Atwater’s Davis tied atop Marci Stenberg NCAA challenge standings

We’re just one week into the NCAA Tournament, and things are already turning ugly at Atwater High School.

Take a look at the standings in our 2016 Marci Stenberg Bracket Challenge, and we see Atwater girls basketball coach J.R. Davis perched atop the standings, tied with Le Grand girls coach Dan Freggiaro.

Davis seems to enjoy looking down at the rest of the high school basketball coaches in the standings, even if it is early in the tournament. It’s an unfamiliar position for Davis.

“One of my former players sent me a picture of the standings,” Davis said. “She’s in Kansas and thought I picked Kansas. That’s why she thought I was in first place. I told her I actually didn’t. I picked North Carolina. Usually, I’m in the middle of the standings or toward the back.”

Lurking just one point behind is Atwater boys coach Jason Boesch, who is trying to win the pool for the second straight year and will remind anyone about it any chance he gets.

Boesch actually coached the Atwater girls program before moving over to the boys. Davis likes seeing his friend beneath him in the standings.

With the two Falcons coaches near the top, it seems the Nest isn’t big enough for both.

“I see he’s way down there,” Davis said of Boesch. “That’s going to have to be my first visit tomorrow. That’s what happens when you leave girls basketball.”

Boesch is content with his spot in the standings.

“I got him right where I want him,” Boesch said. “J.R. has beat me this year. He made the playoffs and I didn’t. But I’ll get him back during March Madness.”

Picking North Carolina to cut down the nets wasn’t easy for a Duke fan such as Davis, but there’s something he likes about the Tar Heels this year. Davis also has two other Final Four teams still alive in Kansas and Oklahoma.

“I’m a Duke fan, but I don’t see them getting it done this year,” he said. “I think North Carolina has a good shot. I really had to pick them. I feel pretty good with my picks.”

Boesch, who rode his beloved Duke Blue Devils all the way to the title last year, can’t believe a true Duke fan would ever pick North Carolina.

“Absolutely not,” Boesch said. “He’s a traitor. He shouldn’t be allowed to wear the blue and white for that. North Carolina isn’t winning anything. They aren’t even getting out of this next round.”

Boesch also has three of his Final Four picks still alive in Kansas, North Carolina and Oklahoma, but he has Kansas winning it all.

The competition is forcing people at Atwater to pick sides.

“I’m Team J.R. for sure,” Atwater activities director Nathan Braga said. “I won’t hear the end of it if J.B. wins again.”

“As much as it pains me, I’m Team Boesch,” Falcons aquatics coach David Svendsen said. “He always picks Duke, though. He’s still bragging about their lucky win last year.”

“I can’t pick sides,” Atwater football coach Bob Valladao said. “They are both my guys.”

On the bottom of the standings sits Sac-Joaquin Section director of communications Will DeBoard. Unfortunately for DeBoard, it’s not the first time he’s been dead last in the pool.

“I don’t think I’ve been last this early before,” DeBoard noted. “I spend all my time putting together high school brackets, so I haven’t paid attention to college basketball. I’m sure there are people who would say I don’t put together high school brackets that well.

“I thought Michigan State would do well, and that didn’t work out. I was a Pac-12 believer, and that didn’t work out.”

DeBoard wasn’t alone with Michigan State. All 24 participants picked Michigan State to reach the Final Four, and five people had Spartans winning it all, including myself.

If there’s anything to salvage out of this tournament, at least I can watch two Duke fans turn on each other.

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Atwater’s Davis tied atop Marci Stenberg NCAA challenge standings."