Turlock’s Garcia is on a mission

Every time he's inside his school's wrestling room, Turlock High senior Fabian Garcia will look at the blue banner placed high on one of the walls. All the names of the program's past state medalists share a spot on the sign in yellow letters, with the champions distinguished in white.

Denair wrestling finishes with 2 league champions

At the start of the wrestling season, Denair High coach Don Helnore hoped to have champions at the Southern League Tournament, especially because the Coyotes were scheduled to host the postseason event. He had a couple wrestlers in mind who could possibly achieve the honor.

Hilmar qualifies 11 to division tourney

Coach Dave Exline and his Hilmar High wrestling team had a simple plan: Get as many wrestlers qualified as possible.

Pitman, Turlock qualify wrestlers at CCC tourney

ATWATER - This year's Central California Conference wrestling championships had a festive vibe. Some wrestlers dyed their hair blonde to perhaps highlight team camaraderie, as well as the start of the postseason. Another wrestler was spotted wearing pink socks.

Barajas inks rare feat

In the conference room at Turlock High's main office, athletic director Anthony Belew had to speak his mind to Josue Barajas, who signed his national letter of intent to play for Cal State Stanislaus men's soccer on Friday morning.

Turlock learns from shocking loss

Before her team even began league play, Turlock High girls basketball coach Salinda Mabie said the Bulldogs' undefeated streak in the Central California Conference was in jeopardy. It was a bold statement, but also a logical one.

THS wrestler dominates at Masters

At last weekend's Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament for girls wrestling, several of the coaches and wrestlers at the event stopped and watched Turlock High junior Alexia Moreno in action. It's unusual for anyone to get this kind of superstar treatment, but people in the high school wrestling community seem to think she's different.

Rivalry clashing

Held at Fitzpatrick Arena on the Cal State Stanislaus campus, the annual Denair-Turlock Christian basketball rivalry and homecoming games attracted hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of fans on Friday night. Those in attendance got to see the Turlock Christian girls team, thanks to a game-high 18 points from Kaisa Spycher and 38-6 halftime lead, beat the Denair girls 57-15. On the boys side, Clayton McDonald posted a rare triple-double ...

Few drop, some stay in latest power rankings

Despite going on respective winning streaks, a number of high school basketball teams in the Turlock area slipped down a spot or two in this week's Sac-Joaquin Section power ratings that determine playoff positions for the top 16 teams in each division, with the top eight to host the first round.

Denair’s Oei becomes a Warrior

While the nation's best high school football players made a spectacle of their signings with their respective colleges in front of TV cameras, news reporters and an ESPN audience, one Denair High athlete did it quietly.

Bulldogs reign supreme

In front of thousands of fans in one of the city's most anticipated boys basketball games, Anthony Hubbard became a legend, as well as a baseball prospect. In a can't-believe-he-did-that moment, the Turlock High senior guard nailed a full-court shot to end the third quarter.

Turlock wrestling escapes with win

When the Turlock High girls gym is packed with screaming fans, the place can feel like a coliseum with the bleachers rising well above the floor. So just imagine being one of the wrestlers in Wednesday night's crosstown rivalry dual matchup between Pitman High and Turlock High, with both teams fighting for a share of the Central California Conference title.

Bulldogs extend league winning streak vs. Pitman

Simply, the shots weren't falling. Some of them were high-percentage shots, the kind that the Turlock High girls basketball players see during warm-up drills. So coach Salinda Mabie supplied a simple message for her Bulldogs.

Saavedra’s showing helps Pride to Rumble title

It wasn't pretty, Pitman High wrestler Emilio Saavedra would later say about his path to another tournament title.

Several teams in good playoff positions

At best, Turlock High coach Doug Cornfoot thought his boys basketball team could be a No. 12 or 13 seed in the playoffs. That's because, he said, "there are so many good teams in Division I this year."

Pride drops early lead to Merced

Pitman High's girls basketball team suffered its fourth straight loss Thursday night when they hosted Merced High. The Bears (2-3 CCC) rallied in the second half to overtake the Pride (3-3 CCC), finishing the game 42-38. Pitman controlled the game early on, leading 12-3 at the end of the first quarter. Merced's offensive schemes were ineffective and its players seemed disoriented as Pitman's defense forced turnover after turnover. Alex DeChari's inside presence and ...

Turlock, Pitman wrestling teams each earn dual wins

Turlock High's wrestling team continued its impressive streak of dual wins on Wednesday. The Bulldogs (3-0 CCC) defeated Buhach Colony High 51-18, marking their 22nd consecutive dual win of the season. Turlock claimed 10 of the dual's 14 matches, recording three pins, two major decisions and one tech. The Bulldogs' quest for their seventh Central California Conference title in the last 10 years will hinge on their performance in the final two conference ...

Pitman orchestrates dramatic comeback in overtime win against Turlock

Turlock comes out on top; Missed shots foil Pitman’s chances at victory

It was a festival of fouls Tuesday night when the girls of Pitman High stepped onto the court in Bulldog Arena to face Turlock High. The Bulldogs (4-1 CCC) defeated the Pride (3-2 CCC) in their first meeting of the season 37-27, finishing second in the first round of CCC matchups. Pitman tried to establish an inside presence with Alex DiChari early in the game, scoring three points in the opening minutes of ...

