The Turlock High School varsity football team continued its dominant start to conference play Friday with a 37-7 victory over Gregori at Joe Debely Stadium, backed by a relentless rushing attack from seniors Bobby Hernandez and Braiden Fuentes.
With the Bulldogs opening Friday’s game receiving the ball and starting at its own 21-yard line, Hernandez carried the first seven snaps, the last being a 4-yard touchdown rush. The 79 yards were the first of 248 totaled on 21 carries.
Fuentes also recorded his second-straight hat trick with a pair of rushing touchdowns and a late receiving score as the Bulldogs improved to 2-0 in the CCAL and to 2-5 overall.
The Bulldogs will serve as the visiting team in the 23rd edition of the Harvest Bowl against a Pitman team that dropped to 1-1 against conference opponents following a 36-0 loss to Downey on Friday.
“I've just been working really hard,” said Hernandez of his standout rushing performance. My linemen have been doing really good… I heard the run plays were coming in, so I knew I had to smack that ball, so I did. Before every game, I just sit and watch some Marshawn Lynch highlights and just run as hard as I can.”
Every snap Hernandez plays is extra meaningful this season after missing the team’s first three games with a bruised shoulder.
“It motivated me a lot because I was getting no yards, and I'm trying to get a scholarship,” Hernandez. “This was big.”
Entering the game, Turlock head coach James Peterson wasn’t sure what to expect from the Jaguars, who came up short to Downey by a 46-39 score last week and have lost all but one contest to the Bulldogs since the inception of the Central California Athletic League in 2018.
“That's a heck of a football team,” Peterson said of Gregori. “I thought after watching that game they had against Downey that this was going to be fist fight tonight, but a lot of things kind of went our way early on. The momentum went our way early, and it just never flipped.”
A tone-setter alongside Hernandez on Friday was Michael Cardoso. The senior made his presence felt early and often at defensive end and on special teams. On the first play of Gregori’s first possession, he recorded a tackle for loss. On a punt attempt just two plays later, he deflected the kick to set the Bulldogs up in prime real estate at the opposing 35-yard line. Four plays later, Fuentes ran in a 3-yard touchdown to make it 14-0, with Cardoso successfully drilling each of the extra-point attempts.
The Jaguars felt the wrath of Cardoso again when he recorded a sack on the first play of the ensuing possession. The three-and-out soon led to a 10-yard rushing score by Fuentes.
Cardoso had another sack midway through the second quarter and even dropped a 53-yard punt to pin the Jaguars back deep.
“I take a lot of pride in just being able to do everything,” Cardoso said. “I try to be better every day, and having those high expectations make me want to be better. I'm trying to do anything I can to get higher than what I already achieved.”
Senior Donnell Harmon III forced a fumble late in the first quarter and helped keep the Jaguars idle by tipping a pass that was intercepted by Isaac Jeffcoats late in the second quarter.
In the early stages of the second half, Fuentes continued his romp through the Gregori defense. Senior quarterback Owen King dropped back and delivered a screen pass to Fuentes, who bulldozed tacklers and turned on the afterburners to take it the 18-yard distance.
Late in the third quarter, Fuentes found a hole and rushed 35 yards for his final touchdown of the night and extend the Bulldog lead to 34-0.
“I feel good right now,” said Fuentes, who was limited by opponents through the team’s five non-conference games. “I know these (defenses) are not going to mess with us because of our O-line… Shout out Avery Michael (T), Andrew Diaz (G), Elias Barriga (C), Dallas Richardson (G) and Louie Martinez (T).”
After a Gregori touchdown, Cardoso added to his highlight reel in the fourth quarter by booting a 48-yard field goal.
I'm a soccer player at heart,” Cardoso said. “I just try to kick the ball as far as I can.”
“He reminds me of back in the day when you'd have those Punt, Pass, Kick competitions, and there would be this one guy winning all of it,” joked Peterson. “Cardoso is a player.”
Fuentes, Hernandez and Cardoso each agreed that the tough non-conference schedule has the Bulldogs battle tested and ready for any challenge ahead, including Pitman, which dropped to 5-2 overall. Despite the Pride’s two losses to open league, Peterson is expecting the program to bring its best, especially after last year’s rivalry clash was the closest since 2017, a 28-14 win in favor of Turlock.
“I think it's going to be an exciting game,” Peterson said. “Pitman’s gotten better and better under their new leadership (second-year head coach Braden Plaa), and I think he's doing a heck of a job. We're going to have our work cut out for us.”
“A lot of those guys over there are my friends,” added a confident Cardoso. “Being able to whip up on my friends is the best part about playing football.”
The Bulldogs have strung together 12 straight wins over the Pride and lead the all-time series 14-8.
