Coming off a win against Sonora at home, Hughson High football, with the help of its second-half defense, earned a decisive 49-10 win on the road against Orestimba High on Friday.
The Huskies improved to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in Trans-Valley League play. Hughson sits at third in the league standings, trailing Escalon and Hilmar.
Sophomore quarterback Hudson Baldwin continued to show why he’s amongst the most prolific passers in the TVL, throwing for three touchdowns and an interception. So far this season, he’s recorded 19 TDs and two interceptions.
Senior Noah Bradley and junior David Sonoria were the recipients of those touchdown passes. Bradley caught for two and Sonoria recorded one early in the match.
After what was a discombobulated opening half for the offense, which had two turnovers, Hughson held a four-point lead. But the lead was not enough for head coach Shaun King to call it “some of the worst first half of football we played all year.”
His frustrations seemed enough to motivate his team to outscore the Warriors 35-0. That performance was enough for King to praise it as “some of the best second half football I’ve seen in a long time.”
“We’re better than what we showed [in] the first half,” King said. “We just out lackadaisical, weren’t awake, so I had to just wake 'em up a little bit.”
Baldwin concluded a five-play opening drive with a three-yard pass to Sonoria, who barely remained inbounds in the end zone to lead 7-0.
After forcing the Warriors to punt deep within their territory, the Huskies received the ball at the 34-yard line. On third-and-2 at the 26-yard line, the sophomore quarterback threw a deep pass to junior Chase Muirhead to make it to the 1-yard line. However, Hilmar, who decided to run, fumbled the ball at the end zone and resulted in a touchback for Orestimba.
Early in the second quarter on a third-and-6 at the 34-yard line, Baldwin found Bradley on a wheel route and threw a pass to him, where he ran past two defenders for the end zone, 14-0. Afterwards, Bradley performed a shush celebration, which earned him some boos from the Warriors’ student section.
Just when things were going right for Hughson, Orestimba struck with a seven-play drive that ended with quarterback Jorden Jacobo rushing in the end zone, 14-7.
It only got worse for the Huskies as Baldwin’s pass was picked off by junior Brain Mendez at Hughson’s 30-yard line. That set up the Warriors for a field goal to trail 14-10 going into halftime.
After forcing Orestimba to punt near its end zone, Hughson received the ball at the 40-yard line. Sophomore Blake Hobbs concluded a five-play drive with a 10-yard rushing TD to lead 20-10. That started the Huskies’ momentum as Baldwin threw a 46-yard strike to Bradley, who maintained his balance to score the TD. Hughson led 28-10 following the two-point conversion.
At Orestimba 34-yard line, Jacobo’s pass was intercepted by a defender, who made it to the 20-yard line. That later led to the Huskies scoring another TD for a three-possession lead in the fourth.
Hughson added two more TDs to put the exclamation on a dominant second-half.
With two games left in the regular season, King’s team now swift their focus into the postseason and how they’re seeded.
“Playoffs start next week. It’s all about seeding from here on out and we need to finish this season as if our life’s on the line,” he said.
Hughson will host Ripon Christian (5-3 overall, 1-3 TVL) on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
