Davis kicks off Week 7 with a Thursday night league game against Livingston, one of the newest WAC schools, at Downey High. The Spartans enter the contest looking for a bounceback game after being held scoreless against Lathrop in Week 6, despite getting to the red zone three times. They went into the game 2-3 overall and 1-1 in league.
A TVL rivalry between two of the league’s most successful teams in recent years heats up when Escalon visits Hughson on Friday night. The Huskies put their unbeaten record on the line against a battle tested Cougars team that has been dealt its share of injuries, but continues to fight. Oakdale, The Bee’s No. 5 team, and its high-scoring offense take on East Union, a team coming off a near comeback in Week 6 against one of the VOL’s projected top three finishers.
Ceres also tries its hand against Lathrop, which has won its first two WAC games to start the year, and Waterford takes on a balanced Stone Ridge Christian offensive attack Friday night.
No. 7 Escalon (2-3, 1-1 TVL) at No. 6 Hughson (5-0, 2-0 TVL), 7 p.m.
The Escalon-Hughson game has been a rivalry for years. It only got more intense when both started winning titles. Escalon is a four-time defending section champion and won state titles in 2019 and 2022, while Hughson is defending back-to-back section titles and also won a 2022 state title. Hughson has all of the experience with a trio of players with three-year varsity experience. This year’s senior leaders, including quarterback Robert McDaniel, receiver/defensive back Malakai Sumter and defensive end/tight end Max Mankins, have played major roles on the field for three seasons. They are 1-1 against Escalon. They know the importance of the week and coach Shaun King said they have done a good job bringing along the team’s newcomers. Escalon’s team is full of newcomers playing alongside captain leaders Ryan Lewis, a tight end/defensive lineman, and Ryan Murphy, the team’s steady lineman. A week of practice did junior Donovan Martinez some good as he threw for four touchdowns in a big win over Hilmar. Along with Martinez, Jeremy Grivette saw an increased role, recording his first 100-yard-plus rushing game last week. Hughson won 29-14 in 2022 and Escalon won 21-14 last season. Expect more fireworks and packed bleachers again this year.
Ceres (3-2, 1-1 WAC) at Lathrop (4-1, 2-0 WAC), 7 p.m.
Lathrop has scored over 25 points in back-to-back WAC contests and Ceres is coming off one of its best defensive performances this season. Both sides clash Friday night in their third league contest of 2024. Daniel Davis came away with a pair of timely interceptions and also had a receiving touchdown in a 25-20 win over Johansen. Ceres coach Brett Johnson told The Bee postgame that the win over Johansen gave them good momentum. He knows Lathrop will be a test. On offense, the Bulldogs had 227 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns. Lathrop’s defense to start league play has been impressive, allowing just 18 points over two games. Last week, it shut out Davis, stopping it three times in the red zone. Lathrop is unbeaten against the Bulldogs since 2018, posting a 5-0 record. According to MaxPreps, all of Lathrop’s offensive touchdowns have come on the ground as the Spartans have three running backs with over 100 yards and four players with at least one rushing touchdown. The Bulldogs will have to stop Pablo Pena (336 rushing yards, 3 TDs), Andre Muqhar (287 yards, 4 TDs), Chris Ramos (149 yards, 1 TD) and Sean Teu (62 yards, 2 TDs) if they want to earn their second WAC win.
No. 5 Oakdale (4-1, 1-0 VOL) at East Union (4-1, 0-2 VOL), 7 p.m.
The Mustangs are coming off a bye, which gave their leading rusher, Wes Burford, some much needed rest after collecting 972 yards and 11 touchdowns on 100 carries in five games. The junior is averaging 194 rush yards a game and is eighth in California in rushing yards. He and Chase Lopez have kept Oakdale’s offense prolific through the first part of its schedule. After the bye, it’s all about keeping that momentum going. They’re on a four-game winning streak and scored 55 points in their last two contests. Their high-powered offense goes against an East Union team that played one of the best offensive halves of its season last week against Patterson. The Lancers scored 22 fourth-quarter points led by quarterback Anthony Morales, who had his hand in three touchdowns and two conversions. Despite its 0-2 league record, East Union could look to build off the momentum it gained in the fourth quarter against one of the top teams in the league.
Stone Ridge Christian (4-1, 2-0 SL) at Waterford (3-2, 1-0 SL), 7:15 p.m.
Waterford and Stone Ridge are facing another tough test early in Southern League play Friday night. Both teams are coming off character-building wins last week. Wildcats sophomore quarterback Bryan Martinez tossed four touchdown passes and junior running back Alex Wolfe rushed for 137 yards in a double-digit win over Le Grand. The Wildcats are looking to return to the top of the league. After finishing 10-2 overall and 6-1 in SL play, they finished under .500 the past two seasons. A win for the Wildcats over one of the Merced area’s small-school powers new to the league could go a long way on paper and in terms of team morale. Stone Ridge joined the Southern League this season after consistently vying for CCAA titles for the past decade. So far in the southern League, they remain a title contender, with a balanced offensive attack that features a quarterback with 669 passing yards and six touchdowns and four backs who each have over 120 rushing yards. They’re a battle-tested outfit that lost its season opener to Calaveras but since then put together four straight wins with solid defensive performances. Through two SL games, the Knights average just six points allowed.
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