Games to watch: Teams look to finish strong with Week 11 key matchups
The last week of the Sac-Joaquin Section football season is here. While there are some teams across the section that already have their position in the standings cemented, others still have a lot to play for in their Week 11 matchup this Friday.
A team like Ripon needs a win to qualify for the playoffs. The Indians face a win-and-you’re-in scenario in Friday’s road matchup against Hilmar. Davis and Johansen have different things they’re playing for, which makes their matchup intriguing. Not only is it a key league game, but Johansen is hoping to lock up its playoff position with a win, and it seems like the only way the Spartans can increase their ranking is with a victory.
Oakdale visits Manteca for a big Valley Oak League matchup. With a win, Manteca secures sole possession of the league championship. Oakdale, which is tied with Central Catholic for second place entering Friday, looks to play spoiler.
The Sac-Joaquin Section uses CalPreps divisional rankings to help with its playoff selection and seeding processes. The football playoff brackets are expected to be released Sunday, Nov. 3.
Davis (4-5, 3-3 WAC) at Johansen (5-2, 4-2 WAC), 7 p.m.
Two Division III teams face off when the Spartans visit the Vikings in the regular season finale. Johansen is the 11th-ranked team in the division with an inside track to one of the last three playoff spots. A win could solidify that and, thankfully for Johansen, head coach Rod Smith Sr. said the two top running backs, Kean Siang and Jairus Vasquez, likely will return from injury this week. The Vikings backfield has not been at 100% for the past few weeks, but they have gone 3-1 in their past four games largely thanks to a pair of career outings from junior Ezekiel Rodriguez. Davis has met the four-win mark to qualify for the postseason but currently is the 15th-ranked team in Division III. A win over the Vikings could be what it needs to jump in the rankings. Things for Davis could get interesting because the No. 14 team, Golden Valley, has three wins entering Friday, No. 13 Antelope has two wins and No. 12 Armijo has three wins entering Friday. Davis likely needs a win and some help from teams around it to jump three spots into the CalPreps No. 12 seed. Davis has been on the tough end of some bad breaks over the past few games. In Week 9, the Spartans lost a narrow game against Ceres, and last week, they fell to Pacheco by less than a touchdown. A win Friday would end a two-game losing streak.
Oakdale (7-2, 4-1 VOL) at Manteca (8-1, 5-0 VOL), 7 p.m.
Oakdale has a chance to hand Manteca its first VOL loss this season and shake up the league standings in the last week of the regular season. An Oakdale win paired with a Central Catholic win would make the Buffaloes and Raiders co-VOL champions. A win for Manteca locks up sole possession of the league title no matter what. The Mustangs and Buffaloes won’t pass often, but with their potent rushing attacks, they won’t need to. Led by Wes Burford’s 1,846 rush yards and 23 touchdowns, the Mustangs as a team have 3,455 rush yards entering the season finale. They also have consistent contributions from Chase Lopez (929 yards, 8 TD) and Gavin Wyatt (378 yards, 4 TD). For Manteca, Nikko Juarez is back getting consistent carries after being in and out of the lineup, hindered by a shoulder injury he originally aggravated against Central Catholic on Sept. 27. On the season, he has 1,017 rush yards and 14 touchdowns. Both are already cemented in the 2024 postseason, Oakdale in D-III and Manteca in D-II, so this game is strictly for league bragging rights and possibly playoff positioning.
River Islands (2-7, 1-4 MLL) at Riverbank (5-4, 1-4 MLL), 7 p.m.
League positioning is on the line Friday night for the Bruins and Riptide. River Islands has not hit the four-game playoff qualification threshold, and though it has five wins, Riverbank could miss the postseason as the No. 19 team in the CalPreps D-VII rankings. Riverbank has the chance to secure a winning record for the first time since 2004 after completing one of the biggest program turnarounds in recent Stanislaus District history. The Bruins, led by running backs Gabriel Sandoval (542 yards, 6 TD) and Gabriel Nisperos (344 yards, 5 TD), the Bruins have won at least five overall games for the first time since 2004. Standing in their way is a Riptide program in its first season. Riverbank will have to stop River Islands’ rushing attack of sophomore Alex Henry III and Idrees ElFarra, who have combined for 928 yards and all six of the team’s rushing touchdowns on the season. Both teams are 1-4 in Mother Lode League play, so a win would give the Bruins sole possession of the fifth spot in the league.
Ripon (3-6, 1-4 TVL) at Hilmar (4-5, 2-3 TVL), 7 p.m.
Ripon is playing to get into the postseason. With three wins, the Indians have one shot to reach the four-win threshold for a spot in the Division VI bracket. If they earn their fourth win, they could end up with the No. 11 seed. The team has made a 180-degree turn over the past few weeks, beating powerful Sonora and staying competitive with Escalon in the first round of last week’s contest. A win would give Ripon its second TVL win this season. Hilmar is looking for a bounce-back game after suffering a 41-24 loss at home against Hughson. The Yellowjackets stay at home for their season finale. Hilmar has been riddled with injuries all season and has just one senior on the offensive line but has continued to fight all season. The team was without the services of star running back Caden Bailey last week due to an ankle injury. A win for the Yellowjackets would help them cement their No. 6 ranking in the Division V postseason. Hilmar is 9-6 against Ripon since 2004 and has won the last two matchups.
