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Ripon Christian hands Hughson first loss in gritty showdown
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Hughson's Bryce McDaniel catches a 15 yard pass during the game against Ripon Christian Friday evening. McDaniel scored both of Hughson's touchdowns in the game (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

HUGHSON — The Hughson Huskies’ undefeated run came to a halt Friday night as the Ripon Christian Knights delivered a clutch performance under the lights, winning 21–14 in a physical, back-and-forth contest.

Despite early momentum from Hughson — including a gutsy fourth-down conversion from freshman quarterback Hudson Baldwin to senior wide receiver Lawson Aviles — the Knights responded with a balanced offensive attack led by senior quarterback Mason Tameling and senior running back Blake Stuit.

Ripon Christian struck first, reaching the end zone with 9:30 left in the opening quarter. The missed extra point left the score at 6–0. Hughson answered late in the first when Baldwin lofted a pass to senior Bryce McDaniel, who muscled his way into the end zone. Senior kicker Noe Pacheco added the extra point, giving Hughson a 7–6 lead with 42 seconds remaining.

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Lawson Aviles gains yards for the Huskies during the game Friday evening against Ripon Christian. Hughson lost 21-14 (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

Tameling connected with Stuit in the second quarter for another Ripon Christian touchdown. Hughson responded with a drive powered by Baldwin and senior running back Eli Wilbanks, who consistently fought for yardage between the tackles. On fourth-and-six, Baldwin found Aviles midair for a first down at the 15-yard line. A few plays later, Baldwin hit McDaniel again for a touchdown, sending Hughson into halftime with a 14–13 lead.

The third quarter was a defensive standoff, with both teams trading stops and neither able to score. In the fourth, Ripon Christian marched downfield and punched in a two-yard run, followed by a successful two-point conversion to take a 21–14 lead.

Hughson mounted a late-game drive, starting at the Ripon Christian 13-yard line after a defensive stop. Wilbanks powered through for a 10-yard gain, followed by an 8-yard run to set up second-and-two. He then broke loose for a 14-yard gain and absorbed a late hit, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that moved the ball to the 46-yard line. Baldwin added a six-yard scramble after breaking free from a tackle, but Ripon Christian’s defense held firm in the red zone, sealing the win.

Each team has matching 5-1 overall records and are 1-1 against conference opponents. The Huskies will be on the road next week against Escalon, who defeated Hilmar on Friday by a 27-9 score.