Ripon High’s boys soccer team is on a roll, but the wins have not come easily of late.

The Indians survived yet another scare on the road Monday, climbing back from an early two-goal deficit to stun Hilmar, 4-2.

Just five days prior, Ripon (5-0-1 Trans-Valley League, 12-5-1 overall) needed a late goal to sneak away from Orestimba of Newman unscathed, 3-2.

“This was the first time in league we have been down two goals,” Ripon coach Jamie DeBruyn said. “I knew we weren’t ready coming out, but the (goal) I was most concerned about was that second one. Usually we bounce back pretty quickly, but once they scored that second one I started questioning if we’d be able to respond to that.”

The Indians did.

Victor de la O sliced the deficit in half with his nice half-volley score in the 36th minute. Freshman midfielder Thomas Sidtikun served up the assist.

de la O wasn’t finished. In the second minute of the second half, he followed up Roberto Alvarez’s initial miss — a firm ricochet off the crossbar — and pounded it in from close range.

Alvarez made good in the 50th minute off a dish from Sidtikun, completing a 15-minute span in which Ripon went from being down two to up one. Alvarez and Sidtikun, who scored in the 78th minute, both had a goal and two assists.

Osiris Guerrero, Hilmar’s leading scorer for the season, pushed the Yellowjackets (4-2, 7-9-1) in the opening minute, scorching an open shot past Ripon keeper Jonathan Soto (6 saves) from just a few yards behind the 18. Arturo Moran doubled the lead in the 22nd minute.

“We made some adjustments defensively and hunkered down,” DeBruyn said. “All of these away games have been a good test for us, and we go out again to Escalon next Monday. Any road win that we can get is good for us, because we know that we get to play our last five games on our home turf.”



Southern League

Ripon Christian 4, Mariposa 1

The Knights (3-3, 8-6-2) recorded a much-needed victory after dropping their last three.

Cousins Danny and Travis Vander Molen scored twice each, with assists coming from Cole Brouwer, Kyle Van Vuren and Rian Koetsier.

Lukas Vermuelen recorded eight saves at goal. Mariposa (2-4, 3-10) avoided the shutout in the final minute.



FROSH FOOTBALL

Ripon 40, Argonaut 20

Brenden Fugit had three touchdowns and Bryce Kinsey two for the Ripon freshman Thursday in a nonleague victory over host Argonaut.

Fugit scored on a 12-yard run and pulled in scoring passes from Logan Orlando of 29 and  36 yards. Fugit finished with 135 rushing yards and Kinsey 142, with Kinsey scoring from 3 and 48 yards out.

Jak Nelson had the other Indians touchdown on a 14-yard run.