Both the Oakdale High School boys and girls water polo teams finished the regular season with victories and were named Valley Oak League champions. On Wednesday, Oct. 24 both teams traveled to Ripon to take on the Indians and Oakdale defeated them in both matches to clinch league titles.

For the girls, it was their seventh championship in eight years following the 9-6 road win over Ripon.

“After last year, we felt like there was something to prove and the girls rose to the occasion in a very competitive league,” said head coach Diane Kline.

Oakdale led the entire game behind the goalkeeping of Camryn O’Neal.

The girls will play in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs starting Wednesday, Oct. 31. Oakdale enters the tournament as the eighth seed and will host ninth seed Turlock at 5:30 p.m. Turlock finished the regular season as the Central California Conference champions.

The boys won their first title since 2011 and went unbeaten in Valley Oak League action this season. Last year the boys reached the playoffs and suffered a 5-3 loss to Christian Brothers in the semifinals. This year Oakdale earned the number two seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III bracket.

On Thursday, Nov. 1 Oakdale welcomes El Camino to town for first round action. El Camino comes in as the seventh seed and placed third in the Capital Athletic League. Oakdale could end up seeing Christian Brothers again this year, if both teams reach the Section Championship game scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 10 at Woodcreek High School.

“I feel that both teams are ready for the postseason,” said Coach Kline of the Mustangs.