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Which 5 San Joaquin County football players shined in Week 0?

shannon mia belt, the stockton record
·3 min read

San Joaquin County football showed out in the first game of the 2023-24 season. Week 0 in the 209 had hosts of ground game battles, dog fights and sweet victories for 12 area teams.

Here are The Record’s picks for the top five offensive players who stood out among the rest following Week 0’s action.

Manteca's Bryson Davis, right, pulls pulls along Granite Bay's Broc Daily, left, and Isaiah Ene during the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football championship game at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.
Manteca's Bryson Davis, right, pulls pulls along Granite Bay's Broc Daily, left, and Isaiah Ene during the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football championship game at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.

1. Bryson DavisRunning back, Manteca (Senior)

Davis is picking up where Blake Nichelson left off as the Buffaloes’ new workhorse in the backfield. In their matchup against Vista Del Lago, the 6-foot-1 senior carried the ball 36 times to rack up 315 rushing yards. He scored four out of six Manteca touchdowns. Davis played a big role in helping the Buffaloes blow past the Eagles to win 42-35. Davis has set a tone for another run-heavy season for Manteca this year.

Manteca Head Coach Mark Varnum: “You know, it’s just no mystery that we’re going to feed Bryson the ball for sure. He took care of business last night carrying the ball 36 times for 315 yards. I’m sure he’s a sore guy today.”

St. Mary's Asante Carter runs up the middle for a TD against Lincoln High Friday at St. Mary''s on Oct. 28, 2022. St. Mary's led 14-7 at half-time.
St. Mary's Asante Carter runs up the middle for a TD against Lincoln High Friday at St. Mary''s on Oct. 28, 2022. St. Mary's led 14-7 at half-time.

2. Asante CarterRunning back, St. Mary’s (Senior)

The Rams got things done on the ground in its Week 0 matchup against Clovis West’s thick defense. Carter led the charge opening the game with a 16-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. He would continue to dominate in the backfield rushing for 126 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. The senior speedy back would not be denied having his way against the Golden Eagles. Carter helped St. Mary’s to a 38-28 victory.

St. Mary’s Head Coach Tony Franks: “Asante had a good night. It was nice to see him and our offensive line kind of go to work and get some tough yards on the ground against a good Clovis West defensive front. They had a good crew of defensive linemen and one outstanding linebacker so it was a good opening night test for us.”

Mountain House's Amare Brooks runs with the ball during the team's game against Weston Ranch in the 2022-23 season.
Mountain House's Amare Brooks runs with the ball during the team's game against Weston Ranch in the 2022-23 season.

3. Amare BrooksQuarterback, Mountain House (Senior)

Brooks was on one in Mountain House’s Week 0 matchup against McNair. The senior quarterback made it happen in the air and on the ground leading the Mustangs to a 33-21 upset win over the Eagles. He threw for two touchdowns from 42 and 25 yards out. The 5-foot-11 senior was just as effective as a runner. He ended the game with two rushing touchdowns, one from 31 yards out. Brooks also snagged an interception in the fourth quarter of the game.

Mountain House’s Head Coach Jabari Carr: “I think Amare has been a bit of an underdog these last couple of years with our school being newer and competing to be a starting guy. But I think his approach really is just to grind when nobody is looking. He really came through for us last night.”

Tracy's Aidan VanOs, right, gets a pass off under pressure from Kimball's Christian Taylor during a varsity football game at Tracy's Wayne Schneider Stadium in Tracy.
Tracy's Aidan VanOs, right, gets a pass off under pressure from Kimball's Christian Taylor during a varsity football game at Tracy's Wayne Schneider Stadium in Tracy.

4. Aidan Van OsQuarterback, Tracy (Senior)

The Bulldogs struggled offensively during their Tracy showdown against Kimball. Van Os didn’t let the pressure or Kimball’s eight-point lead get to him as he turned up in the second half. The senior dual-threat quarterback went on to rush for nearly 100 yards and three touchdowns to lead his team to a 24-14 win. Van Os played an essential role in getting the Bulldogs over the first half slump where they only scored a field goal. He also threw for 71 yards on 12 passes.

Tracy Head Coach Jeff Pribble: “I just have a group of intelligent young men out there that execute a game plan and Van Os is one of those guys. This game really just goes to show you’re never really out of the game in football. That’s why you play all four quarters.”

5. Zak WilsonQuarterback, Sierra (Junior)

Sierra was in a dogfight against a familiar foe in Lathrop. Lucky for the Timberwolves their junior quarterback kept a cool head to lead them to a close 39-35 win over the Spartans. Wilson threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns keeping Sierra alive throughout the entire match. The 5-foot-9 junior also passed with accuracy going 10 out of 15 in the air.

The game went down to the wire in the fourth quarter with Lathrop holding a 35-31 lead with a little over three minutes remaining. Within those three minutes, Wilson and the Timberwolves charged down the field and would not let any Spartan get in their way. Wilson connected with junior Trevor Sutton from 18 yards out to score the game-winning touchdown.

Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Which 5 San Joaquin County football players shined in Week 0?