NorCal Preseason #13: Manteca

We begin our 2017 Football coverage by revealing teams #20-11 in our NorCal Preseason Top 20 in a daily countdown to Aug. 24 when #10-1 are revealed in our 2017 Football Preview Special. If you need to catchup, here are links to previous entries:

| No. 20 Foothill (Aug. 14) | No. 19 Oakdale (Aug. 15) | No. 18 Capital Christian (Aug. 16) | No. 17 Campolindo-Moraga (Aug. 17) | No. 16 Marin Catholic-Kentfield (Aug. 18) | No. 15 Elk Grove (Aug. 19) | No. 14 Clayton Valley-Concord (Aug. 20) |

No. 13 MANTECA

2016 REVIEW: 12-2 and No. 18 in our final rankings

COACH: Eric Reis, 16th season

WHY THEY’RE HERE: The Buffaloes won their second SJS title in four years and advanced to the NorCal final for the second time. They also have the luxury of returning a top dual-threat QB and a pair of defensive standouts to make another run at a CIF State Bowl berth.

PASS, RUN, AND KICK: Senior QB Gino Campiotti is among the most versatile athletes in the Sac-Joaquin Section, able to do almost anything from his position under center. In 2016, he passed for more than 2,100 yards with 24 TD tosses and just five interceptions. Campiotti added more than 400 yards rushing to keep defenses guessing while also converting 58 of 63 PATs and 3 of 4 field goals to account for 211 total points. With a full season as the starter under center, expect Campiotti to put up even bigger offensive numbers in 2017.

MIDDLE MAN: With two years of varsity experience already, senior inside linebacker Ferrin Manuleleua has averaged more than 100 tackles per season, including a team-best 116 in 14 games last year. The 6-foot, 220-pound LB may not have the prototypical size to garner multiple Division I offers, but he has the motor and tackling ability to halt opposing offenses. On the rare occasion that running backs make it past the Buffaloes’ defensive line, Manuleleua is seemingly in the right place to make a big hit or break up a passing play across the middle.

NAME TO NOTE: Justin Kakala, DL, Sr. — The Harvard-commit is ready to follow his sister, Loretta, to the Div. I promised land. Loretta is a 6-foot-3 basketball star who was named a McDonald’s All-American before heading to Louisville on scholarship, but Justin can be considered her “big” brother at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds. As a junior, he made 56 tackles and recorded 11 sacks from his position on the DL, and should get plenty of opportunities to equal “little” sister Loretta’s high school greatness.

THE SCHEDULE

8/25 vs. VALLEY CHRISTIAN-SAN JOSE

9/1 @ Christian Brothers-Sacramento (Sacramento City College)

9/8 @ Enochs-Modesto (Gregori High School)

9/22 vs. CENTRAL CATHOLIC-MODESTO

9/29 vs. LATHROP

10/6 @ Oakdale

10/13 vs. KIMBALL-TRACY

10/20 @ Weston Ranch-Stockton

10/27 @ Sierra-Manteca

LAST WORD: Reis will no doubt have the Buffs ready for the ultra-competitive Valley Oak League and the challenge of earning the program’s first-ever CIF State Bowl Championship berth.

Redding. For a Sports Adventure!