoch took a 1‑0 advantage at the end of the second end but ceded the lead in the third and never recovered as their opponents skilfully controlled the contest. "It's becoming pretty standard for us in these championshipsto lose our first match," he said. "We let them off a little bit but we are not going to beat ourselves up."

The British team will be back on the rink tomorrow for a match against a weaker French squad and know that nothing less than victory will do. They will know, too, that the mood in this tight, atmospheric curling venue is the purest distillation of Canadian patriotic fervour.

"We like it when the crowd is against us. It spurs us on," Murdoch has said in recent days. It is just as well.

As fate would have it, the Scot and his Canadian counterpart played their matches yesterday on adjacent sheets – close enough to keep an eye on each other, close enough to know that the early advantage has now fallen to the hosts and close enough to know now that the expectation that they are destined to meet in the final in 10 days is premature. The Swedes could spoil everyone's fun.

Still, lovers of sporting theatre and simmering sporting feuds will have their moment on Saturday evening. "I think we play them the night of the 20th, don't we?" Martin said the other day, which suggested he was either the only man in Canada who did not know when his squad is scheduled to play the Britons or that he was indulging in mind games.

The smart money is on mind games – as it always is when these two meet. "We get on well with Kevin's team. We have good banter both on and off the ice," says ­Murdoch. "They are great guys. We get along, we are friends," says Martin, adding that during a trip to Scotland he called his rivals to organise a game of golf.

Alas, the game of golf never happened – the consequence perhaps of busy men failing to find space in a busy schedule? Or possibly something else? Sources within the curling community hint the answer is "something else", that for all the ­public pronouncements of camaraderie, the relationship between the two teams is as frosty as the Olympic rink itself. Given the competitive history between the skippers – they have played each other in the last two world championship finals, winning one each – it would be ­surprising if anything else were the case. Yet there is also a little extra needle involved, not between Martin and Murdoch directly but with Martin and the British curling community.

The enmity dates back to 1991, when the Canadian was playing another Scot,David Smith, in the world champion­ship final and changed broom during the game. The new broom was drier and ­scattered debris across the sheet, ­making it harder for his opponent to play his stones accurately.

"Bloody cheater," Smith muttered – an epithet that was picked up by television microphones. It was an unfair charge, although the rules were changed soon afterwards, making it illegal for players to change brooms mid-game.

Murdoch was a teenager at the time but his "second" in Vancouver, Pete Smith, was a member of the 1991 team. "Of course I know the story," he says with the intonation of a man who believes there is still a score to settle.

He will get his chance on Saturday at least. The question after today's defeat is, will he get another chance when the final comes around?

Those in charge of the Premier League are happy to take responsibility for everything except the failures

"There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look to themselves first."

The misguided fools who hanker after Margaret Thatcher's tough love might have their dreams come true if her political heirs find themselves in power later this year. In the meantime, there is always the Premier League, where those in charge are happy to take responsibility for everything that happens under their watch except the failures.

"Given the amount of central income that is generated by the Premier League, it would be down to absolutely rank bad management if a club itself was actually to go into administration," said the league's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, at the weekend, so distancing the organisation he heads from the financial problems that, to varying degrees, have been visited upon the majority of its member clubs.

Portsmouth? Not me, guv. Manchester United, Liverpool, Hull City, West Ham? Ditto. "I don't think anyone wants the Premier League running football clubs, it's very much for the owners to run the football clubs."

There was a kernel of truth in Scudamore's comment – he's right, no one in their right mind would want the Premier League running their club – but there wasn't much in the way of originality. The same arguments have been made elsewhere, albeit in more expansive form, with supporters of the status quo drawing parallels between the stewardship of Premier League clubs and the stewardship of any kind of business. So what if the money, power and success is concentrated in the hands of the few? That is what happened in the supermarket industry, and no one complains. So what if a football club goes bust? It happens all the time on the high street, the consequence of bad business practice and a failure to meet customer needs and expectations. Get over it.

Football is not unique, the argument goes. People just think it is, which is why they mistakenly conclude that the current problems at, say, Portsmouth are symptomatic of a widespread malaise within the game when, in reality, they are symptomatic of nothing more than the fact that those in charge at Portsmouth couldn't run a sponsored silence at a Trappist monastery. There is no legislating for incompetence, just as there is no need to rescue those clubs who fall victim to it.

All of this might be true, but only if we are prepared to view football clubs with the bloodless pragmatism of an accountant rather than the emotional investment of a football supporter, which most of us do. Clearly, Scudamore and others of his ilk do not, which is why they have no problem in framing the financial difficulties at Fratton Park and elsewhere in strictly business terms. But what of those Portsmouth fans for whom the club represents a lifetime's worth of memories; bad, good, individual and as part of wider circle of like-minded friends?

No doubt some will mock this notion, of a Premier League football club as part of the social and cultural fabric of a community of supporters, as quaint and old-fashioned. But it is certainly real and it certainly deserves to be met with something more sympathetic than a lecture on the infallibility of the free market or the unworthy suggestion by one respected commentator that, when all is said and done, "we love the madness" of football's finances.

Maybe you do love the madness if you are Manchester City fan whose club has fallen into the hands of a spendthrift billionaire, or if you are a Premier League executive who was lucky enough to be around at a time when the expansion in global communications and increased competition for TV sports rights made your job a damn sight easier than it might otherwise have been.

But if you support Liverpool or Manchester United or Portsmouth or Hull City there is little to love about the financial madness that has seen your club's future imperilled, and even less to love about a Premier League that did little when the madness was growing and even less now that its consequences are being felt.

