Closing out a successful season, taking second place honors in the Trans-Valley League, the Escalon JV football Cougars took a 50-13 win against Hughson on Friday night.
The game on Oct. 26 was on the road, as the JV boys jumped out on the host Huskies early and never let up.
“Without question, it was our most complete, best game of the season,” said head coach Brant Rose. “We scored on every possession but one; we only punted one time.”
Escalon found the end zone three times in the first quarter and once in the second to take a commanding 24-0 lead at the half.
Miguel Sandoval got the scoring started with a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter, then Logan Webster took the ball in from two yards out for the first touchdown of the game. Sandoval added the extra point for a 10-0 lead.
“Ty Harris then found Webster with a 45-yard pass play for a touchdown,” Rose said.
The point after was good for a 17-0 lead and the JV Cougars made it 24-0 with a two-yard run by quarterback Harris in the second quarter.
“We were passing effectively, we ran the ball efficiently,” Rose explained. “We had two interceptions, one by Harris and one by Justis Dutt.”
Every time it looked like Hughson might get something going, the JV Cougars were able to stop the threat. The host Huskies did manage two second half touchdowns but Escalon was able to answer them and actually double them up, finding the end zone four times. A couple of times they missed the extra point but they were able to keep Hughson at arm’s length on the scoreboard throughout the contest.
In the third quarter, Jaden Fontes scored on a 2-yard run and then broke a huge 83-yard run for a score. J.P. Lial pulled in an eight-yard pass from Harris for a touchdown and, in the fourth quarter, freshman Alfonso Gonzalez broke through for a score, going in from two yards out to cap the evening.
“It was a really pleasing game,” Rose noted, with several players getting the opportunity to get in the game.
Escalon went 4-0 in the preseason and played to a 5-1 mark in Trans-Valley League play. Their only loss came to Hilmar, a 14-7 decision, and Hilmar took the TVL title, going undefeated in league play.
“Hilmar went 10-0, we were 9-1,” Rose added.
He said the team really came together for the season finale, hitting on all cylinders and giving the crowd on the visitors’ side plenty to cheer about throughout the contest.
“This capped off a very successful season,” the first-year head coach said. “Our sophomores are peaking at the right time; heading into being varsity players, that’s exactly what you want.”
