On Friday night, Sept. 19, the Los Banos Tiger varsity football squad (2-3) traveled to Modesto to play the Gregori Jaguars (1-4) and completed their pre-season schedule with a 34-7 victory to improve to 2-3 on the year.
The Jaguars received the opening kickoff and returned the ball 83 yards for an opening touchdown, and when Gregori added the PAT, the Jaguars held a 7-0 advantage with just 16 seconds off the scoreboard clock.
But as Porky Pig always said, “That’s all, folks,” because the Los Banos defense never allowed the Jaguars to cross the goal line again in this contest.
The Tigers had several outstanding efforts in this game, starting with quarterback Gavin Blackwood-Estrada (12/19 passing, 194 yards, 3 TDs, 10 carries, 94 yards) as the the Los Banos Senior completed his pre-season with (38/72 passing, 735 yards, 8 TD’s, 66 rushes, 346 yards, 4 TD’s) heading into to next week’s bye.
Running back Raul Diaz added 14 carries for 78 yards, Jack Goodger hauled in 4 passes totaling 87 yards and a touchdown, and Joshua Gargano caught 3 passes for 61 yards and a score.
Tiger placekicker Elias Salvatier added 10 points, with four PATs and two field goals, as the Tigers totaled 371 yards and their 30 points.
As for the Tiger defense, which completely shut down the Gregori offense, Angel Valerio (7 tackles) and Carmello Smith (7 tackles, INT) led the way, followed by Robert Valles (6 tackles), Adrian Rivas (5 tackles), Damien Calderon (4 tackles) and Elijiah Chiapetta (4 tackles, INT, TD) each.
After spotting Gregori that first play lead, Los Banos would tie the score at 7-7, when they started a drive on their own 40 line.
Estrada completed passes to Ryan Jones and Diaz to move into Gregori territory at the Jaguar 41-yard line. However, a sack moved the Tigers back to midfield, where Estrada then connected with Gargano on a 50-yard scoring strike. Salvatier added the conversion to knot the score.
On their next possession, the Tigers would drive 60 yards in eight plays, resulting in an Estrada to Gooder 12-yard touchdown pass. Salvatier kicked the conversion, and Los Banos held the lead at 14-7, going into halftime.
The Tigers received the second half kickoff, and despite a beautiful 55-yard run by Estrada, the possession stalled, and Salvatier came on and kicked a 37-yard field goal to give Los Banos a 17-7 advantage.
Los Banos quarterback Gavin Blackwood-Estrada runs for some of his 94 yards.
A Smith interception set up the next Tiger touchdown, when Estrada stood tall behind his offensive line (Justin Sherwood, Isis Villagrana, Gustavo Ruiz, Leonardo Molina and Alex Vanderveen) to deliver a perfect 50-yard scoring strike to Goodger, and with the PAT, the Tiger lead was 24-7.
On their final possession of the game, the Tigers marched to the Gregori 16-yard line, but the drive stalled and Salvatier nailed a 34-yard field goal to up the Los Banos lead to 27-7, with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Chiapetta would seal the victory for the Tigers when he intercepted a Jaguar pass and returned it 83 yards for a “pick six” touchdown.
The Tigers will have this week off for their bye week, but will return on Oct. 3, when they travel to Merced to face the El Capitan Gauchos to open their 2025 CCC league season.
