Turlock Christian Schools

2009 record: 7-16-1 overall, 4-11 SL
Head coach: Jon Valenti (1st year)
Key returners: Robbie Smallwood (INF/P), Miles Martinez (C), Trevor Starn (INF/P)
Key newcomers: Jesse Lopes (INF)

Outlook: It’s a new era, and it starts today with the season opener against Orestimba at Pedretti Park. But the Eagles will also introduce a new attitude to go along with their new uniforms, thanks to determined first-year coach Jon Valenti, who competed at the professional level for nine years — including stints with the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants organizations — before deciding to coach high school kids. “We’re trying to revamp this program,” he said, adding that the small stuff matters, too. He handed the Eagles practice uniforms, something that didn’t happen often in past seasons. He’s teaching them the fundamentals of the game and offering lessons that they never knew before, all because he believes this team is destined for a postseason berth.

The last time that happened was back in 2007. There’s also a sense of urgency with eight seniors on the roster. It might be the Eagles’ best chance before they start rebuilding with the likes of Jesse Lopes, a freshman infielder who is expected to be a major factor this season. Robbie Smallwood and Trevor Starn are the only two players on this season’s team that have experienced life beyond the regular season and Valenti knows he will depend on the duo for success. The coach saw a glimpse of what’s in store in a scrimmage against Hughson, where the Eagles won 10-0 with no errors committed. There’s one thing that he wants to improve on before his team embarks on a journey to the postseason: “We’re not deep. I’m working on my bench players so they can perform as starters.”

PREP NOTEBOOK
Renato Gutierrez, Turlock Journal, March 26, 2010

Same team, better baseball. Those are the words that represent the Turlock Christian High baseball team and first-year coach Jon Valenti, whose squad played host to Mariposa High on Thursday night at Pedretti Park. Mariposa was last season's Southern League runner-up and the 2008 league champion. The significance? The Eagles looked to snap a three-year losing streak against the Grizzlies, with the last previous win coming on March 28, 2007.

Now, the Eagles can change that date to March 25, 2010, as they dominated in a 5-1 victory. The team has changed little since last season with one addition to the roster, and Coach Valenti is confident his team can go the distance. The story of Thursday afternoon? Turlock Christian's dominant pitching by senior Trevor Starn, who allowed two hits, no earned runs and earned nine strikeouts in a complete outing. Starn is 2-1 for the season with a 1.31 ERA and has allowed five runs in four games. “You look at a win like this, and it has its good, but there is also the bad,” Valenti said. “Trevor threw 102 pitches, which really just means our bullpen will have to step up next week and give us some relief.”

Though the Eagles have yet to show an offensive strive, Valenti credits the team for more than what’s on paper. “We aren't working on all cylinders just yet. We can do better,” Valenti said. “We have to work on our play and you'll see us on the hunt. We will out-work, out-hustle, and out-play our opponent every week.”

SMALLWOOD'S ALL-AROUND PLAY GIVES TC DRAMATIC WIN
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, April 14, 2010

Don’t make Robbie Smallwood angry. If you do, you’re bound to see the Turlock Christian High senior baseball player do some incredible things. He can hit. He can pitch. He can dodge baseballs.

After a bad third inning, Smallwood showcased plenty of different talents against Waterford High on Tuesday afternoon. He utilized his powers to dramatically lift the Eagles to a 6-4 statement win, as Turlock Christian has now bested the two top teams in the Southern League — with the other one being Mariposa High, which racks up championships on a yearly basis. “It was a really good win,” said Turlock Christian coach Jon Valenti, whose squad improved to 5-2 in the league and is in a three-way race with Mariposa and Waterford. “It’s good motivation. Now, it’s going to show that we belong where we’re at.”

And much of the credit goes to Smallwood, who pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts and wrapped up his day with two shutout innings. He also smashed out a two-run home run in the top of the fourth that gave the Eagles a much-needed boost after the Wildcats rallied for four runs in the previous frame. It was 4-2 at that point. But Smallwood wasn’t done. He also showcased his unique leaping abilities. In the sixth, he scored from second base but not before dodging Miles Martinez’s grounder to left field. The umpires held a short discussion to determine if the ball had hit, perhaps, Smallwood’s foot on his way up, but they ultimately ruled the play a score. Waterford’s lead was now 4-3.

