Modesto Sports

A trio from Beyer High has spent its summer on the run, all the way to the 44th USATF National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships.

Escalon High junior Caitlin Brooks and Johansen sophomore Elizabeth Perez, The Bee's Softball Player and Pitcher of the Year, are on the CalHiSports all-state team.

When Roger Canepa kept parochial powers St. Mary's and Cardinal Newman on the schedule, there was no mistaking the message. He was telling prep football rivals that Central Catholic would continue to be a program pursuing a state title.

Turlock High pitcher Vince Wheeland, The Bee's Player of the Year after going 13-0 with a 0.74 ERA, has been selected to the CalHiSports' all-state first team.

Beyer High's duo of Mason Ankeney and Garrett Roberts lead Modesto's 16-to-18-year-old Babe Ruth team into this week's district tournament at Davis Park. See end of story for complete tournament schedule.

Results from Friday's games in the Ron Vermeulen Baseball Tournment.

When the North all-star offense walked to the line of scrimmage, it featured seven gold helmets emblazoned with a purple "E." That's "E," as in Escalon, the team which all but hijacked the 18th Small Schools All-Star Game on Friday night.

Steve Silva spent much of the football season lowering his helmet and driving through defenders, piling up rushing yards in Escalon High's wing-T attack. He'll get a final opportunity to trample foes tonight when he leads the North into the 18th Small School All-Star Game at Riverbank High.

Installation of the new all-weather synthetic track and field is under way at Turlock High School.

The 21st Ron Vermeulen Tournament, the last major high school baseball tournament of the summer, starts today with games on the Davis, Beyer, Downey and Oakdale campuses.

The 21st Ron Vermeulen Tournament, the last major high school baseball tournament of the summer, starts Thursday with games on the Davis, Beyer, Downey and Oakdale campuses.

The goals of the high school summer baseball season include working on fundamentals, building the arm strength of pitchers and getting some quality at-bats.

Modesto High School's summer baseball season, a 16-game schedule that wraps up Wednesday with a doubleheader at Hughson, has coach Daryl Galloway smiling. His players are getting great experience without the high cost of travel ball.

Modesto High struggled to find success during the regular season, but the Panthers' summer team is a game from playing for the Lee Hampson Tournament championship.

The Central California girls water polo qualifier for the Junior National Championships continues today at Johansen High in Modesto and Pitman High in Turlock, with matches beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing to 5 p.m. The top teams in each age group advance to the national tourney, the first week in August in Pasadena. The 14-under and 18-under girls are at Johansen, while the 16-under girls will be playing at Pitman.

Spin moves. Stiff-arms. Jump cuts. Flips.

Nathan Sanchez showcased just about every evasive move in his bag of tricks on Friday night.

There's not a team in the Stanislaus District with more talent than Escalon High, yet coach Greg Largent has got a short bench for this week's Lee Hampson Tournament.

It was a bittersweet end to the baseball season for Ripon Christian High coach John De Visser, who guided the Knights to their best season in school history.

Turlock High senior Paul Smith, The Bee's 2010 Golfer of the Year, fired a two-round total of 1-over 145 for a one-stroke win at a USGA Junior qualifying tournament at the Yolo Fliers course in Woodland.

Central Catholic High senior outfielder Billy Flamion, a three-time member of The Bee's all-Stanislaus District Baseball Team, has made the final tryout to play for the Milwaukee Brewers at the prestigious Area Code Games in August in Long Beach.