Does Modesto Christian have the area’s best defense? It might after win over Hughson.
Modesto Christian senior linebacker Dillon Johnson saw the ball bouncing around and jumped on it in the end zone for a touchdown late in third quarter.
The score was a culmination of a fantastic defensive effort for the Crusaders (6-0, 2-0), who shut out Hughson (4-2, 1-1) 37-0 on the road Friday in a Trans-Valley League matchup.
Johnson’s teammate junior, Malikai Chanthamany, blocked the punt that led to Johnson’s recovery in the end zone.
“Kai did a great job,” Johnson said of the blocked punt. “He got through the line and blocked it and I saw the ball on the ground and I did what I do. We practice scoop and score all the time and I just did my job. It was a great team effort.”
Modesto Christian’s defense has played at a different speed all season and that continued on Friday. The Crusaders were flying around to make tackles and and deliver hard hits. Friday’s shutout was the second of the season for the team that’s allowed just 23 points.
MC, The Bee’s No. 1 medium-school team, limited the Huskies to just 13 yards of offense.
“It’s not coaching, we are not doing anything different,” Modesto Christian coach Mike Parsons said. “We coach them to pursue the ball and we practice tackling but when you have a group like this that loves getting to the football, it’s great to watch.”
It wasn’t the defense that came out fast early, it was the Modesto Christian offense that scored two touchdowns in its first three plays.
Senior running back Jose Hernandez ran up the middle before making a cut to the left sideline for 31 yards and the touchdown with 6 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first quarter. Senior running back Patrick Garcia had a gigantic hole up the middle and ran 67 yards untouched a few plays later to give the Crusaders a 14-0 lead.
“It was a good test for us,” Parsons said. “This team just wants to work hard and win.”
After a Hernandez 21-yard field goal, senior quarterback Hayden Sauser connected with senior wide receiver Johnny Williams on fourtth down for a 27-yard score right before halftime to give Modesto Christian a 23-0 lead.
You wouldn’t know the Crusaders led by 23 in the second half as they continued to pressure Hughson.
“Our d-line is great,” Parsons said. “We are strong up the middle. Xavier (Carlton) gets a lot of attention but Landon (Wright) does a great job at the nose. When you have a great nose, your defense is going to be strong. We are solid everywhere else. It seems like when a guy makes a mistake, the other guys find a way to make a play.”
Senior Isaac Schinmann added a 9-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Garcia, Hernandez, and Schinmann combined for 31 carries for 247 yards and three touchdowns.
Modesto Christian hosts Escalon next week while the Huskies look to get back on track as they welcome Riverbank.