RIPON — Ripon Christian is looking forward to its game on Friday, in part because the Knights get to finally play in one.
They’re heading to second-seeded Hilmar (10-1) after skating through the first two rounds of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI playoffs. Following a first-round bye, No. 3 Ripon Christian (10-1) got another pass last week when No. 6 Calaveras was forced to forfeit for using an ineligible player in its postseason-opening win over Western Sierra.
The last time the Knights played was Nov. 1, a 49-0 drubbing of winless Delhi in the Southern Athletic League finale.
“We were all really disappointed last week not being able to play, so it feels good just to get back out here and get ready for a really good opponent,” Ripon Christian running back/safety Sean McGovern said.
It’s also a familiar opponent.
The two teams met in the 2018 section final, and the Knights were dealt their lone loss of the season in embarrassing fashion, 57-14.
“They were quick and they were fast,” linebacker Wyatt Van Vliet said. “Last year, Orestimba was probably the quickest and hardest-hitting team that we had played, but it wasn’t comparable to what the TVL put up for us.
“Their two best players did their damage early and the whole team kind of shut down. We’re not going to do that this year; we’re not going to give up.”
Ripon Christian was coming off a 25-13 upset of then-No. 1 seed Modesto Christian but had no answer for one of the other traditional powers of the Trans Valley League. Hilmar’s formidable 1-2 backfield punch of Issac Sharp and Justin Retnfro ran wild against the Knights and continued to lead the march to the CIF State Division VI-AA championship.
“That was probably one of the better small-school teams I had ever seen,” Ripon Christian coach Randy Fasani said.
The good news for RC is that much of Hilmar’s top players from 2018, including the two 1,000-yard rushers, have since graduated.
The bad news?
It’s still Hilmar.
“Hilmar is a storied program, a one-school town with probably the best coaching staff in the Sac-Joaquin Section and kids who buy into the program year-around,” Fasani said.
This year, longtime Hilmar coach Frank Marques has the Yellowjackets airing it out more thanks to the arm of junior Seth Miguel. He has been deadly accurate of late, with only three of his last 29 passes falling incomplete.
In their 49-17 blowout of Bear River last week, Miguel threw for 326 yards and a season-high four touchdowns. For the season, he has completed 62% of his passes for 1,581 yards, 25 TDs and three interceptions and is also a threat on the run (376 yards, two TDs).
“They still have a good amount of guys who can make plays,” McGovern said. “I’d say they’re more of a passing team this year. They still have good running backs, but they have a lot of guys who can run routes and are threats in the passing game, so we have to be ready for that.”
Aiden Azevedo (544 yards, 13 TDs), a 6-foot-3 receiver, is among those threats in the explosive spread attack. Running back Cole Bailey averages 12 yards per carry and is a multi-dimensional threat who has racked up 865 total yards and 11 touchdowns. Steven Silva is Hilmar’s leading rusher with 636 yards and five scores.
With no game of their own, Ripon Christian coaches and players got to watch Hilmar light up Bear River in person.
 “You can see more of the speed and their size in person than (on film),” McGovern said. “That can be an advantage.”
Considering the 22 days between games, Ripon Christian will take any advantage it can get.
“We would have rather been playing Calaveras,” Fasani said. “I felt like we were going to put on a show and make a statement, however, our team was able to go scout whoever the winner of the Bear River-Hilmar game and we were very impressed with how Hilmar played.”

AT A GLANCE
WHO: Ripon Christian (10-1) vs. Hilmar (10-1)
WHAT: Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI semifinals
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
WHERE: McSweeney Field, Hilmar
ADMISSION: $12 adults, $8 seniors (65-over)/military, $5 students (k-12), children 5-under are free