Escalon and Ripon high schools gearing up for fast approaching football season
Escalon senior running back Luke Anderson said he started to lose hope three weeks ago about his chances to play football this season.
But, right around that time, Anderson said he received a text from coach Andrew Beam that the California Department of Public Health had released guidelines requiring counties to have an adjusted case rate at or below 14 per 100,000 residents for football and other outdoor high-contact sports to be allowed.
On March 2, San Joaquin County reached the threshold with a 11.6 case rate and now football has returned for Escalon and Ripon high schools.
“It’s probably the most excited I’ve been since this whole COVID thing hit,” Anderson said. “It’s just like having something to wake up and go to school for everyday. We’re going to get to play and this is awesome.”
There is a third local school in San Joaquin County eligible to play football.
Ripon Christian won’t have a team, Knights Athletic Director Kevin Tameling, confirmed via email.
Tameling said one reason is because “playing football into the middle of April would adversely effect the other teams we are attempting to field.”
Baseball, and possibly basketball, will be played in April, creating a problem for schools where athletes play multiple sports.
CAPS club football will play
Phil Grams, the CAPS (California Association of Private Sports) club football league president, said the league will continue.
The league started in mid-February and had club teams throughout the state, including some in Stanislaus County.
“I thought it was going to be challenging (with other counties getting green light) but we were contacted by six other club teams across the state and are filing out our schedule,” said Grams, who is also the Ripon Christian football coach. “It’s going to be a couple more weeks and we don’t to go into April with Season 2 sports (baseball among others) beginning.”
Schedules are still being finalized but Escalon will open the season at Oakdale on March 19 while Ripon will host East Union.
Stanislaus County, which has a rate of 15.7, could fall below the case-rate number on Tuesday, according to health officials and most Stanislaus District schools are scheduled to open the season on March 19.
Stanislaus County players will need 10 days of practice without missing a single practice to be eligible to play on March 19.
Football athletes will have to test weekly until a county gets under seven cases per 100,000 and provide results to opponents within 24 hours of games.
Ripon coach Chris Musseman said the Indians had conditioned for four days per week since June and senior quarterback Aaron Wood said practices have been different since the news came out.
“We came out in practice and saw a different energy,” Wood said. “Everyone was motivated. It was just a different energy on the field.”
Ripon senior athlete Mason Knight said it feels like a “dream”.
“To start and be a captain ... it’s actually happening now exactly how it’s supposed to be,” Knight said.
With other sports starting soon, both Beam and Musseman have shuffled around their practice schedules for their multi-sport athletes.
Ripon practiced this past Tuesday and Wednesday at night so players could go to baseball and track and field practices.
Escalon practicing ealry morning under lights
Beam had Escalon practice Thursday morning at 5:30 a.m. under the lights on Lloyd Engel Field and when he asked his team if they were OK with practicing early in the morning, it was an unanimous yes.
Anderson, who is also playing baseball and one of the top wrestlers at Escalon, said he’s catching up on sleep on weekends but the multiple teams workouts are something he enjoys.
“My body missed this,” he said. “You got to take care of yourself just like any other year but a little bit more after practice and especially on the weekends and not going out and maybe doing as much stuff as you want to just making sure you’re relaxed for the next week.”
Escalon and Ripon are normally in the Trans-Valley League, one of the best small school leagues in the state, but have moved into the Valley Oak League for this year only with the likes of East Union, Manteca, and Oakdale.
One notable omission is Central Catholic, a tradition VOL power, which will play an independent schedule this year.
Players from Escalon and Ripon are excited for the new challenge.
“Escalon is still Escalon,” Cougars senior quarterback Ty Harris said. “We are still here putting in the work every day and ready for whatever comes our way.”
Said Knight: “We feel like coming off last year we put a big X on our back and just want to prove that we can belong with the big dog.”
With no playoffs this year, Escalon and Ripon will remain defending CIF Sac-Joaquin Section and CIF State Champions from last year.
The two rivals are scheduled to play April 9 at Escalon but will there be one-year trophy?
“No comment,” Beam said with a laugh.
