Notebook: Turlock boys basketball’s hot start; football players sign during early signing period
The Turlock High boys’ basketball is off to its first 8-0 start since the 2009-10 season.
Head coach Nick Nathanson is in just his first full season after taking over during the shortened spring season, and admits he’s learning as he goes.
“It’s all new (but) it feels great,” Nathanson said on his team’s hot start. “I tell my guys we don’t focus on results, we focus on performance. And if we focus on performance results will come.”
Turlock is the No. 3 ranked team in the section according to MaxPreps.
The Bulldogs won their own 2021 Godinez Tournament, beating Davis and Merced in their first two games and blowing out Central Catholic 75-44 in the championship.
They were tested Monday night in the first round of the Mark Gallo Invitational at Central Catholic High School against Edison-Stockton. After leading for most of the game, the Vikings came back in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Despite point guard Michael Heidelbach fouling out in the extra period, the Bulldogs held on to win 56-49.
Three-year varsity player and captain Daniel Malagon struggled, but came through in overtime, getting to the free throw line and knocking down timely free throws.
“He’s our vet,” Nathanson said. “He’s our guy that will always remain composed. What’s so cool about this team is that anyone can hit shots every night. It’s usually a different guy. So we try and just feed the hot hand and Daniel recognized it wasn’t really his night, so he tried to facilitate a bit more, but we knew him at the line it’s money all day, so we were happy with his performance.
Jed Ladine finished with a team-high 13 points and Malagon added 12.
The Mark Gallo Invitational continues through the week and the Bulldogs will play their next game on Thursday, Dec. 16.
MJC defensive backs make it official: Modesto Junior College’s secondary played great all season, and its players are being rewarded. Zelmar Vedder (East Union) and Dauson Booker (Central Catholic) signed to Sacramento State and University of Texas at El Paso, respectively.
Vedder was a ball hawk for the Pirates. The freshman finished with four interceptions with 200 return yards and one pick-six.
Booker, listed as a freshman, finished with 39 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups in 10 games.
High school football players move forward on early signing day: Patterson High’s Marcus Simien announced his commitment to Fresno State when he tweeted “Staying in the valley” on Dec. 13.
On Wednesday, the Central California Conference’s 2021 Lineman of the Year made if official on the first day of football’s early signing period.
Simien played both offensive and defensive line in his senior year at Patterson and is listed as an offensive lineman on Fresno State’s website.
After a successful season leading the Ripon High defensive line, Colin Speed recently announced his commitment to Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas.
The 6-foot-1, 290-pound Speed was one of the best defensive linemen in the Trans-Valley League, earning First-Team All League honors as a defensive down lineman.
Bethany University is an NAIA school that plays in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Oakdale wrestling wins Southern California tournament: Oakdale High brought the La Costa Canyon Classic title to the Valley after winning the tournament in Carlsbad, Calif. on Dec. 3.
The Mustangs earned first place out of the 41 teams who placed with 252.5 points. They will compete in the Reno Tournament of Champions this weekend, according to the schedule posted on the Oakdale Wrestling Instagram account.
MC basketball earns section’s top spot: Modesto Christian is now the top team in the Sac-Joaquin Section, according to MaxPreps.
The Crusaders (6-1) split with two of the top four teams in the Central Section, beating No. 4 San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno 87-71 in their season opener and falling to No. 2 Clovis North in a tournament 77-56.
They will not play a game until they host the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic December 27-30.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 3:05 PM.
