High school football rankings: Area’s new No. 1 getting better when it matters

It started with the offensive line’s improvement during the first two Valley Oak League games and then continued with a dominant first half and a 35-7 victory against a top 5 Oakdale team. Central Catholic is starting to look like the team people thought it would be in the preseason. The Raiders return to their preseason No. 1 ranking, with a matchup with Manteca for the VOL title coming Friday.

Not to be outdone, Downey rolled against Enochs on Thursday night. The Knights will play Gregori, which also enters the matchup undefeated in Central California Athletic League play, and Pitman in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Patterson won a big Central California Conference matchup Friday night and Hilmar beat Hughson. The Tigers move to No. 4 and the Yellowjackets jump the Huskies. In other Trans-Valley League matchups, Escalon topped Riverbank for its third straight win with huge games against Ripon, which currently holds the league’s third spot, and Livingston.

Orestimba and Ripon Christian round out the area’s Top 10 with big Southern League wins. They are first and second in SL play.

After nine weeks of high school football, here’s how the area’s Top 10 looks:

Stanislaus District Top 10

1. Central Catholic (4-4, 3-0 VOL)

Last Week: 35-7 win over Oakdale

This Week: at Manteca

2. Downey (8-0, 3-0 CCAL)

Last Week: 49-13 win over Enochs

This Week: at Gregori

3. Turlock (4-4, 2-1 CCAL)

Last Week: 58-15 win over Modesto

This Week: vs Enochs

4. Patterson (8-1, 5-0 CCC)

Last Week: 35-13 win over Golden Valley

This Week: vs Buhach Colony

5. Oakdale (6-2, 2-1 VOL)

Last Week: 35-7 loss to Central Catholic

This Week: vs Kimball

6. Hilmar (5-3, 4-0 TVL)

Last Week: 49-26 win over Hughson

This Week: at Modesto Christian

7. Hughson (7-2, 4-1 TVL)

Last Week: 49-26 loss to Hilmar

This Week: BYE

8. Escalon (5-3, 2-2 TVL)

Last Week: 55-6 win over Riverbank

This Week: at Ripon

9. Orestimba (7-1, 5-0 SL)

Last Week: 70-31 win over Waterford

This Week: at Denair

10. Ripon Christian (6-2, 4-1 SL)

Last Week: 49-0 win over Mariposa County

This Week: vs Gustine

Quinton Hamilton

The Modesto Bee

Quinton Hamilton covers high school sports for The Modesto Bee. He is a Southern California native and received his bachelor’s degree from Pacific Union College and a master’s in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Quinton has worked at the Record-Journal in Meriden and helped on projects at Hearst Connecticut.