District football teams have dress rehearsal for opening night

The 2016 high school football season officially gets under way in six days.

Unofficially, however, the season got started Saturday when dozens of teams participated in scrimmages around the Stanislaus District and beyond.

Modesto Bee reporters James Burns and Joe Cortez, and photographer John Westberg, along with Merced Sun-Star reporters Shawn Jansen and Sean Lynch, and photographer Andrew Kuhn, combined to drive nearly 400 miles to attend a dozen different scrimmages involving more than 30 district squads.

Here’s is a chronological account of their day.

8:48: With an hour to kill before he’s due at Pitman High, Cortez gets antsy and heads to Ceres to watch six-team scrimmage featuring Ceres, Central Valley, Enochs, Modesto, Hughson and West.

8:55 a.m.: Burns arrives at Ceres High for the start of the six-team jamboree. He can sense the electricity in the air. Football season has arrived, but what’s with this walk? To be a Bulldog fan is a serious investment — and test of your fitness. It’s a looong journey from parking lot to the stadium gates.

8:58: Scrimmages start two minutes early. On the west end of the stadium, Ceres quarterback Chris Lubinsky tosses a long TD pass on his first play of the day and then celebrates like he just won the Super Bowl. But don’t misunderstand. It’s not cocky. Lubinsky plays the game with a joy with which all kids should play. It’s neat to see.

9:06: Burns sees Cortez, with his nose buried in his phone seemingly wandering aimlessly between the Ceres-Enochs and Modesto-Hughson scrimmages. He’s not catching Pokemon, folks, but doing his best to capture the action on video.

9:07: Enochs lost two key members of its backfield to transfers, but the Eagles still have some versatility and explosiveness at the quarterback and running back positions. Junior Chris Butterfield lines up behind center and keeps it twice, carving out yards around the left and right edge. Ceres isn’t fooled — “They can’t throw,” one player barks — but still can’t contain Butterfield. Butterfield was the Modesto Metro Conference’s top defensive outfielder in the spring and continues to thrive in the gaps, racing into space for long gains.

Head coach James Stacy has penciled Travis Graham in as the starter, but Butterfield — a mixture of speed and power — gives the Eagles another look.

9:12: Modesto has had a nice run of quarterbacks in recent years (Tiki Tonga in 2013, Nate Phillips two years ago and Max McCabe last season). Norvale Howard looks like he’ll be another good one He makes few impressive roll-out throws against Hughson.

9:15: Ceres scores touchdowns on two of its first three plays, doing what it does best: Slinging the ball around the field. Marcellus Boykins takes a “rapid fire” pass in the flat and is pushed down around the 2. Running back Andrew Gibson scores. On the very next play, the first of the ensuing possession, Chris “The Big” Lubinsky finds tight end Conner Johnson for a 35-yard touchdown pass.

The Bulldogs should score a ton of points this fall, but will they be able to slow anyone down?

9:23: Burns crosses two meet-and-greets off his to-do list. Central Valley coach Scott Edwards tells Burns the Hawks are progressing well toward their season-opener at Atwater and will run the ball with confidence, despite graduating two 1,000-yard rushers.

Hughson coach Vince Brown, a baby-faced former Husky, says he won’t stray too far from the program’s traditional run game in his first season. “Every time I’ve been a part of the program, it’s worked,” said Brown, who served as the offensive coordinator to legendary coach Reyn Franca last fall.

Franca remains “in his ear,” Brown said. “It’s nice having that support.”

9:28: Graham is listed on the roster at 6-2, 210, but he looks much bigger than that. The guy is a mountain; easily the thickest quarterback in the district. Cortez asks Eagles coach James Stacy, “Are you sure you don’t want to put him on the O-line?” Stacy replies with a grin, “We’ve thought about it.”

9:34: After getting chewed out twice for letting punts hit the ground instead of fair catching them, Stone Ridge Christian’s Cole Howeling leaves no doubt, catching the next on the run and returning it 60 yards for a score. Lynch believes Howeling could be the next Knight two-way star.

9:38: Jonathan Barragan is Central Valley’s leading returning rusher and he looks like a monster. Literally. His mouthpiece is painted with fangs and he growls at a Hughson defender after diving into the end zone. With a healthy running game and eight starters back on defense, could the Hawks be a darkhorse in the Western Athletic Conference?

