This is what Andrew Olson wanted. The Hilmar senior couldn't have dreamed up a better script for his final high school game. A shot at a blue banner, the token awarded to a Sac-Joaquin Section champion.
Alex Bucio has resisted the urge. Teammates have begun scouring the Internet for any information they can find on Ferndale — Le Grand's biggest remaining hurdle for a CIF Division 4 State Bowl bid — and the south's two frontrunners, Sierra Canyon and Santa Fe Christian.
Unlike many of his teammates, Matt Roberson didn't grow up wanting to play football at Escalon High under coach Mark Loureiro. Roberson felt he was better at baseball, so he skipped football his freshman year — a decision he regrets to this day.
Here we go again.
For the third time in six years, Golden Valley is searching for a new football coach.
Hilmar head coach Frank Marques stops in to talk about Friday's section title game and Le Grand head coach Rick Martinez will help break down the team's Division 5 title win and talk about the state bowls. Click the headline to view the Shawn & Sean Show.
The Le Grand High defense set the tone from the opening series.
Eventually, the offense caught up to rout Highlands 58-20 for the Bulldogs' second consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 championship Saturday night.
Christopher Miranda already has plans if the Le Grand football team gets its shot at a state championship in Carson. "I've never been surfing," the Bulldogs defensive lineman said. "I want to try to surf if we go to Carson."
It's difficult to figure out who benefits more from the annual Sac-Joaquin Section Foundation Games -- the basketball teams that participate or the scholarship recipients at the end of the school year.
Buhach Colony's Leon Miles sat hunched over on the bench with his head in his hands as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Teammate Enrique Covarrubias walked off the field one last time with tears streaming down his face.Position by Position
COALINGA -- Brian Alvarado racked up 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Horned Toads to a 26-20 win over Chowchilla in the second round of the Central Section Division 4 playoffs.
HILMAR -- The Hilmar offense had already broken the huddle when Frank Marques and his staff shouted for an audible.
LE GRAND -- Rick Martinez says he's not going to waste one minute thinking about next season until this magnificent Le Grand High football campaign has come to an end.
LE GRAND The emotions still bubble up in the back of Leo Marquez's throat when he thinks about the day. The Le Grand senior was sitting in the Grape Bowl stands almost a year ago, overcome with remorse as the bulk of the town celebrated around him. A football player all his life, Marquez found himself a spectator as Le Grand battled Highlands for the Division 5 title.
Buhach Colony coach Kevin Swartwood drops by to chat about last week's game and its aftermath. He'll also talk about the upcoming matchup with Vacaville. Livingston coach Chris Lacey will help Sun-Star reporters Shawn Jansen and Sean Lynch breakdown the playoff matchups. Click the headline to watch.
HILMAR Zack Giuliano looks like your typical football player. Standing 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, the Hilmar senior looks like he's spent his share of time in the weight room.
Jake Messina has stepped down as the Golden Valley head football coach. Messina announced his resignation on Friday after two years at the school.
LE GRAND — Zach Moreno hauled in nine catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns as Le Grand earned its way back in the section title game with a 48-6 win over Rio Vista on Friday night at Le Grand High.
LOS BANOS -- Fourth-seeded Los Banos High's football season came to an abrupt halt Friday in a 34-24 loss to No. 5 Casa Roble.
Aziz Shittu was pleading with Buhach Colony offensive line coach Roger Johnson to let him play guard during the second half. When tackle Aaron Cochran went down with a leg injury midway through the third quarter, Shittu finally got his chance.
HILMAR -- Zach Giuliano settled into his defensive position with a chip on his shoulder.
ATWATER — If you’re looking for spread offenses with footballs flying left and right, tonight’s Buhach Colony-Del Campo matchup is not for you.
Sports writers Shawn Jansen and Sean Lynch break down a predictable opening week of Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs and take a look ahead at some much more intriguing second-round matchups. The Central Section playoffs also get under way this week with Dos Palos on the road.
RIPON -- Livingston High senior running back Diego Iniguez-Casian was on the sidelines in the second quarter, doing what he could to fire up his teammates.
Buhach Colony center Matt Cochran blocked so well he was called for a penalty. Excessive blocking.
LOS BANOS -- The Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 playoff opener between No. 13 Vanden of Fairfield and No. 4 Los Banos was a shootout between Tigers running back James Sams and Vanden quarterback Ben Scott.
HILMAR -- Andrew Olson's first two forays into the playoffs didn't go well.
FIREBAUGH — Dos Palos High had never lost a football game to Firebaugh heading into Thursday’s matchup, and still hasn’t after a 33-28 Broncos victory.
Shawn Jansen and special guest star Merced High football coach Rob Scheidt discuss the prep football post-season on Week 12 of The Shawn & Sean Show.
With Sean Lynch out on the road for prep playoff games, Merced head coach Rob Scheidt took over the co-hosting reigns.
After winning the Bloss Bowl, the Buhach Colony football team kneeled in a group for a postgame talk.
With Sean Lynch away covering playoff games, Merced football coach Rob Scheidt fills in as a guest host, and joins Sun-Star reporter Shawn Jansen on the show.
There are many advantages of playing at home in the playoffs.
(All games Friday at 7 p.m. unless noted)
The Buhach Colony High football team will face a familiar opponent when the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs begin on Friday.
ATWATER -- Perfection didn't come easy.
David Mariano called it a dream game. It's easy to understand why. With nothing but pride on the line Friday night Merced and Golden Valley turned in a crosstown shootout.
LOS BANOS -- Los Banos clinched the outright Western Athletic Conference title with a 35-6 win over Pacheco in the first Crosstown Clash Friday night.
Shawn Jansen and Sean Lynch discuss Week 11 of the high school football season.
Sun-Star reporters Shawn Jansen and Sean Lynch break down last week's games and discuss this week's rivalry matchups, including the Mayor's Cup, Bloss Bowl and Green and Gold Bowl.
Le Grand High School will be honoring all former Le Grand Bulldog football championship teams at halftime of this Friday's game against Mariposa.
Tickets for this Friday's Golden Valley football game against Merced at Veterans Stadium will go on sale at both high schools' student body offices this morning through Friday at noon.
Sun-Star reporters Shawn Jansen and Sean Lynch breakdown last week's big games on "The Shawn & Sean Show."
Neither coach had even seen anything like it.
"It was like having your hands on the wheel of a car with no brakes," Golden Valley coach Jake Messina said.
Daniel Byrne has experienced both sides of the playoff pendulum.
The Golden Valley midfielder rode the thrill of victory right into the Division 1 section title game as a sophomore.TURLOCK -- With its starting quarterback chewing on a nail, his season shelved by injury, Turlock called on new leadership to lead its stretch run.
ATWATER — Buhach Colony and Golden Valley gave the scoreboard operator a workout on Friday night.
Pitman was 0 for 6 on third-down conversions entering its final drive on Friday night.
Gino Franceschetti posted some of the ugliest numbers of his high school career on Friday night.
