Turlock Christian Schools

EAGLES BASKETBALL NEVER LET UP IN BLOWOUT GAME
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, December 22, 2009

There was no point during Monday night’s nonconference game against Stone Ridge Christian High that prompted an “uh-oh” moment. The Turlock Christian High boys basketball players were just too aggressive, too fast and too determined to lose. The Eagles didn’t show any sort of panic when they saw their 24-point advantage slim down by half early in the fourth quarter. They just kept sprinting back down the other end of the court and scoring almost at will, eventually capturing a 60-47 win at Calvary Baptist Gym with John Heller finishing with a team-high 16 points, which was supported by Josh Wright and his 12 points.

Turlock Christian had seven different scorers, including two of them — Kyron Loving and Chase Gonzalez — completing the night with eight points apiece. Austin Morelli and Brandon Rogers each added seven. It was a well-rounded night, in other words. “We were comfortably in charge of that game,” Turlock Christian coach Scott Snyder said.

But there was a moment that seemed a little scary. The Eagles (7-5, 1-0 in Southern League) were up 52-28 at the 2-minute mark in the third quarter, their biggest advantage of the night, before the Knights went on a mini-run — providing the next 12 points that finally ended three minutes into the final period. Turlock Christian made just one field goal in the fourth, but the Eagles had built too steep a lead for Stone Ridge Christian of Merced to overcome. And the Eagles celebrated their fourth consecutive win, a stretch that included a triumph over league foe Waterford High on Friday night. Monday also showcased the Eagles’ ability of attacking all night, with many of the points coming from fast-break scenarios. And they weren’t too concerned when the Knights created a sudden burst, even with Ryan Fletcher scoring some of his 19 points during that run. Turlock Christian calling timeouts slowed down the surge. “We were playing hard with a lot of intensity,” Heller said. “We were being aggressive on defense and trying to cause them to make turnovers with aggressive solid defense.”

COYOTES CONTINUE WIN STREAK OVER TC
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, January 16, 2010

Clayton McDonald doesn’t get any kind of special treatment on the Denair High boys basketball team. Yeah, he’s the team’s starting guard but his coach insists he has to work through screens and beat defenders in order to get the ball in his hands. “We don’t run anything special for him,” coach Curtis Wooten said. That’s surprising, considering the 5-foot-11 guard made it look like the offense revolved around him in the Coyotes’ rivalry game against Turlock Christian High on Friday night. He knocked in 18 points — six of them from the 3-point line — in helping his team roll over the Eagles 56-37 in the Southern League game in front of a packed Calvary Baptist Gym.
Denair (9-7, 3-2 SL) has now beaten the Eagles for the 11th consecutive game, with the streak stretching back to 2006.

“Coming into the game,” McDonald said, “I knew I needed to penetrate a lot. My teammates really helped by setting me up, making good passes and stuff, and I was able to run off screens. It all worked.” His teammates also helped by not having him do all the work. Center Colin Sosa and forward Colby Wooten each contributed 11 points, and Mitchell Hilton was an intimidating inside force as he added seven points, all of them in the crucial second quarter.

All night, the Coyotes kept the pressure on Turlock Christian. The Eagles (8-8, 2-3 SL) had to endure a full-court press, which limited the guards from touches and running the offense with enough time on the shot clock. In turn, it prevented them from giving their big men — especially John Heller and Austin Morelli — the luxury of receiving the ball in the paint and going to work. It showed in the box score, as Heller produced just eight points, nearly five points below his season average. Guard Josh Wright led the Eagles with 10 points, but half of them came late in the game. “I give Denair credit for putting the pressure on all of us that knocked us out of our game,” said Turlock Christian coach Scott Snyder, whose team is now on a four-game skid. “Because of the pressure they put on our guards, we didn’t get the ball to our big guys as much as we’d have liked.”

Denair really started taking control in the second quarter, when the duo of McDonald and Hilton put up 13 points. The Coyotes continued the surge after a 33-20 halftime advantage. By the end of the third quarter, the Coyotes were ahead 46-25 after holding their opponent to just two field goals. They were on their way to earning their second consecutive win after losing three straight. “We were really patient,” Coach Wooten said. “We knew we needed to build a lead and keep building on it.

EAGLES CLAIM SECOND TOURNY TITLE
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, December 22, 2009

The Turlock Christian High girls basketball team won yet another tournament in this early season. This time, it was the Bradshaw Christian High Christmas Jamboree in Sacramento after stomping over Encina High 66-32 on Saturday night. The Eagles went 3-0 during this stretch and beat their opponent by no less than 34 points, helping boost their impressive opening season record to 8-0.

