RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Two teams, including Section 1 Champion 1965 Rancho Cordova Little All Stars and the 1977 Sac Joaquin Section Champion Cordova football Lancers, a pair of women’s basketball stars, two varsity football and baseball standouts, two coaches, three hearts of a champion and a superlative multi-sport athlete are among 12 selections when the Class of 2024 is inducted into the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame this fall.

The ninth annual induction ceremony takes place 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at Rancho Cordova City Hall. The class includes athletes, coaches and an endearing Rancho Cordova sports advocate who exhibited the “Heart of a Champion.”

“We are thrilled to be able to recognize these athletes and coaches for what they have meant to their sport, and our community,” said David Sander, Rancho Cordova City Mayor and president of the Rancho Cordova Athletic Association (RCAA). “Our Hall of Fame memorializes that incredible history and should inspire our current youth athletes as well.”

Honorees elected to the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame were judged to have attained significant achievements in or have made notable contributions to athletics, as well as exhibiting high standards of character and sportsmanship.

Following is the Class of 2024:

1965 RCLL All Stars. Led by Larry Wolfe, Jeff Kaut, and a cadre of future Cordova baseball standouts, this group of 11-and 12-year-olds advanced farther than any Little League All Star team in Rancho Cordova history. Winners of six straight games, the team won District 5, Area 1, and Section 1 titles during a single-elimination era. The team was managed by the legendary Dario Ondina and assisted by Mike Braccio.

1977 Cordova football Lancers. A talent-rich team on both sides of the football, Cordova rolled to an unbeaten 12-0 record during a season that included a 54-35 win over Mira Loma for the City title in a contest many consider to be the best Sacramento-area high school football game ever played. Cordova was led by Reggie Young, Don Boardingham, Gary Teague, Shawn and Mike Brady and a solid supporting cast.

Jerry Ahlin (Coach) – Ahlin is the co-founder and current president of the Sacramento Valley Rugby Foundation. Ahlin has been instrumental in teaching local Rancho Cordova kids how to play rugby. Among Ahlin's achievements: relocating the largest youth rugby tournament in the world to Rancho Cordova, an annual event that drew more than 120 teams throughout California and Canada until 2020. A quarterback-linebacker for the University of Idaho, Jerry played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League and was later inducted into the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame.  

Ron Belka, Sr. (Coach) - Belka was a beloved longtime football and basketball coach in Rancho Cordova who passed away in 2009. Belka’s coaching career spanned three decades, first for the Cordova Jets Pop Warner program from 1978-1984 where his teams won three league championships. After a year at Mitchell Junior High in 1984, Belka led the Cordova JV team to a 10-0 finish in 1985. He retired in 2007 as freshman head football coach but not before his clubs won several league titles.

Nikkia “Kia” Davis (Cordova High ’09). Davis averaged better than 17 points during a stellar varsity career in 2006-2007 for the Lady Lancers where she was a two-year All Sierra Valley Conference choice. Davis went on to star for Our Lady of the Lake University where she was a team leader and established several team records. A 5-foot-5 guard, Davis was an all-tournament selection in 2010; First Team All-Big 8 Conference 2010-2011; and All-Big 8 Conference Honorable Mention 2009-2010 at Our Lady of the Lake University. Today, Davis is a juvenile probation officer at a Texas correction facility.

Mike Dolan (Cordova High ’81). Dolan compiled a 10-3 record as a senior, 2.16 ERA and led 28-8 Lancers to the 1981 section title. Along the way, he pitched a no-hitter vs Del Campo in the TOC enroute to being named tournament MVP. As a junior in 1980, Dolan was a starter-reliever with a 1.44 ERA. Dolan shared in a rare no-hitter, combined with Walt Stull, Dave Land and Chris Bosio to beat Hood River, OR. For Cosumnes River in 1982, Dolan went 4-3 with 3.12 ERA. He was ranked No. 65 on the Bee’s top 100 high school players from Sacramento.

