Andrew Shaw came off the edge in the closing seconds of the junior varsity Motherlode Valley Football League Super Bowl to block what would have been the game-winning field goal for the Escalon Jr. Cougars.
The deflection preserved the Ripon Chiefs’ 21-20 lead and their perfect record for the season.
The Ripon defense rose to the occasion when it needed to. After the Chiefs allowed just two touchdowns in the last nine games, the Escalon Wing-T offense found some chinks in the Ripon armor and chewed up most of the fourth quarter on a ground-pounding drive, only for the Chiefs to dig in and force the field-goal attempt that Shaw blocked.
Kael Romero led the Ripon defense with 13 tackles followed by Gilbert Luiz II with 11 stops, Ace Dougherty (nine), Matthew Gaines (seven), Matthew Villanueva (five) and Jude Viss and Shaw (four apiece). Kael Rangel, Gavin Duran II, and Mason Buck (forced fumble, fumble recovery) all contributed to the Chiefs defense.
The offensive line of Lucas Weaver, Luiz II, Landon Winter, Buck, and Nikolai Vitz helped pave the way for the Ripon attack. Shaw (68 yards, four carries) ran for one touchdown and threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Dougherty who also scored on a 14-yard run. Gaines added 68 yards on four carries.
CENTRAL VALLEY YOUTH
Varsity
Manteca Jr. Buffaloes 44, Tracy Buccaneers 14
The Jr. Buffaloes shut out the Tracy Buccaneers in the first half and before rolling to the lopsided win in the conference championship and the Manteca will now square off against its crosstown rival the Manteca Cowboys on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Super Bowl at Tokay High School in Lodi.
Manteca’s Owen Gully completed all three of his passes for touchdowns with scoring throws of 10 and 30 yards to Micah Cardoza and 15 yards to Fernando Villalvazo. Maava Tialavea (14 carries, 145 yards) scored on runs of 13 and 60 yards and Brayden Camara rounded out the scoring with a 56-yard scamper. Carson Sablan added six carries on 32 yards.
Cardoza led the Jr. Buffaloes defense with six tackles followed by Brayden Camara (five stops), Noah Navarro (four) and Santiago Rodriguez (three, fumble recovery).
Manteca Cowboys 38, Lodi Flames 6
Nicco Juarez scored a pair of touchdowns for the Cowboys.
Juarez (eight carries, 58 yards) scored on a 15-yard run and a 26-yard pass from Mehtab Banghu. Bobo Gallegos (10 carries, 73 yards) added a 2-yard scoring plunge and Banghu found Eli Perez with a 2-yard scoring pass.
Eli Perez had the defensive highlight of the day for Manteca with an interception returned for a touchdown. Anthony Valdez led the Cowboys defense with eight tackles, Eli Perez added six stops and Ricky Soria five.
Manteca will face the Manteca Jr. Buffaloes on Saturday in the super bowl at Tokay High in Lodi at 4 p.m.
Junior varsity
Jr. Buffaloes 33, Cowboys 7
Nikko Hisapryor hit Tyler Pettis with 66-yard touchdown on the game’s first play for the Cowboys but after that the game belonged to Maddox Morales of the Jr. Buffaloes.
Morales packed the ball 32 times for 274 yards with touchdown runs of 5, 26, 40 and 64 yards. Alex Espinoza added a 6-yard touchdown run and Leiland Riggelman contributed to the Jr. Buffaloes offense.
Lucas Ruiz led the Jr. Buffaloes offense with seven tackles, Brody Carabello and Erick Cortez added five stops each with Alex Espinoza, Maddox Morales, Madden Melendez, and Jacoby Salinas making three stops each. Kendhal Sweet-Mallory made an interception.
Hisapryor was 2 of 4 passing for 73 yards and tallied 98 yards on 13 carries. Julian Ramirez and Dean Sortonis contributed to the Cowboys offense.