A week earlier, Turlock Christian captured the championship of the Turlock Christian 7-up Central Valley Tournament. But now it gets difficult. The Eagles will play Bradshaw Christian High of Sacramento at Liberty High in Brentwood at 10 a.m. on Monday in the Diamond Division of the West Coast Jamboree —which is the second most competitive bracket of the tournament, coach Edwin Santiago said. The Eagles are ready for the challenge. Freshman Halie Bergman, who was a 24-point force in Turlock Christian’s win over Encina, will be an important piece all season, along with the likes of Amy Wright and Molly Farrar, who can both makedouble-digit contributions.

TC GIRLS CHALLENGED IN LARGE BASKETBALL TOURNY
Alex Cantatore, Turlock Journal, December 31, 2009

Turlock Christian, who entered the West Coast Jamboree tournament at an undefeated 9-0, finished 15th in their 16-team bracket, playing in the second most difficult division of the Jamboree. The result, which saw Turlock Christian lose their first three games of the tournament before winning their final game, wasn’t what the Eagles had hoped for, but Turlock Christian coach Edwin Santiago was pleased with the tournament. “Everybody's in good spirits,” Santiago said. “We're all playing knowing we're seeing teams more competitive than we will see in league.”

The style of refereeing and level of play were not what Turlock Christian was accustomed to seeing, Santiago said, but he hoped the experience of facing top teams would pay off in crucial conference games, hopefully leading to a section title. “I thought the girls did an excellent job of not letting (the refereeing) take away from what they wanted to do today,” Santiago said after a tough Tuesday loss to Clovis. “We were proud of them.”

Turlock Christian fell in their first game of the tournament against 2009 Section Champion Bradshaw Christian, 56-47. The Eagles kept the game close through the half and had a strong fourth quarter, but a Bradshaw Christian offensive explosion in the third – led by two future division one players – handed Turlock Christian the loss. The Eagles’ second game, against Clovis, played out much like Turlock Christian’s first, as they kept it close through two but suffered a rough third quarter that led to a 71-52 loss. Turlock Christian lost to Amador Valley 71-63 on Tuesday, despite Amy Wright, Kaisa Spycher, and Halie Bergman’s double digit scoring, due to troubles with defensive rebounds.

Turlock Christian’s final game of the tournament pitted the Eagles against Central of Fresno on Wednesday. The story flipped in that game, as it was the Eagles who had a strong third quarter to take a 12-point lead going into the final quarter. The game ended in a 64-57 Turlock Christian victory, led by Bergman’s 34 points and the team’s 9-17 foul shooting in the final quarter to combat Central’s foul-heavy comeback strategy.

TC FRESHMAN STANDOUT OUT FOR THE SEASON
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, January 6, 2010

Initially, doctors said that Turlock Christian High girls basketball freshman Halie Bergman’s left knee was in decent shape after she injured it late in the first quarter of the Eagles’ 66-21 win over Delhi High on Monday night. She went through a medical examination the following day and her doctor said she would only miss a month of the season. But that prognosis was wrong. It turns out that doctors misread the MRI, and coach Edwin Santiago said Wednesday afternoon that the high-scoring 5-foot-9 guard — who averages 23.9 points a game — will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The coach said Bergman is “emotionally distressed” and “not feeling good right now.”

The Eagles lose a player who has gained interests from college recruiters, thanks to her experience in playing for some of the state’s best traveling teams — such as the East Bay Xplosion, a group that produced Modesto Christian High stars Courtney and Ashley Paris. Bergman is a quick guard who can slash to the basket but also capable of taking a shot beyond the 3-point line. But Santiago said his team’s intentions are the same. “We can’t replace Halie, but we’re going after all the goals we had at the beginning of the season,” he said. “There’s no reason why we should stop trying to be the best team in the league.”

The Eagles are 2-0 in the Southern League and 11-3 overall entering Thursday’s game at Mariposa High at 7:30 p.m. Some of their goals include capturing the league championship and making a deep playoff run, perhaps ending in the Section’s title game against reigning winner Bradshaw Christian High of Sacramento at Arco Arena.

EAGLES WIN BIG BUT STAR PLAYER GOES DOWN
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, January 6, 2010

It suddenly became silent, as if everyone in the Calvary Baptist Gym decided to stop breathing. They all had seen the worst thing that could happen to the Turlock Christian High girls basketball team take place. Halie Bergman went down in pain. The freshman guard — who averaged 25 points entering Monday night’s Southern League game against Delhi High — drove left to the basket, stepped on a defender’s foot late in the first quarter before falling to the ground in agony and grabbing her left knee. After a few seconds, she was carried off the court with the TC coaching staff and players uncertain about their star player’s future.

