Modesto QB Club: Enochs football team has fallen on hard times

Coach James Stacy and the Enochs High School football team were the featured guests at this week’s Modesto Quarterback Club meeting Monday.

The spotlight hasn’t looked favorably on the Eagles (0-4), whose winless start has taken several twists and turns.

Enochs has given up 40 or more points in all four games, including Friday’s 42-21 loss to Central Valley. The Eagles led 21-18 at halftime, racking up more than 200 total yards. But they managed fewer than 50 yards over the final two quarters as stamina, conditioning and simple know-how became an issue for the patchwork squad.

Injuries have hampered Stacy and his staff. Enochs began the week without five starters, including Eddie Alderson (ankle) and Shawn Alderson (hip), and lost two more Friday. Fullback Tyler Butterfield dislocated a kneecap during pregame warmups, and lineman Cross Smith left in an ambulance because of a bruised neck.

Butterfield is expected to miss a couple of weeks. Stacy didn’t give a timetable for Smith’s return.

Eddie Alderson could play in Friday’s Modesto Metro Conference opener against Davis (1-3), which also has issues.

The Spartans started their backup quarterback in last week’s 52-0 loss at Weston Ranch, because coach Tim Garcia said he needed quarterback Ezekiel Orozco in the secondary. Orozco will be back under center this week.

“We’re going to get guys back in the right spots this week,” Garcia told the crowd at Coach’s Corner, the weekly site of the Modesto Quarterback Club gathering.

The Spartans are desperate for points. Davis hasn’t scored in at least eight quarters, not since a 21-18 victory over Franklin on Sept. 4.

East Union wore down Gregori – Running back Demetrius Vinson’s involvement in Gregori’s offense has increased the last three weeks.

Vinson carried a career-high 31 times in a 30-27 loss at East Union on Friday. He finished with 228 yards and three touchdowns, including a 5-yard burst that gave the Jaguars a 27-21 advantage late in the third quarter.

“When you got a guy averaging seven yards a pop,” Jaguars coach Jason McCoy said, “I’m going to keep feeding him the rock until they can’t stop him.”

The Lancers couldn’t, but Vinson’s carries tapered off. He had just 12 rushes in the second half and lacked the same explosion.

Vinson had eight runs of 10 or more yards in the first half, including two 27-yarders, but none that long in the second half.

McCoy said conditioning played a role. The Jaguars were much bigger than East Union, which worked to their advantage early. As they tired, the running lanes disappeared.

“Our film turned out well, and there’s an opportunity for improvement,” McCoy said, adding, “Going all out on every play is important.”

Beyer, Downey headline MMC opening night – The MMC begins with a bout between embarrassed heavyweights.

Beyer jumped to a 6-0 lead over Central Catholic on a long touchdown run by Jay Green, but as coach Doug Severe put it, “That only (ticked) them off.” The Raiders scored the next 52 points.

Across town, Downey saw another fourth-quarter lead evaporate. This time, though, it cost the Knights. They led by nine in the fourth, but turnovers proved costly in a 34-29 loss to Lincoln of Stockton.

The MMC title contenders meet Friday at Chuck Hughes Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

“Now we play Downey, who is (ticked) off because they lost last week,” Severe said. “It will be another hostile environment to go into.”

Knights coach Jeremy Plaa said his staff will “coach up” the turnover issue in practice. The Trojans shut down the Knights’ ground game, forcing junior quarterback Brett Neves to beat them. Neves threw six interceptions as Downey’s decorated junior class lost its first game in two-plus seasons.

“That was probably one of the most disappointing games in the last few years,” Plaa said. “I’ve never turned the ball over seven times and won. Our defense got four back, but we showed some immaturity and we’ve got to coach that up today.”

“If we play like that on Friday,” he added, “we’ll be in trouble.”

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Modesto QB Club: Enochs football team has fallen on hard times."