HILMAR — Hilmar High running back Adam Branco walked off the field following his fumble near midfield, feeling like he’d let Ripon Christian back into the game.
As he headed out to play defense, senior John Lopez patted his sophomore teammate on the shoulder and told him, “I got you; we’re going to get it back.”
On the very next play, Lopez made good on his promise by intercepting a pass to get the ball — and the momentum — back for the Yellowjackets en route to a 35-21 homecoming victory Friday night at McSweeney Field.
With the victory, Hilmar is now 4-1 for the season and, more importantly, off to a quick start in the rugged Trans-Valley League.
“Football’s a game of ebbs and flows and we talk about picking each other up,” said Hilmar head coach Frank Marques. “Mistakes are going to happen, but that’s the kind of character John has. He’s a leader on the team and he really came up huge tonight. That was a turning point in the game.”
Hilmar led 21-0 at halftime, but went three-and-out to start the second half. Ripon Christian quickly cut into the lead when quarterback Mason Tameling found Amos Cady for a 7-yard scoring strike. About three minutes later, after another three-and-out by the Yellowjackets, Lushen Sanders rambled in from the 10 to make it 21-14.
The Yellowjackets picked up a pair of firsts downs on their ensuing possession, nosing into RC territory. Branco picked up seven to the Knights’ 40 when the ball suddenly popped loose. Ripon Christian recovered and were just 60 yards away from tying the score.
Tameling dropped back to pass on the first play from scrimmage and was flushed out of the pocket. He scrambled to his right and directed his receiver toward the sideline.
Lopez read the play perfectly.
“We were in man and I had been pressing him,” said Lopez. “I could see the quarterback peeking. He ran his route, cut back, and the quarterback threw it. I saw the ball and then I got the ball.”
Nobody was more relieved than Branco.
“He did an amazing job tonight,” said Branco, who rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries. “I’m proud of him.”
Hilmar took over on its own 48 and wasted no time making the Knights (4-1) pay for the mistake as Jorden Jacobo found Nathan Ayala deep downfield for a 52-yard scoring strike that made it a two-score contest once again at 28-14.
It was Ayala’s second long TD of the game. He hauled in a 33-yarder from Jacobo in the first half, giving the Yellowjackets a 21-0 cushion with 1:18 left in the second quarter.
“One-one-one when I’m on an island against the defender, I have confidence in myself,” said Ayala, who delivered the opening salvo of the contest when he scored on a 4-yard run with 2:37 to play in the first quarter.
Branco made it 14-0 on an 11-yard run with 2:32 to play in the second quarter.
Hilmar’s defense was stifling in the first half, forcing the Knights to twice go three-and-out, and to twice turn the ball over on downs.
Both teams added touchdowns late in the fourth quarter.
The Yellowjackets will see action again next week when they travel to take on Escalon (2-3) at Lloyd Engel Field.
Hughson 31, Ripon 28, at Hughson — The three-time defending champion Huskies remained undefeated with a win in their Trans-Valley League opener.
After a scoreless first quarter, Ripon held a 14-10 advantage at the intermission, before Hughson scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter — a 33-yard scoring jaunt from Lawson Aviles and a 5-yard burst from Isaac Garcia.
The Huskies will entertain Ripon Christian on Friday at Husky Memorial Stadium.
