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SUPER BOWL BOUND
Flores late TD sends Cowboys to title game
FB--Manteca Cowboys pic 1
Manteca Cowboys defensive back Bryson Davis steps in front of teammate Robert Espinosa for an interception before returning it for a touchdown in Saturdays NCYFC rookie division semifinal at East Union. - photo by DAVE CAMPBELL/The Bulletin

The Manteca Cowboys rookies punched their ticket to the Northern California Youth Football and Cheer Super Bowl with a thrilling last-second 26-21win over the San Joaquin Rams on Saturday at Dino Cunial Field. 

Manteca was trailing 21-20 and had the ball, facing fourth down with 9 yards to go from the San Joaquin 12-yard line. Anthony Morales spotted Omar Diaz on a corner pass to the 1 with 9 seconds remaining in the game, stopping the clock to reset the chains.  

Morales got the team set in time to get the ball snapped with 1 second left, handing off to Gabriel Flores for the walk-off touchdown. 

The Cowboys took a 20-7 second-quarter lead. Bryson Davis (65 yards rushing) was responsible for two of those Manteca touchdowns, starting the game’s scoring with a 40-yard interception return and added a 10-yard touchdown run. Flores scored on a 10-yard run in the second quarter to make the score 20-7.

Diaz led the Manteca defense with 12 tackles followed by Flores, Isaac Alvarez and Brandyn Sena with seven apiece, Blake Mount with six and Gavin Goodwin and Brendan Carter with three apiece. 

The Cowboys play the Pittsburg Pirates in the NCYFC Super Bowl at noon Saturday at Heritage High in Brentwood.

 

DYFL Varsity 

Jr. Spartans 31, Dublin 6

TRACY — Lyon Colon scored three touchdowns Sunday for the Junior Spartans in the Delta Youth Football League South Conference championship game at Kimball High School’s Don Nicholson Stadium.

Colon rambled for 196 yards on 14 carries with scoring runs of 7, 50 and 51 yards. Amario Valdovinos (four carries, 72 yards) scored on a 50-yard punt return and pulled down a 68-yard reception from Luis Hernandez that set up Colon’s 7-yard touchdown run. Jeremiah Estante added another Lathrop touchdown on a 78-yard interception return. 

Valdovinos and Colon each had nine tackles with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Ben Ruvalcaba added eight stops, Noah Martinez (interception) had six tackles and Estante and Jeremy Buck had two tackles each. 

The Spartans play in the DYFL Super Bowl on Sunday at Bear Creek High School in Stockton at 4 p.m. The Lathrop novice start the day off with a game at 10 a.m.