Co-conference title secured, MJC football chases outright championship Saturday
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- MJC clinched a share of the Valley Conference; Saturday win secures outright title
- Pirates extended Valley Conference win streak to 14 with win over Monterey Peninsula.
- Final game at COS will decide outright champion; Stivers stresses ball security
Modesto Junior College football already has locked up at least a share of the Valley Conference title, but the Pirates are selfish.
That’s not a bad thing in sports. The best teams always want more.
Coaches demand more effort from players, players earn more opportunities on the field and teams are always searching for more victories.
With last Saturday’s home 57-8 win over Monterey Peninsula, MJC kept its conference record perfect.
The results mean the Pirates get at least a share of the conference title for the fifth straight season.
In 2023 and 2024, MJC won the conference outright, and in 2021 and 2022, the Pirates finished as co-champions with Fresno.
This week, the Pirates travel to Visalia to take on the Giants in their regular season finale at 1 p.m. An MJC win secures an outright title, while a Sequoias win gives the Pirates their first conference loss of the season, ties both sides with 4-1 conference records and forces them to settle for a co-title.
“It’s hard to win league titles,” head coach Rusty Stivers said. “It’s really hard to win (outright) league titles. Even a co-title is a big deal because it’s extremely hard. So we were excited about that on Saturday, but, of course, we don’t want a share. We want to be outright (champions). As would anybody.”
Modesto dominant in title-clinching game
Last week’s dominant victory over Monterey Peninsula was the Pirates’ 14th straight Valley Conference win, a streak that dates back to the 2022 regular season finale.
Stivers called the victory the team’s best all-around performance in what could have been a “trap game.”
Monterey Peninsula entered the matchup with a 6-2 overall record but had just one conference win under its belt. It would have been easy for the Pirates to sputter out of the gate, fall behind and risk losing not only the game but their shot at continuing a streak of conference titles.
Instead, they did the exact opposite. They scored on five of their six first-half drives, shut out the Lobos in the first quarter and gave up only a safety in the second, for MPC’s only points of the first half.
The second half was more of the same, with a 14-point third quarter and dominant second-half defense, MJC coasted to victory.
Quarterbacks DayDay Tafoya and Cole Gilbert each threw touchdown passes and Tafoya had a rushing score. Enochs graduate Aiden Muhammad continued his stellar season, rushing for four touchdowns and 78 yards on 10 carries. Manteca graduate Bryson Davis returned from injury in limited action, carrying the ball five times for 74 yards and scoring on a 52-yard first-half run.
As a team, the Pirates passed for 195 yards and rushed for 382. The defense held MPC to 81 yards of total offense (84 passing, -3 rushing). They forced two fumbles and the defensive line was menacing, recording 10 sacks for 82 yards.
Saturday’s game still matters
The Giants beat the Pirates in 2022, keeping MJC from claiming the conference title outright. MJC does not want a repeat of that.
The Pirates are taking on an improved Giants team that in recent years has continued to invest in its athletics, renovating the football locker room, opening Sequoias Stadium in fall 2023 and updating the tennis courts. The new stadium features expanded seating, adding over 3,000 seats, a renovated track and a new scoreboard.
The improvements have sent a jolt through the program, leading to wins. After being a middle-of-the-pack team in the Valley Conference the past two seasons, College of the Sequoias is back in title contention.
The Pirates will be tasked with stopping one of the most productive offenses it has faced all season. They want to play complementary football, letting their defense and special teams set up good field positions for their offense. Offensively, long drives give the defense a chance to rest and gameplan for the opponent’s next drive.
“First downs lead to touchdowns,” Stivers said. “We want to execute at a high level, not worry about big plays or having to go 70 yards. Just focus on first downs leading to touchdowns. Take care of the football. Ball security is paramount in a game like this, on both sides — us taking care of the ball and our defense getting the ball.”