9:40: After the first two Turlock Christian kickoffs fail to reach him, Jonathan Collazo moved up almost 20 yards to field one at the 24. He spotted a lane to his left and showed his breakaway speed as he returned the ball 76 yards untouched for a score. Now handling the SRC kicking and punting duties as well, the senior may never leave the field in 2016.

9:46: Cortez arrives at Pitman High for the 10 a.m. scrimmage. But by the sound of the whistles coming from the football field, he deducts that the scrimmage against Gregori has begun. Instead of strolling to the football field, he breaks into a sprint.

9:47: Cortez aborts his sprint and considers calling for medical attention.

10:00: Burns arrives at Central Catholic and makes his rounds before heading out to the field. He sticks his head through the window at the snack bar and gives a shout-out to Ruben Martinez and one of the best crews in all the Stanislaus District. Then it’s a quick check of the BBQ pit — linguica and enough hot dogs to feed an army — and it’s off to the field.

10:05: Burns bumps into Rich Cometta, Buhach Colony’s new athletic director. The two reminisce about the rainy round of golf they shared back at the 2010 Sac-Joaquin Section Division I South Tournament at Brookside Country Club in Stockton. Cometta was the Thunder golf coach at the time and Burns a reporter with the Merced Sun-Star. Cometta is still adjusting to his new administrative role. When asked if he’s still coaching golf, Cometta removes his glasses and replies, “No time.”

Yep, sounds like an AD.

10:06: It doesn’t take long to realize that Pitman and Gregori are going to be playoff teams. Downey is the overwhelming favorite to win a fifth consecutive Modesto Metro Conference title, but Gregori will have a say in that race. Turlock and Merced are the choices in the Central California Conference but you can throw Pitman into that mix, too.

10:11: In a matchup of Division I prospects, Buhach Colony defensive back Lavon Wallace presses up on Central Catholic wide receiver DaRon Bland during their scrimmage at David Patton Field. Bland is one of the top players in the Class of 2017 in Northern California, as rated by Tom Lemming, while Wallace already has an offer from Fresno State.

10:15: Jansen arrives at Veterans Stadium to check out the Merced Clovis East scrimmage. The first person he sees on the Merced sideline is former Merced star running back Wendell Mathis, who spent a couple years on the practice squad for the Minnesota Vikings. Mathis was a Merced High Hall of Fame inductee this past spring.

10:17: Burns scans the varsity end of the field at David Patton Stadium and makes a few mental notes: Calaveras running back Noah Preuss, one of the few players Burns had hopes to scout, is in street clothes; Central Catholic linebacker Montell Bland isn’t ready for live action after injuring his foot over the summer; and Kyle Byrd takes over for big brother Dylan as Calaveras quarterback.

10:26: Wallace certainly passes the eye test. The junior is 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds and moves about the field like an athlete — fast, fluid and full of confidence. His tights read “#D1Bound.” He isn’t just flash, though. Wallace demonstrated great body control and hands while winning a jump ball near the goal line against Calaveras. The grab was so nice, in fact, that not one BUT TWO teammates felt compelled to find him for a ceremonial butt slap. Now, that’s love.

10:27: Calaveras’ defense can sense momentum shifting toward the Buhach Colony offense, under the direction of quarterback Andrew Morris. “If you don’t want to put in the work here, get off the field!” Those orders came from a Calaveras linebacker right after Wallace’s leaping grab.

10:34: Pitman and Gregori scrimmage is getting intense. A few dust-ups among the players – nothing big, just pushing and shoving – indicate that these teams are more than ready for the season opener on Aug. 26.

10:44: Before Jansen can turn his iPhone on to shoot video, Merced running back Ulonzo Gilliam springs free for an incredible 86-yard touchdown run against Clovis East. Gilliam took the handoff, started left, cutback and raced around the corner where he ran out of a tackle. He kept his balance by placing a hand on the turf and then sprinted up the sideline for the touchdown.

10:50: In Newman, Gustine quarterback Trever Flores pulls one back on the read-option and breaks a 20-yard run down the right sideline. The senior showed some nice feet on the morning, proving Redskin opponents will have to defend a dual threat.

11:10: Orestimba running back Tymon Bolden – brother of former Merced star Bernard – shows off the family athleticism, keeping his feet on an inside hand-off after a hit at the line of scrimmage, then accelerating for a 20-yard gain and a first-and-goal against Pacheco. Sometimes a lack of size pays off in the form of a low center of gravity.

11:12: Orestimba quarterback Josh Barron is flushed from the pocket by the Pacheco pass rush. The senior showed some fancy footwork just to keep the play alive, before finally being forced out of bounds. Barron proved elusive Saturday morning, but probably had to do so far too much for his coach Aaron Souza’s liking.

11:14: One question coming into this season was who would emerge as throwing targets for Merced quarterback Jake Foss. Senior Tanner Pellissier broke free for a 32-yard touchdown catch. Pellissier easily had more than 100 yards receiving on three catches in the first half against Clovis East.

11:25: Aric Barton and Carl Schofield hint at some Pacheco magic as the pair hook up for a nice fade pass into the corner of the end zone. Schofield showed the athleticism the Panthers are excited about, outleaping the Lathrop defensive back for the ball. The Pacheco run game is formidable enough. If it can pass like that, too, look out.

11:28: Cortez arrives at Modesto Christian, where the Crusaders are entertaining Davis, Mariposa and Chowchilla high schools.

11:50: Jansen arrives in Le Grand to catch the Bulldogs scrimmage Dos Palos and El Capitan. First thing the Le Grand coaching staff says is, “You didn’t say you were going to Starbucks,” when they see the iced tea in Jansen’s hand.

12:19 p.m.: El Capitan quarterback Chase Whitaker may have one of the strongest arms in this area. Whitaker showed it off by launching a 60-yard pass in the air down the sideline, hitting receiver Elijah Reid in perfect stride during their scrimmage in Le Grand.

12:25: Sophomore Kevin Reid got some reps at quarterback with the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Whitaker moving out to tight end at times. It could be an interesting goal-line look for the Gauchos this season.

12:35: Expect this pass-catch combination often this season for Le Grand. Quarterback Beto Marquez finds receiver Rigoberto Mares in the front corner of the end zone for a touchdown pass during goal-line plays against Dos Palos.

6:32: Cortez arrives at Waterford High School, where the Wildcats are hosting Johansen. The Vikings have had it rough in recent years, winning just twice in their last 42 games dating back to 2011. But first-year head coach Scott Sacuskie has the Vikes moving at a crisp pace and flying around the field. Maybe there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

6:46: There’s a Hughson connection at Waterford: Athletic director Josh Whitfield and head coach Lonnie Statzer both are former Huskies. Statzer played on Hughson’s 1997 Sac-Joaquin Section title team and Whitfield was a ball boy for the squad.

6:58: Cortez leaves for Los Banos, foolishly believing he can make it to the Westside in time to see any significant portion of the Tigers’ scrimmage against Hilmar.

7:15: Jansen walks into the stadium at Livingston High. Easily the closest atmosphere to a Friday night game with a decent crowd, cheerleaders, snack bar and a full officiating crew. Most of the morning scrimmages had skeleton crews.

7:18: The white hat for the Livingston-Atwater scrimmage was former Downey football coach Frank Bispo, whose daughter Karlee swam in the Olympic trials in Omaha last month.

7:22: Low-fuel light comes on in Cortez’s car; a pit stop puts him further behind.

8:01: It was tough going for the Falcons against Livingston. Four turnovers in the first three quarters didn’t help. The lone bright spot on offense was a 60-yard run by speedster Alex Garcia, who moved the ball inside the 10-yard line. However, Atwater was unable to punch it in.

8:16: Cortez enters Loftin Stadium as fans are walking out. Not a good sign. He does conduct interviews with Hilmar’s Frank Marques and Los Banos’ Dustin Caropreso. The general consensus: Hilmar is going to be good. Los Banos is big, but young and needs the maturity that can only come from game experience.

This story was originally published August 21, 2016 at 7:42 AM with the headline "District football teams have dress rehearsal for opening night."