Games to watch: Top Stanislaus District high school football matchups for Week 3
Local teams had a decent Week 2 as Central Catholic, Escalon and Turlock played some of the best competition in California. Though they lost, two games came down to one possession, and all three teams gained valuable experience that can be used later this year.
Downey’s defense stepped up last week against East Union as the Knights picked up their second win of the season. Ceres, Hughson and Modesto Christian also remain undefeated heading into Week 3.
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Rivalries are featured this week as the Holy Bowl sees St. Mary’s-Stockton visit Central Catholic. The Raiders won last year’s matchup after losing the previous two. Central Valley and Ceres play their annual crosstown game. This year, the game week included an added element. Beyer, Davis, Johansen and Oakdale have byes this week.
Here’s information about some of the top games this week:
Central Valley (1-1) at Ceres (2-0), 7 p.m.
The crosstown rivalry between the Hawks and Bulldogs is big every year. This year, the city of Ceres will have more than just a Friday night game. On Wednesday, both teams participated in a crosstown parade that welcomed members of the community to see both teams at the local park.
Friday night, Central Valley coach Derrick Goblirsch’s team will have to deal with a Ceres team that brings back nearly all of its skill players. Central Valley is full of juniors, but Goblirsch says they’ve learned from week to week and he was happy with the improvements they made in game during their come-from-behind Week 2 win against Pacheco.
Anthony Ramirez has been the Hawks’ surprise of the season. In their two games, the junior free safety playing his first varsity season has four interceptions — three in Week 1 and one in Week 2. They were expecting him to be a main producer on offense, where he plays receiver, but he has focused on defense so far. They’re hoping to get him more involved on the offensive end also.
Downey (2-0) at Merced (1-1), 7 p.m.
The Knights are off to a great start and take their hot offense down to Merced High, a Division III finalist from last season. The Bears are never a team that go down without a fight. While Merced doesn’t have quarterback Seth Scheidt anymore, Downey coach Jeremy Plaa knows his team will be challenged, calling this year’s team the “best Merced team I’ve seen in a few years.”
Though they’re on the road, Downey is hoping its advantage will come in the fact that it doesn’t have any players playing both offense and defense. Merced has nearly 10 players that play on both sides of the ball, so if Downey can keep the game close enough to tire out the Bears, they should see success and advance to 3-0.
Windsor (1-0) at Escalon (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
The Cougars pushed back their JV and varsity games 30 minutes to combat the heat this week. After giving Buchanan, one of Fresno’s top teams, a run for its money in a one point loss, Escalon faces a top 20 North Coast Section team in Windsor. Ryker Peters has continued to carry the load for Escalon this season as the senior has rushed for 429 yards and eight touchdowns in the team’s first two games.
Escalon will have to deal with a Jaguars team that showed a balanced attack in its first game of the season. Windsor totaled 188 passing yards and one touchdown and 159 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
St. Mary’s-Stockton (1-0) at Central Catholic (1-1), 7 p.m.
Raiders coach Roger Canepa says the team has nothing to be ashamed of after last week’s loss to St. Francis. The Raiders are 1-1 but should look to take advantage of this year’s Holy Bowl matchup. Not only is it one of the most competitive games year after year, but it’s Central Catholic’s only home contest this year out of five nonleague games.
The Raiders have had three injuries in their first two games. They took a big hit in the secondary when Jaelen Nichols and Brooklyn Cheek went down in the first quarter of the season opener against Merced. Neither played last week. Canepa says Nichols’ hamstring is “getting better faster” so there is a chance he plays this week. Cheek could miss another week with a bad ankle. Tyler Jacklich, who rushed for nearly 300 yards against St. Francis, was sidelined in the fourth quarter of that game, but it looks like he will be ready this Friday night.
Central-Fresno (1-1) at Turlock (1-1), 7 p.m.
There was a lot to improve on after Turlock’s shutout loss to Clovis West, but the players aren’t hanging their heads. The team is in a good place, is injury free and is looking to bounce back against a Central-Fresno team very similar to Clovis West. Execution will be key this week as last Friday night Turlock struggled in the key areas of the game, losing the battle in the trenches, missing tackles and turning the ball over. Andrew Johnson will be back this week after getting hurt in Week 1 and missing last week’s road game. At receiver, he’ll provide another passing target for quarterback Cole Gilbert on offense and will be a big help in the defensive backfield as well.
The Bulldogs are looking put the struggles of last week behind them and play like they did in their home opener against Rocklin.
Pitman (1-1) at Patterson (1-1), 7 p.m.
Last year, the Tigers entered Week 3 with an 0-2 record and their game against Pitman was the beginning of a 10-game win streak that put carried them all the way to the Division III semifinals. This year, the team is hoping its game against the Pride can do something similar. Patterson had a come-from-behind Week 1 win against Hilmar but struggled against Manteca last week.
Patterson coach Rob Cozart is encouraged. He “saw flashes” of what the team is capable of despite the Week 2 loss. The Tigers would benefit greatly from a bounce-back game and this could be it, but it won’t come easy. This will be a bounce back for Pitman as well, after a 42-6 loss to Cosumnes Oaks last week. Starting quarterback Drew Walker missed the game due to COVID protocols, and the Pride’s backup quarterback, Andrew Azevedo, was forced to sit after tearing his ACL.
Hilmar (1-1) at Sonora (1-1), 7 p.m.
The Yellowjackets are on the road for the first time this season in Week 3. After bouncing back from their opening week loss with a 21-7 win in Week 2, Hilmar is hoping it is on path to repeat its success from last season, which saw the Yellowjackets put together two five-plus game win streaks en route to a Division V section title game appearance. Hudson Azevedo and Derek Taylor have connected for 268 yards in their two games.
Sonora could easily be 2-0 coming into this game after barely losing to Oakdale in overtime in Week 1 and beating Ripon handily, 42-10. The Yellowjackets will have to deal with a physical team with a little more motivation than normal as they have beat Sonora in four straight matchups, including twice last season. Once in the non-league schedule and again in the second round of the Division V playoffs.
