Games to Watch: Central Catholic vs. Manteca, local top-10 game among key Week 6 contests
Modesto and Enochs are the only CCAL schools with games this week as the majority of the teams are on break this week before the first league game Oct. 4. This means other leagues take center stage in Week 6. The TVL, VOL, MLL and WAC continue with league games this week.
Big Valley Christian has picked up some statement wins just four games into the season and will face arguably their toughest test this season in Linden High. It is their second game in the MLL (they were assigned to the league in section realignment) and they are coming off a big win over the section’s newest football program, River Islands.
Central Catholic looks to make it 10 straight league wins over Manteca in a key VOL game that could determine the league champion. They will be tasked with bringing down another talented Buffaloes running back. And yet another local top-10 matchup in the TVL could prove to be a good contest as Escalon travels to Hilmar. The Cougars are looking to bounce back from losses while the Yellowjackets could be hitting their stride at the right time.
No. 1 Central Catholic (3-2, 1-0 VOL) at Manteca (3-1, 0-0 VOL), 7 p.m. at Lathrop High
The Raiders and Buffaloes have met nine times as members of the Valley Oak League since 2014. Central Catholic has nine wins. The Raiders have won in every way. They’ve overcome slow offensive nights to win defensive slugfests, scored timely touchdowns in one-score contests and have outscored the Buffaloes in shootouts. The Raiders likely continued to drill tackling, an area they have struggled at this season, as they will have to bring down yet another talented Manteca running back in sophomore Nikko Juarez who has 640 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in just three games. He’s averaging 213.3 yards per game. It will likely be a battle of ground attacks as Central Catholic boasts a talented senior in Joey Alcutt (600 yards, 5 TD). Senior Wyatt Dragoo (268, 4 TD) plays offense and defense, rarely leaving the field and junior Carter Meeks (163 yards, 2 TD) is also a backfield option. Last week in a win over Patterson, the Raiders passed the ball just once. When junior quarterback Kayden McHenry does drop back to pass, his likely target is classmate Chase Perino. Friday night’s game will be played at Lathrop High because Manteca’s field is under construction.
No. 6 Hughson (4-0, 1-0 TVL) at No. 10 Ripon Christian (2-2, 0-1 TVL), 7 p.m.
In 2022, Hughson and Ripon Christian met with a spot in the Division 5-AA NorCal Bowl Game, a contest the Huskies won 31-28. Now, the two face off in their second TVL games this season. The Knights are looking to get back on the winning track after a 10-point loss to Hilmar in their first TVL game. Mason Tameling passed for a pair of touchdowns to Amos Cady, who also had a rushing score. The Knights just could not get a stop against Caden Bailey and Merek Ellerd. The Knights defense will have to dig deep against Arizona-bound Robert McDaniel and receivers Malakai Sumter and Bryce McDaniel. While Max Mankins also makes an impact on offense, he’s a force defensively and is headed to Air Force as a defensive lineman.
No. 9 Orestimba (4-0, 1-0 TVL) at Sonora (4-0, 1-0 TVL), 7 p.m.
Two of the TVL’s newest schools meet with the chance at an undefeated record on the line. Orestimba travels to Sonora for just the second matchup between the two programs in the past two decades. Sonora won their last matchup in 2015, 62-6 in the second round of the D-V section playoffs but a lot has changed since then. Both teams enter Friday coming off wins in their league openers. The Warriors beat Modesto Christian 50-0 and the Wildcats overcame a halftime deficit to beat Escalon 35-14. Both teams like to run the ball but Orestimba may be the more well-rounded side. They have two backs who have each scored at least one rushing touchdown and have over 100 rushing yards in Nicholas Cuevas (318 yards, 4 TD) and Allen Garcia (278 yards, 3 TD). Quarterback Jacob Valenzuela runs the show and has 573 passing yards, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions and 110 rushing yards and three scores. Sonora’s three-headed monster of Tommy Sutton, Brody Speer and Cash Byington combined for 294 rushing yards and three touchdowns against defending league champion Escalon.
No. 7 Escalon (1-3, 0-1 TVL) at No. 8 Hilmar (3-1, 1-0 TVL), 7 p.m.
This local top-10 matchup features an Escalon team looking to bounce back and a Hilmar team in the middle of catching its stride. Coming off of a Week 4 Bye, the Cougars dropped their first league game to Sonora. Starting quarterback Logan Huebner suffered a knee injury early in the first quarter and backup Donovan Martinez came in and threw a pair of touchdown passes in a 35-14 loss. For Hilmar, running back Caden Bailey is back to form after missing the first two games while recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during track season. He already leads the team in rushing touchdowns, scoring four in two games and has already rushed for 201 yards. Bailey and quarterback Merek Ellerd lead the team in rushing yards. They led the Yellowjackets to a 10-point win over Ripon Christian, combining for 209 yards. Escalon saw a similar rushing attack against Sonora.
Linden (3-1, 0-0 MLL) at Big Valley Christian (3-1, 1-0 MLL), 7:15 p.m.
Just four games into the season, the Lions have already earned some of the biggest wins they’ll probably have this season. They beat Denair in their season opener and bounced back from a loss to Waterford with a win against Mariposa County, one that was big for the Lions program. Sophomore quarterback Travis Lema, sophomore receiver Titus Beers and junior running back Jackson Howell are each doing their part as the team’s offensive statistical leaders to help them to a 3-1 record. Linden is Big Valley’s biggest test thus far. The Lions edged out the TVL’s Ripon in a 47-44 shootout and have playmakers on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Matthew Schallberger has already thrown for over 1,100 yards and has 12 passing touchdowns. Landen Ly has five rushing touchdowns and is one of four receivers with over 100 receiving yards, tallying 103. Dax Weber has 127 yards and all five of his catches have gone for touchdowns. Braden Busalacci has 22 catches for 290 yards and five scores and Deandre Smith has 24 receptions, 405 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Busalacchi is also one of Linden’s defensive leaders with 33 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack. All are team highs.
