Hughson’s Robert McDaniel knows he doesn’t have much time left in the area.
The University of Arizona-bound quarterback decided to finish high school early, opting to leave home and be on the Tucson campus in January. He says it is a decision he thought long and hard about, but he’s at peace with what he’s chosen. He will get a head start on learning the new playbook, get integrated into a Division I weight regimen and get a jumpstart on college life on and off the field.
The plan started in his junior year of high school. In order to earn enough credits to graduate, he took government, a class offered for seniors during the spring, at the end of his junior year. Over the summer, he also took a dual-enrollment English class at MJC. Now, he is taking regular senior classes along with a few electives.
“It was always in the back of my mind because you see a lot of quarterbacks do it,” McDaniel said. “You want to get there as early as you can … I’d mentioned it to my counselor and we started to set up classes so I could attain that goal.”
After spending the spring at Arizona, McDaniel says he will come back to Hughson for graduation during their break from workouts. Then it’s back to Arizona for summer workouts.
“It works out pretty good,” McDaniel said.
For now, though, he says he’s enjoying his time as a high school quarterback. He, Malakai Sumter and Max Mankins have led the Huskies to a 5-0 start to the season. He knows he doesn’t have much time left with these teammates in this town.
“I’m taking in everything like it’s the last time it’s going to happen,” McDaniel said. “I saw all the (past) seniors grow up and now they’re gone. … I’ve heard first hand that they miss it so if I appreciate everything, it’ll be better that way. If I play to the fullest and appreciate everyone, especially my family for all of the sacrifices they’ve made and the coaches and the team.”
Friday night, he and the Huskies will suit up against rival Escalon (2-3, 1-1 TVL) at home at 7 p.m.
It is a rivalry that dates back decades, but the recent success of both programs has added to the allure of the matchup. Escalon has won four straight Sac-Joaquin Section championships and a pair of state titles since 2019 and Hughson is a back-to-back section champion and a 2022 state champion.
“It’s kind of been rejuvenated the last few years,” Escalon coach Andrew Beam said. “I don’t know if there’s another matchup of defending section champs going head-to-head this week in our section. … This is why we love playing in the TVL, that’s for sure.”
The start of a gauntlet for Hughson
Friday’s contest is the start of what will be the toughest stretch of games for Hughson so far this year. They play Escalon and Sonora in back-to-back weeks and take on Orestimba Oct. 18 before traveling to Hilmar Oct. 25.
The Huskies have experience at the right positions. McDaniel at quarterback, Sumter at defensive back/receiver and Mankins, who is headed to Air Force to play football, at defensive end/tight end.
“They’ve been in the big games,” Hughson coach Shaun King said. “And Carlos Guizar is another guy. These four seniors are really leading this team. And they’ve done a great job about having the younger (guys) follow them. They’re showing them how to become champions.”
Each one of them are playing big roles in their third Hughson-Escalon rivalry game and it seems that with each year, crowds get bigger, expectations are higher and the atmosphere is more electric.
“Seeing everybody come out and watch us, it’s amazing and it’s a lot of pressure,” Sumter said. “I wouldn’t think a game would bring a lot of pressure, but that one really makes you want to show out.”
The winner of this game could set themselves apart from the pack in a loaded Trans-Valley League race.
A win for Hughson keeps it unbeaten overall headed into a home matchup against Sonora next week. It will be their first matchup in recent history. An Escalon victory keeps them on the right track, giving them momentum and back-to-back wins after a league-opening loss.
“They’re a pretty dominant program,” McDaniel said. “And the past two years we’ve had some dog fights with them. They’re a good program each and every year and they have guys step up. They carry a great tradition and they’re always going to be a tall task to take on.”
New faces in key places for Escalon
Arguably no one on the Cougars’ roster has had to step up more than freshman running back/safety Dylan Ball and junior quarterback Donovan Martinez.
Like current senior defensive lineman/tight end Ryan Lewis did as a freshman, Ball is gaining valuable varsity experience in his first year of high school. But Ball may already be on a faster track.
“He started on varsity during the summer and I didn’t even do that my freshman year,” Lewis said with a smile. “During 7-on-7, seeing that potential, and now the proof is in the pudding. He’s doing really good on the field. We’re glad he’s here.”
When it came game time he continued to prove himself. In his first-ever TVL game against Sonora, recovered a fumble, had an interception, finished tied for the team-high in tackles (6) and had a receiving touchdown.
“He’s pretty special for a freshman,” Beam said. “I never envisioned that he’d be where he’s at right now … but he’s gotten better and better every week on both sides of the ball. He’s a threat. He just really loves the game and his love of it is helping make up for his youthfulness.”
Martinez will start his second varsity game Friday night.
The quarterback tore his ACL as a freshman and was not on the varsity roster last season as a sophomore. Against Sonora, he was thrown to the fire when starter Logan Huebner went out with a knee injury on the team’s first drive. With Hubener listed as week-to-week, according to Beam, Martinez is the guy.
He brings a different style than Huebner, who is always a threat in the Cougars’ prolific run game. With Martinez under center, the Cougars have opened up the pass game. He tossed a pair of touchdowns against Sonora and threw for four more in their first league win of the season last week against Hilmar.
“He was thrown to the fire, I’ll admit, against Sonora,” Beam said. “The playbook was shrunk down for him, but after a week of practice he was able to get a lot of plays under his belt where he felt comfortable and took us back to an offense that could run and throw the ball. Credit to him, he stepped into the role, embraced it and the guys support him.”
Escalon has some veterans in Lewis, Ryan Murphy and Trent Powell, but playing alongside them are a number of freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are getting their first varsity experience in the Escalon-Hughson rivalry.
“We make sure they always stay humble and engaged during practice,” Lewis said of how he helped the younger players prepare for Friday’s game. “If they’re down or tired, pick them up and remind them we’ve got to keep working hard.”
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