Not doing ‘little things’ results in another loss for Pitman

MODESTO - Stealing bases, laying down a bunt to help advance a teammate, utilizing the team's speedsters. Those are the little things that were occasionally absent this week for the Pitman High baseball team, with all the misery coming to an end Thursday afternoon at Davis High.

High School Scoreboard

Wednesday Baseball Windemuth Classic • Escalon 7, Turlock 4 Thursday Baseball Windemuth Classic • Turlock 2, Enochs 0 (8) • Ceres 5, Pitman 3 Softball NorCal Classic • Turlock 1, Patterson 0 • Calaveras 12, Turlock 2 • Pitman 8, Ripon 0 • Pitman 14, Modesto 1

Turlock produces another well-rounded game with strong pitching, hitting

MODESTO - Ryan Cumberland figured that he'd inch a little closer to home plate, perhaps putting himself in a danger zone. But the Turlock High sophomore baseball player had a plan. He noticed the opposing pitcher's tendency to make him reach for the ball in a previous at-bat.

Pride lose close one in second game of Windemuth

MODESTO - The Pitman High baseball team's first game of the 41st Windemuth Classic on Tuesday morning was one the Pride wanted to forget immediately. And they did that, judging by how they recovered in the second game just hours later.

High School Scoreboard

Saturday Baseball Orestimba Tournament • Orestimba 8, TC 5 • TC 10, Gustine 1 Monday Baseball Windemuth Classic in Modesto • Turlock 8, Davis 3 • Pitman 3, Enochs 2 Tuesday Baseball Windemuth Classic in Modesto • Turlock 4, Woods Cross 2 • Downey 10, Pitman 2 • Redwood Christian 2, Pitman 1 Cantrell Tournament in Hilmar • Hilmar 7, Riverbank 7

Full blast

There was a long, dramatic pause before Turlock High midfielder Emily Thompson unleashed a shot her coach would later refer to as "a well-shot ball." Because only moments before that, the dozens of people who sat in lawn chairs while being covered in blankets to stay warm on a cold March day, watched Pitman High's Iatzity Sanchez remained motionless on the Turlock Sports Complex soccer field after a nasty collision.

Three locals earn recognition beyond athletics

Three local athletes were named recipients of the A. Dale Lacky Scholarships for their contributions in athletics, the classroom and their community, the California Interscholastic Federation Sac-Joaquin Section announced Wednesday. Fifty area student-athletes earned the honor and received scholarships worth $600 to $1,000.

High School Scoreboard

Monday Boys golf Atwater Invitational • 4. Turlock 335, 15. Pitman 365 Southern League • Turlock Christian 226, Mariposa 261 Girls soccer Southern League • TC 1, Denair 0 Softball Southern League • TC 12, Denair 4 Tuesday Baseball WAC • Central Catholic 11, Hilmar 1 Boys golf CCC • Turlock 209, Pitman 218 Softball WAC • Hilmar 2, Central Catholic 0

TC taking a go at track

They don't have enough to field a football team and barely enough for a basketball team. A lot of them are trying out the sport for the first time in their lives, but the Turlock Christian High track and field athletes are giving it a shot.

Bulldog athlete’s teamwork lives on in award

Thirty-four years ago a Turlock High School sophomore named Scott Ladd gave his heart and soul to the game of basketball. Ladd's life was cut short in a car accident, but his parents wanted to honor his memory and that is how the Scott Ladd Memorial Award came about.

Turlock wrestler makes history, again

Remember Alexia Moreno? She's the Turlock High sophomore wrestler who crashed the record books like fine China last season. Well, she did it again. After a historic high school wrestling season in which she became the first Bulldog to win a state tournament title before becoming a Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament finalist, her off-season is equally impressive. She competed in the Folkstyle Nationals in Oklahoma City last weekend and placed fourth in the 123-pound weight ...

TC’s flurry of shots result in win

DENAIR - For the Turlock Christian High girls soccer players, it was frustrating to see all their shots swerve too far to the left or too far to the right, or into the hands of the opposing goalkeepers. But the Eagles remained persistent, which ultimately led to Monday's 1-0 triumph over Southern League foe and fellow Monte Vista Avenue resident Denair High.

Prep Notebook

Same team, better baseball. Those are the words that represent the Turlock Christian High baseball team and first-year coach Jon Valenti, whose squad played host to Mariposa High on Thursday night at Pedretti Park. Mariposa was last season's Southern League runner-up and the 2008 league champion. The significance? The Eagles looked to snap a three-year losing streak against the Grizzlies, with the last previous win coming on March 28, 2007.

Wheelin’ and dealin’

There's been a lot of talk about what Kevin Kramer means to the Turlock High baseball team this year. He's a junior shortstop destined to play for UCLA in a couple seasons, and he's believed to be the first high school athlete in Turlock history to play for the USA Baseball team. But the Bulldogs aren't one-dimensional.

Pride soccer rolls over Golden Valley

MERCED - All of a sudden, the Pitman High girls soccer players looked up to see something they couldn't stop. It was a ball flying high above their heads from their opponent's top player and toward their goalkeeper.

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 ...

Hilmar soccer loses in first round

The Hilmar High boys soccer team fell to West Campus High in Sacramento on Tuesday with a final score of 4-1. Although the Yellowjackets didn't consider West Campus to be that good of a team, they were unable to find their footing until it was too late, scoring their lone goal towards the end of the game off David Alves' foot. Hilmar coach Louie Bettencourt attributes his team's loss to "lots of mistakes," a ...

Turlock soccer ends season in quarterfinals

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 ...

Turlock tennis stays alive in postseason

By ruling all three doubles competitions, the Turlock High girls tennis team advanced in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I Tournament after capturing five of the nine matches and topping Tracy High of the San Joaquin Athletic Association. The Bulldogs, the top seeds in the Central California Conference, will face Armijo High of the Monticello Empire League on Monday of next week in the second round of the tournament. Against Tracy, Turlock also ...

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 ...

Coyotes smash Eagles 48-6

In a battle for the coveted Monte Vista Wheel, the Denair High Coyotes grounded the Turlock Christian Eagles 48-6 Friday night at Denair. On senior night, the Coyotes' seniors stepped up their play execution and displayed remarkable athleticism and field intelligence with an emotional performance in their final home game. Coyotes head coach Therion Gregory challenged not only his seniors, but his whole team to play with heart and never give up, ...

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 ...