Games to watch: Top Stanislaus District high school football matchups for Week 4
We enter the final two weeks of the high school football season.
It’s had a few hiccups due to COVID-19 but overall, most teams in the Stanislaus District have played every scheduled game.
Here are the top games for Week 4:
Friday
Oakdale (3-0) at Manteca (3-0), 7 p.m. at Manteca High School
It’s a battle of two of the most respected programs in the southern part of the Sac-Joaquin Section as the Mustangs travel to Manteca to face the Buffaloes in a Valley Oak League matchup.
Since 2012, the two teams have combined to win six (three each) of the last eight Division III titles, including Manteca’s championship in 2019.
The key for Oakdale will be stopping Manteca’s star-studded rushing attack, which averages nearly 350 yards per game. Junior running back Lyon Colon has 391 rushing yards and seven touchdowns and junior Khalid Robinson has 349 yards and four touchdowns.
Sonora (2-0) at Calaveras (2-1), 7 p.m. at Calaveras High School
Sonora heads to San Andreas to face Calaveras in a Mother Lode League matchup.
The Wildcats have won the last six games between the two programs.
Senior Gabe Milbourn does it all for Sonora.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound tight end and defensive end has 15 receptions for 408 yards and six touchdowns and 12 tackles and six tackles for a loss.
Gregori (1-2) at Turlock (3-0), 7 p.m. at Turlock High School
Since the formation of the Central California Athletic League in 2018, Turlock has dominated.
The Bulldogs have won every league game by double-digits except one (30-24 over Downey in 2018).
Turlock hasn’t lost a league game since 2015, when it fell to Merced, 34-28 on Oct. 30.
It’s been an inconsistent season for the Jaguars, who have lost two in a row but junior quarterback Cruz Marines has been impressive.
He has 748 passing yards and five touchdown passes and 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Saturday
Ripon (0-2) at Escalon (0-1), 7 p.m. at Escalon High School
Not only are both schools defending section and state champions, but they both have dealt with COVID-19 issues this season.
Ripon didn’t play last week’s game against Weston Ranch due to “COVID-19 protocols” while Escalon hasn’t played since Week 1 after a possible exposure forced some of the team to quarantine.
Ripon has won three of the last four meetings.
It will be Escalon’s first home game in 483 days. The last time the Cougars played at home was Dec. 14, 2019 when they beat La Jolla in CIF State Division 4-A Championship.
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Stanislaus District Week 4 Football Schedule
Friday
CCAL
Pitman at Downey
Modesto at Enochs (at Johansen HS)
Gregori at Turlock
WAC
Beyer at Lathrop
Johansen at Los Banos
Patterson at Davis (at Johansen HS), 4:30 p.m.
Ceres at Pacheco
Central Valley at Mountain House
VOL
Oakdale at Manteca
CCC
Livingston at Hilmar
SL
Denair at Mariposa
Hughson at Orestimba
Riverbank at Waterford, 6 p.m.
ML
Sonora at Calaveras
CCAA
Delta Charter at Big Valley Christian
Saturday
VOL
Ripon at Escalon
Non-League
Central Catholic at Marin Catholic, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published April 8, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
