Downey claims outright MMC title with win over Gregori

The Downey High Knights wanted it all. There would be no sharing.

In their idea of a perfect world, the Modesto Metro Conference title belonged to them and them alone.

And so it did.

Downey followed its usual formula – quarterback P.J. Wilson tossing here and passing there, and Jakob Magaña pulling down opposing passes as though he owned them – and the result was a resounding 42-21 win over Gregori on Friday night at Chuck Hughes Stadium.

“We were excited to play and definitely did not want to share the title,” Wilson said.

Gregori (7-3, 4-2) could have thrown the MMC into a chaotic three-way tie, including Modesto, with an upset. Instead, Downey responded with touchdowns on its first four possessions and eventually put away its third straight championship.

Wilson completed 16 of 21 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for two touchdowns and tossed a two-point conversion. Magaña, the Knights’ feisty 135-pound cornerback, intercepted three passes, one after his teammates tipped it twice, to raise his state-leading total to 13.

“I really enjoyed tonight,” Magana said. “We have the coaches and the athletes.”

Downey (9-1, 6-0) started its celebration after linebacker Tylino Wesley made three straight tackles for losses with 4:21 left.

The Knights have won nine straight after letting a 19-point lead evaporate against Pitman on Aug. 29. They anxiously await today’s first-round pairings for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs. Downey is a lock for a first-round date at home.

“Our goal was not to go on the road (in the first round),” Downey coach Jeremy Plaa said.

The Knights were in no mood to be dragged into a clock-eating fight with the Jaguars. They struck fast. Eye-blink fast.

“We always want to start fast and get ahead of the game,” Plaa said.

Tyran Daniels’ 65-yard return of the opening kickoff led to a Downey TD on the next play – Wilson’s over-the-middle toss to Jeffry Jones, who sped into the end zone from 25 yards out.

Three minutes later, Wilson reached back and passed high and long to a streaking Josh Lowe over the middle. Lowe, beyond the Gregori coverage, sped the remaining 38 yards to complete the 75-yard strike.

“That was a play-action post to Josh and I just watched the safety,” Wilson said. “When he stutter-stepped, I knew what to do. In practice, I get yelled at for not giving the receivers a chance, so I put it out there for Josh.”

Malcome Green accounted for two touchdowns for Downey, which led 35-7 midway through the second quarter.

Gregori answered with Cam Calton’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Janitz. Just before halftime, Gregori took Janitz’s 33-yard field goal off the scoreboard and tried for a touchdown after a Downey personal foul. But three tries from inside the Downey 10 netted zero yards, and Janitz’s 30-yard try caromed off the left upright. Gregori walked off the field trailing 35-14 at the break.

The Jaguars tightened on defense – Downey rushed for only 63 yards – and rallied. Running back Demetrius Vinson (15 carries, 135 yards) dashed 87 yards for a touchdown early in the second half. The deficit remained only 35-21 after three quarters, as Gregori applied pressure on Wilson.

“Gregori is improving,” Plaa said. “They were at the bottom of the league two years ago, and they played for a championship tonight.”

Downey regained control on Wilson’s 1-yard sneak across the goal line with 10:49 left.

Incredibly, Downey’s entire football program went 29-1. The varsity’s loss at Pitman was all that separated the Knights from perfection.

“We didn’t want to be the team that let the program down tonight,” Plaa said. “I felt we played at a high level.”

This story was originally published November 7, 2014 at 11:28 PM with the headline "Downey claims outright MMC title with win over Gregori."