Ferrin Manuleleau knew it was going to happen. Find out what he did to help MJC win

Modesto Junior College freshman linebacker Ferrin Manuleleau (Manteca) had a feeling he was going to make the play.

On fourth-and-1 in Pirates territory, Manuleleau broke through the Sacramento City College offensive line and tackled sophomore Tre Bussey behind the line of scrimmage.

Turnover on downs for the Panthers.

“I knew we needed a big stop,” Manuleleau said. “I saw the gap open up and I split it and I just wrapped up (Bussey) and they were short of the first down.”

A few plays later, MJC freshman quarterback Jack Weaver (East Union) ran for a first down and sealed the 27-24 victory for the Pirates (6-3, 3-1) over the Panthers (4-5, 2-2) on Saturday at Modesto Junior College.

“They are really talented,” Pirates coach Rusty Stivers said. “We made some mistakes again that you wish you could clean up but it’s usually because of how good the other team is.”

Dropped balls. Fumbles. Missed tackles.

The Pirates struggled for much of the night but perhaps their best drive of the night was their final one.

MJC had a 13-play, 56-yard drive that took over five minutes off the clock and ended with a Troy Dayak (Mountain House) 35-yard field goal to give the Pirates a 27-24 lead with 2:36 remaining in the game.

“He has a lot of resolve,” Stivers said. “He had missed field goals and struggled in practice and he just kept working.”

Dayak also had a 27-yard field goal in the first quarter and Stivers said the combination of long snapper Travis Oxley (Modesto Christian) and holder Brett Neves (Downey) along with Dayak is the “best group of three we have ever had.”

Dayak’s field goal was the only points for the Pirates in the first half as they trailed 10-3 at intermission. The Panthers scored on their opening possession of the game and made a field goal early in the second.

Coming out of halftime, the Pirates looked like the team that scored over 25 points in each of their last five games.

Sophomore running back Devan Bass (Pitman) scored on a 2-yard run on the Pirates first drive of the second half.

Then, with the game tied at 10 entering the fourth, Weaver led his team on a 14-play, 93-yard drive that ended with a 11-yard touchdown run by the quarterback.

Weaver dove for the pylon but it took the referees a little bit of time to deliberate before giving the touchdown signal.

Seventeen seconds after Bussey tied the game with a 3-yard touchdown run a couple minutes later, Weaver connected with freshman wide receiver Brandon Gray (Beyer) for 75 yards and the touchdown as MJC reclaimed the lead.

“We have worked on getting him (Weaver) back farther in the pocket,” Stivers said. “He is doing a good job of taking care of the ball.”

Weaver finished with 279 passing yards and a touchdown and also added 86 yards on the ground and a score.

The Pirates had trouble with tackling Bussey, who ran for 231 yards but Manuleleau’s fifth and final tackle of the night was the biggest.

“We knew that the game was going to be on us and for us to win, the defense went up there and got it and took it home,” Manuleleau said.

A scary moment occurred in the fourth quarter as Pirates freshman Paul Sogialofa went down with a back injury and remained down for close to 10 minutes before being carted off the field and transported to a local hospital.

“He had a hard time feeling the touch throughout his body,” Stivers said. “He eventually regained feeling in his back. At the end, it looked promising.”

The Pirates end the regular season at Delta College next Saturday at 1 p.m.