Hotz and Hardin put their names in record book

(Editor’s note: This story has been updated with corrected career receiving stats from Noah Hotz. His career yardage had previously been shortened by 100 yards.)

FREMONT – One was only a matter of time. The other wasn’t expected. Both are now Little Giant receiving leaders.

Seniors Noah Hotz and Deryante Hardin each etched their names into the Fremont Ross record book Friday night in the Little Giants’ heart-breaking 31-28 loss to St. John’s Friday night.

Hotz entered the game with 67 career receptions, tied for the most in Fremont Ross history. He wasted little time grabbing the record for himself, catching the record-setting reception on the Little Giants’ first snap of the game on an 18-yard gain.

But that wasn’t the only record Hotz put his name on Friday. Far from it.

He also broke the 1,000-yard milestone, becoming just the seventh Little Giant to do so. Hotz’s 12 catches set a new single-game record, breaking the previous record of 11 set by TJ Brudzinski in 1978 – also against St. John’s – and matched last season by Roger Burling and again by Hardin on Friday.

Indeed, Ross had two single-game receiving performances in the same game. Hardin, whose become a terrific safety valve for quarterback Hayden Lehmann when he’s under pressure, caught variety of screens and dump-offs to compile 89 yards on 11 catches – tying the record which Hotz broke.

“We got great playmakers,” head coach Chad Long said. “Deryante catching the ball out of the backfield is just like a run. Noah, he’s our secure guy, he catches everything thrown his way. I don’t remember him dropping the ball at all and he took some big shots.”

Hotz, whose career yardage now sits at 1,082, leaped up into third all-time. He trails Greg Brown by 145 for second place and is 258 yards behind Terence Davis’ record of 1,340 yards.