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.

Bulletin’s All-Area POY finds good fit

Andy Scott spent months looking for the right fit, turning down scholarship offers from NCAA Division I and II teams after graduating from Sierra High in May. So he continued to fine tune his game with the prestigious NorCal Baseball's senior team, which practices and hosts games at St. Mary's College in Moraga. The right fit, as it turns out, was right under his feet. The Gaels' coaching staff saw the potential in Scott's arm, ...

EU grad takes talents north to Sacramento State

There was no dilemma for 2007 East Union High alumnus Dustin Pfaff. Following two successful seasons with Modesto Junior College's football team, the 6-foot, 290-pound offensive lineman attracted many offers from small four-year universities. But when Sacramento State offered a partial scholarship he didn't flinch. Pfaff, who is still receiving offers from other schools, leaves for Sacramento today after friends, family, former coaches and teammates bade him farewell Friday night at Mikasa Japanese Bistro ...

Silvia gets attention, scholarship from Tabor

Emily Silvia figured that her softball career was close to being over. After graduating from Sierra High this past spring and helping the Timberwolves enjoy one of their all-time best seasons in which they were a win shy of capturing a share of the program's first-ever Valley Oak League championship, Silvia's options were to try out for one of the nearby junior colleges or concentrate on academics at a four-year university. But before heading out ...

GILMER CROWNED NATIONAL CHAMP

Staff reports of the Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin STEAD, Nev. – Coming off the International Karting Federation Kid Kart Division Region 11 points championship, Manteca's Jarrett Gilmer, an 8-year-old third grader at Veritas School, didn't know if he would make it to nationals. Each year the IKF holds a two-day national championship in which the coveted "Duffy" trophy is awarded to the best driver in each division sanctioned under IKF racing. This season, the IKF 2-Stroke ...

Osakue signs with D-III power

All McDouglas Osakue wanted was an opportunity to continue doing what he loves most after graduating from Sierra High in 2007. Following a two-year stint at Gavilan College in Gilroy, his football career will be extended for at least two more after signing with NCAA Division III powerhouse John Carroll University of Ohio earlier this month. "It helped me out to prepare for the next level, and it gave me a chance to show people ...

Ripon takes MVSL title; Manteca third

TURLOCK - Led by seven high-point winners, including an impressive 1-2-3 sweep in the 6-under girls division, the Ripon Sea Lions dominated in claiming the Mid-Valley Swim League Championships title Saturday at Pitman High. Ripon racked up a whopping 1,215 points to runner-up Tracy's 778. The Manteca Dolphins finished third with 457. The Dolphins didn't have any high-point award winners but did have five swimmers crack the top three. Mallory Brubaker, who won the 7-8-year-old ...

GOLDEN BOY

Matthew Guerrero hits the books harder than he does his opponents. By his own admission, the 13-year-old Joshua Cowell School 8th grader is not a heavy-handed puncher, instead using ring smarts, developed skills, natural instincts and athletic ability to outpoint his way to a winning 20-8 amateur boxing record. Guerrero, who sported a 3.83 GPA last school term, put his knowledge of the sweet science to use last weekend to achieve his greatest feat. In ...

Granada ousts Weston Ranch

LIVERMORE - Weston Ranch Little League's 13-14-year-old all-stars went from nearly tying the game to being blown completely out of it.

Garcia, Ostertag lead Weston Ranch’s upset of Union City in section play

LIVERMORE -Union City was figured to be the team to beat in the California Little League Section 3 Junior Division Tournament.

Northgate all-stars fall short

SAN LORENZO - Larry Lucchetti has called it the deepest all-star team Northgate Little League has ever fielded at the 11-12-year-old major division.

TITLE HOPES SLIP AWAY

LODI - Manteca was one pitch away from advancing to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV finals for the second time in three years.

Ragsdale, Bradshaw blank RC

LODI - Austin Ragsdale is no small-time pitcher on a small-school team.

Brink is first EU player to qualify for state tourney

Will Brink didn't need a playoff hole to qualify for the CIF State Golf Championships, but he did need a strong finish to earn his spot.

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.