That was a crucial moment for an Eagles team that had lost to the Wildcats earlier in the season, an 8-0 setback. On Tuesday, Turlock Christian continued to surge in the sixth, thanks to Geoffrey Retemeyer’s shot to right field that sent in John Westburg and Martinez to give the Eagles a 5-4 edge with Smallwood needing to finish the game with two strong innings. He shut out the Wildcats in those two frames. He also produced a sacrifice fly in his final at-bat that sent in pinch-hitter Stetson Tucker to give the Eagles their final score of 6-4. Also, Trevor Starn went 2-for-4 with one run scored.

And it helped that Smallwood got mad at himself after allowing three runs on three hits in the third. “On the mound, when they get hits off like that, I get angry,” he said. “I like pitching when I’m angry. It always brings a couple extra miles on the fastball. It makes you want to throw strikes and get the guys out.”

EAGLES EARN IMPORTANT WIN OVER SL RIVALS
Nick Pecoraro, Turlock Journal, April 16, 2010

Fueled by a strong outing from pitcher Trevor Starn and timely hitting late in the game, the Turlock Christian High baseball team came away with a 5-2 victory over the Denair High Coyotes at Pedretti Park on Thursday afternoon. The Eagles avenged a close loss to Denair last month, as well as improving their Southern League record to 6-2 that puts them in contention for the title with Mariposa High and Waterford High with eight games remaining. Turlock Christian has also bested those two squads, who are regular visitors of the playoffs. “My arm felt good out there,” said Starn, the senior left-hander who didn’t surrender his first hit until two outs in the fourth inning. “I got into a little trouble, giving up a walk and a seeing-eye single, but other than that, I felt good.”

Starn picked up the win by going five innings while only giving up two hits, one run and striking out nine Coyote hitters. The game was a bit of a pitchers’ duel until the Eagles’ half of the fifth inning. Senior right-fielder Geoffrey Retemeyer began the frame with a leadoff double, followed by a single by Brent Abraham. Turlock Christian then manufactured runs with consecutive sacrifice flies from Stetson Tucker and Jesse Lopes that each garnered a run. Turlock Christian would later score in the inning thanks to an RBI single from Starn that plated Cody Alldrin, who also doubled. “Our bats came alive in that fifth inning,” Eagles coach Jon Valenti said, after his team only recorded two hits in the first four innings. “We had some good at-bats that inning. We were able to capitalize on some of the mistakes that (Denair) made and we were able to manufacture some runs.”

The Eagles would later tack on an insurance run in the sixth, but the three runs in the bottom of the fifth would prove to be enough, as they improved to 9-5 overall.
Denair pitcher Brett Arnold threw a solid game in the loss. Going into the bottom of the fifth inning, the senior right-hander had only given up one run on two hits and struck out seven. The Coyotes (5-5, 3-4 SL) committed a couple of costly errors under Arnold's watch late in the game that concerned Denair coach Aaron Delworth. “I know it shows in the book that we only had three errors, but when you look at the mental mistakes we made, it probably doubled that total,” he said. “I think both starting pitchers were equally matched today. It’s a tough loss, but (Arnold) understands that it’s his job to throw strikes and he has eight guys behind him to play defense and we just didn’t play defense today.”

Lopes, a Turlock Christian freshman, had a pair of hits, including a single to open up the Eagles’ first inning. He would then advance to third on an errant pickoff attempt and a wild pitch, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly off of Alldrin to take an early 1-0 lead. “This win means a lot,” said Starn. “We’re tied for first right now and another win just means that we’re keeping the pressure on Waterford.”

TC TOPS RIVAL DENAIR ON SPECIAL DAY
Nick Pecoraro, Turlock Journal, May 5, 2010

At one point, the Turlock Christian High baseball team was down by three runs to one of the Eagles' biggest rivals in Denair High. It was a tense situation, considering the circumstances surrounding Tuesday's Southern League game. A playoff spot was at stake. It was the annual clashing of schools that sit on the same street. But on top of all that, it was Ron Cornell's day. Minutes earlier, the retired Denair baseball coach was immortalized after the Denair Unified School District formally announced that the Coyotes baseball field would be called the Ronald W. Cornell Baseball Park. And he earned this recognition before many of his former players, as well as a larger-than-normal crowd for both teams. “This blows me away,” Cornell said of the honor.