Neville takes the blame but Tevez is equally guilty

Question: when is it possible to take Gary Neville's side in an argument over football decorum? Answer: when the target of his ire is Carlos Tevez.

Fingergate, as we must contractually describe Tuesday night's events at Eastlands which saw the Manchester United club captain flip the bird in the direction of his former team-mate, is now the subject of an FA investigation. Neville's conduct is being "looked into", apparently.

Perhaps the FA might also want to look into Tevez's equally churlish conduct after scoring which, if it did not breach any of the game's regulations, certainly offended the sensibilities of those who think that a deep and ensuring sense of victimhood is ridiculous from a footballer who is being paid £7m a year to do his job.

McLaren was an inspiration to Scotland's working class

The tributes to Bill McLaren, the long‑time BBC rugby commentator who died this week, have been fully deserved. He had a wonderful voice, unquenchable enthusiasm and a vocabulary that was irresistible to the ear, even if it was occasionally obscure. Argy‑bargy indeed. But perhaps the greatest of McLaren's attributes was that without even trying he was able to give the lie to the misguided idea that rugby was somehow a sport for middle-class "toffs". It wasn't in his home town of Hawick, and it wasn't when he was at work. Even on the working-class estates of Scotland in the 1970s and 80s, when football was still king, an afternoon spent listening to a Bill McLaren commentary on television was invariably followed by an impromptu game of rugby, accompanied by our best Bill McLaren impersonations. Argy‑bargy indeed.

Murray should hurry in chase for grand slam win

Is it too early to say that Andy Murray's time has come? Of course it is. Far better to say that Murray's time better come soon, or it may never come at all.

It is only natural to feel optimistic about the Scotsman's chances of winning his first grand slam title a week come Sunday after his first two appearances on the Melbourne courts, both of which ended in comfortable victory. But we have been here before only for hopes to be quashed either through an inexplicably lacklustre performance by Murray (see last year's US Open loss to Marin Cilic) or a great effort by his opponent (see last year's Wimbledon semi-final defeat at the hands of Andy Roddick).

Such is the ebb and flow of any top-class athlete's life, but recognition of that fact does not diminish the sense that with Roger Federer still around, Rafael Nadal edging back towards the form that once made him irresistible and Juan Martín Del Potro developing a competitive will to match his obvious talent (witness his epic second-round victory over James Blake), Murray's chances of winning a grand slam event will be limited. When one does present itself, he had better take advantage before it is too late.

Looking for inspiration for a Boxing Day outing? Ask the people who live to ride

Steve Peat, World Downhill Mountainbike Champion 2009

My favorite Boxing Day ride would be on a frosty morning and it would be around my local woods, Wharncliffe to be precise. There would be a handfull of my friends with me and we would hit all the technical stuff we could find. Then of course we would have to end the ride near the local pub, the Old Harrow in Grenoside and have a nice warm mulled wine.

• Wharncliffe Woods play host to the Wharncliffe Weekender MTB competition every year. The nearest town to Wharncliffe is Grenoside, just off the A61.

Leon McCarron, around-the-world cyclist and videographer

Growing up on the north coast of Northern Ireland I have been spoiled with some of the most stunning vistas anywhere in the UK. Setting off from Castlerock - named for the fortress-like rocky outcrops on the shore - I cycle past the beach and up onto the moor-land overlooking the Atlantic. It's tempting to stop and watch the waves breaking, but there's so much more to see that I push on. From there the road turns inland, past the Mussenden Temple and Downhill Castle before dropping back down to sea level. A quick breather of the fresh sea air, and it's back up again, this time battling the aggressively inclined and winding Bishop's Road. It takes a good 10 minutes hard pedalling in the lowest gear, and the game is to try and make it without stopping. If you do, the reward is worth every heavy breath and drop of sweat. I'm sure this point must be close to the top of the world - it certainly feels like it as you gaze out towards Portstewart on the right, Donegal on the left and if you're lucky, Scotland on the horizon. The route finally swings back on itself, and I freewheel down through fields and hamlets all the way back to Castlerock, with the promise of a well-earned Boxing Day breakfast.

• Follow the B11 loop road into Castlerock. The Mussenden Temple lies just off the A2 in Coleraine.

Petra Wiltshire, Scott mountain bike team

If in the UK it would have to be an easy ride due to the inevitable post Christmas feeling of over indulgence of both the liquid and food variety! I would have to confess to a nice easy canal path pedal along the Kennet and Avon from Bradford Upon Avon to Bath (no lung busting climbs to endure.) Not technically demanding in any way shape or form, it's simply beautiful! Old farms, medieval barns, and more importantly during the festive season - regular feeding stops. The Lock Inn in Bradford-upon-Avon does a stupendous English breakfast. There are rustic pubs a plenty and the historic city of Bath awaits you at the end.

All in all its a simple "out'n backer" kind of ride which allows you to go as far or as little as the hangover allows! Any road-worthy bike can hack it and it's perfect for the children to road test the new Christmas wheels.

• Pick up the canal by following the B3109 out of Bradford until it crosses over the water.

Emily Chappell, cycle courier, London

Last year's ride was a freezing dash across the hills from my parents' house (near Llanidloes in in Mid Wales) to Ynyslas on the coast (just up from Aberystwyth). Dad on his trusty Dawes Galaxy; me on my totally unsuitable Condor Pista. Glorious tailwind, some lovely climbs, and when we got there the rest of the family were waiting with the car, Christmas cake and a thermos of tea, and we watched the sun set into the sea. We'll be repeating it this year (weather permitting), hopefully with at least one of my brothers.

