Update: Boy Dies Playing Basketball At Middle School

A 12-year-old Elk Grove middle schooler died Friday while playing basketball at Joseph Kerr Middle School.

The boy was playing with a group not affiliated with the Elk Grove Unified School District, according to school district spokesperson Xanthi Pinkerton.

“Reportedly the student dropped to the floor with what appeared to be a leg cramp on the right side,” Pinkerton wrote in an email to the Citizen. “Coaches went to the student’s aid and found that the student was having difficulty breathing and had no pulse.”

The coaches began CPR immediately on the student, the Sacramento County Coroner has now identified as Aaron Nguyen, a seventh grader at Toby Johnson Middle School. CSD fire crews along with Elk Grove Police and EGUSD School Police responded and took the boy to the hospital.

Emergency room personnel tried to revive the student, but he died at approximately 8:05 p.m. Friday.

“This is a very sad night for all of us and our hearts go out to the family,” Pinkerton wrote. “At this time we would like to honor the request of the family to respect their privacy in these solemn hours.”

Pinkerton added that the school district will have counselors and other support personnel at the boy’s school Monday to provide students and staff with counseling and emotional support. 

Sheldon Grabs First Place In Delta League Basketball

see photos from the game on our Facebook page

Drew Cobb wasn’t supposed to play Friday night. He sprained his ankle in Sheldon’s 92-73 romp last Wednesday at Davis.

But, Sheldon head coach Joey Rollings was glad Cobb was able to play Friday.

“We weren’t going to play him, but he said he was ready so I tried him to see what he does,” Rollings said.

The 6-3 junior came off the bench during the second quarter and sunk three buckets at a time when Jesuit was trying to make a comeback on Sheldon after being down 16-4 midway through the first quarter.

Joey Rollings has a word during a break in play with Elishja Duplechan and Drew Cobb

But, the Marauders, who came into the game with an identical 3-0 record to Sheldon in the Delta League, just couldn’t catch the high-flying Huskies Friday. Sheldon raised its league mark to 4-0 with a 74-64 win over Jesuit.

“I think we were playing our game,” Rollings said of the Huskies quick start to both halves. The Huskies had a 50-36 lead early in the third quarter.

“We were moving, hitting our shots when we had to,” Rollings added. “When we got stagnant, we didn’t score. When we move the ball, play our game, find the guy, we hit the open shot.”

The Huskies are now tied with Grant atop the Delta after two weeks of league play.

The night really belonged to the Sheldon shooting of Elishja Duplechan, Devin Greene, Matt Manning and Isaiah Brooks. They all combined to make ten three-pointers.

Duplechan led the clan with 21 points. Manning had 20, while Greene scored 13 points and Brooks added 11.

“They were open,” Rollings said. “I told them they had to shoot and Jesuit plays a sagging man. So, I told them if they were open, take the shot. They are good shooters in practice and never miss, so ‘you might as well shoot here.’”

At the same time, Sheldon was able to hold Jesuit’s top scorer Malik Duffy, a 6-7 post,  to 19 points.

“He’s good and he’s got good size to him, but we’ve faced seven-footers in (Las) Vegas who are athletic and can get up and down the court,” Rollings said. “He can shoot the ball well, he’s got good hands inside.”

Manning mixed some close-in jumpers with a couple threes of his own.

“I felt good,” the 6-6 senior said. “I got a good rhythm going and played well tonight. We really wanted to prove a point tonight and just state that we really wanted to be number one and we want to win the league and show everybody what we can do this year.”

Greene started off the game with making a three-pointer on his first shot.

“We spend a lot of time in practice shooting and that’s the difference…and defense,” the senior guard said. “We have a lot of weapons because everyone can shoot the ball.”

After Wednesday’s league action, there will be just one undefeated club atop the Delta. The Huskies travel to Grant for a 7 p.m. tip-off. The Pacers have surprised most people with four straight league wins after going 4-6 in non-league play.

Complete Delta League round up in Tuesday's Elk Grove Citizen

Davis Named Football Coach at LC

Former Elk Grove High School assistant football coach Dan Davis was named Tuesday as the new head varsity coach at Laguna Creek. He’ll replace the retiring Dave Morton.

““I am excited at the opportunity to be the next head football coach for Laguna Creek High School,” Davis wrote in a news release. “Laguna Creek’s student-athletes excel both in academics and on the field. I have been fortunate to have been mentored by local coaches from successful programs like Dave Hoskins, Rick Messer, Rick Swan, Mel Fontes and Ed Lombardi.”

Davis will take over a football program that last made the post-season in 2008 when it reached the City Championship under head coach Mark Nill. The Cardinals lost to Joe Cattolico and the Pleasant Grove Eagles, 26-7. Cattolico is now the head coach at Sheldon.

“I have learned that coaching is a great opportunity to mentor today’s youth and help takes a lot of dedication,” Davis wrote. “I look to bring my 22 years of coaching experience and enthusiasm to the program.  Our mantra for our program will be “Win the Day!"  We will challenge our student-athletes to compete and get better at every aspect of the game, at their position, as a student, and as a member of Laguna Creek community.”

Last season the Cardinals were 5-5 overall, 4-3 in the Metro Conference

Former Cosumnes Oaks Athlete Killed In New Years Shooting

Darien Mclaurin, a 2011 graduate of Cosumnes Oaks High School where he played basketball, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, according to police. He was 23.

A little before 2 a.m. the Sacramento Sheriff’s Communication Center received a 911 call that someone had been shot in the 3200 block of Nosler Court in Rancho Cordova. When Rancho Cordova Police arrived they found Mclaurin on the ground outside a residence. 

Darien Mclaurin at Cosumnes Oaks'
Senior Sunrise in 2011

Officers immediately began life saving measures. Mclaurin was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Rancho Cordova homicide detectives arrested Marcus Gammage, 19, Jan. 2 and charged him with murder. Gammage was located in Tracy and was reportedly arrested without incident.

According to detectives a New Years party was breaking up when some sort of dispute occurred outside between Gammage and Mclaurin. Detectives then say that Gammage pulled out a gun and shot Mclaurin.

“Darien Mclaurin was a dominant player who was a part of our first championship team at CO,” Cosumnes Oaks basketball coach Patrick Roth wrote on Mclaurin’s Facebook site. “He still holds records on our records board that is posted in the gym.”

The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department wrote in a Jan. 2 news release that the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department at (916) 874-5115.