The final bell has rung, and the 2025-26 school year is officially in the rearview mirror. Now comes the fun part: looking back at the performances we’ll be talking about for years.
Readers ultimately selected Moses Alexander’s two-way performance in St. Mary’s CIF State championship victory as the year’s best, but it was only one chapter in a season filled with remarkable individual efforts.
Record books were rewritten. Playoff games were taken over. Stars delivered when their teams needed them most.
These are The Record’s top 16 single-game football performances of the year.
Manteca shocks Bay Area powerhouse behind Juarez’s 206 yards, three touchdowns
Few expected Manteca to spoil Frank McManus’ debut at Cardinal Newman, but that’s exactly what happened Aug. 29. Facing a coach who led Mater Dei to a CIF Southern Section Division I title, an Open Division state championship and a national championship in 2023, the Buffaloes rolled to a 40-7 victory behind Nikko Juarez, who rushed 18 times for 206 yards and three touchdowns.
Chavez’s Walker carves up Tokay for 408 yards, six touchdowns
Perfection may be impossible in sports, but Chavez sophomore quarterback Elijah Walker came close Sept. 19. In a 55-27 rout of Tokay, Walker completed 20 of 26 passes for 408 yards and six touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Oakdale’s Burford Piles Up 423 Yards, Seven Touchdowns Against East Union
On a night when points came in bunches, senior Wes Burford made sure Oakdale stayed ahead. The Sac-Joaquin Section’s all-time leading rusher and Air Force signee piled up 423 yards and seven touchdowns on 30 carries, guiding the Mustangs to a 71-55 victory over East Union in a mentor-versus-protege showdown Oct. 3.
East Union’s Fay records 216 yards, five touchdowns versus Oakdale
Just when it seemed Oakdale might finally create some separation, senior Jackson Fay pulled East Union back into the fight. Despite the Lancers’ 71-55 loss on Oct. 3, the UC Davis signee put his explosiveness on full display, turning 13 receptions into 216 yards and five touchdowns.
Stagg’s Holmes caps remarkable turnaround with 214 yards, two touchdowns against Tokay
“We back, baby. We back.” Eric Crocker couldn’t contain his excitement after Stagg’s 24-21 win over Tokay on Oct. 24, a victory that kept the Delta Kings undefeated in SJAA play heading into the regular-season finale. Holmes was a major reason why, as the junior running back rushed for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
Donnell runs Chavez to first perfect season, back-to-back SJAA titles
Two years after a winless season, Chavez found itself on the doorstep of more history against then-undefeated Stagg. Joel Donnell helped make it happen, rushing 15 times for 225 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-0 shutout Oct. 30 that secured back-to-back SJAA championships and the first perfect season in program history.
Edison’s Rasmussen throws seven touchdowns on 11 passes in rout of Lodi
Eleven completions were all it took for Devin Rasmussen to take over. The Edison senior quarterback went 11-for-16 for 393 yards and seven touchdowns without throwing an interception in a 56-17 blowout of Lodi in the regular-season finale Oct. 31.
Stanford-bound Horace delivers 189 yards, three touchdowns in Edison’s finale
One of the most accomplished receivers in Edison history made the most of his final home game. Stanford signee Langdon Horace needed just five receptions to rack up 189 receiving yards and three touchdowns in a 56-17 victory over Lodi on Oct. 31.
Hernandez powers St. Mary’s in Battle of Stockton with five touchdowns, 231 yards
Two streaks dating back decades were on the line when St. Mary’s and Lincoln met in the Battle of Stockton on Oct. 31. Lincoln hadn’t beaten the Rams since 2005, while St. Mary’s hadn’t lost a league game since 2013. Diego Hernandez made sure neither came to an end, powering the Rams with 231 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries in a 54-41 victory.
Fleming helps Tokay make history in California’s first-ever bowl game
California had never staged a high school football bowl game before Nov. 7, and Amire Fleming made the most of the occasion. In Tokay’s 51-44 victory over Mountain House in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Bowl Game, the senior running back rushed 26 times for 236 yards and six touchdowns while adding two receptions for 49 yards and another score.
East Union advances to section semifinal behind Camara’s 272 yards, four touchdowns
With a spot in the section semifinals on the line, Brayden Camara helped keep East Union’s historic season moving forward. The running back rushed 22 times for 272 yards and four touchdowns in a 58-25 victory over No. 5 Placer on Nov. 14 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV quarterfinals.
St. Mary’s Galvan leads playoff comeback in ‘one of the most amazing games ever’
Trailing 31-15 at halftime against No. 5 Jesuit in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II quarterfinals on Nov. 14, St. Mary’s appeared to have its season on the ropes. Jaden Galvan had other plans. The senior quarterback threw for 358 yards and five touchdowns on 25-of-43 passing and helped engineer a flawless two-minute drive as the Rams stormed back for a 64-55 victory.
Moore III’s 295 all-purpose yards keep St. Mary’s alive in ‘one of the most amazing games ever’
Sixteen seconds stood between St. Mary’s and elimination before Kenneth Moore III changed everything. The UCLA signee scored the game-winning touchdown on an end around in a 64-55 comeback win over No. 5 Jesuit in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II quarterfinals on Nov. 14. The senior wide receiver also piled up 101 receiving yards on four catches, added 160 kick return yards and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
East Union reaches first section final since 1989 behind UC Davis signee Fay’s five touchdowns
A trip to East Union’s first section final since 1989 was on the line, and Jackson Fay refused to let the opportunity slip away. The UC Davis signee and senior wide receiver scored five touchdowns in a 61-55 road upset of No. 1 Twelve Bridges in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI semifinals on Nov. 21, hauling in nine receptions for 125 yards and three scores while adding 59 rushing yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.
Huerta’s 178 receiving yards help St. Mary’s reach second CIF State Championship game
Not all game-changing performances end in the end zone. Ivan Huerta caught seven passes for 178 yards, including a 67-yard gain with less than three minutes remaining, setting St. Mary’s up inside the 3-yard line in a 31-24 victory over Junipero Serra in the CIF State NorCal Regional Finals on Dec. 5.
Alexander’s two-way dominance helps St. Mary’s capture CIF State Championship
The biggest game in Stockton football history brought out the best in Moses Alexander. The two-way senior rushed six times for 71 yards and two touchdowns in St. Mary’s 27-24 victory over Bakersfield Christian (13-1) on Dec. 12, helping secure the city’s first-ever CIF Division 2-AA state championship. He wasn’t finished there, tipping a pass that led to an interception before breaking up a fade route on third-and-goal late in the game, setting the stage for the missed field goal that sealed the title.
This article originally appeared on The Record: San Joaquin County’s 16 most unforgettable football performances of 2025
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
