After months without high school sports, the Orange Belt is back in action. 

Porterville High School cross country will be the first team to participate in a sports competition with today’s East Yosemite League meet at Tulare Western. Spectators are not allowed on campus.

With 11 months of practice, PHS head coach Juan Jimenez said the team’s focus is on getting its racing legs back.

“Right now, we’re focused on getting a race, just getting our racing legs back,” Jimenez said. “It’s one thing (when) you run, and you run, and you train. But those are not competition lungs. So the trick is going to be to make sure these guys don’t (exhaust themselves) in the first two miles.”

Porterville tops Monache for second-straight, undefeated league title

For the second year in a row, Porterville High School girls basketball claimed the East Yosemite League title with a 65-40 win over rival Monache for a perfect 10-0 EYL record in Wednesday's league finale at home.

“It feels very good,” PHS head coach Dave Kavern said. “I've been blessed with some very good players over the years and this group of kids, they get along well on and off the court, and that's a big component of how well we play. You see how unselfish we move the ball and pass the ball, whoever's hot, they get them the ball.”

Senior co-captains, Jazlynne Medrano and Jewelia Maniss, led the Panthers in scoring with 16 points apiece while Madison Johnson had 11 points off the bench.

Porterville knocks off Monache in OT for EYL title

The Porterville High boys’ basketball team experienced every emotion under the sun, spread out over the final five quarters of the regular season.

Discouragement after a blown first-quarter lead. Frustration over a dog pile of travels, missed open shots and defensive lapses.

The one thing Porterville wasn’t in the mood for was sharing, something they won’t have to do after rallying to beat Monache 85-77 in overtime Wednesday to outright win the East Yosemite League title.

That’s right: no more sharing the trophy, like the Panthers did last season. For the first time in five seasons, the EYL has a one and only champion.

MHS, SHS on the road; LHS, GHHS, SCCA hosting

Brackets for each division playoffs in the Central Section were released Saturday afternoon.

Local high school girls soccer teams playing this postseason are Monache, Strathmore, Lindsay, Granite Hills and Summit Charter Collegiate Academy.

All opening round games are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 12 and the team with the higher seed hosts. If the host site doesn't have lights, games will be played at 3:30 p.m. If the host site does have lights, games will be played at 6 p.m.