McKenzie Gladden, 13, an eighth grader at Washington Middle School in Cloverdale, recently won the 105-pound title at a boys wrestling tournament and was honored for her achievement by the Cloverdale City Council.
The Cloverdale community is celebrating a milestone achievement by a young local wrestler. At just 13 years old, McKenzie Gladden became the first girl competitor from the city to win a boys division title at the North Valley League championship meet in March. She was also named one of the tournament’s three Most Valuable Wrestlers.
McKenzie, an eighth grader at Washington Middle School, has been competing for three years and won her title in the meet’s 105-pound division. As she notes on her Instagram page, “Underestimate me. It’ll be fun, I promise.”
McKenzie was recently honored by the Cloverdale City Council for her achievement as part of the community’s recognition of Women’s History Month.
“Her dedication in the classroom and across multiple sports reflects the kind of discipline and drive that set her apart,” the city noted in its announcement.
Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat
Russ Peterich spent his career as a coach and administrator of athletics at Montgomery High School. (Beth Schlanker – The Press Democrat)
Montgomery to honor longtime coach
Montgomery High School will recognize a legendary coaching alum this weekend with a ceremony to rename the Vikings’ baseball field in his honor.
Russ Peterich, who coached sports as varied as baseball, basketball, golf and soccer at Montgomery and also served as athletic director during a 37-year career in the classroom, will have the field named for him during festivities Saturday.
The event begins with check-in at 11 a.m. at the school at 1250 Hahman Dr. in Santa Rosa. Speeches and the unveiling of a new field sign honoring Peterich are planned at 11:30 a.m., followed by a reception with food and dessert, T-shirt sales and chance to visit with the honoree himself.
At 1 p.m., the Montgomery baseball team will take to “Peterich Field” to play Maria Carrillo.
The effort to name the field for Peterich became official last fall with approval by the Santa Rosa school board.
MMA fighter Imanol Rodriguez trains for his UFC debut on the Feb. 28 card in Mexico City, on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 at the Sanchez Boxing MMA gym in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
More around the North Bay
A Santa Rosa-trained mixed martial arts fighter has quickly booked his next bout after making his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut this year. Imanol Rodriguez, who trains at the Sanchez Boxing MMA gym, will put on the gloves again June 6 to face Matt Schnell at the UFC event in Las Vegas that night. On the final day of February, Rodriguez won his UFC flyweight debut by Kevin Borjas via technical knockout in the second round in Mexico City. ….
The collegiate soccer world around the state is mourning the loss of former Sonoma State women’s coach Peter Reynaud, who died in March at 82. Reynaud, who coached the SSU team for a dozen years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, helped lead the 1990 team to the school’s first NCAA Division II national championship. He later coached at Fresno State and Long Beach State. …
This Friday night brings a chance for local prep soccer players who are graduating in June to showcase their stuff in an All-Star doubleheader sponsored by the Santa Rosa Kiwanis Club. Senior boys and girls from teams around the North Bay will compete as North and South squads at Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa. The girls take the field first at 6 p.m. with the boys following at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults ages 18-60, $10 for those over 60 and $10 from children ages 11-17. Kids 10 and under are free.