• You can start Emily's route on the A470 near Dolwen. For a map of the ride, click here

Chris Ford, CycleActive

If it's cold and clear there's nothing like getting high in the mountains on Boxing Day – it's a great workout after the Christmas blowout and a chance to catch some stunning trails at their very best.

We'll park up at Roe Head above Pooley Bridge in the northeast Lake District and start with a warmup spin across Askham Fell. The climb to Arthurs Pike, Loadpot Hill and on to High Street is a dream at this time of year, the peat bogs frozen into a fast, grippy surface with barely another soul in sight. This is the longest ridge ride in England, following the course of the old Roman Road that linked Penrith with Ambleside. Topping out at over 2500ft it takes in the best Lakeland views, with Ullswater, Helvelyn and Blencathra to our right, Haweswater and the remote Shap Fells to our left.

From High Street summit there are two favourite routes back. First up is simple and beautiful – back the way you came out. But if we have time and the group wants a challenge we'll go down through Boredale Hause to the lakeshore trail. It doesn't look much on the map but it's four miles of thrilling, rocky riding as we hug the mountain to our right with Ullswater just below on our left. Beautiful!

• Roe Head is just off the B5305.

I'd like to extend a warm greeting of the season to all NHL fans, the hockey blogosphere and the rest of SB Nation. 

This is a general open comment thread for the next day or two (seeing some people will spend time on here looking for news or wanting to talk hockey while others won't be around).  We're also including our blogroll after the jump and encourage you to check out sites that we link to there.

Merry Christmas everyone.

CAPITAL ATHLETIC LEAGUE

CROSS COUNTRY

Boys All-League: Chris Kigar, El Camino; Robert Pflasterer, Del Campo; Jack Nevins, Del Campo; Ja Dietler-Bennion, Bella Vista; Robby Potter, El Camino; Jordan Rushing, Del Campo; Josh Mercado, Del Campo; Brynn Sargent, Bella Vista; Peter Chester, El Camino; Phelan McKinnney, Bella Vista.

Girls All-League: Lauren Mugnaini, Rio Americano; Neysa Mains, El Cmaino; Taylor Spencer, Casa Roble; Haley Nevins, Del Campo; Shelby Chan, Mira Loma; Kelli Bercier, El Camino; Kellie Schmitt, Casa Roble; Devyn Andrews, Rio Americano; Kandace Compton, El Camino; Thea Fredrickson, Del Campo.

FOOTBALL

Player of the Year: Ryan Dimino, Del Campo.

Offensive Player of the year: Anthony Santiago, Casa Roble.

Defensive player of the year: Keith Sutherland, Del Campo.

Linemen of the Year: Houston Wilfley, Casa Roble; Nathan Nordquist, El Camino.

All-League: Justin Hayden, LB, Casa Roble; Clint Roberts, LB, Casa Roble; Brandon Kellerman, LB, Bella Vista; Steven Meeks, LB, Bella Vista; Garrett Munter, LB, Rio Americano; Keith Sutherland, LB, Del Campo; Dyan Bunfill, LB, Del Campo; Kevin Herman, LB, Mira Loma; Scott Patalano, DB, Casa Roble; Jordan Dmitrenko, DB, Bella Vista; Olrando Ortiz, DB, Del Campo; Artus Nelson, DB, Del Campo; Louis Mullerlie, DB, Mira Loma; Myron Baldez-McArn, DB, El Camino; Mike Sickle, DB, El Camino; Basil Okoroika, DB, Rio Americano; Gavin Marsh, DB, Rio Americano; Houston Wilfley, DL, Casa Roble; Dillon Markau, DL, Casa Roble; Eddie Plantaric, DL, Del Campo; Terrance Marshal, DL, Del Campo; Yujun Cho, DL, El Camino; Sidney Rivera, DL, El Camino; Ian Leal, DL, Bella Vista; Ryan Dimino, QB, Del Campo; Alex Gomes-Coelho, QB, Mira Loma; Justin Tann, QB, Casa Roble; Anthony Santiago, RB, Casa Roble; Desmond Smart, RB, Mira Loma; Tommy Crosbie, WR, Casa Roble; Kenna McCord, WR, Mira Loma; Jaron Wilson, WR, Del Campo; Anthony Serena, WR, Bella Vista; Brandon McKinley, WR, Bella Vista; Jenner Long, WR, Rio Americano; Cameron Best, OL, Casa Roble; Garrett Jones, OL, Bella Vistal Cameron Santo, OL, Rio Americano; Chad Jividen, OL, Del Campo; Matt Phipps, OL, Del Campo; Rudy Hall, OL, Del Campo; Ryan Maradiaga, OL, Mira Loma; Nathan Nordquist, OL, El Camino; Mike Cloutier, Kicker, Del Campo.

WATER POLO

Co-MVP: Nick Storelli, Rio Americano; Matt Jordan, El Camino.

MVP: Cailin Jope, Rio Americano.

Boys All-League: John Butterfield, Rio Americano; Tanner Bond, Rio Americano; Nick Jordan, El Camino; Dan Harnish, El Camino; Kris Keller, El Camino; Blair Moser, El Camino; Kevin Baer, Bella Vista; Connor Watson, Bella Vista; John Sucheski, Bella Vista; William Hagedorn, Rio Americano; Jake Hastie, Rio Americano; Johnny Neumann, Rio Americano; Michael McAllister, Rio Americano.