But there was a game left to be played. And the Eagles proved that they can still dominate with such post players as Kaisa Spycher (18 points) and Amy Wright (10 points), easily beating the Hawks 66-21 in front of a crowd that seemed more concerned about Bergman, who scored nine points before exiting the game. They can let out a deep breath now. Bergman had an MRI on Tuesday and the results were better than expected. She will need physical therapy but will be out for no more than a month. Coach Edwin Santiago worried that Bergman suffered a season-ending injury, considering how much pain his freshman was in during Monday’s game. “We’re happy with the news,” Santiago said.

Even without Bergman, who went down at the 1:37 mark in the first quarter, the Eagles scored 14 consecutive points to kick-start the second. The buckets mostly came from an aggressive defense that applied a fullcourt press for a good chunk of the night. The Eagles had 27 steals, with Molly Farrar coming away with seven to go with her 13 points. Delhi was outscored 24-5 to end the first half, and the Hawks (3-9, 0-2 SL) made just one bucket in the third quarter for a 62-19 disadvantage. That meant officials greenlighted a running clock early in the fourth. “We have a really good team, an experienced team,” Santiago said. “This team has been playing together since their freshmen year. The bulk of our team are juniors, so they’re all be back next year. With the seniors that we have and the leadership that they have in the senior class, I think we’re still a very strong team.”
No kidding.

The Eagles nailed 25 field goals, compared to just four by Monday’s opponents. And Turlock Christian finished with 22 assists, as Candice Balswick — who entered the game as Bergman’s replacement — had a team-high six. Bergman was glad to see that the Eagles (11-3, 2-0 SL) still pulled off the win without her on the court. The Eagles have goals of winning the league title, making a strong push in the playoffs and playing defending Sac-Joaquin Section champion Bradshaw Christian High of Sacramento at Arco Arena in the final game. “It was really nice to see the team win one,” she said afterward, her face still in pain, “when you can’t be out there.”

EAGLES EARN BLOWOUT AS ANOTHER KEY PLAYER GOES DOWN
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, January 13, 2010

Not again. That’s what many of the Turlock Christian High girls basketball players, coaches and supporters were thinking when they witnessed Marly Burton fall to the floor of the Calvary Baptist Gym on Monday night during the Eagles’ rivalry game against Denair High. They couldn’t afford to lose another key contributor after receiving news a few days earlier that Halie Bergman — and her 24-point average — was unavailable for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL.
Nonetheless, the Eagles fought on. They left their own gym with a 61-18 win, improving Turlock Christian’s overall record to 13-3 and 4-0 in the Southern League.
Denair dropped to 5-11 overall, and 1-3 in the league.

For the people who watched Burton — a 6-foot-2 sophomore who’s an undeniable inside presence — jam her knee in a collision in the first half, it was scary, considering what happened to Bergman only a week earlier. But coach Edwin Santiago said after the game that the injury is believed to be a hyper-extension of the knee, meaning Burton will likely return before the season ends. “We’re praying for good luck now,” Santiago said. He was referring to his team’s streak of losing key players. Then again, the Eagles have proven that they still have some talent, enough to blow out teams.

The 43-point landslide over Denair was the second big victory the Eagles produced since losing Bergman. Last Thursday, they blew out Mariposa by 21 points. And on Monday, the Eagles were once again effective. Kaisa Spycher had another double-double for Turlock Christian, finishing with 15 points and 19 rebounds, as Amy Wright (13 points) and Natalie Snyder (13 points, nine from behind the 3-point line) finished with double-digit performances. The Eagles pounded out a 21-7 second quarter to build a big enough lead — they were up 31-9 at halftime — for their fourth straight win, three of them in league play. “We’re not trying to beat them by a big margin, but we’re not going to take a quarter and not play basketball,” Santiago said. “I tell the girls, ‘We’re going to play 100 percent to the end of the game.’ And that means playing tough defense and approaching our offensive sets and trying to score. We’re not here to take it easy on anybody. “We play hard.”

The Eagles also put up a strong-defensive effort, limiting the Coyotes from double-digit scoring. Denair’s Annissa Turpin finished with eight points, and Madison Norquist had the second-best scoring effort with four. It was a nice all-around showing from a team that is still adjusting to life without Bergman, an explosive freshman who’s capable of taking over a game. The Eagles still have goals of reaching the Sac-Joaquin Section championship. “I think we’re all picking it up a lot and raising the intensity,” TC guard Candice Balswick said. “We’re going to keep trying and working hard.”

SMALL SCHOOL GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: AMY WRIGHT - TC FORWARD
The Modesto Bee, January 19, 2010

Coach Edwin Santiago had a plan coming into this season, and it included a sensational freshman who could score 20 points a game. When injuries derailed that plan, Amy Wright helped fill the void. The 5-foot-9 senior provided 27 points and 21 rebounds last week, leading the SL-leading Eagles to wins over Denair (61-18) and Waterford (69-32). "Amy is playing small forward, while last year she played a lot at power forward," Santiago said. "Her role (is) to look to score and rebound. Since the injuries to Marly Burton and Halie Bergman her role has changed to our main scorer and significant rebounder."

