BIG AS A BUFFALO

Standing 5-foot-6, it would be hard to see Matt Barber as the big man on campus. But if you ask anyone on the Manteca Buffaloes' 20-man roster and they will tell you there was no bigger Buffalo than Barber.

PRIME POSITION

Brittany LaMar has been behind the dish for the East Union Lancers for the past three seasons.

UNSTOPPABLE

Ripon High's unprecedented four-year run between 2007-10 in girls soccer wouldn't have been possible without the influx of talent that poured into the program.

Track newcomer exceeded even his own expectations

Vincent Herrera didn't know what he was getting into when he began training with Manteca High's track and field team on March 3.

2010 MANTECA BULLETIN ALL-AREA BOYS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

• John Bowers, Sierra senior: The Bulletin's All-Area Cross Country Runner of the Year in the fall qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet in both distance events. After winning the Valley Oak League's 3,200-meter race, he placed third in the same event as well as the 1,600 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III meet.
• Kolton Cody, Sierra junior: Area's top sprinter was instrumental in the Timberwolves' run to the SJS Division-III title. Won the 100-meter dash and took second in the 200 in league and was a part of the winning 4x100 relay team in ...

GONE IN 60 SECONDS

East Union freshman Megan Jordan was more concerned about finishing the race in less than 1 than doing so as No. 1.

HOME ON THE RANGE

The mission to remain the best golfer in the Valley Oak League drove East Union's Kyle Harman to his third consecutive Bulletin All-Area Golfer of the Year honor.

WAITING HIS TURN

For two years it was Luis Ochoa of Ceres High and everybody else in the Valley Oak League.

FINISHED PRODUCT

When it was all said and done, Sierra High's Zach Holmstrom left an undeniable mark on the Timberwolves' swimming program. Sure the boys squad could not fend off challengers for the coveted Valley Oak League title, but sometimes victories are not always measured with championships.

HALL-MARK SEASON

Kara Hall had every opportunity to settle on her outstanding accomplishments for the Sierra High swim program a season ago, but the junior had no such let down, improving on an already successful career by being named the 2010 Bulletin All-Area Swimmer of the Year.

Hammering home

STOCKTON - Amy Haapanen is returning home later this week.

IT’S HALL GOOD

STOCKTON – With overtime not being an option, Stagg High head coach Don Norton decided to leave fate in the hands of his players with just two minutes remaining – Sierra graduate Anthony Hall's hands answered the call.

THE VOL SHOW

STOCKTON – Cherie DeJesus wasted little time making an impact in the 20th Annual High School All-Star Softball Classic, driving a pitch over the leftfield fence for an instant 2-0 lead and establishing the inside track to the game's Most Valuable Player honors in the South's 16-7 win over the North Friday at the University of the Pacific's Softball Complex.

South scores two in ninth for come-from-behind win

STOCKTON – After Matt Barber did his part with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt in the top of the ninth with runners on first and second with no outs, the South botched a routine out at the plate leading to a pair of North runs in their 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the South Friday at Klein Family Field on the University of the Pacific campus.

North players have game faces on after fun week

STOCKTON - Don Norton, head coaching the North team in the 37th Annual Lions International All-Star Football Classic today at the University of the Pacific, demanded more urgency and intensity out of the players after the first of two practices Friday.

LAST CHANCE

LATHROP - It's now or never for Alex Garcia, a wrestler with a rich bloodline and one glaring omission on an otherwise sparkling resume.

Reindel grows up fast competing with the big boys

Help wanted: East Union seeking suitable training partners for blossoming 220-pound wrestler.

Patterson pounds Weston Ranch

PATTERSON - Patterson head coach Elizabeth Tolleson burned two timeouts in the first three-plus minutes of the fourth quarter to give her overtaxed players a breather.

Ripon Christian’s balanced attack too much for Millennium in D-V

RIPON - The Ripon Christian girls basketball team turned up the intensity against Millennium of Tracy in second-round action of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V on Thursday.

MUST all-star game retuns

The Maryann Wallace Pangburn 7/8 Grade All-Star Classic will return to Sierra High this Saturday after a one-year hiatus.

Sierra overcomes illness, pesky Fairfield in first-round victory

When one of your best players is sick, gets in foul trouble and is double-teamed all night that could be trouble.

CLOSE CALL

Tyler Graves-Kelso threw his body into the stands, his hands into the passing lanes, and more importantly, he threw a perfect strike to Marcus Montano with the game on the line.

Big-game experience lifts Weston Ranch

CERES - Young, yes, but these Cougars from Weston Ranch are far from inexperienced.

Undersized Ripon comes up short vs. Marysville

Erik Scheive found space at the back-door, finishing a third-quarter lob with authority.

MOVING ON

STOCKTON - Rosemont stifled Weston Ranch's guards early and fully controlled the tempo in Tuesday's Sac-Joaquin Section Division III opener.

Placer withstands East Union

AUBURN - Olivia Vezaldenos gave East Union High its first lead of Tuesday's Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoff basketball game by draining a 3-pointer with 56 seconds to play in the opening half.

Multi-sport star finds his groove on hardwood

Marcus Montano has scored bending free kicks at the final whistle to win soccer games.

Ripon off target against No. 3 West Campus

Inconsistency on offense has plagued Ripon all season, and the 14th-seeded Indians battled through the shooting yips once again in their Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV opener at No. 3 West Campus.

RC boys, girls play waiting game

Ripon Christian's first-round opponent?

ROLLING WITH RENA

Jim Agostini didn't recognize the number, but there was no mistaking the voice on the other end of the line.