From dominance in the pool to heartache on the links, there was no shortage of drama this past week in a barrage of action as Oakdale High spring sports athletes hungered for more success in the Valley Oak League after clear skies left room for dozens of contests across the prep schedule.
Swimming
Oakdale swimmers won an incredible 21 of 24 events and swept boys and girls varsity action in a meet with host Manteca on March 31.
The girls landed a 108-62 victory and saw the boys come through with a 97-68 win as well.
Oakdale girls were led by wins from their 200-yard medley relay, 200 freestyle relay, and 400 free relay. Kelsey Knollmueller was also first in the 100 free and 200 individual medley. Arielle Cook (200 free), Ali Poff (50 free), Katie Vanderburg (100 butterfly), Whitney Pope (500 free), Stevie Cordoza (100 backstroke) and Alissa Burford (100 breaststroke) were first as well.
The boys saw wins from all three relay teams, and a pair of wins from Ryan Jones in the 100 back and 100 fly. Will Cavanaugh (200 free), Hank Walter (200 I.M.), Casey Whitley (50 free), Robert Winders (500 free), and Neal Cadra (100 breast) also touched the wall first.
Oakdale teams were undefeated in Valley Oak League action as of Monday, and took on league power, Sierra, on the road on Tuesday, though results were not available at press time.
The team is at East Union on Friday as well.
Golf
Sonora golfers delivered their biggest performance of the season to top Oakdale on the Wildcats’ home course (Mountain Springs) in a 199-222 score on March 31.
The Sonora win leaves both teams with one conference loss as Oakdale (10-2 overall, 5-1 VOL) looks to regain footing atop the league standings.
Michael Tripp and Ian Stogdell ended in 42 strokes to land a solid score, but couldn’t slip past four Sonora golfers who carded a better finish. Isaac Rellamas earned a league point with his 44 as well.
Oakdale was soaring high on the momentum of a 206-304 win over Weston Ranch on March 28 at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club. Stogdell ended in 38 strokes and Rellamas in 39, while Ryan Jones carded a 41 and Tripp and Connor Gust each shot a 44.
The Mustangs had also ousted Manteca in a 212-242 showing in Manteca after good scores from Tripp (40), Rellamas (42), Jones (42), Reid Souza (43), and Stogdell (45).
Oakdale hosts Sierra on Thursday and Buhach Colony on Friday in a busy week of action.
Tennis
Anton Grenvall won all three of his matches from his No. 2 singles position, but Weston Ranch saw big doubles wins pave the way for an 8-7 defeat of Oakdale on March 29.
Grenvall beat Sukhmonpreet Singh, Serbinder Singh and Michael Tongpolad, but saw Tongpolad sneak a win over teammate Daniel Dunning. Dunning defeated both Singhs, and watched Paul Perrone do the same.
Oakdale’s doubles tandems of Jared Firstbrook and Chandler Johnson, Jeremy Willinger and Austin Clayton dropped losses in all of their matches.
Oakdale went on to tackle Manteca in the Valley Oak League’s second-half scoring format on March 31, and saw a 1-4 loss after a lone Oakdale win by Perrone (he defeated Marcos Munoz).
Oakdale is at Sierra on Thursday.
Soccer
Oakdale made another stride toward the VOL crown by ousting Manteca in a 3-1 contest that carried the same halftime score on Monday, April 4.
Oakdale (4-0-1) led East Union (2-0-3), Manteca (3-3), Kimball (2-0-2) and Sierra (2-1-2) as of Monday’s tight conference standings.
The varsity Mustangs have yet to surrender a loss this season, but gave East Union some footing in a 3-3 deadlock with the Lancers on March 28.
Morgan Kinyon had seven saves in the tie, and saw Kerri Feuerstein, Jill Kahler, Hailey Turney each score in the tie. Jenna Micheletti had two assists for the Mustangs.
Oakdale also ousted Weston Ranch in a 5-0 shutout on March 30 after two goals from Markie Arnold and a score each by Feuerstein, Bryanna Welch and Katie Adian.
Jessica Gomez, Melissa Rivera and Sara Siemsen (two) delivered assists in the win.
Oakdale’s junior varsity team (4-1 VOL) lost the battle of two unbeatens in a 3-2 contest with Manteca on Monday. Manteca does have one tie. Oakdale fell behind 2-0 at the half and gave up a late goal in the second that just eluded the dive of goalie Hannah Hanko. But a burst of energy and intensity saw the JV Lady Mustangs bag two scores in the final five minutes, one from Danae Rose and the other from Izzy Arellano. A couple of other shots sailed just wide as the squad tried to get even before the final whistle.
The girls came in with a string of shutouts, their most recent victim was Weston Ranch, shutting them out 6-0 on March 30 with goals from Arellano (3), Katelyn Jackson, Montana Nunes and Alyssa Perigen. Notching assists were Rose, Perigen, Brittany Carpenter and Christina Bradshaw. Tough defense came from Marissa McDonald, Ally Jackson, Katelyn Jackson and Kori Altmann.
Softball
The depth of Oakdale High’s pitching staff was on display last week as Brianna Parker, Shelby Reali and Shelby Cordova combined to allow just three runs in 19 innings.
Oakdale went 3-0 across that span after an incredible week at the plate from Ghianna Falconi, who saw eight consecutive trips to first base during the week.
Falconi batted 3 for 3 with two runs and a walk during an 8-3 win over East Union on March 31. It was the same game that surrendered a towering grand slam home to Sarah Peterson after a 0-0 deadlock in the second inning. Peterson finished 2 for 4 on the day and saw Brooke Magnussen (1 for 3, three RBIs) and Kaila Olson (2 for 3, double) also swing the bat well.
Oakdale was playing without star shortstop Marissa Toy, who injured her hand, but is expected back this week.
“The whole team really stepped it up in Roo’s absence,” Oakdale coach Larry Loger said of the squad overcoming the loss of Toy. “Kaila Olson played a flawless shortstop and Stephanie Fauria came up big at second on a number of tight plays. Peterson and Falconi made diving plays in the outfield and Bri played great defense in the circle.”
The contest was Oakdale’s third in a row without an error surrendered.
They had blasted Lathrop and Weston Ranch in consecutive 12-0, 5-0 scores, respectively, after nearly perfect pitching from Cordova and Reali.
Oakdale took on upstart Kimball on Tuesday, though results were not available at press time.
The Mustang junior varsity beat Lathrop, Weston Ranch and East Union in a series of 14-2, 20-2, 21-1 blowouts last week as well after sharp pitching from Melinda Koppinger, Morgan Arndt, and Rylie Pena (24 combined strikeouts).
Koppinger, Kaitlyn Derby, Anneliese Davis, and Arndt each had multiple hits on Lathrop, while Derby, Rylie Pena and Arndt did the same to Weston Ranch. Lauren Sanders, Hanna Holland, Davis, Arndt, Serilla Chaves and Koppinger had multiple hits off East Union.
Track
Oakdale girls and boys landed varsity wins over both Kimball and East Union last week in action on the home track. The Kimball junior varsity teams found success, but Oakdale varsity athletes were soaring high, and undefeated in VOL play as of Monday.
The varsity girls won their 48th consecutive dual meet.
“I think everybody is coming along,” Oakdale coach Dave Bacigalupi said. “We are finally getting some meets to run in and the kids we have ready to join the team in a couple weeks will make us even stronger.”
Oakdale hosts Manteca on Thursday.