Girls All-League: Summer Elliot, Casa Roble; Vicky Gyorffy, Rio Americano; Lindsey Delgado, Del Campo; Sasha Salenko, Bella Vista; Alexis Shen, Rio Americano; Maddie Brown, Rio Americano; Becka Josephson, Del Campo; Tasha Eulberg, Mira Loma; Rachel Black, El Camino; Sophie Smith, Del Campo; Abby Raley, Rio Americano; Emmy Savidge, Rio Americano; Morgan Neumann, Rio Americano.

CAPITAL VALLEY CONFERENCE

CROSS COUNTRY

Boys All-League: Anthony McDermott, Dixon; Harjit Randhawa, Cosumnes Oaks; Coleman Newell, Center; Rafael Gonzales, Consumnes Oaks; Matthew Litteral, Cosumnes Oaks; Kyle Voll, Foothill; Jonathan Davis, Rio Linda; Collin Trotter, Cosumnes Oaks; Danny Newfield, Antelope; C Luney, Dixon.

Girls All-League: Tina Rios, Cosumnes Oaks; Anmdrea Haro, Cosumnes Oaks; Tesha Thomas, Antelope; Alex Moreno, Center; Audrey Foulk, Cosumnes Oaks; D Walls, River City; Brianna Luna, River City; Catherine Trimmingham, West Campus; Natalie Chadyuk, Antelope; Alina Ibarra, Antelope.

FOOTBALL

MVP: Jeffery Anderson, Dixon

All-League: Jeffery Anderson, QB, Dixon; Kendall Martin, QB, Antelope; Cameron Lawrence, QB, River City; Michael Correa, QB, West Campus; Cameron Mikell, RB, Rio Linda; Shavonce Raiford, RB, Foothill; Josh Crabtree, RB, Center; Josh Byington, RB, Dixon; Jordan Session, RB, Cosumnes Oaks; Chris Carter, RB, River City; Jullian Marchand, OL, Foothill; Mark Mattingly, OL, Dixon; Alex Khan-Watson, OL, Rio Linda; Nick McCleod, OL, Rio Linda; Raheem Jackson, TE, Antelope; Cameron Bennnett, WR, Rio Linda; Rhiley Norton, WR, Dixon; Devon Hightower, WR, Foothill; Nick Stanley, DB, Foothill; Josh Chamblee, DB, Dixon; Terrell Dorsey, DB, Foothill; Nate Whitaker, DB, Rio Linda; Clifford Redmond, DB, Cosumnes Oaks; Ryan Nonu, LB, Rio Linda; Sam Welch, LB, Dixon; Fou Saechao, LB, Foothill; Alonzo Johnson, LB, Cosumnes Oaks; Ahmad Malik, LB, Cosumnes Oaks; Xavier Winrow-Lacey, LB, Antelope; Johnny Munoz, LB, Antelope; Jordan Spicer, LB, Center; Austin Knapp, DL, Dixon; Josh Hsu, DL, Foothill; Robert Ash, DL, Cosumnes Oaks.

GIRLS GOLF

MVP: Sagee Palavivatana, Center

All-League: Emily Burns, Capital Christian; Corinne Chann, West Campus; April Chang, Highlands; Alexis Badoya, Dixon; Tamara De La Rosa, Cosumnes Oaks; Jackie Hayes, Capital Christian.

WATER POLO

MVP: Austin Rogers, Rio Linda; Zoe Kratzer, Dixon.

Boys All-League: Brenan Madden, Dixon; Zach Short, Dixon; Alex Bass, Dixon; Channing Madden, Dixon; Patrick Weitnauer, Rio Linda; Clye Hellwig, Rio Linda; Sean Gardener, Antelope; Alex Sharp, Antelope; Jacob Stewart, River City; Cameron Domaski, River City; Ryan Holter, Foothill.

Girls All-League: Ally Roberts, Dixon; Laura Garcia, Dixon; Madison Dwelley, Dixon; Melissa Immel, Rio Linda; Elizabeth Mullins, Rio Linda; Amanda Jones, Rio Linda; Calla Dorais, Antelope; Elizabeth Oliphant, River City; Annette Ward, River City; Lexie Alonso, Antelope; Patricia Gurraro, Foothill.

DELTA RIVER LEAGUE

CROSS COUNTRY

Runner of the Year: Adam Kelly-Strong, Jesuit; Breanna Lewis, Sheldon.

Coach of the Year: Walt Lange, Jesuit; John Ducray, St. Francis.

Boys All-League: TJ Brown-Pinizzotto, Jesuit; Joe Mahoney, Jesuit; Perry Hansen, Jesuit; Colton Misono, Jesuit; Danny Diaz, Jesuit; Justin Brown-Pinizzotto, Jesuit; Philip Satow, Sheldon; Hernan Cortez, Sheldon; Christian Mercado, Sheldon.

Girls All-League: Nancy Zamora, Florin; Morgan Pugh, Folsom; Blanka Hondur, Folsom; Erin Matranga, St. Francis; April Rosas-Willett, St. Francis; Maureen May, St. Francis; Allison Klas, St. Francis; Camille Dyer, St. Francis; Diana Torres, Sheldon.

FOOTBALL

MVP: Dano Graves, Folsom

Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Congdon, Pleasant Grove; Tyler Trosin, Folsom.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jim Meadows, Monterey Trail.

All Purpose Player of the Year: Jalen Saunders, Pleasant Grove; Jay Flury, Monterey Trail.

Lineman of the Year: Sione Sina, Monterey Trail.

