Garcia gets redemption at nationals

After his bittersweet fifth-place showing at last month's CIF State Championships, it looked like Turlock High wrestler Fabian Garcia could no longer wrestle. His voice was low, his head was down. He couldn't hide his sadness and dissatisfaction in his post-match interviews.

Saavedra survives, becomes national champ

For his trip to Ohio, Pitman High freshman Emilio Saavedra carried with him more than just his clothes and wrestling gear. Metaphorically speaking, he had a giant monkey on his back.

Clearing the air

In order for Alycia Wagner to describe the initial feeling she had during her first time pole vaulting, the Cal State Stanislaus senior traveled back to her childhood, when life seemed to be a little bit more carefree.

TC student-athlete receives scholarship award

Cheyenne Perry, a four-year volleyball and softball player at Turlock Christian High, has been awarded scholarship money as one of 49 winners of the A. Dale Lacky/CSEA Scholarships for outstanding performances in athletics, community service and academics during high school.

Feeling the heat

ATWATER - Clay Cozzitorto just had one more inning left to pitch. He had shut out his opponents all afternoon, and he was mentally prepared to face them again. But there was something he wasn't ready for.

Surging Pitman softball tops Turlock for first win in 3 years

The goal is always to beat Turlock High. But for the Pitman High softball team, some years are just wishful thinking.

High school round up

With one of their best pitchers on the mound, the Turlock High baseball team exacted revenge over Merced High on Wednesday afternoon in Merced. Sophomore Nick Voumard pitched three scoreless innings and the Bulldogs won 6-0 to regain control of the Central California Conference.

THS’ Moreno captures national title

This is how much Turlock High junior Alexia Moreno and Santa Fe High's Tamara Tillman wanted a national wrestling title: In the second round of their 121-pound final match of the USAW Girls Folkstyle National Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla., last weekend, the two bumped heads in an attempt to gain a shot at the same exact time.

After being stadium-less, Turlock athletes have a place to practice, excel

It was an oh-so ordinary day for the Turlock High track and field athletes on Monday afternoon at Joe Debely Stadium. Hurdlers and jumpers loosened their limbs on an artificial turf field. Runners warmed up on an all-weather track. Pole vaulters battled a slight wind down a marked runway before extending skyward.

Area swimmers hope to make a splash this season

Swimming might be one of the tougher spring sports. It's not just because of the amount of pain a swimmer puts himself or herself through by swimming lap after lap. In this sport, there aren't too many days off.

Bulldogs suffer first season loss

It wasn't like Turlock High baseball didn't have opportunities.

No one can escape the Madness

This is a column.

Pitman bests Turlock in soccer upset

Asked to recount her version of the goal that gave her Pitman High girls soccer team its first win over crosstown nemesis Turlock High in six years, senior forward Hannah Verschelden could not provide all the details. All she remembered was she wanted to lace the ball with some power and kick it away from the goalkeeper.

Track athletes hope to develop as season progresses

It's still early in the track and field season, but athletes from Pitman, Turlock, Turlock Christian, Denair and Hilmar high schools have already been challenged. It's not just all the time and effort they have to put in that will help them become faster or stronger. It's the weather.

Bulldogs extend undefeated record

As the weeks and games go by, the Turlock High baseball team is beginning to look more and more like an unstoppable force.The latest evidence of this came Thursday afternoon at the Bulldogs' own baseball field, where they powered through with another win. This time, it a 4-1 triumph over Buhach Colony High in Central California Conference action, improving Turlock's league record to ...

Before he became QB of the 49ers, Kaepernick was a Pitman standout looking for a chance to play coll

The piece of binder paper is slightly wrinkled. Surprisingly, it's still rather white after being stored in a manila envelope for about seven years. On the sheet are words written by an 11-year-old boy. This boy made a collection of bold predictions in Bret Sutterley's fourth-grade class at Turlock's Dutcher Elementary School. In 1998, the teacher instructed his students to write a letter to their future selves with thoughts on what they'll be ...

Goodbye, Turlock

Though I grew up in the Central Valley, I knew very little about Turlock. I knew it had a college, a couple high schools, good places to eat and shop … and that was about it. Call me naïve back then. After three years at the Journal, I will never look at Turlock the same again. I started as an education reporter in September 2008, but a few months later I segued ...

Pitman breezes through first round

The first two sets were a breeze. As for the third set? The Pitman High volleyball players knew they had to stay cool against a Kennedy High team that wanted to capture just one set before a long drive back to Sacramento. The setback, however, was no big deal for the No. 6 Pride, who overcame two late deficits for the 25-8, 25-8, 25-23 win at the Pitman High gym on Tuesday ...