Even with that kind of pressure, the Eagles still prevailed. Enter Jesse Lopes, a freshman who broke the game open in the fourth inning after he slammed out his first home run of his high school career — this one a three-run blast that eventually gave Turlock Christian an 11-6 win. The victory also secured a playoff berth for the Eagles, who hadn't been in the playoffs since 2007. Turlock Christian improved to 10-2 in the league, as the Eagles sit in first. “I didn't doubt it once,” Coach Jon Valenti said about the comeback. “We're going to be in every game. I was kind of upset that we came out flat. But no, I wasn't worried — not one bit.”

Entering the top of the fourth, the Eagles were down 4-1. That's when Turlock Christian went on a rally, producing five runs on three hits and one error to take over the lead at 6-4. Lopes went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs, as Miles Martinez finished 3-for-4 and Kody Heppner got on base four times and crossed the plate twice. Trevor Starn also knocked out a three-run blast in the top of the sixth to give the Eagles some insurance runs and a 10-4 advantage.

Denair also had some highlights. The Coyotes (5-8 SL) produced two-run rallies in the second and third to take an early lead, with Brett Arnold and Brian Willis each coming away with an RBI. Trevor Werner got on base three times and finished with two hits and one run scored. But then a Turlock Christian freshman provided the spark the Eagles needed, as Lopes said he felt no pressure while at the plate or on the mound, where he came in to relieve in the middle part of the game and left with the win. And it all took place during a day reserved for Cornell, who coached the Denair baseball team for 38 years before retiring from coaching and teaching last year. He now spends more time with his family, while working on different jobs for his friends. He also attends Denair baseball games, though from now on, it'll be different seeing his name attached to the ballpark. “This is a special feeling,” the 62-year-old said.

EAGLES RALLY LATE AS SMALLWOOD TURNS IN GUSTY PERFORMANCE
Nick Pecoraro, Turlock Journal, May 1, 2010

It appeared, for a minute, that Robbie Smallwood would need to come out of Thursday’s game early after being thrown out trying to scurry back to first base on a line-drive caught by Waterford right-fielder Moises Real. Smallwood dove back hard into first base for the second time in the second inning and proceeded to get up very slowly. It appeared that Turlock Christian coach Jon Valenti had an important decision to make on whether to let Smallwood head back out to the mound the next inning. Being the competitor that Smallwood is, he didn’t leave his coach much of a choice.

Smallwood went back in to pitch in the top of the third inning and overpowered the Wildcats lineup the rest of the way, giving Turlock Christian a 6-3 victory over league rival Waterford at Pedretti Park. Smallwood fell behind early, giving up a run in each of his first two innings, but the Eagles were able to gain momentum late in the game to ensure the win for their starter. “I like that we came back,” Smallwood said. “They hit us first and we came right back.”

It was the rubber match in the season series between Turlock Christian and Waterford. Waterford won the first meeting 8-0 on March 18 and the Eagles came back with a 6-4 win on April 13^. The victory gives the Eagles (9-2 in Southern League) a two-game cushion and a potential tiebreaker over the second-place Wildcats in the Southern League. “This win means a lot,” said Valenti. “We’ve still got some tough games ahead of us, but this win gives us a little bit of breathing room and a little bit more control of what’s going on right now.”

The Eagles were trailing 3-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning when Waterford coach Steve Marks went to his bullpen. Wildcat pitcher Travis Goodwin loaded the bases with one out for Turlock Christian’s Cody Alldrin. The senior first baseman belted a two-run single, knotting the game at three. The wheels came off for Waterford in the bottom of the sixth. Two misplayed balls by Real in right field and a couple wild pitches from Goodwin resulted in three runs coming across for Turlock Christian. They went ahead 6-3 and held on in the top of the seventh for the win.

Smallwood, who struck out 11 Wildcat hitters, said he suffered a hip-pointer, comparable to a common football injury. “All the way from my waist to my knee on my left leg is just numb right now,” he said, describing his injury, which didn’t seem to physically bother him as he completed the game, picking up his fifth victory of the season. “I’m not really satisfied with the way I threw out there, but I’m glad we came away with the win,” Smallwood added. “We have to come out to every practice intense, work hard, learn from our mistakes and make sure we are always working on something.” Junior third baseman Brent Abraham scored twice and added two hits, including one that plated the go-ahead run for the Eagles in the bottom of the sixth inning. If you ask Valenti what his team needs to do to stay on top of the league standings, he will keep it as simple as one can possibly put it: “Just win.”

