It can be difficult for a marquee to live up to expectations, but there was no such problem in Friday's CCC showdown between Buhach Colony and Pitman — a battle featuring 6-0 teams which rank among the best in the Sac-Joaquin Section.
The game deserved an A+ for excitement, from Buhach's Tyler Dew returning the opening kickoff 99 yards to A.J. Derr's bold attempt at a first down that would have extended Pitman's rally in the last minutes.
Buhach showed why it's ranked No. 15 in the state, while Pitman ended all discussion of whether it was a product of a soft schedule.
The stands on both sides of Joe Debely Stadium were packed with enthusiastic fans, and the Pride's band played much of the night.
They were treated to a series of big plays, including Zach Olsen's 60-yard fumble return — an odd ending to a run play that looked as if it would be a 20-yard gain.
"I saw the runner coming at me and I got ready to tackle him, then someone came out of nowhere to knock the ball loose," Olsen said. "It bounced right to me as I was running the other direction — so I was already going the right way."
Olsen used his speed to catch a 49-yard toss from Derr on the first play of the second half — a rarity for the run-minded Pride.
Coach Brandon Harris went to Olsen in the final minutes, too, but Derr's pass was too far downfield for the open receiver to get his hands on it.
Derr was sacked moments later and Buhach ran out the clock.
Buhach learned a few things:
• The Thunder is vulnerable to an offense with speed and a quick tempo. Derr was at his best while hustling Pitman to the line, using quick sets to surprise the defense.
• The Thunder also displayed a big-play weapon in Dew. He returned the kickoff for a TD and scored the game-winning TD on a fly sweep in the third quarter. He had an 81-yard catch the previous week in a 33-14 win over Turlock.
• Pitman looked tiny compared to Buhach's offensive line, but that didn't faze middle linebacker Kyle Martinez. He anticipated the snap counts and shot gaps, and was too quick for the Thunder's linemen.
Buhach and Pitman have locked up playoff berths — it's a matter of where they'll be seeded — and Turlock (5-2) looks headed there after its 28-21 OT win at Merced.
Atwater (4-3) will need to beat Turlock in Week 10 if it hopes to have a postseason shot, because the Falcons will be big underdogs against Buhach and Pitman.
• EAGLES LOOK AHEAD — Enochs' offense has taken a hit with senior running back Justice Chambers' shoulder injuries, but that gave juniors Gabriel Lindsey-Turner and Efrem Grimes an opportunity. Chambers had four touches for 37 yards, but he was sidelined for a second-half rally that fell short in a 35-33 loss to Downey.
Enochs trailed 28-7 at the break, with Lindsey-Turner carrying the load with 14 carries for 113 yards in the half. The Eagles turned to Grimes, a 6-foot, 210-pound fullback who hits top speed in the blink of an eye, in the second half and he ran for 212 yards and three TDs on 15 carries.
• THE RUNNING MEN — While the quarterbacks are stealing much of the glory this fall, don't overlook the race for the Stanislaus District regular-season rushing title.
• Sophomore Ja'Quan Gardner ran for a school-record 397 yards and six TDs in Central Valley's win, giving him a district-leading 1,291 yards with three games left.
• Junior Rey Vega ran for 230 in Davis' upset of Modesto, and he's No. 2 with 1,200 yards. Vega has just two games to play, though.
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