Click here for complete results, scorecards and photos, or go to www.npcjunior.cal. Over, under and out.

To see all videos from the 2009 Junior Cal, click HERE

As Tad Inoue puts it, “It was the greatest weekend of my life.” And, I was glad to be a part of it. Tad, AKA “The Diet Coach”, and 11 of his clients, were at my final Junior Cal Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini Championships last weekend at the Rosemead High School Auditorium.  My District Chairman, Jaguar Jon Lindsay, has granted me a National Qualifier, starting next season. Am working on the new name right now-“West Coast Classic” is my first choice. Stay tuned for updates on the show, and its title.
Obviously, “Team Tad” played a major role in the recording of my second highest number of competitors ever-in total, 80 signed up, 77 ended up on stage, with 44 more crossovers.
In addition to four first place finishes, all 11 landed in the top five. Danny Siebert, in rock hard condition, cruised to the Light Heavyweight, and Overall crowns in the Unlimited Men’s category; Jenna Boyer won Figure B, with Jami DeBernard taking both the Figure C and Masters 35+ Tall class categories. And, Boyer and DeBernard finished second and third, respectively, behind Sunny Daye in the hotly contested Figure Overall battle.
But, Inoue’s biggest moment was yet to come. As Tad was scrambling around at the end of the show, handing out his well wishes, brother Asao (they are of Japanese/Hawaiian decent) ran up to him and said “Bro, your wife is going into labor-we have to run.” Since Tad’s wife, Bern,  wasn’t due for about two weeks-July 3 was the target date-this was quite startling news.
“Asao has gotten a call from his wife, who was with my wife  and they were heading for the hospital at that moment,” Tad says. “So I ran on stage and yelled to my competitor Danny (Siebert) that we had to run because I was going to have a baby!
“My brother and I booked on down the freeway and made it Temecula in about 45 minutes. I got to the hospital, only to have to wait until the next morning-Father’s Day, no less!-to received my beautiful baby girl. Her name is Kiana Bernadette Inoue, and she weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. What a wonderful Father’s Day blessing!”
Since this was my first year at Rosemead High (the first 10 events were held at Pasadena City College), I entered the weekend with some anxiety, but the show went extremely well.
And, “Team John Balik” was represented very well too-by yours truly, JB himself, Roland Balik, who came all the way in from Delaware just to see the show (okay, he was out here for Father’s Day, a video production seminar and a car show, but he was still at the contest!), Ruthless Ruth Silverman and, of course, ace photog Merv. In addition, IM correspondent Dave Liberman, and girlfriend Linda Reho, a top NPC Figure competitor in her own right, came all the way from Cleveland, Ohio, to support the contest.
During the prejudging, Roland shot video, while Ruthless and I conducted about 10 interviews. The most entertaining was my dialogue with Katie the Dog, the 14-year-old, foot-long Toy Pincher who made the trip from Dallas, Texas, with mother June, to help out with the event. Katie was sharp as a whip with her responses, too-check out this classic video, as well as all the others, at the site soon.
Over, under, and out!

pictured, left to right: Dan Kammer, Sunny Daye, promoter Lonnie Teper, Danny Siebert, Elena Andrade, Anthony Pomponio

MEN

Overall Winner
1. Danny Seibert
Heavyweight
1. Devon Schwan
2. Andrew Fernandez
3. Ricky Wilson
4. Brandon Miller
Light Heavyweight
1. Danny Seibert
2. Daniel Kammer
3. John King
4. Drae Moon
5. Joseph Finamore
Middleweight
1. Anthony Pomponio
2. Michael Bautista
3. Norman Reyes
4. Lorenzo Reynaga
5. Jason Golumbeskie
Lightweight
1. Carmelo Lopez
2. Billy Vickery
3. Art Shahnazarian
4. James Anderson
5. Robert Chan
Paul Howe
Christian Herrera
Novice Overall
Novice Heavyweight
1. Daniel Kammer
2. Devon Schwan
3. Paul Estrada
4. John King
5. Ricky Wilson
David Martin
Joseph Finamore
David Buhre
Brandon Miller
Richard Butch
Drae Moon
Novice Middleweight
1. Anthony Pomponio
2. Michael Bautista
3. Lorenzo Reynaga
4. Jason Golumbeskie
5. Marlon Ingram
Reginald Johnson
Nick Herring
George Baca
Novice Lightweight
1. Bob Yamasaki
2. Robert Chan
3. JC Anguiano
4. Brandon Gill
5. Paul Howe
Collegiate Overall
1. Anthony Pomponio
Collegiate Heavyweight
1. Andrew Fernandez
2. Drae Moon
3. David Buhre
Collegiate Lightweight
1. Anthony Pomponio
2. Lorenzo Reynaga
Teen
1. Andrew Fernandez
2. Alan Manning
3. Daniel Arias
40+
1. Daniel Kammer
2. Daryl Lawler
3. John King
4. Brandon Miller
5. Richard Butch
6. Ruben Lopez
7. Paul Howe
50+
1. Bob Yamasaki
2. Loel Tubbs
3. Mitch Lewall
4. Paul Howe
60+
1. Jim Arrington
Guest Poser
1. Jay Cutler