VARSITY TRACK & FIELD

HILMAR, DENAIR AND TURLOCK CHRISTIAN TRACK & FIELD PREVIEWS 2010 - TC EAGLES
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 23, 2010

Head coach: Aaron King (first year), Dirk Ulrich (first year)
Top athletes: Martin Mordea (200 and 400 meters), Daniel Schultz (distance and long jump), Austin Morelli (discus and shot put), Jordan Gustafson (discus and shot put) for boys. Emily Retemeyer (sprinter), Allison Ulrich (sprinter), Hope Tinely (sprinter), Paige Ulrich (100, 200 and 400 meters and relay events) for girls.
Outlook: Even in only their first year, the Turlock Christian Eagles already have some impact athletes in the Southern League. Martin Mordea is ranked No. 1 in both the 200 and 400 meters, and he’s a sophomore. Other key athletes are Austin Morelli and Jordan Gustason in the throwing events, as well as Daniel Schultz in the middle distance and long jump events. As the for the girls, Emily Retemeyer (sprints), Allison Ulrich (sprints), Hope Tinely lead the way, while Paige Ulrich is one of the best 100, 200 and 400 meter runners in the county. But coach Aaron King said, “We don’t have a lot, because we’re just starting.”

LOCALS STAND OUT IN FIRST BIG TRACK MEET
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 23, 2010

Nearly 50 high schools and 1,500 athletes competed at the Al Brenda Invitational on Saturday, one of the biggest track and field events so far this season. The event was held at the brand new facility, also named after Al Brenda, at Cal State Stanislaus in ideal spring weather of 76 degrees. In most cases, it was the big schools that dominated the events.

But Hilmar High’s Morgan McFaddin didn’t shy away from the attention, finishing in the two top of her events — sometimes, beating athletes from the larger schools. Her standout performances helped the Hilmar girls to 98 points and a first-place trophy in the small schools competition, outlasting Ripon High by 15 points. “After four or five events, I started to think, ‘We actually have a shot,’” Hilmar coach Clement Labrouche said. “Morgan had an awesome performance, but it was everybody. It was our jumpers, our hurdles, our sprinters — it was a true team effort.” But it was McFaddin who left with a bevy of medals. She took first in the triple jump for small schools, as well as finishing second in both the 400 and 800 meters with times of 1 minute, 2.7 seconds and 2:31.69, respectively.

Other Yellowjackets with top three finishes were Roche Bailey (pole vault), Mackenzie Souza (100 and 300 hurdles), Riley Harris (100 hurdles), Isamar Millan (triple jump) and Rylee McCown (high jump). In the girls large school competition, Pitman had impressive showings and finished second behind Sierra High with the two teams separated by a 13-point gap. Pitman’s Erica Sickert took first in the shot put with a throw of 36 feet and placed second in the discus with a toss of 98 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Teammate Kelsee Derr blew away her 100-meter hurdles challengers by finishing in 16.24 seconds, which was almost two seconds faster than the runner-up’s time. And in some cases, faster than some of the boys’ times in the same event. Derr also helped the Pride to a second-place showing in the 4x400-meter relay along with Jasmine Roberson, Morgan Renshaw and Aman Hundal. DJ Grady and Markus Sanders finished second and third in the boys discus, respectively.

Alex Assail and Hannah Bertomen had standout performances for the Turlock girls team, as Assail cleared 8 feet in the pole vault to finish second and Bertomen finished with a mark of 32 feet, 2 inches in the triple jump for a runner-up showing.

Also, in the small schools competition, Turlock Christian’s Aubrey Larsson cleared 4 feet, 4 inches to place second in the girls high jump, as teammate Martin Moreda took second and third, respectively, in the 200 and 400 meter races.

TC TAKING A GO AT TRACK
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 30, 2010

They don’t have enough to field a football team and barely enough for a basketball team. A lot of them are trying out the sport for the first time in their lives, but the Turlock Christian High track and field athletes are giving it a shot. Before this season, track and field wasn’t an option for students who attended Turlock Christian High. The spring sports choices for the girls were softball or soccer, while the boys took it to the baseball mound and golf course. But thanks to Aaron King and Dirk Ulrich, the Eagles now have track and field.

