There is always an extra intensity when athletic teams from Turlock and Pitman high schools compete against each other, but it was especially true Wednesday night, when each flag football program battled in hopes of remaining atop the Central California Athletic League standings.

For their third straight meeting and fourth time in the first six games of the rivalry, just a single scoring play between the two teams proved to be the difference. This week, the heroics came courtesy of Turlock’s freshman quarterback, Josslyn Crittenden. On 1st and goal from the 2-yard line, she rushed up the middle and extended her arm to break the goal line to secure the win and send her teammates into a joyous frenzy.

The Bulldogs improved to 11-2, keeping them tied with Gregori for first place in the conference. The two teams will clash in Modesto on Monday at 7 p.m.

The Pride, meanwhile, dropped to 10-3 and are now a game back of the two teams. They’ll also play Monday at 7 p.m. against Modesto at Johansen High.

“It really came down to my blockers, honestly,” Crittenden said. “I wouldn't have been able to get done without them. But to be honest, I didn't think I would walk in. Not going to lie, it was right on the line, and it worked out perfectly.”

One person on the Turlock sidelines without any doubt was head coach Aaron King.

“With her wingspan, I might as well have her try to put it over at two yards to go,” King said. “We actually ran that play earlier in the game, but we got called for a penalty, and we thought we might as well try it again and put the ball in her hands.

“We trusted her tonight. That's what you have to do. Sometimes, freshmen don't care. You gotta trust her, and look what happened.”

Pitman possessed the ball first in the overtime period, where each team has a chance to score starting at the opposing 20-yard line. But just two plays in, Turlock junior Natalie Ledesma tipped and intercepted a pass thrown by Jasmine Bedoya.

The Pride also had a prime opportunity to score with a minute left in regulation, when sophomore Emily Martinez picked off Crittenden. In Bulldog territory, Mia Valencia took over, though, sacking Bedoya twice before time ran out.

Valencia totaled six sacks on the day.

“Our defense kept us in the game,” King said. “They fought hard. We don't know all their plays, but you try and you prepare and prepare as much as you can. The girls did that and stuck to exactly what they needed to do. They wanted this one, and they fought through every block, every screen. They were flying around everywhere. They stayed in their zones. They did all the stuff they're supposed to do. They stayed very disciplined tonight, which kept us in the game.”

King wasn’t surprised the game was as close as it was. The Pride won the first meeting between the two teams on Sept. 10 by a 6-0 score. The Bulldogs bounced back with an 8-0 win in the second clash on Sept. 26.

“I think it's just the fact that they're playing against people that they know. That's really what it is,” he said of the familiarity between players. “Both programs have really solid coaches… It’s just a grind every time. It wouldn’t matter if we were both 0-16 or 16-0. I think it's going to be the same outcome every time. That's historically what it's been, right? It’s been all one score games.”

Bulldogs victorious in varsity ‘pink-out’ polo games

Harvest Bowl Week kicked off between the two local public high schools Tuesday at the Steve Feaver Aquatic Center on the campus of Turlock High with the 11th annual Kayla Bernardi Bee Positive Pink-Out Games. The event includes both programs sporting pink headgear in honor of Kayla Bernardi, who passed away in 2015 after a battle with leukemia. 

Turlock’s boys and girls varsity teams both won to improve to 6-0 in CCAL.

The girls pulled out a 16-7 victory to kick off varsity action.

Scoring in each quarter for the Bulldogs was senior Annie Morrison, tabbing two in the opening frame and one in each of the last three periods. She led all players in goals. Also helping the Bulldogs get off to a hot start with two first-quarter goals was senior Joelle Maggard. Junior Cora Newell assisted on five goals. Sophomore Daphne Lewis had nine saves.

Scoring twice each for the Pride were seniors Emma Capps and Claudia Martin-Park.

The Bulldogs won in the boys contest by a 26-6 score. 

Turlock’s trio of senior captains led the way in the scoring column. Lars Wenstrand tallied a game-high six goals, while Jack Brem and Jacob Packwood followed with five each. Fellow senior Caleb Tucker had a hat trick with three scores.

Packwood also led the team with three assists.

As it has been most of the year, the Bulldogs rotated goalkeepers, who each made significant impacts. Jonas Bornmann had seven saves while Kohen Ficher had five.

Finding the back of the net for Pitman four times was Braden Silveira. Also scoring a goal each was Luke Van Steenwyk and Jayden Sedgewick.