LODI — Nikko Juarez was a jack-of-all-trades for the Manteca Cowboys on Saturday, as he ran for a score, threw for another and caught a third as his team dominated cross-town rival Manteca Jr. Buffaloes with a 28-8 win in the varsity NorCal Youth Football and Cheer Super Bowl at Tokay High School.
The Cowboys capped an undefeated season in which they only gave up 55 points.
Juarez (14 carries, 86 yards) hit Eli Perez with a 27-yard touchdown pass, ran for a 15-yard score and pulled in an 18-yard scoring pass from Mehtab Banghu. Gabriel Lopez added the other score on a 20-yard pass from Banghu. Bobo Gallegos totaled 65 yards on 12 carries.
Juarez led the Cowboys defense as well with six tackles and an interception. Gallegos, Ricky Soria and Eli Perez added four tackles apiece and Jose Rios forced and recovered a fumble.
Maava Tialavea (six carries, 42 yards) got the Jr. Buffaloes on the board with an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter. Carson Sablan and Micah Cardoza also contributed on offense for the Jr. Buffaloes.
Cardoza made nine tackles with Tialavea and Brayden Camara adding five stops apiece for the Jr. Buffaloes.
Junior varsity
Jr. Buffaloes 24, Tracy Buccaneers 13
The previously undefeated powerhouse Buccaneers had scored no less than 31 points in a game coming into Saturday’s showdown when Manteca clipped their wings.
Lucas Ruiz led the ferocious Jr. Buffaloes defense with five tackles. Joey Aucello and Brody Carabello added four stops apiece with three each for Alex Espinoza, Maddox Morales, Erick Cortez, Adriel Cooks, Kendhal Sweet-Mallory and Madden Melendez.
Morales was the workhorse for Manteca with 193 yards on 33 carries with scoring runs of 3, 6 and 17 yards.
Carabello (103 yards passing) hit Melendez (two catches, 63 yards) with a 43-yard touchdown pass to and Jacoby Salinas had a 33-yard reception.
Fullbacks Erick Cortez and Alex Espinoza complimented the punishing offensive line of Cage Woodall, Tino Torres, Brennan McMichael, Brixton Ortiz and Liam Ellis in dominating a Tracy defense that had given up only 12 points coming into the game.
DYFL
Junior varsity
Tracy Rampage 26, Manteca Chargers 6
Isaiah Middleton scored a touchdown for the Chargers in the Delta Youth Football League playoffs.
Nicolas Holt (fumble recovery), Dominic Roa, Isaiah Herrera and Darien East paced the Manteca defense.
Junior Novice
Rampage 34, Chargers 12
Jayden Shortridge scored a pair of long-range touchdowns for Manteca.
Shortridge scored on runs of 65 and 70 yards as well as leading the defense with nine tackles. Jeremiah Valdez recovered a fumble for the Chargers.
