Two of the Stanislaus District’s top football playmakers transferred. Here’s where they went
Two of the Central California Athletic League’s top playmakers left Turlock High this spring, taking their talents to Patterson High to compete in the Valley Oak League.
Former Bulldogs quarterback Scout Silva and running back Alex Ventura finished the 2025-26 school year at Patterson.
Silva and Ventura combined for the game-winning play to take down Central Catholic in the quarterfinals of the 2024 playoffs in a thrilling upset for Turlock High. It is believed to be the first ever matchup between two of the Stanislaus District’s most storied football programs.
Silva, a freshman at the time, ran in an overtime touchdown to pull the Bulldogs within a point. A play later, her found Ventura, a sophomore, out of the backfield for the game winning two-point conversion.
Patterson head coach Rob Cozart says Silva and Ventura were enrolled at the school in time to participate in spring practices. The Tigers have been in the weight room at least three times a week, working with a revamped lifting program.
The Tigers finished 4-7 overall and 2-4 in Valley Oak League play. They won their bowl game over Los Banos 34-20. They spent most of last season without freshman quarterback Jacob Pierce, who played five games before missing the rest of the season with injury.
Cozart says Silva and Pierce will compete for the starting quarterback position in the summer.
Silva, who will be a junior next season, is still rehabbing an injury to his throwing arm suffered during the 2025 season. He is expected to be back in time to compete to be the Tigers’ signal caller.
Ventura, who will be a senior during the 2026 football season, will be moving into the area and likely will not have to serve the CIF-mandated sit-out period.
Both were named All-CCAL Second Team offense in 2025.
Cozart says Silva and Ventura, along with two other transfers, one being former Modesto High player Xavier Archuleta, have meshed well with Patterson’s returners already. They had weight room sessions and interacted around campus.
Cozart says the Patterson coaching staff will remain unchanged this season.
Final step in last summer’s drama
This seems to be the final step in the drama that consumed Turlock High in the months leading up to the 2025 season.
The Bulldogs were handed sanctions after violating four CIF bylaws last off-season.
Because of the violations, Turlock’s football program received the following sanctions:
- Turlock High football was not eligible to host during the 2025-26 playoffs (Turlock played in a bowl game at Lincoln of Stockton)
- Had off-season restrictions that included an extended dead period
- Has been placed on a two-year probation (2025-26, 2026-27) and will have self-imposed sanctions
- Turlock High must also submit a corrective action plan, due Sept. 1, 2025
The sanctions are programwide.
The biggest infraction, a violation of Bylaw 510 having to do with undue influence (recruiting), resulted in player suspensions and the suspension of an assistant coach. At the center of the violation was the summer team “The Lock” which has 7-on-7 and 5-on-5 teams. The program was run and coached by Turlock High coaches, one being Darron Silva, Scout’s father.
For his involvement in the ordeal, Darron received a suspension handed down by the Turlock Unified School District. Players from last year’s Turlock High football team were also deemed ineligible by the Sac-Joaquin Section. Some left the program and returned to their former schools.
Scout and Ventura finished out the football season at Turlock High.
During the fall after suffering injuries in his throwing arm, Silva missed the last three games of the season, including the regional bowl game.
