Downey cruises past Beyer, but quarterback Neves injured
The Downey High football team had three big tests in its quest to claim its fourth straight Modesto Metro Conference title.
The Knights passed one easily Friday night in rolling past Beyer 42-6.
Next Friday comes another, when Downey takes on rival Modesto. The third comes in the final MMC game of the season when the Knights take on Gregori, the coaches’ pick to win the league title.
But the biggest test of the season might land in the lap of starting quarterback Brett Neves, who will head into next Friday’s game against the Panthers after injuring his ankle and separating his non-throwing shoulder against the Patriots.
“We want him healthy,” Downey coach Jeremy Plaa said. “He’s a tough kid. I’m sure if he’s capable, he’ll play.”
Downey running back Malcome Green was confident Neves will be available.
“He’s good,” Green said. “He was laughing and joking about it in the locker room.”
With Neves, the Knights (4-1, 1-0 MMC) are the runaway favorite to take the MMC crown.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior runs an offense that is full of talent at the skill positions, with Green, Tyran Daniels, Andrew Raspo, Isaiah Johnson, Trevor Farris and Calvin Grover all capable of making big plays.
The Knights are so talented, it can be a challenge to give everyone a chance at making a play.
“We don’t go into a game trying to get someone the ball,” Plaa said. “We think about what the defense is doing and how we can counter that.”
Everybody knows they’ll get the ball eventually. Sometimes they can get 10 catches in one game and sometimes they’ll get one.
Downey coach Jeremy Plaa
Downey led 28-6 when Neves went down late in the first half, but the Patriots (1-4, 0-1 MMC) could never get back in the game.
Neves was impressive before he was hurt, going 13 of 18 for 167 yards and three touchdowns.
Green took two short passes and turned them into scoring receptions of 43 and 33 yards. He also rushed 10 times for 75 yards.
Daniels made big plays in all three phases of the game. He scored on his first two carries, going in from 9 yards out before putting away the game with a 59-yard TD run early in the third quarter. He also intercepted a Beyer pass and returned it 41 yards. And, he blocked a Beyer punt, too.
I was trying to make a big statement.
Downey’s Tyran Daniels
Beyer running back Jay Green almost gave the Patriots their second touchdown in the third quarter when he took a handoff at his 1-yard line and broke free. It looked like he was going to take it all the way but was chased down by the speedy Daniels. The 77-yard gain set up Beyer in the red zone, but the Patriots fumbled a few plays later.
After Downey took an 8-0 lead on an 18-yard connection from Neves to Farris, Beyer went on a long scoring drive that resulted in Nick Trujillo’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Michael Qarqat.
But nine penalties, the interception and several fumbles proved too much for the Patriots to overcome.
“We shoot ourselves in the foot,” Beyer coach Doug Severe said. “The last three teams we’ve played – Tracy, Central and Downey – they’re going to capitalize on those mistakes. Once we get something going, we make a mistake and it sets us back.”
Jay Green finished with 165 yards on 18 carries, but 77 of those yards came on the one big run. Downey’s defense was focused on Beyer’s all-time rushing leader, and it showed. The Knights swarmed the Patriots’ biggest weapon, and Beyer couldn’t get much going in the air.
“We knew we had to stop Jay,” Plaa said. “We practiced all week having the defense point out where he was on every play.”
Jim Silva: 209-578-2279, @mission26point2
This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 11:42 PM with the headline "Downey cruises past Beyer, but quarterback Neves injured."