And this group of athletes have already made an impact, as they won the first Southern League Meet of the season. In that showcase, the first-year coaches realized that they were working with promise. A few Eagles won races, with some of them considered serious contenders to win titles at the Southern League Championships in May — even though the Eagles boast under 20 athletes for both the boys and girls squads. And it all started because King and Ulrich, both assistant coaches for the school’s varsity football program, wanted to give the TC students another athletic option.

“You can have second-stringers and third-stringers and in some sports, they’ll never play,” King said. “In track and field, it doesn’t matter if you’re the bottom of the heat or the top of the heat, you’re going to get a chance to perform. And those people who may not be the best athletes, they still will be able to get a time or a distance or a height in. And the next week, they’ll have the opportunity to improve on that.” The Eagles’ next meet is the Amador Relays at Amador High on Saturday.

Some of the team’s top talent includes Martin Mordea (200 and 400 meters), Daniel Schultz (distance, long jump), Austin Morelli (discus, shot put) and Jordan Gustafson (discus, shot put) for the boys, while sprinters Emily Retemeyer, Allison Ulrich, Hope Tinely and Paige Ulrich are considered the leaders for the girls. The TC athletes are happy to be part of this first track and field group. “I haven’t really thought about it that much,” said Aubrey Larsson, who competes in field events, “but it’s cool.”

VARSITY GOLF

TC JUNIOR GOLFER FEELS NO PRESSURE AGAINST THE BOYS
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 12, 2010

Kathleen Rojas was first introduced to golf at age 3, not long after learning how to walk. About a decade and a half later, she’s reached an apex. “Personally, I don’t think I’ve played this well before in my life,” she said. It could be viewed as a sort of warning for her competitors, especially because it comes from a teenage girl who regularly plays against the opposite sex. Rojas is one of two female golfers — the other being Esther Rojas, her kid sister who’s playing at the high school level for the first time as a freshman — on the Turlock Christian High boys golf team. The school doesn’t have a girls team. But her expectations are team-oriented.

Asked about her goals for this season, the junior talked about the Eagles’ upcoming play at the Yellowjacket Invitational on Monday at Stevinson Ranch. Asked again about her goals for this season because her first answer wasn’t exactly on point, she mentioned something about helping the Eagles to their seventh consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section title. It’s natural to have a team-first attitude during the spring, as she’s not allowed to play in the boys golf postseason unless the Eagles qualify as a team. Though she says she’s playing her best golf right now, Rojas just wants to help out.

But a lot is expected from Turlock Christian’s No. 2 golfer, who’s right behind senior Beau Warda, a CIF NorCal Championship qualifier last season. Rojas has two seasons of high school golf left and a lot to live up to. “She beats a lot of the boys she plays against,” Coach Jeff Cederlind said, “which is fun.” It’s not like she hasn’t proven herself against the girls. In the fall, she had an epic display of golf as an at-large participant — since, again, there’s no girls team at Turlock Christian — at the Section’s Division V Championship at Stevinson Ranch. She won the individual title by firing off an 84, which many coaches thought was impossible due to the amount of wind, freezing cold and blowing dirt the weather produced that day in late October of last year. It was the type of performance that left her body shaking even days after it all ended.

Rojas then went on to the Section’s Masters Tournament and was just one stroke away from advancing to NorCals. She did all this without any sort of preparation before the girls postseason began, as she didn’t golf for two months before that. That type of run gave her confidence heading into the spring. So playing against boys isn’t as big of a deal anymore. “I have to admit, at first it was,” she said. “When I was younger, when I started my first year as a freshman, I felt like I had to prove myself. I was the smallest, the shortest, the youngest and a girl.” Well, she’s also been around adversity all her life. Her father, Francisco, was the one who introduced her to golf. He had dreams of playing in the U.S. Amateur Championship until it became hard to grip a golf club because of a skin condition that caused blisters. But he didn’t completely walk away from the sport. He still spends time teaching his daughters — 7-year-old Rosalyn is the latest Rojas to pick up golf — the game despite the pain in his hands. That keeps Kathleen Rojas striving for more. “That’s one of the reasons why it makes no sense to quit playing golf,” she said. “I would never do that to my own father, who spent so much time teaching the game to his daughters.”

