RIPON — To Ripon, the 2014 season started for real on Friday night.

Sure, the Indians had already taken their lumps against undefeated Sierra and Sutter, two powerhouse programs that are fielding arguably their best-ever teams. They were also toppled by once-beaten Patterson and Sonora, two other tradition-rich teams favored to win their leagues.

“After taking hits from the big guys this is nothing,” Ripon middle linebacker Matthew Ysit said. “Teams like Sierra and Sutter are just bigger, better, a lot quicker and more athletic than what we’re going to see in league.”

Now, Ripon aims to be the team that imposes its will on opponents. That was the case Friday at Stouffer Field, where the Indians pummeled defending champion Hilmar 49-21 for a resounding start to their Trans-Valley League schedule.

“We talked about making that preseason count for something,” Ripon head coach Chris Johnson said. “I know it’s cliché but we went into tonight with a 0-0 record. We really felt like coming into the TVL that this is a new football team.”

The Indians avenged their 33-21 loss to Hilmar from a year ago. Both teams were undefeated going into what was essentially the TVL’s championship game.

It was a different set of circumstances Friday; Ripon (1-0 TVL, 2-4 overall) and Hilmar (0-1, 2-4) began TVL play with losing records following tough nonleague defeats.

“We hadn’t played at home in a month,” Ripon quarterback Nick Price said. “We went away and our team matured a lot. We’re a different team than the last time they saw us.

“They’re the cream of the crop in the TVL,” Price added. “(Jon) O’Brien hands down is the best quarterback in league. It feels good to beat those guys. It’s a great start for us. It’s on to the next now.”

Neither quarterback put up impressive numbers but for completely different reasons.

Price, for one, didn’t have to throw much. He completed half of his four passes, two of which were dropped. Another was an over-the-shoulder lob to Jacob Duxbury for an 18-yard touchdown that capped Ripon’s 11-play, 74-yard drive to start the game.

The rest was left up to the running game anchored by linemen Tanner French, Harrison Salvador and Robert Taylor. Duxbury carved up the Hilmar defense for 141 yards and two touchdowns on 12 touches. Ryan Fugit added three touchdown scampers to go with 120 rushing yards.

Ripon outgained the Yellowjackets 442-295, and 420 of those yards came on the ground. And while the Indians were able to sustain some long drives, they needed five or less plays to complete five of their seven scoring possessions.

“This is a statement game for us,” Johnson said. “That’s a great program, a well-coached football team with some good players. Our guys just came to play tonight. We were more physical than they were.”

Hilmar’s offense looked out of sorts for much of the night. O’Brien — the TVL’s Outstanding Offensive Player of 2013 — was limited to 53 yards on 8-of-13 passing, along with 24 yards on 11 rushes. Four of his incompletions were drops by open receivers, and the Yellowjackets lost three of their five fumbles. O’Brien was sacked twice, once by Ysit.

Hudson Harris, Hilmar’s standout 6-foot-2 receiver, was held to a single catch for a 19-yard gain. The Indians also bottled up bruising 215-pound backs Chris Souza (8 rushes. 64 yards, TD) and Chris Hughes (6 rushes, 20 yards).

“A lot of people weren’t really sure how we’re going to do, but this just sets the tempo for the rest of league,” Ysit said.