Stallion offense rolls in playoff win
Madera Tribune File Photo
The Madera South Stallions cross country team runs in a pack to sweep the 2014 County/Metro Athletic Conference championship. They swept the top five position for a perfect 15 team score.
2014
COALINGA — If there was any doubt that the one-win Madera South football team belonged in the postseason, it was simply put to rest when the No. 10 seed Stallions faced No. 7 Coalinga in the first round of Central Section Div. IV playoffs.
From the first drive and on, the Stallion offense couldn’t be stopped as it gained 414 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns in a 49-34 road win.
Despite finishing 0-5 in the CMAC — a league with six playoff teams — the Stallions showed they weren’t a typical last-place team as they took a statement-making 35-12 lead into the half, including two touchdowns in a 1:20 span to turn a 21-12 lead into a 23-point lead.
In that first half, Maurice McClain and Johan Johnson each scored two rushing touchdowns while Cristian Guillen had one. Guillen finished with a team-high 118 rushing yards on 13 carries and McClain totaled 93 on the ground.
Coyotes advance to semifinals
In water polo, it’s tradition for a team to toss its coach in the pool after a big win.
The Madera Coyote girls water polo must have thought its 13-11 win over the Edison-Fresno Tigers was big, because head coach Erik Baymiller ended up in the pool.
Baymiller, who didn’t bring a change of clothes, was more than happy to get soaked for the win.
“I don’t know why I got thrown in,” he said. “It’s only the quarterfinals.”
Behind Jessica Diaz’s seven goals, the third-seeded Coyotes advanced to their second straight semifinal game.
The Coyotes trailed for most of the game and didn’t get their first lead until there was 2:35 left in the game, before holding off Edison for the win.
2015
Stallion boys, Coyote girls claim CMAC titles
As expected, the Madera South boys and Madera girls cross country teams handled their business in the County/Metro Athletic Conference championships.
While both ranked squads repeated as CMAC champs, the Stallion girls team and Coyote boys also impressed with runner-up finishes.
In the boys race, the No. 1-ranked Div. I Stallions left no doubt as Eduardo Herrera (15:35.0), Miguel Villar (15:38.0), Michael Ochoa (15:59.9), Nicholas Hernandez (16:07.0) and Victor Ochoa (16:17.3) finished 1-5.
“Fifteen points is a perfect score and that’s very rare,” said Stallion head coach Eloy Quintana. “It shows the kids are ready to go after it on Thursday. These boys are hungry and wanted to make a statement that they are a powerhouse.”
On the girls’ side, Madera’s Jasmine Gonzalez won the race with a time of 18:46.3 while Nicole Nava (6th, 20:17.8), Alexis Miguel (9th, 20:57.9), Adriana Cortez (12th, 21:20.9), Olivia Zambrano (13th, 21:28.0), Lissette Maciel (22nd, 22:29.6) and Gabby Sanchez (30th, 25:08.0) helped the second-ranked Div. II Coyotes (38 points) claim another conference title.
Field goal ends Hawks’ title run
EXETER — Despite its best offensive showing in program history, a late field goal ended the Liberty Hawks football team’s quest for a fourth straight Central Section Championship.
The 10th seeded Hawks racked up a school record 649 yards of total offense against seventh seed Exeter, but the game came down to who had the ball at the end and the Monarchs hit a 31-yard field goal with one second left for a 52-49 victory Friday in the first round of the Div. IV playoffs.
Despite playing in their first road playoff game since the 2011 Div. V Valley Championship game — a span of nine games — the Hawks recorded record numbers. Running back Chad Wallace had probably the best day a Liberty player has had on the field, statistically.
Wallace rushed for 220 yards and four touchdowns and caught three passes for 118 yards to set a school record for most yards from scrimmage. He also scored a school record five touchdowns. On top of all of that, his 220 rushing yards is third most in school history. His 118 receiving yards is fourth in school history.
Additionally, Jackson Watts rushed for 169 yards on 17 carries, 11th best in school history. Quarterback Markie Brandt threw for 208 yards, which is the second best in school history.
However, it came down to Ryan Buchanan’s 31-yard field goal to end the Hawks’ season and also end a streak of seven straight Thanksgiving day practices.
2017
Hawks advance in state playoffs
The Madera South Stallions girls volleyball team won a Valley Championship in 2010 and the Madera Coyotes won a Valley Championship in 2012, but the Liberty Hawks, Div. IV runners-up this year, did what those two championship teams couldn’t do — win a CIF State playoff match.
The Hawks, seeded eighth in their bracket of the CIF State Girls Volleyball Championship, defeated ninth seeded Manteca at Liberty to advance to the northern region quarterfinals.
Liberty overcame a 25-22 loss in the first set, but came back to win the next three sets and advance against the region’s top seed Presentation-San Jose, who was a three-set winner Wednesday.
Hannah Chase led the Hawks with 28 kills and carried the team for the first three sets. However, the rest of the team started to come alive in the fourth set, including middle blocker Karsyn Woods. She recorded five of her eight kills and three of her blocks in the fourth set while also serving strong to increase Liberty’s lead.
Coyotes grind out win
It may have not looked like the best win, but for Jason Smith and the rest of the Madera Coyote girls basketball team, a win in the County/Metro Athletic Conference isn’t taken lightly.
The Coyotes opened the CMAC season with a 46-41 victory over the Sanger Apaches in Joe Flores Gym. The Coyotes did just enough to get the win despite shooting just 3-of-16 from 3-point range and 32 percent (16-of-50) from the field.
Alyssa Burton was the only Coyote in double figures with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Ximena Escobar added nine points and Ashley Hansen scored eight with two 3-pointers.
