Soccer Preview Versatility, Depth Could Be Key For Cougar Kickers

Varsity soccer players for the Cougars this season include, front row from left, Brandon Medina, Ethan Turner, Tyler Avilla, Carlos Brasil, Lucas Cruz, Andrew Kennedy, Javier Albor, Danny Pantoja, Nestor Mancilla, David Alvarado. Back row from left, Mason Silva, Jordan Hall, Austen Cardoza, Hugo Cervantes, Carlos Algandar, Edgar Pantoja, Erick Rivas, coach Paul Silva, Fernando Lopez, Brendan Wing, Cesar Felix, Willie Paes, Miguel Sandoval. Marg Jackson/The Times Strength in numbers and plenty of depth should combine to make for an exciting 2010 soccer season for the Escalon varsity Cougars. Under the direction of fourth year head coach Paul Silva, the squad hopes to challenge for the Trans-Valley League title and also make a return trip to the postseason. "We have a lot of numbers, a big squad and we have a deep squad, there's quite a bit of talent there," said Silva. "We'll be versatile. We can be a very attacking team and, if need be, we can clog up the middle to make it hard for other teams to score." Key returners include seniors, midfielder Nestor Mancilla, sweeper Fernando Lopez, a third year varsity starter; defender Edgar Pantoja, and forward Cesar Felix. Also back is junior Carlos Algandar, a forward that Silva pulled up to the varsity midway through last season. "He has been impressive," Silva said of Algandar. "Cesar Felix is a senior who played on varsity as a sophomore and he's back for me, he's one of the fastest kids out there. Junior Jordan Hall was also pulled up as a sophomore last year to the varsity level and plays both goalie and midfielder. Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Cross Country Preview Cougars Look For Strong Run Through TVL Cross Country Competition

Strong individuals will have to work together as a team, pushing each other in the pursuit of a Trans-Valley League crown. Escalon's cross country team boasts some strong returning performers on both the boys' and girls' sides, and those seasoned veterans will be counted on this season to rally their teammates. Numbers are not as high as they have been in the past, noted returning coach Rick Heflin, making it all the more important for those runners with experience to step up into leadership roles. "Our boys are a little thin," Heflin said. "We need more boys. We have strong individuals but we need to fill some holes to make a team." Key returners are junior Josh Vandagriff, sophomore Alec Carpenter, junior Josh Proch, seniors Tanner Roark, Logan Stewart and Stuart Eachus, and junior Jake Carroll. "The girls have some major talent," added Heflin. "Our key returners there are Janelle Giuntoli (junior), Adriana Delucci (sophomore), Jordyn Walden (sophomore), Sierra Lionudakis (sophomore), Sam Cuddy (sophomore)." The boys are coming off a year in which they took first place in the TVL but have lost standout performers in graduates Matt Barnum, Clancy Casteel and Philip Plott, and will have to find runners to fill those spots in the scoring line up. The girls were third place overall last season but with a strong nucleus of returning runners, Heflin said the Lady Cougars may be the ones to catch this year. "The kids are positive, it's a good environment," Heflin said. Assistant coaches this year also bring a new level of enthusiasm and expertise to the squad, Malinda Walker - who also serves as the JV softball coach - coming in as Heflin's assistant and Shane Brookshire joining the effort as a volunteer assistant. Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Practices Going Full Steam For EHS Fall Sports

Athletes are strapping on the helmets, lacing up the running shoes and putting on the knee pads, ready to hit the gridiron, cross country course and volleyball courts as the new competitive high school season gets under way. Fall sports at Escalon High School include football, cross country, volleyball, boys soccer and girls golf, and the Cougars will do battle soon in preseason action before starting Trans-Valley League play in September. Volleyball has a scrimmage scheduled at home for Saturday, Aug. 21 (time to be announced) to get the girls some time on the court, in the first official event of the fall campaign. Their first actual match will be on the road in Modesto against Enochs on Friday, Aug. 27. Freshmen play at 4 p.m., JV at 5 p.m. and varsity at 6 p.m. Varsity head coach Teresa Williamson returns to lead the program. Trans-Valley League play is scheduled to kick off with a road game at Riverbank for the JV and varsity on Sept. 22. Boys soccer, with head coach Paul Silva returning, starts with a scrimmage at home against Calaveras on Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 4 p.m. The first game will be at Sierra on Aug. 27, with the first TVL match on the road at Riverbank on Sept. 16. Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Swanson Duo Claims Top Slalom Honors

