Games to watch: Stanislaus District Sac-Joaquin Section championships preview
There are 155 schools that play football in the Sac-Joaquin Section and just 14 remain, four representing the Stanislaus District.
This year’s section championship features regular season re-matches between Trans-Valley League and Valley Oak League opponents.
Championship games are Friday night and Saturday at Sacramento City College and St. Mary’s High School in Stockton.
Here is a preview of Stanislaus District teams who will compete for section championships this weekend:
No. 3 Manteca (9-3) vs No. 1 Oakdale (9-2)
Friday, Nov. 26, at St. Mary’s High School, 7 p.m.
If you ask Trent Merzon and Mark Varnum, an all Valley Oak League section final is “the way it’s supposed to be.” The Mustangs and Buffaloes are two programs that are very familiar with each other.
They are no strangers to playoff success and have played 35 combined playoff games in the past five years.
The Buffaloes are the defending Division III section champions and beat the Mustangs in 2017 to win the title. Either Manteca or Oakdale have won six of the last eight Division III section titles.
Oakdale won the regular season matchup, 28-0 but both teams were without main offensive weapons. Oakdale running back Yahir Ayala sat with a knee injury and Manteca’s tandem of Blake Nichelson and Lyon Colon didn’t play.
Manteca’s explosive offensive combination returned in a 28-3 semifinal win over Lincoln. Nichelson had 122 yards and two touchdowns while Colon added seven carries for 67 yards. Oakdale’s dominant runner won’t return this season.
After their regular season matchup, Merzon said the two sides would see each other again, and here they are.
No. 6 Hilmar (11-2) vs No. 1 Escalon (11-1)
Saturday, Nov. 27, at St. Mary’s High School, 6 p.m.
It’s only right that the Cougars and Yellowjackets play again in a 2019 Division VI section title rematch. This will be the fifth section title matchup between the two small town schools in Frank Marques’ 18 years as Hilmar head coach.
The Cougars beat Hilmar on their way to an undefeated league record and outright TVL title and look to repeat as section champions.
After its first loss to Escalon earlier this season, Hilmar made a quarterback switch. Jason Pimentel provides an added threat in the passing game because of his ability to scramble if a play breaks down. The Yellowjackets are 6-0 since the change.
No. 7 Monterey Trail (8-5) vs No. 1 Central Catholic (11-1)
Saturday, Nov. 27 , at Sacramento City College, 6 p.m.
Monterey Trail didn’t win a single non-league game but after starting the season 0-5, the Mustangs have won eight straight, including sweeping the Metropolitan League for the third straight season.
This year’s trip to the section final is the third in a row for the Elk Grove school. After losing the 2018 and 2019 Division I championships to Folsom and Oak Ridge, respectively, head coach T.J. Ewing and his squad are hoping for more luck in Division II.
Central Catholic’s schedule prepared it for a deep playoff run as eight of its 10 regular season opponents made the playoffs.
The Raiders beat Division IV No. 4 seed Merced and Tri-City Athletic League front-runner St. Mary’s in back-to-back weeks. Their only loss of the season came to Bellarmine College Prep, which advanced to the second round of the CIF Central Coast Section Division I tournament.
Then they ran the table in the gauntlet that is the VOL, beating Manteca, Oakdale and Kimball, a team that made it to the section semifinal.
Central Catholic isn’t changing much in its gameplan for Saturday night’s 6 p.m. matchup at Sacramento City College: run the ball downhill and play fast on defense.
Sac-Joaquin Section Playoff Schedule
Division I
Friday (at Sac City College)
No. 3 Folsom vs. No. 2 Jesuit, 7 p.m.
Division II
Saturday (at Sac City College)
No. 1 Central Catholic vs. No. 7 Monterey Trail, 6 p.m
Division III
Friday (St. Mary’s High, Stockton)
No. 1 Oakdale vs. No. 3 Manteca, 7 p.m.
Division IV
Saturday (St. Mary’s High, Stockton)
No. 4 Merced vs. No. 2 Vanden, 1 p.m.
Division V
Saturday (at St. Mary’s High, Stockton)
No. 1 Ripon vs. No. 6 Hilmar, 6 p.m.
Division VI
Saturday (at Sac City College)
No. 5 Rosemont vs. No. 2 Argonaut, 1 p.m.
Division VII
Friday (at Sac City College)
No. 3 Le Grand vs. No. 1 Woodland Christian, 2 p.m.
This story was originally published November 25, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
