Escalon players, coaches knew road to championship would lead to Hilmar
Escalon senior running back Kaden Christensen said Cougars coaches didn’t have to say anything to the team this week to remain focused.
It’s Hilmar Week, Part II, as the No. 1 Cougars (11-1) and No. 2 Yellowjackets (11-1) meet in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Lincoln High School in Stockton.
Saturday’s matchup will be the fourth time the schools have met in a section championship, with Escalon winning two of the three games. They last met in 2011 and Hilmar won, 20-17.
“When we saw they were on the other side of the bracket, we knew we would play them in the championship,” said Christensen, who has 1,723 total yards and 24 touchdowns.
Christensen said there wasn’t any team he would have rather played in the championship than Hilmar.
Hilmar has eliminated its rival in the last two playoffs en route to back-to-back section championships. Escalon last won a championship in 2010.
“It’s two towns built the same with a great community and support,” Cougars coach Andrew Beam said.
Escalon won the first meeting earlier this year with a 34-21 victory on Sept. 27.
“They were physical and fast,” Beam said. “We had a tough, deep league this year and it prepared us for the playoffs.”
Regarding the championship, Beam said the title will come down to two things:
“At the end of the day, whoever plays good defense and doesn’t turn the ball over will win.”
-----
2019 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI Championship
No. 2 Hilmar (11-1) at No. 1 Escalon (11-1)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 30. 2019
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Lincoln (Stockton) High School
First meeting: Escalon won, 34-21, on Sept. 27