Pride water polo’s fast start results in postseason win

MODESTO - It wasn't much of a challenge, not because Pitman High boys water polo faced a much lesser opponent. It was just that the Pride made it look that way. "Our guys just came out real hot," coach Drew Clute said. That statement perfectly summed up Pitman's performance against Johansen High, the top seed from the Modesto Metro Conference, in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Tournament ...

Bulldogs water polo stomp over Modesto, enter today’s quarterfinals

MODESTO - In Saturday's Sac-Joaquin Section Division I opening round match against Modesto High, there was a sequence that made veteran Turlock High boys water polo coach Steve Feaver think, "Oh, wow." It happened near the end of the second period, when the Bulldogs were down two defenders. Usually, when a team is on the defensive, the players give up an easy goal. Not this time. Senior goalkeeper Neil Wraske knocked down ...

Pitman, Turlock, Hilmar football set for playoffs

Last week, the Pitman High and Turlock High football teams produced a Harvest Bowl classic. The game ended in the final seconds in the regular season finale. Pitman celebrated joyously after winning 16-13, while Turlock came together for a somber post-game meeting. But now, it's time to move on. The No. 7 Pride (9-1 overall) will host No. 10 West High of Tracy (6-4 overall) at Debely Stadium on Thursday at ...

Another close one

Pitman, Turlock football trade jabs in recent Harvest Bowls

For the first few years, the main location of the Harvest Bowl trophy was on the Pitman High campus. But for the last four years, it's been moving from place to place like an unstable sports franchise. Truthfully, the owners of the Harvest Bowl trophy don't do too much to the shiny object. Maybe they'll take a picture with it or show it off from time to time. Other than that, it ...

THS, TC golfers end season at Masters

STOCKTON - For golfers from Turlock High and Turlock Christian High, their season ended among the best golfers in the Sac-Joaquin Section. At Monday's Masters Tournament, which was set in nice, non-windy weather, Hannah Gong shot an impressive 13-over par 85 to finish as the top Turlock scorer at The Reserve at Spanos Park as her Bulldogs finished with a 466 - not enough to move on - and beating last year's team ...

Not enough for Hilmar

HILMAR - In perhaps the biggest game since winning the 2008 Sac-Joaquin Section title, the Hilmar High football team knew what was at stake Friday night in the mega-showdown against Escalon High, which is best known as the defending state champ in Division III. But a poor first half was too much for the Yellowjackets to overcome. Despite holding the Cougars scoreless in the final two quarters, as well as rendering standout ...

Bulldogs soccer wins first league title in 15 years

After Tuesday's loss to Golden Valley High, the Turlock High boys soccer team thought its hopes of a Central California Conference title were gone. "We basically thought we lost it already when we lost to Golden Valley," Turlock junior forward Ty Hyer said. But they didn't. They needed to beat crosstown rival Pitman High for a third time on Thursday afternoon, and that's what the Bulldogs did - though just barely. ...

In Feaver’s home farewell, Bulldogs finish with undefeated season

In front of hundreds of cheering fans, and as the night fell cold underneath the lit up Turlock sky, Steve Feaver took a dip into the swimming pool. With his clothes on. Well, it was more like a forced dip, a sort of water polo's take on the Gatorade bath popular in other sports. His Turlock High players wanted to congratulate him in what likely was his final home match at the facility ...

Turlock water polo handles Pitman in season finale

When the season started, Turlock High girls water polo coach Sonja Raynes wasn't sure about her team. The Bulldogs were young. But after Thursday night's 9-1 win over crosstown rival Pitman High in the regular season final, Raynes knew what she had. The Bulldogs controlled the match from the very beginning and never let up, thanks to standout performances by Kristine Groteguth (two goals, one assist, six steals), Haley Raynes (two goals, ...

THS’ Barton top runner in final league meet

Though seemingly out of breath, Ron Barton walked past race officials and other runners around the finish line area and found a tree to lean on - well beyond his team's designated park tables, while other finishers slapped hands and talked about their performance. No one was around him. He wanted to be alone. In terms of time, he had completed his best race of the cross country season at the ...

Bulldogs lose starting QB to injury

Sean Downs, the tough and relentless Turlock High sophomore who quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a playoff berth, is out for the season. He fractured his collarbone during last week's 27-24 win over Golden Valley High at Veterans Stadium in Merced. He is unable to play for four weeks. The injury happened in the final 2 minutes of the Central California Conference game, when he sprinted toward the sideline and tried to get ...