Empire sports notes: Familiar names atop Santa Rosa Downtown Mile field

There were some familiar names from the prep running world at the first-ever Santa Rosa Downtown Mile that was part of the four-day Sonoma Vita event last weekend.

Reesey Byers, a 2010 Santa Rosa High grad who went on to compete for Sacramento State, finished sixth among elite men with a time of 4:38. The winner, and the fastest runner on the day, Dylan Peterson, finished in 4:24.

Scott Kruetzfeldt, who graduated from Maria Carrillo last spring, came in second in the youth/mixed gender category with a finish of 4:43. First place went to Healdsburg High senior Dante Godinez, who clocked in with a time of 4:36.

Santa Rosa Junior College track and cross country coach David Wellman took third in the open men’s division with a time of 5:08.

The fastest woman on the course was Candy Owens, who finished in 5:37.

Brooker kicking up ?a storm for SRJC

Eden Brooker, a sophomore on the Santa Rosa Junior College women’s soccer team, is on a tear. The former Montgomery High standout has scored 17 goals in 11 games this season. That’s more than the entire squads from Diablo Valley, Cosumnes River, Modesto and Sacramento City. She scored twice in the Bear Cubs’ 4-0 win over Diablo Valley Friday.

Heading into Tuesday’s game with American River, the Bear Cubs were 8-2-2 overall and 5-1-1 in the Big 8 Conference, good enough for second place.

Braves off to hot start in ?VVAL volleyball

Justin-Siena’s girls volleyball team is making history in the Vine Valley Athletic League, running roughshod over opposing teams in the first year of the league’s existence.

The Braves were 15-3 overall and 9-0 heading into Tuesday’s road game with last-place American Canyon. Only Casa Grande (8-8 overall, 4-4 in league) and Vintage (12-8 overall, 6-2 in league) have been able to push the Braves to five sets.

The Braves are ranked No. 1 among Division 4 schools in the North Coast Section.

Stelzner starring on D ?at Northern Colorado

The University of Northern Colorado Bears football team is struggling at 0-6, but Montgomery High and Santa Rosa Junior College standout Henry Stelzner, per usual, is putting up good numbers on defense. The 6-foot, 1-inch senior linebacker is tied for second on the team in solo tackles with 25 and has an additional 12 assists. He has recorded one sack. His best game of the season was Saturday’s 49-36 home loss to UC Davis, when he recorded eight solo tackles and three assists.

Wildcats spiking foes in ?NBL-Redwood Division so far

The Ukiah Wildcats were sitting atop the North Bay League-Redwood Division volleyball standings with a 5-1 league record heading into Tuesday night’s game with second-place El Molino. The Wildcats are riding the attack of senior Valentina Evans, who had 132 kills - 2.7 kills per set - at the start of the week. Evans also leads the team in blocks with 36 and in digs with 87. The Wildcats head to Piner for a game Thursday.

Kelseyville rolling in ?NCL volleyball

Kelseyville has proven nearly unstoppable in the North Central League volleyball race, running up a 10-0 record heading into Tuesday night’s road match with second-place Middletown, who were 7-3 coming in. Coach Donelle McCallister’s Knights have won 54 sets on the season while dropping just 14.

Kerry Benefield