Modesto JC beats Fresno City in football for first time in 16 years

The Modesto Junior College football team never had beaten Fresno City during Sam Young’s 14-year term as head coach. Until Saturday afternoon.

Quarterback Trey Cooper passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more as the Pirates surprised the Rams 49-42 at Ratcliffe Stadium.

Jordan Levu caught Cooper’s 30-yard pass to break a 35-35 tie with 8:56 left. Anthony Cota then turned a checkdown pass from Cooper into a 40-yard burst to increase the MJC lead to 49-35 with 2:29 left.

Fresno scored with 17 seconds to go, but Modesto (3-6, 2-2 Valley Conference) recovered the onside kick to clinch the victory. It was the first win for MJC over the Rams in 16 years. Young’s Pirates were 0-10 vs. Fresno.

“Nobody is going to believe it,” said Young, whose Pirates suffered heartbreaking conference losses to Laney and Chabot at home during the previous two weeks. “We had not given up on ourselves. The kids played their hearts out on the road against a quality opponent. It says a lot about the character of our players.”

Fresno (5-4, 2-2), ranked ninth in Northern California, was burned for 706 yards by MJC.

Cooper, who broke numerous tackles, took advantage of his second start and rushed for 176 yards on 32 carries. He completed 23 of 39 passes for 372 yards and touchdown passes to Embry Allen Jr., Cota and Levu.

Cota, second in the state in rushing yardage per game, gained 174 yards on only 17 attempts. State leader Jeremy Smith of Fresno City ran for 193 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.

Smith has totaled 1,192 rushing yards this season. Cota is right behind him with 1,188 yards.

The Rams (5-4, 2-2) were down 42-35 but driving and in Modesto territory late, thanks to a 36-yard run by Jeremy Smith. But from the Pirates 21, Smith ran for 5 more before Caviglia’s offense attempted three straight passes, all incomplete, and the Rams turned the ball over on downs.

Modesto scored on its next drive for a 49-35 lead.

“Sometimes you have to change it up,” Fresno City coach Tony Caviglia said while explaining why the offense turned to the pass on a day that Smith ran for nearly 200 yards. “Just can’t be one-dimensional. We chased touchdowns all second half on offense. Modesto got the stop with 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter.”

Fresno City scored with 17 seconds to play on a 9-yard pass from Christian Rossi to Kevin Stevenson. But an onside kick was recovered by the Pirates.

The lead changed hands three times in the second half until Modesto took charge. The Pirates’ 39-point second half resulted in the win.

The Pirates’ victory brought an end to the Rams’ run of five consecutive Valley Conference titles and eliminated Frenso City from playoff contention.

Modesto will salute its sophomores and finish the season next Saturday afternoon at home against San Joaquin Delta.

This story was originally published November 8, 2014 at 11:24 PM with the headline "Modesto JC beats Fresno City in football for first time in 16 years."