BOYS GOLF PREVIEW 2010 - TC EAGLES
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 12, 2010

2009 record: 9-0 Southern League
Head coach: Jeff Cederlind (eighth year)
Key returners: Beau Warda, Kathleen Rojas
Key newcomer: Esther Rojas

Outlook: The expectations are always high for the Eagles, who are chasing their seventh consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section championship under Jeff Cederlind’s guidance. The coach expects his team to once again be a contender for the section title, though he also knows Mariposa and Jim Elliot Christian could prove to be serious challengers. Cederlind welcomes back a number of returners from last season, including Beau Warda, a CIF NorCals qualifier. But the senior has a bad knee, an injury he suffered during the Turlock Christian football season. Cederlind doesn’t think Warda’s knee will fully heal anytime soon but believes he’ll be competitor.

EAGLES GOLF CAPTURE YET ANOTHER LEAGUE TITLE
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, May 1, 2010

Even with a bad knee, Beau Warda was able to lead the Turlock Christian boys golf team to another league championship on Tuesday. At the Pheasant Run Golf Course in Chowchilla, Warda fired a five-under par 67 to win his second individual title at the Southern League Tournament to give the Eagles their fourth SL title. It's also their seventh league title in a row, counting the previous three they captured in the Mountain Valley League before their transition.

The Eagles notched a team score of 411 on Tuesday, with Warda's 67 along with help from Kathleen Rojas (75), Kyle Cederlind (87), Esther Rojas (90) and James Riley (92). Warda was playing with a partial tear in the tendon of his left knee, an injury that has been bothering him all season. “Winning league is great,” coach Jeff Cederlind said, “but our main goal is to the win division tourney.”

The Division VI Tournament will be held May 10 at Stevinson Ranch, the Eagles' home golf course.

EAGLES GOLF FALLS SHORT OF DIVISION TITLE
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, May 11, 2010

While the last few players were wrapping up their final holes, Turlock Christian High boys golf coach Jeff Cederlind had a worried look on his face as he paced the dining area of Stevinson Ranch Golf Club on Monday. There was no word yet on this season's Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI winner but he knew one thing. “It's close,” he said.

By then, his top golfer struggled on his final hole, taking 12 shots on the par-5 after sailing the ball out of bounds three times. It made the situation even tenser for Cederlind, who racks up division titles annually. About 45 minutes later, bad news came: The Eagles were two strokes short.

Capital Christian High of Sacramento won the team title with a score of 448 to move on, edging Turlock Christian (450) and Jim Elliot (450). It meant for the first time in six years, the Eagles are without a division title, ending their season. The Eagles won the tiebreaker — after having a better sixth and final score than Jim Elliot — to settle for second place. Also, senior Beau Warda's 81 was enough to put him in a three-way tie with two other players for the third and final individual spot for the Masters. Ultimately, he came up short.

In all, it was an uncharacteristic day for the Eagles at their home course, which, on this day, had a strong south wind. Warda led the Eagles, followed by Chase Ulrich (86), sisters Kathleen (92) and Esther Rojas (94) and Kyle Cederlind (97). “I'm kind of disappointed at how we played as a team,” Jeff Cederlind said. “We're a lot better than the way we played today. “But that's golf.” The Eagles were shooting for their sixth straight division title and another trip to the Masters, which will be held Monday at The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton and to feature local athletes. But there's good news for Turlock Christian, which captured its seven consecutive league title this season. The Eagles will have everyone back next season except Warda, now a senior. “I'm really proud of the season we had,” Cederlind said. “But our goal was the Section title, and we didn't get it. But we'll get at it next year and the pressure will be off of us.”

VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER

PREP SOCCER PREVIEWS 2010 - TC EAGLES
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 16, 2010

2009 season: 7-12 overall, 6-9 SL
Head coach: Shirely Brand
Outlook: The Eagles will look to improve from last season, but that might take some adjustment. Gone are Tiffanie Snyder and Emily MacLaren, Turlock Christian’s top two scoring threats from last season. MacLaren is now playing for the Biola University women’s soccer team. But this group of Eagles return some of last season’s contributors and hope to build on that experience.

