Prep football roundup: Hughson, Ceres, Patterson bounce back with Week 8 wins
Hughson, Ceres and Patterson were three Stanislaus District football teams to earn Week 8 wins after dropping a game in their respective leagues last weekend.
After losing to Escalon, Hughson shut out Livingston to get back on track in the Trans Valley League. Ceres secured its second Western Athletic Conference win Friday night, beating Pacheco in shutout fashion in a well-balanced offensive attack. Patterson was blown out by Merced in what could have determined the Central California Conference champion but returned this week with a big win over Atwater.
Central Catholic, and Oakdale picked up big wins in the Valley Oak League while Downey and Turlock picked up Central California Athletic League wins. All four teams are 2-0 in their leagues and face big tests as the regular season quickly comes to an end.
In total, more than 10 local teams earned league wins this weekend. Here’s a look at how the games played out.
Central Catholic 40, Kimball 12: The Raiders gave up just one passing and one rushing touchdown as they advanced to 2-0 in Valley Oak League play. Sophomore Carter Meeks rushed for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Joey Alcutt added a pair of scores on the ground and Brooklyn Cheek scored on one of his two carries. Trace Hernandez had the team’s lone receiving touchdown. They face a pair of challenges in their next two league games, playing Oakdale and Manteca, respectively.
Hughson 41, Livingston 0: The Huskies’ defense was dominant against Livingston, recovering three fumbles, blocking a punt and holding the Wolves scoreless for the first time this season. Offensively, they started strong, scoring 35 first half points. Quarterback Robert McDaniel threw three touchdown passes in the game. Alexander Villarreal had a rushing and a receiving touchdown. Hughson hosts Modesto Christian next week.
Escalon 55, Modesto Christian 14: Escalon scored on a passing touchdown, a pick-six and a rushing touchdown to take a quick 21-0 first quarter lead. By the end of the third quarter, the Cougars were ahead 49-14. Escalon puts its unbeaten TVL record on the line against defending league champion Hilmar next week
Oakdale 62, East Union 26: The Mustangs had their best offensive game this season against VOL opponent East Union at home. Wes Burford opened the game with three straight rushing touchdowns to break the game open early. By the time East Union found the end zone for the first time, Oakdale had already scored 41 points.
Ceres 34, Pacheco 0: In a balanced offensive game, Ceres produced 176 passing and 159 rushing yards in a shutout win. Donovan Osuna found Reis Smith and Manuel Mendoza for passing touchdowns and Isaac Vizcarra and Ernie Miranda scored on the ground to earn Ceres its second WAC win this season.
Golden Valley 23, Central Valley 14: After a 7-7 halftime tie, Amir Drakeford scored on a six-yard run to give the Hawks a one touchdown lead. Golden Valley went on to score 16 unanswered points to win the game and snap Central Valley’s four-game win streak.
Turlock 58, Pitman 0: Turlock won its 10th straight Harvest Bowl Friday night, beating crosstown rival Pitman. Vincent Gonzalez threw for three touchdowns on just 6 of 9 passing. Jr. Silva, Caesar Perez and Tarell Johnson each scored rushing touchdowns. Hunter Kincaid returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldogs face Downey in a key league game next week.
Mountain House 24, Beyer 0: Beyer was unable to get on the board for the second time in its first four league games. The Patriots have scored just 14 points against WAC opponents this season. Their search for a win in 2023 continues next week against Davis.
Big Valley Christian 35, Millennium 0: The Lions snapped their five-game losing streak to earn their second win this season Friday night against league opponent Millennuim. Big Valley Christian scored 21 first half points and added 14 in the third quarter to seal the win.
Downey 59, Modesto 0: Carson Lamb threw touchdown passes to six different receivers as Downey won its second CCAL game this season. He did not throw an interception and rushed for a score. Ethan Woodmansee continued to have a great season, catching four passes for a team high 119 yards and a touchdown. Downey’s defense forced a safety and recorded five total tackles for loss. The Knights play Turlock Oct. 13 in a game that will likely determine the league championship.
Patterson 49, Atwater 15: Patterson bounced back from its Week 7 loss to Merced with a big home win over Atwater. The Tigers held a 22-7 lead in the second quarter and continued to roll in the second half en route to their sixth win. They play Central Valley at Ceres High on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Ripon Christian 56, Le Grand 14: The Knights continued to roll against Southern Athletic League opponents, maintaining their perfect league record with Friday night’s win. They went ahead 42-14 at halftime and did not allow a second half point. Ripon Christian has now won six straight games and plays Mariposa County next week. The Knights are one of two SL teams without a league loss. They play 4-0 Gustine Oct. 20 in a game that will likely determine the league champion.
Orestimba 42, Delhi 14: The Warriors won their second straight game, beating 1-5 Delhi in a SL matchup. Orestimba moves to 3-1 in league play and travels to Waterford next week before hosting its final two regular season contests.
Hilmar 35, Ripon 0: Caden Bailey scored the Yellowjackets first two rushing touchdowns and Logan Cardoso added another to give Hilmar a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Hilmar takes on a pair of defending state champions in its next two key TVL games, playing Escalon Oct. 13 and Hughson Oct. 20.
