On a foggy day in Stockton, the stage was set for the NYFL State Championship Game between the Delta Patriots Starts West and the Modesto Raiders.
Only four plays into the first quarter, Patriot Camron McLean took a 36-yard dash into the end zone. The Raiders wasted no time replying. On their first play from scrimmage, they ran the ball up the middle for an impressive 60-yard TD but were denied the extra point by the Pats goal-line defense, leaving the score 7-6.
Seven points was all the Patriots needed, as the Delta D shut out the Raiders for the rest of the day. The D-line smothered Modesto, sacking its QB five times and forcing punts all day long. Tuli Letuligasenoa led the devastation with eight tackles, two assists and two sacks.
McLean added six tackles, four assists, two sacks and an interception, and Marcus Espinoza made five tackles and two assists. Dante Lucido chipped in with two tackles, three assists and a sack. The defense finished with five sacks, and McLean's interception almost went the distance.
On its third possession, the Patriot offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, led by secret weapon Marcus Dawal. The rest of the line Cody Oleski, Isaiah Newell, Tucker Fine, Hayden Fordhal, Roman Pedro, James Teofilo, and Jason Robidou made numerous key blocks, frustrating the Raiders' D. The Patriots' 10-play drive was capped by Lucido's 35-yard burst to paydirt.
The offensive line continued to blow holes in the Modesto formation, allowing McLean to score again from 15 yards out. Fullback Conor Capps' nice gains up the field kept the Raiders from keying on McLean. Overall, the offense combined for 256 yards on the ground and three TDs.
Once the fog cleared, the scoreboard read Patriots West 20, Modesto Raiders 6. Congratulations to the 13-1 Delta Patriots Starts West for its triple-crown season: Central Athletic Conference Champions, Sacramento/San Joaquin Super Bowl Champions and NYFL State Champions.


