MODESTO METRO CONFERENCE COULD BE SENDING FOUR TO PLAYOFFS: DOWNEY, DAVIS, MODESTO & GREGORI It’s time to looking at the Modesto Metro Conference and its potential playoff teams. Sure, it’s just three weeks into the season – but these first three games are every bit as critical as the last three under the Sac-Joaquin Section format that equates total wins to playoff berths. The conference’s top four teams are a combined, including Modesto and Davis at 3-0. Downey and Gregori are each 2-1, while Beyer is 1-2 and Johansen and Enochs are 0-3. Johansen and Enochs are virtually out of the race already – Johansen is struggling to rebuild its program and Enochs visits potent Merced this week. Beyer is on the cusp since it faces heavily favored Central Catholic this week and is likely to be 1-3 going into conference. But the top four? Optimism abounds, with all four shooting for the MMC’s two guaranteed berths – and knowing six wins is likely to get them an at-large berth. It’s rare for a six-win team to be denied. Davis – just eight wins in the previous four seasons combined – is a good bet to enter conference 4-0 since it will be favored when it hosts Weston Ranch this week at Modesto Junior College. Modesto has a tougher task, hosting a more difficult 2-1 Turlock team at Downey. Davis first-year coach Tim Garcia is doing it with QB Zach Magana (19 of 33, 330 yards, 4 TDs in Friday’s come-from-behind 27-26 win over Los Banos). His 71-yard TD pass to Tailolo Limu-Jones (5 catches, 164 yards) gave Davis a 27-26 lead with 5 minutes left. Magana had another popular target in Tala Toilolo (10 catches, 117 yards, 2 TDs). Even with the light schedule Davis is playing, it’s hard to fathom a 4-0 team not winning at least twice in league. Even if Modesto enters MMC 3-1, it’s hard to imagine it doesn’t win at least three more. The MMC, like every league in The 209, is guaranteed berths for its top two finishers. How does four teams sound? We still peg Downey as the conference favorites and Gregori (a solid favorite over East Union this week) has too much talent to not win four MMC games. When the regular season is over, how does this sound: 6-4 Davis, 7-3 Modesto, 7-3 Gregori and 8-2 Downey all earning playoff berths. Not expecting a 6-0 MMC champ, because too many teams are too close.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 21:19:20 +0000
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