At the heart of the Friday Night Lights tradition are the intense rivalries that make high school stadiums across the country electric. Friday was no different at Gustine High, as the Reds and Warriors met on the field for the 78th Battle of the Chiefs, fueled by decades of fierce competition and community pride.
The Chief will stay at Orestimba as the Warriors earned a 56-12 victory. The annual rivalry game now stands at 40-36-2 in favor of OHS.
The first half was nerve-wracking, with both teams locked in a scoreless duel. But then the tension increased. Austin Etheridge of the Gustine Reds sprinted 30 yards and brought his team close to the 5-yard line. Quarterback Daniel Navarro took advantage of the opportunity and scored the first touchdown of the game together with Mike Saaranzin.
Then Orestimba’s chance came and they weren’t going to waste it. Quarterback Jacob Valenzuela and running back Nicolas Cuevas combined for a 35-yard touchdown. The team attempted the two-point conversion and was successful, giving the Warriors an 8-6 lead.
From there on out, it was an offensive rout for the Warriors. Valenzuela managed 158 passing yards and 74 rushing yards, leading to two touchdowns. Senior running back Allen Garcia had 10 carries and ran for 124 yards on the night, scoring once for the Warriors. Cuevas had nine total carries, 95 rushing yards and 67 receiving yards, scoring three total touchdowns for the Warriors. Junior running back Emmanuel Alcantar scored another touchdown for the Warriors, totaling three carries and 29 yards. Junior wide receiver Alan Gamboa had 68 receiving yards and scored one touchdown.
In the second and third quarters, the Warriors scored 42 unanswered points.
Cuevas also shined on defense throughout the game. In his role as linebacker, he made three solo tackles and assisted on five. Senior linebacker Colby Cabral made two tackles and five assists on the night. Junior defensive lineman Noah Valenzuela made three solo tackles and two assists. Junior defensive back Richie Rivas made an interception for the Warriors. Senior defensive lineman Dylan McCauley returned a kickoff for a 21-yard gain.
Gamboa, Garcia, Jacob Valenzuela and Cabral were responsible for the four two-point conversions the Warriors scored throughout the game.
The Reds scored another touchdown late in the fourth quarter. In the closing minutes, the Warriors responded with another touchdown to finish the game 56-12.
Warriors quarterback Jacob Valenzuela was pleased with his own performance and that of his teammates on the evening.
“I tried to distribute the ball evenly, even ran with it myself a few times, but I think overall we did a very good job.”
Traditionally, the annual rivalry game is played late in the season and often involves playoff chances. This season, however, Orestimba is playing in the Trans-Valley League while Gustine remains in the Southern League, so the game was moved to the preseason to show how well prepared both teams are for the start of the season, as Gustine quarterback Austin Etheridge noted after the game.
“We still need to work a little bit on the fundamentals and football as a whole,” said Etheridge.
When the game started, it was clear to the older players that it would be their last game for the Chief.
“There were a lot of emotions involved. We just wanted to win, do our best and do what we could,” Etheridge said.
Warrior senior Jacob Valenzuela wasn’t able to win the Chief on his home field, but the feeling of victory alone made him excited.
“I came here ready to play like every game and tried to do my best in each one,” Valenzuela said.
Reds coach Collin Lane was very proud of his team, who consistently worked hard and held on until the end.
“We just let it slip away in the end,” Lane said. “They belong in the TVL and you can see that they have outgrown our school.”
This is Lane’s third year as Gustines’ head coach and his third time playing for the Chiefs, and he said it was a different feeling this time.
“There’s a little more at stake at the end, but right now we’re just playing for the community and I’m glad they’re supporting us,” Lane said. “We have a week off, so it’s going to be beneficial to get our players back up because they’re always willing to help out. Now it’s time to get them ready for our next game.”
After the game, both coaches commented on the great community that this game brings together every year.
“Regardless of the score or the time of year, it is a special event for both communities to play such an iconic statue,” said Orestimba head coach Aaron Souza.
Orestimba’s next big focus is their next match against Johanson at Orestimba. “We lost to them last year, so our focus from tonight onwards is Johanson from tomorrow,” Souza added.
After the week off, Gustine will play away at Delta on September 6. The Reds’ next home game is on September 13 against Yosemite.
