RIPON — Hilmar football head coach Frank Marques admitted that he allowed himself this week to ponder the fact that Friday night’s game against Ripon would be the last regular-season game of his 23-year career.
“Yeah, I did,” said Marques, whose Yellowjackets delivered a 33-21 Trans-Valley League victory for their coach and improved to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in league play. “I was alone in my office and I was looking at the wall with all the pictures of our teams through the years. I was sad at first, but then I thought, ‘Man, what a ride I’ve had. I’m really blessed.’”
It has been an incredible ride: 198 victories, four Sac-Joaquin Section banners in 10 trips to the title game, eight TVL crowns — six of them outright — and the 2018 Division 6-AA state championship.
But it’s not over yet. The Yellowjackets entered Friday’s action No. 2 in MaxPreps’ Division 5 section rankings, behind undefeated Sutter (9-0) and ahead of Casa Roble (8-1).
No. 3 Casa Roble upset top-ranked Sutter 22-9 on Friday, which may result in Hilmar dropping to No. 3 in the eight-team playoff field.
Against Ripon (5-5, 1-5), the Yellowjackets led 26-21 when junior quarterback Jorden Jacobo had the ball stripped as he was flushed from the pocket, and Ripon recovered on Hilmar’s 12-yard line with 9:29 left to play. But a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty backed up the Indians, who eventually relinquished the ball on downs at the 17 with 8:09 remaining.
The Yellowjackets embarked on an 11-play, 83-yard scoring drive that chewed up nearly 7 minutes and made it a two-score lead.
“We wanted to take it slow and run down the clock,” said quarterback Cohen Felber, who splits time under center with Jacobo. “We played a little iffy in the first half, but in the second we were ready to play and wanted to finish the game strong.
“As the season has progressed, I think we’re playing our best football.”
Hilmar’s first score of the night came via a 40-yard field goal from kicker Blake Vitorino, which was set up by John Lopez’s interception that gave the ’Jackets possession on Ripon’s 28.
After the Indians took an 8-3 advantage, Hilmar went in front 9-8 when Lopez hauled in a 44-yard scoring strike from Jacobo.
After Ripon recaptured the lead, 14-9, Vitorino connected on another 40-yard FG to make it 14-12 at halftime.
The Yellowjackets went ahead 19-14 with 7:28 to play in the third quarter on Felber’s 3-yard keeper, then extended the lead to 26-14 on Felber’s 7-yard scamper.
The Indians cut it 26-21 on a 2-yard burst by quarterback Andrew Shaw.
Hilmar will learn its playoff fate on Sunday during the section’s playoff selection show — cifsjs.org — at around 12:30 p.m.
