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.
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.
Coach Dave Exline and his Hilmar High wrestling team had a simple plan: Get as many wrestlers qualified as possible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It wasn't pretty, Pitman High wrestler Emilio Saavedra would later say about his path to another tournament title.
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."
In late February Turlock High began its season of baseball by losing a one run game to Lincoln High. After shaking off the initial disappointment, the Bulldogs responded with an Atch Pedretti Tournament Championship and a perfect 6-0 start to their Central California Conference season-parts of the sum of a current 15 game win streak. Turlock continued its season of success on Monday at the Dick Windemuth Tournament and carried it all the ...
The Delhi High softball team hasn't done much losing this season. The Lady Hawks completed the first half of their Southern Athletic League season with a 5-1 record and on Friday they continued their winning ways with back-to-back victories over Turlock and Patterson High during the first day of the NorCal Tournament in Tracy. Both of Delhi's victories were driven by sophomore Alyssa Stockton who stood on the hill and racked up a ...
Turlock High's Central California Conference success was carried over to the Dick Windemuth Tournament on Monday and Tuesday. With an undefeated CCC record, the Bulldogs took on and trounced Modesto Metro Conference contenders Gregori and Enochs High 8-5 and 9-2, respectively. Monday's game against the Jaguars was a close affair as Turlock was forced to climb back from an early four run deficit and battle for the win. The close call proved to ...
It's been a victorious start to this year's Windemuth Tournament for Pitman High. After splitting games with Atwater High to mark the mid-point of the Central California Conference season, the Pride enjoyed a break from league play on Monday and Tuesday with games against Modesto and Beyer High. Pitman blasted the Panthers 11-2 on Monday before battling with the Patriots on Tuesday, walking away with a 5-2 win. Tuesday's matchup began with ...
It's spring break, a time for high school kids to relax, take a vacation, catch up with friends, and get their minds off of school work. But it's a bit different for athletes-taking time off might sound good, but rust never sleeps when it comes to competition. And so while their peers are enjoying a week away, high school athletes are practicing, and in some cases competing, to keep their game strong. <p ...
Denair High struggled through the first two days of this year's Art McRae Ceres Tournament, losing a close 4-1 game to Rio Vista High on Monday and dropping Tuesday's game against Orestimba High, 14-1. Monday's game was one of the Coyotes' closest of the season as they and the Rams played five innings sans runs. Denair finally got onto the board in the sixth inning when Avery Martinez scored on a pass ball, ...
The girls of Hilmar High were stung a week ago when they were handed their first Trans Valley League loss by none other than rival Escalon High. Despite outshooting the Cougars 12-3, the Yellowjackets were shut out, 3-0, and left with a bad taste in their mouths. Though no longer undefeated, Hilmar (5-1 TVL) resolved to bounce back and reassert itself as the team to beat in the TVL. The 'Jackets got their ...
It started with an offensive flurry on Wednesday and ended with steady pressure on Thursday, but the constant in both of Turlock High's victories over Golden Valley High this week was stingy defense. The Bulldogs (6-0 CCC) traveled to Merced Wednesday afternoon to face the Cougars (1-5 CCC) in what began as a tight matchup but soon snowballed into a lopsided offensive onslaught. Cameron Matsumura got the ball rolling in the first inning ...
Isaac Bertalotto's 2013 season as a Turlock High wrestler was a successful one, to say the least. Bertalotto ended his sophomore year with an eighth place finish in the California High School State Championships and placed himself in elite Turlock company. But, as it turns out, the young Bulldog wasn't finished. A week after becoming one of Turlock's youngest state placers, Bertalotto entered the USA/CA Wrestling State Folkstyle Tournament where he competed in ...
Turlock High's Claire Silva signed on to run for William Jessup University's cross country team on Tuesday, ensuring herself a new home once her senior year as a Bulldog comes to an end in June. Silva-a four year cross country runner-was surprised with the news that William Jessup was interested in her services during a routine campus visit when Warrior coach Parker Daniells extended the invitation. "Honestly, I never saw it coming. ...
The second Southern Athletic Meet took place at Turlock High on Saturday and for the second time Denair High walked away from Joe Debely Stadium as the most productive team in its field. Delhi High improved greatly from its first league outing, testing the Coyotes with its array of athletes, but in the end a combination of missed opportunities and no shows kept the Hawks from claiming victory. Denair was once again led ...
Stanislaus vs. Merced- that's how Friday's first ever Country Clash Meet was billed. Athletes from all over the Valley poured into Joe Debely Stadium for the inaugural event and treated spectators to high level competition. Turlock, Pitman, and Hilmar were among the schools present, but it was the Pride that emerged as the most successful of the bunch, specifically, the ladies. Pitman claimed five first place finishes in the girls' field. Kiana ...
The boys of Turlock High's tennis team remain undefeated in the Central California Conference after an 8-1 defeat of Pitman High on Thursday. The Bulldogs are now preparing for a Tuesday matchup with second place Merced High in a contest that will likely decide who will walk away with the CCC title in 2013. Turlock's path to victory over rival Pride included convincing wins from Jordan Bean, Aldair Lima, Alex Lima, Martin Castorena, ...
Turlock High golf pushed through windy conditions Thursday afternoon to claim its fifth league victory and remain undefeated with a 230-257 performance over Pitman High at the Turlock Country Club. The win positions the Bulldogs atop the Central California Conference standings as they prepare for Tuesday's Mid Season Tournament at Rancho Del Rey in Atwater. "The guys really fought hard and did the best they could given the conditions we had," Turlock's head ...
Turlock High girls soccer continued its climb back into Central California Conference contention with a 3-0 victory over rival Pitman High on Wednesday. After dropping their first three league matches, the Bulldogs (2-3 CCC) now sit in third place behind the Pride (2-1-2 CCC) and first place Golden Valley High as the second round of CCC play is set to begin. "We're ecstatic about the win," Turlock's head coach Cathi Schali-Lopez said. "The ...