Another week, another shutout for undefeated Manteca.
And another big dinner bill for defensive coordinator Rick James.
His daunting defense logged a third straight shutout, even with starting inside linebacker James Thomas (concussion) and safety Michael Sarmento (ankle) nursing injuries but still limited Weston Ranch to just 78 yards and three first downs in a resounding 49-0 homecoming win for the Buffaloes on Friday.
“Coach James does a phenomenal job of game planning,” Manteca coach Eric Reis said. “He feeds the kids every time we get a shutout we’re going to have to get the hands out and collect some money for the poor guy.”
Vincent Ferro set the tone with an interception on the opening drive, and on the next play Gino Campiotti swung a short pass to speedy Joel Olmos for a 13-yard touchdown. Kameron Beamon’s two-point conversion run made it 8-0 with still 10:27 to go in the first quarter, and these Buffaloes were just getting started.
Campiotti finished 9 of 13 for 162 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Olmos (five receptions, 88 yards; three rushes, 30 yards). Manteca (2-0 Valley Oak League, 5-0 overall) scored on all six of its first-half possessions to lead 42-0 by the midway point. Late in the first quarter, Campiotti delivered a 49-yard touchdown for a wide-open Jose Garcia and another one-play series resulting in six.
 “All my guys, they make plays,” Campiotti said. “They know what to do with the ball in their hands. My only job is to get it to them. They make the plays, and I just get them the ball.”
He handed it off to Beamon 12 times for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Both Beamon and Campiotti credited their linemen — Kyle Reis, Justin Kakala, Tyler Welch, William Maddox and Mateo Fernandez — for paving the way.
“The line did great,” Beamon said. “They said their defensive line is bigger than ours, but I guess our line was nastier and got after them.”
Ferrin Manuleleua added a 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter to cap scoring.
With the game well in hand for Manteca, things turned ugly as tempers flared on the next play from scrimmage. A lineman from each team was ejected. Weston Ranch later got flagged for two 15-yard on one play. The rest of the game went without incident.
It was otherwise a masterpiece effort for the Buffaloes.
“Deadly execution,” Reis said. “One thing we talked about with our team is we want to be a Rolex watch — just precision, execution and elegance and I think we saw that. … All facets of the game I think we played as well as we can.”
Manteca’s Rayshon Dozier, Devyn Gonzales and Kakala each contributed a sack. Marsyls Austin and Nick Patterson had one apiece for Weston Ranch, which had few highlights in the lopsided affair.
The Cougars (0-2, 3-2) started the season 3-0 but have since absorbed back-to-back beatdowns from two VOL heavyweights.
“We’re hoping it makes us better and we finish out strong, but we knew we could compete with these guys,” Weston Ranch assistant coach Matt O’Donnell said. He filled in for head coach Seth Davis, who as ejected in last week’s 45-7 loss to Central Catholic. “Tonight just wasn’t our night.”