At the heart of the tradition of Friday night lights are the intense rivalries that electrify high school stadiums nationwide. Friday was no different at Gustine High as the Reds and Warriors met on the field for the 78th battle for the Chief, fueled by decades of fierce competition and community pride.

The Chief will stay with Orestimba, as the Warriors claimed a 56-12 victory. The annual rivalry game now stands at 40-36-2 in favor of OHS.

The first half remained a nail-biter, with both teams locked in a scoreless battle. But then the intensity escalated. Austin Etheridge of the Gustine Reds sprinted for a 30-yard gain, positioning his team near the 5-yard line. Quarterback Daniel Navarro seized the moment, connecting with Mike Saaranzin for the game’s opening touchdown.

It was then Orestimba’s chance and they weren't going to waste it. Quarterback Jacob Valenzuela and running back Nicolas Cuevas combined to orchestrate a 35-yard touchdown run. The team went for the two-point conversion and were successful, which put the Warriors ahead, 8-6.

From then on out it was an offensive rout at the hands of the Warriors. Valenzuela tallied up 158 passing yards and 74 rushing yards, resulting in two touchdowns. Senior running back Allen Garcia had 10 carries and rushed for 124 yards for the night, scoring once for the Warriors. Cuevas had a total of nine carries, 95 rushing yards and 67 receiving yards, putting up a total of three touchdowns for the Warriors. Junior running back Emmanuel Alcantar accounted for another touchdown for the Warriors’ with a total of three carries and 29 yards. Junior wide receiver Alan Gamboa had 68 receiving yards and scored one touchdown.

In the second and third quarters the Warriors put up 42 unanswered points.

Cuevas also shone defensively over the game. In the role of linebacker he made three solo tackles and assisted in five. Senior linebacker Colby Cabral made two tackles and five assists for the night. Junior defensive lineman Noah Valenzuela made three solo tackles and two assists. Junior defensive back Richie Rivas made one interception for the Warriors. Senior defensive lineman Dylan McCauley returned a kickoff for a 21-yard gain.

Gamboa, Garcia, Jacob Valenzuela and Cabral were responsible for the four two=point conversions the Warriors put up over the game.

The Reds would score one more touchdown late in the fourth quarter. In the closing minutes the Warriors answered with another touchdown, ending the game at 56-12.

Warriors quarterback Jacob Valenzuela was happy with his own performance and that of his teammates over the night.

"I tried to get the ball around evenly, I even ran it a few times myself but I think overall we performed very well.”

Historically, the annual rivalry game is played towards the end of the season and often has playoff possibilities on the line. But this season Orestimba is now in the Trans-Valley League, while Gustine remains in the Southern League. Hence, the game was moved to the preseason, serving as a marker for how each is prepared for the season to start, something Gustine quarterback Austin Etheridge noted after the game.

"We have to work on fundamentals a little bit more and overall the game of football" Etheridge said.

Coming into the game, the seniors knew this would be their last time playing for the Chief.

"There was a bunch of emotions, we just wanted to win, put in our best effort, and do what we could do,” Etheridge said.

For Warrior senior Jacob Valenzuela, he didn't get to win the chief on his home field but the feeling of winning alone made him excited.

"I came out here ready to play just like every game, trying to show out for each and every one of them,” Valenzuela said.

Reds Coach Collin Lane was very proud of his team for the constant hard work and for competing all the way to the end.

"We just let it get away from us in the end,” Lane said. “They belong in the TVL and you can tell they have outgrown our school.”

This is Lane’s third year as Gustine's head coach and his third time playing for the Chief. He said it was a different feeling this time around.

"There's a little more at stake at the end, but right now we just play for the community, and I'm happy to have their support,” Lane said. "We have a bye next week so it will be beneficial to build our players back up because they are always willing to step up to help out so now is time for them to be ready for our next game.” 

After the game, both coaches commented on the size of the community that this game brings together each year.

"Regardless of the score or the time of year, this is a special event for both of these communities to play for such an iconic statue,” said Orestimba head coach Aaron Souza.

Orestimba’s next big focus is their next game against Johanson at Orestimba. "We lost to them last year, so after tonight starting tomorrow our focus will be Johanson,” Souza added.

After the bye week, Gustine will play on the road at Delta on Sept. 6. The Red's next home game will be homecoming on Sept. 13 against Yosemite.