Lopez: Gregori defense leads to win in double-OT; Downey’s Harris has amazing game
University of Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant has one of the most famous quotes in football:
“Offense sells tickets, defense wins championships,”said Bryant, who won six national titles with the Tide between 1961-79.
That quote rings true for Gregori.
The Jaguars have forced nine turnovers in two games including four in a 27-21 win over Merced in double overtime on Friday.
“We battled to the end and it was something really good to see,” Jaguars coach Lamar Wallace said Saturday morning. “We needed that.”
After a loss to Buhach Colony in Week 1, senior running back Titus Rhiney caught a 25-yard pass from senior quarterback Baker Melendez for the game-winning score. Rhiney also opened the second half with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
It was Wallace’s first career victory.
“We got the monkey off our back,” he said. “It’s good to get the ball rolling.”
Merced overcame a 21-7 deficit to tie the game. then won the toss in the first overtime period and elected to start on defense.
Both teams turned the ball over on downs and Gregori senior defensive back Isac Estrada intercepted a pass in the end zone that led to the Rhiney touchdown.
“Last week, we let the game get away from us and our morale was down,” Wallace said. “Tonight, the kids were excited and they stormed the end zone (after the game-winning TD).”
Senior wide receiver Timmy Ruiz had a “huge” night with two receiving touchdowns, one interception, and one blocked punt. Ruiz had a fumble recovery and interception last week against Buhach Colony.
Gregori faces Beyer next week at 7 p.m. at Johansen.
Modesto schools off to hot starts: Davis, Enochs and Johansen are a combined 6-0 after the trio picked up victories on Friday.
Johansen enters its bye week after a 41-6 win over Delhi.
“It was a hard-hitting contest in which we relentlessly fought for every yard,” Vikings coach Scott Sacuskie said.
Sacuskie said junior safety Johnny Johnson had an outstanding game as he returned an interception to Delhi’s one-yard line and had a couple of long punt returns and big hits on defense.
Davis had another strong defensive effort in a 49-0 win over Franklin-Stockton.
“We are getting better in all three phases of the game,” Spartans coach Tim Garcia said. “We still have lots of room for improvement but I’m happy for our kids.”
The Eagles are 2-0 for the first time in 11 years after a road win over West, 32-14.
Davis hosts El Capitan at Modesto Junior College next week while Enochs is at McNair.
Orestimba coach uses timeouts wisely in win: You can’t take timeouts with you and Orestimba coach Aaron Souza had two remaining with under two minutes left against Hughson.
As the Huskies’ lined up for the go-ahead field goal attempt with 1:24 left, Souza called a timeout.
Then he called another one.
It worked as Hughson missed a 39-yard field goal and the Warriors won, 22-21.
Warriors junior quarterback Anthony Casillas ran for two touchdowns, including one with 5:45 left.
Orestimba still trailed 21-20 and rather than kicking the extra point, Casillas found sophomore wide receiver Jayden Vargas in the corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Vargas also had a receiving touchdown.
Orestimba (1-1) is at Golden Sierra while Hughson (1-1) travels to Argonaut.
Harris’s big night for Downey: Downey senior wide receiver Lawrence Harris had a game to remember in the Knights’ 54-48 overtime win over Manteca.
Harris had nine receptions for 264 yards and five touchdowns.
The 6-foot, 170-pounder also had an interception in overtime in the end zone that gave the ball back to the Knights, who would win on a one-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back Robert Rivera.
