SAN MARCOS — Mission Hills senior wide receiver Josh Gonzales opened his first two games of the season with a combined eight catches for 120 yards — solid, workmanlike numbers, but far short of the video-game totals he put up as a sophomore and junior at Escondido.
In 2023, Gonzales hauled in 76 catches for 1,250 yards and 14 touchdowns, then followed that with 68 for 1,351 and an absurd 21 scores last season.
“The first two games felt good,” Gonzales told The Coast News. “Personally, I don’t like the number of yards I had because I’m trying to reach my goal in beating the record for most receiving yards in San Diego.”
Mission Hills won both contests, cruising past Quartz Hill 31-0 on the road before edging Oak Ridge 24-13 at home.
But Game 3, a 42-6 home rout of Oceanside on Sept. 5, was a breakout performance for the 6-foot, 180-pound receiver.
In the first quarter, Mission Hills quarterback Troy Huhn — a 6-foot-4 Penn State commit — rolled right on a play fake and uncorked a 46-yard pass downfield, finding Gonzales for his first touchdown.
Gonzales added his second score in the third quarter on a 17-yard post-corner, blowing past an Oceanside defensive back before collecting the ball in the end zone. Later in the quarter, he punched in an end-around from the 1-yard line.
Gonzales capped the scoring in the final period, taking a screen pass 23 yards into the endzone for his fourth of the night.
“Josh is great,” said Mission Hills sophomore wide receiver Ryan Mackenzie. “He’s got great hands, runs great routes, and it’s really fun playing with him. His attitude is always positive, and he strives for more every day. When either of us is down or overthinking, he’s there picking me up and making sure I’m ready to go. It’s fun playing with my guy, and we’ve still got plenty of weeks ahead.”
Gonzales described his own strengths: “I’d say my catch radius and being able to come down with a 50-50 ball. Definitely my physicality as a receiver as well. I want to improve on my route running more than anything. But my ability to get separation at the top of the route sets me apart.”
Former Escondido teammate Ezekiel McIntyre, who also transferred this season to San Marcos, formed a potent wide receiver tandem with Gonzales and is no stranger to his big-game performances.
“He can play both ways and is very competitive,” McIntyre said. “Practicing and playing games with him was always fun and challenging. He’s the type of teammate you want on your side.”
The catch that most stands out in McIntyre’s memory came during Gonzales’ sophomore year, McIntyre’s freshman season, in a win over Calexico. Ironically, the pass was thrown by McIntyre on a wide receiver option play and resulted in a 10-yard touchdown.
“I threw him a back-shoulder fade, and he caught it one-handed,” McIntyre said. “That was my favorite catch of his.”
On his decision to transfer, Gonzales said, “It was about getting better opportunities to go places. The coaches here have more connections with college coaches. The way [head coach Chris Hauser] runs practices — the environment is like a college-style setup, preparing you for the next level.”
With Huhn at quarterback and sophomore playmaker Brayden Roberson — currently sidelined with a broken hand but slated to line up opposite Gonzales — expectations are high for Mission Hills. The trade-off, however, could be fewer passes coming Gonzales’ way in a talent-loaded offense.
“My outlook is to take every opportunity I get,” Gonzales said. “We have a lot of talented receivers on our team, and I’m going up against good competition, which only makes me better. Not every play is designed for you, so when the opportunities come, I give it 100% to the whistle. With Brayden out right now, all of us have had to step up, and I think we’ve done a pretty good job.”
Gonzales said his ultimate goal is to play Division I college football, first up however, Mission Hills hosts Granite Hills on Friday night.
At 3-0, the Grizzlies have gotten off to a fast start, but wins are never taken for granted in the Avocado League. Mission Hills opens league play Oct. 3 at home against undefeated La Costa Canyon.
“It’s about maximizing every opportunity I get — not only to get noticed, but to perform when coaches are watching and have a shot at playing Division I football,” Gonzales said. “Being recognized boosts my confidence, but I try to stay humble and not get too cocky. Our team chemistry is tight—we got close over the summer with several team-bonding events—but everyone is focused and locked in on a collective goal: to have a strong season and go beyond that.”
