If competitive Roshambo develops into a serious sport, don’t be surprised to see Oakdale High sophomore Bailey Dryden practicing his rock, paper, scissors.
The local athlete plays just about every sport he can these days, and gained prestige as an OHS freshman with success on the football field, wrestling mat and in track and field.
But despite his starting position with the 2010-11 Valley Oak League champion freshman football team, his junior varsity VOL wrestling title at 152 pounds and varsity track leaps in the triple jump and long jump, Dryden’s best performances of the year came on the smooth surface of a hockey rink. Dryden has played hockey since he was an eight-year old Texan, and continued his progression in the sport when his family moved to Oakdale in 2006.
He played in local and national tournaments with the Mission Hawks of Sonora, then joined the Valley Thunder (now dubbed the Stockton Jr. Thunder) in 2009. Dryden and Oakdale senior Corey Cross are two of several players the Thunder rosters from Chico to Sonora.
The program claimed a first place title in the Sierra Inline Hockey League for the 2009-10 season, and continued to play in state and national tournaments each summer. They were second in the 16-and-under 2010 Nor Cal Cup Finals and second in the 2011 Nor Cal Cup Tournament.
In June, the Thunder took on the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics during a five-day tournament in Huntington Beach. With teams from the mainland U.S.A, China, Europe, Columbia, Hawaii and Canada all present, the Jr. Thunder nabbed bronze medal honors with a 4-3 victory in sudden death overtime.
Bailey is the younger of two children (brother Blake graduated OHS in 2009). His parents are Troy and Cindi Dryden.
Aside from three high school sports and his prestigious hockey career, Bailey also spends his time snowboarding, wake boarding, knee boarding, riding dirt bikes, scuba diving, golfing and doing target practice.
He hasn’t gotten into competitive Roshambo yet … but it’s probably only a matter of time.