Catherine Fidel (Heart of a Champion) – A household name and friend to thousands of Cordova High alumni, Fidel was an administrative assistant to six principals during a 33-year career dating back to 1963. During this time, she was involved in the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), and the St. John Vianney Mr. and Mrs. Club. The Fidel family established the "Catherine J. Fidel Scholarship" in 1995 which is annually awarded to an outstanding graduating senior at Cordova High School. Fidel will be honored posthumously as she passed away in late 2023.

Paul & Mary L. “Dayo” Hagan (Hearts of a Champion). This husband-wife team are being honored posthumously as co-Hearts of a Champion for their pioneering work during Rancho Cordova’s early history. Paul was the first Administrator for the Cordova Recreation and Park District dating back to 1960 until his retirement in 1985. Dayo was a community activist who over a 40-year career helped transform Rancho Cordova into an economic powerhouse. She was administrative assistant to former County Supervisor Henry Kloss and secretary of the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce. Together the Hagans were instrumental in bringing the National AAU Synchronized Swim Meet and California Police Olympics to Rancho Cordova.  Hagan Community Park is named in Paul’s honor.

Harvey Hargrove (Cordova High ’94). Hargrove was a 1st team Sacramento Bee All City dual selection in 1994 and a two-time All-Metro League choice. As a Senior pitcher/shortstop, he roasted area pitching for a .423 average and 18 steals to go along with a 7-3 record on the mound. At CSU Sacramento, Hargrove was a 3rd Team All American, batting .361 with 26 home runs and 62 RBIs in in 1997. His 35 career Hornet home run record previously shared with Martin Vincelli-Simard stood until this year when JP Smith broke it. Hargrove played for six years in the Seattle Mariners organization.

Pat Lashinksy (Cordova High ‘85). A punter-safety, Lashinsky set a school record six interceptions while paying all four defensive back positions for the Metro Champion Lancers in 1984. He set a school and section record when he returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in 25-6 win over McClatchy. He was 1st team DB on the Sacramento Bee All Metro team in 1984 as a senior. Post high school, Lashinsky is a product and technology innovator credited with inventing the popular snack “Go-Gurt,” and is a former CEO of ZipRealty among other ventures.

Arnold Laws (Cordova High ‘88). Laws became known as one of the area’s hardest hitting safeties. As a junior in 1986, Laws made the Bee All-Metro team as a defensive back, an honor repeated the following season. Among area leaders with 5 interceptions, he registered 79 tackles and three fumble recoveries. That season led to Laws to being a pre-season All American safety by Street & Smith’s Magazine. As a senior, Laws was named on the USA Today 1987 All-USA High School Football Team, and for good reason: 119 tackles 4 sacks, five fumble recoveries and 5 interceptions.

Samantha Uding-O’Boyle (Cordova High ’86). Uding-O’Boyle was one of the most dominant women’s basketball players in the area during her two varsity seasons at Cordova High School. As a junior she averaged 15 points and 19 rebounds per game, leading the Lady Lancers to the section finals. As an American River College power forward, she garnered MVP honors in multiple tournaments and led the Beavers to a 27-4 record and a first-ever JC State Title. Uding-O’Boyle was a 1st team All Camino Norte Conference choice, averaging 16 points per game. She currently works as a Physical Education and Science Teacher in Chattanooga, TN.

Mike Willeford (Cordova High ’04). Willeford was one of the top athletes at Cordova High School, starring in football, basketball and baseball. A three-time All-Sierra Valley Conference choice, Willeford batted .425 as a junior, scored 26 runs and sported a .620 slugging percentage. He followed that up batting .370 as a senior. He quarterbacked Cordova to the D-II section title game, earned entry into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame as a scholar-athlete, played for San Diego State in 2006-2007 and later coached alongside former Major League star Tony Gwynn.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are $30 and include an appetizer and cocktail reception and awards program.

The event is organized by the Rancho Cordova Athletic Association in partnership with the Cordova Community Council.  To purchase tickets, go to https://www.cordovacouncil.org/rc-sports-hall-of-fame-induction.

The Rancho Cordova Athletic Association was formed in 2013 to foster lifelong values of good sportsmanship, teamwork and healthy, active lifestyles through the development of excellent youth sports facilities and organizations, positive coaching and access to play for all.