Tracy – The Gustine Reds, with a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, secured their first victory of the season, defeating the Millennium Falcons of Tracy in a non-league matchup, 34-20.
The Reds, fresh off winning the coin toss, used the early momentum to control the game and fend off a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful comeback attempt by the host Falcons.
From the opening whistle, Gustine's offense set the tone, with the team's four captains, Edgar Garcia (#72), Heston Duarte (#75), Joseph Sifuentez (#60), and Jesus Mejia (#23), leading the charge. The Reds’ ground game was particularly effective, with multiple players making an impact.
The star of the night was undoubtedly Joao Palamino (#21), who was a force on both offense and defense. Palamino racked up an impressive 92 rushing yards and contributed two successful 2-point conversions. On defense, he sealed a strong individual performance with a key interception.
Running back Crue Correa (#7) complemented the attack with 54 rushing yards and a touchdown of his own, while also contributing with multiple tackles and assists on defense.
Other standout players for the Reds included Avery Etheridge (#25), Jesus Mejia (#23), Heston Duarte (#75), Joseph Sifuentez (#60), and Luke Avila (#37), whose efforts were crucial in maintaining Gustine’s control of the game.
Following the victory, Head Coach Collin Lane expressed his pride in his team's accomplishment. "I am very happy for the boys, it's a win, and I am proud of them," Lane said. "Getting the first win on the board is huge." However, he also acknowledged that there is still work to be done. "We have a lot of things we need to clean up. We kind of played down this week compared to where we were at last week. [We need to] get that figured out and get ready to go."
With their record now at 1-1, the Gustine Reds will look to carry this momentum into their home opener against the Riverbank Bruins (1-0). The Bruins are coming off a commanding 50-0 victory over Richmond. The highly anticipated non-league matchup will take place on Friday, Sept. 5, with gates opening at 4 p.m. at Gustine High School. The Reds will have their work cut out for them as they face a tough Riverbank squad eager to extend their winning streak.
