It was a return to prominence for the Sierra High baseball program.

For the first time since 2001, the Timberwolves are the Valley Oak League champs. After clinching a share Monday, they secured the crown outright with an 8-3 win over visiting Weston Ranch on Tuesday.

“There was no celebration when we secured at least a tie (for the VOL title) yesterday,” Sierra coach Jack Thomson said. “We wanted to win it outright.”

He was at the helm when the Timberwolves won four consecutive league titles, from 1997 to 2001. Just like back then, his team showered him with the celebratory water-bucket drenching.

“I was not expecting that,” said Thomson, who was caught by surprise in the aftermath of the game.

Sierra (12-2 in VOL, 18-5-1 overall) jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead.

But the Cougars (4-10, 9-17) were quick to cut the lead in half as first baseman Tommy DeAnda ripped a long double to right in the second. Larry Martinez followed that up with an RBI double.

Weston Ranch tied things up in the fourth. Shortstop Jordan Severin had a leadoff double. Two batters later, catcher Steven Jasper knotted the game at 2-2 with run-scoring double to right.

The Timberwolves reclaimed the lead, scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth. First baseman Hunter Johnson smoked a double to left. He moved to second following a walk to centerfielder Ryan Vasquez, scooted to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error.

Vasquez came home on catcher Jake Souza’s RBI double.

Ahead 4-2, Sierra had senior southpaw Leo Soto, who sat down five of the next six batters after allowing a run in the fourth. The only blemish was walk to sophomore second baseman CJ Drain in the fifth. But Soto dispatched of the base runner with a pick off at first.

He worked his way out of a slight jam in the sixth and left a pair of runners stranded in the Cougars’ last at bat.

“I really wanted to finish the game today,” Soto said. “It was a great confidence boost from the coaches and teammate to keep me in the game.”

He also knew closer Vasquez would be ready just in case.

The Timberwolves padded their lead in the sixth, adding three runs on a pair of singles, two walks and a miscue.

Weston Ranch sophomore starter Manuel Rubio was struck in the leg on a comeback single off the bat of second baseman Nick Oseguera. He pitched effectively, according to his coach Dave Hagar.

“Manuel has really matured as a pitcher – he knows how to pitch to contact,” he said.

After a lead-off walk to Souza, Oseguera followed with his hit. Jakob Gallagher drew a walk while Souza scored on a wild pitch. Shortstop Tanner Peterson delivered an RBI single, plating Oseguera, and third baseman Steven Rios drove a fly ball deep to center, scoring Gallagher.

Soto, meanwhile, surrendered a lead-off walk to Weston Ranch third baseman Jason Medina in the seventh. Two batters later, Drain singled.

Soto buckled down from there, getting fly out and ground out to end the game. He was mobbed by teammates in the celebratory dog pile.

Sierra can now focus on the post season.

For the Cougars, they’re hoping for a promising future.

Hagar solidified his outfield by moving junior Josh Dilg from pitcher and the infield to center. Dilg had five putouts against the Timberwolves despite the windy conditions.

“We have to learn to play selfless,” said Hagar, who praised his assistant coaches Clemon Drain and Stephen Theall for the development of his young squad. “We also have to be able and not let the moment get too big.”