Central Catholic is VOL’s top dog after thrilling win over Manteca
Things didn’t always go Central Catholic’s way Friday night, but when the Raiders needed big plays against Valley Oak League foe Manteca, they stepped up.
After an interception and fumble in the game’s first four plays made it seem the Buffaloes would roll to an easy victory, the visiting Raiders gave their fans something to cheer about in the second half.
Two touchdowns within 10 seconds, a 65-yard bomb and an interception helped them steal momentum from the home team in a thrilling 56-49 victory to secure the VOL’s top spot and remain undefeated against Manteca since entering the league in 2014.
“We made big plays in the second half,” Central Catholic coach Roger Canepa said. “(Manteca is) a great football team, it could have gone either way. It was a great high school game. Their kids played hard. We just found a way to win it.”
Trailing 34-28 after the intermission, the Raiders drove 70 yards in just under six minutes. Mario Savala III caught a six-yard touchdown pass, giving the visiting Raiders a one-point lead with 6:47 left in the third quarter.
Manteca muffed the ensuing kickoff, which Jaelen Nichols recovered, giving Central Catholic prime field position on the Buffaloes’ 28-yard line. Quarterback Tyler Wentworth needed only one play to score, connecting with Trace Hernandez on a post route for his second passing touchdown in 10 seconds.
After a Manteca touchdown, Nichols found himself behind the Buffaloes defense. He caught a pass from Wentworth at the 35 and sprinted to the end zone, going untouched for a 62-yard score. The three-star recruit also did his part on defense, ending the opposing team’s ensuing drive with an interception to start the fourth quarter.
The senior, who plays safety and receiver, got extended time on offense after junior Brooklyn Cheek left with an injury, and Nichols left his mark on the second half.
“When my number was called, I was able to make plays, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates,” he said. “Everybody knew their assignments and we got the job done.”
Manteca’s Blake Nichelson was as advertised.
The four-star recruit had all seven of Manteca’s touchdowns and 406 yards on 23 carries. He glided through would-be tacklers, breaking off four touchdown runs of more than 40 yards, including scoring on runs of 57, 48 and 43 yards, often going untouched until he was already seven to 10 yards past the line of scrimmage.
Rushing for 241 yards and five touchdowns is a great game for most running backs. It was Nichelson’s first half. The Florida State commit answered nearly every Central Catholic touchdown with one of his own.
But the Raiders just wouldn’t go away.
Trailing 14-0, junior Teaalo Bullock took a kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown and Tyler Jacklich rushed for three first-half touchdowns to keep the game close.
The two backs, who played youth football together, traded touchdowns in the half’s final five possessions.
“It was kind of cool,” said Jacklich, who carried the ball 32 times for 201 yards and four touchdowns. “I appreciated the fact that I was able to do that with one of my buddies. We’ve been close since we were young. It was fun.”
The Raiders’ second-half adjustments swung the game in their favor.
Wentworth, who threw all three of his touchdowns in the third quarter, completed 14 of 17 passes for 171 yards and caught a 23-yard pass from Jacklich to set up their final score of the game.
“We were run heavy in the first half and our O-line played really good,” Wentworth said. “Being able to counter with a couple of pass plays helped.”
The Raiders outscored Manteca 28-15 in the second-half comeback. The game lived up to the hype as one of the best played in the area all season.
“This is why you coach,” Canepa said. “You play football for Friday nights and you coach for games like this. I’ve been on the losing end of these games and it doesn’t feel good. But this is why you coach. This was a great football game.”
This story was originally published October 22, 2022 at 8:05 AM.
