Stanislaus Region High School Sports

The popular current definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. But the Ripon High volleyball team is by no means insane. They're talented, spirited and firmly believe that one day, perhaps very soon, they will defeat Christian Brothers.

Christian Brothers Falcons Katie Hoekman (8) and Megan Anders (15) try and block shoot by Ripon Indians Coryn Hernandez in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV volleyball championships at ATR Pavilion in Davis, Calif. on November 19, 2009. - (Paul Kitagaki Jr. / pkitagaki@sacbee.com) -

DAVIS - At the end of last year's playoff run, Ripon Christian High volleyball coach Tiger Shelton had the audacity to call 2009 a rebuilding year for the Knights.

DAVIS -- No need for introductions tonight, Ripon High knows everything it needs to know about Christian Brothers.

It looked like a great match on paper, a Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 semifinal featuring perennial powers Ripon and Summerville. And it played out that way ... for 10 minutes. That's how long it took for the powerful Indians to get in the heads of the Bears, destroying what is typically an effective passing game.

There's more than one Ripon high school heading to UC Davis on Thursday to play for a Sac-Joaquin Section volleyball championship.

Two local athletes signed their letters of intent to play in college on Tuesday.

Volleyball

Six Stanislaus District volleyball teams remain in title contention in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Championships, which resume with tonight's semifinals.

Dennis Stubbs has built a heck of a résumé since he took over a struggling program at Le Grand High. Then still a young coach, Stubbs' challenge was to revive a program that had lost 26 games in a row. It didn't take long. In only Stubbs' second year, the Bulldogs won a league title.

DARRYL BUSH/dbush@modbee.com Modesto's James Ingram (8) runs for a gain against Enochs in the first qtr. of the league championship game between, James C. Enochs High School and Modesto High School played at Downey High in Modesto, on Friday, November 13, 2009. - Modesto Bee - DARRYL BUSH

SUN-STAR PHOTO BY LISA JAMES Los Banos players give head coach Dennis Stubbs, center, a victorious cheer after their win over Turlock on Friday evening. October 3rd, 2008 - Merced Sun-Star - Lisa James

FOLSOM — In the back of her mind, Hughson High's Becky Hobby could hear Huskies cross country coach Joel Bernard telling her, as he always does, to pace herself.

Becky Hobby, Hughson, took fourth in the 1600 at Sac-Joaquin Masters Meet in Sacramento, Calif. on May 29, 2009. - (Adm Golub / The Modesto Bee) -

Bret Harte High School sophomore Matt Airola is a cross country runner. - Unknown - Unknown

STOCKTON — There were handshakes before the game and handshakes afterward. But in the 80 minutes between, Patterson and Hilmar exchanged shots, hips, elbows and verbal jousts — perhaps not play befitting a Sac-Joaquin Section title match but play anticipated from two league and West Side rivals playing for the fourth time this season.

The Patterson team celebrates after the game. Patterson won 3 - 1 over Hilmar to win the Division V championship at Alex G. Spanos Stadium at Lincoln High School, Novermber 14, 2009. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - Modesto Bee - Debbie Noda

STOCKTON — Central Valley High has been playing varsity soccer for only four years, but for Ceres High, that's exactly four years too long.

The Ceres High School team congratulates Ramon Carona at the center of the group for scoring during game play of the Division IV championship at Alex G. Spanos Stadium at Lincoln High School, Novermber 14, 2009. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - Modesto Bee - Debbie Noda

Ceres High School soccer players are greeted by jubilant fans after the game against Central Valley High School in the Division IV championship at Alex G. Spanos Stadium at Lincoln High School, Novermber 14, 2009. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - Modesto Bee - Debbie Noda

Six was the magic number Saturday, as in six wins was enough to send Davis, Buhach Colony and Pitman into the Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs.

STOCKTON — Sometime very soon, there will be a new piece of artwork on one of the walls of the Tioga High School gym in Groveland.

The Ceres-Central Valley Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 soccer championship game will be played at Lincoln High of Stockton today at 2 p.m.

Daniel Ochoa of Central Valley High School, Ceres controls the ball as River City closes in duirng game play November 10, 2009 at Central Valley. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - -

Davis High's Roberto Rosas and Maryssa McDuffy, Hughson's Becky Hobby and Escalon's Matt Barnum will be among the Stanislaus District cross country standouts competing in today's CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Championships at Willow Hill Reservoir in Folsom.

Johansen High's bid for a Sac-Joaquin Section girls' water polo title ended Friday in a 13-6 semifinal loss to Davis of Yolo, making its fourth consecutive appearance in the finals.

There are no strangers on the Patterson High soccer team. Most of the kids have played together for years, including the Molinas. Twins Cesar and Gustavo can't remember what it's like playing without one another.

Heriberto Hernandez of Patteson and Christian Albor of Riverbank race to control the ball during game play in a playoffs against Riverbank November 12, 2009 at Riverbank. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - -

Riverbank's Nasr Alsumeri and Patterson's Heriberto Hernandez jump to head the ball in match against Riverbank November 12, 2009 at Riverbank. Patterson won. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - -

The Modesto High Panthers filed out of the locker room with tears tracking down their cheeks, tears of sadness combined with tears of sheer emotion. Their latest excellent volleyball season had just ended in disappointment, a three-set loss Thursday night to seven-time reigning Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion Nevada Union of Grass Valley.

Gianna Gallo returns the serve by Nevada Union in playoffs against November 12, 2009 at the Modesto High gymnasium. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - Modesto Bee - Debbie Noda

Ellie Selleck of Nevada Union spikes the ball as Genna Garrett and Michelle Couchman of Modesto go up to block in playoffs against Nevada Union November 12, 2009 at the Modesto High gymnasium. (DEBBIE NODA/dnoda@modbee.com) - Modesto Bee - Debbie Noda

RIPON - Isaiah Burse rushed for three touchdowns during Modesto Christian's 35-0 first-quarter blitz Thursday night that carried the Crusaders to a Trans-Valley League title-clinching 56-7 win over Ripon Christian.