Roundup: Johansen rolls Modesto in opener

Deven Cannon isn't fast, according to Deven Cannon.

Deven Cannon needs to look at his own highlight reel from Friday night.

The Johansen High running back scored four touchdowns -- two in which he blazed away from the Modesto High pursuit -- in the Vikings' 41-14 win in a Modesto Metro Conference opener.

"I'm not really that fast," said Cannon, "but I don't lose any speed when I put on pads."

The elusive back finished with 138 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and returned a blocked field goal attempt 85 yards for a score early in the second half.

Cannon scored on a 1-yard burst in the first quarter and sidekick William Corbin ran off left tackle for 65 yards to make it 13-0 Johansen (3-3, 1-0) in the second.

Modesto (0-6, 0-1) quarterback Klayton Miller then led the Panthers on a long second quarter drive, only to have Joe Reynosa intercept his pass in the end zone.

Two plays later, Cannon slipped his foot out of the grasp of a Panthers defender and sprinted 68 yards for a 19-0 lead. Modesto closed to 19-7 at the half when Xavier Guajardo stretched out to haul in a 14-yard fade from Miller.

Modesto opened the second half by recovering a squib kick, only to have their drive end with a blocked field goal and Cannon's return.

"Coach (Jason McCoy) told us there is no more talking," Cannon said of the team's attitude heading into the league opener. "We just had to come out and lay the hat."

Central California Conference

MERCED 56, BUHACH COLONY 18, at Merced -- Stephon Mathis rushed 10 times for 208 yards and four touchdowns -- on runs of 74, 43, 25 and 54 yards -- during the Bears' convincing win. Mathis, the Stanislaus District's leading rusher, already has gained 1,016 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Following Hodari Peterson's 4-yard pass from Kyle Davey that closed the Buhach Colony (2-5, 0-3) deficit to 14-6, Kenny Cooper returned the kickoff 77 yards to keep Merced (5-1, 2-0) in control. Later in the second period, Cooper snagged a 24-yard touchdown pass from Allen Huddleston.

"They are an electric bunch," said BC coach Kevin Swartwood, whose team dropped to 0-3 in the Central California Conference and 2-5 overall. "(Mathis) is special. I don't know what else to say. He made it look easy."

Mathis needed just 10 carries to rack up 208 yards and four touchdowns.

"On some of the plays the line blocked well, but their defenders didn't want to tackle," Mathis said. "I could see them running at me. They would be five yards away and they'd be looking at my legs."

LOS BANOS 27, GOLDEN VALLEY 13, at Los Banos -- Rubal Sangha's 9-yard touchdown reception from Erik Martin with 8:36 left broke a 13-13 tie and propelled the Tigers (4-3, 2-1) to a CCC win. After forcing a punt, Los Banos then put it away on Martin's 47-yard pass to Max Ornales.

Rey Rivas' 5-yard run in the fourth quarter drew Golden Valley (0-7, 0-3) to 13-13 but the conversion kick failed.

Darron Brown totaled two touchdowns for Los Banos, and James McCabe scored for the Cougars.

Trans-Valley League

MODESTO CHR. 54, RIVERBANK 0, at Riverbank -- The Bruins (5-1, 1-0) built their 40-0 halftime lead on three touchdown passes from Isaiah Burse to Eric Taylor.

Burse also scored a rushing touchdown and David Sjelin returned a punt 50 yards for another touchdown, as Modesto Christian tuned up for next week's important Trans-Valley League game against Ripon.

HUGHSON 42, RIPON 40 (3OT), at Ripon -- The Huskies (3-3, 1-0) were down 17-0 at the end of the first half, but rallied to tie it at the end of regulation and then shocked the Indians (4-2, 0-1) by winning in triple overtime.