Tri-Coach of the Year: T.J. Ewing, Monterey Trail; Kris Richardson, Folsom; Joe Cattolico, Pleasant Grove.

All-League: Marcus Paige-Allen, DL, Sheldon; Michael Corcoran, DL, Sheldon; Josh Hines, DL, Jesuit; Charlie Rodriguez, DL, Pleasant Grove; Devin Young, DL, Pleasant Grove; Kalamani Fili, LB, Monterey Trail; Rozale Byrd, LB, Monterey Trail; Josue Quinonez, LB, Jesuit; Jackson Welch, LB, Jesuit; Burton DeKoning, LB, Jonathan Bias, LB, Pleasant Grove; Ethan Clark, DB, Monterey Trail; Bryan Gates, OL, Sheldon; Sione Fanaika, OL, Florin; Guido Benitez, OL, Jesuit; Stephen Sippel, OL, Folsom; Mike Metildi, OL, Folsom; Keith Serne, OL, Pleasant Grove; Burnis Chambers III, RB, Sheldon; Drake Tofi, RB, Monterey Trail; Mason Hastings, RB, Pleasant Grove; Kori Babineaux, R, Folsom; Jordan Richards, R, Folsom; Drew Ahmann, R, Pleasant Grove; Raymond Dickerson, QB, Sheldon; Michael Calvan, QB, Monterey Trail.

GIRLS GOLF

MVP: Briana Mao, St. Francis

All-League: Marissa Mar, St. Francis; Daniela Okino, St. Francis; Ashley Noda, St. Francis; Nichole Cruz, St. Francis; Danielle Covey, Pleasant Grove; Ji Park, Sheldon; Allie Girard, Folsom.

BOYS SOCCER

Players of the Year: Jake Feener, Jesuit; Gabe Padilla, Jesuit.

Coach of the Year: Paul Rose, Jesuit.

All-League: Matt Thayer, Jesuit; Andres Garcia, Jesuit; Evan Johnson, Jesuit; Mason McCann, Sheldon; Bernabe Gonzalez, Sheldon; Cesar Sosa, Sheldon; Kyle Nichols, Sheldon; David Zezoff, Folsom; Scott Hayes, Folsom; Bryan Lepage Folsom; Bucky Bray, Pleasant Grove; Matt Lagrassa, Pleasant Grove; Danny Ruiz, Florin; Justin Logan, Monterey Trail.

GIRLS TENNIS

Player of the Year: Hailee Sutton, Pleasant Grove.

Coach of the Year: Stacy Whittingham, Folsom; Charla Wistos, Monterey Trail.

All-League: Jessica Josiah, St. Francis; Megan Poirier, St. Francis; Madeleine Verspieren, St. Francis; Ashlyn Schmitgen, St. Francis; Sarah Wannakuwatte, St. Francis; Taylor Osborne, Pleasant Grove; Shelby Zehnder, Pleasant Grove; Bayley Jacobs, Pleasant Grove; Ashley Whittingham, Folsom; Michelle Tseng, Folsom; Tammy Tran, Monterey Trail.

DELTA VALLEY CONFERENCE

FOOTBALL

Player of the Year: Dan Pettinato, Nevada Union.

Offensive Player of the Year: Broughan Jantz, Nevada Union.

Defensive Player of the Year: Eric Niederberger, Nevada Union.

Special Teams Player of the Year: Conor Maloney, Nevada Union.

Coach of the Year: Dave Humphers, Nevada Union; Preston Jackson, Valley.

All-League: Christian Castro, Davis; Spencer Ling, Davis; Derek Nelson, Davis; Courtney Williams, Davis; Tylar Clarke, Elk Grove; Alex Lawton, Elk Grove; Lefi Letuligasenoa, Elk Grove; Steven Moore, Elk Grove; Deon Ransom, Elk Grove; Russell Robards, Elk Grove; Cody Galea, Franklin; Kenny Hunt, Franklin; Devin Des Jarlais, Franklin; Josh Oakley, Franknlin; Jory Rucker, Franklin; Karmah Yates, Franklin; Diondre Batson, Laguna Creek; Anthony Boyce, Laguna Creek; Terry Easmon, Laguna Creek; Arnold Ferrari, Laguna Creek; Don Jackson, Laguna Creek; CJ Zabal, Laguna Creek; Juan Espinoza, Nevada Union; Drew Hoskin, Nevada Union; Conor Scott, Nevada Union; Zach Vallejo, Nevada Union; Andre Bobbit, Valley; Sivi Finau, Valley; Meng Lee, Valley.

GOLDEN EMPIRE LEAGUE

CROSS COUNTRY

MVP: Eddie Litvinov, Highlands; Julianne Curtis, Golden Sierra.

Coach of the Year: Phil Leonhardt, Highlands; Mike Brown, Golden Sierra.

Boys All-League: Ian Ballard, Capital Christian; Luis Velazquez, Highlands; Mike Richardson, Highlands; Igor Pishtoy, San Juan; Matthew Villa, Encina; Oleg Khokhlan, Highlands; Mathew Reel-Mullins, San Juan.

Girls All-League: Britton Flath, Capital Christian; Emily Reddish, Golden Sierra; Megan Harston, Golden Sierra; Nicole Albanese, Capital Christian; Grace Adams-Handy, Golden Sierra; Taylor Amato, Golden Sierra; Angelina Hernandez, Highlands.

FOOTBALL

MVP: James Lee, Capital Christian.

MVP Offense: Angel Vega, Lindhurst.

MVP Defense: Cody Barsam, Capital Christian.

