The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI final promised to be a good matchup since the two teams played before and it was decided by one point. On Saturday night at the Lodi Grape Bowl, it wasn’t a one-point win for Capital Christian of Sacramento but the Cougars’ 35-28 triumph over Modesto Christian was just about as close.
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In the game’s final minutes, after Modesto Christian had scored on a 42-yard pass from Luke Andrew to Windsor Jamison, the Crusaders finally got a stop on defense and headed down the field for a possible game-tying or game-winning score with a two-point conversion.
Justice Shelton-Mosley is headed to Harvard but hopes he still has more football to play for Capital Christian. Photo: Mark Tennis.
Capital Christian then ran out the clock for the win. It marked the school’s second section title but first undefeated season.
“These seniors wanted to be 13-0 from the beginning,” said Capital Christian head coach Phil Grams. “But they did it by setting goals. It was first to win league, then to go 10-0, then to get through the two rounds of the playoffs, and then to win tonight.”
One of those seniors, the versatile Justice Shelton-Mosley, who also started for Capital Christian’s basketball team that last March lost in the CIF NorCal Open Division final to Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland, exploded for a 65-yard touchdown run in the first quarter when the Cougars quickly answered an opening-drive TD by the Crusaders.
Mosley later scored on a 9-yard run in the second quarter and had a 2-yard TD run with 8:50 left that gave Capital Christian a 35-21 lead. He finished with 141 yards on 21 carries and said afterward that he committed earlier in the week with Harvard.
Capital Christian quarterback Jacob Norville added a 16-yard TD pass to Josh Manansala on the team’s first series of the second half. The Cougars’ other TD was a 1-yard run in the second quarter by Luis Gomez.
Modesto Christian’s Chris Brown matched Shelton-Mosley by scoring three touchdowns. He had both of the team’s touchdowns in the first half and had a 7-yard score in the third quarter.
After watching Modesto Central Catholic get eligible for the CIF Division IV NorCal bowl game on Friday night, the Cougars did the same on Saturday night.
Since Central Catholic is the two-time defending D4 state champion and has lost only to bigger schools, the Raiders are a lock to be in that game.
Capital Christian at 13-0 will have a solid case to be that other team, but probably will need to have CIF Oakland Section champion McClymonds of Oakland shown with four forfeit losses instead of 12-0 when the teams are selected next Sunday. If the forfeit losses stand, Capital Christian seems like the next team in. If they don’t, McClymonds is in and the Cougars are not.
“All I know is we deserve to go,” Grams said. “We’ve beaten one of the best teams out there twice. Sometimes, teams from the same section should play against each other in a game like that.”
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3 Comments
Capital could beat Central because of their speed. Central is always game ready, they have controlled McClymonds in previous seasons and Mac only beat Fremont of Oakland 20-8 in this years section final…Better game for the fans and C.I.F. would be Capital versus Central…If McClymonds had the original lineup when they beat Analy on the road, then it might be a closer arguement. Mac only won by 10 at home to Salesian. Capital defeated M.C. twice and they had a weak SOS but again got the job done against a much better opponent than Mac’s (20-8 over Fremont). I’m a Modesto Christian Fan who has lived on Myrtle Avenue in West Oakland and would love to see Mac in the Bowl Game for what it would mean for that small tight-knit community. Central rarely loses in Championship games and will win unless Capital or Mac can have error less offensive/defensive/special teams execution. Regardless who ever get’s to face Central hat’s off to Capital Christian and McClymonds for stellar seasons that they can rest their hat’s on!!! My prediction for this Bowl Game goes to the North!!! Central 46 Bishop 24
tdp123… Thanks for the acknowledgement! Fremont has a talented team and young, not to be over looked for next year. The Mack coaches tried to schedule a game with Modesto and Capital Christian to avoid this type of debate. Both teams declined to play Mack in the preseason. Furthermore, Mack will NOT lose to Central Catholic again(19 seniors returning) after a 17-14 lost last when Mack out gained Central by 200 yds!!! Central catholic also dropped Mack from is preseason schedule. Even without KD, Mack is a force, Lavance Warren is one of the best running backs in the state(2424 yds, 30 tds) and a very stingy defense which has held opponents to less than 100 yds of total offense per games and only 74 pts given up through 12 games. If it were not for the mismanagement of Commissioner Russel White, Mack would not be in this position. I believe Mack and Central Catholic III is the game everybody wants to see!!!
Championship teams that have the heritage of winning state titles, have systems exercised from Pop Warner to High School. Central dominates at all levels, on the occasion they have been down. If Mack (sorry for earlier post referring as Mac) can handle the pressure and not turn the ball over, then yes it will be close. Central will control the clock offensively and they allow yards on defense. Look at there schedule and that shows you the competition they play. Mack cannot say the same. Capital defeated M.C. who is a top five team for small bowl ratings. Fremont might be the team of the Future and props for the tough final loss against Mack. Unless you have then your ambitiously are being optimistic in hopes you do get the match-up against the Defending State Champions. They Loss to St. Mary’s of Stockton, Oakdale and Sierra of Manteca, which all of them would be heavily favored over Mack or Capital. Mack Played Salesian and Analy, with Salesian at home only a 10 point victory. Again hats off to both programs for reaching the opportunity to continue their season. I favor Central, but know I will root for the Northern representative. So good luck Mack and Capital, just don’t see either defeating the Raiders!