Oct. 15, 2024

Somehow, it’s fitting that in a game in which both offenses marched up and down the field for 48 minutes, it was a defensive play that would decide the outcome.

That’s exactly what unfolded Friday night as Hughson middle linebacker Colt Foss knocked down Sonora’s attempted two-point conversion pass with just 3 seconds to play, allowing the Huskies to escape with a 52-51 Trans-Valley League victory in a back-and-forth battle of two unbeaten teams.

“That’s probably the best high school football game you’ll ever watch,” summed up Hughson Coach Shaun King. “It was definitely a classic.”

In front of a frenzied, standing-room-only crowd at Husky Stadium, Hughson (7-0, 4-0) had taken a 52-45 lead on Eli Wilbanks’ 2-yard run with 1:48 left in the game. Even then, King worried that Hughson had left too much time on the clock for Sonora and its unstoppable triple-option offense.

He was right.

The Wildcats – who ran for an incredible 487 yards on 63 carries – needed just nine plays to move 60 yards, with quarterback Eli Ingalls scoring from 7 yards out with 3 seconds to play. Sonora (6-1,3-1) elected to go for two points to win the game. And since Ingalls had only thrown three passes the entire night, everyone expected the Wildcats to run the ball again.

King was so sure Sonora would run that he had his cornerbacks blitz on the conversion attempt, leaving Sonora’s wide receivers uncovered.

“It definitely surprised us (when Sonora passed),” he said. “We thought we were going to run it. Them throwing was the last thing on our mind.”

But Foss spotted something, alerting him a pass was coming.

“I thought it was going to be the same play as the touchdown — the fake dive where the quarterback pulls it and runs right up the B-gap,” he told the Turlock Journal. “So, I was playing the B-gap heavy, just staring at the quarterback. Then he put some weight on his front leg and I could tell it was going to be a pass.”

In a play that neither he nor Hughson’s fans will ever forget, Foss batted down Ingalls’ throw, preserving the victory and keeping the Huskies on track for their first TVL title since 1998.

The win was the third straight in the final minute for Hughson, which had thrilled its fans with clutch plays against Ripon Christian and Escalon the previous two weeks.

The recent games are reminiscent of two years ago – when Hughson rode a similar stretch of late-game heroics to Sac-Joaquin Section, Northern California and State Division 5-AA championships. King’s late father, Joe, dubbed that team the “Heart Attack Huskies.”

There’s a similar feeling on the Hughson sideline and in the stands this season.

“We talk about being resilient,” said King of his team’s ability to remain cool and confident in stressful circumstances. “We’re on an all-time high now. Our mindset now is that every week from here on out, we’re in playoff mode.”

With the exception of losing one fumble each Friday, Hughson and Sonora never really slowed each other down. Sonora’s triple-option offense consistently confused the Huskies on defense. At the same time, the Wildcats had no answer for Robert McDaniel and Hughson’s impressive passing game.

“They couldn’t stop us. We couldn’t stop them,” King said. “They were really well coached up. Kudos to them.”

Despite battling the flu all week, McDaniel completed 19 of 27 passes for 428 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions. His brother Bryce, who also was sick, caught six passes for 82 yards. Both players had IVs at one point during the week and practiced very little.”

“It’s probably the best game he’s ever played,” King said of his quarterback. “He was still under the weather Friday. So was his brother, but I never doubted they would play.”

Four of Robert McDaniel’s scoring passes came in the first half – 44 yards to Lawson Aviles, 21 yards to Malakai Sumter, 24 yards to Jamesson Davis and 10 yards to Max Mankins – as Hughson took a 31-24 lead into the break against Sonora, which just joined the TVL this year after many seasons in the Mother Lode League.

“Our coaches made a really great point in the beginning of the week and that was, ‘When should a new school come in and win the TVL?’ ” McDaniel told the Journal. “Honestly, that’s the thing that I took away, and I just kind of had that mindset that we had to go crazy.”

The teams traded TDs to begin the third quarter, though Hughson’s extra point attempt was blocked. That left the Huskies ahead 37-31. Sonora scored again to take a 38-37 lead, but McDaniel and Sumter hooked up on a beautiful 72-yard TD pass and then a two-point conversion to put Hughson back in front 45-38.

With six minutes left to play, Sonora scored again to tie the game. Hughson then marched down the field again for Wilbanks’ go-ahead touchdown, setting up the frantic finish and Foss’ heroics on the final play.

Hughson still has two TVL games to play – both on the road against tough opponents. This week, the Huskies travel to Newman to square off against Orestimba (5-2, 2-2). The following week, they face Hilmar (4-3, 2-2).

“People know we’re coming,” said King, whose team is ranked first in Division V in the Section. We cannot have a letdown game. Mindset is every week from here we’re in playoff mode.”