illustration by Ike Dodson/Sun Post 

            With California’s all-time strikeout leader wrapping up her final season of softball, a tennis team approaching one of the best seasons in Manteca history and swimmers/track stars likely to nab big medals late in the year, Lathrop and Manteca’s high school athletes will be well represented when the Sac-Joaquin Section kicks off its 2008 playoffs.

            This Spring will truly represent one of the most exciting postseasons in Manteca Unified School District history, and none of the seven sports will be without SJS drama.

SOFTBALL: Arevalo’s last stand

            With freshman littered through the varsity lineup, East Union’s softball team should be plenty talented in the seasons to come. But chances are, they will never see a pitcher with the same dominating swagger of Erin Arevalo, who has obliterated the state record for strikeouts in a career. With Arevalo controlling the hill, East Union need only swing the bat and limit mistakes to make a deep impact in the Division IV playoffs.

            Arevalo has never won a section title, despite reaching the SJS finals the last two seasons. Last year the team fell short to Bear River in a 1-0 heartbreaking finale.

            If the Lancers win the Valley Oak League (and they should), they will face the Capital Valley Conference No. 3 seed (likely Dixon or Foothill) in the opening round of postseason play on May 14.

            Dixon (10-9) has lost their last three league contests while Foothill has surrendered 130 runs to opposing teams this season. East Union (20-3) has allowed just 13 runs this season, and rides a seven game winning streak after a 1-0 win over Ceres on April 29. The Bulldogs awarded the Lancers their only league blemish in an otherwise flawless VOL campaign.

            Should East Union work past the first round, they would see the winner of CVC2 vs. (Pioneer Valley League-2) in the championship quarterfinals. The PVL could send either Colfax, Whitney or Lincoln (of Lincoln) as their No. 2 seed, while Dixon and Foothill will struggle to decide the CVC’s No. 2 and 3 seeds.

            The CVC and PVL champions are opposite East Union in the playoff bracket, and would not see the Lancers until a double-elimination semifinal, where the loser drops to the consolation bracket to attempt a journey back to the championship game.

Barring disasters, the CVC will plate Rio Linda (22-1) as the No. 1 seed while returning SJS champs, Bear River (22-2), will represent the PVL.

            Rio Linda has won 14 straight games and outscored opponents 131-16 on the season, while Bear River graduated just two players from the SJS championship team of 2007.

            Manteca and Sierra will fight for the final two seeds from the VOL into the postseason. The May 6 contest between the two programs will decide which program makes a postseason appearance (likely against Bear River).

BASEBALL: Up for grabs

            Anything could happen to the VOL standings before the close of league, and all three local programs carry serious chances to make a postseason appearance. Manteca (7-4), East Union (7-4) and Sierra (6-5) will fight for the final two seeds from the VOL into the Division IV playoffs, with Oakdale (10-1) firmly in first.

            Sierra and East Union play in the final series of the year while Manteca takes on winless Weston Ranch. Today Manteca will see Oakdale while Sierra faces Central Valley, and East Union squares off with Ceres.

            The top two Manteca teams will face champions from the CVC and PVL in a single-elimination opening round on May 14. For the No. 2 seed, that match would come against CVC juggernaut, Center (10-1). The Cougars beat Manteca last year in a 10-8 first-round thriller. The VOL’s three seed will likely meet returning SJS runner-ups, Bear River (9-1). The Bruins beat Center in the semifinals of last year’s Division IV playoff and fell to Oakdale in an ugly 12-0 finale.

SOCCER:  Road wins needed

            Unless Oakdale managed a tremendous upset at Sonora on Thursday (results not available at press time), Sierra will head into the Division IV playoffs as the lone Manteca representative and the VOL’s No. 2 seed. The placement will leave the Timberwolves on the same side of the SJS bracket as both the CVC and PVL champions.

            As the No. 2 seed, Sierra will travel to face CVC champ, West Campus, in the opening round. The Warriors are 15-3-3 on the season with an 8-0 run through the CVC and have defeated all of their Division IV opponents. The team is led by sophomore forward Megan Foy (14 goals, 12 assists).

            West Campus topped Sierra in the first round of last year’s playoffs, the game ending on a penalty kick shootout that West Campus sequestered in a 3-2 tally.

