Will a change at QB save Modesto Christian's season? So far, so good.
Hayden Sauser spent a summer preparing to play quarterback at Modesto Christian.
He invested time, energy and resources into camps and coaches with the hope that he’d line up under center for the Crusaders, a former CIF State champion.
It took three weeks, but Sauser finally got his chance last Friday.
With Modesto Christian winless through its first three games and reeling from a 42-7 loss to small-school No. 1 Calaveras, coach Mike Parson made wholesale changes on both sides of the ball. He changed formations and systems, and tinkered with his personnel.
Starting Sauser was a point of emphasis.
The junior replaced senior Rory Hanson, now a 6-foot-5 tight end/free safety, and engineered a resounding 42-21 victory over Gustine in his first career start.
Sauser was 6 of 9 for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Even more impressive was his command of the Shotgun Wing-T, which Parsons re-implemented last week.
Assistant coach Jeff Martin lauded Sauser and Hanson for flourishing in new roles. Martin said their sacrifices say a lot about their humility and maturity, as well as their love for the program and school.
While he backed up Hanson, Sauser started at middle linebacker and was voted team captain each of the four weeks. Though a bit undersized at 6 foot and 180 pounds, Sauser leads the team with 35 tackles. That won't last long. Martin said Sauser will move into a second-string role to protect his health.
Hanson found instant success at tight end against Gustine (2-1), which fell out of the small-school power rankings with the loss. He tied for the team lead with two catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.
Hanson was 22 of 37 for 276 yards in three starts. He had just as many touchdowns (three) as interceptions.
“They could have pouted and said ‘me, me, me,’ but they’re all about the team,” Martin said at Monday’s Modesto Quarterback Club, 950 Oakdale Road, Suite E. The Quarterback Club meets every Monday at noon with one exception: Tuesday, Oct. 17. “We made some big changes and I’m really proud of how they handled them.”
Modesto Christian had lost dogfights with Modesto and Capital Christian, the reigning Sac-Joaquin Section Division V champion, but a blowout loss to Calaveras forced Parsons to re-draft his depth chart.
After a slow start against Gustine, the Crusaders found their flow. Modesto Christian outscored Gustine 36-14 over the final three quarters. Sauser averaged nearly 33 yards per completion, while the defense limited Gustine to just 76 rushing yards, well below their season average.
Sauser opened the scoring with a 37-yard scoring strike to Xavier Carlton in the first quarter. He later connected with Hanson for a 25-yard touchdown just before the half to make it 21-7.
Davion Gates made it 28-7 with an 84-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter. Gates collected a short pass from Sauser and made three players miss en route to the team’s longest play from scrimmage this season.
“It’s been a great battle at QB all summer. Both kids have done everything we asked and more,” Parsons said. “They’ve both handled themselves with class. They both took full advantage of their opportunities Friday night. Hayden was efficient and made plays when we really needed them. Rory is a natural at tight end/wide receiver.”
With the win, Modesto Christian moved back into the small-school top-five for the second time this season. The Crusaders (1-3) travel to Immanuel of Reedley this Friday before starting Trans-Valley League play at home against Hughson Oct. 6.
To contact reporter James Burns, email jburns@modbee.com, or follow him on Twitter @jburns1980.
This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Will a change at QB save Modesto Christian's season? So far, so good.."