Competing recently in the state championships, local residents Eric and daughter Erica Swanson both came home with top honors. The two were attending the Slalom State Championships in Red Bluff at Villa Logos and each earned a gold medal, taking first place in the state in their respective divisions. Erica did a personal best at 15 off, one buoy at 28 mph. Dad Eric did 15 off two buoy at 28 mph. It was a hugely successful weekend, and six out of six Mid Valley Water Ski Club members were in the top three on both days of competition in the 2010 INT Amateur Tour championships. Wednesday, August 18, 2010

A Time Of Cheer Change At Escalon High School

Those attending Escalon High School football games this fall might notice some changes, especially at the JV and varsity games. There will not be designated freshman or JV cheerleading squads this year, said new coach, Andreane Mercier. Previously serving as basketball cheer coach, she also owns Powerhouse dance studio in Escalon and said she was hired "maybe sometime in April" to take over the fall cheer position. Also new this year is a dance team, instead of a cheerleading squad for basketball, which Mercier coaches. And for the first time, girls were allowed to try out for both. Volunteer assistant coach, Brandi Platt, said there is more interaction between the squads and they work together, although only a handful are doing both. Of the more than 40 girls that tried out for the football cheer squad, only 22 remain after some girls left the squad, Mercier said. Moreover, only two are seniors, while 15 are freshmen. Therefore, they have combined into a varsity squad, but the freshmen will cheer for both freshman and varsity games. The girls will only cheer the second half of JV games, Mercier added. "A lot of girls quit," said senior cheerleader, Courtney Russell. "Some of the girls didn't like her coaching style." The walkout occurred after one girl in particular was being "constructively criticized," Mercier said. Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Holmes Nails Down Third Series Win Of Season

Escalon driver Eric Holmes added a new track to his résumé of wins as he took the victory in the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts Bonus Challenge 150 in the inaugural visit by the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West to Montana Raceway Park on Saturday night. The two-time champion used a long green-flag run at the start of the race to move up from his starting position of seventh and set up his charge for the lead. After a debris caution on Lap 103 bunched the field, Holmes worked past David Mayhew on Lap 113 and took the race lead - a spot that he would not relinquish the rest of the night. "I was hoping for no more cautions," Holmes said. "I knew I had the better car and I could stretch the lead out. I really wanted to take the high side once I was leading. It was fun. I don't think we've ever gone 105 laps without a caution. I was definitely working. I almost got dizzy after that." Holmes credited his Bill McAnally Racing team for having the right set-up on the car. Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Thunder Hockey Team Gears Up For Successful Season On The Ice

The Stockton Thunder, a two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," has released its promotional and giveaway calendar for the upcoming regular season. The calendar features a lineup of popular, familiar and anticipated attractions for the 2010-11 season, the sixth for the Thunder in the San Joaquin Valley. With the Thunder looking to reclaim the lead in ECHL attendance for the fifth time in six seasons, the regular season launches on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15-16 for Opening Night presented by AT&T against the Ontario Reign, starting the first weekend series with two 7:30 p.m. games at Stockton Arena. "Promotional nights are just another piece to the puzzle in providing our fans with a greater experience when coming to see Thunder hockey," said Thunder president Dan Chapman. "We're proud of how the promotional lineup for the 2010-11 season is very diverse and is intended to appeal to fans young and old alike." As a part of 'Opening Night,' the first 2,000 fans will receive a Thunder schedule poster at the Friday game and the first 1,000 kids (ages 12 and under) will receive a commemorative Thunder T-shirt on Saturday. Returning for the fifth season as the flagship fundraising event, the wildly popular "Thunder Goes Pink" is back as an expanded three-day event on Friday through Sunday, Nov. 5-7 against the Bakersfield Condors. Losing only once in regulation, the Thunder have carried a lifetime 5-1-2 record in the "Thunder Goes Pink" series that turns the games at Stockton Arena into a pink-themed spectacle for local breast cancer awareness and fundraising for the cause. A tradition that headlines the annual event, newly designed special pink-accented jerseys will be worn by the Thunder during all three games and will be available for silent auction to all fans in attendance for the weekend, while a handful of the game-worn jerseys will be available for bidding during live auction immediately following the Saturday, Nov. 6 game. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society - Stockton Field Office and the St. Joseph's Foundation - Breast Cancer Services. Last year, $32,480 in funds raised was split evenly between the event beneficiaries. The Thunder has boosted its all-time, four-year total of funds raised through 'Pink' to over $14 5,000 while over 16,000 fans were in attendance for the two games last year. Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Derby, Quad Fair Competition Features Local Winners