MVP Lineman: Adam Paul, Marysville.

Coach of the Year: Karl Zierhut, Capital Christian.

All-League: Jake Hannah, WR, Golden Sierra; Stephen Paxton, WR, Lindhurst; Paul Roberson, WR, Capital Christian; David Oates, WR, Capital Christian; Jim Hansen, RB, Golden Sierra; Tre'vonn Tyler, RB, Encina; Keith Johnson, RB, Capital Christian; AZ Sutton, QB Lindhurst; Drew Reid, TE, Capital Christian; Dan Johnson, OL, Golden Sierra; Tyler Carpenter, OL Lindhurst; Joe Rodland, OL, Highlands; Mark Dunne, OL, Capital Christian; Jiwoo Kim, OL, Capital Christian; Fred Maier, OL, Capital Christian; Brandon Greenly, K, Capital Christian; Oscar Brown, DB, Highlands; Robert Garvin, DB, Highlands; Karndeed Johl, DB, Marysville; Paul Roberson, DB, Capital Christian; Jordan Heine, ILB, San Juan; Edgar Guzman, ILB, Lindhurst; Dylan, Mullins, ILB, Capital Christian; Colton Nelson, ILB, Highlands; Blake Rodeman, OLB, Marysville; Andrew Orr, OLB, Capital Christian; Mujtaba Cameron Rasouli, DL, San Juan; Ben Alvarez, DL, Lindhurst; Rodger Simonson, DL, Marysville; Tyler Holmes, DL, Capital Christian; Josh Giacoma, DL, Capital Christian.

BOYS SOCCER

Offensive MVP: Keenan Armburst, Capital Christian.

Defensive MVP: Jorge Mendoza, Encina.

Coach of the Year: John Buchmiller, Encina.

All-League: Alexander Thompson, Capital Christian; Johnathan Murray, Capital Christian; Mark Bondaruk, Capital Christian; Christian Wyatt, Capital Christian; Luis, Mendoza, Encina; Anthony Sanchez, Encina; Miguel Aguilar, Encina; Luis Landeros, Encina; Jeff Lomas, Golden Sierra; Pablo Navarro, Highlands; Henry Santos, Highlands; Joel Diaz, Highlands; Julio Anthony Herrera, Highlands; Erik Machuca, Lindhurst; Gabi Vasquez, Lindhurst; Alexis Lopez, Lindhurst; Martin Huichapa, Lindhurst; Matt Deluz, Marysville; Yrvin Nevarez, Marysville; Igor Pishtoy, San Juan.

METRO ATHLETIC LEAGUE

CROSS COUNTRY

Boys All-League: Eric Jackson, McClatchy; Zach Ramos-Taylor, McClatchy; Patrick Redford, McClatchy; Petr Kovalchuk, Rosemont; Charquice Sanders, Burbank; Joey Bloom, McClatchy; Nico Blanco, McClatchy; Kalen Bergado, McClatchy; Sergio Cleveland, Burbank; Bently Shine, Sacramento.

Girls All-League: Jilliam Brown, McClatchy; JasMin Khoe, McClatchy; Anna Riley, McClatchy; Shyla Hansen, McClatchy; Keikei Johnson, McClatchy; Sierra Morgan, McClatchy; Angie Peckman, McClatchy; Marissa Dorado, Rosemont; Krystal Ramirez, Rosemont; Amber Lau, McClatchy.

FOOTBALL

Player of the Year: Tyler Takahashi, Bradshaw Christian.

Coach of the Year: Jim Herlehy; Drew Rickert.

All-League: Brady Dragmire, RB/FS, Bradshaw Christian; Joseph Pigeon, RB/MLB, Bradshaw Christian; Alex Warren, TE/DE, Bradshaw Christian; Ian Fowler, OL/DL; E.J. Edinburgh, RB/OLB, Bradshaw Christian; Raul Hernandez, RB/LB, Dleta; Travis Reynolds, RB/LB, Delta; Dylan Escobar, OL/DL, Delta; Jacob Chacon, DL/OL, Delta; Eric Del Chiaro, DB, Delta; Tyler Randall, LB/FB, Vacaville Christian; Scott Goodrich, FS/RB, Vacaville Christian; Nick Amavisca, CB/RB, Vacaville Christian; Trevor Curtis, LB/OL, Vacaville Christian; Travis Greene, TE, Foresthill; Tommy Young, DL, Foresthill; Christian Addington, K, Foresthill; Kenneth Whitehurst, QB, Valley Christian; Marcel Louis-Jacques, WR, Valley Christian; Aaron Perchaz, LB, Valley Christian; Jamarri Lovejoy, RB/DB, Woodland Christian.

PIONEER VALLEY LEAGUE

CROSS COUNTRY

Boys All-League: Luke Standcliff, Placer; Nick Read, Colfax; Gordan Sproul, Placer; Christian Finkbeiner, Placer; Nathan Rossi, El Dorado; Andrew Soria, Placer; Jaron Launer, Placer; T Cordero, El Dorado; Cliff Abbot, El Dorado; Ryan Hodgens, Whitney.

Girls All-League: Shannon Harcus, Placer; Breanna Mitchell, Bear River; C. Macklin, El Dorado; Sara Howard, Colfax; Kristen Hiatt, Placer; Shannon Snook, Lincoln; Anne Donegan, El Dorado; Arika Steppia, Placer; Heather Felt, Lincoln; Haley Walker, Colfax.

FOOTBALL

MVP: Jacob Tryon, Lincoln; Asher Gotzmer, Placer.

