TVL Preview: Hughson has preseason QB battle; Sonora defends section, state titles
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Hughson enters 2025 with a rare preseason quarterback battle to resolve.
- Sonora returns 90% of its offense, aiming to repeat as section, state champs.
- Coaches’ poll ranks Sonora first in TVL; Escalon and Ripon follow closely.
For the first time in at least three years, there’s a quarterback battle in Hughson.
Robert McDaniel held it down as the Huskies’ signal caller since the middle of his freshman season and led the Huskies to a NorCal title, a state title, three straight section titles and three NorCal title game appearances. But he’s at San Jose State now, which clears the way for some competition.
Three quarterbacks are on the roster but it could be a two-man race between a senior and a freshman. It’s the same position head coach Shaun King was in during the 2021 preseason, McDaniel’s freshman year. He calls it “a good problem to have.”
Another good problem the Huskies have is a league winning streak. They went unbeaten in Trans-Valley League play last season, claiming the TVL title. They played in some classics: a 52-51 last-second victory over Sonora, King’s first win over Hilmar as a head coach in a road blowout, and a win over Escalon sealed by an interception. It was the Huskies’ third win over the Cougars in their past 10 matchups.
Some returners are back to defend the title, no name more recognizable than Bryce McDaniel, a Fresno State commit and Robert’s brother. In his senior season, Bryce is making a position change, switching from strictly a receiver to tight end, which he will play in college. He spent all off-season putting on weight and working with a tight end coach on blocking, schemes and route running at his new position.
Last season’s leading rusher, Eli Wilbanks, returns and will play some defense. Valente Soria is back, ready for a bigger role as a tight end and defensive lineman, and receiver Lawson Aviles will certainly get more targets this season. Titus Beers also transferred in after a productive season at Big Valley Christian last season.
Last season, three players could have run a practice by themselves: Robert McDaniel, Malakai Sumter, a receiver at Fresno State, and Max Mankins, who attends a Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and has already earned Division I recognition. They knew, almost exactly, what King wanted from them. Now, King does more teaching, repeating orders, going over schemes more than once and guiding new players into new roles. It is a challenge he embraces.
Ceres, Atwater, Pitman and Linden all will be used as feeler games to determine who will be the Huskies’ starting quarterback before they start TVL play Sept. 19. The middle of the Huskies’ league schedule will be the most challenging, mentally and physically. After taking on Ripon and Ripon Christian, Hughson travels to both Escalon and Sonora in games that could have playoff seeding implications. They finish the regular season at home against Orestimba and Hilmar.
Hilmar’s key is its offensive line
The key to Hilmar’s success this season will be its offensive line, and the leader likely will be 6-foot-7, 295-pound Justin Ortiz. The offensive guard played in all 12 games on both the offensive and defensive lines. He recorded 66 tackles with a tackle for loss in 2024 and was a second-team all-league down lineman. The Yellowjackets will have to replace a number of dynamic playmakers in quarterback Merek Ellerd, Caden Bailey, John Labno and Tanner Westmoreland. Hilmar will have eight players in addition to Ortiz who will have a large say in whether they continue their streak of postseason appearances.
In his sophomore season, Nathan Ayala had flashes of brilliance. He played in 10 games and did a little bit of everything on offense, defense and special teams, racking up 558 all-purpose yards with four receiving touchdowns and a pick-six. He was also one of three returners to record over 80 tackles last season.
Defense could be Hilmar’s calling card this season, with a number of key returners in addition to Ayala and Ortiz. Colton Johnston is ready to have a big senior year after a breakout season in 2024, recording a team-high 95 tackles and seven tackles for loss. The Yellowjackets’ third-leading tackler from last season, Mattheu Brum, returns after recording 83 tackles in eight games, just over 10 tackles per game. Ayala and returners Cohen Felber and Jacob Sward were the only Hilmar players to record more than one interception last season. Felber recorded his two picks and recovered a fumble in a narrow playoff win over Livingston.
Ripon under new leadership with strong junior class
With the tag “interim” removed, head coach Cole Williams will lead a group made of 13 returners and fresh faces through the gauntlet of the TVL with the hopes of earning a postseason win after falling in the opening round to Liberty Ranch in 2024.
The league’s best offensive lineman, Tipeti Paini, is back and looking for another dominant year in the trenches. Williams said he is the type of player every team game-plans for. He has the speed, skill and love for the game that all great impact players have. Paini has gotten only better in the offseason after months of working out and will look to put all of the work to the test in the best small-school league in the state.
Ripon’s junior class is known for winning since the youth levels. The athletes played together for two years and were brought up together through the system. Now, a number of them hope to bring their winning ways to the varsity team.
At least seven members of the junior class are expected to make an impact right away, and with the way a football season usually goes, others will likely have an impact on whether Ripon finishes near the top or the bottom of the standings.
Ripon’s nonleague schedule starts with Golden Valley on Friday, then the Indians follow up with Enochs and Oakland High before their first TVL game. They then take on Modesto High for a nonleague contest before finishing out league play.
