‘Second season’ begins for many Stanislaus District football teams

For many in the Stanislaus District, the “second season” begins this week with the start of league play in the Modesto Metro Conference, Valley Oak League, Southern League, Western Athletic Conference, Central California Athletic Alliance and Mother Lode League.

The competition promises to be fierce week in and week out, and that tone will be set Thursday and Friday. Here is a look at this week’s top league games:

Modesto Metro Conference

Beyer at Downey: The Patriots (1-3) are off to a rough start, including back-to-back losses to Tracy and Central Catholic, perennial Sac-Joaquin Section playoff teams.

While it has been a frustrating stretch – Beyer recast its offensive line after an opening-week loss at Sheldon – coach Doug Severe did say the strength of the nonleague schedule would prepare the Patriots for a Modesto Metro Conference run.

Record-setting running back Jay Green and Beyer draw the toughest assignment on opening night in the MMC – Downey (3-1), the three-time defending champion. The Knights feature a high-octane offense anchored by three fast-maturing juniors: quarterback Brett Neves, running back Malcome Green and wide receiver Calvin Grover, all of whom rank among the Stanislaus District’s best at their positions.

More impressive, though, has been the play of defensive lineman Joe Franco, whose size and strength command a double team. He’s a major reason six Knights defenders are averaging 10 or more tackles.

Other games: Davis vs. Enochs (Gregori); Modesto at Johansen.

Valley Oak League

Sierra at Oakdale: The VOL season gets underway with a clash of its co-champions at The Corral. The Mustangs (3-0) and Timberwolves (2-1) shared the league title last fall, but only because Manteca spoiled Sierra’s bid for an undefeated season with a rain-soaked victory on Halloween night. The loss stunned many in attendance because the Timberwolves, running behind a massive offensive line, had cleared two major hurdles, beating Central Catholic 17-14 and Oakdale 31-20.

This season, the terms surrounding their meeting have changed. The Mustangs seek revenge when they host a Sierra team still figuring out things with first-year quarterback Mark Vicente and offensive coordinator Ryan Teicheira. As far as continuity goes, few have it better than Oakdale, which takes its cues from 15th-year coach Trent Merzon and fourth-year varsity star Adam Olsen.

The Mustangs thunder into league play having blown out two of their first three opponents: Sonora 40-15 and Menlo-Atherton 61-7. Fullback Brad Aquino has picked up where Frankie Trent left off in 2014. Aquino topped 100 yards in each of the first two games and then scored two touchdowns against Menlo-Atherton.

Other games: Kimball at Manteca, East Union at Lathrop, Weston Ranch at Central Catholic.

Southern League

Ripon Christian at Orestimba: For the first time in six years, the Southern League race is wide open. Le Grand’s shocking 42-27 loss to Livingston and the rise of Ripon Christian (3-0), Gustine (3-0) and Orestimba (3-0) signal a shift in power. Right away, Southern League fans will be treated to a matchup of top contenders. Ripon Christian travels to the West Side to face Orestimba in a battle of teams on the same arc. Both teams own 21-point victories over Linden and will have had two weeks to prepare for this league opener. Last season, the Knights escaped with a 21-20 victory.

“This will be a good indicator for us and them to see how this league race may shape itself out,” Orestimba coach Aaron Souza said. “I can’t speak for (Ripon Christian), but this will be the best team we’ve played this year. … We’ve been circling this one for a while.”

The Warriors boast the top backfield in the Stanislaus District. Quarterback Joe Sheldon and running back Austin Martins rank among the district leaders in rushing and scoring. On the ground, the two have combined for 878 yards and 12 touchdowns in three games.

Defensively, Orestimba hasn’t given up a point since the opening drive of a 45-6 victory over Bret Harte. The defense has five turnovers during that stretch, including two interceptions by Martins in a 27-0 victory over Firebaugh.

Western Athletic Conference

Ceres at Los Banos: Los Banos (3-1) begins its title defense with one of the Stanislaus District’s true enigmas. The Bulldogs possess a potent spread attack led by junior Chris Lubinsky, but the defense has struggled to get stops against playoff-caliber opponents. Ceres (1-3) gave up 127 total points in losses to Modesto, Gregori and Hughson, forfeiting the momentum gained from a promising summer season.

The Tigers’ offensive stars will be eager for the opener. Dual-threat quarterback Adam Herrera was the league’s Offensive Player of the Year last fall, and receiver David Walker has blossomed into a Division I prospect. Herrera has averaged nearly 10 yards per carry for an offense that has scored 39 or more points three times, but he’s still searching for a rhythm with Walker.

Both teams can ill-afford an early loss, not with games against Patterson looming. The Tigers have been one of the true surprises in the first month, rocketing to a 4-0 start with victories over Escalon, Ripon, Modesto and Atwater. Patterson has a bye Friday.

Other games: El Capitan at Livingston, Pacheco at Central Valley.

Central California Athletic Association

Stone Ridge Christian at Big Valley Christian: Stone Ridge Christian has stared down each test in its quest to repeat as Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII champion, but now comes its biggest challenge yet: Big Valley Christian’s Daniel Giannosa, a 6-foot-8 tight end. Through the first three weeks, Giannosa ranked second in the district in catches with 20, providing a safe, sure-handed target for quarterback for Noah Magana. The Knights have acquitted themselves well against larger opponents. Stone Ridge Christian toppled El Capitan in overtime and then surrendered a double-digit lead in a shootout loss to Ripon Christian. With the departure of reigning champion Elliot Christian, the CCAA throne is up for grabs. While a champion won’t be decided in the first week, the winner of this matchup will have a leg up.

Other games: Turlock Christian vs. Sierra Ridge/ Rite of Passage (Hilmar on Thursday).

Other games

Mother Lode League: Amador at Summerville, Bret Harte at Calaveras, Sonora at Argonaut.

Top nonleague games: Turlock at Tracy, Bear River at Escalon, Sutter at Ripon, Pacific Grove at Hilmar, Liberty Ranch at Hughson, Modesto Christian at Vanden.

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 4:17 PM with the headline "‘Second season’ begins for many Stanislaus District football teams."