Page 9 - Reedley Exponent 1-31-19 E-edition

B3 | Thursday, January 31, 2019 www.reedleyexponent.com Prep Wrestling — Manning Melee
Titans snap Pirates' streak
Orange Cove boys end RHS' 9-year domination, Reedley girls prevail
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
For the most part, the nine-year Manning Melee wrestling matchup has been a one-sid- ed affair in favor of the Reedley High Pirates over the Orange Cove High Titans. But that all changed in the 10th meeting between the schools on Jan. 25 at OCHS gym.
Led by Division 5 top-ranked wrestlers Martin Chavez and Andy Tristen, the host school won four of the five matches contest- ed and came away with a 36-20 triumph over the Pirates. The Reedley High girls won by a 42-18 score while Reedley defeated Citrus in the middle school match, 43-22.
"It's been a long time coming," said Ti- tans head coach Pablo Saenz, who coached at RHS for six years before coming to Orange Cove. "These kids at Orange Cove have put the time in and worked hard. It's their turn."
Both teams racked up points via forfeit, but the difference was Orange Cove's per- formance in the matches contested. Senior Chavez and sophomore standout Tristen turned in the biggest performances.
Chavez (26-6 on the sedan) moved up a weight from his usual 113-pound class, tak- ing on standout Pirates freshman Phillip
See MELEE on page B4
Danny Jimenez / Photo Contributed
Roosevelt High goalkeeper Josue Munguia deflected a shot by Reedley High's Phillip Rico (9) during the Pirates' 2-0 win over the Rough Riders on Jan. 25.
Pirates soccer has road test looming at Fresno
George Villagrana / Mid Valley Publishing
Immanuel High guard Landon Yamada (3) was harassed by Dinuba High's Jacob Rodriguez during the Eagles' 60-53 victory over the Em- perors on Jan. 24 in Dinuba.
Reedley boys drop pair of home games, Pirate girls soccer still atop NYL
Staff Report
The Immanuel High Eagle boys closed in on another Central Sequoia League championship after securing a Jan. 24 road victory at Dinuba that keep them unbeaten in league.
The Eagles (17-6, 9-0 CSL) built a six- point lead after one quarter and held on the rest of the way for a 60-53 win over the Emperors (19-7, 5-5). After second- place Hanford West lost at Central Valley Christian on Jan. 28, the Eagles' league lead grew to three full games over the Huskies and Cavaliers. Im- manuel would clinch yet another league title with a home win Jan. 30 against last- place Selma.
Sophomore forward-center Winston
Danny Jimenez / Photo Contributed
Reedley High's Clare McGahan (33) was blocked from behind and fouled by a Hoover defender during the Pirates' 59-54 loss to the Patriots on Jan. 22.
Williams scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds while senior guard Jordan Rodriguez added 15 points, nine boards and three steals. The Eagles com-
Preps Roundup
pleted a season sweep of the Emperors, having earlier won 69-63 in Reedley on Jan. 4.
After the Selma game, Immanuel prepares for the upcoming postseason with two league road games against Han- ford West (Friday, Feb. 1) and Central Valley Christian (Tuesday, Feb. 5).
RHS boys fall to Roosevelt, Selma
Reedley High hopes an upcoming Senior Night matchup with Hoover on Monday, Feb. 4, will help them get back on track for the upcoming Central Sec- tion basketball playoffs.
The Pirates (8-13, 1-5 North Yosem- ite League) had their losing streak ex- tended to four games last week after home setbacks against Roosevelt (69-50 on Jan . 25) and Selma (66-60 on Jan. 26).
The week began with a 54-45 road loss
See PREPS on page B4
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Orange Cove High wrestlers Andres Tristan, left, and Martin Chavez held the Manning Melee trophy high after the Titans won the prestigious award for the first time in its nine- year history by defeating Reedley High, 36-20, on Jan. 25 at OCHS gym.
Staff Report
The first-place Reedley Pirate boys showed scoring prowess early and late last week to remain on track for a soccer showdown at sec- ond place Fresno High on Friday, Feb. 1.
The Pirates (15-6-2, 6-0 North Yosemite League) erupted for all its goals in the first half of a 5-0 drubbing at Hoover in Fresno on Jan. 23. Then, they pulled away with a pair of second-half goals to put away stubborn Roosevelt bya2-0scoreonJan.25at
Sal Gonzalez Field.
A win at Fresno would
likely wrap up at least a tie for the NYL title for Reedley, which defeated Fresno by a 5-3 score in the first round of NYL play on Jan. 9. The Pirates close out the regular season with a 5:30 p.m. home match against Hoover on Monday, Feb 4, followed by 5 p.m. match at Sunnyside High on Wednesday, Feb. 6.
The CIF section playoffs begin on Wednesday and Fri- day, Feb. 13 and 14. The Pi- rates are defending Division II champions.
Eagle boys basketball clinches tie for CSL title
Warkentin on All-PacWest baseball team
Contributed
Redshirt sophomore Mi- chael Warkentin of the Fres- no Pacific University base- ball team was chosen as a 2019 Preseason All-PacWest Conference selection, as an- nounced by the league office in Irvine on
Jan. 23.
Addi- tionally, the Sunbirds were picked sixth in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, one point below Academy of
Art.
