Games to watch: Top Stanislaus District high school football matchups, SJS semifinals
Seven Stanislaus District teams play in six semifinals games this week so, of course we’ll preview them all in one of the season’s last Games to Watch.
Central Catholic and Turlock take on two of the Sacramento area’s best programs in the Division I semis. The Raiders and Bulldogs enter Friday with 8-4 records and Folsom and Oak Ridge are a combined 19-3.
With Oakdale out of the Division III picture, Patterson, a team that has lost to the Mustangs in three of the last four postseasons, including in the semifinals last season, faces Grant. The Pacers have had success of their own but enter the semifinals for the first time since 2014.
Orestimba brings a lengthy win streak into its Division VI semifinal with Hughson in a battle between two of the top teams in the Southern league and Trans-Valley League.
Ripon Christian and Stone Ridge Christian play their Division VII game at Oakdale. Escalon, the only TVL team left in Division V, travels to Sutter which joined the Sac-Joaquin Section this year from the Northern Section.
Here’s deeper look at each semifinals matchup:
No. 5 Central Catholic (8-4) at No. 1 Folsom (10-1), 7 p.m.
Central Catholic spent its preseason preparing for this game. Two storied programs that have won 30 section titles in 35 championship appearances meet in the Division I semifinals. Central Catholic (20) won the Division II championship last season and is competing in Division I for the first time while Folsom (10) has appeared in seven of the last eight Division I section title games. Friday’s foes have a common opponent. Both lost to unbeaten Serra of San Mateo. The Raiders, who were playing with a banged up secondary, fell 42-30, while the Bulldogs lost 17-12. Central Catholic Coach Roger Canepa says things are clicking for the Raiders. Tyler Jacklich and the rushing attack are working smoothly and Tyler Wentworth is connecting with receivers Brooklyn Cheek and Trace Hernandez consistently.
No. 7 Turlock (8-4) at No. 3 Oak Ridge (9-2), 7 p.m.
Turlock is coming off what could be the upset of the decade in a 51-50 barn burner against Division I No. 1 seed St. Mary’s. Now, it’s time to turn the page as it hits the road again, this time visiting El Dorado Hills. The Bulldogs played two nearly perfect games in the opening round and semifinals and will need a similar performance to take down the Sierra Foothill League’s third place team. Turlock senior quarterback Cole Gilbert is getting some much deserved attention after stuffing the stat sheet last Friday night. The lefty threw four touchdown passes, rushed for two and caught one. He finished with 492 total yards. The Bulldogs defense has showed up recently as well. Andrew Johnson has three interceptions in two playoff games. This is the furthest Turlock has gone in more than 20 years.
No. 3 Grant (8-2) at No. 2 Patterson (10-1), 7 p.m.
Patterson running back Sean Hansen missed last week’s Division III playoff against Roseville with a non-COVID illness, but the Tigers’ offense went on without losing a step. Senior Lolo Mataele, who has really come on as of late, put together his best rushing performance this season collecting 345 yards and five touchdowns. Hansen is expected to be back Friday after rejoining the team at practice this week and it’s right on time as the Tigers will be taking on one of the highest scoring offenses it’s seen this season. The Pacers are one of the most successful programs in the section and have been on a roll. Grant is averaging 67 points in its last five wins with Metropolitan League wins of 76-8 and 84-0 and a 64-28 quarterfinals win over Yuba City. Quarterback Joseph McCray has passed for 2,419, and top receivers Kingston Lopa and Kyrell Goss-Pruitt have combined for more than 1,300 yards and 24 touchdowns. Hansen and Mataele, Patterson’s duo of 1,100-plus yard rushers, will have to show up as this one could very well be a shootout.
No. 5 Escalon (9-3) at No. 1 Sutter ( 11-0), 7 p.m.
Having Escalon, Ripon and Hilmar on the same side of the bracket set the TVL up to have just one team in the Division V final. Escalon beat Hilmar last week and Sutter beat Ripon in overtime. The Huskies just joined the Sac-Joaquin Section this year after many years in the Northern Section. They won the Pioneer Valley League, beat everyone in their preseason and won their first playoff game in this section, knocking out Ripon 14-0. Escalon coach Andrew Beam knows Sutter “has a rich tradition of being a small school power” so his team will have to be ready to play. The offense has found its balance. Escalon recently got Gio Chavez, its best offensive lineman, back from injury, and running back Ryker Peters has maintained his preseason form. Donovan Rozevink, Owen Nash and the revived passing game have been an added bonus. Rozevink has thrown 11 touchdowns with just one interception since the league loss to Hilmar with the Cougars winning all six games. Sutter’s offense is similar to Escalon’s in the fact that it runs the Wing-T, but the team adds a wrinkle in by running it out of the shotgun. While Escalon has multiple players who play both ways, the Huskies don’t have any.
No. 3 Orestimba (10-1) at No. 2 Hughson (9-2), 7 p.m.
It’s Warriors vs Huskies and Southern League vs Trans-Valley League with a spot in the Division VI finals on the line. This match-up features two of the top teams in two of the top small-school leagues in the area. Hughson finished second in the TVL while Orestimba was the Southern League champion. Hughson dominated the Week 2 meeting with a 41-28 win. Huskies receiver Larkin Meyer caught one touchdown pass, but he hasn’t played since an Oct. 14 game against Hilmar. Liam Bridgford has stepped up in his absence, carrying the offense on the ground. Kai Brazil continues to impress in the Warriors’ running game and quarterback Alex Milan has thrown 32 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Orestimba hasn’t lost since its last Hilmar game, entering the semifinals on a nine-game win streak.
No. 4 Stone Ridge Christian (9-2) at No. 1 Ripon Christian (9-2) at Oakdale High School, 7 p.m.
Due to CIF sanctions, Friday’s Division VII semifinals matchup is at Oakdale High School. Stone Ridge Christian came into the postseason as the favorite to win the division and proved everyone right in their opener, shutting out Rio Vista, 57-0. Ripon Christian has won six straight and hasn’t given up more than a touchdown in its five most recent wins. Stone Ridge Christian enters the postseason after knocking out Big Valley Christian by winning the Central California Athletic Alliance title. Knights quarterback Trey Fasani hasn’t thrown many passes in the last four games, but he’s made the most of his chances. He’s 31 of 44 with 10 touchdowns and just one interception. Griffin de Abreu has caught half of those touchdown passes, including two against Rio Vista.
