The Pacheco Panthers took the trip north to Stockton to face the Cesar Chavez Titans last week in football. Chavez entered the game as the preseason favorites to repeat as the SJAA league champions after finishing 7-0 last season. The Panthers enter 2025 looking to improve on their 5-5 finish in 2024. The league champions showed what they were made of and took the win, 22-3.
The Titans would start the scoring first kicking a field goal just under a couple of minutes into the game. Both teams would spend the rest of the first quarter getting a feel for the pace of the new season. Pacheco would start the second quarter with possession of the ball and spend close to seven minutes of game time to march down to the three yard line to have Santiago Rosas tie the game up 3-3.
The big strike ability of the Titans was on display on the very next play after the kickoff. Reigning SJAA Running Back of the Year Joel Donnell got into the open field for a 48-yard touchdown. Donnell would finish the evening with 103 yards on 7 carries with one touchdown. Chavez would hit one more big play before half time when Elijah Walker (14-22 149 yards, 2 TD) hooked up with Jackson Batch (8 receptions, 108 yards, 1 TD) on a 40-yard touchdown.
Each offense was stagnant in the third quarter as neither team managed to put any points on the board. It wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter that Walker would find Lamontae Barlow for the final points of the evening pushing the Titan lead to 22-3.
Pacheco’s offense was led by a trio of rushers led by senior Aidan Pikas (14 carries, 47 yards). Junior Joseph Valencia (14 carries, 42 yards) and Raul Moreno (4 carries, 43 yards) formed a balanced running game. Moreno also finished 7-17 for 88 yards through the air, finding Isaac Garcia twice for 29 yards to leave the aerial attack.
Pacheco will open their home slate of the season this Friday, hosting Minarets High School. Minarets enters the game 1-0 coming off of a 60-6 victory over Sierra High School. The Frosh team, who were defeated 56-0 on Thursday in Stockton, will host Mountain House on Thursday evening at 6:00 pm. The JV team, who fell 28-0 to Chavez, will play MInarets at 5 p.m. on Friday.
