Cole Williams may be going into his first season as head coach, but he’s been around long enough at Ripon to know when there’s a special group of players in front of him.

A talented junior class that went undefeated at the lower levels the past two years has joined forces with a small but battle-hardened band of seniors hungry to restore the program to its former glory.

“It has been pretty exciting to see them mesh and meld together,” Williams said. “I’ve done this thing for 16 years now, and you always have that concern of senior class versus junior class. Juniors step up into leadership roles or are threatening for playing time, so there is that built-in animosity.

“We have not had to deal with that at all. They’ve jelled as a team.

“There are a lot of good fits right now. The juniors are coming in at the skill positions and at the line meshing quickly with the seniors. This is one of the more productive summers I can remember us having.”

Senior linemen Tipeti Paini and Walker Leamer are unquestioned leaders as third-year varsity players. Paini is the reigning Outstanding Offensive Lineman in the Trans Valley League, and an all-league first-team defensive player. All-league second-team selection Leamer and fellow senior Wyatt Swift are 6-foot-3, 280-pound titans at the tackle spots.

Towering tight end Josh Husband also returns and is part of the deep rotation on the defensive line. Samuel Torkelson is the top junior lineman from last year’s 10-0 JV team.

“Our offensive line is going to be really good,” Paini said. “The D-line is the anchor defensively with me, Walker and Josh — it’s pretty intimidating. Josh Husband is a dog, and he is finding his spark now. The edge is perfect for his size.”

Michael Evans is another breakout candidate after an injury-plagued junior season. He’s a two-way starter at receiver and free safety.

Juniors are replacing much of the seven All-TVL selections lost to graduation.

Andrew Shaw takes the reins at quarterback from J.J. Brawley, who has transferred to Gregori. His knowledge of the Gun-T offense and playmaking ability make him ideal for the job.

“At the end of the day, it’s about finding the best 11 on the field, and Shaw is one of those guys,” Williams said. “We have all the faith and trust in the world in him. He’s a gamer who knows how to win. This junior class hasn’t lost a game in high school, and he’s been at the helm the whole time for those guys.

“He just has an attitude about him. It’s confidence but not cockiness. He has swagger but doesn’t cross that line. He’s got the gunslinger mind set; when something bad happens, he shakes it off. That’s what you look for in a quarterback. We’re really excited about him.

“He’s a dual-threat quarterback who can throw the ball. Attacks the edge really well and makes reads both in the run game and the pass game. He understands the RPO (run-pass option) game our offense is centered around. At the end of the day, he’s an athlete. He’s one of the faster guys on our team. He just has a lot of tools.”

Ace Dougherty, Matthew Gaines and Kael Rangel spearhead the run game after leading the JV in rushing. Versatile athletes Gavin Decena and Xabriel Reyes will split the workload at wingback and are penciled in as defensive starters at cornerback and outside linebacker, respectively.

“A lot of the juniors moved up before the playoffs last year, and you can see why they’re undefeated,” Paini said. “It lights up the determination for me, Walker and the other seniors.”

The seniors are also motivated by the chaotic back half of their junior season. Previous coach Chris Musseman stepped down after a Week 5 defeat at Orestimba, then the Indians took losses to rivals Ripon Christian and Escalon. They weren’t without their highlights, however, including a major upset of eventual state champion Sonora and a one-point win at Hilmar that clinched a postseason berth.

Ripon was blanked 35-0 at Liberty Ranch in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI playoffs.
“Nobody wants to lose in the first round, especially how we did,” Paini said. “Having our seniors go out like that my junior year was tough to see, so that only gives us seniors a different type of motivation.”

Leamer, Paini the ‘perfect combination’ on O-line

By JONAMAR JACINTO

Walker Leamer and Tipeti Paini are going into their third varsity season together, but this one is expected to be different.

These hulking seniors are backed by a talented junior class that has yet to lose a game, and they want to steer a complete turnaround for a school that captured a state championship just six years ago.

“We really want to get deep in the playoffs this year and leave a legacy,” Leamer said. “We’ve been under .500 the last two years, but I think we can finally have a winning season and go deep in the playoffs. That’s my biggest goal.”

Ripon lost seven All-Trans Valley League players from a 4-7 team that experienced extreme highs and lows. The Indians went 3-7 the previous year.

Leamer and Paini are the only all-league returners, and first-year coach Cole Williams views them as ideal veteran leaders on an otherwise youth-laden squad.

“Between the two of them, it’s a pretty special combination,” Williams said. “Tip has all the tools in the world you would want — he’s fast, he’s strong, explosive, smart and a good leader with an even-keel personality. He’s a very young senior who is almost a year younger than what most seniors would be. Walker is a monster of an individual, and there are not many more bought into football like him.

“They are champing at the bit to get back at it. They didn’t miss an offseason workout. Neither of them are rah-rah guys, but they’re leading by example.”

They paved the path for one of Ripon’s biggest plays of 2024, which led to what may have been the upset of the year in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

Facing then-undefeated Sonora, the Indians held a one-score lead with about 3 minutes to go but faced a third-and-3 situation deep in their own territory. Fullback Anden Ries dashed 58 yards to the Sonora 11 thanks to Leamer’s down block at right tackle coupled by Paini’s pull block from left guard. Paini took out two Wildcats defenders on the play, which Ripon ran again two downs later to put away the stunning 27-15 victory that helped vault it into the postseason. Paini also contributed a forced fumble that he recovered on defense.

It was the high point of the season, which followed the lowest. In the previous week, longtime coach Chris Musseman resigned just days before Ripon lost to rival Ripon Christian for the first time, 30-6.

“Of course, no one believed in us,” Paini said. “Sonora was one of the top teams in the league, at the time. I don’t think Sonora expected us to come out with that type of fire in that game. That’s what we needed throughout the whole season. The Sonora win just shows us our potential.”

Turns out the Indians dispatched a state champion. Sonora was coming off a heartbreaking 52-51 loss to Hughson but bounced back from the successive defeats, rolling to the California Interscholastic Federation Division IV-A title.

Meanwhile, Paini was named All-TVL Outstanding Offensive Lineman, which came as a surprise to him. He’s also an all-league first-team selection for defense.

“For the coaches all around the league to see that in me was a surprise, because I’ve always liked to play the defensive line more,” Paini said. “Winning Outstanding Offensive Lineman opens up some options.”

The 5-foot-11, 255-pound Paini has aspirations to play at the next level and has offers from Division II and III schools.

With Paini’s mobility and Leamer’s sheer strength, they’re “the perfect combination” in the power-running attack.

“He’s really dominant and plays quick,” Leamer said. “The guard trap is really deadly with his pulling and my down block. It’s the perfect combination.

“On defense, he’s so explosive and so strong. It’s hard for offensive linemen to stop him.”

Paini is as complimentary of the 6-3, 280-pound Leamer, an All-TVL second-team selection.

“You can never doubt Walker,” Paini said. “There are a lot of plays where he pulls, too.  He had a great match-up last year against Ryan Lewis (a Fresno State signee) from Escalon where he really showed his potential.

“Once he gets his hands on you, it’s over.”

Much will be made of this golden class of juniors, but Leamer and Paini will be the ones setting the tone.

“We can’t be soft this year,” Leamer said. “That’s what we have to show these juniors. You can’t play that way, especially in the TVL. We want to show them that you can play hard while still being a good, humble person.”