After continuing the school’s best start ever, the Pitman High football team is taking the week off. No game this Friday night. Just another week of much-needed practice, though the Pride are 5-0.

Their coach, Brandon Harris, believes his team still has a lot of work left to do.

It doesn’t matter that the Pride easily handled another opponent last week. This time, it was a 42-0 thumping at Franklin High in Stockton. It doesn’t matter that the Pride’s smallest margin of victory is 13 points (via a 33-20 opening season win over Modesto High). There’s still work to do, he said.

“There are no easy games left on our schedule,” Harris noted, “and we have to improve tremendously if we want to contend for a league title.”

Pitman will return to action on Oct. 7, when the Pride open the Central California Conference against Golden Valley High at Debely Stadium. The Cougars are 1-3 entering this week.

So far, the Pride have outscored opponents 201-35.

“We are excited about the challenge of playing in the CCC,” Harris said. “Our league is extremely tough and any one of the teams could win the title.”

Bulldogs to face Franklin in homecoming

After Pitman easily handled Franklin, it’s Turlock’s turn.

After a week off, the Bulldogs host Franklin on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Debely Stadium. Franklin is 1-3 after having lost the last three games.

Turlock is 3-1 and has won two straight games against Davis High and Modesto High. The Bulldogs’ lone loss came against a strong small-school program in Oakdale High on Sept. 2.

The Bulldogs hope to build momentum into next week, when they play at defending league champion Buhach Colony High in Atwater. The Thunder advanced to the semifinals of last year’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs.

To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.