Winter Sports Midseason at a Glance
Girls Wrestling

January 28, 2026

Hughson High School Boys Basketball

Boys Varsity Basketball dove into league play, coming up to the end of January, 2-3 in league play and 9-12 overall. According to Coach RJ Henderson, the Hughson played a solid preseason schedule, culminating in a four-game tournament in the Palm Springs area over Christmas break. January saw them split the road against Ripon schools, traveling to Escalon, and again to Sonora. A six-consecutive league stretch will end February 5 against Sonora for Senior Night.

On April 25, Boys Varsity Basketball will hold its annual Cajun Crab Boil fundraiser at St. Anthony's Church in Hughson. For ticket information, call 209-535-8332.

Hughson High Girls Basketball

According to Athletic Director Justice Futch, “We are currently struggling in Girls' Basketball and sitting at 6-14 overall and 1-4 in the league. However, we are a very young team that we feel has a very bright future,” Athletic Director Justice Futch said. “Hope to see growth in this final stretch of the season to build some momentum going into next year.”

The team has seven underclassmen on Varsity (1 freshman, 6 sophomores) and has doubled its win total from last season. According to Futch, Shawna Valverde leads the team in points, assists, and steals as a sophomore. Freshman Chloe Beers provides a defensive presence and leads the team in both rebounds and blocks. Sophomore Kindal Barstow has really come along in the second half of the season and is a key contributor in every area of the stat book. Team captain Adisyn Powers has provided much needed Senior leadership and is second on the team in both points and assists."

Hughson High School Boys Wrestling

Hughson Wrestling, with its mix of experienced wrestlers and new young talent, “had a great preseason,” Coach Joseph La Rosa said. “It has been really fun to watch them all grow as the season has progressed.”

As a team in dual meets, Hughson beat Downey, Linden, Ceres, Modesto, and Summerville in preseason duals. Hughson came up just short against Turlock, Central Valley and Golden Valley.

By mid- January, the team was 3-0 in league with wins over Sonora, Ripon, and Hilmar, bouncing back from a rough home tournament before Christmas. Wrestling is still undefeated in league and beat the league powerhouse Escalon last night in a thriller. Hughson is “now in the driver's seat for the first league title since 1999 with one more league match to go at Orestimba on 1/28,” Athletic Director Justice Futch said.

La Rosa added, “I've been very pleased by the team's response. Wrestling is a demanding sport, physically and even more so mentally. The season isn't a sprint, it's a marathon, and we are in a great spot heading into the last half of the season.”

Carlos Zapien (Jr.) is 20-4 on the year and, claiming a couple of tournament titles, continues to stand out this year.

Hughson High School Girls Wrestling

Girls Wrestling started league play strong as Baya and Annebella started competing after their 6-week sitout (transfer) and “to no surprise, did very well,” La Rosa said. Baya took second, and Annebella took one of the toughest Girls’ Tournaments in the state at the Napa Valley Girls Classic.

Postseason is nearly here with competitions for multiple blue banners first in the SJS team duals at Lincoln High School in Stockton. Records will reset to 0-0, and individuals have four weeks to accomplish the goals they began training for months ago.

The TVL tournament will be on February 7 in Hilmar. February 13-14, the team will wrestle at Central Valley for divisionals, and Hughson will host Boys D5 divisionals.

The Masters tournament will be in the Stockton Arena from February 20 to 21.

Hughson will finish the season at the State Tournament in Bakersfield from February 26 to February 28. “As a coach, this is the best part of the year and my favorite. We want to peak and wrestle our best and achieve the goals that we have been working towards all year long,” La Rosa said.

Hughson Wrestlers are selling tickets to Taste of Hughson on March 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. Taste of Hughson is a major contributor to Hughson Wrestling. La Rosa said, “It is a great event that supports ALL of Hughson's youth.”

Hughson High School Varsity Boys Soccer

Varsity Boys Soccer quickly turned around an initial loss to Denair in the tournament, posting wins over Millennium and tying Riverbank. Hughson later went on to win against Denair in the preseason. After a loss to Ceres in a close match, Hughson won against Riverbank.

A few players suffered season-ending injuries, and others were in and out with injuries. The team dropped a couple of losses while trying to adjust.

Hughson High School Girls Soccer

Girls soccer’s preseason was “very productive and competitive,” Coach Tevin Jones said. “We focused heavily on fitness, team chemistry, and sharpening our tactical execution.”

Decisive wins, 4-1 over Riverbank and 4-0 against Waterford, showed the “team’s growth, defensive organization, and overall confidence heading into league play.”

The regular season got off to an exciting start with a road match at Sonora, who finished second in the league last year. “We earned a hard-fought 1–1 tie. We held the lead for most of the match and controlled long stretches of play before Sonora sneaked in an equalizer in the second half. It was a great early test for our group and showed that we can compete with top-level opponents,” Jones said.

With one of the top defenses in the league, Hughson’s offense is still working to fully click. “We are a young team and continue to grow with every match,” Jones said.

Home games coming up, played at Deputy Wallace Park, will be:

  • January 28 vs. Ripon
  • January 30 vs. Ripon Christian
  • February 6 vs. Orestimba
  • February 9 vs. Hilmar

“We are excited about the direction the program is heading and truly appreciate the continued support from our families, students, and community,” Jones said. “We look forward to seeing everyone out at the games this season.”