TC'S FLURRY OF SHOTS RESULT IN WIN
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 30, 2010

For the Turlock Christian High girls soccer players, it was frustrating to see all their shots swerve too far to the left or too far to the right, or into the hands of the opposing goalkeepers. But the Eagles remained persistent, which ultimately led to Monday’s 1-0 triumph over Southern League foe and fellow Monte Vista Avenue resident Denair High. The day’s lone goal came from Arin Morelli, one of nine TC freshmen. And all the newcomer did, she said, was look up. Sophomore teammate Natalie Snyder sent a pass through traffic and Morelli — a midfielder who had drastically pushed up field to help — capitalized on the timely assist for a one-goal lead in the 64th minute after the Eagles had swarmed the Denair defense with about a dozen shots.

“We had a lot of shots during the game,” said Morelli, whose goal was her first of the season, “but none of them were going in. It was the end of the second half, I really wanted to win, so I just took it.” It was a much-needed win for the Eagles (2-3-0 SL), who had captured only one win in their first four league games.
Turlock Christian tested the Coyotes all day, with goalkeepers Leslie Rodriguez and Tanya Duarte combining for 12 saves for the game. Denair, which dropped to 0-5 in league play, only had about four good looks at the goal, while the Eagles finished with 15 shots. But TC coach Shirley Brand said the game was evenly matched, highlighted by the fact that the Coyotes were more offensively aggressive after Morelli’s goal. The Eagles, however, never stopped attacking. “I was telling them at halftime,” Brand said, “we’re a second-half team. ‘Now that you’re past your exhaustion. Now, tighten up. You’ve got your second wind. Let’s go play hard now.’ They thought they were playing hard, but they’re usually a second-half team.”

VARSITY SOFTBALL

PREP SOFTBALL PREVIEWS 2010 - TC EAGLES
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, March 16, 2010

2009 record: 7-11-1 overall, 6-9 SL
Head coach: Randy Hopkins (second year)
Assistant: Ashley Schuller
Top returners: Stepahnie Huber (P/OF), Angie Martin (C/OF), Candice Balswick (SS), Tara Lafollette (P)
Top newcomers: Kristina Schulte, Catherine Balswick, Colett Kelly, Amanda Beech
Outlook: Coach Randy Hopkins has one simple goal for his Eagles, and that is to be one of the top teams in the Southern League. He also said the team’s focus is all about playing tough defense and entering each game “with confidence and perseverance.” The Eagles bring back experience in such key players as junior pitcher Stephanie Huber, junior catcher/outfielder Angie Martin and senior shortstop Candice Balswick, as well as pitcher Tara Lafollette.

EAGLES PRODUCE ALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE
Chhun Sun, Turlock Journal, May 11, 2010

Everything's coming together.

That's the sentiment that was expressed during Turlock Christian High's 11-2 softball rout of Denair High in the Southern League finale on Tuesday afternoon at Pedretti Park, where the Eagles did not overlook their task at hand. To end the game, center fielder Angie Martin made a nice sliding catch for the final out. It was a sweet ending after a slow start.

When the season began March 12, the Eagles had just gotten everyone in a uniform two practices earlier. A handful of the players had just concluded a historic run in the girls basketball season, punctuated by a trip to Arco Arena in Sacramento to play for a Sac-Joaquin Section title. In other words, those players weren't in softball shape in the season opener … and it showed against Delhi High, when they lost 9-8. But it's a different story now. The Eagles (9-7 Southern League) are heading to the playoffs, which starts May 20, for first time since joining their current league three seasons ago. The reason for their current success? It was all on display against Denair, which endured a long season.

Turlock Christian got on base immediately and capitalized, scoring three runs at the bottom of the first inning. It was all possible due to timely hits and sneaky base-running. “When you score three runs that early,” Eagles coach Randy Hopkins said, “it makes the other team die a little bit. And it gives you confidence.” Turlock Christian put up two runs in the second, two in the fourth, three in the fifth and finished off the Coyotes with a run in the sixth. Stephanie Huber, also the hurler, went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, Tara Lafollette hit 2-for-3 with an RBI and Martinez, who made that nice final out, finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and a triple.

It overshadowed Denair's day, which saw Wendy Makin go 1-for-3 with a double. The Coyotes scored one in the fourth and another in the seventh. For the Eagles, who are sitting in the No. 2 position in the Southern League, they have more than a week to prepare for the playoffs. And Hopkins believes they'll be ready, since they've come together after a slow start.

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