NEWMAN – One week after posting a thrilling one-point win in a Trans-Valley League football game, Hughson was looking to avoid just that again.
The Huskies accomplished that feat.
An interception continued the scoring flow for Hughson (6-0 in the TVL, 8-0 overall) in the second half. That led to the Huskies defeating Orestimba (2-3 in the TVL, 5-3) by a 48-12 score at Warrior Field on Friday.
“We didn’t know how we were going to come out,” said Hughson head coach Shaun King, who noted that the players were feeling the effect of the death of a female student during the week. “We were a little mellow on the sidelines tonight, but we rebounded.”
Hughson had a 27-6 halftime lead.
The Huskies received the kickoff to start the third quarter against the Warriors. But their offensive drive stalled at their own 42 and was forced to punt on fourth down and 14.
But Hughson’s defense delivered on Orestimba’s offensive drive. Husky strong safety Lawson Aviles stepped in front of a pass thrown by Warrior quarterback Jacob Valenzuela at midfield for an interception, one of two in the game for him.
“We challenged our defense this week,” King said.
An 11-play, 75-yard offensive drive ended when Hughson running back Eli Wilbanks scored on a 2-yard run with 47 seconds left in the quarter. Noe Pacheco booted the extra point to extend the Huskies’ lead to 34-6.
Hughson scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The first touchdown of the quarter came on a trick play.
Husky quarterback Robert McDaniel threw a sideline pass to wide receiver Malakai Sumter, who tossed the ball to offensive tackle Carlos Guizar and ran down the team’s sidelines 14 yards for the touchdown with 10:37 left in the game. Pacheco’s kick was good.
Orestimba got the ball back on its own 20-yard line. But the Huskies’ defense stepped up again when defensive back Cooper Taber picked off Valenzuela and rocketed to the end zone 35 yards for the touchdown. The extra-point kick gave the Huskies a comfortable 48-6 lead.
The Warriors scored their second touchdown with 1:33 left in the game when Cuevas scored on a 25-yard TD run. The extra-point kick was booted low, leaving the score at 48-12.
Hughson led 6-0 after the first quarter, but scored three times in the second quarter, twice within a minute, in the second quarter to pull away from Orestimba.
The first score at 11:50 in the quarter when McDaniel found an open in tight end Max Mankins down the middle of the field and exploded 47 yards to the end zone. Pacheco’s kick gave the Huskies a 13-0 lead.
The Huskies’ next score also came courtesy of their defense. Aviles picked off Valenzuela and returned to the end zone 39 yards with 10:55 left in the game. Pacheco’s kick made it 20-0.
Now lined up in the I formation inside Warrior territory, Hughson extended its lead to 27-0 when fullback Colt Foss bulldozed his way into the end zone on a 1-yard run with 4:11 left in the quarter. The ball sailed through the uprights for the extra point.
Orestimba crossed the plane again with 2:40 left in the quarter when running back Allen Garcia scored on a 2-yard run. Sumter, coming in from his free safety spot, blocked the Warriors’ extra point for a 27-6 score.
Wilbanks scored his first touchdown of the game in the opening quarter on a 4-yard run. The extra-point kick was not good.
The Huskies entered Friday’s game after posting a 52-51 victory over Sonora in the battle of unbeaten teams at Husky Stadium on Oct. 11.
Hughson will close out league play at rival Hilmar at McSweeney Field on Friday, Oct. 25. King said none of his Husky squads have yet to beat Hilmar since he’s been the head coach.
“It’s a game that we’ve circled on our calendar,” King said.
