WEEK Hungrige has Huskies hungry for state championship
A loss on a big stage is not something any athlete across any sport wants to experience.
The time, effort and dedication put forth to reach the pinnacle only to fall short is a tough experience to endure. But there is no denying that a defeat in a big setting can help provide all of the motivation necessary for an athlete or a team to come back better than before.
For Sutter High linebacker Logan Hungrige, a strong junior season in 2015 resulted in the Huskies overcoming some early losses only to bounce back in the playoffs with a Northern Section Division III championship and a second straight trip to a CIF Regional Bowl Game.
Unfortunately for the Huskies, their best effort came up just one game short of a state title with a narrow 17-13 loss to Sierra of Manteca to close out the season.
Like many on the team who returned to the Huskies in 2016, Hungrige vowed to do everything necessary to get back to the bowl game and be in position to play for the Huskies’ first state championship.
Waking up in the wee hours of the morning to head to the weight room all throughout the offseason, Hungrige began the process of improving his skillset to lead the Sutter defense this season.
“He was in the weight room at 5 a.m. every day in the offseason and that speaks volumes of his effort as an athlete and a leader for the team who is willing to grind it out and put in the work needed to get better,” said Sutter coach Ryan Reynolds.
After an undefeated regular season and another appearance in the D-III championship game last week, it’s safe to say that hard work has paid off for Hungrige in his senior season.
In the D-III championship game against No. 2 Lassen on Saturday at Wayne Gadberry Field, Hungrige and the rest of the Huskies defense stepped up just as they have all season long. Hungrige had a team-high 18 tackles and added two sacks to lead a defense that forced four turnovers and helped push the No. 1-seeded Huskies to a 42-7 win over the Grizzlies to clinch the team’s third straight D-III title.
For his efforts in the victory over Lassen, Hungrige is the Appeal-Democrat’s Athlete of the Week.
“I know everyone was looking to get another shutout on the board, but allowing seven points to a team like Lassen is still very impressive,” Hungrige said. “It was another very good game overall for our defense.”
Before the Grizzlies scored a touchdown in the third quarter on Saturday night, the Sutter defense had put together an impressive streak of not allowing a point over spanning parts of eight games, 32 quarters in total, since a 31-6 win over Bear River on Sept. 30.
Coming into the season, Hungrige, the AppealDemocrat’s All-Area Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, said there was a feeling that the defense could do some special things.
“I just had a feeling that this season could be special for the defense because we have almost the same defense as last year, but everyone was a little more seasoned with all of the experience we picked up,” he said. “We’re a close-knit group and we work very well together as a unit because we play for each other and not just for ourselves.”
All season long, the Sutter defense has been consistent, complementing a high-scoring offense that has resulted in the Huskies posting a 13-0 record. Hungrige has been a key factor in the success of the defense with 120 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and six sacks.
“Logan is a huge leader for the defense and I don’t know if we’d be where we are today without him,” said Sutter defensive end Jack Enos. “It always seems like he is in the backfield making a big tackle or sack. I don’t always get to see it, but I definitely hear it and it’s usually a loud smack.”
Three years ago as a sophomore, Hungrige was brought up to the varsity squad and was able to contribute on defense along with his brother Brayden, a star linebacker for the Huskies, as they advanced to a CIF Bowl Game against Campolindo. Getting a third-and-final opportunity to win a state title is something that Hungrige wants to make into a reality.
The Huskies will have to wait through this weekend before hearing about who and where they will play next. All that is known is that Sutter will have two tough opponents to battle against if they want to secure the team’s first state championship.
“More than anything, I want to help this team get a chance to play for a state title,” he said. “After we lost to Sierra last year, the first thing we all started to believe was that this season was going to be our year. It’s a great feeling to be undefeated and get a third straight section title. Now, the biggest focus is on our team going out there and trying to do what hasn’t been done before and that’s to win a state title.”
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