Big games, new playoff format ... What to watch in the last month of football season
Player of the Year candidates. A running back chasing 2,000 yards. Playoff seedings. A small town with two unbeaten teams. Those are just a few of the storylines we’ll be watching as we head into the final month of the regular season for Stanislaus District football.
It seemed just like yesterday — actually, it was Aug. 17 — when the season kicked off. Here we are in October with just four weeks left before the playoffs. Here’s what to keep an eye on.
1) Plenty of big games still left in the season
None of the leagues in the Stanislaus District have been decided, creating a number of exciting games in the last four weeks.
Some of the biggies include: Ripon Christian at Gustine (Oct. 5), Downey at Gregori (Oct. 12), Modesto Christian at Hilmar (Oct. 12), Gregori at Turlock (Oct. 19), Ripon at Modesto Christian (Oct. 26), Pitman at Turlock (Oct. 26) and Central Catholic at Oakdale (Oct. 26).
2) Player of the Year Candidates
Some of the candidates for the Player of the Year, most of whom will be playing in big games down the final stretch:
Dawaiian McNeely, RB, Central Catholic: 71 carries, 619 yards, six TDs, 16 tackles, four pass deflections
Issac Sharp, RB, Hilmar: 57 carries, 754 yards, 11 touchdowns, eight receptions, 244 yards, three TDs, one interception returned for TD, one kickoff returned for TD
Xavier Carlton, TE/DE, Modesto Christian: Six receptions, 89 yards, two TDs, 47 tackles, five tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries
Payton Bass, RB, Pitman: 64 carries, 526 yards, nine TDs, 16 receptions, 238 yards, four TDs
Ryan Daggett, QB, Ripon: 37 of 57, 605 yards, eight TDs, 44 carries, 614 yards, nine TDs
Michael Kamps, RB, Ripon Christian: 77 carries, 766 yards, 12 TDs, 15 receptions, 243 yards, 5 TDs, one passing touchdown, 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss
Jonah Kosakiewicz, QB, Turlock: 66 of 106, 1,158 yards, nine TDs, 97 carries, 349 yards, three TDs
3) Must-win game for two teams on hot streaks
It might be unusual for a game with two teams that are a combined 10-2 to be in a must-win situation. But Friday’s Central California Athletic League matchup between Gregori and Pitman at Joe Debely Stadium might go a long way come playoff time. With Turlock now the favorite to win the league and Downey still being a top contender, the winner of this game could possibly be the third team coming out of the CCAL for the playoffs. Of course, since both teams won last week, the winner of this game also could win the league and earn an automatic berth to the playoffs.
4) The Unbeaten Ripons
Two schools separated by a gate are a combined 13-0. Ripon is 7-0 and the No. 2-ranked team in the Bee’s medium-school rankings while Ripon Christian is 6-0 and the Bee’s No. 1 small school-ranked team. The Knights are coming off a 23-17 win over Orestimba which snapped the Warriors’ 23-game league winning streak. Of the two schools, the most likely to go undefeated is Ripon Christian with its only tough game remaining on Friday at Gustine (4-2). Their other three opponents have a combined three wins while Ripon still has to play Escalon and Hughson before ending the season against No. 1 Modesto Christian.
5) When will Downey’s Beau Green return
Since he suffered a shoulder sprain on Sept. 14, the timetable for Downey freshman quarterback Beau Green’s return has been a “few weeks”. Green sat out the Knights’ 30-24 loss against Turlock last Friday and Downey coach Jeremy Plaa said he was still dealing with pain. Green was spotted wearing a sling on the sideline and hopefully he returns in time for Downey’s game at Gregori on Oct. 12. In five games, he has 1,021 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.
6) How the Sac-Joaquin Section decides playoff seeding
Not only is this the first year of the new section realignment, but the SJS is using CalPreps.com for the first time to decide the 12 teams that make the playoffs in each division.
Each division has been created by school enrollment, but there are some exceptions to the divisions such as Central Catholic can’t be lower than Div. II and Oakdale can’t be lower than Div. IV. Also, league champions or co-champions receive an automatic bid.
The CalPreps rankings are updated every week, giving fans a chance to see where they stand.
A school must also go 4-6 or better to make the playoffs, SJS Assistant Commissioner Will DeBoard said.
7) Can Central Catholic grab a top four seed in the playoffs and get a first-round bye?
If the season were to end today, the Raiders would be the No. 3 seed in Div. II according to CalPreps.com. With the new playoff format this year decreasing the number of teams making the playoffs from 16 to 12, the top four seeds in each division will get a first-round bye. Central Catholic should have no problem with its next two opponents Weston Ranch (Oct. 5) and Kimball (Oct. 19) before a big test at Oakdale to end the season on Oct. 26. During their five-game winning streak, the Raiders’ average margin of victory has been 29.8 points per game. De La Salle, which beat Central Catholic on Aug. 24, is undefeated and ranked in the top 10 in the nation by MaxPreps.
8) The move to the WAC was a good decision for Beyer, Davis, and Johansen
Even though they only have one league win between them, the decision to move Beyer, Davis, and Johansen from the Modesto Metro Conference to the Western Athletic Conference appears to be a wise one.
“Yeah, they are not doing great in the WAC but Davis and Johansen haven’t had success in the last several years,” DeBoard said. “They are at least hanging with the other schools.”
Of their three league losses, the Spartans have trailed by a touchdown or less heading into the fourth quarter while Johansen won its second game of the season last week with a 21-6 win over Ceres.
Moving Downey, Enochs, Gregori, and Modesto to the CCAL “will make a more competitive season and make the teams better” DeBoard said.
9) Modesto Christian’s stellar defense
The Crusaders haven’t had a season where they have allowed less than 200 points all season since 2006 when they went 12-1 and lost to Central Catholic in the Div. V Championship.
Modesto Christian is on pace to go under that with ease as they have allowed only 29 points in seven games. But they still have to face Hilmar and Ripon, which both average over 36 points per game.
10) Can Big Valley Christian’s Javyn Drobnick reach 2,000 rushing yards?
Through six games, Big Valley Christian junior running back Javyn Drobnick has rushed for 1,245 yards and 15 touchdowns and is averaging 207 yards per game.
With four games left in the regular season, Drobnick is on pace to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards. He should easily shatter the school record of 1,631 yards set by Vito Merritt in 2016. The 5-foot-7, 175-pound Drobnick is one of the best running backs in the area.
This story was originally published October 3, 2018 at 6:40 PM.