After defeating the Vanden Vikings 31-20 on Friday night at Wolf Den Stadium, the 2015 season has a much different feel for the American Canyon High football team heading into Game 8 than it did after dropping to 0-4 with a 70-33 loss to the Wood (Vacaville) Wildcats on Sept. 18.
The Wolves still have three more hurdles to clear if they want a chance for a return trip to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III playoffs but after winning two of their last three contests, postseason participation is a legitimate conversation. American Canyon recorded its first win of the season on Sept. 25 in defeating El Camino (Sacramento) 34-31 before heading into the bye week.
While any win is great, I’m of the mind that a win heading into the open date helped the team’s psyche if nothing else because confidence can be fragile, particularly with high school student-athletes. Coaches and players can say all the right things about staying positive but at some point constantly losing, especially in decisive fashion, wears on you mentally.
Though the Wolves lost to Benicia, 35-28, in the Solano County Athletic Conference opener on Oct. 9, you had the feeling that the season was ready to turn in American Canyon’s favor. Like most any coach, Wolves head man Larry Singer will preach the “one game at a time” mantra. There’s nothing wrong with that approach because it’s the coach’s job to make certain that players don’t get too high when they win and not too low when they lose. However, as a fan/career changed media turned water truck driver, I can look ahead.
American Canyon is now 2-5 overall and 1-1 in SCAC. The Wolves are likely out of mulligans if they want to reach the postseason but going forward, here are some positive signs if you are a Wolves fan.
Their two toughest SCAC opponents (Benicia and Vanden) are in their rearview mirror. Though losing to Benicia hurts, the Wolves got a split between the Panthers and Vanden. The Wolves last three opponents (Bethel, Fairfield and Vallejo) have a combined record of 6-15. Granted, Bethel skews that record somewhat because the Jaguars are 0-7. However, even if you eliminate that mark, one can look at all three of these games as ones American Canyon has a realistic chance to win.
In just a short time, five years to be exact, American Canyon football has built a winning tradition.
Earlier this season, as in just a few weeks ago, one had to wonder if that tradition was headed the other direction. To add further perspective, between 2011-2014, the Wolves had gone 32-12 under Ian MacMillan (2011-2013) and Ernie Lawson (2014). Singer, who had been the Wolves JV head coach since 2011 after one season of coaching the freshmen team, was elevated to head coach after Lawson resigned.
Hall of Fame NFL head coach Bill Parcells coined the phrase, “you are what your record says you are.” I agree with that to a point. Factually, it’s a true statement but sometimes records have to be evaluated differently and the 2015 Wolves to date would fall into that category.
With the 2015 Wolves’ team, the nonleague schedule resembled Murder’s Row highlighted by Inderkum, which is 8-0 and the SJS D-III runnerup. The Tigers have outscored foes by an average score of 46-12, including a 43-6 win over American Canyon. In addition, Wood, which has been a perrenially mid-to-low level team in the Monticello Empire League, has taken a step forward. Even with Friday’s 38-21 loss to Napa, the Wildcats are still in the picture in the MEL title race. Wood is 6-1.
In the first couple of years, the Wolves did not play nonleague foes of this caliber outside of playoff games. In addition, American Canyon had three players (Chris Seisay, Jonathan Bade and Jomon Dotson) that went on to play at Div. I colleges. It was like a perfect storm, have a few difference makers, some winnable games and generate momentum.
Speaking of momentum, the Wolves have it on their side now. It’s up to them to maintain it.
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