SHARING GOALS

RIPON – The Ripon Indians simply feel it's time to hang a Trans Valley League banner in their gym. Ripon Christian has every reason in the world to feel its first season in the Southern League can result in a championship.

ANYBODY’S RACE

Goodbye Ceres and Central Valley, and good riddance.

AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Never mind that the school year begins next Monday, Aug. 16.

SPARTANS MAKING STRIDES

LATHROP - In a little over a month, the Lathrop Spartans will begin their second football campaign at the varsity level and the only certainty the club has is that the challenge won't get any easier.

THE LONG ROUTE BACK

The ill-effects of a heart-wrenching Sac-Joaquin Section playoff loss to Casa Roble is something of the past for the Manteca Buffaloes. Now the squad is poised to make a run at the Valley Oak League championship, and hopefully make a return trip to the section title game in the process.

BRINGING THE HEAT

STOCKTON – One program is trying to defend a piece of a league title for the first time in school history.

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.

Stevens finds his touch as Ripon topples McNair

Cole Stevens had his best shooting effort on a night in which he did not feel well.

Third-quarter onslaught buoys Manteca win

Gregori-Modesto closed out the first half against host Manteca on an 11-2 run and then watched the Buffaloes blitz out of the locker room on a 21-4 run on the way to a 57-52 non-league boys basketball win at Winter Gymnasium.

REIGN & SHINE

Much has changed in the Southern League volleyball ranks, but one thing has remained the same: Ripon Christian still rules this court.

Wyatt clutch for Sierra in McDonald’s Classic

In a matchup of 6-foot-8 centers, it was 5-10 guard Daniel Wyatt who came through in a big way for Sierra in its McDonald's Classic opener Wednesday at Delta College.

Campiotti selected as OD All-American

Manteca High freshman Gino Campiotti has been given the rare opportunity to showcase his talents to college coaches on the other side of the country.

Ripon works for 2nd victory

Angelo Baciocco sparked Ripon with an early win in the 152-pound bout, and the Indians benefitted from two forfeit victories to knock off visiting Waterford 45-33 in a nonleague dual Wednesday.

WHERE’S THE LOVE?

The Ripon Christian boys soccer team rolled to Southern League and Sac-Joaquin Section championships, chasing only history throughout its magical run.

T’wolves take charge in 3rd

Sierra came out of the halftime locker room on fire Tuesday night, using a 21-0 third-quarter run to stop Ripon Christian in its tracks, 55-34.

Paschini picks up ice-cold Indians

RIPON - Rod Wright can't remember a team from his past that has shot as poorly to start a season as his current club.

Sophomores spark Manteca to first win

Sometimes, a routine can be good.

REINDEL IS GOLDEN

STOCKTON – In his first varsity wrestling match East Union's Jaysen Reindel fought back from a 10-4 deficit Saturday in the 220-pound championship match of the McNair Invitational to get a pin and take home the gold medal.

Full-court press stops Manteca High

STOCKTON – Beset by injuries and illness, Manteca endured a suffocating full-court press for all but the game's last three minutes from Lincoln in a 54-21 win for the host Trojans in non-league girls. basketball action on Saturday.

3-pointers cost Knights title of Tipoff Tourney

Ripon Christian started the championship game of Riverbank's Ron Peterson Tipoff Tournament on a 13-0 run Saturday against Calaveras-San Andreas, but that was not enough to keep the Knights from ending up where they have the last two years in this tournament – second place.

‘X-FACTOR’

Will Kamps proved that his sophomore campaign was no fluke.

Tillema’s double-double powers RC

Ripon Christian appears to be hitting its stride.