Keira Brink won two individual events and was part of two runner-up relays, helping Sierra’s girls swim team place fifth out of 15 schools in the Merced County Championship on Saturday.
Brink topped a field of 111 competitors in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing in 25.72 seconds. She also won the 100 free in 56.04. She was also on the 200 medley relay with Bianca Fraser, Jennifer Graves and Gianna Ramos, and the quartet clocked in at 2 minutes, 6.68 seconds for second place. Olivia Navarro joined Brink, Fraser and Graves on the 200 free relay, which finished in 1:52.35.
Graves was also a standout in the meet, winning the 500 free in 5:35.70 and taking second in the 200 free in 2:04.86. Stephanie Thomason was fourth in the 500 free in 6:16.95.
Fraser placed third in the 100 fly (1:07.37) and sixth in the 200 individual medley (2:35.35). Ramos took ninth in the 100 free (1:02.91), and Amy Fadeff finished 10th in the 100 breaststroke (1:25.79).
BOYS TENNIS
Oakdale 5, Sierra 4
Sierra (3-1, 7-1 overall) dropped the VOL first-place battle that could have went either way.
The host Mustangs won the Nos. 2-5 singles matches in straight sets, and the No. 1 doubles pair of Levi Hensley and Matthew Yakligian edged out the Timberwolves’ Sparsh Beedi and Sid Gopendran, 6-1, 4-6, 5-7.
For Sierra, Brady Alves stretched his undefeated streak to start the season with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Parker Whitemyer in the No. 1 singles match. Santiago Franco held on to take the No. 6 match for the T’wolves 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 against Camden Knight.
Ryan Alves and Harshith Kumar won at No. 2 doubles, 7-5, 7-5. Zain Ali and Alex Rey Rosario prevailed in three sets at No. 3 doubles.
SOFTBALL
Lathrop 11, Grace Davis 1
In Modesto, Ariana Fuentes (four innings, eight strikeouts) and Maci De Costa (three IP, four Ks) combined for a four-hitter and were supported by an offense that racked up 16 hits. Lathrop improved to 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference and 8-1 overall.
“It was a great day for us offensively,” Lathrop coach Stephanie Maestretti said. “Every batter in the lineup got at least one hit. To be able to see production top to bottom is a pretty great thing to see as a coach.”
Luz De Luna (2 for 4, double, two runs) and Tatianna Lopez (2 for 5, run) powered the attack with three RBIs apiece. De Costa went 4 for 5, and Tianna Gonzalez hit a double, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs. Aubree Martinez (two runs) and Fuentes (RBI) both went 2 for 4.
Lathrop 7, Beyer 5
On Monday, Lathrop was held to five hits on the road but managed to come away with the victory.
Tianna Gonzalez hit a triple in her 2-for-5 effort and plated two runs. Luz De Luna went 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs.
Ariana Fuentes pitched four innings for the win, striking out seven while surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. Maci De Costa threw the final three frames, finishing with four strikeouts while giving up two runs and six hits.
Big Valley Christian 2, Ripon 1 (8)
The host Lions (5-3-1) tied it in the sixth and scored the game-winner in the eighth.
Ripon’s Kharime Caratachea did her part in the pitcher’s duel, amassing 16 strikeouts while giving up no walks, five hits and one earned run. Ava Hernandez struck out 15 in a four-hitter for Big Valley.
Caratachea also drove in Izabelle Spurzem in the second inning for the Indians’ lone run.
Ripon (6-3) opens Trans-Valley League play Thursday at Hughson.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Lathrop 3, Weston Ranch 0
The Spartans (12-4) avenged one of their previous losses on Monday, downing the Cougars in Stockton, 25-19, 25-17, 25-18. Weston Ranch entered the week ranked second in the Sac-Joaquin Section, according to MaxPreps.
Gabriel Fa’ali’i spearheaded Lathrop with 16 kills, setter Alexander Vere amassed 35 assists to go with two kills and libero Charles Reyes rung up 35 digs and three aces.
Cameron Loyola contributed six kills and a block. Marco Palomares chipped in five kills, four blocks, two aces and four digs. Peter Respicio added four kills and three digs.
BOYS GOLF
Lathrop 266, West 296
Brayden Beckman was low medalist with a 3-over 39 in the WAC dual match Monday on the Manteca Park Golf Course front nine. The freshman’s round was highlighted by a birdie on hole 6.
It was the Spartans’ best nine-hole score of the season. Jayden Wall pitched in with a 53, Ariyan Patel with a 55, Raphael Iniguez with a 59 and Jared Isla with a 60.
Tayler Zabaldo paced the visiting Wolf Pack with a 53.
BASEBALL
Ripon 15, Riverbank 2 (5)
Isaac Sandoval drilled two triples and finished 3 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs, as the Indians (3-0, 8-3 overall) dominated the TVL road game.
Dawson Downs added a solo homer, going 2 for 3 with three runs scored. Owen Wilbur legged out a triple and went 2 for 2 with two runs and two RBIs. Renzo Garcia also scored twice and drove in two runs, finishing 2 for 3.
Brody Abbott (two innings, two strikeouts), Joseph Molthen (two IP, four Ks, two runs) and Dom Lopez (inning, hit, K) handled pitching duties.
JV boys volleyball
Lathrop 2, Weston Ranch 1
The Spartans came away with the 25-17, 23-25, 15-10 victory.
Mario Luna led the balanced attack with 21 assists. Elias Medel (two aces, two digs) and Richard Truon (two blocks) each had five kills, while Diego Alvarez produced three kills, three aces and three digs.
Josh Ramirez contributed eight digs and three aces.
JV softball
Beyer 16, Lathrop 13
Cerreny Perez produced three RBIs, finishing 2 for 3. Kalea Rogers had a hit with two RBIs. Arielle Copper contributed an RBI hit, while Zoe Mateo and Charlotte Serrano each chipped in a hit.
