Non-league play is nearly over. Now, the games start counting a little more.
Each week, The Record will provide the full San Joaquin County high school football schedule while highlighting 10 matchups that deserve a closer look, complete with a preview and prediction for each.
After a 25-15 start through four weeks, The Record matched its Week 0 mark by going 7-3 in Week 4
. Dare we say we’re getting the hang of this?Some picks will feel safe. Others could look much different by the final whistle.
One thing to note is the light TCAL schedule. Every team except Edison has an open date ahead of next week’s league openers, making the TCAL the county’s only league yet to begin play.
Here are The Record’s 10 games to watch and predictions for Week 5,
along with the full schedule.
Tokay (4-1) at Chavez (3-2), 7:15 p.m.
Tired of finishing third? Do something about it. Tokay has landed there two straight years and already let one SJAA opportunity slip away against Stagg. Next comes the biggest hurdle. Chavez beat the Tigers by 28 in its closest league game last year. Tokay has the talent, but is it enough to dethrone the back-to-back champions?
Prediction: Chavez 35, Tokay 24
East Union (3-1) at Central Catholic (4-1), 7 p.m.
“More of the same” has been East Union’s message since the offseason. Here’s quite the chance to prove it. Even the best team in program history lost 61-29 to Central Catholic last year. The Raiders have since beaten St. Mary’s, cracked California’s top 75, and emerged alongside Manteca as a VOL favorite.
Prediction: Central Catholic 38, East Union 17
Wilcox (1-3) at Edison (3-1), 7 p.m.
Every TCAL season since 2014 has ended with St. Mary’s on top. Could Edison finally make things interesting? A win would send the Vikings into league play at 4-1, with their only loss coming by six points to a team that beat the Rams by 14. Maybe, just maybe, this year’s race looks a little different.
Prediction: Edison 45, Wilcox 21
Escalon (3-2) at Hilmar (5-0), 7 p.m.
Apparently, Escalon likes being the underdog. Since a 0-2 start, the Cougars have knocked off Oakdale, a top-20 Nevada team, and previously undefeated Ripon Christian. Undefeated Hilmar, one of the TVL favorites, would top them all. What better way for the 12-time section champions to move past their worst league finish since 2016?
Prediction: Escalon 30, Hilmar 28
Sonora (3-2) at Ripon Christian (4-1), 7 p.m.
Last year, Sonora was untouchable. The Wildcats went 15-0, won a second straight state title and beat second-place Ripon Christian 55-14 along the way. The Knights still reached a section final, but there was no questioning the gap between them. This year, both teams are different, and so does the TVL. But in a league this competitive, starting 0-2 could be awfully difficult to overcome.
Prediction: Sonora 27, Ripon Christian 22
Ripon (2-3) at Hughson (3-1), 7 p.m.
Four straight years, four straight losses to Hughson. That’s been part of Ripon’s struggle to win more than two TVL games in a season, but last year’s 31-28 loss showed the gap was shrinking. This Ripon team looks capable of more than another one- or two-win league finish. Want to change that? Beat a Hughson team with nine-plus wins each of those years.
Prediction: Ripon 28, Hughson 24
Patterson (3-2) at Oakdale (2-3), 7 p.m.
So much for all that Patterson “hype.” Manteca took care of that, and Oakdale would love to do the same. The Mustangs shook off their first 1-3 start since 2005 by crushing Sierra in their VOL opener. One losing league record in more than 20 years says plenty about what usually happens once Oakdale gets into VOL play.
Prediction: Oakdale 34, Patterson 14
Franklin (Stockton) (2-3) at McNair (3-2), 7 p.m.
Still waiting on that first Booker Guyton statement win at Franklin? Keep an eye on this one. McNair has the offensive firepower and should be favored, but the Eagles have dropped two straight after a 3-0 non-league start. Guyton produced plenty of surprises at Edison. Pull one off here, and his Franklin era gets its first signature moment.
Prediction: McNair 42, Franklin 18
River Islands (4-1) at Summerville (1-3), 7 p.m.
So, River Islands ran into a defending state champion. Reality check received. The Riptide still have a chance to keep rewriting their record book. They already own a program-best four wins and now face Summerville, which beat them 30-13 last year and finished second in MLL. A league title might not happen, but the biggest win in program history still could.
Prediction: River Island 36, Summerville 32
West (3-2) at Stagg (3-2), 7 p.m.
Best running back in the SJAA? This game might have something to say about it. Stagg’s Darnell Holmes has 709 yards and nine touchdowns after rushing for 1,657 yards with 25 total touchdowns in 2025. West’s Ryder Harmison has exploded for 878 yards and 13 scores. Forget overcomplicating this one. Give both backs the football and enjoy.
Prediction: Stagg 40, Merrill West 23
Five more San Joaquin County games to watch
- Valley Christian (1-2) at Millennium (3-1), 7 p.m.
- Mountain House (1-4) at Manteca (3-2), 7 p.m.
- Linden (3-2) at Bret Harte (2-2), 7 p.m.
- Pacheco (2-2) at Lathrop (1-3), 7 p.m.
- Weston Ranch (0-5) at Bear Creek (1-4), 7:15 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County high school football Week 5 predictions, schedule