            “Playoffs are a one-game final, and we have to be ready to play,” Sierra coach Manuel Pires said. “We have played very well on the road before and if we are the No. 2 seed — and it's looking that way — we have to go onto the road and beat one of the No. 1 seeds up in Sacramento.”

TENNIS:  Making a mark

            It’s been a long time since a Manteca tennis team has won a match in the SJS playoffs, but Manteca is favored to do just that in their first round bout against the No. 2 seed from the Tri-County Conference. Pioneer of Woodland is 11-4 in the TCC, and likely to take that honor with perennial league power, Yuba City, on the decline.

            If Manteca can work past the likes of Pioneer, the program will meet returning SJS runner-ups, Rio Americano, in the second round. It’s an unfortunate draw for the Buffs, who could have been seeded in an easier top-half of the bracket had the team finished second in league.

            But Manteca will look to work past Rio Americano and expect a showdown with the reigning Division II champions, Granite Bay, in the third round. A trip to the finals would likely bring a bout against Oak Ridge, but Manteca will have plenty trouble in a postseason bracket littered with the best of seven different leagues.

            Playoffs begin on Tuesday, May 6, at Manteca.

TRACK AND FIELD: Sinclair’s big throw

            Two months ago Derek Sinclair wasn’t unknown, but he was overshadowed. With a two-time state qualifier within his own program, the senior thrower wasn’t expected to be the big name for Sierra’s boys track program.

But he is now.

            Sinclair out-tossed the section’s top two returning throwers by nearly three feet at the Sacramento meet of champions, and is the new favorite to bring home first place honors at the SJS Masters on May 22.

            If Sinclair can match or improve on his season best and school record toss of 56-01, he could even pull within the ranks of the states best and possibly qualify for the finals (top-9) at the state tournament on May 30.

            Eight of the top nine throwers from last year’s state final graduated, leaving the door open for Sinclair, who has already out-thrown the best of the SJS.

            His teammate, Avery White, is also expected to make his final state run in the 300 and 110-meter hurdles. White was .15-seconds away from qualifying for the 300 finals at state in 2007.

The two make Sierra a good pick for champions at the 10-league Division III championships on May 13 and 14. The T’wolves are loaded with talent across nearly every event, and should battle Placer for an SJS crown.

            East Union’s 4x400 relay team of Jimmy Braitman, Brandon Dempsey, Abdiel Martinez-Ramos and Nick Konradi are one of the fastest in the section, and should compete for a state advancement as well.

GOLF: Look out for Colfax

            East Union came away with a VOL title on April 29, but the talented golf program will have its hands full with Pioneer Valley League champs, Colfax, at the Division IV Golf Championships on Monday, May 5.

            Led by University of Nevada/Las Vegas-bound Colby Smith, Colfax is one of the top programs in the SJS, and last year was one of three teams to qualify for NorCals.

            Between Smith, Derek Zachman and Bear River standout Niall Conn, the PVL will be well represented in divisional action at the Greenhorn Creek Golf Course.

            But Colfax isn’t as tough as they were in 2007, and will have to work past the top teams of the CVC as well as East Union and Sierra, the VOL representatives.

            The lone champion team and three individuals will advance to Masters. East Union’s VOL MVP, John Ott and standout Kyle Harmon will likely battle for individual advancements to Masters.

SWIMMING: Finals galore

            The Manteca area should be stacked with representation in the SJS finals for both the varsity and frosh-soph divisions.

            In varsity, East Union’s returning frosh-soph placers, Natalie Heihn and Alicia Alfter, could do serious damage in the 100 back and 100 fly, while Sierra’s Josh Revives (200 free) and Josh Yared (100 back) could slip into the finals as well.

            Sierra’s talented sophomore, Megan Viduya, and standout freshman, Kara Hall, likely represent Manteca’s best shot at a SJS gold medal. Hall’s 100 breast time of 1:09.41 at the league meet would have been good enough for third at last year’s frosh-soph final.

            Viduya has already improved upon times that landed her two section medals in 2007 and should compete for gold in the 100 free this year.

            The two will lead a group of Sierra swimmers looking to place high in team scoring as well.

            East Union’s Ben Alfter and Manteca’s Davina Bennett and Anthony Mello will look for strong section outcomes as well.

            SJS Trials begin on Thursday, May 8.