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Frosh Spartans top Cougars
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Aaron Worthens of Weston Ranch closes in on Lathrop High’s Giovanni Nunez. - photo by Dave Campbell
LATHROP – It took just one play for Lathrop to get on the board Thursday and the Spartans never trailed in a 21-6 Valley Oak League freshman win over visiting Weston Ranch.

The Spartans’ Gerald Perry returned the opening kickoff to the Cougars 33-yard line where Kevin Rainey (seven carries, 51 yards) took the ball off-tackle on the next play to put Lathrop ahead 7-0. The Spartans added scores on 1-yard plunges by Perry and Aaron Worthens (11 carries, 91 yards).

“We were our own worst enemy in the first half but we found the answers to right the ship in the second,” Lathrop coach Dwayne Davis said. “We couldn’t get out of our own way after our first score.

“It felt like Weston Ranch had the ball the entire second period, but the kids battled and shut them down when we needed a big play.”

Richie Juarez (3 of 4 passing, 58 yards) had a completion to Perry of 28 yards and two to Worthens totaling 30.  

Khalil Browder completed a 16-yard yard pass to Robert Alcazar with 3:13 left in the first half to draw Weston Ranch within 7-6. Jacob Nunes recovered a fumble for the Cougars.  

Johnny Barajas was in on six tackles for Lathrop, Ian Chavez five and Nilo Yuson made an interception.

Manteca 34, Sonora 7
It’s tough to win when you can’t snap the football, and the Wildcats found that out with the tenacious play of Buffaloes nose guard Billy Sharmoug who had 12 tackles and forced 13 bad snaps.

“Sharmoug demolished the Sonora center on every play,” Manteca coach Jon Shaefer said.

Michael Gonzalez continued to chew up ground for the Buffaloes – who remain undefeated in VOL play and handed Sonora its first loss of the year – by grounding out 158 yards on 16 carries with touchdowns from 1 yard and 30 yards out.

Buddy Reeder (8 of 12 passing, 126 yards) threw touchdown passes of 10 yards to Brandon Dabney and 20 yards to Stephen Ruble. One play after he returned an interception to the Wildcats 25-yard line, Elijah Cooper completed the journey with a 25-yard touchdown run.

Fumble recoveries by Matt Wilkerson and Peter Moa led to two Manteca touchdowns.

 “Our team came out and dominated the Wildcats for four full quarters of football and you cannot ask anymore from your team as a coach,” Shaefer said. “I’m sure that was a very long bus ride back to Sonora.”  
 
Sierra 33, Kimball 14
Jake Pruitt threw four touchdowns for the Timberwolves.

Pruitt (12 for 17 passing) had scoring tosses of 39 yards to Garrett DeVillianueva and 4, 8 and 10 yards to Jordan Delgado who also scored the last touchdown of the game on a 7-yard run.

“Pruitt is getting more confidence in staying in the pocket, delivering the ball and reading the defense,” Timberwolves coach Walt Brookshire said. “He is showing more poise and being under control in each game.”

Sierra held the Jaguars scoreless in the second half.

“Our defense led by Reid Maestas is coming together,” Brookshire said. “Keano Calderon had a great defensive game along with Aaron Theil.

“Those three guys were in Kimball back field all night long doing what they needed to do to get the ball back to the offense.”

Oakdale 51 East Union 20
The Mustangs scored twice in the first quarter and coasted to the win.

Andrew Ortiz got the Lancers on the board with an 85-yard interception return in the first period. With 47 seconds left in third quarter following a 20-yard pass from Jake Danhoff to Clay Cuneo, Trevor Huntoon scored a touchdown for East Union from 1 yard out.

Late in the fourth period Danhoff hit Victor Lopez with a 7-yard touchdown pass.