There was plenty of celebrating in the Cougar Dome on Friday evening, Feb. 13, as the varsity boys basketball team wrapped up a solid season in Trans-Valley League play, the varsity girls cut down the net after the game to mark their league title, and senior recognition was given for the basketball boys and the EHS cheerleaders.

Prior to all that, however, the varsity basketball boys were on the road and put together a winning effort at Ripon on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

They opened up on a 21-7 run over the host Indians and had a 33-23 lead at the half. They ended the game with a 60-42 victory in hand.

“We started out the game with a solid first quarter. In the second quarter Ripon changed from man defense to zone, which slowed things up for us offensively throughout the rest of the game,” said head coach Nate Bartelink. “While we didn’t play our best game of the season, we were able to do enough to get the double-digit road win. The Ferreira brothers played really well. Ben had 17 points, all in the first half; 15 in the first quarter. Jake had 21 points, scattered throughout the game. We haven’t swept Ripon during the season in a while so we were happy to be able to do that.”

Sophomore Jake Ferreira also had seven rebounds, while older brother Ben, a senior, pulled down seven boards as well. Conner Jones had seven points and nine rebounds; Logan Huebner had seven points and five rebounds.

Friday, on the home court, it was Senior Night and the five seniors – Ben Ferreira, Logan Huebner, Issac Petalio, Aydun Melo and Donovan Martinez – made up the starting lineup, the five playing the bulk of the first quarter for the home team as they hosted Orestimba.

“The crowd, including the student section, was great,” Bartelink said of the energy that filled the gym.

The festivities also included a quartet of Cougar athletes – Rylan Koops, Luca Cerasi, Logan Wentzell, and Co Northcutt, suiting up as a broadcast team at their ‘ESPN’ table, complete with suit jackets, ties, and colorful shorts, adding to the fun of the evening.

The host Cougars had just a 10-8 lead after one but kicked it into high gear in the second quarter and roared to a 50-11 lead at the break.

“We started off with a sluggish first quarter, but absolutely exploded with a 40-3 second quarter. I’ve never seen anything like that quarter at any level of basketball,” Bartelink said. “It’s hard to explain how incredibly rare that type of score disparity in a quarter is. It started with our great defense and everything was working on offense. It was amazing to have a front row seat to that performance.”

Escalon would go on to outscore the visiting Warriors 15-6 in the third, 13-6 with a running clock in the fourth quarter for the 78-23 final.

“We were able to get everyone plenty of playing time throughout the game; all nine players scored as we coasted to the victory in the second half,” Bartelink said.

Logan Huebner paced the effort with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Conner Jones had 14 points, Issac Petalio added 13 points and four steals, while Donovan Martinez had eight points and Ryan Huebner chipped in with seven.

“It was a special senior night. We played really well and everyone, especially the seniors got a lot of playing time. It’s always a bittersweet night having to close a chapter on a group great of young men and their families, while also enjoying the performance on the court,” said Bartelink. “I’d like to thank the five seniors and their families for their many contributions to the basketball program over the last four years. They have left the program better than they found it. We also got to honor Logan Huebner for joining the 1000 point club along with our longtime bookkeeper Sky Anderson, who is also a senior. She has been doing an amazing job for us for years. We’re really going to miss her.”

A halftime program featured honors for the senior cheerleaders and their families at half court.

Escalon’s varsity boys finished the regular season with a 17-11 overall record, 8-4 in the TVL for third place. They qualified for the playoffs for the sixth straight season.

“We were seeded 12 in the playoff bracket as they bumped Calaveras and Sonora ahead of us because they beat us head-to-head during the season,” Bartelink said of the Division 4 bracket. “We travel to face number five seed West Campus out of Sacramento on Wednesday, Feb. 18. They are a league champion and playing well; winners of nine straight games. It’s going to be a challenge for us, but we are looking forward to the opportunity.”

Game time is 7 p.m.

JV/FRESHMEN

Closing out their campaign, the JV boys put both games this past week in the win column.

“The Ripon game we won 51-31, and Orestimba we won 76-45,” said head JV coach Dave Anderson.

The JV team finished with an 18-10 overall record and went 9-3 in league play.

Escalon’s freshmen fell by a 42-29 final to Ripon on the road but bounced back with a win on the home court on Friday over Orestimba.

“It was 43-37 over Orestimba, a good game to end the season on,” coach Brenden Holmes said. “The boys played hard.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Completing a perfect run through the Trans-Valley League, the Escalon varsity girls put their final two games in the win column for a 12-0 TVL campaign. They celebrated with the players each having a chance to climb the ladder and snip off a piece of the net following Friday night’s varsity boys game.

“We opened up the week at home with Senior Night against Ripon. We honored three-year varsity player Ayana Cocio and four-year varsity starter Madi Babasa,” said head coach Joseph Dalpogetti. “Unfortunately, Madi’s season ended a few weeks ago due to a foot injury.”

The two were honored for their contributions to the team this year and the basketball program as a whole throughout their high school careers.

As far as the game, it was a 56-33 victory for the Lady Cougars.

“We anticipated a much tougher match up,” admitted Dalpogetti. “We had Madi in round one and they were missing two starters the first time we played. I thought that right there could make up for the 30-point differential from the first match up.”

Escalon did get off to a slow start, leading just 10-6 after one, but had a big second quarter and built up a 25-8 halftime lead.

“We outscored them again in the third to lead by 22 heading into the fourth,” Dalpogetti said.

For the game, Ari Velasco had 29 points and Carli Jones put in 10 on the night.

“Thursday, we headed down to Orestimba, which is always a tough place to play,” noted the coach. “It was their Senior Night so the gym was packed and that gym is loud if there’s only 10 people in it so my team couldn’t hear me all night.”

Dalpogetti said Orestimba was playing an “emotionally charged” game on behalf of their seniors and took an early lead, but Escalon managed to get it tied 8-8 after one.

“I told my team during that intermission between quarters that we just took the best shot they could muster,” Dalpogetti said, reiterating that the score was tied and Escalon just needed to be better than Orestimba for the next three quarters. The varsity Lady Cougars had a 14-13 halftime lead and ended the game with a 31-21 victory.

“They box and oned Ari and made life hard on her but she still finished with 13 points,” Dalpogetti said of the standout junior. “Avery Bartelink (freshman) followed with 11 points.”

Escalon went 23-5 overall in addition to the 12-0 mark in league.

“I’m proud of the girls. We saw so many different defenses in league, sometimes even with one game, but they prepped for it all and followed the scouting reports,” the coach said. “They are incredibly coachable and play for each other.”

Escalon finished the regular season as the third ranked team in Division 4 but the seeding committee dropped them to the number four seed, which put them up against number 13 Venture Academy in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin section playoffs.