Modesto JC flies into fall sports season

The Modesto Junior College fall sports scene already has triggered a strong start to a Northern California title defense, a landmark win for a coach and a new coach catching up in a hurry.

So it is for the MJC women’s golf team, the reigning Northern California champions and repeat champions of the Big 8 Conference. Though they lost the bulk of their title team, the Pirates are challenging Sierra for the Big 8 lead early.

In women’s soccer, coach Steve Aristotelous notched his 200th career win Sept. 4 against Solano. One year after they annexed their first Big 8 title, which led to a stirring run to the NorCal semifinals, the Pirates and their playmaking machine, Yaritza Arista, have begun 6-1.

Meanwhile, new volleyball coach Ryan Bagwell has planted the first seeds of a program propped back onto its feet the past two years by Tiger Shelton.

A quick look at MJC sports this fall:

Men’s soccer

Coach: Sebastian Gutierrez (second season)

2014: 5-3, Big 8 co-champion; 8-8-2 overall

Key players lost: Luis Garcia, Alexis Mendoza, Diego Duran

Key returning players: Humberto Salcedo, Christian Vega, Luis Velazquez, Christian Angulo, Isaias Castellanos

Key newcomers: Jose Becerra, Marcos Melendez, Christopher Torres, Cesar Balderas

Update: The sophomore Pirates return with determination after missing the NorCal playoffs last fall by three-hundredths of a point in the power ratings. They won five of their first six as Balderas already has scored seven goals. Salcedo, a midfielder, brings more punch for a team that expects another fight with 2014 co-champion Santa Rosa.

Women’s soccer

Coach: Steve Aristotelous (15th)

2014: 11-1-2, Big 8 champion; 20-2-2 overall, NorCal semifinals

Key players lost: Marissa Rouse, Jaimee Rocha, Gabby Juarez

Key returning players: Yaritza Arista, Jenna Viss, Tyler Fenton, Andrea Zaragoza, Jazlyn Satkamp

Key newcomers: Marissa Carillo, Erika Steele, Alexis Halsey

Update: The Pirates, one year after setting a school record for wins and winning their first league title, are positioning themselves for another title run. Arista (15 goals, 11 assists last year), has seven goals and seven assists during the team’s 6-1 start. Viss scored a hat trick against East L.A. The sophomores will be motivated by how last year ended – a double-overtime loss to Big 8 rival Cosumnes River in the NorCal semifinals.

Men’s cross country

Coach: Demitrius Snaer (12th)

2014: Second in Big 8; eighth at NorCal

Key runners lost: Isaac Gonzalez, Alexies Reynoso, Isaias Contreras

Key returning runners: None

Key newcomers: Isaiah Aguilar, Brandon Craighead, Nicholas Sanders, Javier Lara

Update: Aguilar (Oakdale) leads a freshman-dominated team that has redshirted four runners from 2015. Snaer expects a deep and strong team in 2016. For now, the Pirates will develop their freshmen. They placed 19th out of 23 teams at the Fresno Invitational.

Women’s cross country

Coach: Mary Shea (14th)

2014: Third in Big 8; sixth at NorCal; 18th at State

Key runners lost: Dana Pollard, Cecilia Carretero

Key returning runners: Alicia Bargas, Claudia Arevalo

Key newcomers: Harleen Pabla, Haley Richardson, Lisette Carretero, Madeline Keasling

Update: Shea, who was away on sabbatical last fall, coached the Pirates to the 2013 Big 8 and NorCal titles. The top priority is replacing MJC’s top four runners from last year. No. 1 in the lineup is Pabla, a sophomore, who splits time with the soccer team. Arevalo is the younger sister of Erin Arevalo, a standout pitcher for Georgia for four seasons. Carretero succeeds her sister Cecilia on the MJC team.

Volleyball

Coach: Ryan Bagwell (first)

2014: 5-9, sixth in Big 8; 13-12 overall

Key players lost: Sierrah Miller, Brooke Finnegan, Shania Williams

Key returning players: None

Key newcomers: Monica Perez, Jerricka Lindsey, Camille Flores

Update: Bagwell, a former assistant coach at Cal State Stanislaus and the Rage, will count on local ties and his club-team networking to build his program. The Pirates opened 3-6 but rematches with San Francisco and Chabot were more competitive. Outside hitters Perez and Lindsey, 6-2 Taylor Bachs and setter Flores will set the foundation. The Pirates’ Oct. 2 home opener vs. Sierra is Dig For A Cure Night, a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.

Women’s golf

Coach: Milan Motroni (eighth)

2014: Big 8 champion; NorCal champion; fourth at State

Key players lost: Kelsi Valenzuela, Gabby Singh, Ariel Walsh, Jenny Ketner

Key returning players: Parker Pilati, Malina Meza

Key newcomers: Delanie Donahue, Caitlin Pfaff, Jasmine Ryan, Piper Rockwell, Cambry Hastings

Update: The first three Big 8 tournaments keynote a close fight this fall with Sierra. The Pirates, led by Pilati, tied for first and placed second twice. Pilati, a two-sport star (tennis), can drop her score to the high 70s. Motroni thinks her team has potential if the freshmen improve.

Men’s water polo

Coach: Eric Fischer (18th)

2014: 2-4, fourth in Big 8; 8-11 overall

Key players lost: Ethan Heacox, Geoff Risting

Key returning players: Blake Phillips, Kody Kamstra, Matt Cadrett, Kyle Swisegood, Mitchell Moreda

Key newcomers: Chad Nunes, Michael Fuzie

Update: Modesto is 7-3 after going 4-0 in the Delta Tournament last weekend. Phillips, a Turlock product and a transfer from American River, scored 27 goals over the first nine matches. Fischer likes his attack but needs the defense to improve.

Women’s water polo

Coach: Eric Fischer (sixth)

2014: 4-14, seventh in Big 8; 4-17 overall

Key players lost: Rebekah Groteguth

Key returning players: Kamarin Waite, Emily Lewis

Key newcomers: Taylor Tocalino, Madi Stoughtenborough, Tori Fontana

Update: The Pirates opened the season and the Big 8 with a 14-3 loss to Delta. Stoughtenborough (Beyer) led MJC with three goals. MJC’s chances took a hit when Groteguth (30 goals last year) transferred to Merced College. The Pirates will be helped by the return of Waite, a swimming-water polo standout two years ago.

Wrestling

Coach: Jesse Vazquez (sixth)

2014: Fifth in Coast Conference

Key wrestlers lost: None

Key returning wrestlers: Luke Brewer, Cristian Vasquez

Key newcomers: Mark Taijeron, Alexander Juarez, Noor Nathem

Update: The Pirates, after a down season, will improve with the return of Brewer (197), who placed third in the state for MJC in 2013 after he qualified for the state high school meet three times for Bret Harte. Another good addition is Taijeron (149), a 2013 Sac-Joaquin Section Masters champion for Merced. MJC again will welcome 12 teams for the annual Mike Tamana Invitational on Oct. 10.

This story was originally published September 20, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Modesto JC flies into fall sports season."