As Temps Cool Down, Winter Sports are Heating Up - A Look Ahead at Wrestling, Soccer, and Basketball
Nov. Wrestling

November 24, 2025

Hughson High School Wrestling

For Hughson High School Wrestling, strong returners set the stage for a promising season. They include Sophomore TVL champions Caden Bowerman, senior Caleb Parshall, and senior Landon Mason, who returns as a TVL and D5 champion. Mason placed eighth at the SJS Masters meet and is poised to make a run this year to qualify for state in Bakersfield. Carlos Zapien and Dominic Lopez, both D5 medalists, had great offseason training. “We will count on these individuals to lead the group!” La Rosa said.

Of particular note are incoming freshmen, who previously wrestled in the K-8 Huskies Wrestling Club: Fulton Stanhope, David Brackett, and Padrick Hill.

With two transfers from Pitman High School, sisters Yzabella (senior) and Anabella (sophomore) Austin, Hughson will have its first Girl’s Wrestling Team in nearly a decade. Yzabella is a 3-time state finalist and 2-time state champion, and Anabella qualified for state as a freshman.

The focus moving into this season is discipline. “Discipline will make the difference for us as a team, and each individual achieving their goals or not. This sport requires so much and offers so little in return at times, so making sure we are doing everything we can in our preparation on and off the mat is crucial,” Head Wrestling Coach Joseph La Rosa said. “Wrestling, like all sports, is extremely mental, so building mental toughness every day while trying to get 1% better each practice is something we preach daily.”

Hughson has been the runner-up in the TVL each of the last three seasons to Escalon, and was D5 runner-up to them last year. “They have been the team to beat, and Ripon and Sonora also have a solid group of kids,” La Rosa said. “Overall, the TVL is the toughest small school league for wrestling in our section, yet our focus is within and making sure we are ready to perform and controlling how we compete each time we step on the mat.”

Home matches this season will be held on December 3 vs. Downey at 6 p.m., December 11 vs. Turlock at 6 p.m., December 17 vs. Hilmar at 5:30 p.m. (Senior Night), December 19 at the Mel Lindstrom Duals at 1 p.m., and December 20 at the Hughson JV Tournament at 10 a.m. January 7 vs Ripon at 5:30 p.m., and January 21 vs Escalon at 5:30 p.m. The SJS D5 Sub-Section Tournament will be held from February 13 to 14.

Hughson High School Boys’ Soccer

Last year, Hughson High School Boys’ Varsity Soccer won the TVL for the first time since 2006.

This year’s team is young, with a number of sophomores and juniors, but with the return of talented players like Luis Moreno, Diego Medina, and Brandon Pantoja, who are poised to dominate the midfield, the squad looks promising for the new season.

Coach Riley Piatt expects Hilmar to be the battle to look at once again for the league title.

Hughson High School Girls’ Soccer

For Hughson High School Girls’ Soccer, excitement is in the air.

“Girls’ Varsity Soccer is looking great this year!” Coach Tevlin Jones said. “A lot of talent and dedication. We had a really good turnout for tryouts.”

They are a young team but not lacking in experience. Jones expects the girls to be fast, relentless and hit the field ready to prove it. Among their best returning players are Senior Madden Nobles, winger, who will be a big part of the offense, and Junior Keylee Lundquist, Center Back, who will be able to lead the defense.

Jones is already seeing a lot of promise in some of the team's new players, including freshmen Cristina Pacheco, a center midfielder, and Rowin Reisz, the goalkeeper. Pacheco “will add a lot of creativity to our midfield,” and Reisz “will help keep us in a lot of games with her shot-stopping ability.”

Looking ahead, Ripon will be one of Hughson’s formidable opponents. “Ripon is always a powerhouse for girls' soccer.  It will be fun to see what we can do this year with a fresh look.”

This year marks Jones’ return to coaching at Hughson High School. For four years, he coached boys' soccer, but after a job change, he took a two-year break. Now, Hughson has him been back and “we are glad to have him,” Principal Loren Lighthall said.

With that enthusiasm, Jones invites the community to “come on out and support our girls' soccer program! I’m very excited for this year and looking forward to building up this program.”

Hughson High School Girls’ Basketball

The Hughson High School Girls’Basketball team is a young one this year, with six sophomores, three juniors, and three seniors. Returning senior, Adyson Powers, will lead the way, fostering a "defense-first" and "all-in" mentality, Coach Tim May said. “Our strategy will rely on speed, defensive intensity, and utilizing our deep bench to maintain high energy levels throughout games.”

What the coaches are seeing at practice is encouraging. The teams are “focused and committed to working hard,” May said. “While it's challenging to predict our league standing with such a young team, I expect them to compete every night and develop as a cohesive unit. We wouldn't be surprised to find ourselves in contention by the end of the season.”

Promising talent makes up the offense with sophomores Lila, Shawna, and Kindel, freshman Chloe, and senior Adi. Defensively, Hughson will rely on a full team effort, with high expectations for all our players.

The going may get rough. “Sonora is a new and challenging opponent this year, and Escalon returns a top team from last season.” Still, May concluded, “We anticipate a fun and challenging year as this group matures and strengthens its bond.”

Hughson High School Boys’ Basketball

Coach RJ Henderson is taking a “cautiously optimistic” approach to the new boys’ basketball season as the staff enters its second year. The team has nine core players who play year-round, with three more adding in when their fall sport has completed. Key departures are Jackson Gehrke (14.8 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game), and key returners are Sophomore Karam Kang (Point Guard, 14.3 ppg, 98 3-pointers made on 35% 3pt %), Senior Xavier Urquidez (Power Forward, 7.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg), and Sophomore James Seay (Small Forward, 5.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg).

Boys’ Basketball is looking to improve this season from a 1-11 TVL record and 10-18 overall. “Our goal is to utilize the pre-season schedule and be able to evaluate our roster, and hopefully, we can put together a competitive league stretch in January and February,” Henderson said.