Coach of the Year: Kenn Lowe, Lincoln.

All-League: Colby Angus, DL, Bear River; Daniel Stephens, DL, Colfax; Juan Castillo, DL, Lincoln; Mike Gray, DL, Placer; Connor McKenzie, DL, Placer; Michael Nordman, DL, Whitney; Alex Chernyy, DL, Whitney; Cole White, LB, Bear River; Tommy Boldoni, LB, Colfax; Danny Walsh, LB, Lincoln; Brett Lenz, LB, Placer; Shane Feurbach, LB, Whitney; Connor Riordan, LB, Whitney; Johnny Jewitt, DB, Bear River; Dylan Croisant, DB, Lincoln; Aaron Maddox, DB, Placer; Colin Burnett, Placer; Pat Rawlins, RB, Colfax; Chris Haskins, RB, El Dorado; Moses Stanley, RB, Lincoln; Sir Johnson, RB, Mesa Verde; Shawn Azam, RB, Whitney; Josh Klem, TE, Placer; Craig Hackland, OL, Bear River; Adam Pugh, OL, Colfax; Ian Joseph, OL, El Dorado; John Johnson, OL, Lincoln; Jake Styler, OL, Placer; Brandon Pope, OL, Placer; Ethan May, OL, Whitney; Andre Jenkins, WR, Mesa Verde; Cameron Southland, WR, Placer.

GIRLS GOLF

Coach of the Year: Karen Weinhold, El Dorado.

All-League: Samantha Stockton, Whitney; McKenzie Weinhold, El Dorado; Hannah Gregg, Placer; Sydney Ryan, Placer; Michele Latini, Whitney; Hannah Brown, Bear River; Jisu Yoo, Lincoln; Emilie Yonan, Bear River; Jessica Slightham, El Dorado; Chelsea Brouwer, Lincoln.

BOYS SOCCER

MVP: Andrew Lopez, Whitney.

Coach of the Year: Richard Donofrio, Whitney; Andre Murrillo, El Dorado.

All-League: Ryan Jensen, Bear River; Johnathan Boone, Bear River; Tom Dalton, Bear River; David Lanthier, Colfax; Steve Smith, Colfax; Trent Sosbee, Colfax; Travis Tidd, Placer; Clay Campbell, Placer; Mike Mitchell, Placer; Dylan Day, Placer; Eddie Arreola, Whitney; Alexander Donofrio, Whitney; Taner Papenfuss, Whitney; Eirik Sterri, Whitney; Michael Swift, Whitney; Matt Winterer, El Dorado; Patrick McDade, El Dorado; Carlos Reyes-Ortiz, El Dorado; Jarrel Whipple, El Dorado; James Frost, El Dorado; Kevin Clifford, El Dorado; Raymond Parker, Lincoln.

SIERRA FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Offensive MVP: Jackson Cummings, Rocklin.

Defensive MVP: Daniel Lessard, Rocklin.

Lineman of the Year: Trevor Cooper, Rocklin; Adrian Williams, Del Oro; Nick Kemper, Granite Bay.

Coach of the Year: Greg Benzel.

All-League: Eddie Love, C, Del Oro; Cody Sviba, G, Granite Bay; Travis Doupnik, G, Del Oro; Ryan Cope, T, Del Oro; Vince Gibbs, T, Rocklin; Holden Huff, TE, Rocklin; Adrian Williams, TE, Del Oro; Freddy Mobley, WR, Oakmont; Spencer Butterfield, WR, Del Oro; Matt Hack, WR, Roseville; Ian Rhodes, WR, Granite Bay; James Nunley, RB, Woodcreek; Jackson Cummings, RB, Rocklin; Bryce Pratt, RB, Del Oro; Devaunte Bolton, RB, Granite Bay; Jimmy Laughrea, QB, Rocklin; Matt Kine, U, Granite Bay; Bobby Reeves, PK, Woodcreek; Cameron Stettner, DL, Woodcreek; Russell LeBard, DL, Oakmont; Nick Kemper, DL, Granite Bay; Garrett Mendes, DL, Granite Bay; Brandon Markin, DL, Del Oro; Trevor Cooper, DL, Rocklin; BJ Roberts, OL, Rocklin; Ahmad Sanatyar, OL, Del Oro; Ashkan Mizani, OL, Granite Bay; Daniel Lessard, IL, Rocklin; Sean Moore, IL, Rocklin; Blake Landry, IL, Del Oro; Jacob Kludjian, IL, Granite Bay; John Kendall, DB, Granite Bay; Andrew Knapp, DB, Granite Bay; Freddie Cargile, DB, Del Oro; Garth Keffer, DB, Rocklin; Nick Stephenson, DB, Woodcreek; Jon Root, P, Del Oro.

GIRLS GOLF

All-League: Paige Lee, Granite Bay; Maddie Gedeon, Oakmont; Chelsea Love, Nevada Union; Bailie Furgeson, Del Oro; Blake Peterson, Oakmont; Kelly Steindorf, Granite Bay; Dana Vasko, Woodcreek; Christina Miller, Nevada Union.

BOYS SOCCER

MVP: Tanner Roland, Roseville.

