Hilmar, Livingston football excited to return to Trans-Valley League play this fall
Both the Hilmar and Livingston high school football teams were grateful to even play a shortened five-game season this past spring.
The alternative was no football at all.
It was a hectic season, filled with COVID tests, unusual schedules, and near empty stadiums, but the kids got to play football.
“It was weird,” said Hilmar coach Frank Marques. “Going into our first game against Atwater we found out hours before the game that six of our guys had to sit out because of COVID tracking. There was a lot of that. I felt like we were surviving just to have the season.
“There was no sense of normalcy. We felt luck just to be playing. Hopefully this season we’ll get back to normal.”
Normal for Hilmar and Livingston is returning to Trans-Valley League play and renewing rivalries with teams like Escalon, Ripon and Hughson.
Year in and year out, the TVL is widely considered one of the top small-school football leagues in the state.
Both Hilmar and Livingston are getting geared up to make it through the TVL grind.
“You can tell the intensity level at practice has increased much more than last spring,” said Livingston coach Alex Gonzalez. “Not to take away from the five games, but there’s something about TVL play that boost things up.”
Let’s take a closer look at the two Merced County TVL teams.
Hilmar
The Yellowjackets played up in the Central California Conference this past spring and were about 90 seconds away from a perfect 5-0 season. Merced pulled off a miracle comeback against Hilmar and the Yellowjackets finished with an impressive 4-1 record.
Marques says he likes this group a lot.
“This is a hard working group,” Marques said. “They’ve done a great job in the weight room all summer and that’s carried over to the practice field.”
The Yellowjackets are always tough on defense and that won’t change this year.
On offense, Hilmar will be led by its receivers. Marques feels this could be their best receiving group in years.
It starts with juniors Derek Taylor and Cannon Ireland, who both made an impact this spring as sophomores.
“Those guys stepped up,” Marques said. “It’s hard to believe they were only sophomores. We expect a lot of those guys. As good as Taylor looked last year he’s gotten a lot better. Ireland is a tough kid who shows up when the game is on the line.”
Taylor says the five-game spring season was useful.
“I was able to get used to playing at the varsity pace,” he said. “I got used to running with the big guys. I think it was a warm-up for this season.”
Senior Cameron Moak and junior Hudson Azevedo are competing for quarterback. Azevedo injured his knee early in practice and the Yellowjackets are hoping the injury isn’t serious as they await tests.
Taylor and Ireland will play key roles on defense at defensive end and in the secondary, respectively. Blake Westmoreland (linebacker), Brandon Freitas (defensive line), Landon Gomes (defensive line) and Brock Perry (linebacker) will also help anchor the defense.
Livingston
Senior Rocklin Baptista is rare in that he enters this season as a fourth-year starter at quarterback.
Baptista got called up to varsity midway through his freshmen season and brings his vast experience into this season for the Wolves.
“He’s like having a second offensive coordinator out there,” Gonzalez said. “It’s amazing. Watching him go through a bump with the last five games this past spring. It was fun to see him learn from that.”
Baptista says the game has slowed down a lot for him since he was a 15-year old freshmen playing against 18 and 19 year olds.
“This is the group that has played together since we were 7 years old,” Baptista said. “Since high school, I haven’t been able to play with them. It’s fun to see them in the weight room now. They used to talk about watching me after their games. It feels surreal now that we’re together again.”
Baptista will be aided by three returning starters on the offensive line in seniors Andre Rasberry, Abram Nisse and junior Alex Casillas.
Baptista says the veteran players help them maximize their time in practice. Coaches don’t have to do a lot of teaching and talking.
Baptista likes the versatility of the players on the roster.
“I feel we have really diverse players,” Baptista said. “Going through injuries this spring, coaches really stressed players learning different positions. Now we can play players in different spots.”
Schedules
Livingston
Aug. 27 at Livermore
Sept. 3 vs Amador
Sept. 10 vs El Capitan
Sept. 17 at Hilmar
Sept. 24 vs Hughson
Oct. 8 vs Ripon
Oct. 15 at Modesto Christian
Oct. 22 vs Riverbank
Oct. 29 at Escalon
Hilmar
Aug. 20 at Patterson
Aug. 27 at Los Banos
Sept. 3 vs Modesto
Sept. 10 at Sonora
Sept. 17 vs Livingston
Sept. 24 at Ripon
Oct. 1 at Escalon
Oct. 15 vs Hughson
Oct. 22 vs Modesto Christian
Oct. 29 at Riverbank
