Who are the top Stanislaus District football teams this season? Here are our picks.
High School Football is back in California with games kicking off throughout the state this weekend.
However, due to Stanislaus County failing to meet the adjusted 14 cases per 100,000 residents standard allowing football and other sports to begin, the start of the season in the region begins next Friday.
There are no playoffs this year with only a five-week regular season that must end by April 16.
Still, there’s bragging rights and some league championships.
Here are the top teams to watch in the area:
Beyer: The Patriots look to build off of last year’s Western Athletic Conference championship with juniors Fayzon Allen and Darius Murphy. Both are dynamic playmakers and fared well in their varsity debuts in 2019. Senior Alejandro Ramirez is the leader on the offensive and defensive line. Senior linebacker Anthony Baker is another player to watch.
Central Catholic: The Raiders have around 30 varsity players, according to coach Roger Canepa. It’s a little less than last year’s team. Senior lineman Julius Lewis, who signed with Fresno State, will not play as he prepares for college football. Senior athlete Phoenix Jackson and senior running back Jack Grisel lead the group. Junior running back Julian Lopez had 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Raiders’ first round win over Tracy last year and will have a bigger role. Canepa said the team, known as a run-first offense, could feature more pass plays.
Downey: Knights coach Jeremy Plaa said it’s one of his youngest teams with 14 sophomores on varsity. The quarterback competition is between two sophomores: Conner Stoddard and Hudson Wyatt, who both transferred from Central Catholic. Plaa said a decision won’t be made until right before the start of the season. Senior athlete Brendan Garcia (Modesto Christian transfer) will have a big season.
Escalon: The Cougars lose a lot from last year’s section and state championship team but seniors Luke Anderson (running back) and Ty Harris (quarterback) are back. Anderson had over 1,100 rushing yards while splitting carries with Kaden Christensen and Colton Panero (both graduated). He’s a powerful back and is tough to take down by one defender. Harris does a great job of not forcing turnovers (didn’t have one in the final five games of the season).
Hilmar: The Yellowjackets are in the Central California Conference this year and will face the top teams in Merced County (Atwater Buhach Colony, and Merced). Seniors Cole Bailey (running back), Seth Miguel (quarterback), and Trace Van Guilder (fullback and linebacker) lead the team. Bailey averaged over 11 yards per carry last year and 17 yards per reception. If he gets by a defender, good luck catching him.
Oakdale: “Run the ball and stop the run.” It’s been the standard motto at Oakdale during most of Trent Merzon’s regime as coach. Senior running back Zeke Saffar had a monster junior season (over 1700 rushing yards and 17 TD’s) and one can expect Saffar to get a heavy dose of carries. Senior Brandon Jeffrey anchors a strong defensive line. Junior quarterback Jackson Holt played on the 7-on-7 circuit in the offseason and is ready to take the next step. He has an offer from Yale according to 247Sports.
Ripon: Like Escalon, the Indians had a senior-heavy team in 2019 but it worked. They won a section and state title. It will be a challenge to replace all the production including most of their skill positions but seniors Mason Knight (receiver and defensive back) and Aaron Wood (quarterback and safety) return.
Patterson: Patterson, which is normally in the Central California Conference, will play in the Western Athletic Conference this year. The Tigers are led by four three-year varsity players, all seniors: Lineman Boss Foumai, running back and safety Jordan Imada, quarterback Logan McCleery, and kicker Adrian Melesio. Foumai is one of the best defensive linemen in the area while Melesio made a 54-yard field goal as a junior, a school record. He’s one of the top kickers in the section.
Turlock: In two years in the Central California Athletic League, Turlock is a perfect 10-0. Senior running back Josiah Gonzales had a big game against Downey last year (204 rushing yards, 3 TD’s) and is the Bulldogs’ top option on offense. Senior lineman Solomon Ussery is massive (6-feet-6, 310-pounds) and is the next great lineman at Turlock. Junior Beau Green is back at Turlock after transferring to Mater Dei. Green is dealing with an arm injury and hopes to be able to play quarterback midway through the season. The coaching staff plans to use him in the slot on offense and possibly on defense.
-----
Stanislaus District Week 1 Football Schedule
All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Thursday
East Union at Ripon
Friday
CCAL
Modesto at Gregori
Downey at Turlock
Pitman at Enochs (at Johansen HS)
WAC
Johansen at Central Valley (at Ceres HS)
Ceres at Davis (at Ceres HS), 5 p.m.
CCC
Hilmar at Atwater
VOL
Escalon at Oakdale
SL
Denair at Orestimba
Waterford at Hughson
Non-League
Bellermine at Central Catholic
Big Valley Christian at Summerville
Saturday
WAC
Patterson at Beyer (at Downey HS), 3 p.m.
SL
Mariposa at Riverbank
This story was originally published March 12, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