Wright grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds in the win over Waterford,boosting her average to 7.6 boards a game. She also had six assists, and is averaging two assists and a block each time she takes the court. "Assistant coach Mary Burton has worked with Amy in improving her rebounding and inside skills," said Santiago, whose club has won five in a row. "It is starting to pay dividends on the offensive and defensive glass. Offensively she has been given the green light to shoot the three and is scoring many of her points off offensive sets designed for her."

EAGLES SOAR PAST COYOTES
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 1, 2010

The distance between Denair and Turlock Christian high schools is only a couple of miles. But when it comes to the schools’ girls basketball teams, that’s a different story. “We competed a little bit better tonight,” Denair coach R.J. Henderson said, “but there’s still a large difference between TC and Denair.” He gave that statement after his Coyotes were nailed a 67-29 loss on Thursday night at the Coyotes Den in front of dozens of fans.

The teams are moving at a different pace. Turlock Christian (18-3, 9-0 Southern League) has now won nine straight games, thanks to the inside duo of Molly Farrar and Amy Wright, who combined for 31 points. Guard Natalie Snyder chipped in 13. Farrar (17 points, 13 rebounds) did her damage on her 17th birthday.

The Eagles did not supply a fullcourt pressure and instead focused on their halfcourt set. It was quite effective early on, holding Denair to just two points in the first quarter. Turlock Christian jumped out to a 20-2 lead, more than enough to give the opponent a 9-14 overall record, and 4-6 in the league. “We just wanted to come out and play hard and execute our plays and just play our best pretty much,” Farrar said. Eagles coach Edwin Santiago added: “We tried to work on certain things at our level and try to maintain our tempo of the game.”

Early on, Turlock Christian focused on getting points inside the paint before taking more frequent jump shots. The game helped the Eagles work in a new offense, which is important considering that they play at Le Grand High on Thursday, as the Bulldogs only lost in the previous league game by 13 points — a number rather small for a Turlock Christian team that is accustomed to handing out 30-point blowouts. And the Eagles are doing it without one of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s top scorers in Halie Bergman, who had knee surgery earlier this week and will not return until next season. But they still have hopes of capturing a Section title by season’s end. Denair, on the other hand, is under a first-year coach. He said it’s been an up-and-down season, and it didn’t help that the Coyotes were without point guard Chelsea Wooten — due to an illness — on Thursday night. But Henderson said his team is still competitive. Laneea Werner led the Coyotes with 11 points, and Madison Norquist put in eight. “We played a little better than the last time,” Henderson said.

TURLOCK BOYS EARN HIGH PLAYOFF POSITION; TC GIRLS TOP D-5S
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 3, 2010

It was one of those moments where the Turlock High boys basketball team had to take a second look, just to realize what was in front of them. For the first time during coach Doug Cornfoot’s tenure, the Bulldogs earned a No. 2 position in the first installment of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I power ratings that were released Monday. All but two local basketball teams — Denair High girls and Turlock Christian High boys — received a spot in the top 16 of their respective division, which is good enough to qualify for the playoffs. The top eight teams will host a first-round game, and the top four finishers in every division will advance to the Northern California playoffs for the first time.

But only one local school earned a No. 1 position, and that the was Turlock Christian girls in Division V. It’s quite impressive for the Eagles, who lost one of the section’s best scorers — freshman guard Halie Bergman — to an injury earlier this season. The ranking builds confidence for a team that has talked about winning the 2010 section title.

But back to the Turlock boys. The Bulldogs, who are 18-4 overall and 6-1 in the Central California Conference, have benefited from a tough preseason. That schedule included wins over Davis High of Modesto and Skyline High of Oakland, with the former team rated sixth in D-I. The ranking also adds another dynamic to today’s monster matchup at 7:15 p.m. in Merced, with the winner taking sole possession of the CCC. The Bears are right underneath Turlock in the power ratings at No. 3. “Hopefully, these guys will look at it as a positive of the hard work that they’ve put in,” Cornfoot said. “But the one thing is, Merced is going to look at it and use it as an incentive. We gotta come out at the opening horn and be ready, because in their eyes, I know they’re thinking they beat us, they should be ahead of us. Hopefully, it’ll get us motivated to come out and show that the rankings should be what they are.” The next installments of the power ratings come out Monday and then Feb. 16 before the playoff brackets are released on Feb. 21.