In his
only full season in the Blue and Orange, the Reedley na- tive led the team with a .333 average and posted 15 multi- hit games en route to being named an All-PacWest Third Team selection as a freshman. Warkentin was on his way to another productive season last spring before an injury in FPU’s fifth game of the season cut his sophomore campaign short.
Defending league cham- pion Azusa Pacific (41-11) was picked as the early favorite to win the league with seven of nine first place votes, while Point Loma (34-18) and Con- cordia (22-28) rounded out the top three.
RC women's hoop knocks off Fresno City
Contributed
For only the second time in his 13 seasons with the Tigers, Head Coach Dan Kilbert and Reedley College has defeated the Fresno City College Rams.
With sophomore guard Jelani Williford explod- ing for a career high 29 points, Reedley broke a two-game losing streak with an 84-79 victory over FCC on Jan. 26 in the Tiger gym.
The win moved Reedley (3-2, 11-9) into a tie with Fresno (3-2, 15-7) for third place in the Cen- tral Valley Conference behind Merced and College of the Sequoias.
The second round of CVC action begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, as the Lady Tigers host the West Hills Lemoore Golden Eagles. Reedley trav- eled to Porterville for a Jan. 30 contest.
Due to injuries, Reedley had only seven play- ers in action against FCC. All five starters scored nine points or more. I’man Conley missed her first four shots but still finished with 20. Williford near- ly matched her season high of 17 by netting 12 of Reedley’s 21 first quarter points. Chloe Welch had 14 of her 16 points in the first half. Xavia Barlow had six of her 10 points in the third quarter while Stephanie Cervantes made three 3-pointers and finished with 9.
On Jan. 23, first place Merced College rolled to a 90-47 victory in the Tiger gym.
Sophomores guard Ayaka Nakashima’s 28
Reedley College guard Stephanie Cervantes dribbled upcourt during the Tigers' 84-79 basketball vic- tory over Fresno City College on Jan. 26 at RC. Cervantes made three 3-point baskets to help RC defeat the Rams for only the second time in 13 seasons.
Reedley College / Photo Contributed
points paced the Blue Devils, ranked second in Northern California and third in the state.
Conley had eight of her team high 18 points in the first quarter but was held scoreless in the second period as Merced outscored Reedley 23-6 to open up a 49-19 halftime lead. Barlow had seven of her 12 points in the fourth quarter for Reedley.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Cold spell dooms Tigers
A long cold spell late in the first half on Jan. 26
spoiled any thoughts of a Reedley College upset of powerful Fresno City College.
The Rams (17-3, 8-0 Central Valley Confer-
Colleges
ence) ran off 17 unanswered points to close out the half and never looked back in a 95-75 rout at RC gym. Reedley (8-12, 2-6 CVC) had tied the game at 31-all on a Khalid Wilkins basket with four min- utes left in the half, but the Tigers wouldn't score again until nearly four minutes had elapsed in the second half.
Five Tigers scored in double figures, led by Uriah Carter with 17 points. Ruben Parks followed with 16 while Wilkins netted four 3-pointers and had 14.
On Jan. 23, RC lost a 97-82 home contest against West Hills College Coalinga. Carter and Parks scored 34 and 29 points, respectively, but couldn't overcome the Falcons and four double
figure scorers led by Ricardo Time's 36 points. After a Jan. 30 road game at Porterville to start the second round of conference play, Reedley has three straight home games. The Tigers host Mer- ced at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 before a 5 p.m. contest with the College of the Sequoias Giants on Monday, Feb. 4. The homestand concludes with a 6 p.m. matchup on Saturday, Feb. 9 with the Cerro
Coso Community College Coyotes.
Kendricks scores 10 in FPU loss
Fresno Pacific's Nate Kendricks scored 10
See COLLEGES on page B4
Michael Warkentin
Reedley College softball sweeps doubleheader to open season
Contributed
The state’s 15th ranked communi- ty college softball team, the Reedley College Tigers, rolled to a doublehead- er sweep over Hartnell College of Sa- linas in impressive fashion on Jan. 26.
But the 2019 season didn’t really start as planned for head coach Kathy Kuball’s Tigers. On the very first pitch of the game, Tiger starting pitcher Emily Grimbeby hit Hartnell leadoff
hitter Celeste Canchola. Grimbeby eventually walked two batters to load the bases, but the sophomore worked out of the jam and finished with a five- inning no-hitter in an 8-0 win.
In game two, Hunter Young gave up a run in the top of the first before finishing with a three-hitter in Reed- ley’s 11-1 victory.
Both contests were shortened due to the mercy rule, and both Tiger pitchers threw 85 pitches.
It didn’t take long for Reedley to get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Bobbie Falcon walked on five pitches, stole her first of three bases in the game, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double to left off the bat of Karly Fien.
Three straight hits with two out highlighted a four-run second inning. Aunika Castellanos and freshman Bri Stephens each had three hits to lead a
13-hit attack. Castellanos was robbed of a triple in the fourth as her even- tual single scored Young with the eighth run.
Grimbeby, who was fourth in the state in strikeouts last year, finished with 7 K’s while walking five and hit- ting a batter.
In the second game, Reedley fin- ished with nine hits and took advan-
See TIGERS on page B4