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Ripon Highs Contente is TVL Coach of the Year
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Second place is a virtual championship for the six public schools in the Trans-Valley League for boys and girls basketball, and Ripon High was able to capture both this season.

The girls squad posted its most successful campaign in four years, and George Contente was rewarded for his patience by being named Coach of the Year.

Danielle Thompson of the five-time defending champion Modesto Christian Crusaders reigns as the Most Valuable Player.

Contente led the Lady Indians to a 10-2 mark in the TVL and 21-6 overall in his sixth year at the helm. The East Union graduate inherited a powerhouse back in 2005-06, when Ripon went undefeated in a then Modesto Christian-free TVL and went 25-4 overall.

Ripon finished 25-7 and reached the Sac-Joaquin Section IV finals in his second season, but Contente was forced to rebuild starting in 2007-08 with four freshmen and a sophomore.

Only two of those freshmen stuck it out for four years, and they too were awarded with all-league honors. Senior center Rachel Rodriguez and senior guard Kendra Contente were joined by sophomore Ruth Waters on the list.

Ripon got a tough break in the postseason. Seeded ninth in a deep D-IV bracket, the Indians’ season ended on the road as they lost to No. 8 Linden in the opening round.

Ripon’s boys, meanwhile, are in the middle of their rebuilding process but proved that their future is now. They went 9-3 in a much-improved TVL that proved challenging for five-time champ Modesto Christian. Sharpshooting senior Jared Ratto and rugged 6-foot-4 junior center Jake McCreath were both selected to the all-TVL team, while point guard Cole Herrin — the best of Ripon’s five sophomores — earned honorable mention.

The Indians (17-12) were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by No. 3 Colfax.