TC GIRLS LOCKED IN NUMBER 1 SPOT IN D-V
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 17, 2010

For weeks, the Turlock Christian High girls basketball team has stood atop all contenders in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V power ratings. The Eagles’ position hasn’t changed even slightly since then. For the third time in three weeks, the Eagles are sitting comfortably at No. 1 after the third installment of the basketball power ratings were released Tuesday afternoon. The final seedings will be revealed Sunday, along with the playoff brackets for all five divisions.
The top 16 teams from each division will qualify for the playoffs, while the top eight get to host a first-round playoff game. The final power ratings will not be disclosed, as Section officials could move a team up or down depending on the team’s circumstances.

The No. 1 seeding is quite a statement for the Eagles, who lost one of the Section’s best scorers — in Halie Bergman — for the entire season due to an injury. Ever since the incident, the Eagles have proven that their goal of capturing the Section title hasn’t been comprised. They still want to beat defending champion and No. 2 seed Bradshaw Christian High in the Section finals. Other local teams weren’t as fortunate.

The best example is the Turlock High girls, who play in one of the lowest-rated leagues in the Section — the Central Catholic Conference, which is laced with rebuilding teams. The Bulldogs are seeded ninth, one spot away from hosting the opening round. Coach Salinda Mabie said that’s not necessarily a bad thing, noting her team’s recent failures to get past the first round of the playoffs. Maybe a low seed can give the Bulldogs a shot to upset a team, she said. “The only thing that makes it disappointing is that we don’t have a home game,” Mabie said, “but as history is told, that has not been very beneficial for us in the past. We don’t care where we play, we just want to play and give our best shot.” That is also the mentality for the other playoff-bound local teams. The Turlock boys are at No. 5 in D-I, Pitman looks to have a tough road game as the Pride are the No. 13 seed in Division II and Hilmar is locked in seventh in Division IV. The Turlock Christian boys are looking to finish strong so the Eagles can move up from their 17th position in Division V. Denair sits outside of the D-IV playoffs at No. 20. As for the other girls teams, Pitman is rated 13th in D-II, while Hilmar (19th, D-IV) and Denair (29th, D-IV) are nonplayoff teams.

MEET US AT ARCO - TC GIRLS HOPE TO FACE REIGNING D-V CHAMP IN FINALS
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 20, 2010

Midway through the season, Turlock Christian High girls basketball coach Edwin Santiago uttered this information. Date: March 5. Time: 4 p.m. Place: Arco Arena
Opponent: Bradshaw Christian High. After he said it, he laughed. But he wasn’t completely joking. He’s said all season that his Eagles are good enough to reach the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V finals against the two-time defending champion. And now that the regular season is over, Santiago is eager to see how far his team will go. “We want to make it to Arco,” he said, referring to the place where the Sacramento Kings call home.

Last season, Turlock Christian got past the opening round for the first time before losing to Bradshaw Christian in the semifinals — just one win away from Arco. His Eagles (23-4 overall) have conquered plenty at this point. They smashed through the Southern League — except the one mishap against Le Grand High — to earn their first outright league title, topping their 2007 run in which they were co-champions with Le Grand. They have qualified for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive time. And they’ve maintained their No. 1 standing in the power ratings since it first came out three weeks ago. They’re likely going to remain at the top when the final standings are released Sunday, with the playoffs beginning Tuesday night. The Eagles hope Bradshaw Christian is the No. 2 seed, meaning Santiago’s wish could come true and the two top squads in the division meet up in Sacramento. “Mostly, right now, we want to come out every game focused and playing our best,” junior guard Molly Farrar said.

TC and Bradshaw Christian met earlier this season at the West Coast Jamboree, where the circumstances were a little different. The Eagles had freshman Halie Bergman, the Section’s top scorer who later went down with a season-ending knee injury. Even so, the BC Pride still got away with a 56-47 statement win. Bradshaw Christian is currently the No. 2 team in D-V mostly because the program has gone through a tough schedule, highlighted by the Pride playing some of the best teams in California — including Modesto Christian High, which captured the Division IV championship last season. The Turlock Christian players have shown they can compete, no matter what is thrown at them. The Eagles didn’t panic when they lost Bergman to injury. Their coach said because of their Christian faith, they remained in control of their emotions and went on to dominate their league. “We understand what it takes to win a game, no matter who you play against,” Santiago said. “So we’re taking that into the playoffs. Every game counts, every game matters.”
They have that big date in mind, but first this. Date: Tuesday. Place: Calvary Baptist Gym. Time: 7 p.m. Opponent: To be announced.

6 LOCAL TEAMS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 22, 2010

It was a frantic last couple of weeks for local high school basketball teams. On Sunday afternoon, a half-dozen of them made it all worthwhile after the Sac-Joaquin Section announced its playoff brackets for all five divisions. Turlock boys and girls, Pitman boys and girls, Hilmar boys and Turlock Christian girls all made the cut.
But it was the Turlock girls who had the most surprising move of all by locking the No. 8 position — the final spot to open a first-round game, which will take place Thursday — in Division I. The Bulldogs will play No. 9 Sheldon, a dangerous team that has won eight of the last nine games. All first-round contests will start at 7 p.m.

