They did the dirty work and the heavy lifting for Sierra High sports teams for the 2011-12 school year.
Bret Wilson and Lia Unterholzner were rewarded for it by receiving Sierra’s highest honor during its spring sports social on May 14. Their names will be alongside some of the school’s top athletes on a banner that hangs in the main gymnasium.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Wilson was a standout two-way lineman for the Timberwolves’ football team. He helped Sierra (4-3, 5-5 overall) finish fourth in the competitive Valley Oak League and was named to the All-VOL second team.
Wilson played a key role off the bench for the boys basketball, which enjoyed its best season in school history. While his minutes were down from his junior year because of the team’s depth, the scrappy forward found ways to spark the team when called upon.
The Timberwolves captured their third VOL title while going 14-0 for the first time, pieced together a program-best 26-game winning streak, finished with a 27-4 overall record and made their second appearance in the Sac-Joaquin Section postseason finals.
It was in the spring that Wilson truly shined. He gave up baseball for track and field, and the decision paid off.
Wilson was Sierra’s top points producer among field athletes in league dual meets, doing his damage in the shot put, discus and high jump. He helped the Timberwolves finish in a two-way tie for third place in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV/V meet while qualifying for the SJS Masters by placing fourth in the shot and second in the discus.
Wilson went on to earn a berth to the California Interscholastic Federation State Track & Field Championships as an alternate with his fourth-place finish in the discus. He topped out at 165 feet, 1 inch for a personal record.
Unterholzner wrapped up her Sierra career by earning All-VOL second-team honors in both basketball and soccer. A 6-foot center, she averaged close to a double-double to lead the Lady Timberwolves basketball squad.
It was on the soccer field where she enjoyed the most success. She was instrumental in helping Sierra (8-3-3, 12-6-5) qualify for the postseason out of the VOL, arguably one of the toughest conferences in the SJS from top to bottom.
Unterholzner allowed just 19 goals in 23 appearances while recording 79 saves and 12 shutouts. As a junior, she was the Timberwolves’ keeper on their run to the SJS Division IV championship. She will continue her career at Biola University on a partial scholarship.
