SONORA - The first marquee soccer matchup in the Valley Oak League came on opening day Tuesday, and it was a chance for East Union to stake its claim as one of the conference's teams to beat.
MODESTO – Sierra High's defense only committed two errors, but they proved costly in the Timberwolves' 6-1 loss to Johansen High Tuesday.
­East Union's tennis team met its first test in Valley Oak League play Tuesday against defending singles champion Luis Ochoa and the Ceres Bulldogs.
LATHROP - Ripon played near perfect softball save for poor execution on the base paths on a few plays, but head coach Robert Vernon gave kudos to first-year varsity Lathrop's defensive effort.
Competing without some of its best players is nothing new to Ripon High's girls soccer team.
It was business as usual for the Sierra High golf team, which took care of Lathrop High's developing program with ease 205- 348 Tuesday at Manteca Golf Course.
MODESTO – The Sierra High sophomore baseball team got quality pitching from Mike Leland to cruise to an easy 6-1 non-league victory over Johansen Tuesday.
Don't write off Sierra High's girls soccer team because of its record. Yes, the 4-4 Timberwolves won't match their incredible 26-1-2 finish from 2009. Yes, they did graduate two of the area's most prolific goal scorers, including All-American and program record-holder Nicole Vanni, and two all-league defenders. And yes, they are still the ones to beat in the always-competitive Valley Oak League. The Timberwolves' .500 non-league finish can be more attributed to whom they played ...
Over the last three seasons it was Oakdale and everybody else in the Valley Oak League. With several key members graduated and another coming off offseason Tommy John surgery, the Mustangs may not be what they have been but are still formidable. Parity in the VOL is nothing new, but this year the rest of the contending field is looking to end Oakdale's three-year reign. Oakdale and Sonora qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV ...
Manteca High's boys golf team made easy work of Central Valley, 264-370, at Manteca Park Golf Course Monday, but coach Dave Fontanilla wants to see better with the Valley Oak League season now in full swing.
East Union goalie Taylor Maruca played solid throughout the Lancers' action in their three-team tournament Saturday, but her final play proved to loom largest, as the Lancers rode Maruca's penalty kick goalie-stand to the tourney title in front of the home fans.
Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong for Sierra High during a four-minute, tournament-costing portion of its 3-2 Vern Gebhardt Champions Cup loss to the Turlock Bulldogs Saturday in Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium
The pressure of hosting the 5th Annual Vern Gebhardt Champions Cup as defending champions didn't seem to faze Sierra High's soccer team, as the Timberwolves came out of pool play with a 3-0 win over Downey and a 2-0 win over Stagg Friday.
Sierra High's girls swimming team clinched its second straight outright Valley Oak League championship and third in a row overall in its final regular-season dual meet against East Union last year.
East Union High's track and field team found strength in numbers in blowout wins against undermanned Weston Ranch Thursday.
The budding friendship between Carl Chandler and Lechi Nkwocha was first tested on the pitch.
Twenty one area athletes will compete in the final Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet today and Friday, the last stop before the CIF State Championships.
LODI - Manteca was one pitch away from advancing to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV finals for the second time in three years.
Limping, Kianna Lamont entered the game in the eighth minute and nearly changed East Union's fortune with one good leg.
LODI - Austin Ragsdale is no small-time pitcher on a small-school team.
Jim Todd took a moment to himself to wade through the emotions following a season-ending loss to Colfax.
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.
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.
LODI – Ripon Christian's Danny Vander Molen was handed the ball for just his third start of the season Friday night.
RIPON – Kevin Tameling remembers a time not so long ago when Ripon Christian was all heart with little results.
Phillip Herrera and Emmanuel Elijah opted not to join their senior classmates at Magic Mountain Thursday night.
STOCKTON – Nicole Kaiser performed like she had a ticket to play Division I softball on Thursday.
Racing against time and trailing by a score, the East Union girls soccer team turned to desperation.
LODI – Jake Corn had confidence in his fastball.
LODI - Chandler Bengston woke up Central Catholic's bats with a loud two-run dinger that sparked a game-breaking, two-out rally.