TURLOCK – Scout Silva, Turlock High’s 16-year-old freshman quarterback, greets people with a quick smile, a shock of curly hair and a burst of confidence.
About an hour after the Bulldogs’ pivotal 33-14 victory over previously unbeaten Downey, Silva declared online, “Bet on us every time.”
That wave of satisfaction was borne of a performance that gave Turlock the inside track toward a second straight Central California Athletic League championship. Silva rushed for three touchdowns, passed for two TDs, rushed for 95 yards and passed for 141, sufficient evidence that no one has told him he stands only 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds.
“It’s exciting this year,” he said after the game, “but we’re not done.”
Turlock (5-3, 3-0) will be favored to beat Modesto and Enochs the final two weeks. If that happens, a home berth in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs appears likely.
Such a result seemed like a longshot after they stumbled to a 1-3 start against a brutal non-leagues schedule. But look at the Bulldogs now: Winners of four straight with a maturing young quarterback, a hyperactive defense and a team playing its best at the right time.
Turlock greeted the Knights (7-1, 2-1) with a 21-point hello—touchdowns on its first three series. The Bulldogs ran effectively with Jeremiah Stine (a Downey Knight two years ago), who totaled 81 rushing yards. Stine’s shifty style bothered his former teammates, and Turlock got the jump on the visitors from Modesto.
Silva sneaked for Turlock’s first TD, then made Downey defenders miss as he sped 44 yards to finish a quick 60-yard drive. And to show that the early flurry wasn’t an accident, the Bulldogs went 87 yards in 12 plays, punctuated by Silva’s 11-yard pass to Oakdale transfer Joseph Delte alone in the end zone.
“We came out hot,” Silva said. “We thought our offensive line was better than their defensive line. I think it showed tonight.”
Turlock coach James Peterson and his staff saw Silva's promise in its season-opening loss to Rocklin. The moment wasn’t too big for him, Peterson remembered, and he progressed from there.
“He (Silva) is truly a high IQ player, a poised player for his age,” Peterson said. “I’ve been impressed with him since the summer. He can run and he can command.”
The Turlock defense, feeding off the initial success, contained a Downey offense that had averaged 46 points over its first seven games. The game plan was simple.
“Keep the ball in front of you, and tackle well,” Peterson said. “Cover and tackle.”
The Bulldogs made Downey one-dimensional by limiting the ground game to only 49 yards. Knights quarterback Carson Lamb completed 14 of 28 passes for 175 yards but Turlock defenders—especially lineman Kaeden Patterson--were quick to hold the scrambling Downey QB to nominal gains.
Turlock devoted one entire practice to defense this week, and the result was only 224 net yards by the usually electric Knights. A Lamb interception in the third period demonstrated the Bulldogs’ 11-man approach.
Lamb, harassed by Dominick Luna, threw to Jayceon Sloan near the Turlock bench. As the ball hit his hands, Sloan was hit hard by Bradlee Green. The ball spun into the air and was picked off by linebacker Dayne Hart.
The turnover was big because Downey had awakened from the 21-0 deficit. A Turlock fumble on its own 6-yard line led to the Knights’ first TD, a 2-yard inside run by sophomore Elias Haynes. Minutes later, Lamb found Joseph Ramirez (7 catches, 128 yards) sprinting toward the post with a 42-yard dart and the touchdown.
The Knights trailed only 21-14 at the half but could not generate enough offense. Silva, rolling to his right, threw on the run to Junior Silva (no relation) beyond the coverage. The 43-yard strike increased the margin to 27-14.
Downey coach Jeremy Plaa said it shocked his team when it didn’t answer Turlock’s early explosion. The Knights seemed over-anxious, resulting in 96 yards in penalties and five personal fouls.
“Our theme of the week was ‘poise.’ We had a great week of practice,” Plaa said. “We were healthier than we’ve ever been but did not capitalize on our opportunities, and Turlock had a lot to do with that.”
Downey didn’t even ignite after recovering two fumbles in the fourth quarter. The Turlock secondary, featuring Stine at safety and corners Delte and Landyn Fitzgerald, yielded yardage to Ramirez but held the Knights’ other dangerous receivers in check.
The rest was left to Silva, who kept Downey guessing all night. He clinched the win when, on a daring 4th-and-14 gamble from midfield, he dashed 17 yards with three minutes left. He slid before he stepped out-of-bounds to keep the clock ticking.
A frosty handshake between Plaa and Peterson probably was the result of some late-game confusion. Turlock, driving to the Downey 1 yard line, lined up in a so-called “victory formation.”
Rather than a kneel-down, Silva pushed into the end zone with 4.3 seconds left.
“There’s no sour grapes between me and Jeremy,” Peterson said. “We’re just playing hard.”
Opposing opinions aside, chalk it up to another edition of Downey vs. Turlock, the teams that have dominated the CCAL since 2019. It is a bona fide rivalry, one that will continue with one constant the next few years.
Scout Silva at quarterback.
Turlock 33, Downey 14
Downey 0-14-0-0—14
Turlock 14-7-6-6—33
1st Quarter
T—Scout Silva 1 run (Mateo Valencia kick)
T—S. Silva 44 run (Valencia kick)
2nd Quarter
T—Joseph Delte 11 pass from S. Silva (Valencia kick)
D—Elias Haynes 2 run (Jacob Wallace kick)
D—Joseph Ramirez 42 pass from Carson Lamb (Wallace kick)
3rd Quarter
T—Junior Silva 43 pass from S. Silva (kick blocked)
4th Quarter
T—S. Silva 1 run (kick failed)
Records – Downey 7-1, 2-1 CCAL; Turlock 5-3, 3-0 CCAL
JV – Downey 22-14