Coach Salinda Mabie and her Turlock squad are looking to end their bad luck in the playoffs, as the Bulldogs have faltered in the first round of the past two seasons. It was believed that they were going to open on the road until McClatchy — a top eight seed before Sunday — lost Friday night to give the Bulldogs a home playoff game. The Turlock girls’ counterparts had always been in position to open the postseason at Bulldog Arena. Now, it’s official. The No. 4 Turlock boys will welcome No. 13 Vintage on Friday. The Pitman boys were one of the teams that had a frantic end to their season, losing four of their last six games. But the Pride managed to secure the No. 12 seed in Division II and will play at Jesuit in Carmichael on Wednesday. The final local boys team to qualify for the playoffs is Hilmar, which came up just short of a Western Athletic Conference title but owns the No. 7 seed in Division IV and will host Highlands on Wednesday.

As for the other girls teams, there was at least one unexpected switch. That was in Division V, where Turlock Christian slipped to No. 2 after holding down the top spot for three weeks and will play No. 15 Luthern at Calvary Baptist Gym on Tuesday. Two-time defending Section champion Bradshaw Christian is No. 1, meaning there’s a chance that the BC Pride and TC Eagles could meet at Arco Arena in Sacramento for the championship game. Then there’s Pitman, the No. 12 seed in D-II and will travel to No. 5 Roseville on Tuesday to face No. 5 Woodcreek. The regular season is done, but there seems to be more craziness left in the coming weeks.

EAGLES BEGIN PLAYOFF JOURNEY WITH 42-POINT WIN
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 24, 2010

There was nothing unusual about Turlock Christian High’s girls basketball game on Tuesday night, though the circumstances were different. The Calvary Baptist Gym didn’t change since the last time it was used ... except it was filled with supporters. The players treated the game just like any other, scoring a bunch of points to open the first quarter. Therefore, the outcome was nothing new.

the No. 2 Eagles never had a moment of worry against the No. 15 Lutheran High Panthers in the opening round game of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs, winning 72-30 to help them stick to the plan of reaching the championship game at Arco Arena in Sacramento next week. The TC players never overlooked Tuesday’s opponent, one that entered the postseason with only seven wins. The Eagles will continue on with the playoffs with a quarterfinal game at home at 7 p.m. on Thursday. “We were trying to play our absolute best,” junior guard Molly Farrar said. “We didn’t want to come out sluggish.”

Actually, a better word would be dominant. The Eagles had a 41-11 halftime lead with three players already in double figures by then. That kind of pace never slowed down, even when coach Edwin Santiago allowed some of his reserves to get some postseason action. With two minutes left in the third quarter, the Eagles were up 56-16. Soon after, the referees allowed a running clock.

“We played our game,” Santiago said. “We weren’t worried what the score was, what the situation was. We were focused and we wanted to do the things we wanted to do well.” He then fired off a list of all the things he liked, from the players looking confident on the floor to them filling the passing lanes. Yeah, it was a good night to be an Eagle. And this group managed a 42-point win despite not having freshman Halie Bergman, who has been on the team bench since she went down with a season-ending knee injury in early January.

The Eagles showcased plenty of weapons Tuesday. Kaisa Spycher finished with another double-double, this time a 18-point, 19-rebound effort. Farrar had 12 points, while teammate Candice Balswick contributed 13 (six of them from the 3-point line). So yes, this seemed like another night for the Eagles, who regularly blow out teams. And it all came despite a productive effort by Lutheran’s Emily Ames (17 points). The TC fans went home happy, and even the referees were seen leaving the game smiling — a rarity for a job that is criticized on a nightly basis. Maybe that was the only thing unusual about this night.

EAGLES SOAR TO FINAL FOUR
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, February 27, 2010

For the second year in a row, the Turlock Christian High School girls basketball team is headed to the California Interscholastic Federation Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoff semifinals, following a 70-18 drubbing of the Sacramento Adventist Academy Capitols Thursday evening. The win sends the No. 2 seeded Eagles to Galt High School for the second consecutive year, setting the team up for a possible trip to the Arco Arena finals. Thursday’s game was never close for the No. 7 seed Capitols, with the Eagles’ Amy Wright scoring an easy lay-up to tally the first points of the night — and put Turlock Christian ahead for good — just seconds into the game. The Eagles led 5-0 within 30 seconds of tipoff, following the first of many steals generated by their relentless, full-court press that forced the Capitols to fight to move the ball up court on each possession. “We like our press,” Wright, who scored 16, said with a laugh.

