The term “game recognizes game” has become popular amongst today’s youth to describe when two individuals have mutual respect for one another. It was exactly the case between Hilmar head coach Frank Marques and Los Banos’ Dustin Caropreso following the Yellowjackets’ 21-20 victory over the Tigers on Friday night at McSweeney Field.

With four minutes left to play, the Tigers offense capped off a 63-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush by junior quarterback Joshua Gargano to cut Hilmar’s lead to 21-20. But instead of kicking the extra point, Caropreso’s offense remained on the field. On the conversion try, Gargano scrambled outside the pocket before his throw into the endzone was nearly picked off by senior cornerback Nathan Sequeira. The one-point lead was all the Yellowjackets needed, as they would gain a first down two plays later to ice the game and earn their first win of the season. They had suffered a 19-14 loss to Modesto’s Grace Davis the week prior.

Marques was not at all surprised at Caropreso’s decision to go for two.

“I would have done it, too,” the longtime leader of the ‘Jackets said moments after the final whistle and embracing Caropreso in the handshake line. “At that point in the game, you have to put it all on the line. Coach Dustin is that type of guy. He’s a class act who always has his teams playing hard and clean. They’re a tough team and I always enjoy playing them.”

He also used the word “tough” to describe his team, which overcame a flurry of injuries to pull out the victory.

Six Yellowjacket players were inactive, all who had seen regular playing time either last season or in their 30-7 season-opening loss to Dos Palos last week. Noticeably missing on offense was the speedy Caden Bailey, who has yet to see the gridiron this year. The reigning Trans Valley League Offensive Player of the Year is still recovering from a significant hamstring pull that occurred while running track nearly six months ago. The run-heavy Yellowjackets then learned just hours before kickoff Friday that senior center Matthew Avila would miss the rest of the season after imaging confirmed that he tore his ACL in the Dos Palos game. 

Nevertheless, the boys in uniform stepped up.

Generating much of Hilmar’s offense was senior quarterback Merek Ellerd, who did his best impression of Bailey (who happens to be his cousin) by using his agility to allude Los Banos defenders on the night to take off running and to fire strikes down the field.

Hilmar opted to let Ellerd throw for much of the first half, and it paid off on the opening possession when he found sophomore wideout Nathan Ayala in the endzone from nine yards out to give their team an early 7-0 lead. The Tigers knotted things up after Gargano broke off a 70-yard touchdown run and then took the lead four plays after recovering a fumble on the ensuing Yellowjacket drive. The score remained 14-7 until halftime.

Out of halftime, Ellerd truly took over, rushing the ball seven times on a nine-play drive that ended with him scoring from four yards out to once again tie things up. After forcing a turnover on downs thanks to a pair of tackles by senior defensive end John Labno, Ellerd went back to the air, completing four passes, firing a 5-yard touchdown strike to Ayala to put the ‘Jackets up 21-14 with just under nine minutes to play. 

“Out of halftime, we just came together as a team,” Ellerd said. “We knew we needed to pick it up and fix the little things and play to the standard we know we’re capable of.”

Marques had high praise for the gunslinger, who was installed as the starter halfway through last season as a way to get Bailey the ball in the open field more often out of the running back and slot receiver positions.

“Merek really stepped. He put the team on the shoulders there in that second half, running the ball and making good decisions with the ball. That was really the difference,” Marques said.

Ayala was enthusiastic after the game. He explained that he was ready for his first real opportunity to prove himself in game situations at the varsity level.

“(I’m) always ready,” he said. “I’m staying ready all the time for when the ball comes my way. I’m just waiting for it.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Labno had four tackles, two for loss of yardage, to go along with a sack.

The Yellowjackets are now 1-1 in the young 2024 season and are hoping that their bye this week can allow time for some of the players to heal up and be ready for the following week’s road game against Atwater. That includes Bailey.

“We think Caden will be back for the Atwater game, which will add to the offense,” Marques said. 

“As for the guys we had tonight, I was impressed with the way they stepped up. I think that’s the biggest takeaway from tonight’s game is how our kids stepped up, the ones that hadn't been on the field before, and how they responded to the pressure,” he said.