Pittsburg too much for Manteca football in Division I-A NorCal Regional Championship loss

Shannon Mia Belt, The Record
·2 min read
The Manteca varsity football team gathers in a huddle before the start of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football championship game against Granite Bay at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.
The Manteca varsity football team gathers in a huddle before the start of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football championship game against Granite Bay at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.

Manteca football’s usual ground and pound on offense looked lackluster against Pittsburg in its CIF Division I-A Regional Championship Bowl game. With the Pirates' big bodies wrapping up Florida State-bound Blake Nichelson and junior running back Bryson Davis, the Buffaloes struggled.

In the end, the Pirates were too much for Manteca to handle as its stellar season came to an end, losing 35-14 on Saturday at Pittsburg.

Manteca's passing, rushing attack troubles

The Pirates knew it was over even before they lined up for their victory formation. Less than two minutes remained in the fourth quarter, and the Buffaloes were trailing by 21 points. After quarterback Hudson Wyatt threw two incomplete passes in the first half, Manteca never threw the ball again.

More:3 takeaways from Escalon football's NorCal Regional Championship win vs. Pleasant Valley

That meant Nichelson and Davis would have to get things done on the rushing attack.

Typically, the Buffaloes running back core would light opponents up, but Saturday night was different. The longest offensive play for them was a 20-yard rush from Nichelson on a drive that didn’t produce a score. The Pirates were able to stop the senior from breakout runs. Still, he was Manteca’s lead rusher with 141 yards on 32 carries and a rushing touchdown. Davis, who had success in the first quarter running the ball, finished with 80 yards on 21 carries and a rushing touchdown.

Momentum fizzles out after Pirates' explosive drive

Nichelson’s four-yard touchdown and two-point conversion gave the Buffaloes momentum in the first quarter. Despite having the ball for most of the quarter and holding an 8-7 lead, the momentum was short-lived. Pittsburg’s Florida-bound quarterback Jaden Rashada led the Pirates in an explosive drive that took under a minute and ended with a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Zach Cod.

Rashada would finish the game showcasing his duality as he reeled in two rushing touchdowns. He wasn’t the Buffaloes' only problem. Defensively, they had no answer for sophomore Elijah Bow. The 5-foot 9-inch running back added two rushing touchdowns to the Pirates lead and finished with 176 yards on 20 carries.

Pittsburg sets sights on another shot in state finals

Pittsburg overloaded the Buffaloes on both sides of the ball in their lowest-scoring game of the season. The Pirates will look to do the same as they hope to avenge last year's loss in the state finals. They will play the winner of the Division 1-A South section game between Yorba Linda and Liberty of Bakersfield.

Manteca closes out the 2022-23 season with an overall record of 11-2 and as the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II champs.

Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Pittsburg beats Manteca football in NorCal Regional Championship