At the end of practice last week, the Calaveras Junior Redskins could be heard chanting, “Beat Bret Harte! Beat Bret Harte!”
Asked about the strong feelings of competition, the young players replied, “We want to win! And we are going to win for Coach Hodgson!”
Nick Hodgson, a 1979 graduate of Calaveras High, has had a long-time rivalry with Bret Harte. Nearly a lifelong resident of Calaveras County, Hodgson played football for Calaveras High on the offensive line, until he was involved in a car accident in which he received a serious back injury. Those old feelings of competition return to him each year when it comes time for the Calaveras and Bret Harte teams to meet.
After Saturday’s triple coup, junior varsity coach Hodgson is probably flying high. All three of the Junior Redskins’ teams were triumphant in their games against the Bret Harte Junior Bullfrogs.
The Junior Redskins varsity team won its game with the Bullfrogs, 36-6.
Gary Chambers, Jameson Holder and Joey Gellerman made outstanding plays. Chambers had 15 carries for 141 yards and made three touchdowns. Holder ran 26 yards, with one touchdown, and made six tackles. Gellerman carried seven times for a total of 30 yards.
Receiver Aaron Lowden caught one pass for a 17-yard touchdown.
On defense, Josiah Lozano made seven tackles and returned an interception 60 yards. Ricky Hayes had seven tackles, including one sack of the quarterback. Jacob Humphrey made nine tackles. He also retrieved a fumble for a 68-yard touchdown.
SUBHED: Junior varsity wins by six
Dylan Hodgson made seven carries for 38 yards and scored one touchdown in the Junior Redskins’ 18-12 JV victory over Bret Harte.
Steven Klith pulled in a pass and completed a 35-yard touchdown. Brian Rutledge recovered a fumble and marked another Calaveras touchdown.
On defense, Garret Fisk made eight tackles, Steven Klith made seven, Dylan Tribble had six and Hodgson stopped five runs.
SUBHED: Once is enough
For the Redskins’ bantams, one trip into the end zone was all it took for its 6-0 win to keep the Red’s sweep complete.
Matt Ortega scored the game’s only touchdown. He also had 27 yards rushing.
On defense, Chris Biondi and Matt each made an interception, and Steven Hernandez recovered one fumble. The Redskins’ defense kept the Bullfrogs out of its end of the field for the entire game.
Nicholas Short made a 45-yard kickoff and Brandon Rutledge made a game-saving open-field tackle.
The Junior Redskins play the Lodi Bobcats at 1 p.m. Sunday at Calaveras High School.
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