On a bye week for the varsity and JV football teams, Escalon’s youngest Cougars, the freshmen, were on the road for a Sept. 21 contest.

“We played at Rio Vista and lost 39-6,” said head coach Joey Costa. “Our lone score was by K’oz Castro, and the extra point was no good.”

It was a tough night for the team, all the way around, said Costa.

“Not many highlights, defensive standout was Connor McDowell,” the coach noted. “The team we played was a hybrid JV team that included some juniors but we didn’t play up to our standards.”

The freshmen travel to Hughson to open up Trans-Valley League play on Thursday, Sept. 28.