At the close of the first quarter, which Turlock Christian turned into a fast break layup line, the Eagles held a 21-6 lead on the heels of Molly Farrar’s 11-point quarter. She would finish with 17, a team high. The Capitols would not score in the second, their every effort stymied by the more aggressive, larger Turlock Christian team. The Eagles knocked home 26 more in that quarter to take an insurmountable 47-6 lead. “What’s the mercy rule?” shouted one TC student fan from the bleachers. Indeed, the mercy rule — that the clock keeps running in the fourth quarter regardless of play stoppages if a team leads by 40 at the end of the third — did come into play, but the Capitols put up their most competitive quarter coming out of halftime. Sac Adventist scored 10 of their 18 points in the third, going on a six-point run before a clutch Molly Zuhlke three-pointer for the Eagles put a comeback out of the Capitols’ mind.

Turlock Christian led 60-16 at the close of three. The abbreviated fourth quarter saw the Eagles continue to execute their gameplan of relentless, swarming defense, offensive rebounding, and fast break points to close out the contest 70-18. “We were expecting a much more competitive game, but we filled the house today and I think that was a massive factor in how we played,” said Eagles head coach Edwin Santiago. Turlock Christian will sponsor a fan bus to the Galt semifinals for the first time this year, Santiago said, in hopes of receiving the same sort of community support. There, on Tuesday, Turlock Christian will meet the No. 11 seeded Ripon Christian, who knocked off No. 6 seed Trinity Prep 50-28 and No. 3 seed Wilton Christian 51-43 in overtime to reach the semis.

Turlock Christian defeated Ripon Christian 48-28 earlier this year, but at that time the Eagles still had their top scorer Halie Bergman. Bergman went down with a season ending knee injury last month. According to Santiago, the Knights could present the Eagles’ toughest challenge yet, as their star player Kelsey Tillema is “quite a player,” but the Eagles remain focused on playing in the Division V finals at Arco Arena. They hope to rematch the top-ranked Bradshaw Christian team that knocked the Eagles out of the semifinals last year. “But the final four is sweet,” Santiago said.

EAGLES SET THEIR SIGHTS ON SECTION TITLE
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 3, 2010

GALT -- Things looked bleak for the Turlock Christian High girls basketball team, with three of their starters on the bench and plenty of time left in the semifinal game against Ripon Christian High in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs. And there was a glaring reminder that the Eagles weren’t a complete team whenever they looked at the bench, seeing their top scorer holding onto crutches. This was before halftime.

But the Eagles stayed calm despite all the foul trouble. It all worked out for them, as they defeated Ripon Christian for the second time this season — though this 55-45 win on Tuesday night in front of a large TC crowd had more meaning, obviously. It gave the Turlock Christian players their first-ever trip to Arco Arena, helping erase the heartbreak the Eagles endured when their postseason run last season ended in the semifinals. Their reward?

It’s Bradshaw Christian High, the two-time defending Section champion, at the holy grail of California high school basketball in Sacramento at 4 p.m. Friday. This was a goal the Eagles had all along, even when Halie Bergman — the Section’s top scorer — went down with a season-ending knee injury in early January. “It’s like having your signature in the history books,” Eagles coach Edwin Santiago said. “We’ll be known as the first girls team to go.” But there was doubt at one point.

It started late in the second half, when starters Molly Farrar, Molly Burton and Kaisa Spycher all had a view from the bench because of foul trouble. But Amy Wright took care of the scoring load, hit a couple key shots after the Eagles had only a 43-42 lead and finished with a team-high 21 points. On top of that, Burton was a defensive stopper all night, finishing with 10 blocks and eight rebounds. The Knights attacked the basket often in hopes of fouling out the sophomore center, but Burton used her 6-foot-2 frame carefully and stayed in the game.

And others contributed, with Spycher adding 13 points, Farrar chipping in eight and Rebekah Muller putting in five key points while the starters were out. With those numbers, the Eagles achieved the goal they had to begin the season. “For us,” Santiago said, “it can’t be any sweeter.” And the Turlock Christian coach said this before he took his team to Red Robin, a restaurant with plenty of desserts, to celebrate the win.

EAGLES SHOT DOWN BY DEFENDING CHAMPION IN SECTION FINALS
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 6, 2010

SACRAMENTO — Arco Arena is an intimidating environment for any teenager. The bright lights, the thousands of seats available and the fact that NBA players regularly step onto the polished floor all make for a unique experience. Try playing there.

The Turlock Christian High girls basketball team got that privilege Friday afternoon, when the Eagles faced top-seeded Bradshaw Christian High — which makes annual visits to the arena — in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V championship game and found themselves stumbling for most of the 32 minutes with many turnovers and missed opportunities in a 67-25 thumping. It was the first time the Eagles made such a trip. “In the beginning, we had major nerves,” Turlock Christian guard Molly Farrar said. “I know I was nervous.”

Bradshaw Christian, now the three-time Section champion, started off slow and had a 14-8 lead after the first quarter. But then, the buckets came almost automatically with the BC Pride ahead 36-11 at halftime after a bevy of 3-pointers, three-point plays and second-chance points. Three players reached double figures for Bradshaw Christian (22-8), with freshman Ashlee Jones leading all scorers with 20 points. Cheyenne Williams — headed to San Diego next season — contributed with 11 points, followed by a 10-point night from Jordie Smith for a dominant showcase. But the game should have an asterisk next to it, considering the Eagles were without Halie Bergman, the freshman guard who averaged nearly Turlock Christian’s total on Friday before she went down with a season-ending injury early in the regular season. The freshman was healthy when the Eagles suffered a close 56-47 loss to the BC Pride in the West Coast Jamboree, a tournament that draws the best teams in the state.

Bergman was on the sidelines, wearing the Turlock Christian warm-ups and knowing she was unable to help her teammates because of a torn ACL. She watched the Eagles struggle, as they compiled 28 turnovers to BC Pride’s 17 and shot 8-for-47 from the field. Farrar, who said she and her teammates calmed their nerves after the opening minutes, led Turlock Christian with nine points with the second-best scorers finishing with three points apiece (Amy Wright and Rebekah Muller). Everyone played except for Bergman. “We worked real hard to get here,” Eagles coach Edwin Santiago said. “It’s just icing on the cake. It was the accumulation of a long season. It wasn’t the only game we played this year. To be able to say we played at Arco, it’s very satisfying. We didn’t come here to lose. I’m not saying that. “We just got beat by a very good team.”

The Eagles (26-5) have at least one more game left, as they will play in the NorCal Championships starting Tuesday night. The seedings and brackets are scheduled to be released Sunday.

TC GIRLS FALL IN STATE TOURNAMENT OPENER
Alex Cantatore, Turlock Journal, March 9, 2010

The Turlock Christian girls basketball team ended their season with a 36-74 loss to St. Joseph Notre Dame of Alameda Tuesday evening, making their exit from the first round of the 2010 California Interscholastic Federation Division V State Championship. While Turlock Christian coach Edwin Santiago admitted he had hoped his team might keep the game a bit closer, he couldn’t help but be pleased by how the season turned out. “This season doesn’t end with just one game,” Santiago said. “Looking back, it was a great season.”

The 2010 season was the best in the history of the Eagles, highlighted by the team’s first ever trip to Arco Arena, where they lost to Bradshaw Christian 67-25 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Tournament Finals Division V on Friday. That second-place finish qualified Turlock Christian for the eighth seed in the state tournament. The ninth seeded St. Joseph Notre Dame Pilots came out with guns blazing for the first round game Tuesday, taking the lead on their first possession before quickly running up a 6-0 lead. The Pilots led 20-8 at the end of the first quarter, and 39-20 at the half.

The game was dominated by the Pilots’ 6’4” junior center Carmen Lockhart, who led all scorers with 20. Her inside height made it difficult for the Eagles to put up shots, while the frenetic Pilots defense picked off any passes Turlock Christian attempted to squeeze by. While the 74-36 end result wasn’t what Turlock Christian players had hoped for, they found the bright spots in the season-ending loss. “I’m very pleased with how we played,” said Eagles’ senior forward Aubrey Larson. “Everyone gave 100 percent all game.” Tuesday’s loss was the final high school game for Larson, as well as fellow seniors Simi Grewal, Candice Balswick, who scored four in the loss, and Amy Wright, who knocked down 16 of the Eagles’ 36. Despite the loss, Larson remained positive. She was pleased with the way the Eagles went out, continuing to play with the heart and good sportsmanship she said the Christian school is known for – and will continue to lead them to victory. “It was really fun to play with these girls all last year,” Larson said. “I’m sure next season they’ll go far.”

The younger players relished the experience of playing in a state tournament game, and were pleased with their team’s 26-6 season performance. “I think we played really hard,” said Eagles’ sophomore center Marly Burton, who finished with two points Tuesday. “… We left our signature on the court.” Burton will be one of eight returning players for the Eagles next year, and one of four co-captains alongside junior Kaisa Spycher, who scored four, junior Molly Farrar, who tallied 10, and standout, high-scoring freshman Halie Bergman, who tore her ACL early this season and missed the playoffs.

As the game began to fall away from the Eagles in the second quarter, the boisterous Turlock Christian cheering section began chanting Bergman’s name, drawing the question of just how the game may have turned out if the Eagles’ leading scorer was in action. “That’s one thing about our TC fans,” Santiago said, “That they support us in the good times and the bad times.”

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK