The Ripon-Ripon Christian football rivalry was revived last season, though Phil Grams believes that it has just begun.

Ripon Christian’s fifth-year head coach said going into that long-awaited reunion on the gridiron that it’s not a rivalry until his Knights finally get one for the win column in what had been a one-sided series during the development stages of the program.

Ripon won the first eight by large margins from 2006-2013. Last year, RC got the better of an Indians team in upheaval, 30-6.

Game on.

It’s one of several big games for area teams this week.

Kicking things off is Lathrop’s Western Athletic Conference first-place showdown at Johansen tonight. On Friday, East Union looks to get back on the winning track while resuming its challenging four-week gauntlet, as Valley Oak League power Central Catholic visits Dino Cunial Stadium.

VOL-leading Manteca takes its perfect record to Mountain House, and River Islands hosts state titlist Summerville to end its three-week tour against the defending Mother Lode League tri-champions.

Here’s a closer look at the Week 7 matchups:

Trans Valley League

Ripon Christian (1-1, 5-1) at Ripon (1-1, 5-1): Longtime assistant Cole Williams took over as Ripon’s interim coach the week of the Ripon Christian game, and the Indians struggled.

With Williams officially entrenched as head coach, the Indians are off to their best start through six games since the 2019 team went 5-1 on the way to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV and state championships.

Both schools in town have title hopes. Ripon Christian surges out of its bye week after knocking off TVL champ Hughson, which so happens to be responsible for Ripon’s only defeat. It was a nice bounce back from its league-opening defeat at Hilmar.

Both teams look to establish their running games but are effective through the air with dual-threat quarterbacks. Third-year senior Mason Tameling (666 passing yards, nine TDs; 120 rushing yards, five TDs) leads RC’s West Coast fly offense, while junior Andrew Shaw (632 yards passing, six TDs; 300 rushing yards, seven TDs) is the centerpiece of the Indians Gun-T. Ripon hopes to get leading rusher Kael Rangel (373 yards, seven TDs) back after sustaining concussion three weeks ago.

Valley Oak League

Central Catholic (1-1, 2-4) at East Union (2-1, 6-1): The Lancers faced a rested Oakdale team that was fresh off a bye last week and lost the astounding offensive duel at The Corral, 71-55.

Now, they take on another VOL bully that had an extra week to prepare for them. Central Catholic absorbed a 49-7 beating from Manteca the week before its bye.

There is no one in the VOL as battle tested as the Raiders, who started the season 0-3 facing some of the top teams from their region — Pleasant Valley of Chico, the No. 1-ranked team from the North Coast Section; SJS No. 5 St. Mary’s and Central Catholic from Portland, the No. 3 team in Oregon.

After having its hands full with Manteca’s running game, CC encounters one of the best passing attacks in the SJS led by EU QB Kirk Simony and UC Davis committed receiver Jackson Fay. The Raiders answer with two-way stars Carter Meeks (Sac State) and Chase Perino (Fresno State).

Manteca (2-0, 6-0) at Mountain House (1-2, 2-5): Ranked No. 3 overall in the SJS by MaxPreps and No. 1 in Division II, the Buffaloes are absolutely rolling and doing so in all three phases of the game.

Reigning VOL Co-MVP Quinn Martinez scored three touchdowns on special teams in Manteca’s 74-7 thrashing of Sierra, adding two more on receptions.

The offense as a whole is thriving and has gotten a big boost with the recent additions of transfer linemen Michael Smith and Kevin Bradley. Defensively, the Buffs are allowing an average of 8.2 points and have surrendered double digits just twice.

Mountain House is improved from its winless 2024 campaign but has still struggled against top teams. The Mustangs opened league play with a 48-0 loss to Oakdale and dropped a 49-13 decision to Patterson last week. Their lone league win has come against struggling Sierra, 28-10.

Standout sprinter Erin Foster remains as MH’s big-play threat at quarterback, and he’s complemented by second-year sophomore RB Jacoby Johnson.

Western Athletic Conference

Lathrop (3-0, 5-1) at Johansen (3-0, 4-2): Last Friday, both teams put together their best WAC performances so far, setting up this tussle for the top spot at Dan Gonsalves Stadium.

Johansen blanked Pacheco 24-0 with a balanced attack led by QB Anthony Torres (13-of-20, 205 yards, two TDs; rushing TD) and returning All-WAC RB Ezekiel Rodriguez (19 rushes, 143 yards).

Two of the best two-way players in the conference will meet. Gabe Ibanez is the Vikings’ leading receiver and tackler. The 5-9, 190-pounder is an all-conference, first-team selection as a linebacker but has emerged as a playmaking receiver, catching 32 passes for 545 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, he has 50 tackles (nine for losses), four sacks and two interceptions.

Lathrop counters with reigning MVP Pablo Peña. He has rushed for 572 yards (7.0 per carry) and 10 TDs, while anchoring the defense with 65 tackles (five for losses).

Mother Lode League

Summerville (2-1, 4-2) at River Islands (0-3, 1-5): The Riptide is coming off its best effort against one of the MLL’s traditional powers, hanging with Linden on the road before ultimately falling, 32-20.

They’ll of course follow that up with a bitter Bears squad that was stunned by Calaveras last week, 21-7. The Red Hawks were without all-league quarterback Cohen Curran in their big win.

Summerville returns many standouts from its defending SJS and state championship team and was ranked No. 1 in the section’s Division VII field before the defeat. Chief of those returners is senior quarterback Bryce Leveroos, son of coach Sean Leveroos and the MLL’s reigning Most Outstanding Offensive Player.

Another competitive outing, regardless of outcome, can go a long way for the youthful Riptide. River Islands’ final three MLL opponents are a combined 4-14, and winning out may give it an outside shot of making one of the SJS’s inaugural postseason bowl games.