The Hughson Huskies had major success this season with their respective sports. Making the playoffs is a huge accomplishment and it is a great opportunity for our athletes to make a far run with the amount of talent at the school. This year in fall sports three different teams were able to make the playoffs. The Football team, the girls Flag Football team, and the Volleyball team all have moved on. It’s our job to get an inside look into the key players’ heads and give a solid prediction for who has a chance to bring home the blue banner, and possibly more.
The Hughson Huskies Football team has been getting a strong reputation the last couple of years after a huge state win in 2022, the team will look to repeat with the last of the players from that season’s roster. This season feels different than any other, entering the playoff with an undefeated record which hasn’t been done at Hughson since 1997 where they eventually went all the way for a State title themselves. The standards are high with a chance to three-peat the section title. When asked about the expectations for playoffs and the state championship, star receiver Bryce McDaniel had this to say, “I feel like this year we have a good shot to get another blue banner, our team chemistry has been getting built up every week in each game we have played. I haven’t really thought about the state game as much just because the most important game is the next one.” Overall, this is the Football team’s year and if anyone can go all the way it’s these boys.
The Flag Football team has exceeded the expectations for a first year team by a wide margin. The girls finished the regular season with a disappointing overtime loss to Orestimba making them co-TVL Champions, but still managed to get the seventh seed in the division four playoff with an impressive record of 13-6, along with their 8-2 finish in league. For a first year team, the Lady Huskies have left no doubt that they are ready for a long playoff run. The team has drastically improved throughout the season with better chemistry, play calls, and agility. This team may be the seventh seed in the playoff, but the odds for a section banner are higher than it might seem. Junior Presley Wells adds, “I believe we have a good shot at winning sections this year and going to state. The team has improved a lot from the beginning of the season to now. I think the chemistry is better and the mindsets going into the game is better, and if we can stay together during the playoffs we will be going to state.” They start off their playoff run with home field advantage against Mariposa County with a lot to prove.
The Hughson High School volleyball team has faced a tough season with internal conflicts and a series of heartbreaking losses. Their chances of making the playoffs seemed slim losing 5 of their last 6 games to close out the regular season, but they snuck into the playoffs with one of the lowest seedings. Despite everything against them, they are ready for the tough challenges of all the great teams in the playoffs. “I think we need to play well in the future games if we play as a team and we will have to play our best to have a chance to advance in the playoffs.” After winning the first game, the momentum has shifted in the Huskies favor; This could be the spark the Huskies needed for a deep playoff run.
As another week in Husky sports is here our athletes feel like they’re going to achieve big goals and dominate in their respective sports with intense practices and dedication. Through the wins and losses we will always show support. Here’s to hoping our teams bring their best and make us all proud as the days continue to pass.