GET IN THE HOLE!

The Ripon Christian Knights hosted first-year Lathrop at Jack Tone Golf Course Thursday in Ripon.

STARTING OVER

The 2008 soccer season was a rough one for area teams. Manteca, fresh of its Valley Oak League championship campaign, battled injuries to key players all season and quickly fell out of the race for a Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoff spot. Rival East Union and Ripon of the Trans Valley League both finished third in their respective conferences, but neither qualified for the postseason. Ripon was in the hunt before dropping a heartbreaking loss ...

BAND OF BUFFALOES

The Manteca High soccer program held its 2nd Annual Band of Buffaloes Alumni Game Tuesday at Guss Schmiedt Field. The White Team won, 6-5, after Jesus Perez scored the last of his three goals on a penalty kick in stoppage time. Also scoring goals for the White were Juan Carlos Ramirez (two) and Kolby Murphy. Belmonte had a hat trick for the Green, with Adrian Gallardo and Tim Geerlof also scoring. Thirty four alumni participated, ...

LATHROP'S OWN SWEET SCIENTIST

LATHROP - Many have looked, but few have found Felipe Martinez. Those who have been unsuccessful believe he's a myth. Who is this guy with all the answers, and if he's so good why isn't he charging anyone to train them? Last year, Oakland native Dominique "Fallen Angel" Robinson was in search of a boxing instructor to help him develop a more efficient stand-up game as a professional mixed martial artist. When he first heard ...

KICKING FOR THE FENCES

Are you ready for some kickball? The hybrid of softball, soccer and dodgeball made famous in schoolyards across the country was in full display at Big League Dreams of Manteca Thursday, when the World Adult Kickball Association made its debut in the area with the first of two pick-up games. The next exhibition contest for anyone interested in giving it a shot is on Sept. 3 starting at 7 p.m. The CA Recess Division, the ...

Team MVP leaves mark at state

MVP Taekwondo had 12 students earn top-three medals in the California Unified Taekwondo Association State Championships at UC Berkley Aug. 8.

Cowboys ‘D’ dominates in NYFL opener

MODESTO - The Manteca Cowboys overcame mistakes and missed opportunities on offense by clamping down on the other side of scrimmage in their 14-6 varsity victory over the Central Valley Panthers Saturday at Prescott Elementary.

RIDING HIGH

Meghan Matthews is the third-ranked 16-year-old amateur BMX racer in the nation and first in California.

THE RANCH’S THIRD BIRD

WESTON RANCH - Tyra Vickers-Kearney isn't using wins and losses as a gauge for success.

Changes made to Section playoffs

The anticipated realignment of Sac-Joaquin Section conferences won't come to pass until the 2010-11 school year, but changes to the football playoff format has been approved to begin this fall.

East Union freshman takes third — twice

It's Day 3 of Sarah Phillips' transition from New Haven School 8th grader to East Union High freshman.

WHERE THE JR. BUFFALOES ROAM

The Manteca Jr. Buffaloes conducted a practice at Seqouia School Thursday afternoon.

Former Buffalo standout signs with D-II power

Dominique Barnes left one successful program and will go to another. The 2009 Manteca High graduate is heading out to Columbia, S.C. today to get settled in at Benedict College, an NCAA Division II men's basketball powerhouse. Barnes, a 6-foot-4 forward, averaged 8.5 points and 6.1 rebounds last winter while helping Manteca capture its first Valley Oak League championship in 20 years. The Buffaloes were 13-1 in conference action and 24-4 overall. "He would have ...

Mantecan treks 140.6 miles to personal glory

Forty-four-year-old Mantecan Rob de Groot sacrificed plenty just to prepare for last Saturday's 20th Full Vineman Triathlon, the oldest independent Ironman event in the country, in Sonoma County.

JUST FOR KICKS

The Manteca Area Soccer League hosted a player development camp Wednesday at Woodward Park.

SLEEPLESS IN STOCKTON

STOCKTON - Senior grad night and the always-pesky Kimball softball team almost got the better of Sierra in Friday's Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV semifinal at Arnaiz Stadium.

Pain is gain for Indiana State signee Ortiz

That too-skinny and too-slow Nick Ortiz you used to know is now an NCAA Division I scholarship athlete.

Vander Molen shines in rare start for RC, but Bradshaw prevails

LODI – Ripon Christian's Danny Vander Molen was handed the ball for just his third start of the season Friday night.

STAYING ON TRACK

Phillip Herrera and Emmanuel Elijah opted not to join their senior classmates at Magic Mountain Thursday night.

Raiders rout T’Wolves behind Palazzo’s 15 Ks

LODI - Chandler Bengston woke up Central Catholic's bats with a loud two-run dinger that sparked a game-breaking, two-out rally.

BOUND FOR GLORY

Sierra High's 4x100 boys relay team broke the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV/V Meet record Tuesday on its home track.

PAST PLAYOFFS PAY OFF

STOCKTON - There was no fist pump. No twirl of the putter. Not even a smile cracked the face of the always even-keel Will Brink.

Sierra hosting section meet today, Thursday

Sierra High has built it.

RIPON WAVES

SO, WE MEET AGAIN

Manteca and Ripon Christian begin the Sac-Joaquin Section Division playoffs against familiar foes next week.

Sierra among VOL teams favored to reach section final

The road to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship appears to go through the Valley Oak League once again.

Three area swimmers in line for frosh-soph titles

Ripon High's Zach Scudder and freshman Scott Tolman of Sierra are two of the favorites in today's Sac-Joaquin Section frosh-soph final in the 100-yard breast stroke.

RC controls Delta for first playoff win

RIPON - It was two years ago on this same field that four current Ripon Christian seniors experienced heartache.

Former EU teammates earn top Cal Pac honors

Teammates turned rivals were recognized by the California Pacific Conference on Wednesday.

Central Catholic’s Rose bound for NDNU

Ripon resident and Central Catholic senior Aimee Rose has signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her volleyball career at Notre Dame de Namur University. She will major in kinesiology at the Belmont-based Catholic school.