With a playoff win on the line, Ripon Christian rose to the challenge on Friday. They skirted past the Amador Buffaloes 28-26. Given the Knights' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 154th, while the Buffaloes are ranked 336th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Mason Tameling
| 09/12/25 vs Mesa Verde | 163.2 |
| 10/24/25 vs Orestimba | 156.3 |
| 10/17/25 @ Escalon | 143.3 |
| 10/10/25 @ Ripon | 139.2 |
| 09/26/25 @ Hughson | 126.8 |
| + 6 more games |
Ripon Christian's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Mason Tameling led the charge by rushing for 38 yards and one touchdown, while also throwing for 100 yards while completing 77.8% of his passes. Tameling's passing game has become a key predictor of the Knights' success: the team is undefeated when his passer rating is 100 or higher, but only 1-2 otherwise. Lushen Sanders was another key back, rushing for 53 yards and a pair of TDs.
On the other side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Ripon Christian's defense and their four sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Braden Schaapman, Blake Stuit, and Jackson Howell, who each picked up one sack apiece.
When it comes to explaining why Amador lost, don't look at John McPartland. Despite the final result, he threw for 95 yards and two touchdowns on only seven passes, and also rushed for 45 yards.
Ripon Christian pushed their record up to 9-2 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 12.2 points on average over those games. As for Amador, with the defeat, they broke their four-game winning streak and moved their record to 6-5.
Ripon Christian has already played their next matchup, a 52-49 victory against Liberty Ranch on the 21st. Amador does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
