Everything you should know: Stanislaus District football playoffs by the numbers

Quinton Hamilton
·4 min read

The 2023 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Football Championships are here. The postseason kicks off Friday night at 7 p.m. with first round games all across the section. The top four seeds in Divisions I-VI received first-round byes and will host their first postseason contests next week, Nov. 10.

There are a lot of interesting facts about each playoff team around the section, including playoff firsts, continued success and teams looking to end winless streaks.

Here is a look at the postseason by the numbers with information from the section office and Bee research:

1: Stanislaus District playoff team with a first year head coach: Garrett Martin led Oakdale to a 7-3 record and a No. 4 seed in D-III

2: Teams in this year’s postseason seeking their first ever playoff win: Valley Christian and Lathrop.

2: Local No. 1 seeds in this year’s postseason: Escalon is the top seed in Division IV and Ripon Christian is the Division 7A one seed.

2: Defending local state champions return to this year’s playoffs: Escalon and Hughson begin their journeys Nov. 10 after first round byes.

2: The number of times Downey and Tracy have met in the first round of the playoffs before this season: Tracy won both matchups, winning 30-23 in double overtime in 1991 and 27-0 in 1981.

3: League champions are in the Division IV playoff bracket led by TVL champion and No. 1 seed Escalon. No. 2 Vista del Lago (CAL) and No. 4 Placer (FVL) are also in the division.

Escalon running back Joshua Graham (21) breaks free for a touchdown during a game between Escalon High School and Ripon High School in Escalon, California on October 20, 2023.
Escalon running back Joshua Graham (21) breaks free for a touchdown during a game between Escalon High School and Ripon High School in Escalon, California on October 20, 2023.

5: Consecutive seasons with at least one playoff win for Patterson. The Tigers have a first round bye in D-IV.

5: Straight wins for Turlock entering the playoffs. After starting 0-5, the Bulldogs and coach James Peterson will host a first round game.

6: Local teams between Divisions I through VI with first-round byes.

6: The number of interceptions for Christian Gayle (Waterford), Amos Cady (Ripon Christian) and Sam Jimenez (Escalon). They are among the top 10 in the section.

7: Stanislaus District teams play on the opening night of the playoffs.

7: Defending section champions hoping to repeat: Folsom in D-I, Manteca in D-II, Grant in D-III, Vanden in D-IV (now playing in D-III), Escalon in D-V (now playing in D-IV), Hughson in D-VI and Ripon Christian in D-VII.

9: Schools that extended their streak of consecutive playoff appearances. Granite Bay (24), Central Catholic (22), St. Mary’s (21), Oakdale (17), Bradshaw Christian (16), Inderkum (15), Placer (15), Folsom (14) and Manteca (14) all chase blue banners this season.

9: Playoff appearances for Gregori in the school’s history. They all have come in the past nine straight seasons.

Gregori quarterback Conner Bailey hands the ball off to Michael Marsden during the Central California Athletic League game at Gregori High School in Modesto, Calif., Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.
Gregori quarterback Conner Bailey hands the ball off to Michael Marsden during the Central California Athletic League game at Gregori High School in Modesto, Calif., Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.

9: Straight playoff appearances for Turlock, which enters the 2023 postseason 5-5. The Bulldogs host Sheldon. The two sides met in the 2021 playoffs, Sheldon won 36-22.

10: The number of Stanislaus District ranked teams that made the postseason. Every team in our Top 10 advanced to the postseason.

11: Consecutive playoff appearances heading into the 2023 postseason for Downey. The Knights finished second in the CCAL after winning the league in 2021 and 2022.

20: Section championships won by Central Catholic, the most in SJS history. The Raiders seek their first banner in D-I after working its way through the divisions over the years due to the section’s continued success rule

Central Catholic players and head coach Roger Canepa, middle, celebrate the Valley Oak League victory over Manteca at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.
Central Catholic players and head coach Roger Canepa, middle, celebrate the Valley Oak League victory over Manteca at Central Catholic High School in Modesto, Calif., Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

23: The number of miles Gregori has to drive from its campus in Salida to its first round matchup with Edison-Stockton. It is one of the shortest first-round trip in the section.

32: Total touchdowns for Orestimba RB/LB Juan Esquivez. He is second in the section in total touchdowns and total points.

64: The number of teams in this year’s playoffs that also qualified for the playoffs in 2022. All of last year’s section champions return along with six of the seven runners up. There are 84 total teams.

78: Combined playoff games played between Downey (27) and Tracy (51). The Knights travel to Tracy Friday night.

222: The number of champions that have been crowned since the postseason began in 1971.

944: Amount of receiving yards for Downey receiver Ethan Woodmansee. He ranks first among local receivers on playoff teams and second among all local receivers this season. Jeremiah Bernard of Modesto Christian finished with 1,479 yards and 20 touchdowns, first in the SJS in both categories.

Downey receiver Ethan Woodmansee (11) makes a catch deep down the field during a game between Downey and Gregori at Downey High School in Modesto, California on October 27, 2023.
Downey receiver Ethan Woodmansee (11) makes a catch deep down the field during a game between Downey and Gregori at Downey High School in Modesto, California on October 27, 2023.

282: Number of wins by Central Catholic coach Roger Canepa. Canepa, who also coached at Sonora and Calaveras, is tied with legendary former Escalon coach and friend Mark Loureiro for the most coaching wins in Sac-Joaquin Section history.

1994: The last time Ceres won a playoff game. The Bulldogs play Pioneer in the first round of the Division V postseason.

2017: The last time Gregori won a playoff game.

2018: The last time Downey won a playoff game. The Knights beat Grant 57-27.

2018: The last time Gregori and Edison-Stockton met in the playoffs. Edison won the matchup 52-7.

2,271: Total yards by Hughson quarterback Robert McDaniel, first among Stanislaus District players in the playoffs.