Hisapryor led the Cowboys defense with 13 tackles followed by Alexander Leon (nine tackles), Julian Ramirez (eight), Dean Sortonis (seven), Tyler Pettis, Adrian Sena and Joseph Vigil (six apiece), Adrian Ochoa (five) and D.J. Bass and Elias Lopez (four each).
Rookies
Buccaneers 13, Cowboys 7
Tied 7-7 going into the fourth quarter, Tracy scored a touchdown and Manteca could not answer.
Terrance Montgomery (13 carries, 110 yards) scored the lone Cowboys touchdown on a 74-yard run. Erian Johnson Jr., Giovanni Perry and Jonathan Morales all contributed to the Manteca offense.
Johnson Jr. was in on 15 tackles for the Cowboys, Montgomery 13, Devin Cortinas nine, Jonathan Morales seven and Bryant Lewis four.
Starts
Ceres Bulldogs 40, Manteca Cowboys 0
Max Rios was in on seven tackles for the Cowboys.
Abil George and Mateo Gavino added five stops apiece and Charvelle Moore-Stevens four.
TRANS-VALLEY YOUTH
Ripon Knights 24, Patterson Ravens 22
The Knights scored all of their points in the second quarter with neither team scoring in the second half of the conference championship.
J.P Abrew (three receptions, 104 yards) scored all three of the Ripon touchdowns on a 1-yard run and touchdown receptions of 35 and 58 yards on throws from Mason Tameling (7 of 14 passing, 132 yards, two touchdowns, interception, three conversion kicks). Lushen Sanders ground out 105 yards on 15 carries. Jackson Howell contributed on offense.
The Knights offensive line Matthew Chapman, Eddie Ramirez, Aaron Van Hofwegen, Ray Coronado, Garrett Hicks, Walker Leamer and Johnathan Azevedo dominated the Ravens.
Eddie Ramirez led the Ripon defense with 13 tackles. Abrew (interception) added six stops, J.J. Brawley and Aaron Van Hofwegen five apiece; Chase Bunnell, Matthew Chapman and Dax Beidleman four each and Darren Van Groningen two.
The Knights play in the super bowl at Patterson High School on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Junior Novice
Knights 25, Ceres Seahawks 0
Alex Lora and Hudson Postma scored two touchdowns apiece for Ripon.
Lora scored on runs of 39 and 68 yards and Postma had scoring runs of 39 and 46 yards.
Nikolai Gorbunoff led the Knights with eight tackles followed by Lucas Durao and Luke Sanders with seven apiece, Kolton Avant five and Lora four.
Ripon plays in the Super Bowl at Patterson High School on Saturday morning at 9.
DELTA YOUTH FOOTBALL
Varsity
Tracy Rampage 34, Manteca Charges 0
Logan Pool, Tony Garza and Xavier Torres led the Chargers offense.
Hezekiah Griffin, Alijah Hawkins and Jacob pairs paced the Manteca defense.
Junior varsity
Chargers 31, Dublin Fighting Irish 24
Darien East scored two touchdowns for Manteca.
Roman DuVernay, Isaiah Herrera and Dominic Roa all scored a touchdown apiece for the Chargers and Isaiah Herrera recovered a fumble on a kickoff.
Nicholas Holt, Ryan Finley and Isaiah Middleton led the defense for Manteca.
Novice
Tracy Raiders 7, Chargers 6
Arieon Shortrage scored Manteca’s touchdown.
Zackery Behrbaum contributed to the Chargers offense.
Royce Robinson and Isaac Estrada both had an interception for Manteca and Junior Evens made three sacks.
Behrbaum and Isaac Estrada led the Chargers defense.
Junior novice
Chargers 12 Raiders 6
Jayden Shortrange scored two touchdowns for Manteca.
Jeremiah Valdes and Jharon Jackson paced the Chargers offense.
The Manteca defense was led by led by Valdes, Shortrage and Eli Ruiz.
