Traveling to ‘neutral ground’ over the weekend, members of the Escalon Outlaws varsity team opened the 2015 playoff campaign with a rematch against the Salida Steelers. This game would be played at Hughson as the Huskies would be the host site for this round of the playoffs.

The Outlaws outmatched the Steelers in their Week 6 meeting, 47-0. Salida would be hoping for some measure of payback, but would find little had changed in the Escalon approach to the game.

The Outlaws took the ball after the opening kick-off, and made short work of the Salida defense. Damien Tom carried the ball into the end zone from 10 yards out to close the drive. When Fabian Torres booted the point after touchdown kick through the uprights Escalon would lead 8-0. The Outlaws would score on their second possession as well with an 8-yard plunge through the middle of the Salida defense. This time the kick failed, and the Outlaws would lead 14-0.

Colton Panero would tote the ball for the Outlaws third score from 11 yards out around the left end to open the scoring of the second quarter. Tom would tally a defensive trifecta with a caused fumble, fumble recovery, and score. Escalon would close the half leading 28-0.

Tom would tally another score from 31 yards away during the Outlaws next offensive possession. The Outlaws gained possession after a fumble recovery by Panero on the second play after the second half kick-off. Still in shock, Salida would have another miscue on their next possession. A snap over the quarterback’s head into their end zone cost the Steelers a safety, as Tom and Torres converged on the quarterback, sacking him. Brian Hale would close the scoring with a 10-yard run.

Escalon finished in similar fashion as Week 6 with a 46-0 victory over Salida. Now the Outlaws will have a re-match with perennial rival Ripon with the winner going to the Mother Lode Valley Youth Football League (MVYFL) Championship. This game will be played on neutral ground as well. Gregori High School will host the MVYFL Valley Division Championship game.

JUNIOR VARSITY

The JV Outlaws met the Ripon Chiefs in the opening round of the MVYFL Valley Division Play-offs. These two teams met last week with the Chiefs garnering the victory to end the regular season. The Outlaws were looking for a measure of revenge, considering that at this stage of the season it is “win or go home.” This edition of the Outlaws vs. Chiefs would have a different outcome than the one from last week. Escalon fell 30-12 last week, but would be triumphant here, 16-0, to continue on to the next round.

Logan Webster would score from 6 yards and 2 yards out for the Escalon points. The Outlaws’ defense stepped up to meet the challenge of containing the potent Ripon offense that hung 30 points on the board just a week prior. Shane Campbell, Luke Anderson, Webster, Jacob Redding, and Ty Harris all pitched in to hold the Chiefs scoreless on this day.

The Jr. Varsity Outlaws will be at Gregori High School on Saturday with their opportunity to represent the Valley Division in the Jr. Varsity MVYFL Championship. The Jr. Varsity Outlaws will meet the Salida Steelers.

CHEERLEADERS

After cheering on the boys all season it was the girls’ turn to compete. The Outlaws’ Cheerleaders were at the A.G. Spanos Center on the campus of the University of the Pacific in Stockton. The Varsity, Jr. Varsity and the Novice squads would be displaying their skills to be judged. Al of the teams would be competing against other teams of similar age and skill level.

The Varsity squad would have two performances, Performance and Sideline Cheers. Performance Cheer is similar to that you would see at a halftime show with dancing and tumbling. Sideline Cheer is where cheerleaders are looking for crowd participation by leading in a chant. The Varsity girls would bring home the first place trophy in the Performance Cheer and third place in the Sideline Cheer.

The Jr. Varsity Cheer would finish second in the Performance Cheer competition. The girls competed well, but just came up a bit short on the judges’ scorecards.

Novice Cheer would finish 7th in their division, their coaches noting that the finish does not begin to describe the amount of effort and hard work that was needed to compete.

Each team did the Outlaws organization and the Escalon community proud.