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."

Ladies on the hunt for soccer glory

Last year Hilmar High's girls posted an undefeated, championship season in the Trans Valley League and earned a playoff berth despite having a fairly young team. Now, the Yellowjackets are back on the soccer field with an aim for another TVL championship and a section title appearance-goals they plan on achieving through experience this time around. Jamie Rocha, Victoria Whitford, Janessa Mitchell, Kinsey Pettigrew, Carrie Machado, Chloe Fernandez, Bernadette Silveira, Gia Barcelo, and ...

Time to play ball

The sun is out and the grass is a deep hue of green-it's time to play baseball. Less than five miles separates Turlock High from Pitman High but players from the two schools are in their own world on the practice field; warming up their shoulders, cracking their bats, and crushing each other's mitts with the stitches of a baseball. Last season Turlock and Pitman fell short of a Central California Conference ...

Tennis teams bounce into action

Tennis season is already in full swing in the Valley. Turlock, Pitman, Delhi, Denair, and Turlock Christian High have been hitting the courts, some new and some old, on a quest to dole out defeat to their respective league opponents and make a run at the post-season. Last season Pitman dominated its Central California Conference schedule, finishing with an undefeated record and its 7th CCC title in school history. Things are different for ...

Turlock's Bertalotto finishes 8th in second State bid

Isaac Bertalotto became the fourth sophomore in Turlock High's history to claim a medal at the California High School State Finals on Saturday. With a tournament record of 5-3 and an 8th place finish, Bertalotto joined the company of Fabian Garcia, Brandon Egleston, and Lewis Gonzales-his cousin-as the youngest Bulldogs to ever place at the State Tournament. Bertalotto (132) arrived in Bakersfield as part of a five man group for Turlock but was ...

Turlock, Pitman expect another close season on the soccer field

Last year Turlock and Pitman High's girls had a season to remember in the Central California Conference. After a tight, three game series the Bulldogs emerged as undefeated CCC Champions having edged their rivals out of the honor by a single game. Both teams continued playing into the post-season, but while Pitman fell in the first round Turlock orchestrated a memorable playoff run that ultimately ended at the hands of Franklin High of Elk ...

Cash for treys

Lori Crivelli presented a check to Turlock High boys basketball team captains DaShawn Holcombe and Austin Bush on Friday as part of Crivelli Insurance Services' 3 for $3, a program that pays for each three-point shot the Bulldogs make through the season. This year's payout was $39 more than last year's.

CCC All League Girls and Boys Basketball 2013

BOYS BASKETBALL First Team: DaShawn Holcombe-Turlock Second Team: Branson Garcia-Pitman Devin Bains-Turlock Kenny Fraser-Turlock GIRLS BASKETBALL First Team: Alex DeChari-Pitman Aubrey Glidden-Turlock Second Team: Cady Riley-Pitman

Local athletes ready to run, jump, throw and more in spring

It's official. The winter season of prep sports is over. A couple winter teams still have legs in the post season, but the majority of young athletes are making the annual transition from sport to sport. Right on schedule, just as the sun comes out. Runners, jumpers, hurdlers, throwers, and vaulters are the most noticeable of the bunch, their appearance on the tracks and fields of high schools across the Valley are ...

Eagles foiled by Cougars

Turlock Christian High's quest for a return trip to the San Joaquin Section Division V title game fell short Wednesday night when the Eagles took on Capital Christian High in a semi-final matchup at Galt High School. TC managed to contain the Cougars in the first half, but a third quarter that saw Capital Christian nearly quadruple TC's offensive output proved to be the game's death nail. TC failed to bounce back and ...

Five Bulldogs headed to State

Turlock High is sending five wrestlers to this weekend's California Interscholastic Federation State Championships in Bakersfield after a fifth place team finish at the San Joaquin Section Masters Tournament on Saturday. Saturday marked the fifth time Turlock has finished fifth in the section and only the second time it's had five state qualifiers since head coach Mike Contreras took over the program. "There were some tough teams, so it's quite the accomplishment," ...

TC boys fall to Faith Christian

Friday proved to be the end of the road for Turlock Christian High's boys basketball team. The Eagles (13-16 overall, 7-7 SAL) failed to carry Wednesday's energy into Friday's matchup with Faith Christian High and lost 65-60 after a failed fourth quarter comeback. The teams played a tight first quarter, knotting the score at 13, but the Lions found holes in TC's man to man defense in the second quarter and edged out ...

Eagles tame Wildfires

The first post-season step for Turlock Christian High's girls basketball team is over and done with after a 63-51 victory over Foresthill High Thursday night. The Eagles (24-4 overall, 13-1 SAL)fed off the energy of their home crowd in a game that was sometimes close but always in their hands. A 21 point first quarter set the tone of the San Joaquin Section Division V matchup and sent the Wildfires into a mode ...

First round loss for Bulldogs

Turlock High's hopes for a Division I Sac Joaquin Section title were dashed Wednesday night in Elk Grove when the Bulldogs (17-11 overall, 7-3 CCC) faced Franklin High. After a lack luster first half, Turlock climbed its way back into the game but was ultimately unable to overcome Wildcats. The final score read 67-65. "They came out on fire and we came out kind of flat," Turlock's head coach Doug Cornfoot said. "We ...

TC boys notch playoff win

Let the playoff blitz begin

Today's a big day for the post-season dreams of a number of high schoolers as three boys basketball teams compete for a chance at a San Joaquin Section title in their respective divisions. In the Division I bracket Turlock High travels to Franklin High of Elk Grove for the first round of tournament play. The 10th seed Bulldogs finished second in the Central California Conference with a 7-3 league record. Three Turlock players ...