Class is almost in session at Manteca-area schools, and that means the 2022 fall sports season is about to kick off.  

Official practices began for most sports on Monday, marking the start of the cross country, girls golf, girls tennis and girls volleyball seasons. Football teams had a one-week head start, beginning last Monday, July 25 and are transitioning to fully-padded and contact workouts. Water polo practices start Aug. 15.

The first day of scrimmages for all sports, except water polo, is on Aug. 12. The regular season opens Aug. 19 for varsity sports. Freshman football may begin Aug. 17, and junior varsity on Aug. 18. For water polo, scrimmages and official contests begin Aug. 20 and Aug. 26, respectively.

All zero-week football games are taking place locally, with Ripon taking the short trip

to East Union. Elsewhere, Sac-Joaquin Section Division III champ Manteca opens with Vista del Lago at Guss Schmiedt Field, Sierra plays host to Trans-Valley League power Hughson, Lathrop welcomes Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento and Ripon Christian tangles with California Interscholastic Federation Division IV-AA state runner-up Central Valley Christian (Visalia).

The Ripon Christian-Central Valley Christian showdown will be a multi-sport event for the two schools, as the volleyball teams compete at all three levels starting with the freshmen at 2 p.m.

Practice for the winter sports season starts on Halloween night. First-contest date for boys/girls soccer, boys/girls basketball and boys/girls wrestling is Nov. 18.

In the spring, baseball and softball practices start Jan. 30. Boys golf, boys tennis, boys volleyball and track and field begin practice on Feb. 6. First contests are on Feb. 17, and the 2022-23 sports calendar ends May 31.