BACK TO BACK VOL TITLE WINS

BACK TO BACK VOL TITLE WINS




TRADITIONAL END OF SEASON CRAZY SOCKS DAY

MANTECA BOYS SOAR PAST EU FOR TITLE

By Jonamar Jacinto Sports Editor
jjacinto@mantecabulletin.com

The top sprinters on the Manteca High boys track and field team were nursing injuries in the Buffaloes’ final Valley Oak League dual meet at East Union Wednesday.

No matter.

Their teammates picked up the slack elsewhere to beat their crosstown rival 82-53 and capture another league championship. East Union’s girls dominated 93-38 to finish in third place with a 5-2 record.

“Our sprinters are hurting right now, but the jumpers, throwers and distance runners put the hammer down to solidify their second straight VOL title,” Manteca coach Sean Hogan said.

Carl Chandler led the Buffaloes with wins in the high and triple jumps. His 6-foot leap in the high jump is a new personal record. Teammate Ryan Fox won the long jump.

Daniel Clemons paced the throwers with a 46-foot heave in the shot put. Phillip Herrera took first in the 800 and the mile, and Brandon Galan claimed the 3,200.

East Union (3-4) was spearheaded by Nick Pulos, who won both hurdle events while taking third in both the triple and high jumps. Angelo Zerbini won the 100-meter dash and anchored the winning 4x100 relay.  Jeremiah Preston earned first-place honors in the 400, took second in the 200 and was part of both winning relays.

Jordan McNeal highlighted the Lady Lancers’ dominant effort in the sprints. She won the 100, 200 and punctuated the 4x100 relay team’s victory. Hayley Cook was the runner-up in the 200 but won the 400 and took part in both relays.

Manteca’s boys track team eying in VOL title

Phillip Herrera of Manteca competes in a long-distance event. The Buffaloes improved to 6-0 with a VOL victory over Lathrop on Wednesday, 102-30.

By John-Joel Griffiths
jgriffiths@mantecabulletin.com


Manteca moved that much closer to repeating as Valley Oak League boys track and field champions on Wednesday.

The Buffaloes continued their dominance of VOL competition as they knocked off Lathrop, 102-30. The girls improved to .500 in the conference after a 69-62 win over the visiting Spartans.

“The varsity boys dominated again, leaving only our meet against East Union as the final step to winning back-to-back VOL titles,” Manteca head coach Sean Hogan said. “Next week is going to be a challenge.”

Manteca could win a second straight conference title with a victory over EU on Wednesday in a cross-town rivalry. Jordan Lyons won the 100-meter dash with an 11.30 and the 400. Eddie Smith won the 200 with a 23.71. Brandon Galan won the 3,200 meter race with an 11-minute, 30-second finish. Martin Ponce took second for the Buffaloes (6-0 VOL).

Carl Chandler won the long jump and triple jump for Manteca’s boys while Summer Kirby won the long jump for the girls. Lathrop’s Akilah Lesley won the triple jump. Ivan Chacala won the discus for Manteca boys and Daniel Clemons took the shot put.

Lathrop’s KV Singh won the high jump for boys and Taylor Lreal won it for the Spartans’ varsity girls.

For Manteca’s girls, Jade Griffin and sophomore Illiana Calderau had stellar performances. Griffin won the 100 and 200 and anchored both winning relay teams. Calderau won the shot put and Sophie Barragan won the 400 (1:06). Sophia Serrano won the 300 hurdles for Manteca (3-3 VOL).

The Manteca boys frosh-soph team beat Lathrop 88-44. The Spartans’ lower-level girls won, 85-34.