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Football Preview
The Bulletin-Thursday, August 24, 2017
RIPON RAISING EXPECTATIONS Indians driven by Week 10, playoff defeats
Versatile seniors Dylan Sexton and Michael Winters, from left, return for Ripon along with promising second-year juniors Ryan Daggett and Roland Davis. HIME ROMERO/ The Bulletin
B y J ON AMAR JAC I N T O The Bu lletin
RIPON — Ripon exceeded expectations in Chris Musseman’s first year as head coach. The Indians may now have a target on their back after finishing second in the Trans-Valley League and 6-5 overall, but they’ll have to replace their best talent from 2016 — namely wide receiver Aaron Paschini, now at Humboldt State, linebacker Bryce Kinsey, one of the state’s most prolific tacklers, and All-TVL Most Outstanding Defensive Back Luis Candido. Despite the graduation losses, they have more experience overall with the majority of starters returning on both sides of scrimmage. “There has been a lot of change in the program the last couple of years,” Musseman said. “We’ve lost a lot of good players, but the potential is there to have a pretty good season. Unfortunately, at Ripon, depth is always an issue.” Depth became an issue early last season. Ripon’s 69-7 loss at Sonora in Week 2 was painful in multiple ways. Six starters were injured in that game, including Paschini. He was back in action the following week, but the rest of them — mostly linemen — didn’t return until league play. Ripon started 2-3, losing to powerhouse programs entering the TVL schedule. A four-game winning streak followed, leading to what culminated into a Week-10 championship game with Hilmar. The Indians lost 21-7, then were trounced by eventual SacJoaquin Section Division V champion Capital Christian 56-7 in the opening round of the playoffs. “As a junior I always thought, ‘Hey, I have next year,’” senior running back/defensive back Michael Winters said. “Looking back at it, it sucked. It really motivated me this summer. I don’t want to feel that way again as a senior, so hopefully we can win a couple of games in the playoffs.” It won’t be easy to get back to the postseason. Sierra, Sonora and Sutter
SCHEDULE Friday, Aug. 25 at Sierra, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1 vs. Galt, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8 vs. Sonora, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 vs. Grace Davis, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22 vs. Sutter, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 at Mountain House, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 vs. Modesto Christian, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 vs. Escalon, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 at Hughson, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 at Hilmar, 7:30 p.m.
is again lined up for its brutal nonleague schedule. “Getting to play teams like Sonora and Sutter improves us,” Musseman said. “We see more speed, more size and more athleticism than we see for the rest of the year. The trick is getting out of it healthy.” And the TVL may be on the rise after several down years. Hilmar is the reigning champion, Escalon is bolstered by an undefeated sophomore squad and Modesto Christian is always a threat with its impressive athletes. Third-year varsity team Mountain House is a wild card but figures to be much improved after winning just one game in its first two seasons. “Last year, we just wanted to prove everybody wrong,” Winters said. “We had a new coach and we wanted to make Musseman proud. This year, we feel like we have a chip on our shoulders. We know everybody’s coming for us. Nothing is given, so we just have to work hard.” Here are other things to watch for this season for Ripon: BACK BEHIND CENTER: Nico Ilardi could have been Ripon’s varsity quarterback last year if he were older. The then-14-year-old freshman instead starred for the sophomore squad, while sophomore Ryan Daggett took the reins for the varsity and showed flashes as he developed a solid connection Paschini in the hybrid Wing-T/shotgun attack. The job was Daggett’s to lose this summer, and Musseman was impressed with his increased maturity and confidence. “He’s more comfortable in under-
standing what we need to get him to going to be the positive,” Musseman do and he’s more of a leader,” Mus- said. “We were so dependent on Passeman said. “He put in a lot of work chini last year, but now we have three and it showed. We had a very good or four kids we can throw to. Defenses sophomore quarterback pushing him are going to have to cover the whole and Ryan did a good job and won the field, and that’s good for Ryan. He spot. We’re really happy with him had a tendency to lock in on Paschini last year, but now he’s comfortable right now.” Daggett completed 53.5 percent of throwing to multiple targets.” DYLAN DOES IT ALL: Fivehis passes in his rookie season for 1,095 yards and 13 touchdowns (11 to foot-10, 180-pound two-way starter Paschini) against seven interceptions. Dylan Sexton (80 tackles) is taking “I’ll be able to run more this year, on a larger role for the Indians. He be more of a dual threat,” Daggett and junior Gregory Clark anchor the said. “I also went to some camps and defense as inside linebackers as they learned a lot of the little things like look to fill the massive void left by Kinsey. reading defenses.” The team captain’s value is in WINTER(S) IS COMING: Winters may be due for a breakout cam- his versatility and unselfishness. He paign. Last year, he took a backseat to started 2016 at fullback but insisted to Paschini and split carries with senior his coaches that he shift to guard after running back Ryan Wilson after being injuries decimated the O-line early in the season. Sexton will begin this ‘the man’ in the lower levels. Winters showed some of his game- season back at guard. “There is not a position on the footbreaking ability but with limited touches, finishing with 528 rushing ball field he would not be good at,” yards (7.7 per carry), 100 receiving Musseman said. “He would even be a good receiver. He’s just a football and six touchdowns. “He has the one thing you can’t player. The kid is a leader and does coach and it’s speed,” Musseman said. everything right.” CHRIS CROSSED: Everybody’s Winters said he is working on running smart and becoming a more well- short-term goal is to start 1-0, but for rounded player. He also plans to be these Indians their zero-week opponent is a special one. They’re heading more studious in the film room. “Not being the man, I was kind to Sierra for an annual showdown that of humbled,” he said. “I was mainly has more meaning to it than in years the second guy; Aaron got a lot of past. That’s because it pits the two red-zone touches, which was fine. I Chrises, with Musseman matching learned a lot, and I worked really hard wits with his predecessor and good friend in Chris Johnson. this year.” Sierra holds a 3-2 edge over Ripon MORE WEAPONS: Daggett and the Indians will be able to spread it in the past five years. In 2003, the around more this season. Alongside Indians won 39-6 on Sierra’s first-ever Daggett and Winters in the backfield game Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stais the speedy Roland Davis, who also dium. Johnson went 77-54 and won a played for the varsity as a sophomore pair of Trans-Valley League championships over 12 years at Ripon, and last year. Senior Tino Raygoza and sopho- Musseman was there every step of the Come in NOW for more Dorian Dougherty will be the way as one of his top assistants. To Musseman, main targets at receiver. Musseman a great haircut at“It’s just another has high hopes for both wide outs, football game, in reality.” Not so a greatmuch price. for the players who have been going as far as to say that Raygoza may have better hands than the more- coached by Johnson. “We can’t wait for Week 1,” Sexton proven Paschini. “Our depth (in the skill positions) is said. “It’s a big motivation for us.”
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