Big sports moments in Modesto area: Signing day, baseball rivalry, all-star hoops

From signing day celebrations at Gregori High to a rivalry-clinching pitching gem in Turlock, Stanislaus District athletes made headlines this week and reporter Quinton Hamilton was their to tell you about it. Local products also earned shots at the NFL after going undrafted.

Here are key the moments:

• Gregori High honored more than 20 senior athletes at its signing day ceremony, including six members of the program’s first-ever Sac-Joaquin Section champion girls soccer team. Kylie Farmer is headed to the University of Oregon, while twins Melanie and Mia Contreras will play at Modesto JC.

• Turlock High water polo standout Lars Wenstrand signed with the Air Force Academy after sending roughly 80 emails to 15-20 college coaches throughout his recruiting process.

• Turlock junior ace Mason Hackler struck out 10 and walked just one over six innings in a 5-3 win over rival Pitman, helping the Bulldogs clinch a third straight Central California Athletic League title. Hackler owns a 1.88 ERA with 84 strikeouts, sixth-most in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

• Former Modesto JC teammates Jacob De Jesus and Zelmar Vedder signed undrafted free-agent deals with the Kansas City Chiefs. Turlock High alum Anthony Frias II will attend rookie mini-camps with the Chiefs and Buccaneers.

• Riverbank’s Leilani Olanolan won the three-point contest and led the Red Team with 16 points at the 29th annual 6-County All-Star Senior Basketball Game at Modesto JC. Stone Ridge Christian’s Tayton Harkabus took the slam dunk crown by leaping over a seated judge.