GUSTINE - Hard work is showing signs of paying off for the Gustine High School football team.

On Friday, the Reds soundly defeated Modesto Christian High’s squad 30-12 in a Southern Athletic League game at Gustine High School Stadium.

“I was very happy and proud for our players to see success (last) week,” said Gustine head coach Collin Lane. “Our kids practice very hard no matter the outcome, so I am happy to see them succeed.

Now the Reds shift their focus toward another SAL game.

This Friday at 7:15 p.m., Gustine (1-2 in the SAL, 1-6) travels to the East side of Stanislaus County to take on Waterford (0-3 in the SAL, 1-5) at Wildcat Stadium.

“Waterford run (s) a great scheme and can be hard to prepare for,” Lane said. “We are going to have to have a great week of practice if we are going to be able to compete at a high level.”

Gustine and Waterford have one opponent in common: Orestimba. The Warriors posted a 35-0 win over the Wildcats in a non-league game at Waterford High on Sept. 18.

One of the perks in the Reds’ win over the Crusaders was moving the ball on offense.

“I was impressed with our ability to run the ball against a team that was much bigger than us across the board,” Lane said. “We showed a lot of grit, and we did a great job of defending the talented players they have.”

Lane is hoping his Reds can continue to carry the positive mentality in practices this week, leading up to this Friday’s game at Waterford.

“I am very proud of our team,” Lane said. “We have been blessed with a great group of players who have great attendance, practice with maximum effort, and are ‘yes coach’ type of kids. We are very young, so I am happy that their attitude and effort is constantly at a high level.”

Contact Mike Bush at mikebushmedia@gmail.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushmedia.