After beating Hilmar 41-27 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship game, the Escalon Cougars are just two wins away from celebrating the ultimate prize -- a CIF state championship. (Samantha Schmidt/Front Row Preps)

Five teams in Front Row region learn their NorCal fate

Joe Cortez
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The CIF announced the regional bowl game matchups on Sunday and five teams from the Front Row region will play for a berth in a state championship game.

In Division 2-A, Manteca (11-2), fresh off it’s 33-14 victory over Placer in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III title game, will travel to face 10-0 McClymonds — champion of the Oakland City Section — on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Manteca’s crosstown rival Sierra (11-3) will be the second Valley Oak League team to play in a regional bowl, hosting Rancho Cotate (10-3), champion of the North Coast Section’s D-III title The Timberwolves earned their berth in the 3-A regional by upsetting Oakdale 22-19.

In Division 4-AA, Ripon (12-1), which beat heavily favored Center 21-13 for the Sac-Joaquin Section’s D-V title, earns a home game against Northern Section D-III champ Sutter (12-1) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

And, like the VOL, the Trans-Valley League will have two entrants competing for a Northern California title as Escalon (12-1), the Sac-Joaquin Section’s D-VI champ, travels to Chico to take on Pleasant Valley (7-5) for the in 4-A contest. Escalon beat TVL rival and two-time defending champ Hilmar 41-27 on Saturday, while the Vikings beat crosstown rival Chico 24-3 for the Northern Section’s D-II crown.

Finally, in Division 7-AA, Mariposa (8-4) earned the right to host Lincoln of San Francisco (10-1) — champion of the San Francisco City Section — on Friday at 7:30 p,m. at Golden Valley High School in Merced, by beating reigning state champ Denair 17-14 in overtime to win the Sac-Joaquin Section D-VII banner.