Sierra’s boys and girls track and field teams secured at least a share of the Valley Oak League championships on Thursday with their wins at Oakdale.
The boys won comfortably 85-55, while the girls squeaked it out, 71.5-69.5. Both squads are now 5-0 in league duals and will look to garner outright title claims next Thursday, April 23 against visiting Central Catholic.
The girls competition wasn’t decided until the final race, with Sierra winning the 4x400 relay. The T’wolves also took the 4x100 and got big points in the 200-meter dash by sweeping the event.
Mya Everett won the long, triple and high jumps. Tyleah Badea and Anna Dittman picked up important points in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 against Oakdale’s standout distance runners.
Christian Gonzalez won all three distance events for the boys, while Blama Kamara spearheaded sweeps in the 200 and 400.
The Timberwolves also won the 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800.
BOYS GOLF
Trans Valley League
Cru Sullivan finished 6-under-par 66, while runner-up Andrew Bogetti added a 67 at Pine Mountain Lake Country Club to help Ripon win the sixth TVL tournament of the season.
The Indians fended off second-place Ripon Christian, 377-393. Hughson took third with a 436. Hilmar (454), Sonora (468) and Escalon (473) followed.
Hudson Schenk placed third individually for Ripon Christian at even-par 72.
Alan Bunchien contributed a 78 for Ripon, good for seventh place. Richie Hughes rounded out the top 10 with an 81. Sam Stewart took 12th with an 85.
Freshman Thomas Graham (fourth, 74th), Carter Van Groningen (seventh, 78) and Matthew Ubick (ninth, 80) pitched in top-10 scores for Ripon Christian. Jeremy Molloy tacked on an 89.
The final regular-season tourney is next Thursday, April 23 at The Reserve at Spanos Park.
BASEBALL
Ripon Christian 12, Holt Academy 1
Jackson Howell hit for the cycle at Billy Hebert Field, finishing 5 for 5 with two doubles, three runs and four RBIs for the Knights (20-2).
The non-league contest went the distance, as Ripon Christian scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to stretch the differential to double digits.
Trenton Cloward led a trio of sophomore pitchers who combined for a four-hitter. He gave up all four hits and an unearned run over five innings, striking out six against two walks for the win. Jimmie Bakker had two strikeouts in his one-inning appearance, and Jack Strickland closed it out.
Cloward also contributed to the attack, going 3 for 4 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs. Stadtler Postma (two steals, three runs, RBI) and Tyler Wadlow (run) both went 2 for 4. Talen Tameling chipped in a triple and two RBIs.
Holt Academy (15-9) plated its lone run in the third, when Isaac Gonzalez knocked in Myles Harris.
Central Valley 15, Lathrop 0 (5)
In Ceres, the Hawks (10-0, 16-7 overall) blew it open with a seven-run first inning and remains unbeaten in the Western Athletic Conference.
Vaughn Sanchez (doubled), Tommy Hammond, Thomas Dominguez Olea, Ayden Louie and Elijah McAllister each had a hit for Lathrop (4-6, 7-13).
SOFTBALL
Manteca 9, Patterson 7
The visiting Buffaloes (5-3 VOL, 12-7 overall) broke out with a seven-run rally in the first inning, and the lead held up from there.
Sienna Owen sparked the attack, going 3 for 4 with a triple, a run and two RBIs. Aleisa Harris went 2 for 4 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Bella Cooper finished 4 for 4 with a run and an RBI.
Winning pitcher Isabel Tonna threw the first four innings, while Riley Ward faced 10 batters in the final three (three strikeouts, walk, no hits) for the save.
Patterson (2-7, 7-14) committed three errors, leading to two unearned runs.
Oakdale 8, Sierra 1
Maitland Kohoutek tagged a triple that plated Izabella Cervantez in the top of the seventh inning for the Timberwolves’ lone run. Sierra (1-9 VOL, 6-9 overall) was held to four hits by Oakdale pitchers Emily Thomasson (six innings, six strikeouts) and Saige Everett (inning, strikeout).
Briley Everett highlighted the Oakdale (7-2, 10-9) offense with a 3-for-4 effort that included three runs, a double and a triple.
Escalon 18, Ripon Christian 1 (6)
The Knights (1-6 TVL, 2-12 overall) tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning when Austynn MacWilliams (2 for 2) was driven in by fellow freshman Annabelle Hoff.
Escalon (5-3, 7-11) continued its assault from there, breaking it open with five runs in the third and eight in the sixth.
Ripon 14, Sonora 3 (5)
A 10-run onslaught in the top of the fourth inning was the difference for Ripon (6-1, 15-5).
Angelina Martinez (3 for 4, two runs) and Jackie Faria (2 for 4, run) both blasted a home run and racked up four RBIs.
Ellie Spurzem (2 for 4, two RBIs) also homered, and Addison Naranjo went 3 for 4 with three runs. Izabelle Spurzem (2 for 3, double, run, three RBIs) and Teagan Osborn (2 for 2, run) added two hits apiece.
Clara Townsend pitched all five innings for the win, striking out five in a mercy-shortened four-hitter.
