Limited to three points in the first half, Escalon exploded for 28 in the fourth quarter alone to escape Ripon with a 45-24 Trans Valley League victory last Friday at Wes Stouffer Field.
Ripon (0-3 TVL, 2-5 overall) led 10-3 at halftime. Then sophomore quarterback Archer Sanders, running back Dylan Ball and the rest of the Cougars’ Wing-T assault got untracked.
Escalon (3-1, 5-3) jumped ahead for good with 20 unanswered points. Sanders finished 11 of 18 for 243 yards and three touchdowns, with Ian Trejo doing most of the damage on the receiving end with nine catches, 211 yards and two TDs.
Ball added 157 yards and three touchdowns on 23 scampers. The Cougars outgained Ripon, 440-269.
Ripon did not go away quietly, using big plays to stay in the game.
After Ball’s 49-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, Ripon answered with a 93-yard kickoff return from Kael Rangel. Quarterback Andrew Shaw later hooked up with Gavin Decena for a 77-yard touchdown pass play that closed Ripon in, 31-24.
The Cougars ended it with two late scores — a 9-yard Ball run and 23-yard pass from Sanders to Jake Ferreira — getting an interception in between from Ethan Butler.
Shaw anchored Ripon’s offense, completing nine of 11 passes for 185 yards. He was also the leading rusher with 51 yards on 14 carries.
Ace Dougherty (eight carries, 24 yards) contributed a short-yardage touchdown, and Santiago Hernandez hit a 22-yard field goal.
It gets no easier for Ripon, which needs to win at least two of its final three contests to qualify for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI playoffs. Up next is a trip to two-time reigning state champion Sonora (2-2, 4-4).
River Islands 37, Bret Harte 0
The Riptide (3-1, 7-1 overall) put together their most complete performance in the Mother Lode League in win Angels Camp, setting up a big showdown with Linden
Daryl Carpenter passed for 373 yards and four touchdowns in the balanced offensive effort, connecting on 18 of 23 attempts. Christian Dell’Osso was one of seven receivers with a catch. The senior led the way with 132 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions, and he even completed a 29-yard touchdown pass.
Darien East (five receptions, 71 yards; 10 rushing yards), Mikey Figueroa (two receptions, 34 yards) and Gabriel Esqueda (three receptions, 55 yards) contributed one TD apiece.
River Islands had five different ball carriers combine for 71 yards on 15 rushes.
The defense notched a second straight shutout and third overall in the program’s history. Linebacker Lucas Ruiz paced River Islands with nine tackles, a sack and an interception. Figueroa had six tackles and his seventh pick of the season. Edge rusher Isaiah Sanchez picked up his fifth sack.
Bret Harte fell to 0-3 in the MLL, 2-5 overall. Linden (3-0, 5-2) visits River Islands on Friday.
