Highland Rams Living Up to the Hype Behind Will Bauman

This article recaps a segment from The Rush's Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 episode. Watch the full show.

At media day a couple of months ago, the Highland Rams had big goals. They're living up to them. Highland is in the hunt for the 4A Region 10 title, and quarterback Will Bauman has delivered everything the Rams hoped for, with 17 touchdown passes, two interceptions and plenty of yards on the ground.

Highland has had injuries at running back, but others have filled in:

• Jacob Woodman: 8.3 yards per carry and close to 300 yards.

• Vili Ripley: a sophomore who is healthy again for the final stretch. He made a big red zone catch and broke tackles to score against Murray.

• Zamari Vaughn: 402 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

• John Ahoafi-Noa: 24 pancake blocks through seven games.

• James Yeates: 37 tackles to lead the defense.

Highland's only loss came in Week 1 at Westlake, and nothing about that is a red flag. The Rams finish with Juan Diego, Skyline and a trip to Jordan. They could be favored in all three, though the Skyline game looks like a one-possession matchup, and Highland could be a slight underdog. All three are chances to improve their RPI ranking before the playoffs.