Weekend Playbook/Week 2: Riverbank, Delhi have reason to smile

Antonio Cervantes doesn’t need to draw on his 4.0 GPA to recognize the significance of this week’s showdown with upstart Riverbank — he knows his Delhi Hawks aren’t far removed from being that “other team.”

Delhi was 2-28 the last three years, going 0-10 in 2008 and 2009, but the Hawks opened the season Friday with a 20-14 win over McLane — a Fresno school that has three times the Hawks’ enrollment.

Cervantes, a 5-foot-10, 220-pounder who runs the ball and plays on the defensive front, ended an eight-minute drive with an 8-yard touchdown run — giving the Hawks a 20-7 lead. He opened the scoring with a 5-yard scoring dash.

While the Hawks are used to the underdog role, they’ll give up that spot to Riverbank this week: The Bruins have become the darlings of the district two games into 2011.

Senior QB Alex Reynaga, 0-30 in his first three years, is 2-0 this fall after the Bruins beat Denair 43-7. Reynaga was everywhere, or so it seemed, running for 193 yards and two TDs, passing for a TD, tossing two two-point PATs and picking off a couple of throws on defense.

With a win Friday, Riverbank would equal its victory total for the last three seasons combined.

HUGHSON STAYS HOT — Not far behind Riverbank in the darlings category is Hughson, 1-9 last year and looking to regain its stature as one of the area’s top programs.

Hughson made it two straight to start the season, as Caleb Duron (34 carries, 394 yards, five TDs in two games) led it past Waterford 41-7. Hughson beat Galt 48-0 in Week 1.

It gets more difficult this week, as Patterson and USC-commit Pio Vatuvei visit. Vatuvei plays on a three-man front that weighs in at nearly 1,000 pounds, and its play has been key in the Tigers’ two routs.

Hughson’s winning with Duron and fullback Jesse McDonald (two TDs vs. Waterford) in keymajor roles, but that rushing attack plays into the strength of Patterson’s line.

MANTECA TAKES FLIGHT — The Buffaloes lost their offense to graduation, but coach Eric Reis has reloaded with QB Alex Martinez (11 of 14, 246 yards, 2 TDs) and a pair of receivers who led Manteca past Galt 55-7. The Buffs’ big line had no trouble manhandling Galt’s defense — Galt lost 48-0 to Hughson in Week 1 — as Manteca rolled up 503 yards on Friday.

Touchdown catches by Eric Ceja (128 yards, four catches, TD) and Danny Gouveia (118, 7, TD) helped Manteca to a 27-0 halftime lead. The Buffs aren’t going to be one-dimensional, either, not with Jamontee Jones (81 yards, two TDs) running against defenses that have to respect Martinez’s arm.

LET’S GET PHYSICAL — Ripon had struggled with injuries the last few years, in part due to a ground-oriented attack that put the quarterback in harm’s way. The Indians have three running backs to handle the ball this year, though, so junior QB Kyle Wengel can focus on the handoffs and throwing downfield to Cole Herrin.

Wengel tossed three TDs to Herrin (116 yards, eight catches) in a 42-28 win over Linden, while juniors Anthony Baciocco and Josh McCreath combined for 289 yards and three TDs on 43 carries. Wengel was 9 of 17 for 142 yards, and the Indians might call on him more often this week when they host Argonaut (1-0) and its hefty defensive line.

THE FRANTIC FINISH — There were plenty of blowouts in Week 2, with 19 of the 33 games decided by 24 points or more. The big blowouts included Manteca winning by 48, Le Grand and Bret Harte by 41, Central Catholic by 40, Hughson by 35, Pitman by 34 and Escalon by 31.