By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Spring Wrap - Mustangs Keep Fast Pace In Recent Play
HOMER
Oakdale varsity player Katie Homer, in red, looks to work the ball around the defender in action on the road in Lathrop on April 18. The varsity won big, 7-1. - photo by Marg Jackson/The Leader

Oakdale High athletes saw a roller coaster of ups and downs during recent conference and tournament action on their respective fields of play. Following is a summary of recent results for Oakdale girls soccer, boys tennis, track and field, golf and softball teams.

Soccer

Oakdale is one five teams with a shot at three seeds from the Valley Oak League into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs. The varsity Lady Mustangs blasted Lathrop 7-1 on April 18 and now sit 5-3-1 in league play behind Manteca (6-1-2) and East Union (10-0). Earlier in the week, they had an early 2-0 lead on Kimball and ultimately settled for a 3-3 draw. The Mustangs hosted East Union Monday, though results were not available at press time. The team was rolling from the momentum of the win over Lathrop. Oakdale led 2-0 at the half and outscored Lathrop 5-1 in the final period.
Sierra Lyman scored two goals while Markie Arnold dished out four assists in the win. Sara Siemsen, Izzy Arellano, Jessica Gomez (assist), Gabby Acosta (assist) and Andie Jones also scored goals in the win. Jordin Altmann and Mackenzie Weiglein combined for the win in the net. Against Kimball, Gomez scored unassisted, while goalie Altmann had an assist, clearing the ball to Jill Kahler, who took it in for the score, with Acosta netting the third.

For the Junior Varsity girls, they positioned themselves on the brink of the VOL championship with wins in both their games. Kimball scored in the last 10 seconds of the first half to take the lead on April 16 but the young Lady Mustangs stormed back with two quick tallies in the second half, Denise Thompson scoring off an assist from Danae Rose and then Thompson converting on a penalty kick. The defense stood strong to preserve the one-goal win. At Lathrop, it was a 5-0 win, with many players contributing. Defender Ally Jackson notched a pair of assists, the first to Thompson for the score to make it 1-0 early, and the second on a double assist with Anna Ogden to Helena Hoover, which made it a 5-0 game. In between, Thompson scored with a double assist from Katelyn Jackson and Christina Bradshaw, while goalie Rose assisted with a clearing kick that Bradshaw deposited in the net. Defender Katelyn Jackson also scored, converting on a free kick.

Oakdale hosts Weston Ranch today, April 25, and the teams travel to Sierra for a crucial make up game on Friday.

Track and Field

Kelly Gratigny (triple jump), Carly Rodgers (pole vault), Manny Hernandez (high jump) and Kyle Peterson (discus) have landed qualifications to the Sacramento Meet of Champions at American River College on Saturday.

All four were key in Oakdale’s complete dismantling of visiting Weston Ranch on April 19. The varsity boys won 114-22, varsity girls 108-22, frosh/soph boys 86-45 and frosh/soph girls 65-41.

Hernandez won the long jump, but made his biggest feat in the high jump, where he broke the school record with a 6 foot, 8.25 inch leap. Peterson tossed the discus 159-6 and also won the shot put.

Sophomore Brendon McAndrews jumped 12-0 to win the pole vault while Trevor Mirassou ran a personal best (16.52) to take the 110 hurdles. Mario Jimenez won the 1600 and the 3200 while Chris Davis won the 200 and 400. Joey Flores won the 300 hurdles and Wyatt Coffey won the 800.

Gratigny led the Oakdale girls by winning the triple jump (34-1), long jump (15-6) and competing on the winning 1600 relay team with Justina Keith, Kimberly Linder and Ashlyn Durham. Gratigny tied Linder for the 400 title while Ashlyn Durham also won the 1600 and the 800. Deziree Pennington won the 100 hurdles (16.48), 300 hurdles (47.64) and 200 (26.68) with a personal best times.  Domi Powell won the high jump with a season best jump of 5-2 and Jennie Siemsen won the 3200. Siemsen will square off with distance favorite Samantha Smith of Sonora when the two meet on May 2.

Haley and Kelsey McIntyre won the shot put and discus respectively and placed second in the other. Oakdale’s varsity girls and frosh-soph boys can guarantee at least a share of the conference title on Thursday, April 26 during a match at Sierra.

Tennis

Oakdale dropped four straight contests in a tough week of recent action. They ended the week with a 7-2 loss to Weston Ranch on April 21. Paul Perrone beat Carl Legaspi 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 and Sergio Gutierrez bested Raymond Lagoc 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 for the lone Oakdale wins. The Mustangs slipped 9-0 to Sonora three days prior after both tiebreakers went Sonora’s way.

The team fell to Sonora 7-2 on April 18 after lone wins from Perrone (6-1, 6-2 over Kevin Sung) and Gutierrez (6-4, 6-3 over Troy Mathew).

Oakdale started the week with a disappointing 5-4 loss to East Union on April 16. Perrone beat Mitchell Liawanag 6-0, 6-1 and watched Jared Firstbrook beat Francois Moorat 6-0, 6-3.

Gutierrez and Miguel Barajas beat Chris Herrera and Alex Del Real after 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) doubles scores. Miguel Rosales/Robert Nabors also toppled Augi Mendoza/Kevin Flores in 6-1, 4-6, (10-6) scores.

“We had two key injuries and it showed,” Oakdale coach Grant Miller said. “We were hoping to get back to .500 but we took it on the jaw instead.

“The only bright spot is that I got to look at some younger guys for singles next year.”

Oakdale took on the VOL singles tournament (up to semifinals) on Tuesday. The tourney concludes on Thursday as VOL doubles players square off in their own bracket.

Golf

Oakdale leads the VOL standings at 11-1 and is likely to force a showdown with East Union (7-1) for the league championship during the conference tournament on May 1. The Mustangs shot a 205 against Weston Ranch on April 19, though the visiting Cougars were unable to field enough golfers to record a score.

Ryan Jones shot a 39 to earn six league points while Isaac Rellamas (40), Robby Wikoff (40), Michael Tripp (42), Jacob Hastert (44) and Nathan Lute (46) earned five conference points each.

Softball

Oakdale stayed atop the VOL standings by cruising past Weston Ranch in 4-0 fashion on April 17 after just one hit allowed by Shelby Reali (10 strikeouts, five innings) and Anneliese Davis (two strikeouts, two innings). Sarah Peterson was 2 for 4 with a run and four stolen bases while Lauren Sanders belted a double in the win.

Oakdale beat Lathrop 8-0 two days later after four innings from Reali (eight strikeouts), two from Davis (two strikeouts) and one by Melinda Koppinger. Lathrop was held to just one hit while Oakdale belted six key knocks and capitalized on nine Lathrop errors.

Ghianna Falconi played terrific defense and scored two runs with two RBIs. Kaila Olson managed a run and RBI while Rachel Thomason was 1 for 2 with two RBIs. Sanders and Reali both hit doubles.

“Our offense needs to improve as we get into the second half of the season,” Oakdale coach Larry Loger said. Oakdale (18-1-1) was at East Union Tuesday, though results were not available at press time. The team (9-0 VOL) faces Kimball (7-2) and Sierra (7-2) in key conference contacts on the road in a matter of four days on April 26 and 30.