This week on the Sports Inside, we are looking into the mindset of Hughson Huskies coaches and Football players. The Hughson game will be held at the Ripon Stadium where Ripon will be celebrating their homecoming. This is the Huskies first league game coming into the season. The Huskies are hoping to kick it off with a win for their first league game.
Number 10, senior defensive and tight end Max Mankins said,“I’m excited, we’ve played through preseason so I’m excited to see what we do. I hope that our team can win another state and section championship like we have been able to do for the last couple of years. I feel like playing on their homecoming shouldn’t affect us. We just can’t get distracted with it being their homecoming. I think the team needs to focus on not overlooking any teams. Everyone throughout the TVL are very good teams.”
Offensive coach and teacher at Hughson High School, Phil Tubera said, “I think it is going to be a great challenge, I’m excited for more competitive play and we look forward to helping Ripon celebrate their homecoming. I think the team needs to focus on the run game. Everyone knows that we can throw the ball all over the field, we have 7 quality receivers that have touched the ball in the last three weeks. But we would like to lean a little more heavily on the run game and do league play and make a playoff run. First and foremost we go into each week without thinking further ahead. We want to win each game one at a time and hope that leads us to a league title.”
Number 4, senior wide receiver and safety, Malakia Sumter, said “I’m happy about it, it’s a league and it’s finally here. I think the team needs to focus on Ripon’s offense, make sure we don’t let the running back slip by us and get a touchdown. I feel happy that we play them and destroy them on their homecoming. I hope that we get to go to state this year.”
Number 2, senior running back and defensive back, Cesar Ramos, said “I think we are looking really good, we are gonna show people we are the real deal and not just looks. I think we need to focus on just the little things like the penalties limiting them, limiting big plays and playing as a team and picking each other up. I mean we find it kind of disrespectful in a way but we are gonna show why they shouldn’t.”