WSL Athletics Week 3 Review & Week 4 Preview: Avenal suffers first loss, Mendota survives for 1st win, Panic mode for Defending Champs Dos Palos? 

Dos Palos have been looking for answers as one of the preseason favorites for the WSL Title, But have yet to secure their first win of the 2022 campaign having been outscored 83-56 which equals a point differential of -27. As well as in both losses to Los Banos and Summerville occurred when they gave up the go-ahead touchdown with 5 mins or less and would stall on their comeback attempts in both occasions. With three weeks to go till league play begins Dos Palos will look forward to taste the sweet taste of victory as they take over the long 3hr trip south the I-5, Hwy 41 & 46, and then finally down the 101 to Santa Maria to take on the Pioneer Valley Panthers in a clash of Merced County vs. Santa Barbara County as well as they both on Friday night will look for their first win of 2022. 

Dos Palos Rankings through Week 3: The Pagmeter: Ranked #11 in Division 4, Maxpreps.com: Ranked #12 in Division 5 

Firebaugh just like Dos Palos and Tranquillity have yet to taste the sweet taste of victory, As amongst the league they have a young but talented roster but haven’t been able to put together the winning formula yet. They have unfortunately given up at this point of the season the most points (119) as well as scored the fewest (25) and have the worst differential so far this season at (-94). Firebaugh was considered one of the preseason favorites but will need a turnaround if they want to stay in the mix and enter league play in good standing. They will finish the preseason with a 2-game homestand starting off with Battle of The Eagles as Firebaugh hosts Templeton This Friday Night as they look for home field advantage and good play on the field as they seek their 1st win and snap the streak.

Firebaugh Rankings through Week 3: The Pagmeter: Ranked #6 in Division 6, Maxpreps.com: Ranked #18 in Division 5

Mendota last week welcomed back dual lineman Alex Aldana who suffered an injury back in their Week 1 loss to Liberty-Madera Ranchos and he was surely missed throughout the losing streak that at the time The Aztecs were coming off another tough loss on the road against McLane in Double OT and in the process they lost Quarterback Juan Ceja to a concussion and sources say he’s expected to return either after the bye week vs. Immanuel on Sept. 23rd or in the WSL Opener on the road against Tranquillity on Sept. 30th. The Aztecs came back home to host the Strathmore Spartans who came into the matchup 2-0 looking to extend their own streak, It was a close game at first and Mendota got on the board and kept Strathmore off the board till early in the 4th Quarter but stopped a two-point attempt, And defense and even special teams stepped up to secure their 1st win and will look to go into the bye week at .500 with hopefully another win this friday night as they play host to The Roosevelt Rough Riders for the first time since 2017 and will also look to extend their winning streak to 5 as their last one came back also in 2017 by the score of 12-6. Will the Aztecs run off into the sunset or Will Roosevelt come into Aztec Stadium and ride off with the win dropping the Aztecs to 1-3 entering the bye week. 

Mendota’s Ranking through Week 3: The Pagmeter: Ranked #3 in Division 5, Maxpreps.com: Ranked #7 in Division 5 

Tranquillity has continued to go thru a rough patch and have also yet to record a win in 2022, In fact it’s been quite some time since April 6th 2021 during the spring season which including Friday marks 521 days without a win and it well despite the situation they are in they never give up and continue to come out each day for practice and games giving it 100% and help each other to improve as the saying goes “Iron sharpens Iron”. Tranquillity will enjoy and regroup in their bye week before coming back home to finish preseason play with Sierra on the 16th and Minarets on the 23rd. 

Tranquillity’s Ranking through Week 3: The Pagmeter: Ranked #18 in Division 6, Maxpreps.com: Ranked #16 in Division 6 

Coalinga started off on the wrong foot with an opening week loss to Caruthers 21-14, But since then they have dominated on both sides of the ball as in their current 2-game win streak they have outscored their opponents 86-33. And they have the league on notice at the moment as they try to sneak up to the top of the standings as they currently co-lead with their neighbor in the east Avenal for 1st place in the WSL. But now they have one of their biggest tests of the season and it’s on the road in hostile territory known as The Reedley Pirates who have dismantled WSL teams in the past. This season they took down FIrebaugh 34-12 and have outscored Mendota the past two years 76-28. So Coalinga will have their hands full as on Friday Night they will travel North up Hwy 145 and then hit Manning Ave till they reach Pirates Stadium. Will the Horned Toads stake their claim in hostile surroundings? Or can the Pirates of Reedley hold off the invasion and snap Coalinga’s win streak?

Coalinga Ranking’s: The Pagmeter: Ranked #7 in Division 4, Maxpreps.com: Ranked #8 in Division 5

Avenal for a few years had some good times and also some bad times, But right now they are living on good times under returning Head Coach David Lewis as they have done well in their two victories which include outscoring their opponents 53-28. Avenal will look to bounce back after a loss last week coming into the confines of Buccaneers Stadium where the Aztecs of Farmersville not Mendota Aztecs and continue to be the cream of the crop in the WSL. 

Avenal Rankings: The Pagmeter: Ranked #5 in Division 6, Maxpreps.com: Ranked #6 in Division 6 

Quote of the Week: “When you don’t give up, you cannot fail.” Adrian Peterson All-Pro Running Back for multiple NFL Teams 

Quote of the Week Source: http://www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/2019/football-quotes/

GO BULLDOGS! BEAT OREGON STATE! 

-Kevin Arias-Romero

Editor-In-Chief, WSL Athletics 

WSL Contributor, The Pagmeter