All-League: Jon Beach, Granite Bay; Kyle Howarth, Granite Bay; Jordan Weber, Granite Bay; Kendall Modiste, Granite Bay; Tyrone Richardson, Roseville; Giovanni Reader, Roseville; Joshua Pulver, Roseville; Micah Hayes, Roseville; Seth Casiple, Rocklin; Conor Delaney, Rocklin; Walter Finney, Rocklin; Chris Streeker, Rocklin; Casey Meuser, Del Oro; Alec Lyons, Del Oro; Kolby Mitnick, Del Oro; Kody Duff, Oakmont; Cole Alexander, Oakmont; Roy Pedro, Oakmont; Christian Grapel, Nevada Union; Corey Mortara, Nevada Union; Matt Glasgo, Woodcreek; Bobby Reeves, Woodcreek.

SIERRA VALLEY CONFERENCE

FOOTBALL

MVP: Connor Benander, Oak Ridge; Corry Crowde, Christian Brothers.

MVP Offense: Lyndell Scarr, Ponderosa.

MVP Defense: Ash Anaya, Vista del Lago.

Coach of the Year: Eric Cavaliere, Oak Ridge; Dave Johnson, Union Mine.

All-League: Kyle Raber, OL, Union Mine; Hayden Parker, OL, Union Mine; Dylann Orr, OL, Christian Brothers; James Crespo, OL, Vista del Lago; Matt Coffrini, OL, Oak Ridge; Brett Green, OL, Oak Ridge; Randy Ziemer, OL, Cordova; Reggie Langford, QB, Cordova; Mike Lahey, QB, Christian Brothers; Mike Lindsey, RB, Cordova; Paden Gee, RB, Union Mine; Trey Hairabedian, RB, Vista del Lago; Jacob Allen, RB, Oak Ridge; Abram Piggee, Rec., Galt; Robbie Beyer, Rec., Oak Ridge; Tommy Massa, Rec., Oak Ridge; Kalib Smith, Rec., Vista del Lago; Andrew Roots, TE, Union Mine; Asante Cleveland, TE, Christian Brothers; Nick Buerki, TE, Oak Ridge; Ed Ralph, DL, Christian Brothers; Eric Toscano, DL, Galt; Riley Nooner, DL, Ponderosa; Tyler Hast, DL, Ponderosa; Clayton Nutting, LB, Union Mine; Morgan Vonasek, LB, Union Mine; Ryan Nunn, LB, Galt; Ryan Pratt, LB, Christain Brothers; Robbie DeMaso, LB, Oak Ridge; Adam Braithwaite, LB, Cordova; Nick Grunsky, DB, Vista del Lago; Caleb Gottschalk, DB, Vista del Lago; Bobby Braman, DB, Oak Ridge; Charlie Goodwin, DB, Oak Ridge; Ade Jackson, DB, Christian Brothers; Austin Moore, DB, Christian Brothers.

TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE

MVP: Demetrius Williams, Inderkum.

Offensive MVP: Antonio Bumpers, Inderkum.

Defensive MVP: David Weider, Inderkum.

Lineman of the Year: Nathan Falo, Inderkum.

All-League: Jason Williams, QB, Pioneer; Devin Hartley, RB, Inderkum; Kashad Watson, RB, Natomas; Chris Thoma, RB, Pioneer; Taylor Rowe, RB, Yuba City; Jacob Monroe, TE, Inderkum; Mustafa Vercher, R, Natomas; James Tillman, R, Pioneer; Dalen Jones, R, Woodland; James Alon, OL, Inderkum; Brandon Guerrero, OL, Natomas; Michale Barron, OL, Pioneer; Ethan Driver, OL, Pioneer; Nick Helwig, OL, Yuba City; Harninder Purewal, OL, Yuba City; Garrett Brewer, DB, Inderkum; Lawrence Holliday, DB, Inderkum; Anthony Pierce, DB, Natomas; Colin Gault, DB, River Valley; Max Flores, DB, Yuba City; Raul Lozano, DB, Yuba City; Jordan Adams, DL, Inderkum; Josh Sandoval, DL, Inderkum; Derrick Johnson, DL, Natomas; Micah Johnson, DL, Natomas; Raymond Bautista, DL, Woodland; Jacob Cardoza, DL, Woodland; Darius Jenkins, DL, Inderkum; Francisco Romero, DL, River Valley; Damien Borel, DL, Woodland.

GIRLS GOLF

MVP: Elena Arroyo, Inderkum

All-League: Sara Scarlett, Woodland; Mia Dougherty, Pioneer; Kendall DeKreek, Pioneer; Ashley Gonik, Inderkum; Sammi Gnoss, Woodland; Laura Canales, Natomas; Katelyn Reimer, Woodland.

BOYS SOCCER

MVP: Kris Schultz, Natomas; Isaac Mora, Yuba City.

All-League: Daniel Cuevas, Natomas; Oscar Espinoza, Natomas; Hugo Urena, Natomas; Jessy Vega, Natomas; Bryan Villalobos, Natomas; Pedro Guzman, Yuba City; Trevor Kent, Yuba City; Walker Shaw, Yuba City; Dario Teyes, Yuba City; Edgar Aguirre, River Valley; Castulo Carvajal, River Valley; Darrik Meyers, River Valley; Felipe Rodriguez, River Valley; Sabino Corna, Woodland; Adrian Santillan, Woodland; Sergio Vega, Woodland; Nick Carter, Inderkum; Daniel Lomeli, Inderkum; Jacob Zalesky, Pioneer.

GIRLS TENNIS

MVP: Hannah Poukish, Yuba City.

All-League: Harepreet Kaur, Inderkum; Christie Farrell, Pioneer; Charmnine Tabilas, Pioneer; Estefania Toscano, Pioneer; Elizabeth Huth, River Valley; Taylor Wright, Woodland; Lauren Iverson, Yuba City.

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