Now that the season is nearly halfway over (can you believe that?), teams are starting to begin league play. These next few weeks will be crucial in determining a team’s postseason future. So, let’s start with the teams that began league play this week, and then examine how the rest finished up.
Livingston 24, Ceres 21: The Wolfpack finally got into the win column and are now 1-3. This win not only gets them off the schneid, but it’s also their first league win of the season. The wolves kicked off league play in the right way, literally, by winning on a last second field goal. Next week, they come back home. It’s Homecoming Week against 2-2 Beyer.
Denair 36, Stone Ridge 21: This may be the biggest surprise of the week for Merced County. Stone Ridge has been hot since the season started, averaging over 30 points a game. They had a bye week coming into week 5, which generally means a team is well-rested and prepared. However, Denair really took it to Stone Ridge and now boast a strong 4-1 record after a decisive victory. The Coyotes took the lead in the first quarter and never gave it back. Stone Ridge will look to rebound next week when they host 1-4 Delhi.
Lathrop 26, Pacheco 13: The Panthers dropped their league opener to Lathrop. Pacheco was competitive, but Lathrop’s strong rushing offense proved too much in the end. Pacheco is now 0-4, but in week 6 they will travel to Ceres to battle 1-3 Central Valley High. This should be an interesting league matchup.
Mariposa County 22, Gustine 16: This kind of game is what league play is all about: Two evenly matched teams, familiar with each other, going toe to toe for 4 quarters. This game could’ve gone either way. Mariposa ended up scoring late to secure the win, but this tough loss showed that Gustine is going to be competitive in the Southern Athletic League this season.
Le Grand 20, Delhi 7: Le Grand is starting to heat up after two strong victories against Orestimba and Delhi. Le Grand gained an early lead against the Hawks with the opening kickoff returned for a touchdown by #21 Blake Lua. Another touchdown run by #20 Thomas Benting and a touchdown reception by #4 Andres Aguilar gave the Bulldogs all they needed to ground the Hawks.
Hilmar 35, Ripon Christian 21: There are some tough leagues in Merced County, but is there a league tougher than the TVL? Ripon Christian has been excellent this year, defeating strong schools like Calaveras and Summerville. However, when they arrived in Hilmar, the Yellowjackets gave them all they could handle. The Hilmar offense has been extremely impressive all season. They’ve scored over 30 points in 4 out of 5 games and are now 4-1. Next week, they go to Escalon in what is sure to be another great TVL showdown.
Orestimba 41, Freedom 37: The fireworks on display at Orestimba weren’t just during the Homecoming halftime show, the offense provided plenty of pop as well as they scored 41 points against the Freedom Falcons from Oakley. Orestimba’s final nonleague game showcased dynamic plays from both offense and special teams. They will look to keep the momentum going in week 6 when they host powerhouse Sonora to begin league play.
Kerman 42, Dos Palos 9: Dos Palos lost in convincing fashion at home against Kerman. The Broncos have some good athletes, but they appeared to be outmatched in all phases of the game in week 5. Dos Palos has now lost three in a row and will head into a bye week before beginning league play against Avenal.
El Capitan 23, Waterford 20: Apparently, El Capitan plays their best football when playing from behind. They have fallen behind in the 1st quarter in every game they’ve played this season. Yet, they are 3-1 after another second half shutout by their defense. Waterford, on the other hand, only kicked onside kicks and converted just three out of nine of their 4th down attempts, resulting in field position for El Capitan that was just good enough to win.
Merced 43, Madera 34: If there’s one team in Merced County that can match the impressive start in Hilmar, it’s Merced High. Explosive playmakers like quarterback Vicente Cortez and wide receiver Hayden Czirban routinely light up the scoreboard. This game, they connected for two touchdowns. They were also joined by another hungry bear, running back Dougie Andrews, who added two touchdowns of his own as the Bears held off a strong Madera squad and improved to 4-0.
Kimball 41, Golden Valley 19: Golden Valley fell to 0-5 after losing on the road to Kimball High. They continue to struggle to play 4 quarters of consistent football. They have now lost every game this year by two scores or more. The one positive for them may be that they now have a bye week, a chance to hit reset, before beginning league play in two weeks against Merced for the Mayor’s Cup.
Atwater 29, Pitman 26: Atwater escaped a close game against a fierce Pitman opponent. The Falcons have played a series of extremely difficult teams to begin the season, and Pitman was no exception. The Falcons needed another clutch performance from their offense and a last minute touchdown drive to pull this one out. A touchdown pass from #1 Ali Banks to #3 Charlie Whitby sealed the game for the Falcons. They head to a bye week in week 6 before going to Dave Honey Stadium for another Bloss Bowl classic.
Lodi 20, Buhach 14: Buhach has emerged as a bit of a Merced County darling after winning two in a row. However, in week 5 they gave Lodi everything they had and ended up just a bit short. The last three games have been very impressive for Buhach. They appear to be learning how to play competitive football for 4 quarters. They head to a bye week in week 6 before putting their new grit to the test against the soaring Atwater Falcons.
Los Banos 37, Gregori 7: After starting the season 1-3, The Tigers were looking for consistency on both sides of the ball. They got it in week 5 when they traveled to Modesto to take on Gregori. The Tiger’s were able to take a first half lead and never let up. Not only did the offense score big, but the defense also played their best ball of the season, holding Gregori to a season-low 7 points.
League play continues next week for the Southern Athletic League, Western Athletic Conference, and West Sierra League. Those looking for CCC action will have to wait until October.
