2020 Kern County Sports Countdown: 16-20

WELCOME INTO 23ABC SPORTS, I'MKARI OSEP.

FIRST OFF, I HOPEYOALL ARE ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYSEASON.

I KNOW WE ALL NEED SOMEJOY AFTER WHAT 2020 HAS BROUGHTUS.

BUT HERE IN KERN COUNTY.

..THIS YEAR ALSO BROUGHT US SOMEMEMORABLE SPORTS MOMENTS.

FROMBAKERSFIELDNATIVES DOING BIG THINGS ON THEBIG STAGE TO HOMEGROWNTALENT RETURNING HOME TOCHAMPIONSHIPSAND VIRAL MOMENTS TO THE TRAGEDYTHAT STRUCK US ALL.

..2020 VISION WAS EXCEPTIONALLYMEMORABLE THROUGH THESPORTS LENS.

SO JUST LIKE WEALL WILL BE COUNTING DOWN UNTILTHENEW YEAR.

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.THIS WEEK WE WILLALOS BE COUNTING DOWNTHE TOP 20 KERN COUNTY SPORTSMOMENTS FROM 20-20.

LET'SSTART IT OFF WITH NUMBER 20.#20..

FROM GARCES MEMORIAL.

..TO CAL STATEBAKERSFIELD.

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.TO TRAVELINGACROSS THE WORLD.

..BASKETBALL TOOK STEPHON CARTERPLACES.

AND THIS YEAR ITBROUGHT HIM BACK HOME.

IT WASANNOUNCED IN THE SUMMERTHAT THE RAMS AND RUNNERS ALLTIME LEADING SCORER WASGOING TO TAKE OVER THECENTENNIAL BOY'S BASKETBALLPROGRAM.

WHILE HE MAY BECOACHING HIS RIVAL HIGHSCHOOL TEAM.

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.CARTER ISEXTREMELY GRATEFUL TOBRING HIS LOVE OF HOOPS TO A NEWGENERATION OF HIGH SCHOOLBALLER#19..

2020 WAS A YEAR OFDEFINING MOMENTS FOR WOMEN INSPORTS AND RIGHT HERE IN KERNCOUNTY..

.15-YEAR-OLDDRIVER KERCIE JUNG IS MAKING ANAME FOR HERSELF, HERCITY AND FOR FEMALE RACECARDRIVERS IN THE JUNIOR LATEMODEL DIVISION.

HER SECONDSEASON IN THE SERIES AFTERWINNING EIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPS INYOUNGER DIVISIONS OFRACING.

THIS YEAR SHE CONTINUEDHER CHASING HERDREAMS OF ONE DAY RACING FORNASCAR.#18..

THE RAIDERS HAVE BEENKNOWN FOR RELOCATION ANDTHIS YEAR THEY MADE LAS VEGASTHEIR OFFICAL NEW HOME.BAKERSFIELD'S DEREK CARR,QUARTERBACK FOR THE VEGASRAIDERS.

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ENTERED THIS NEW ERAFOR HIS TEAM WTH BIGTIME WINS OVER THE SAINTS ANDCHIEFS .

.ENDURED A FEWCOVID-19 OUTBREAKS AND FINISHEDSOME CRUCIALCOMEBACK DRIVES.

DESPITE THETEAM MISSING OUT ON PLAYOFFSTHIS SEASON.

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.RAIDERS STILLBROUGHT SOME HYPE BYINTRODUCING THE CITY OF VEGAS TOTHE NFL AND NOW THE SILVER ANDBLACK.#17..

CARR WASN'T THE ONLYBAKERSFIELD ATHLETE REPPINGIN VEGAS THIS YEAR.

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.LOCALPROFESSIONAL BOXER MIGUELCONTRERAS .

.KNOWN AS CAVEMAN.

..NOT ONLY HAD HIS LASVEGAS DEBUT BUT WON BY UNANIMOUSDECISION AT THEMGM GRAND KNOCKING OFFUNDEFEATED FIGHTERROLANDO VARGAS IN A MATCHTELEVISED ON E-S-P-N TO REMAIN11-0.

THE BAKERSFIELD BOXERLATER SIGNED WITH AWELL-KNOWN BOXING AGENT TO HELPFURTHER HIS PROFESSIONALCAREER.

WHILE HE CONTINUESTRAINING IN TOWN WITH FELLOWKERN COUNTY FIGHT CLUB ATHLETES..

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20-20 PROVD TO BE ABIG YEAR FOR CAVEMAN#16... ADDING TO A LIST OFADVERSITY FOR ATHLETES THISYEAR..

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INDEPENDENCE GRAD D-JREED STARTED OFF THEYEAR PLAYING IN THE SUPER BOWLWITH THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERSWHERE'D THEY'D LOSE 31-20 TO THECHIEFS.

HE'D THEN SUFFER APECTORAL INJURY AND WAS WAIVEDBY THE NINERS BEFOREEVENTUALLY GETTING PICKED UP BYTHE SEATLLESEAHAWKS.

CUE MIDDLE OF THESEASON WHERE HE'D MAKE HSEAHAWK DEBUT AGAINST HIS FORMERTEAM.

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.AND END UP WIA PICK.

SHIFTING POSITIONS INTHE SECONDARY AND HANDLIKICKOFF AND PUNT RETURN DUTIES..

HE'S MAKING THE MOSTOF THIS SECOND CHANCE IN THELEAGUE WITH HIS SIGHTS SET OANOTHER SUPER BOWL APPEARANCE.WOULD BE AWESOME TO SEE HIMREACH BACK-TO-BACK TRIPS TOTHE BIG GAME.

SOME INSPIRINGMOMENTS ALREADY ANDTHAT'S JUST NUMBER 20 THROUGH16.

CHECK INTOMORROW FOR THE NEXT FIVE INOUR COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP 20KERN COUNTY SPORTS MOMENTS FROM20-20.

FOR 23ABC SPORTS, I'MKARI OSEP.WHEN WE RETURN...