Who are The Bee’s top-50 returning football players? Here are Nos. 50-41.

The summer season is over and the Sac-Joaquin Section dead period has begun, which means two things: 1) actual no-holds-barred football is just around the corner; and 2) there’s time to have a little fun.

Officially, the regular season kicks off Friday, Aug. 25. To build excitement, The Bee will release a list of the Stanislaus District’s top-50 returning players, incrementally, beginning with Nos. 50-41 and culminating with special features on the top-four returning players.

One important note: We reserve the right to be wrong, but please understand we’ve done the leg work. The list is a collaborative effort. We scoured old rosters, all-league lists and articles, as well as watched 7-on-7s closely this summer. We also polled local coaches and journalists in search of the top-50 returning talent.

Feel free to contact me with your input and opinions, whether by email (jburns@modbee.com) or on Twitter (@jburns1980), but please don’t disparage any of the athletes in the top-50. That just isn’t cool. Remember, this is meant to be fun and informative, and I look forward to any new information you might have.

So, without further ado, here are this week’s top returning players, Nos. 50-41:

50. Andrew Gibson, running back, Ceres: Over the last two years, Ceres has thrown the ball as much as any team in the southern half of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Graduated stars Chris Lubinsky, Marcellus Boykins-Hall and Connor Johnson, all three North-South Rotary all-stars, made that possible. Lubinsky led the Stanislaus District in yards (2,918) and touchdowns (28) and completed nearly 65 percent of his passes, most to Boykins-Hall and Johnson. Lost in the shuffle was Gibson, a hard-charging running back who had 576 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Is he due for a breakout in 2017? With a sophomore under center (Dalton Durossette), Ceres may look to Gibson to alleviate some of the pressure.

49. Dallin Tilby, kicker, Turlock: A three-sport athlete, Tilby has woven himself into the fabric of the Turlock athletic department. He is a 3-point sniper for the basketball team, ace on the baseball team, and an all-Central California Conference kicker and punter in football. Tilby is the top returning kicker in the Stanislaus District. Last fall, he connected on 46 of 48 point-after kicks, nine of 13 field goals, including 3 of 4 from 40 yards or more, and sent 30 of his kickoffs into the end zone. Turlock’s league title defense is buoyed by a wealth of returners at the skill positions, but you could make the argument that Tilby, with his big foot and proven athleticism, is one of its most valuable pieces.

48. Tymon Bolden, running back, Orestimba: The younger brother of former Merced star Bernard Bolden is writing his own legacy on the West Side. Tymon Bolden returns to the backfield for Orestimba, the two-time defending Southern League champion. The Warriors have won 14 consecutive league games and the streak has been carried by dynamic offensive stars. In 2015, quarterback Joe Sheldon and running back Austin Martins set a historic pace. Last season, quarterback Josh Barron and wide receiver Toby Silva raised their games. Is it the younger Bolden’s time? He averaged nearly six yards per carry last season, finishing with 930 yards and four touchdowns.

47. Clifford Johnson, offensive lineman, Merced: The Bears have a young nucleus, but the foundation for its success may be Johnson, a decorated junior lineman. At 6-foot-2 and 298 pounds, Johnson will set the physical tone in the trenches. He is a returning all-Central California Conference selection, earning a place on the second team. His protection will be key as Merced transitions to junior Dhameer Warren, an explosive run-and-gun quarterback.

46. Michael Vivo, quarterback, Waterford: As a sophomore, Vivo did it all for the much-improved Wildcats. He had 1,135 total yards, including 599 through the air and 209 more on the ground as Waterford went 5-5 and closed the season with victories over Gustine and Denair. Vivo also accounted for 12 touchdowns, 39 tackles and two interceptions. This season, head coach Lonnie Statzer expects even more from the 6-foot-1, 185-pound dynamo. Though he completed less than 38 percent of his passes, Statzer believes Vivo is “a deadly quarterback that can shred a defense with his arms and his legs.” In open space, watch out. Vivo has been clocked at 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

45. Ryan Henriques, safety, Modesto: The Panthers return one of the top safeties in the Stanislaus District in Henriques, an all-Modesto Metro Conference first-teamer last fall. Henriques registered 64 tackles, four pass deflections, one sack and one interception. His ability to cover man and space will be tested by the MMC’s depth at wide receiver.

44. Jaysen Reindel, lineman, East Union: The 6-foot-2, 262-pounder enjoyed a banner junior season, punctuated with the football program’s first Sac-Joaquin Section playoff appearance in six years. Reindel was named to the all-Valley Oak League second team as a lineman, and then rolled that momentum into wrestling. The heavyweight qualified for Masters. Now he carries the torch for the Lancers, who must replace Lions All-Star quarterback and program poster boy Jack Weaver, now at the College of Idaho.

43. Estevan Barragan, defensive back, Central Valley: Barragan is a returning all-Western Athletic Conference selection at defensive back, where he led the Hawks in tackles with 91. He also deflected six passes, forced one fumble and registered a sack. Could we see more of the 5-foot-8, 175-pound senior on the offensive side of the ball this fall? His work load did increase as the 2016 season wore on. Over the last three games, Barragan had 21 carries for 163 yards and two touchdowns. He was one of four juniors to get at least 24 carries last season.

42. Kyle Rachels, safety, Manteca: Rachels, who also doubles as a tight end and backup quarterback, was an all-Valley Oak League first-team selection at safety last season. He was the ultimate stopper at the back of Manteca’s defense, finishing with 72 tackles, seven pass deflections, four interceptions and one forced fumble. His tip in the end zone in the final seconds preserved Manteca’s victory over Oakdale, an eventual section and state champion. Rachels is also an all-league infielder for the Buffaloes’ two-time section championship baseball team.

41. Chris Styles, running back, Modesto: The Panthers won’t be short on offensive weapons. Styles is a 5-foot-10, 195-pound headache. The senior running back was second on the team with 577 rushing yards, averaging more than eight yards per carry, and found the end zone eight times. In an offense that returns nearly all of its skill players, including ball carriers Zaire Eugene and NorVale Howard, Styles may need to differentiate himself. Can he be more of a factor in the passing game, improving on the seven receptions he had in 2016?

Next week: Nos. 40-31.

This story was originally published July 10, 2017 at 2:31 PM with the headline "Who are The Bee’s top-50 returning football players? Here are Nos. 50-41.."