Sonora’s returners will be key
If Sonora loses a TVL game, it will be a surprise to many on the high school football scene. The Wildcats joined Hughson as the two teams in the league that won 13 games in 2024. Sonora finished second in the league last season after losing a 52-51 shootout to Hughson on a failed two-point conversion but went on to win section and state titles. In 2025, the Wildcats return more than 90% of their offensive production. Between senior running backs and quarterback Eli Ingalls, Tommy Sutton, Cash Byington and Brody Speer, Sonora returns 4,041 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns. Though the Wildcats’ offense is a ground-and-pound, physical game, there was no shortage of scoring. Last season, Sonora scored over 40 points 10 times, over 50 points six times and scored at least 60 points three times. It put up 52 points in the Division 4-A state championship game win over St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy.
Sonora gets four nonleague tune-ups before hosting Escalon in its TVL opener Sept. 19. No nonleague game will be bigger than Friday’s season opener against Oakdale. Sonora travels to the Mustangs after hosting last season, a game where the Wildcats picked up their first win over Oakdale in six years, 31-21. They also take on Turlock the week before the Escalon contest.
Escalon hopes to bounce back after injury-filled 2024
Injuries plagued the Cougars in 2024, from their star receiver tearing his ACL in an offseason workout to each of their top three offensive players missing at least two games at one point in the season. When they regained some form of normality, the Cougars went on a run, winning four of their last five games, including a first-round playoff game against Fairfield in dominant 30-7 fashion.
Now, Escalon has had a spring and summer to not only fully heal from injuries but to incorporate new players at key positions. Ryan Lewis, one of the few four-year varsity players in Andrew Beam’s coaching tenure at Escalon, graduated and is working as a preferred walk-on at Fresno State. His graduation left a hole on the offensive and defensive lines and room for someone to step up as a leader. Last season’s starting quarterback, Logan Huebner, is back after passing for 857 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushing for 426 yards and five scores in nine games.
Lorenzo Teixeira is the only returner on the offensive line and also will play on the defensive line. Carter Yates, a two-way running back/linebacker, stepped in last year after injuries and is expected to play a bigger role. A player who could take the biggest leap for the Cougars is only a sophomore, Dylan Ball. The running back/safety played in just nine games and rushed for 301 yards but made big plays defensively, coming away with two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Orestimba under new leadership
Four two-way starters will be key returners for the Warriors and first-year head coach Austin Martins. Robert Corella was a first-team all-league defensive lineman last season after recording 46 points, eight tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Richie Rivas, a productive two-way starter as a junior, led Orestimba in interceptions (4) and added 280 receiving yards and caught a touchdown pass. He will likely also have an expanded role along with Noah Valenzuela and Richie Ebert. Orestimba, despite playing in the TVL for the first time last season, finished fourth behind an unbeaten Hughson team and a two-way tie for second between Escalon and Sonora with a 3-4 league record.
The winningest coach in school history stepped down this offseason, paving the way for Marrtins. The Orestimba alum played at Linfield University for a season before coming back to the area to play at Modesto JC. After a stop playing for Rusty Stivers, he went to Division I Valparaiso, where he played through 2021. He always knew he would return to Newman to teach and coach. Now, as the program leader, his goal is to take the knowledge he got from playing and give it to the new Warriors. Martins, 10 total returners from last season and a crop of varsity newcomers will hope to get the team to the top of the TVL standings and back into the playoffs.
Ripon Christian adjusts to TVL with key returners
In its second season in the TVL, Ripon Christian could make a big jump thanks to its returning talent. The Knights have nine returners on offense and nine on defense, many of them playing both ways. Quarterback Mason Tameling’s senior season is also his third year as the varsity starter. After posting career highs in completions, attempts, passing yards per game, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, he seems ready for a big senior campaign. Amos Cady has produced consistently over his three-year varsity career and will be leaned on more as a senior, both in his play and as a captain. The plan is to have him play fly back, receiver, safety and return kicks. Matthew Chapman rounds out a trio of three-year varsity players and will play center on offense and will line up on the defensive line.
Defensively, Aaron Van Hofwegen and Chase Bunnell led the team in tackles as juniors, recording 89 and 87, respectively. They’re back and will also play on offense.
The Knights transitioned to the TVL last year and with a small roster, it can be tough to stay consistent in such a physical league. The crop of Knights returners, though, will make sure they keep games competitive as they chase another postseason appearance.
NEW: MODESTO BEE ANONYMOUS COACHES POLL
The Bee introduces its anonymous preseason high school football coach’s poll for the 2025 season. In leagues with four or more schools in The Bee’s coverage area, coaches were asked to vote on how they think the league standings will play out. They listed their order and we tallied the results from six of the seven coaches. Because it is a seven-school league, if a TVL coach voted a team to finish in first place, that school received seven points, second place received six and so on with the last team on each coach’s list receiving one point. We listed the total points based on how each coach voted and here’s how it came out:
1. Sonora (40 points)
2. Escalon (30)
3. Ripon (28)
4. Hughson (24)
5. Hilmar (21)
6. Ripon Christian (15)
7. Orestimba (10)
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 11:15 AM.