WOMEN

1. LeeAnn Edwards
2. Janette Leo
3. Allegra Kholey

FIGURE

Overall Winner
1. Sunny Daye
Class A
1. Sunny Daye
2. Lorna Cavin
3. Nicole Jimenez
4. Monica Paredes
5. Shelly Campbell
Class B
1. Jenna Boyer
2. Tracey Gaither
3. Gloria Lifsshutz
4. Crystal West
5. Taylor Hansen
6. Kerryne Brown
Kimberly Zengerle
Janielle Leslie
Eve Overland
Class C
1. Jami DeBernard
2. Anna Cervantes
3. Kristen Genzano
4. Cori Whiting
5. Kristie Tatum
Lucy Cuellar
Allison Evans
Joy Blitz
Class D
1. Michelle Bazen
2. Maria Pernia
3. Kristy Stabler
4. Cris Wilkes
Collegiate Figure
Teen Figure
1. Taylor Hansen
35+ Overall
1. Sunny Daye
35+ Short
1. Sunny Daye
2. Nicole Jimenez
3. Crystal West
4. Donna Sweat
5. Shelly Campbell
35+ Tall
1. Jami DeBernard
2. Anna Cervantes
3. Kristen Genzano
4. Kristie Tatum
5. Cris Wilkes
6. Lucy Cuellar
45+
1. Tracey Gaither
2. Lorna Cavin
3. Gloria Lifsshutz
4. Jackie Ambrose
5. Cris Wilkes
6. Lucy Cuellar

BIKINI

Overall Winner
1. Elena Andrade
Class A
1. Elena Andrade
2. Amy Roberts
3. Kelly Vaupel
4. Michelle Sanchez
Class B
1. Jennifer Culver
2. Veronica Gorud
3. Suzanne Choplin

Well, the latest version of my NPC Junior Cal is but days away, and the good news is that both the numbers of competitors, and the weight of guest poser Jay Cutler, are increasing in numbers.

With entries still coming in the mail (42 in past two weeks alone), and hopefully a large sign-up at the contest event morning, the total could come close to matching the all-time record of 101 (97 showed up) set two years ago.

And, Cutler told me last week he should be around 295 pounds when he steps on the Rosemead High School Auditorium stage Saturday night. Which is good news for those who are in awe of somebody 5’9” carrying around that much beef—and in reasonably good shape to boot!

Not only is the total number of athletes growing by the day, the quality will be terrific, as always. Numerous competitors who have won major titles have signed up, and several more have said they will by game day.

On paper, there looks like there will be terrific battles in all divisions; in Figure, for example, Jenna Boyer, who was sixth in her class at the Nationals (after taking her category at the ‘Cal in 08), is competing. And so is Sunny Daye (class winner at the Orange County in 08, second this season), Jamie DeBernard (C class winner at Max Muscle Naturals this year) and Maria Pernia-Cruz, who won Division D at the Max Muscle.

Anthony Pomponio, the 21-year-old former Whittier College football star who took the Middleweight class at the Max Muscle, has turned in an entry form, and will be tackling the field in the Open, Novice and Collegiate classes. Other standouts officially signed up include Dan (The Hammer) Kammer, Danny Siebert, Michael Bautista and Carmelo (The Vacum) Lopez, to name just a few. Lopez, this year’s Lightweight champion at the ‘Cal, just won the Overall tonight at the Police and Fire Olympics.

For those in the show, be there at 8 am sharp for the competitor’s meeting. Prejudging starts at 11, with the finals set for 6 pm. Plenty of tickets are still available at the box office on Saturday, cash only. But, the good news is there is an ATM at a doughnut shop right across the street. You can go there right after downing a couple Double Double’s at the In ‘N Out Burger opposite the school auditorium.

Damn, this has made me hungry. gotta go make sure the ATM is in working order. All questions regarding the event are answered at www.npcjuniorcal.com. Now, about that éclair.