Downey knows exactly what it’s up against in Grant

It’s OK to mention the “G-word” in front of the Downey High football team.

Really, it is. Go ahead and say it: Grant.

The Knights know exactly who they’re playing tonight in the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs.

And they know exactly what’s expected to happen once the game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Grant High School in Sacramento.

Junior running back DeShawn Collins, who has rushed 2,033 yards this season, is expected to run wild behind an offensive line with an average height and weight of 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds. And the Pacers’ defense, which sacked Patterson quarterback Damien Paulo 11 times last week, is expected to make mincemeat of Downey signal caller P.J. Wilson.

“Intimidation is their No. 1 thing,” Wilson said. “There’s their crowd, their size, how fast they are; but that’s old news.”

The Knights (10-1) are familiar with the Pacers (11-0) after watching film of the state’s ninth-ranked team. More than that, Downey remembers all too well the licking it took from Grant last season – a 52-14 loss in the first round of the playoffs. But the Knights also know that Patterson was within one score – 21-15 – in the third quarter before falling 42-23.

“They’re 11-0 and you have to respect that,” Wilson said. “But that Patterson score tells me they’re vulnerable.”

Downey coach Jeremy Plaa has spent the week telling his team they’ve got a shot.

“If we’re precise with our passing game, and if our passing game can set up our running game, then we can have some success,” Plaa said. “We see this as an opportunity that only comes along once a year, so you better take advantage of it.”

Escalon (8-3) at Central Catholic (8-3) – Two of the most successful programs in the history of the Stanislaus District square off in a Division IV matchup at David Patton Field. The Cougars and Raiders have combined for 33 title-game appearances and 25 blue banners.

Los Banos (9-2) at Sonora (10-1) – For the second time in his three seasons as the Tigers’ coach, Dustin Caropreso has his team in the Division IV semifinals. Caropreso’s first trip came in 2012, when Los Banos was tripped up 42-35 by Escalon in four overtimes. Sonora is in the semifinal round for the first time since 2009, when it lost a 15-14 heartbreaker to Placer.

Monterey Trail (7-4) vs. Merced (9-2) at Golden Valley High School – The fourth-seeded Bears are one win from a colossal D-I matchup against top-seeded Folsom, led by quarterback Jake Browning, who has committed to Washington. Browning passed for eight touchdowns in a first-round win last week, giving him 202 for his career.

Vista del Lago (8-3) at Oakdale (10-1) – Oakdale fans might remember that Vista del Lago was the team that came out to midfield before a 2011 D-III playoff game and did a little number on the Mustangs’ midfield logo. Oakdale made the Eagles pay, beating them 49-7 en route to the section title game.

Sacramento (9-2) at Manteca (9-2) – These two teams met in last year’s D-III title game, with the Buffaloes stampeding their way to a 49-6 win over the Dragons, who shut out five of their seven Metro League opponents this year and blanked Christian Brothers 40-0 last week.

Rio Linda (9-2) at Sierra (10-1) – The Timberwolves must find a way to stop Knights running back Marcel Brown, who rushed for 349 yards and five touchdowns on 19 carries in a 61-52 first-round win over Placer. Sierra’s Mark Paule is coming off a 220-yard, four-TD effort in a 69-37 thumping of Rosemont.

Hughson (8-3) at Bear River (9-2) – The Huskies and Bruins have one common opponent – Escalon. Bear River beat the Cougars 14-7 in Grass Valley on Sept. 26. Escalon, in turn, beat the Huskies in Hughson 35-20 on Oct. 20. But Hughson looks to be on a roll after a regular-season closing win over Ripon and a 41-0 shellacking of four-time defending champ Le Grand in the D-V opener last week.

Mariposa (8-3) at Colfax (7-4) – The Grizzlies slipped past Amador 14-7 last week in its D-V opener, while Colfax beat Summerville 42-35. Summerville beat Mariposa 47-41 on Sept. 5. The Grizzlies’ Jadin Battles is sixth in the state with 86 receptions for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns. Running Kama’re Bailey has rushed for 1,198 yards and 16 TDs.

Bradshaw Christian (8-3) at Modesto Christian (10-1) – The Crusaders face a battle-tested foe in the Pride, which has won four section titles in the past six years, including last year’s over Ripon Christian. The Crusaders are coming off a 76-41 win over Rio Vista.

Ripon Christian (9-2) at Capital Christian (11-0) – The Knights are in the Division VI semifinals for a fourth consecutive season. Last year, they reached their first final, where they were defeated 35-28 by Bradshaw Christian.

Stone Ridge Christian (9-2) at Delta (6-4) – The Knights hit the road in search of their first trip to the Division VII championship game. It seems a good bet they’ll get there since they beat Delta 49-0 on Sept. 12 in Merced.

This story was originally published November 20, 2014 at 10:28 PM with the headline "Downey knows exactly what it’s up against in Grant."