Turlock falls to Cougars at home

Turlock High had a rough outing against Golden Valley High Friday night. The Bulldogs (3-1 CCC) struggled to hit their stride as the Cougars (3-1 CCC) handed them their first league loss by a score of 65-38. "Golden Valley is better than what they've been playing the last few games," Turlock's head coach Doug Cornfoot said. "We were hoping they would have a slump with their three-point shooting for one more game." <p ...

Pitman comes close, but falls short against Buhach

Pitman High's girls basketball team hosted Buhach Colony High Thursday night in its biggest game of the season so far. The Pride (3-1 CCC) and Thunder (4-0 CCC) played a physical, back and forth game in an attempt to maintain a perfect league record and claim a spot atop the CCC. Both teams entered the gym determined to win but it was the Thunder who left with their undefeated record intact, beating Pitman 45-42. ...

Pride overpowered by Cougars

Pitman High's wrestlers knew Wednesday's dual against Golden Valley High was going to be tough. Still, the Pride (1-1 CCC) entered their second dual of the year against the Cougars in high fashion, warming up to a theatrical multi-media introduction that projected a high degree of confidence. Unfortunately for Pitman, the intensity didn't translate onto the mat as the Cougars claimed victory 52-17. "We thought we'd get some more wins," Pitman's head coach ...

Girls basketball heats up

Turlock High's girls won their third straight game Thursday night against Golden Valley in a close contest. The 38-30 win positions the Bulldogs with Pitman in a tie for second place in the CCC, just in time for their first meeting of the season on Tuesday. Turlock led for the majority of the game, relying on Lindy Avila (13 points) and Shiloh Sotto (10 points) to put points on the board. Late in ...

Bulldogs beat Atwater, advance to 2-1 in CCC

The girls of Turlock High cruised to their second league victory against Atwater High Tuesday night. The Bulldogs (5-10 overall, 2-1 CCC) controlled the ball in every aspect in their 55-34 win over the Falcons (2-13 overall, 1-2 CCC). "We're playing better and better," Turlock's head coach Salinda Mabie said. "This was a strong performance for us at home." Turlock held a consistent lead over Atwater the entire game, using its press ...

TC’s team effort is too much for Denair

Turlock Christian High hosted Denair High's girls basketball team Monday night in another dominant performance. The Eagles (14-2 overall, 3-0 Southern League), who were without their star player Halie Bergman, won their fourth straight game, defeating the Coyotes (3-9 overall, 1-2 SL) 47-22. "We all stepped up today," TC's head coach Edwin Santiago said. "As a team, they're really gelling together; the chemistry is really good right now." From the onset it ...

Pitman girls remain undefeated

Pitman High positioned itself atop the CCC with a 51-38 win over Golden Valley High on Tuesday. The Pride (5-9 overall) utilized a strong defense to hold the Cougars at bay and remain undefeated in league play. Marissa Marable finished the night with 10 points and Parmine Randhawa finished with eight in a performance that saw a total of nine Pride players find the basket. Golden Valley trailed by double digits the entire ...

Turlock trumps competition at Bulldog Classic

Wrestlers from 23 schools, including Turlock, Denair and Hilmar High, crowded into Turlock's Bulldog Stadium Saturday morning to compete in the 20th annual Bulldog Classic. After dozens of matches and more than nine hours of wrestling, the Bulldogs claimed their third tournament title of the year with a total of 18 and half points and three champions. "We've gone to four tournaments and won three of them," Turlock's head coach Mike Contreras said. ...

Pitman’s second half rally earns a win

It wasn't looking good for Pitman High's boys basketball team when they hosted Merced High Wednesday night. The Pride's first half was a slow one chocked full of missed shots and turnovers. Despite the rough start Pitman was able to battle back after halftime and defeat the Bears 57-44. "Merced is a lot better than their record. They came out with a high level of intensity that we didn't match (in the first ...

Pride slashes Falcons for second straight win

Pitman High's girls basketball players entered their second league matchup against Atwater High on Thursday with a heightened sense of confidence. Two days after defeating a highly athletic Merced High team, the Pride won its second game in the CCC, beating the Falcons 59-38. "They're understanding their roles," Pitman's head coach Keith Larsen said. "We're getting better, a lot better than we were a month ago." The Pride opened up the game ...

Turlock, Pitman and Hilmar wrestling teams notch league wins

It was a successful day Wednesday for the wrestlers at Turlock, Pitman and Hilmar highs. The three teams won their first league duals against Merced, Atwater and Orestimba High, respectively. Turlock's first CCC win was also its 20th straight dual victory this year. The Bulldogs defeated the Bears 46-16 in another dominant performance. Jason Valdovinos, Rico McCombs and Jessey Velasquez all recorded pins against the formidable Merced team. Pitman's 44-33 victory over ...