Looking for comprehensive previews? Look no further. The Record has it covered.
Each week, The Record highlights the top games to watch in San Joaquin County, providing not only dates and times but also in-depth analysis of each matchup.
And it won’t be just one sport. Baseball, softball, boys volleyball and track and field will be featured every week.
Here are the games to watch in the 209 from April 13-18.
Baseball
St. Mary’s vs. Lodi — April 13 at St. Mary’s, 4 p.m.; April 15 at Lodi, 6:30 p.m.; April 16 at St. Mary’s, 4 p.m.
Some teams get hot — others take over. St. Mary’s is doing the latter, winners of 10 straight and sitting among the top 30 teams in California. But this is the matchup. Lodi is right there, tied for first in the TCAL at 6-0. If there’s a team built to challenge the Sac-Joaquin Section’s best, it’s Lodi — though that gap says everything about how high St. Mary’s has climbed.
Oakdale vs. Central Catholic — April 13 at Oakdale, 4 p.m.; April 15 at Central Catholic, 4 p.m.; April 17 at Oakdale, 4 p.m.
Everyone has taken a shot — and almost everyone has missed. East Union, Manteca and Mountain House all tried, with just one result going against Central Catholic in nine games. Now it’s Oakdale’s turn, and possibly the final obstacle in the title race. The talent is there, with Division I prospects across the field, but Central Catholic’s top-40 ranking in California shows just how difficult that task will be. Tied for third at 8-4 with Manteca, this series carries major weight for Oakdale.
Edison vs. Bear Creek — April 15 at Edison, 6:30 p.m.; April 17 at Bear Creek, 4 p.m.
Not long ago, Bear Creek was in the middle of the SJAA title race, tied with Tokay and Edison at 5-1. However, a loss and tie to Stagg, plus a tie with Franklin, dropped it to fourth at 6-2-2. Still, Bear Creek has proven it can compete, splitting with Tokay. Edison, however, has taken control, putting together its best season in school history and first winning season in over 20 years. It already has a win over Tokay, with another matchup still waiting after a weather delay.
Manteca vs. Mountain House — April 13 at Manteca, 4 p.m.; April 15 at Mountain House, 4 p.m.; April 17 at Manteca, 4 p.m.
Two teams, two different stakes. For Mountain House, it’s about growth after snapping a seven-game VOL losing streak with a win over second-place East Union. For Manteca, it’s bigger — sitting third and chasing its first top-two finish since 2016-17. With the 2-4 spots all separated by matching loss totals, every game carries weight.
Softball
St. Mary’s at Kimball, 4 p.m., April 13
One team outside of Tracy has solved Kimball — St. Mary’s, which walked it off 7-6 on March 24. This isn’t about revenge or repeating the result. It’s about positioning. St. Mary’s, Lodi and Kimball all sit with three TCAL losses, making this a key game in the race for second.
Oakdale at Central Catholic, 4 p.m., April 14
It comes down to this. Central Catholic at 8-0 in the VOL. Oakdale at 6-1. Their first meeting was decided by one run, a 2-1 Central Catholic win on March 17.
Tokay at Bear Creek, 4 p.m., April 14
Call it a logjam. Three teams — Bear Creek, Tokay and Edison — all sit at 7-1 atop the SJAA. The only losses? All against each other. Bear Creek fell to Edison, while Tokay dropped an 8-7 game to Bear Creek on March 19.
Kimball at Lodi, 4 p.m., April 16
First is out of reach. This isn’t about that. With Tracy at the top as a top-five team in California, this is about what comes next — and whoever finishes second in the TCAL has a real argument to be the county’s No. 2.
Edison at Tokay, 6 p.m., April 16
If Edison beat Bear Creek and Bear Creek beat Tokay, then by process of elimination, Tokay beat Edison. That’s exactly how it played out — a 14-7 Tokay win on March 27. Could a champion be decided this week? Maybe. But the fact it’s even a conversation with two weeks left is crazy.
Boys volleyball
Edison at Bear Creek, 6 p.m., April 13
No buildup needed — this decides it. Edison is 10-0 — and only one win has gone five sets. Bear Creek is 9-1, with its only loss coming to Edison 3-1 on March 18. If Edison wins, it’s over. If Bear Creek wins, the race is back on with three matches left.
Tracy at Lincoln, 6 p.m., April 14
Almost everyone’s still in it. Five of six TCAL teams have a real shot. Tracy leads at 4-1, Lincoln is right there in third at 4-3, and the first meeting was tight — a 3-2 Tracy win on March 26.
Manteca at Mountain House, 6 p.m., April 15
Here it is again. The question of who’s best in the county runs through this matchup. Mountain House has held that claim since a 3-2 win on March 23. A Manteca win reopens the debate. A Mountain House win could shut it completely.
Tracy at St. Mary’s, 6 p.m., April 16
This is how close it is. St. Mary’s sits at 3-3 — and in fifth. This will be the first meeting between the two.
Track and field
Tokay Tiger Invitational, April 18
Looking for a wide look at county programs? This is it. Tokay, East Union, Franklin, Lincoln, Lodi, McNair, Mountain House, St. Mary’s, Venture Academy and Weston Ranch will all be there.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Previewing the top San Joaquin County games to watch April 13-18
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
