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Oak Ridge boots Turlock from playoffs for fourth time in six years
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Jeremiah Bertalotto gains yards for the Bulldogs during Friday's game against Oak Ridge (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

For the second straight year and the fourth time in the past six seasons, the Turlock Bulldogs’ season came to an end in the El Dorado Hills at the hands of the Oak Ridge Trojans. On Friday, Oak Ridge once again beat Turlock, this time by a 45-6 score in the quarterfinals of the 2023 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.

The No. 6 ranked Bulldogs were unable to muster up any offense as the No. 3 Trojans broke their way into the backfield throughout the night. Their lone score was a three-yard rush from recently called-up sophomore Kaleb Gruinn midway through the third quarter, but by that time, they were already trailing 31-0.

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Turlock's Vincent Gonzales looks for an open target during the game against Oak Ridge Friday evening (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

Turlock quarterback Vincent Gonzales completed 11 of 23 passes for just 92 yards a week removed from tossing a career high 265 yards against Sheldon of Sacramento. He was dropped back five times and threw on the run for most of his 23 attempts.

Also kept in check was running back Jeremiah Bertalotto, who was only able to gain 30 yards from scrimmage on 11 rushes and a pair of catches while battling ankle and bicep injuries. Despite being banged up, the senior said that there was never a doubt he was going to play.

“Never a doubt. I just gave it all I got. I always give everything I’ve got,” said an emotional Bertalotto after the game. 

As for the Trojans, they had their way with the Turlock defense through the air.

Quarterback Joaquin Graves-Mercado completed 15 of 21 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns. 156 of those yards and three of those touchdowns were to Kaleb Edwards, who has received offers to play collegiately at Michigan, Oregon, UCLA, Miami, Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, San Diego State and Nebraska.

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Turlock's Dominick Luna puts pressure on Oak Ridge's quarterback during the game Friday evening (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

“To win in the playoffs is tough. And to win in Sacramento is tough,” said Turlock head coach James Peterson. 

Despite the season coming to an end, Peterson had plenty of praise for his team, who rebounded from an 0-5 start in pre-conference play to win six in a row and claim their first Central California Athletic League title since 2019.

“At the end of the day, these guys always bounce back. Back when we were 0-5, there was a lot of doubt. They came into league early against Downey, and I remember looking into their eyes at halftime and I asked them, ‘What are you going to do? Quit?’ And they bounced back and were on fire from there… I wouldn’t want to coach anybody else.”