Football roundup: Atwater, Merced win thrillers. Livingston kicks winner
League openers and final nonleague tests Friday night produced late-game drama across the region.
Atwater edged Pitman in a thriller, Merced outlasted Madera in a shootout, and Livingston sealed a road win with a last-minute field goal as WAC play heated up.
Los Banos 34, Gregori 7 — After Gregori senior WB Chris Knight returned the opening kickoff 75 yards for a score, the Tigers dominated. Senior QB Gavin Blackwood-Estrada threw touchdown passes of 55 and 50 yards to senior WRs Joshua Gargano and Jack Goodger and added a 12-yard strike to Goodger, while senior kicker Elias Salvatier kicked field goals of 29 and 28 yards. Sophomore DB Elijah Chiappetta sealed it with a fourth-quarter pick-six as Los Banos (2-3) held the Jaguars (1-4) to 197 yards and 10 penalties.
El Capitan 23, Waterford 20 — The Gauchos (3-1) held off the Wildcats (3-1) to win their penultimate nonleague game. Waterford sophomore QB Damien Tellez went 15-of-26 for 113 yards and two TDs and added a short rushing score. Senior Aiden Wolfe ran for 116 yards, while senior Landon Wagner caught seven passes for 55 yards and a score. Senior Tyree Duncan added five grabs for 46 yards, a rushing TD and a two-point conversion.
Hilmar 35, Ripon Christian 21 — Senior WB Nate Ayala totaled 155 all-purpose yards for the Yellowjackets (4-1), rushing for 23 and catching four passes for 132, including a 52-yard strike. Hilmar led 21-0 at halftime and held off the Knights (4-1). Ripon Christian senior QB Mason Tameling threw for 79 yards and two scores and ran for 44, while senior RB Lushen Sanders added 57 rushing yards and a TD.
Lathrop 26, Pacheco 13 — The Spartans (3-1) racked up 436 yards, including 352 on the ground. Senior FB Pablo Pena carried 25 times for 124 yards and two TDs, and senior RB Treydon Santos added 120 yards and a score. Senior QB Landen Nolte was 4-of-5 for 84 yards and ran for 38. Senior CB Amaari Harris sealed it with an interception as Lathrop’s defense held the Panthers (0-4) to 192 yards. Pacheco junior QB Raul Moreno threw for 101 yards and ran for 27 yards.
Atwater 29, Pitman 26 — Atwater senior QB Ali Banks Jr. hit senior WR Sylas Austin for a 42-yard TD late in the third quarter for a 14-13 lead. Pitman senior MLB Xadian Padilla answered with a 1-yard fumble return, but Atwater junior RB Isaiah Navarro raced 31 yards for a TD and two-point conversion with two minutes left. Senior QB RJ Wilharm briefly put Pitman ahead on a 30-yard pass to senior WR Stephan Schmidt before Banks led an 85-yard winning drive in the final seconds.
Merced 43, Madera 34 — Senior QB Vicente Cortez threw two first-half TD passes, including a 33-yard strike just before halftime, as the Bears (4-0) built a 23-7 lead. Cortez added a 16-yard TD toss early in the third before the Coyotes closed to 29-21. Merced answered with a 25-yard scoring run from junior RB Dougie Andrews, a 15-yard rushing TD by senior kicker/punter Haziell Reyes and a second long run from Andrews to stay clear.
Livingston 24, Ceres 21 — Livingston senior kicker/punter Alexcito Avila broke a 21-21 tie with a game-winning, final-minute field goal for a key Western Athletic Conference road win.
Denair 36, Stone Ridge Christian 21 — The Coyotes (4-1) led 22-7 in the second quarter and never trailed. SRC tied it 14-14 late in the half, but Denair answered before the break and added TDs in the third and fourth to pull away.
Mariposa County 22, Gustine 16 — The Grizzlies (4-0) rallied after halftime. A rushing TD and two-point run gave them a 14-8 lead, but Gustine (2-3) regained it 16-14 early in the fourth. Mariposa’s kickoff-return touchdown and two-point pass with six minutes left proved decisive.
Other scores:
Kimball 41, Golden Valley 19
Le Grand 20, Delhi 7
Lodi 20, Buhach Colony 14
