The Turlock High boys water polo team concluded Friday’s opening rounds of the Central Cal Tournament with a 3-0 record, and the Bulldogs credited their winnings to what happened a week ago.

At the John Schmitt Tournament in San Jose, where 32 teams competed, the Bulldogs captured three wins. But their two losses and experiences against some strong, unfamiliar teams helped them beyond that weekend, they said.

“We were challenged,” Turlock coach Steve Feaver said.

So when the Central Cal Tournament began Friday, the Bulldogs were hard to stop, especially since the day before they handled Golden Valley High 14-4 to open the Central California Conference. In the tournament, the Bulldogs won three games but one of them was a forfeit after Central Catholic High did not show up.

The first match was a 9-2 win over Benicia High, thanks to Morley Baker finishing with three goals and Antovan Davtians and Joel Geiger contributing with two goals apiece.

The second match was a convincing 15-5 drubbing over Antelope High, with Baker adding four more goals as Patrick O’Connor, Geiger and Hunter Mangrum each finished with two apiece.

Turlock goalie Neil Wraske had 21 saves, 15 against Antelope.

“Bottom line,” said Feaver, whose Bulldogs are 7-2 overall, “we need to have good vision and our fundamentals need to stay strong.”

Turlock will face Atwater High at 8 a.m. today in the tournament’s semifinals at Turlock High’s Steve Feaver Aquatic Center. The Bulldogs will get an early glimpse of their CCC foe.

“We had our starters in and were able to handle them,” Baker said about facing Antelope, “then we had other players step in and kept the momentum going.”

To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.