HUGHSON—As the final seconds ticked away Friday night, Hughson High quarterback Robert McDaniel tugged at his shoulder pads, his black helmet unable to hide the tears.
He received a brief hug from his brother Bryce, and then it was over, the career of the most prolific and decorated quarterback in school history. That he’s headed to Westwood and UCLA didn’t matter much at that moment, not after the Huskies fell hard in the CIF 4-AA Regional Final to St. Vincent de Paul of Petaluma 42-14.
“I’m really happy how our team came together this season,” McDaniel said as he reached for context. “I’m really proud of it.”
Nearby, St. Vincent posed for a team photo at the corner of the home stands amid the December chill at Husky Memorial Stadium. The Hollywood script called for the previously unbeaten Huskies (13-1)—called the Heart Attack Huskies in recent days—to pull out another improbable victory and march to the state final. It doesn’t often work that way in the real world, however, even if your heralded quarterback is targeting that city in the near future.
St. Vincent, the 2023 CIF Division 6-A champion, will meet Highland, a 33-31 winner over Coalinga, in the 4-AA championship game Friday night at Long Beach City College. For Hughson (13-1), its dream was shattered for the second straight year on home turf one step short of the highest level.
“We still had a fantastic season. I asked our kids to keep their heads up,” Hughson coach Shaun King said. “I’m still very proud of our successes.”
King will receive no argument on that point. McDaniel and a 32-man senior class, coupled with the senior class of 2023, changed the football culture at Hughson. They ushered in unprecedented glory: A 2022 state title, three straight Sac-Joaquin Section championships and a hard-earned Trans-Valley League title this fall.
The only box they left unchecked was the NorCal title the last two years: Palma of Salinas in ’23 in a game Hughson almost won, and St. Vincent, an opponent far better on this night.
McDaniel’s name will be written in indelible ink in Hughson’s record book. He threw for nearly 7,900 yards since King summoned him as the starter late in his freshman year. His arcing 9-yarder to Max Mankins in the second quarter—Mankins reaching high to snare it against tight coverage—was McDaniel’s 96th and final touchdown pass.
But there would be no further glory for McDaniel and his boys in black. St. Vincent had not lost since Week 2 to Truckee, and it all but closed down the high-flying Huskies. McDaniel, hobbled by a gimpy ankle most of the game thanks to a late hit out of bounds, completed only nine of 19 passes for 81 yards. Worse, McDaniel threw three interceptions leading to 14 points for the visitors. He tossed only five picks this season until Friday night.
McDaniel, aided by a cart ride to the Hughson locker room at halftime, gutted through the second half but clearly was slowed. Truth be told, St. Vincent already had the game in hand.
“They (St. Vincent) did a great job,” McDaniel said. “They had a great defensive plan…They were the best team we’ve played.”
Veteran St. Vincent coach Trent Herzog deployed a defense he had not tried in his 31 years in the game: a so-called “Tampa 2” featuring two safeties, a middle linebacker often back-pedaling into coverage, and an occasional double-teaming of Bryce McDaniel, his older brother’s favorite target. Robert McDaniel, chased all night by a furious pass rush, found few available receivers. The McDaniel-to-McDaniel tandem that had connected for 14 touchdowns managed only one reception for three yards.
“We were so scared by their quarterback,” Herzog said. “I think they never saw that (the Tampa 2) on film. We disguised it a little bit. For our defense to force three turnovers from a quarterback of that caliber, it was pretty amazing.”
Conversely, Hughson’s defense was also beaten decisively. On the game’s first snap, St. Vincent quarterback Gabe Casanovas passed to his right to Joseph Edwards Phillips, who picked up a block and raced 62 yards past his own bench for the opening TD.
Running back Mason Caturegli, breaking tackles on nearly every carry, finished with 150 yards on only 13 attempts and four touchdowns. The officials signaled a running clock after Caturegli’s final touchdown with 4:26 left.
Hughson trailed 14-0 early in the second quarter, noteworthy in that it never faced such a deficit this season. The Huskies answered with a 65-yard march and McDaniel’s touchdown pass, but St. Vincent responded immediately. Hughson was fortunate to trail only 21-7 at the break.
Even a successful Hughson gambit backfired. Noe Pacheco’s high pooch kick to open the second half was caught by teammate Malakai Sumter. But St. Vincent wisely signaled for a fair catch, switching a stolen possession into a Hughson illegal touching penalty. The Mustangs needed to drive only 42 yards, and Caturegli covered the final 24 yards for a 28-7 lead.
St. Vincent’s fifth touchdown was launched by a gadget play. On fourth down from the Hughson 33 yard line, the Mustangs rushed to the line and completed a 12-yard pass—from Caturegli to Casanovas alone near the sideline. Casanovas, nearly as difficult to corral as Caturegli, rushed for 86 yards and completed nine of 14 passes for 181 yards. St. Vincent outgained Hughson 458-228.
“They (St. Vincent) were good,” King praised. “And in the state playoffs, you have to be playing your best ball. Tonight, we didn’t play our best ball.”
Scrappy junior fullback Eli Wilbanks worked hard for his 128 yards on 20 carries, including a touchdown in the final minutes.
King nearly replaced his hobbled quarterback but deferred to arguably the area’s best signal-caller in many years. McDaniel, stoic in nearly every situation, finally yielded to some real emotion near the end. The hugs exchanged by him and his fellow seniors were genuine.
“I told him nearly all your teammates are hanging up their pads for the last time, but you’re not,” King said. “He is a special, special player.”
CIF Division 4-AA Regional Final
St. Vincent de Paul 42, Hughson 14
St. Vincent de Paul 6-15-14-7—42
Hughson 0-7-0-7—14
1st Quarter
SV--Joseph Edwards Phillips 62 pass from Gabe Casanovas (kick failed)
2nd Quarter
SV--Mason Caturegli 1 run (Caturegli run)
H—Max Mankins 9 pass from Robert McDaniel (Noe Pacheco kick)
SV—Jack Ellis 26 pass from Casanovas (Tyler Chelew kick)
3rd Quarter
SV—Caturegli 24 run (Chelew kick)
SV—Caturegli 1 run (Chelew kick)
4th Quarter
SV—Caturegli 6 run (Chelew kick)
H—Eli Wilbanks 1 run (Pacheco kick)
Records—St. Vincent de Paul 13-1, Hughson 13-1