Locals from Oakdale, Escalon, Riverbank showed off their derby and quad prowess at the recent Stanislaus County Fair, placing well in a number of categories. Here are the results as reported by fair officials for the quad and motorcycle events: 50cc 1. Blake Alexander, Ballico 2. Ashlyn Avery, Riverbank 3. Case West, Oakdale Maxx 900cc 7 and Under 1. Jonathan Erb, Turlock 2. Michael Alamo, Modesto 3. Kerstin Campbell, Manteca 11 and Under 1. Ryan Teixera, Livingston 2. Kendra Campbell 3. Daniel Teixera, Livingston Rhino/Rangers: 1. Cameron Shipman, Oakdale 2. Rick Landucci, Waterford 4 Stroke Sportsman 1. Dylan Wooten, Patterson 2. Angelo Quirolo, Manteca 3. Brian Campbell, Manteca 2 Stroke Sportsman 1. Joe Machado, Stockton 2. Johnny Cordoza, Manteca 3. Jerry Pricolo, Escalon 4 Stroke Stock 1. Brandon Shaw, French Camp 2. David Lewis, Turlock 3. Dennis Holmes, Escalon Modified 2 Stroke 1. Steve Cole, Linden 2. Eric LaCoste, Modesto 3. Todd Cincell, Lodi Modified 4 Stroke Hector Perez, Stockton Unlimited 1. Rick DeCosta, Manteca 2. Tim Williamson, Brentwood 3. Luke Blades, Hilmar Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Annual Golf Tournament Hosted By Escalon Chamber

Escalon Chamber of Commerce will host its annual golf tournament on Saturday, Aug. 28 at the Escalon Golf Course, 17161 Escalon-Bellota Road. The registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. There will be lunch, raffle and awards following the tournament and near pin and putting contests will be featured as well. The $50 tournament fee includes 18 holes of golf, contest entries and lunch. Lunch tickets are available for non-golfers for $10 and there are sponsorship opportunities for businesses. For more information, contact Sal Sandoval at ssandoval@farmersagent.com or 639-3033. Registration forms are available at Farmers Insurance, 1746 Main St, Escalon. Checks should be made payable to the Escalon Chamber of Commerce. Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Class Glides Through An Underwater Experience

A weightless world greeted those who participated in the 'Introduction to Scuba Diving' class at the Escalon community pool. The class on Saturday, July 17 was the second of three being offered this summer at the local pool and included a dozen participants that experienced similar weightlessness to NASA's astronaut training. Michael Dodge, owner of Aquatic Discount Scuba of Escalon and a Master Diver Trainer, said it is the closest experience to space as a person can get. Isaiah Valdez, 9, came from Modesto for the experience and said he was excited for his first time scuba diving. "It's a great chance for us to give back to the community," Dodge mentioned of hosting the class. Having seen neighboring communities such as Manteca and Ripon hold similar courses, the city approached Dodge, who resides in Escalon, to offer a class here. The cost is only $10 and the profits go to the Recreation Department. Of the two-hour class, the first 15 minutes are dedicated to teaching participants how to breathe underwater with the scuba equipment, clear their masks and use the regulator. After, they utilize the new skills in the pool for about an hour. Depending on the class size, Dodge said three or four Dive Masters, or instructors, help break up participants into groups of four to five to learn the techniques. In addition to the introductory skills, experienced divers are encouraged to attend and brush up on their skills, said Dodge. A buoyancy course is set up in the deep end, which allows divers to practice their buoyancy. Rings are set up at different heights to allow divers to practice staying neutrally buoyant. This means divers can swim up or down without problems, which in the ocean protects the coral from being destroyed from a diver's bounce, Dodge explained. Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Cyclones Squads Playing Solid Summer Softball

Youth softball is seeing some success in the local area. The Lady Cyclones Fastpitch Softball organization is based in Ripon and is comprised of young ladies from Ripon, Oakdale, Escalon, Riverbank, Manteca and Modesto. This is the organization's inaugural season and both the 12U and 10U teams are currently ranked No. 1 in National Softball Association (NSA) points for the Western zone of the United States. Continuing their outstanding season of play, both the 12U and 10U teams recently took second place honors at the Summer Splash Tournament hosted at Rainbow Fields in Riverbank. Wednesday, July 14, 2010