A season poised for another championship
Downey High School enters the 2026 season as the defending CCAL champions, having finished a perfect 5‑0 league campaign a year ago with a 28‑point victory over Turlock that secured the title.
The team’s roster returns key contributors such as running back/defensive back Elias Haynes, who earned league MVP honors after amassing 1,343 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns, and versatile athlete Owen Sacuskie, a staple on both sides of the ball.
Coach Jeremy Plaa, now in his twentieth year at the helm, has scheduled a grueling non‑league slate that opens with top‑ranked opponents including Del Oro, Merced, Monterey Trail, Grant and Stockton Lincoln, a test he believes will sharpen the squad for the postseason.
Among those postseason opponents, Folsom looms large; the Bulldogs have eliminated Downey in both 2022 and 2025, and last year’s meeting saw Downey post the highest point total of any team in the playoff bracket with 28 points.
Turlock, which finished 5‑6 overall and 4‑1 in league play, will be led by new head coach James Peterson, who begins his eighteenth season after a narrow loss to Downey in 2025. The team will rely on returning lineman Avery Michael and running back Braiden Fuentes, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, while missing key contributors Scout Silva and Alex Ventura.
With both programs poised to battle for the league crown, the upcoming schedule promises a clash of talent and strategy that could set the stage for another memorable championship run.